Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids

Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

Changing Seasons, Part 10b

Vaughn looked first at Randy and then at Donavon. She was wearing a secretive little smile and his cousin was wearing a similar grin. The desert moon hung over the terrace as they ate outside during dinner. A cooling breeze tousled his platinum hair. He tapped his fork on the edge of his plate. "All right, what's going on here? You two are smiling like two little kids who did something wrong?" he asked.

Randy looked up from her vanilla cake, startled. "Oh nothing," she replied as she cast a quick look at Donavon before lowering her eyes back to her plate.

Vaughn frowned.

"It's nothing Vaughn," Donavon said as he glanced over at Randy before going back to his cake.

Vaughn's frown grew deeper. "I hardly can…"

Mira slapped her hand over her brother's mouth. "No more. You already gotten the crap kicked out of you by him."

He cast a mutinous look at his baby sister as he pulled her hand away from his mouth. "I was only asking Mira," he mumbled.

"You're too nosey," Mira said knowingly. "And didn't dad already talk to you about that?"

Vaughn slunk down in his seat and said nothing.

Randy raised her eyes to Donavon's over her cake. She smiled at him.

Donavon returned her smile.

Veronica frowned. "That's it! I want to know why you two are smiling at each other like that!"

Donavon turned his eyes towards her. "It's nothing Ver, really."

She snorted disdainfully. "Like I believe that! Where did you go this afternoon?"

"I went to a place where I could be alone," he replied evenly.

"Is that so?" Veronica asked snidely.

"Ver, it's nothing," Randy assured her as she turned to look at her. Her eyes flickered worriedly towards Donavon.

"I smell a fight coming on," Vaughn muttered as he stuffed a bite of cake into his mouth.

"Stay out of it Winner," Veronica snapped as she turned her sapphire eyes towards Donavon and back at Randy.

"Why can't you leave it alone?" Donavon asked as he tried not to roll his eyes. He was getting justifiably worried as well.

"Because you two look too suspicious for it to be nothing," she shot back.

Her tone caused Randy to narrow her eyes a little. "Well maybe it's because it's none of your business."

Sapphire blue collided with cobalt blue. "So there is something going on?" she asked turning all her attention towards Randy.

"Yes, there is, but it's none of your business or anyone else's. Stop sounding like a jealous ex-girlfriend Veronica!" Randy retorted.

Veronica's eyes turned arctic. "Oh so you think I sound like a jealous ex-girlfriend. And exactly what the hell is that supposed to mean Randy?"

"What I mean is that you have no right to interrogate Donavon because he's no longer your boyfriend. He doesn't have to answer to you," Randy hissed.

A death glare worthy of her father's was shot in Randy's direction. "You know what Randy, I would like to know why you're jumping to his defense. You've barely talked to him in two weeks and all of a sudden you two are really friendly again. That's very circumspect if you ask me."

Randy glared right back, not at all intimidated by Veronica's death glare. "We talked," she said in a clipped voice.

"You talked huh? Well when I talked to him earlier, he was really touchy, especially about you. Matter of fact it was about what happened the night you two got drunk and afterwards. You two kissed. Is that all you did?" she asked sarcastically.

Randy's face went scarlet, then white, and then scarlet again. "What are you getting at Ver?"

"Well something must have happened if he's so touchy about it?" Veronica asked archly.

"Nothing happened, so that makes it none of your business Veronica!" Randy growled.

"And now today he returns not long after you, wearing that silly stupid grin that all men seem to wear after they got laid," Veronica insinuated.

Her reply made Randy grit her teeth. Donavon to choke on his coffee and Vaughn to choke on his cake.

Vaughn blinked his eyes as he finally stopped choking. His eyes bounced between Randy and Veronica, and then Donavon, who was also recovering.

Randy and Veronica had been known to clash every once in a while, but not in this degree. It made all the other kids stop and watch. It wasn't too often that a Maxwell and a Yuy would lock horns anymore since Chris and Victoria were married. And a fight between a Maxwell and a Yuy always proved to be interesting.

"That's enough Veronica" Donavon snapped as he looked over at her. "There's nothing that you need to know, since it's none of your business. So stop asking because no one is going to tell you."

"Since when did you automatically take her side?" Veronica narrowed her eyes at him.

"Since now. Lay off Veronica," Donavon bit out.

Veronica's eyes rounded and her mouth fell open in realization. "You slept with her!"

Donavon's eyes popped open wider. "That's not true!"

More eyes went towards them.

"I didn't sleep with him!" Randy protested angrily.

"Then prove it!" Veronica yelled.

"Oh shit," Vaughn sighed.

"I'm still a virgin! Is that what you wanted to hear!" Randy shouted back.

Donavon rubbed his hand over his face in irritation. "Dammit Veronica! I didn't sleep with her at any time!"

"That's a lie!"

*CRACK* Randy's palm smacked Veronica's cheek. "WILL YOU SHUT UP! HE DIDN'T SLEEP WITH ME; I DIDN'T SLEEP WITH HIM! HE LOVES ME YOU COW!"

Her statement caused all eyes to widen with surprise.

"About damn time it was brought out into the open," Vaughn said as he leaned back in his chair.

Veronica held onto her burning cheek as she looked at Randy with incredulous eyes. She glanced over at Donavon, who was looking at Randy with shock. Another realization dawned on her. "You broke up with me because of her didn't you Donavon? It was because of her you broke up with me."

Donavon winced, but nodded his head slowly.

She turned her eyes back at Randy. "YOU BITCH!" She grabbed onto Randy's hair and yanked.

Randy let out a shriek and latched onto Veronica's blond locks. They both stood, holding onto each other's hair.

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Duo sighed, "Not again."

Heero rolled his head back. "I suppose you and I have to separate our daughters."

"Guess so," Duo replied as he pushed away from the table.

"This is ridiculous," Quatre muttered under his breath. "A fight always seems to break out when they're here in my house."

Heero flinched when there was a sound of tearing cloth and hurried after Duo.

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"Randy!" Donavon yelled as he tried pulling her off of Veronica.

Vaughn pulled her back as well to get to Veronica, who immediately went back after Randy. "Veronica calm down!" He held on tight to her waist.

"Here give her to me," Duo instructed as he reached Randy and Donavon.

Donavon handed her over to him.

Vaughn wordlessly handed a pissed off Veronica to Heero. "Take her."

Heero held onto the struggling Veronica. "Veronica stop it right now!"

"She's the reason he broke up with me!" she yowled.

"I didn't know I was at the time silly bitch!" Randy hollered back as Duo held on tight to her.

Veronica growled, but couldn't get free of her father's grip. "This is all your fault!" she hissed as she gave Donavon a malevolent stare.

"I thought it was best Veronica! I didn't want to hurt you! So I broke up with you! Get over it!" Donavon said exasperatedly.

"He's right you know," Vaughn interjected. "In the long run he would have hurt you. It was better for him to let you go when it wouldn't hurt you as much."

Veronica's hostile eyes zeroed in on Vaughn. "Shut up Winner!"

Vaughn shrugged unrepentantly. "I'm right though and you know it. So stop being a spoil sport and get over it. You have a whole bunch of guys at your beck and call. Just let it go. So what if Donavon loved Randy then. He treated you very well considering his feelings."

Veronica's mouth snapped shut at Vaughn's words. She didn't say anything more and let herself be taken away by her dad.

Duo sighed and reluctantly released Randy. He turned her to face him. He gave her quick once over to make sure that she was ok. "You all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine dad," Randy replied in a calmer tone. "I didn't mean to start a commotion again."

Her words caused Vaughn to roll his eyes.

"That's all right," Duo said softly. He brushed back her hair that had fallen over her shoulder. "You didn't create that much of a disturbance."

"It would be abnormal if something didn't happen," Vaughn interceded wryly.

"Got that right," David chuckled from his chair.

Duo's eyes went to Donavon. "So you told her?"

Donavon ducked his head. "Yeah."

"That's good," Duo said, smiling slightly.

Randy flushed. "Dad!"

"All right, I'll shut up now," Duo smirked as he pressed a kiss on Randy's forehead. He went back to his seat next to Hilde.

"So, you finally told her that you loved her. About damn time cos," Vaughn said, grinning.

"And how did you know?" Randy asked Vaughn.

"I'm an empath remember? I've known since we were kids that he had a thing for you," Vaughn answered knowingly.

She propped her hands on her hips. "And you didn't tell me!"

Vaughn smirked. "No, I thought it would be better if he told you. My dad knew too. And your dad actually figured it out as well. No one else seemed to notice the calf eyes he constantly sent your way."

Randy's eyes turned towards Donavon, who was coloring slightly. She smiled. "I'm glad I know now."

"It's good that you do or else I was going to have to shoot him to put him out of his misery," Vaughn joked.

"Very funny Vaughn," Donavon said, his face reddening even more. He looked at Randy. "But it makes me feel better that I told you."

"I'm glad you told me too," Randy said quietly.

"Let's not get all mushy here, I want to be able to keep my dessert," Vaughn said dramatically as he placed a hand over his stomach.

"Like mushiness ever stopped you from eating Winner," Jet teased. "You're a bottomless pit."

Vaughn stuck his tongue out at Jet. "Like you should talk."

"Children please," Mira said as she rolled her eyes. "Act your age."

"Quiet short stuff," Vaughn said as he ruffled his seventeen-year-old sister's hair.

"Hey stop that!" Mira protested.

Randy's eyes went to Donavon's. "So what now?"

"I think we should give Veronica a wide berth for a few days. She's always been one to hold a grudge," Donavon replied. "But I know you haven't had a lot of time to think yet and I want to give you that time."

"That's all right. But I agree with you about giving Ver a wide berth. She's pissed and rightly so," Randy said as she looked in the direction that Heero had taken Veronica.

He nodded his head and held out her chair for her. "Why don't you finish your cake?"

She sat down. "Thank you. All that fighting made me hungry."

Her reply caused Donavon to laugh as he went back to his seat. He smiled at her from across the table.

She smiled back.

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Duo grinned happily in his seat as he polished off his second slice of cake. "Mission accomplished."

Hilde rolled her eyes. "You sound like Heero when you say that."

"But Donavon admitted his feelings for our daughter. That puts me in a very good mood," he said as he licked the icing off his fork.

She sighed. "I knew you were up to something and I thought I was better off not knowing."

"But this time it wasn't bad. I just wanted Randy happy and Donavon…well; I just wanted him to admit his feelings. He really does love her you know."

"And how did you know all of this?" Trowa asked curiously.

"I've known since before Randy started dating Miles. Didn't you notice how your son's eyes always followed her around," Duo replied.

Trowa frowned. "No, not really."

Duo shrugged his shoulders. "I wasn't the only one who knew. Vaughn and Quatre knew as well, but that was just from being empaths. I just happened to notice."

"For the first time you were being observant," Trowa remarked drolly.

Duo wrinkled his nose a little. "You'd be surprised at what I notice."

"That makes me worry," Trowa sighed. "But what's puzzling is that you still let Miles date Randy when even you knew how Donavon felt about her."

"I was giving your first born a chance and Donavon graciously stepped out of the way for his big brother," Duo said as he pilfered another slice of cake.

Middi smiled ruefully. "Donavon always did what was best for people. I'm just shocked that I didn't know that he had a crush on her for so long. He never let on how he felt."

"That's Donavon for you. He's always been quiet and secretive just like Trowa," Duo replied as he stuffed another bite of cake in his mouth.

"Couldn't agree with you more," Middi said, smiling as she slipped her hand in her husband's.

"Now the only problem now is Veronica. She's good and mad now because she figured out that Randy was the girl that Donavon really liked," Trowa said matter of factly.

"It's nothing. Like your nephew said, she has plenty of guys at her beck and call," Duo said as he wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"Yeah, but would you want to be on a receiving end of any Yuy's temper?" Trowa asked pointedly.

"Nope," Duo answered.

"Didn't think so," Trowa said as he squeezed his wife's hand under the table.

Heero set down his daughter in her bedroom. He gave her a critical once over, noting the tear in her sleeve. He sighed. "Was that really necessary?"

Veronica looked at him stonily. "The bitch started it."

He sighed with exasperation. "Veronica, you helped it along too, so you're not entirely blameless here."

"Donavon dumped me because of her!" she snapped.

Heero rubbed the heel of his hands in his eyes. "That was two years ago sweetheart. You've dated plenty of other guys since then."

"So! The real reason he dumped me was because of Randy! My best friend! Of all people!"

"Veronica, two years ago, Randy was dating Miles. And Donavon didn't date anyone since he broke up with you," he said mildly.

"Dad! But that's still not fair!"

"Ver, it was two years ago, you said yourself you were over it a long time ago. So why are you so mad about it now? Donavon has been free to date any girl since he broke up with you, he chose not to."

"No, instead he's in love with my best friend and I only find out that was the real reason for him breaking up with me," Veronica pouted.

"Did Randy go after him? Did she know that he liked her? No, he didn't. So you can't go blaming Randy for that. She didn't really take him away from you in the first place," he said rationally.

She scowled. "Thanks dad for being so understanding."

Heero scowled back. "I won't take that from you, young lady. Stop acting like a brat. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at Donavon for not telling you the real reason he broke up with you. But even now, there is a limit. It was over two years ago."

"But dad…"

"Like I've been saying, it was two years ago. And you should just let it go. If you're jealous, just say so instead of getting involved in a fistfight with Randy. But Donavon and Randy are both free to be with each other if they wish and you don't have a say in it. I know it's not what you want to hear sweetheart and I don't want to have to say it either. But that's just the way it is," he said gently.

Veronica crossed her arms and sulked a little. "It's just not fair that's all."

Heero smiled ruefully and went over to her. He brushed back the burnished gold strands from her shoulders. "Love is never fair. There is no rules and that's why it isn't fair."

"I guess," she said hesitantly. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry dad," she said softly.

"It's all right. You and Randy should probably talk about this tomorrow, all right," he said as he pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Now, do you want to come back for the rest of dessert or are you going to stay here?"

"I'll come back out, just give me a minute or so," Veronica said, a faint smile creasing her lips.

"All right," Heero said as he left her alone. He walked back to the main house slowly. "So much for Relena teaching either of our daughters pacifism," he muttered under his breath.

She sat down on the edge of her bed and sighed. She stared the tiled floor under her feet. "If only you had told me the real reason Donavon. I really liked you too and it did hurt when you broke up with me. But I guess what's done is done, but I guess it also means I don't have to like it either," she said to herself, as her smile grew a little more. "And it also doesn't mean that Randy will like you back." She pushed herself off of the bed and straightened her rumpled clothes. "And there are plenty of guys that like me. He's just one, there are always more out there for me." And with that, she flounced out of her room and back towards the main house.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed that part. There will be more coming soon! XOXO!