New Hope Home

I am so terrible, I am so very very sorry! I know, I keep making promises to update faster, but I am truly unable to do it. Both because of my school-situation, my life and just the general falling out I have in the fandom.

I still love Gundam Wing, I love the series to bits, just as I love the guys to bits. But I suppose I've just… I don't know. Dried myself a little out.

I don't know how many of those who started following this fic, are still following it. To those of you who still do follow this story… I am amazed. Humbled. Grateful. You deserve so much better than this, you truly do.

To those who are new… Yeah. I am amazed. Humbled. Grateful. You deserve so much better than this, you truly do.

I am repeating myself, I know. But I mean every word and I wish I could accurately tell you just how much your support has meant to me over the years.

I am planning on wrapping this up soon (I mean, this is already 5 times longer than I planned it when I first started), so bare with me! I will try, really –try- to be faster. I just don't want to ruin the quality of the story because you guys deserve the best I can give.

So yeah. New chapter. I hope you will enjoy it. 3

PS. The lyrics in this chapter are, obviously, not made by me. I only wish I had that kind of talent.

The music featured is My Chemical Romance's "Sing" and Green Day's "Good Riddance".

xoxoxoxo

"Sing a Little Song for Me:"

"Okay, so we're playing in a couple of weeks. We got some breathers now while waiting for our results so we can might as well start planning. Or have you guys been sneaking around on that as well?"

After a most successful trip to New York, Duo and Heero were back with the rest of the 'Fallen Angels', both to update them on how Duo's audition had gone as well as updating Duo on their plans.

Quatre had wanted to talk to Duo in private about it though, not sure if having them all together at once would be a good idea. Duo would probably just feel swarmed then. Besides, he was the one, save from Heero himself that knew Duo the best.

Duo showed up at Quatre's house after leaving his bag at Heero's house, more than curious about the message that he had gotten from Heero once they had come home.

The look on Quatre's face just made him more curious and when the plans had finally spilled, Duo had just laughed.

Now they were on stage two of the plan; deciding on the music.

"Well…" Quatre tried so very hard to look innocent, which Duo just shook his head at and smirked.

"Okay, Blondie. Let's see the list. And don't even pretend you don't have one, I know you. And I know Heero. You have a list. In copies."

"Not in copies," Quatre said, pouting some as he grabbed his laptop and handed it to Duo. "And it's just suggestions that we've all made about songs we'd like to play contra the songs we know and that Heero can learn if he's to join as well."

"In other words, you got everything ready and were just waiting for me to come home so we could decide together."

"Maybe…"

"Quatre, you are so very adorable when you are trying to be all sneaky," Duo mused, tugging gently at Quatre's right cheek while grinning. "You are seriously the worse poker-player and in general terrible at lying. Never ever become a lawyer. Or a poker-player."

"Just look at our suggestions and leave my cheeks alone," Quatre replied, gently rubbing at his abused cheek.

Duo chuckled while settling back down onto the bed, reading over the suggestions with a small smile on his face. "This is good, Q," he murmured, looking up from the laptop. "I like this."

"Not too few?"

"No, no, five songs are just perfect for me," Duo replied, nodding his head in approval. "And the choices are good too. Songs with a good meaning." He smiled at Quatre. "You know me too well, man."

"Well, Heero suggested two of them," Quatre replied.

"Heero knows me too well as well. The bastard," Duo quipped, but there was a warm tone in his voice, accompanied by an equally warm smile.

"You are loved, you fool," Quatre chuckled while taking the laptop from Duo. "We know most these by heart already; we just need to polish them for the graduation party. With some luck, we can even get a gig at the graduation party after the summer, before we are going to college. If you want of course."

"Let's see what happens, eh?" Duo said, looking up at his blond friend. "Just mail these to Treize and say we are golden for the entertainment."

"You got it!"

Duo leaned back against the bed, chewing on his bottom lip in thought, listening to Quatre's typing.

"What do you think will happen, once we're done?"

Quatre looked up from his computer, raising his eyebrow at his braided friend. "… Happen when?"

"When we're done. I mean, leaving school." Duo tilted his head backwards until the back of his head connected with Quatre's mattress. "I mean… We will go our separate ways. Some of us will go to college, others will work. Wufei and Meiran are going back to China."

He shrugged his shoulders some and closed his eyes. "I guess I'm wondering if… we will see each other again. If we will keep in touch."

Quatre smiled. "Of course we will. Not like we are now, that is just natural, but there's no reason for us to stop talking. There's e-mail, Skype, we have phones. If we want, we can write letters! Maybe even meet up during the summers."

"It would be nice." Duo smiled some. "Do you think that…? You and Trowa will still be together? Or me and Heero?"

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"Well, long-distance relationship rarely works-"

"Pffs, it will work if we want it to work," Quatre replied in a firm voice, even nodding his head to his own words. "I mean, we have been together for so long and yeah I know, Heero is the new guy, but he feels like he's just… Been there forever anyway. He fits right into our little band of misfits. I think distance won't harm us."

He smiled some and shrugged his shoulders. "And even if we decide that the distance is too much… I don't think we will stop being friends. We're just too close for that."

"We're not closer than others," Duo started, but Quatre just shushed him, pressing a finger over Duo's lips.

"We may not have been life-long friends, but we are friends for life, Duo. I can feel it here," he murmured, bringing a hand to his heart.

"We were brought together for a reason. A cause. Maybe because of whom we are, maybe because of whom we will become or because of whom we are together. I do not know, nor do I question it. But it is deep, Duo. It's strong. And it will last, as long as we don't cut the bonds."

Quatre smiled up at Duo, one of the adorable ones that made Duo feel that everything would be alright.

"And I know you, Duo. You will make sure that all the bonds are well tended so they will last a long, long time. A life-long time."

Duo chuckled softly and gave Quatre a beaming smile of his own. One of his playful ones. "You give me so much credit, Quatre. Not sure if I deserve it all."

"You deserve that and more, Duo. You always have." Quatre reached over and tugged Duo into a firm hug, squeezing him. "I love you, Duo. I hope you know that."

"I know," Duo murmured, hugging the blond right back. "And you know I love you too."

"Yeah. I know."

That was why Duo could allow himself to believe in Quatre's words so easily. Be affected by that positive and cheerful attitude, that innocent dream.

Because it actually had a good chance of remaining true. Protected by many loving, strong hands no matter how far apart those hands were from each other.

Because they wanted it that way.

There wouldn't be a ceremony until after the summer-vacation. Everybody knew that.

But there still was a tradition of an early party, a small token, a taste of what was to come. The grandness of actually receiving the papers, the grades, they had worked for.

This was just high-school, but it was still the end of an era, the start of something new. A threshold into a new life.

It was exciting.

Scary, but exciting.

As was tradition, a party had been arranged at the start of June, where all graduates were invited. The weather was warm, the days longer and nights lighter.

A perfect time for an outside party.

Treize had arranged for a large park-area for the graduates to have their party, complete with an outside stage for the "Fallen Angels" to have their performance.

The group met up a few hours before the party was to start so they could rig up their equipment, thanking Quatre's servant, Rashid, for being nice enough to drive their equipment to the area in a large van.

"So when is this thing starting," Trowa asked, carefully hooking up the electrical equipment to speakers. "Or rather, when are we on?"

"Eight pm sharp," Heero replied while sitting by the laptop, setting up the playlist given to him by the student council. They figured it was easier to let him do it since he was going to play with the Angels anyway.

"So we have roughly an hour to relax since the doors open at seven pm, so to speak."

"If we can get everything set up and tested before the party starts," Duo added, stretching his arms up into the air, braid swinging behind his from the movement.

"Has anyone heard from Hilde yet," Quatre asked, looking around on the out-door stage. There were other students in the area, helping the rented guards and teachers with setting up tables and chairs as well as food and drinks. Non-alcoholic of course.

"She sent me a text about half an hour ago," Duo replied while adjusting the volume on his bass, then started to tune it. "She should be here in about an hour, depending on the buss."

"I am going to kill that woman one day," Wufei grunted while setting up the drums the way he preferred them. "If she showed any responsibility, she would have taken an earlier buss so she could be here and help us."

"Don't get your damn pants in a knot, Fei-Fei, she is doing us a favor by coming here. Not even Quatre's velvet tenor voice can reach the female pitches she can," Duo replied, then grinned as Quatre gave him a look.

"… I am not sure if I am to take that as a compliment or an insult. They were kinda wrapped into one another…"

"Can't have one without the other," Duo quipped, then dodged as Quatre aimed a bottle with soda towards his head. "Hey, watch the equipment!"

"Agreed," Wufei said, smirking at Quatre. "Next time, actually aim and hit Maxwell's head."

"Wufei, why are you so mean to me," Duo pouted, then let out a pleased sigh when Heero touched his neck and pulled him in for a quick kiss.

"Behave," the Japanese murmured, smiling gently against Duo's mouth before releasing him.

"Never," Duo grinned, making Wufei roll his eyes.

"Should we take ten minutes so you can have a quick hump in the back?"

"We take longer than ten minutes," Heero deadpanned, walking over to Trowa to help adjust the speaker's settings to his keyboard. "We need five minutes get naked and get dressed as well. And five minutes for cuddling," he added with a small smirk, making Trowa snicker as he tuned the keyboard to the speaker.

"Your sense of humor keeps surprising me all the damn time," Wufei grunted, shaking his head. "And never in a positive way."

Then he eyed both Heero and Trowa. "… Goes for both of you."

"Who says I was trying to be funny," Heero replied, making Duo snicker.

"And you say I should behave?"

"The difference between you and me, Duo, is that I am more subtle."

"Can't argue with that one," Wufei grunted before he finished setting up his equipment and joined Quatre to help him tune the instruments.

The sky was still a light blue color by the time the first people started showing up in the park. Music was already playing and non-alcoholic beverages were being served in a make-shift bar-area. The first drink was free; the rest one had to pay for along with food. Snacks were on the house.

Duo was feeling the butterflies in his stomach and he wished he had something to drown them with. Something alcoholic.

He wasn't the only one. Glancing around, he could see his friends looking just as nervous as he did. Everyone with the exception of Trowa and Heero, but they rarely displayed emotions anyway. Heck, Duo found it was way easier to read Heero's own emotionless expressions than it was Trowa's. There were at least a few tell-tale signs he could look for, such as the way Heero kept tapping his finger against the glass he was holding and the way he constantly flickered with his eyes.

It was fifteen minutes until they were supposed to be on stage before Hilde decided to show up, though to her credit, she did look winded as she ran across the area. She didn't stop until she reached the back of the stage-area, breathing hard. "Sorry! Traffic-!" Horrid-!"

"Just calm down, drink some water," Wufei said, tossing Hilde a bottle. "And make up for your shortcomings on the stage."

"If I wasn't so out of breath, I would get you for that," Hilde gasped after taking a large gulp of water.

"Woman, there is nothing you can say or do to me that will scare me," Wufei replied, giving Hilde a look while Duo rolled his eyes.

"Wufei, after being her friend for this long..? You'd think you'd learn at some damn point that Hilde can and will get you sooner or later. And that it won't be pleasant for you. Remember the wedgie of death?"

"… I am now."

"Keep that in mind," Hilde warned while shrugging out of her fake leather jacket, then carefully smoothed down the black, sleeveless top she was wearing. "Because one of these days… you won't know when or where… But it's coming to you."

"Best be on your toes, Fei-Fei," Duo grinned. "Or better yet, sit on your ass. Only way you can prevent it."

Wufei just grunted and looked away from the snickering duo, focusing on locating his drumsticks instead.

"So," Duo said, taking a deep breath before turning to face the others. "Ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Trowa said quietly while the others nodded in agreement.

"Then lets rock this joint," Duo said as he started walking up onto the back of the stage and to the side. He waited a moment to let the DJ on duty notice him, nodding at him to confirm that everything was set.

The instruments were hidden just behind the curtains and Duo would bring out a mike and stand to the stage as they got ready.

The DJ gave a nod back at Duo as soon as he saw him, holding a finger up to him.

One minute.

It passed almost too quickly for Duo's taste.

As soon as the song stopped playing, the DJ leaned over his table to the mike. "Yo yo yo, you guys feeling good tonight?"

The cheering of the crowd made Duo's heart skip a beat and he hoped that his mouth wouldn't remain this dry or he could get some trouble singing…

"That's good! You guys ready for some live music?"

When the crowd cheered again, the DJ stepped pack, bringing the mike with him. "That's what I want to hear! Lets give a warm welcome to the "Fallen Angels"!" he called out, holding his free hand out as Duo walked onto the stage along with the others.

"Yo, all," he called out, taking over the mike from the DJ, who stepped off the stage.

"Heard you all are feeling good tonight! But I think we can do better than that! Think we all can feel great, eh?"

Duo couldn't help but smile as he heard the crowd cheer, the classes gathering up in front of the stage so they could see and hear better.

It felt good, seeing them gathered like this, showing support. Cheering, calling out their names.

"This isn't for us," he called out, pumping his fist into the air. "This is for all of us! We made it! We've completed some of the most important years in our lives, we fucking made it!"

Duo grinned on as the crowd cheered, pointing his finger at them as he walked over the stage.

"This one is for all of you. Be proud of yourself, you got every right. We're done. High school is over and done with and the rest of our lives are waiting for us!"

He paused for a moment before giving a small, crooked smile. "This year has been a strange one. Good and bad for most of us, if not all of us. Some have gotten a new girl or boyfriend, others have lost one. Some have experienced heavier losses, others have maybe gotten a new brother or sister. Be it a new one or one that's already been used," he added, earning a small chuckle from the crowd.

"No matter what's happened though," he continued, grinning some. "It's happened for a reason. Yes, sometimes life shits on you, but it will all come around, yeah? Life isn't perfect and isn't that half the fun? It makes the good times all the more special, and all the more important to treasure. For tonight, don't think about tomorrow. Tonight we are going to live for now! So relax, have a good time and let us entertain you for a little while!"

The crowd cheered again, making Duo smile wider as he just watched the, giving the others a few more seconds to tune their instruments.

"I thought we'd start off a bit easy so our first song of the day will be a nice little tune. My Chemical Romance's "Sing"!"

As Duo said that, the band started playing, filling the air with the music.

He closed his eyes for a moment, just letting the music fill him; listening, feeling. Letting the rhythm enter his blood.

All the nerves from before vanished as he waited for his queue. He knew this. He could do this.

Then he opened his mouth and started singing.

"Sing it out

Boy, you've got to see what tomorrow brings.

Sing it out

Girl, you've got to be what tomorrow needs.

For every time that

They want to count you out

Use your voice every single time

You open up your mouth."

It wasn't their normal style.

Duo usually preferred something with a little more edge to it. A little firmness, that little snap.

This one had been one of Quatre's suggestions and he had liked it. Loved it.

Heck, for this situation it was perfect.

"Sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls
Every time that you lose it, sing it for the world
Sing it from the heart, sing it 'til you're nuts
Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts.

Sing it for the deaf, sing it for the blind
Sing about everyone that you left behind
Sing it for the world, sing it for the world."

The crowd seemed to agree, dancing and, at least those who knew the lyrics, sang along. There was an energy, life to the crowd, making Duo feel more than a little alive. The warm buzz from alcohol had nothing on being drunk on life and high spirits.

It wasn't only he who felt it though.
A sneak-peak to his side revealed that the others were enjoying themselves as well, even Heero who hated being even near the centre of attention.
Despite having practiced for only a couple of weeks, Heero was following the rhythm like a professional, like he had always known the song.

"Sing it out
Boy, they're gonna sell what tomorrow means
Sing it out
Girl, before they kill what tomorrow brings.

You've got to make a choice
If the music drowns you out
And raise your voice every single time
They try and shut your mouth."

Duo wasn't even aware that he was doing it, but his eyes followed Heero's movements; the way his fingers danced over the strings, the slight bobbing of his head to the rhythm of the music, eyes closed in concentrations of what he was doing.

As if feeling Duo's eyes on him, Heero opened his eyes. For a moment, their eyes met and locked together. The Japanese teen flashed Duo one of his small, special smiles, making the braided teen feel tingly and giddy.
Duo grinned back at his lover before returning his attention to the song, wanting to give a proper show.

"Sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls
Every time that you lose it, sing it for the world
Sing it from the heart, sing it 'til you're nuts
Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts.

Sing it for the deaf, sing it for the blind
Sing about everyone that you left behind
Sing it for the world, sing it for the world."

Even if he was the one to sing the words, Duo knew that he didn't make the music.
They did this together.

And while he sang to get out his own thoughts, his feelings and emotions, he didn't do it for himself.
He did it for all of them.

He didn't sing for himself.
He sang for the wonderful people besides him, that helped him create the music, find the passion.
The words weren't his, they were borrowed from people that had far more talent than himself, but thanks to the people he loved, he could help bring a part of himself into the words and maybe, just maybe, bring yet another meaning to it.

"Cleaned up, corporation progress
Dying in the process
Children that can talk about it.

Living on the railways
People moving sideways
Sell it 'til your last days
Buy yourself the motivation.

Generation nothing
Nothing but a dead scene
Product of a white dream
I am not the singer that you wanted but a dancer.

I refuse to answer
Talk about the past and rooting for the ones
Who want to get away
Keep running."

As they neared the end of the song, Duo poured his all into the lyrics he was singing, showing just how much passion he had for this.
Singing, drawing, it didn't matter what he did as long as he was allowed to express himself.
As long as he could give something to the people that could inspire joy, energy, passion.

That was why he was doing this.
He was doing it for the crowd and he was doing it for the people behind him.

His "Fallen Angels".
The most amazing people he had ever met.

"Sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls
Every time that you lose it, sing it for the world
Sing it from the heart, sing it 'til you're nuts
Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts.

Sing it for the deaf, sing it for the blind
Sing about everyone that you left behind
Sing it for the world, sing it for the world.

We've got to see what tomorrow brings
Sing it for the world, sing it for the world
Yeah, you got to be what tomorrow needs
Sing it for the world, sing it for the world."

There was a silence when Duo stopped singing before the crowd broke into cheers, yelling for more.
It made Duo grin as he yelled out a "Thank you!", letting that good feeling wash over him.

Oh, they weren't finished yet, far from it.
They had several songs to sing, but that didn't mean they couldn't relish in the good feeling brought by the cheers, letting their egos get stroked just a little bit.

"We aren't done yet," Duo yelled as the band started up the next song, not willing to loose the crowd.
"Who wants more music?!"

The cheer from the crowd was all they needed as they continued playing.
They were fluent, moving in sync as Duo started singing again, letting himself get lost in the music.

"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,
I hope you had the time of your life."

For a moment, nothing mattered.

There was no world, there was no future.
There was only now.
They only lived now, for that very moment.

They were together, as they had always been.
The "Fallen Angels", having met and bonded through different circumstances.
Six people that were so very different from one another, believing and wanting different things, but yet having so much in common.

One had moved away from them already, but they were still together. They all still kept in touch.
They knew that it was inevitable.
They were young, they had their entire future ahead of them, but for now, for this very moment, they were all together.

As they had always been.

"So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,
I hope you had the time of your life.

"

They had gone through so much together.
Loss and pain of different kinds, but also joy and happiness.
They had supported one another, believed in one another.

They were individuals, but knew that they had accomplished so much more together than they had alone.

Together, they made the music come alive.

And while they would soon be apart, together they would continue to help shape each others futures.
They could continue to support and believe in one another, no matter how far they were apart and no matter what they chose to do.

Because, in all its simplicity and all its wonder… That's what friends were for.
And that's what they were all about.

"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,
I hope you had the time of your life.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,
I hope you had the time of your life."

xoxoxox

Author's Notes:

This was a chapter that took way longer than it was supposed to.

As mentioned above, life hasn't been easy on me lately. I suppose that happens when you have to take your studies seriously and then start job-hunting. _

Again, I will –try- to update a bit faster.
I am closing in on the finish-line here and I don't want for one year to pass for each chapter I manage to cough up.

Now that I am not swarmed with homework, I will try to sit down and write like I used to again. Again, I make no promises, but I will try my very very best.

Because you guys deserve it.