Duet squirmed and finally sunk into a comfortable position. Quatre and Heero were asleep, but Duet didn't feel comfortable enough to let herself drift off. "That was an interesting story," the vid screen spoke and came to life.

"Hmmm?" Duet asked, and looked up. The screen lit up with Duo's face. Trowa and Wufei were catching some Z's in the background. "You were listening?" she asked and stretched.

"Yeah, sorry. It's just that I wasn't sure if you were for real, but you story... checks out," Duo sighed and reclined in his chair.

"Well, it certainly is nice to meet the boy Howard always compared me to," she laughed and her liquid blue eyes sparkled.

"How come I've never seen you there?" he asked.

"I… never really liked people. My business was always with the mobile suits. I guess I was always afraid to get close to people. The people I got close to always got hurt," Duet sighed and brushed away a piece of hair that had fallen loose from her own braid, exposed after she had removed her coat.

"No! You can't blame yourself for what happened to the Church. It wasn't your fault. It took me a long time to learn that," Duo mused.

"But even if it's not my fault, I still want revenge," they said in unison.

"Then we'll fight together, alongside one another. One person fighting for a cause is strong, but two are stronger," she rallied and clenched her fist. Duo closed his eyes and laughed to himself. When he opened them again, Duet was asleep, a slight grin on her face.

"Be careful, Duo. You can't get too attached to her," Heero warned as Duo smiled at the sleeping girl.

"And why not? Duet's just like the rest of us," Duo insisted angrily.

"That's just the reason. She's like us, a pilot whose job is to complete her missions or die trying. Any day could be her last. She exactly like us," Heero explained coldly. Duo cringed. "Does it bother you that she's not exempt from reality," Heero asked and looked away.

"It bothers me that you're so damn cold! Even if you're never happy, can't you let someone else be!?" Duo yelled and cut the link.

"What was that about?" Trowa asked and opened one eye. Duo clutched his shoulder and gave himself a few seconds to compose himself.

"Nothing, just a little tiff!" he turned his face towards Trowa and smiled.

"Whatever you say," Trowa replied smugly and closed his eyes again.

~~~

The two Gundams landed on the wide asphalt strip behind Howard's salvage warehouse. He came out to see what was going on, and grinned when both Duo and Duet appeared. "Figured it wouldn't take you long to find each other!" he commented as Duo helped Duet out of her Gundam. They tumbled to the ground when Duo's shoulder gave out and landed in a heap of black clothes and braids. Wufei rolled his eyes and Trowa shook his head. They untangled themselves and mumbled apologies. The suits were left to have their ammunition restocked as the group headed inside for some lunch.

"So, you're all the Gundam pilots?" Howard asked and passed Duo the ice tea.

"As far as we know," Quatre sighed. Heero helped himself to some potato salad and began playing with it with his fork.

"You can stop, man. I think it's dead," Duo remarked and pointed at the mashed potatoes that used to be potato salad. Heero stood up and left. Quatre followed after him, but the others shrugged it off.

"What's wrong, Heero?" Quatre asked and followed his gaze across the calm waters of the Pacific. When Heero didn't respond, Quatre guessed. "Is it Relena?" he asked and turned to face him.

"No, there's just something about this new pilot," he replied without looking at Quatre.

"I know what you mean. When I was with her on the ride here, she always seemed so distant and depressed," Quatre remarked. A warm breeze sent the wind-chimes tinkling and played with the boys' hair.

"Until Duo appeared," Heero added.

Not much later, Trowa joined them. "She's flirting with Death," Trowa sighed and leaned against the white-washed railing. Heero sighed heavily at Trowa's sad attempt at a pun.

"And I assume Death is flirting back?" Quatre asked with a grin.

"Shamelessly," Trowa replied. Heero smirked, this being one of those rare occasions where he acted almost human.

Inside, Wufei discussed mobile suits with Howard while Duo and Duet exchanged glances and smiles across the table their fellow pilot had put between them. Duet kept blushing, and that was enough to encourage Duo. He stuck a piece of potato on his fork and flung it at her. "Maxwell!" she cried and retaliated with an ice cube that found its way down the back of Duo's shirt. Duo scrambled around and fidgeted, laughing as he tried to retrieve it. Duet tried not to laugh when the Quatre became alarmed and went to Duo's aid. Soon, Heero and Trowa noticed what was going on and moved in to watch.

Quatre was trying to convince Duo to take his shirt off and get it out if it bothered him that much, but all Duo could do was blush and stammer out excuses. Finally, he peeled off the shirt and the ice cube fell out.

"That's what was bothering you so much?" Quatre asked and held up the half-melted ice cube.

"You have no idea how cold that was," Duo said crossly. By now, Duet was nearly choking trying to hold back laughter. Duo laid accusing eyes on her and quickly pulled his shirt back on. Wufei was doing an excellent job of seeming uninterested , but a sudden screech directed everyone's attention outside.

They ran out to see what the problem was only to find a short pink limousine had pulled up. A medium-height blonde girl with green eyes stepped out and smiled. "I've found you again, Heero," she said and moved towards the knot of people.

"Oh! Who's this?" the girl frowned and stopped in front of Duet. "Are you Duo's sister?" she asked in her sweetest voice while looking her over.

"I am nothing of the sort. Who are you?" Duet asked roughly and stared her straight in the eye.

"My name... is Relena Peacecraft," she answered and stuck out her hand.

"Duet," Duet mumbled and firmly shook her hand.

"Look! You two are friends already!" Duo exclaimed.

"Duet's the newest member of our Gundam contingent," Quatre explained. Duet's leg chose that moment to give out and she would have collapsed if Heero hadn't caught her around the waist. He handed her off to Duo when Relena began to look indignant.

"We should go," Heero said to the other pilots and took a step towards the door. Relena grabbed his arm.

"Please don't leave, Heero. I need to talk to you," Relena pouted. Duo elbowed Heero as he walked past supporting Duet. The pilots left Heero and Relena and went back inside.

"God, how does that girl find us?" Duo asked and set Duet down on the couch. Quatre and Trowa help Howard clear off the table, and Wufei sat across from the two.

"You mean, find Heero," Wufei corrected with a slight smile. Duet frowned and crossed her arms.

"I can't stand that stuck-up snot. She's got an attitude problem that I would fix if Heero wasn't so attached to her," she growled and stretched her lame leg.

"You picked up all that from a name and a handshake?" Duo asked and sat down on the arm of the couch.

"They're women," Wufei answered and Duet shrugged.

Suddenly, the computer in the corner flickered and the fish screensaver was replaced by the image of an old man with a long nose and a sad excuse for a mushroom cut. "What do you want, Professor G?" Duo asked the screen and the old man smiled.

"Nothing from you, Duo. I want to speak to Duet," the man answered. Duo turned the computer screen so he could see her.

"Ah, you finally met, eh? Well, I hate to break you two up so soon, but I have a mission for you, Duet," the Professor G grinned.

"She's in no condition to go anywhere!" Duo yelled and pointed to Duet's leg that had been cleaned and re-bandaged on their arrival. They had cleaned up the cut under her eye, but it would most likely leave a pale but interesting scar.

"She's a Gundam pilot like the rest of you. She'll be fine," Professor G replied. Duo seethed but relaxed.

"Let me go with her," he said and glared at the computer.

"No. Dr. J will be sending Heero. That's all," he said and the computer began printing the necessary information. Duo grabbed it and considered tearing it up, but thought better of it and handed it to Duet. She read it carefully, and then pulled a lighter out of her pocket and proceeded to burn the paper.

"Why'd you do that!?" Duo asked.

"Too valuable to risk," Duet replied simply and stood up. She steadied herself against Wufei and started outside to talk to Heero about the mission. She found him with Relena on the porch overlooking the ocean where he, Quatre, and Trowa had been only a while before. "Heero!" Duet called and he turned around. "We have a mission," she smiled and he broke away from Relena to talk to her. Relena gazed wistfully at Heero, then reluctantly returned to her limo and rode off.

"I understand," Heero said once Duet finished explaining the plans.

"At least let me know where you're going!" Duo cried.

"Newark, NJ. There's an OZ military base there that must be destroyed," Duet answered and looked up at Duo.

"But first we have to stop at Quatre's to retrieve my Gundam," Heero said and they walked off.

"Sheesh, way to leave me out," Duo remarked indignantly.

"It's nothing against you. It's just that your Gundam doesn't specialize in aerial battle techniques," Duet smiled and winked at him.

"Damned logic," he sighed and leaned against the door frame.