Standing Alone Chapter Three By: chibi-chan^_~* Standing Alone

By: chibi-chan^_~*

Disclaimer: Ok, 1. Don't own 'em 2. Don't ask 3. Don't sue

Author's Notes: Okay I'm organizing this cuz the first time I wrote it, it was about a page long. ^^() What can I say? I like to chatter!

1. I used the dubbie names in order not to confuse new comers and dubbies. If the purists want I can post a separate set of chapters with the Japanese
names in them. ^_^
2. Okay now I gotta tell ya guys somethin' *very* important. You gotta read M-chan's fics! They're really really good but she hasn't gotten many
reviews, so she's really depressed. She thinks no one likes them. If you like this story then you'll most likely love hers. They're posted at Fanfiction.net
under the author's name: M-chan. She's my bestest friend in the whole world and was considering giving up writing forever, but I just barely convinced
her to keep writing. *Gets big shiny puppy dog eyes* Pllllllleeeeeeeaaaaaaasssssssseeeeeee!!!
3. Ok now on a happier note, (I have rapid mood swings don't I?) I'm gonna bash Relena!!! }: ) (Not in this chapter though.) I got reviews that said,
and I quote, "Oh please for the love of God, BASH Relena!" --- smart reader huh??? }: ) *sigh* She's not going to be bashed out of existence
though. In fact the bashing will be kept to a minimal to keep Relena fans happy. *snicker* But just wait till that one part where Serena shares her
opinion... *clamps hands over mouth* You didn't here that!!! I'd like to thank Chibi Tenshi, Sailor Silver Moon, Al, Ashley Silvis, and Whatzit
especially for telling me to bash the pacifist!!!
4. I'm putting up the current results of who Serena should be with. The poll is still open, and you may vote as many times as you want but only once per
chapter. And now a drum roll please...

Heero: 14
Duo: 7
Trowa: 5
Wufei: 3
Quatre: 2
Treize: 1
Milliardo: 1

O.o Well I definitely wasn't expecting that! Certainly isn't your average presidential election is it? }: ) You may also vote for more than one person!
Uh... THANK YOU! and I'll just shut up now...

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Chapter Three: Past Memories and Bad Dreams
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Serena ran down the halls a tear quietly sliding down her cheek in the process. She ran through hall way after hall way until finally she came to the double doors
from where she had entered. She paused before opening them. 'So many memories...'

*Flashback*
"Ok Duo-chan! I give up! You can come out now!" a young Serena called out, unaware of the figure creeping up on her.
The figure clamped it's hands over her eyes and whispered, "Guess who," quietly in her ear, disguising it's voice.
"Duo-chan!" she cried spinning around and tackling him. "You scared me! I didn't know who it was till you spoke. Where were you? I couldn't find
you! I checked everywhere!"
"I was in the closet," Duo said simply, while shrugging.
"I checked there eight times! Along with every other place in the building!" Serena cried in disbelief.
"You didn't look hard enough then." Serena glared at him.
"You don't have a cloaking device on do you?" she asked walking around him examining every detail.
"Nope. I just have that knack for blending in and hiding." Serena snickered.
"The only knack you have is a knack for being annoying!" she said giggling while running away. Duo dashed off after her.
*Flash*
"Serena, I've found a job. It doesn't pay but it helps save lives," Duo said looking Serena directly in the eye to prove his truthfulness.
"B-but who's going to take care of the orphanage? Sister Sylvia doesn't know that much yet. Plus she gets really cranky easy!" Serena said leaning
closer to Duo so no one heard the last part. Duo grinned and hugged Serena tightly.
"We'll meet every year if not more often okay? Ever July thirtieth we'll meet under the light pole next to the alley where we first got to know each
other. Got it?"
Serena nodded then stood on her tip toes as she kissed Duo lightly on the cheek.
"To remember our promise."
"Good bye little sis..." Duo whispered running out the door.
*Flash*
"Are you lost, sir?" a young Serena asked.
"I've been lost ever since I was born," the boy said in a cold tone sitting up.
"Meow," Luna said looking up at him intently.
"I hope you find your way," she said before turning and skipping away. After finding Luna wasn't with her Serena called
happily over her shoulder, "Come Luna!" The kitten 'meowed' once then bounded off after her owner.
*Flash*
Serena gasped as she watched a Leo set ablaze crash into her home. "No. Mommy... Daddy... Luna!" she whispered, tears springing to her eyes. She
stumbled back a few steps before turning and running down the street, tears streaming down her face.
*Flash*
"Hello again!" Serena said cheerfully to Nanashi as he walked into the kitchen. "Where'd you go?"
"Hn." was the quiet boy's response.
"Fine be secretive! I don't care anymore!" Serena said laughing.
*Flash*
Serena walked around and looked for Sister Sylvia. When she didn't find her she asked Nanashi where she had gone to. Serena was then informed as
soon as Duo left Sister Sylvia had left in the middle of the night, leaving the orphans on their own for three days. Serena immediately made dinner for the
children. While she was cooking Nanashi came in the kitchen. "Nanashi," she started, "how long have you been living in the orphanage? I haven't seen
you around before." After a few minutes with no response Serena turned around to find the door wide open and Nanashi gone. She sighed and continued
cooking. 'I guess it's my job to run the orphanage now.'
*End Flashback*

Serena whimpered as she yanked open one of the double doors and ran outside. She sprinted down the side walk. As soon as she reached the gates she ran into
someone. They both crashed to the pavement.

* * * * *

Duo sprinted down the halls as fast as he could, running into a couple of dead ends along the way. 'Damn Quatre, why does your house have to be so big?' he
thought frustrated.

* * * * *

"Well that was different," Quatre stated calmly.
"Just like a woman to run away," Wufei snorted. Heero glared while Trowa wondered why Serena was here and not at the orphanage.

* * * * *

"I'm sorry!" Serena said jumping up and wiping the tears from her face. She quickly extended her hand to help the person up. The girl on the ground laughed.
"It's ok! I've been through worse, believe me!" she said accepting Serena's hand.
"Um, I don't mean to be rude but I really must be going," Serena said shifting her weight from one foot to the other nervously. Turned and was about to leave
when she heard, "HILDE DON'T LET HER LEAVE!"
'Damn, I'm in for it,' was the only thought that crossed Serena's mind as she tried to break Hilde's iron grip on her wrist. Serena calmed down and watched Duo
sprint up to them. "I'm not going back in there," she whispered to him.
"Wanna bet?" he asked staring at her.
"I don't want to go," she said looking at him with sad eyes.
"Hey wait Duo," Hilde said stepping in front of Serena. "You shouldn't force a girl to do what she doesn't want to or you might end up hurt." Serena smirked
from behind Hilde and stuck her tongue out. Duo growled.
"Fine you don't have to meet the boys but you're coming back to the house."
"No. I don't want to!" Serena said stepping back. Hilde sighed and moved away allowing Duo to advance toward Serena. Serena squeaked in fright as Duo
scooped her up in his arms and started towards the mansion.

* * * * *

Serena thrashed around wildly while Hilde walked next to the two. Serena started to thrash even more when she saw the small group of boys. "NO! Hilde help!"
she shouted. Hilde sensing there was more reason for Serena's fright than the ever constant gun pointed in her face by Heero and remembering Duo promised not to
bring her to the guys, she grabbed Duo's braid and told him to stop. "Set her down Duo," she said quietly. Duo whimpered and shook his head slightly. Hilde tugged
in his braid... hard. "I warned you that you were going to get hurt. Now set her down." Duo growled and reluctantly set her down, but Hilde didn't let go of his braid.
Instead she nodded her head towards the end of the hall. Serena understood the gesture and started down the hall. Hilde let go of Duo's braid and ran for her life.

* * * * *

After seeing the small group of boys Serena's mind started to flash with images, some she couldn't remember and yet they seemed so familiar. She started to
thrash wildly wanting the images to go away.

*Flash*

Serena, or someone who looked amazingly like her, crawled over to a battered raven haired girl who lay on the floor
"You're too sweet... be strong!" the dying raven haired girl in her arms said.
"Rei don't! We promised to be together to the very end! DON'T LEAVE ME!" Serena screamed as Rei smiled and disappeared forever in a flurry of
golden sparkles. Serena cried out for the girl to come back, but her cries fell on deaf ears.

*End Flashback*

Serena stopped thrashing as she hopped out of Duo's arms when she realized he wasn't holding her as tight. Seeing Hilde gesturing to run down the hall, Serena
took off.

* * * * *

Heero watched as the girl jumped out of Duo's arms and took off down the hall. He recognized Hilde standing behind Duo holding his braid. Watching the girl's
retreating form something stirred within him.

*Flash* (A.N. I seem to be typing this a lot huh?)

The little girl turned and dashed off leaving a confused Heero holding the flower she had handed him. Realizing that her kitten wasn't with her the girl
spun around and called out, "Come Luna!"

*End Flashback*

As Heero watched the girl dash down the hall. Her form flickered from the 16 year old she was now to the 10 year old she was when he first met her. He grit his
teeth in pain from the memories but showed nothing else on his placid face.

* * * * *

Hilde, who had now caught up to Serena, grabbed Serena's wrist and drug her down a narrow hall way and up a dusty stair case. "Are you sure Duo won't
know where I am?" Serena asked nervous.
"Positive. When we first came to Quatre's house he offered to give us a tour so we wouldn't get lost. I accepted his kind offer so I could memorize the halls and
doors while Duo, on the other hand, decided the only thing he needed to memorize was the path to the kitchen," Hilde said rolling her eyes in remembrance. Serena
smiled and looked around the dusty room they had just entered.
"Where are we?"
"This is one of Quatre's 8 attics," she responded simply, brushing off some crates then sitting down. Serena nodded knowing that the young Mr. Winner had
inherited his father's fortune when he had died in the war. "Hey, Serena," Hilde started off sounding slightly unsure of herself, "do you want to tell me why you didn't
want to go near the guys?" Serena didn't want to but she owed it to Hilde. She had saved her from facing the guys... and her memories. Serena proceeded to explain
to Hilde her past. Hilde was surprised to find Serena knew Trowa as Nanashi way before any one of the gundam pilots knew him. Hilde was even more shocked to
find out Serena had met Heero before he had become trigger happy. Serena continued to tell Hilde about the new memory and how she thought it was probably
triggered by so many other memories coming to her at once. Hilde nodded in understanding. Both Hilde and Serena nearly jumped out of their skin as a knock
sounded on the door. "Who is it?" Hilde asked.
"Quatre. May I come in?"
"Where are the other guys?" Hilde asked suspiciously.
"They're on a mission. Duo wanted to stay but I told him I'd wait for you instead." Hilde turned and gave Serena a reassuring smile before getting up and opening the door for Quatre. After Quatre walked in and sat down a 'Meow' was heard at his feet. Serena looked down to see a small black cat.

* * * * *

"I thought we destroyed all the mobile dolls!" Duo shouted angrily sticking his energy scythe in one mobile doll then swinging it into another.
"Obviously we didn't! Most people still think the Gundams are rid of. This could be why they attacked now," Wufei shouted back. Duo opened a visual com-link with a mobile doll and found it empty. He was about to shut the link when he saw a swirl of black smoke fade before the com went black by itself. Duo was stunned for a moment. He snapped out of his daze when Wufei slaughter the mobile doll that had snuck up behind him. "Maxwell watch your own back!" Wufei barked over the com-link.
"Thanks Wu-man!" Duo said. He only heard Wufei growl before cutting the link. 'That black smoke was strange!' Duo thought flying back to the base.

* * * * *

Serena sat staring at the cat for a good five minutes before the cat jumped into Serena's lap. Serena hugged the animal fiercely. Hilde looked from the cat to Serena then back to the cat more than a few times. Finally it clicked. "Luna?" Hilde questioned quietly. Serena nodded happily. "That's Heero's cat," Quatre said quietly. A thought passed through Hilde's mind. "Hey Serena, where was the apartment complex you used to live in?" Serena told Hilde where she used to live while Hilde explained to Quatre Serena had met Heero before. "There used to be an Oz base across the street from there," Hilde said her eyes widening. Quatre's eyes widened in realization of what had really happened that night. Heero's destruction of the Oz base had gone wrong instead of the phony story the press had put on the news the morning after the bombing. Hilde and Quatre explained what had happened that night. Serena smiled sadly and said, "He didn't mean it and I should be thankful he's nursed Luna back to full health." Serena smiled down at the cat and went to pet her head. Luna suddenly looked up and instead of petting the top of her head Serena's finger tips brushed lightly across Luna's forehead. There was a small golden flash. Luna sat with a golden upturned crescent moon on her forehead.

____________________________________________
*finishes story* Well looky there, another cliffhanger!
She's trying to kill us. *notices readers* Oh hi! Since
Chibi-chan yakked in the beginning, I M-chan the awe inspiring
future ruler of the world, shall yak at the end. Well there we
go she actually got it out. You know me and her are never
going to finish Conflicts! *points to Chibi* It's her fault!
*book falls on M-chan's head* Ouch! Hey! *glares at the
sky* I forgot author's protection only works on anime
characters. *another book hits her in the head* Okay!
They're real people! Sheesh. You never give me a break.
Well read and review. Also TELL CHIBI TO WORK ON
CONFLICTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ja ne!

*giggles* Can you tell I love cliff hangers? *bangs head
against wall* I'm soooooooooooo sorry I didn't get this
chapter out when I promised! Stupid writer's block. *grins*
don't listen to M-chan she's delusional.

*screaming is heard in the background* I AM NOT
DELUSIONAL!!!

*sigh* Here we go again... *walks off*