New Hope Home

And finally, a new chapter on this story. I am struggling a little to continue with it, simply because off time, but I will try my best to write when I have the time to.

But be warned, if I do not have the time, I do not have the time. Updates can, and most likely will be slow. I can only apologize for that. I am working part-time at the same time as being a fulltime student at a very demanding study so free time is few and far between. I will try though, I really will. My goal is to finish this story this year, unless something major comes up.

Also, trying to write something that makes sense when I have so little knowledge on the American college system (Google has been surprisingly bad at giving me what I need with it comes to info), I will probably get a few things wrong. Feel free to correct me.

Hope you will enjoy this one though!

"Never Say Never:"

Getting the letter of acceptance to Harvard Medical School was probably the worse and best thing that had happened to Heero. Not only was it another nail to secure his future, but it was also crow-bar to take him further away from Duo. At least that's how it felt.

While his parents had been thrilled, hugging Heero as he read his letter, the small smile of sadness that decorated Duo's lips had been heart wrecking.

The braided teen had yet to get a letter of acceptance from anywhere and Heero could tell that Duo was starting to loose hope. He knew that most of the schools that Duo had applied to would require an audition or a port-folio, which meant that it was most likely to happen after they had graduated, but the braided teen was still hoping that he could at least get a letter about that soon.

Their exams were over and done with, graduation were only days away and while Heero knew that letters would continue to be sent for weeks still, he also couldn't take watching Duo slowly turn gloomier by the day.

Oh, he didn't show it. His mood and support of his friends as well as his happiness for Heero was all genuine, but it was the shadow behind the smile that Heero could see all too clearly that had his heart ache.

And Heero knew why Duo was taking the wait so horrible.

While Heero now had his path set for him, Duo was again a drifter, not knowing where he would go or when, just like he had been all his life while he was in the orphanage. While he had been with Heero for the last three months now, living with him and his parents, it was also the first time since he was a child that he'd had something secure. Or at least more secure than he'd had before. And this, Duo felt, was about as insecure as one could get when it came to ones future.

Still, there was one thing Heero could do to cheer Duo up and he was trying his best to get the rest of the Fallen Angels into it as well. And when Duo finally did get an invitation to come for an audition in New York, Heero only became more determined to help Duo take his mind off the worse of the pressure.

"I don't know, Heero," Quatre said quietly while plucking at the strings of his violin. "We've never really done something like that before, playing in a band has just been a hobby for us."

"That is why it is perfect," Heero murmured, crossing his legs as he leaned back on the bed, eyeing Quatre from his spot on the floor.

Quatre bit his lip, glancing over at Trowa, who simply shrugged. "I like the idea," the tall teen replied in his usual, calm voice. "The question is if we will be able to prepare for it."

"I am not saying that we are to do this with completely new material, we use what we have and know. If we feel brave enough, we can attempt some of the songs that we only know partly," Heero replied. "And I am fairly sure that I should be able to learn at least two or three songs myself on the guitar if we decide soon. I've already contacted Hilde and she seems to be willing to join in."

Wufei rubbed his chin, seemingly deep in thought as he listened to Heero speak. "Yuy has a good idea," he said slowly after a while. "Think about it… I know Maxwell has applied for hard schools, schools that may not send out their letters until after all exams are finished because of auditions and the likes. Winner, you already have that spot secured in business and Barton, you are going to work with your sister. Yuy has gotten the letters he wishes for as well, and even I have a spot ready for me when I go to China. But Maxwell has yet to get one. Not to mention that he has that lawyer breathing down his neck. I know that he's there to help him, but I think it stresses him more than it relaxes him." Wufei shrugged and shifted some on the spot on the floor, leaning his arms against the bed he leaned against, carefully so he wasn't accidentally nudging Heero. "I think something like this may help him get his mind off things, yeah? Something for him to work on. And it is like Yuy says, we don't have to do much out of it, just something he can think about."

Trowa and Quatre just stared at Wufei, who in turned stared right back at them. "… What?"

Quatre let out a small giggle and smiled at Wufei. "It's just… You talked so much. And you spoke with fondness and desire to help Duo."

Wufei snorted some, closing his eyes and turning his head away from the blond. "Come on now. You are being ridiculous."

Quatre just grinned before he looked over at Heero again. "Okay, it seems like we are all basically for this. And you mentioned Hilde earlier?"

Heero nodded, crossing one leg over the other as he straightened up some more. Sitting on the floor made his back ache. "Hai. Like I said, I've already texted her and had a brief chat with her. If she is able to, she would love to be here with us. The only thing we have to do now is to talk to the head-master and ask if Duo can't perform along with us for the graduation ceremony."

"It's still a huge thing to ask for though. It's not certain that Treize will accept," Quatre replied, then squeaked as he suddenly got a pillow tossed on himself by Wufei.

"Winner, you are supposed to be the positive one when Maxwell is not here!" he barked, though there was no real harshness in his voice. "Now be positive! Khushrenada has asked for us to play at events before, and we have declined because we haven't wanted the attention, nor have we felt that we've been ready! I say we are ready now!"

Trowa just stared at Wufei before he started laughing, placing a hand over his mouth in a desperate attempt to silence himself.

"What? Barton, why are you laughing?"

"It's Barton," Heero replied dryly. "He's probably made some sort of crazy connection in his head –again-. Even I've gotten used to it and I've only been around you for a year. Less even."

Wufei couldn't really argue with that, Trowa had proven his inability to not laugh at completely random things a long time ago, making connections that not even Duo could hope to match.

"So we agree then," Quatre asked, giving his lover a nudge with his elbow. "We'll try to get a show going for graduation?"

"Hai." Heero got up from his spot on the floor and reached for his jacket. "I'll e-mail Khushrenada and ask him. You start thinking about songs that you know and like. Try to discreetly ask Duo as well, he's already wondering about my own questions to music so I'm not able to poke much more."

"That we can do," Quatre chirped, smiling brightly as he got off his chair, placing his violin on his desk. "I am sure I can fish out some of his favorites, I always ask him about music anyway."

"Great. Make sure to send me the lyrics and notes for it so I can practice as well. Duo's finally gotten a letter from Manhattan school of music, so we're going to New York this week-end for his audition."

"Oooh, he didn't mention that!" Quatre pouted. "So he has gotten one letter then!"

"He wouldn't have mentioned it to me either, but I was the one who brought in the mail that day," Heero grinned, tugging on his blue denim jacket before brushing some of his hair away from his face. "He didn't want to get his hopes up, he said, but there's no way that I'm letting him go alone. I know he will work himself into a knot without some support. Of course, he doesn't know that I will join him, he will protest if I say I will now."

"Heh, that sounds like Duo alright," Quatre chuckled before moving to hug Heero. "So you will go and ask Khushrenada then?"

"Hai, I am just going to pick Duo up from the lawyers' office first. He had to ask for some money so he could travel to New York and apparently there was a little bit of paperwork involved."

"Ah, that explains his absence. I did think it was something to do with the lawyer though."

"It is a lot for him to handle, though he is doing his best. He's getting a lot of help and support from Helen, as she knows best how he's been the last ten years," Heero replied before nodding to the others. "I will see you guys later. I'll send you an e-mail or call you as soon as I know more."

The others nodded back and Heero walked out of the room, hurrying downstairs so he could pick up his braided lover.

It was time to execute the plan and make sure it did not plan.

"Nimou yokai."

Then he pulled a face because of how terrible that sounded. He really had to stop switching over to Japanese when he was determined about something.

The same week Duo traveled away for the weekend, going to New York to go to an audition for one of the music schools he'd applied to. Heero, naturally, traveled with him for support, unwilling to let Duo go on his own. The look off gratitude on Duo's face as he announced it was more than enough for the Japanese teen to know that he had done something right.

The trip was only for a day, at least in theory. He couldn't be with him as he tried out and Duo himself preferred to go to the school alone so he could focus solely on the audition, but that didn't mean that Heero was bored.

Instead, he hooked his laptop up at the motel-room they were staying at and was currently speaking with Quatre over Skype.

"So get this," Quatre said, the small webcam-transfer between them showing the blond grinning. "I think I know exactly which songs we're going to sing, but one of them is a little hard. But I really think it would mean a lot to Duo if we managed to pull it off."

"How did you get that information?" Heero asked, cocking an eyebrow at Quatre.

"Quite easily actually. Since I knew that he was going for his audition, I asked him what he was singing, if he had any favorites. I suggested a couple of songs and in general just fished around a bit."

"I didn't think about that. As far as I've heard, at auditions like that you have to sing or perform something that the school decides as well. Though I know he got some texts he was supposed to choose from…" Heero smirked. "Good job, Quatre."

"Oh, you flatterer you," Quatre chuckled, grinning back at Heero. "So yeah. You said Treize had given us the green light?"

Heero nodded, locating the mail he had gotten from Khusrenada. "Hai. He was quite positive to it and said we had about fifteen minutes, which should be enough time to perform a couple of songs. We could have gotten more, but he said we were a bit late and a program had already been decided for most part."

"In other words we were lucky."

"In other words, Treize felt a little sorry for what Duo has been going through lately, but yes. We were all in all lucky that he could squeeze us in."

Quatre nodded some and bit at his lower lip, looking a little worried all of a sudden. "You don't think Duo will take this the wrong way, do you..?"

Heero tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"That this is just a charity-thing to make him feel better. I mean, we are doing it for him because we care for him and love him and want to see him happy again. And he loves to sing and perform a little, but… What if he takes it the wrong way?"

"Oh." Heero casually waved his hand at the webcam. "Don't think about it. I wasn't planning on keeping it a secret from him. I was just waiting until he was done with this audition so he won't have the additional pressure on him. Also, if he doesn't want to do it, there is no need for him to feel guilty. I asked Treize not to put us up until after the week-end as I wanted to talk to Duo first and he understood, when thinking about the circumstances he is currently in. Duo, that is."

"Wow, you really have thought about everything, haven't you?"

"I have tried to at least." The Japanese teen let out a small sigh, carefully pinching the bridge between his eyes. "I just want to cheer him up, but I share many of the worries you do, Quatre. I am afraid to insult him as well, even if I am sure he will like it."

Quatre smiled softly. "You love him," he murmured softly. "And he loves you. He knows that you are not doing this because you wish to add insult to injury, but because you want to make him feel better. He loves music and he loves bringing cheer and a concert at the school will do this. And it will be something for him to remember as well because he will be able to share it with people he cares for, especially if we can get Helen to come and maybe even some of the older kids if they can."

"That I didn't think about," Heero said. "If we can get Helen to come… Duo would love that. And Helen will probably like it as well."

"She wouldn't miss it for the world; she loves Duo like he was her own son."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Heero smiled some before looking at the time. "Duo should be back soon. I'm going to take him out later, to help him take his mind off things before we leave to go home tomorrow."

"Sure thing, just keep me updated, okay?"

"Will do, Quatre," Heero said before giving the blond a small wave, said blonde just grinning and waved eagerly back as the conversation was stopped.

Letting out a small sigh, Heero shut his computer down before moving to lie on the bed. At least he had brought some books with him for cases such as this, when he didn't know when Duo would be back and wanted to pretend that he was doing nothing when in reality he was plotting something.

Not that it worked most of the time, Duo had an uncanny ability to look straight through him and Heero's only hope was that the stress Duo was going through right now was enough to cloud those eagle-eyes for at least a little while.

It took longer than expected for Duo to return to the hotel, but to Heero's relief he looked fairly okay. The tension in his jaw and the lost look in his eyes were gone, replaced with something that Heero could only interpret as satisfaction.

"So it went well then," he asked, putting his book aside and rising from the bed, moving to give his lover a kiss on the lips.

"Much better than expected," Duo replied, returning the kiss before draping his arms around Heero's shoulders. "They wanted me to sing one song by heart which I thought best represented my personality as well as a couple of songs of their choice. Just glad that they had the lyrics since I hadn't heard of one off them and the other one I only knew bits from."

"And then?"

"Well, I had to wait a while for several callbacks and auditions, seems like they had booked the days so that they could hear the different people several times with different types of music."

Heero nodded before giving Duo another kiss, then swatted his ass. "Then I think you should head into the showers so we can go out to celebrate. You need a night to relax for a change, rather than being so damn stressed."

Duo gave Heero a sheepish smile. "I've been that bad, huh?"

"That and then some," Heero replied back, giving Duo a small squeeze before removing his arms from him. "Go. It's time for us to enjoy ourselves now."

"Yes, master," Duo murmured, smirking at Heero as he wandered into the bathroom. He stuck his head out from there after a minute or so, still grinning. "Wanna join me?"

"If I do, we won't get out of there," Heero replied, tossing a clean shirt at Duo, who just laughed and caught it.

"Okay okay, will try to hurry."

Heero just smirked and shook his head some, feeling an immense sense of relief as he heard the shower turn on and the first tunes of Duo's singing coming from the bathroom.

The evening passed too fast for Heero's taste, but it had achieved exactly what he had wanted. Duo had been smiling and visibly relaxing as the evening progressed until he was back to his old self again.

He expressed how relieved he had been that he had finally gotten a letter to somewhere, that knowing that he had a shot was a huge load of his shoulder. He also acknowledged that there probably would be more letters in the future since most of his studies required auditions and those would be held after their exams were over and done with.

As they walked back to the hotel, Duo happily curled his arm around Heero's, snuggling up to his side. "I had a really wonderful time, 'ro. Thank you so much for doing this for me."

"It was the very least I could do," Heero murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Duo's temple before leaning his head against his. "Besides, I need to butter you up the best I can for what I will ask off you later."

Duo raised an eyebrow, but the smile that appeared on his lips was downright impish. "Is that so, eh..? Finally going to drag out one of your weird fetishes, eh? Got a whip or something packed away in your bag?"

"I should have known that you would take it in that direction," Heero sighed, though he still looked amused by Duo's teasing. "Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with any weird fetish of mine."

"Bummer."

"If it will make you feel better I can always come up with a weird fetish for us to explore."

Duo chuckled softly and shook his head, looking up at Heero with a smirk. "Just spill the beans, 'ro. You have me all nice and buttered up so you could probably ask me to strip and run down Broadway Avenue in the nude and I would do it."

"You would do that none the less, just to get a kick," Heero deadpanned, making Duo snicker.

"Okay, yeah. You're right, I will. Remind me to do that if I get into this school, okay?"

"Only if you take pictures."

"Always." The braided teen leaned his head against Heero's shoulder and let out a relaxed sigh. "So what's on your mind, super-Heero?"

"Well…" Heero bit his lip for a second before he started talking. "Me and the guys have… Kind of been sneaking behind your back for the last week or so."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"We didn't like seeing you so stressed and miserable, and we wanted to do something for you, something we knew would cheer you up." Heero paused for a moment, waiting for Duo to say something if he wanted. When there was nothing, he continued.

"Remember how Mister Khushrenada has asked you to perform at school events before? Well, we decided that performing at the graduation day would be a perfect finish for our time here as well as preparing you for studying music later. And that not just you, but all of us will have a lot of fun with it."

"… You did what?"

Mentally wincing at the question, Heero stopped their walking so he could look at Duo. "It's nothing binding. Mister Khushrenada has full understanding if we don't wish to do it after all, especially since he does know the amount of stress you are under. It was just a way, an offer, to take things off your mind since…" He swallowed some; he had felt less nervous coming out to his parents! "… Since you love music. And while you don't want the attention, I know you like to entertain people and create fun. I remember the day when we celebrated Trowa's birthday, when you were singing with the DJ. You didn't do it for the attention; you just did it for fun. To make people laugh. And that's why I thought that this… This would be something you would enjoy."

He turned his head down, his face covered by the long, chocolate-colored bangs. "… If I was wrong-"

A finger had been placed on his lips, silencing him efficiently. When he peaked up through his bangs he saw that Duo was looking rather amused.

"You're really not as tough as you pretend to be, aren't you," he mused, making Heero raised an eyebrow. Duo just smiled and replaced his finger with his lips, giving his lover a warm, loving kiss. "You know me so well," he whispered against the warm lips, placing a hand against Heero's neck as he held him still.

Heero relaxed a little when he heard that, wrapping his arm around Duo's waist and tugged him close to himself. "So… You will do it then?"

Duo nodded, grinning some as he rested his forehead against Heero's. "Yeah. Yeah, I will. Can be nice to bring with me for future auditions as well as for my portfolio, eh? Just have to make sure someone's taping the damn thing," he murmured, stroking his hand over Heero's arm.

Heero chuckled some and smiled at Duo. "Don't you worry about that, it'll all be taken care off."

The braided teen just smirked and stole a kiss from his lover. "You know… Coming from you… I have no doubts about that. You're good that way." Then his grin just turned more playful as he ran a finger down over the Japanese teen's arm. "Now… Let's see if we can find some of your kinks, eh..? I got curious now."

Heero couldn't get back to hotel fast enough, especially now since Duo was just about having his hands down the back-pockets of his jeans.

This was going to be an awesome night.

Author's Notes:

Finally managed to finish this. I was going to have it done so much earlier, but shit happened. I had an old friend dying during Easter, I had to put down my cat of 13 years and every last breath of free time was used to actually sleeping and eating. I was all wrapped up in my exams and work, but I have finally found enough of a breather to sit down and do something that –I- want to do.

Now, there is something I have to say. And that is thank you.

Thank you so much for following me this far. Thank you so much for notes and mails of encouragement. Thank you so much for understanding. And thank you so much for reading and supporting.

It has meant a lot to me and it has been a goal, an inspiration to finish this fic when things have been rough. And while I have grown more slow thanks to private life and school and whatnot, I am going to finish this fic. I am going to make improvements to it, made additions, remove useless chapters and just in general just make it flow more easily.

I hope you will be there through that as well.

Thank you so very much once again. 3 I hope I will not disappoint you in my writing even if my speed is less than satisfactory.