The Washi Ookami, Deathscythe, and a small plane carrying the other four boys alit on the landing strip that was a small part of the estate Quatre had purchased as a sanctuary for the boys.

"Avdol! Rasid! Please make up another room for our new friend," Quatre called happily and gestured to Duet standing in the exit of the cockpit.

"Yes, Master Quatre!" Avdol called back and headed inside.

"We don't really have much time," Duet said earnestly and considered jumping down. A disapproving glance from Duo put an end to that notion, so she simply sat there, indignant and humiliated, until someone helped her.

"Four to six weeks and the bone will knit completely," Quatre said as he inspected Duet's leg. Gently, he touched the place where the leg had been distorted not too long ago. It hurt him to even look at it. Duet winced but didn't say a word. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? It'll only prolong the healing process," Quatre warned and handed her a glass of ice water. Duet nodded and accepted the glass gratefully. She took a long sip and began toying with the end of her braid. "If you want, there are some hot springs behind the house. It would probably do you some good to soak that leg," Quatre offered and stood up.

"I didn't bring…" she began.

"I have twenty-nine sisters. I'm sure we could find something," he smiled and they walked off.

Heero needed time to repair parts of his Gundam that were damaged in his last few battles, so Duet left for the springs. She eased herself into the clear pool, careful of the leg without its bandage. She unbound her long, chestnut braid and waded into the shallow water. When she reached a drop-off, she dove in. When she swam back to the shallows, she was feeling much better. She sat on the rocks around the pond and brushed her hair until it dried. She weaved it back into its long braid except for her bangs and wrapped herself up in the towel she brought. Duet slung Quatre's sister's jeans and tee-shirt over her shoulder and headed back for the house.

~~~

Duo approached Heero while he was working on his Gundam. "What is wrong with you, dragging a girl out there to fight with you when you know she has trouble standing!?" Duo yelled and slammed Heero's laptop shut.

"You're starting to sound like Wufei," Heero replied and continued working.

"Don't you dare let anything happen to her!" Duo warned.

"Quatre and I have already taken care of that," Heero said and stood up, "nothing will happen to her."

~~~

Duet, with a little help from Duo, climbed into her Gundam and sat down. "You sure you'll be okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," Duet laughed and the door closed. Duo slunk away and joined Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei on the ground.
"She's just as stubborn as you are," Trowa remarked. The two Gundams stood up and took off. When they were high enough, they switched to aerial mode and sped off.

~~~

Duet hummed to herself as her Gundam reverted back to mobile suit mode. Heero shot her a glance and changed also. "You seem happy," he observed and paused in the air above the base. Their radars began to beep. Duet whirled and blew away a group of Leos that were approaching from behind.

"Nice shot," she commented as Heero's Beam Cannon wiped out an attacking swarm of mobile dolls. Heero didn't respond, but continued fighting the army of suits that seemed to grow every minute. Duet nodded and also struck out full force. Soon, Duet was out of ammunition and Heero was low. "Watch out!" she cried and drew her Fang. They both slashed with calculated precision, brining down the OZ troops with ease.

Together, they descended towards the base and landed on the runway. "Hmph. They wasted all their firepower in an all-out fight and lost," Heero said matter-o-factly. Duet sheathed her Fang and leaned against her harness, breathing heavily.

"I'm low on fuel," she stated and pressed a few buttons on the control pad.

"Huh?" Heero glanced left. The door to one of the hangars quickly opened and the two Gundams were caught in a hail of gunfire. Heero and Duet were soon separated and mobile suits began to converge upon them.

"See you in the next life!" Duet cried and slammed her fist down on the self-destruct. "Damnit!" she cried and pounded the button repeatedly. "What'd you do to my Gundam!?" Duet demanded of Heero and glared at his image on the vid screen link.

"I couldn't let you do that to Duo," Heero began and blew away an approaching suit squad. Duet's face twisted into a look of confusion. Her hands relaxed around the controls and she shook with emotion. Heero finished their battle and approached Duet's Gundam, but when he got near, Duet lashed out.

She swung at him with her Fang, but Heero deflected it with his own beam saber. Then, out of Washi Ookami's left arm shot a four-pronged claw on the end of long whip. It wrapped around Wing's waist and the claw latched onto its right arm. Heero's beam saber flickered and died, and Washi Ookami's Fang stopped inches away from the spot where Heero sat. His cockpit opened and he stepped out, standing millimeters from the glowing blade. Duet's cockpit also opened and she pulled herself out.

"Why?" Duet asked as the wind teased her hair.

"I told you," Heero answered.

"Don't you realized how important my missions are to me?"

"Are they as important to you as you are to Duo?" he said coldly. Duet opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a voice over the intercom.

"Gundam pilots! I must warn you, if you attack this base, Colony X 9847 will be dropped onto Earth," the voice said. Heero glared at Duet.

"We'll finish this conversation later," Duet hissed and climbed back inside the Washi Ookami.

"Later," Heero agreed. Duet released her hold on Heero's Gundam and together they took off for Quatre's.