Trowa stood on the doorstep for an eternity waiting for his knock to be answered. He heard footsteps and the sound of a lock being turned. Slowly, the door opened. A little boy of about five stood there. Trowa bent down on one knee, "Is your mother home?"

The little boy surveyed him with cautious eyes. After a moment, he grinned at Trowa. "Yep, you wanna come in?"

Trowa smiled back and shook his head. "That's okay, but could you go and get her for me?"

The little boy nodded, and ran through the house. From the open doorway, he could hear the shouts of "Mooom!" echoing. In a minute, a woman came to the door. She was at least thirty-five, with strands of gray in her dark brown hair. She looked him over, a puzzled look on her face. "Can I help you?" she finally asked.

Trowa's casual look turned to puzzled as well. This couldn't be his sister, could it? "I'm looking for Catherine, is she home?"

The woman's face went pale. "Catherine isn't here anymore, she… may I ask who you are?"

"I'm… I'm her brother."

The woman's eyes went wide, "Oh you poor boy…."

"What? What is it?" Trowa asked, growing concerned.

"Please, come inside. Where are my manners," she said, ushering him down the hall. "Can I get you something to drink?" she continued absently.

"No, no thank you. Where is Catherine? I was supposed to meet her here. Do you have a forwarding address?"

"Please sit down," she said, settling in an old rocking chair. Trowa did as he was told.

"Catherine was in a car accident last night. I thought that they would have called you, seeing as how you are her relative and all…. "

"Is she alright?" Trowa asked, afraid of what she might answer.

The woman hung her head, she spoke in barely a whisper, "She's in a coma. They don't expect her to make it much longer."

Trowa nodded, his hope of finding his family was dying in a hospital. "Do you know where she is now?"

"In the county hospital. Down on Bradley Street. Room 126. You may want to hurry."

Trowa nodded, "Thank you. I think I'll be going now."

The woman nodded back, "I'll show you the way out."

Trowa was too engrossed in his own thoughts to notice the small blonde boy following him down the streets of Arden. If he had noticed, he would have seen a look of concern and worry that creased the boy's face. But instead, his shadow followed--silent down to his footsteps crushing the fallen leaves.

Why her? Why now? God, or fate, or whatever controlled this, sure had some sense of timing. Trowa's thoughts battered him while he walked.

In almost no time, Trowa was there, standing impatiently while a nurse checked data on the computer terminal.

"I'm sorry sir, but no one is allowed to see her," she told him.

"You don't understand. She's my sister. I haven't seen her in years, please…."

The nurse looked coldly at him, she didn't realize just what those tears in his eyes meant. "Sir, there is no record of a brother. I'm afraid that I can't allow--"

"What is going on here Nancy?"

The nurse turned, ready to explain to the suddenly present doctor the situation. She never got the chance.

"Please, I've got to see a patient of yours, her name is Catherine. Catherine Brooks. She's my sister. I've been looking for her, and I want to see her before…."

The doctor gave him a cold look-- quite similar to the one the nurse had used earlier-- and spoke: "She's in room 126. Go on. I don't think she has too much longer."

Trowa nodded and took off down the hall.

When he was gone, the nurse stared. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Catherine doesn't have any family, but that boy believes what he's saying. Besides, what could it hurt?" he said with a shrug, before heading back to his duties.

The nurse shook her head, she didn't think was a good idea, not a good idea at all.

She wasn't pale, but there was something missing from her tan. Starched hospital sheets held her captive. Her hair couldn't hide the long lacerations running near her temples. The edge of a large ugly bruise peeked from the sleeve of her gown, and more lacerations covered her arms.

Trowa stood for a minute, trying to get his emotions under control. This was his sister, his own flesh and blood-- his only flesh and blood left-- and now she lay so still. He pulled a chair from near the wall to her bedside. He sat there, helpless and alone.

"Talk to her."

Trowa turned to the speaker standing in the doorway. Quatre.

Quatre gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile and continued. "I'm going to wait outside now, if you need me I'll be waiting there for you. Talk to her, I know she can hear you."

Trowa turned back to the still body as Quatre left him.

"Catherine…" his usually strong voice was hesitant. "It's me, your brother. I go by the name of Trowa now. Trowa Barton." He smoothed a few wisps of hair back from her face, then took her hand in his.

"I don't know if you can hear me. I don't know if you will ever wake up. There's so much that I wanted to ask you, so much that I wanted to know. I am sure there's a lot that you wanted to know about me. I can't ask you questions now, but I can try to answer yours. I only hope that you can hear me and understand.

"I was in the last war. I piloted a Gundam, Heavyarms. I'm a soldier Catherine. I have been one as long as I can remember. Even now my job isn't very far removed from the battlefield. There is far more paperwork than I ever had to file though. But I'm happy with my life Catherine. I spent so many years living devoid of my emotions that I almost missed my chance…. I wish you would wake up, so I could ask you the many questions I have, so I could see your smile, your eyes…."

Trowa blinked back the tears that he would not cry. "I don't remember my past Catherine. I don't remember our parents, or where we lived. The only real memory I have left is of you. We were playing in a field and got separated. I couldn't find you anywhere, so I started crying. Immediately you were by my side. You wiped my tears away and told me that I didn't have to cry. That you would be there, and protect me, forever."

"Trowa…." The sound was barely more than breath-- but it was his name all the same.

Trowa looked to see bright green eyes staring back at him.