Dragon Lady: Oooh, look at this, another chapter! Go me! ^_^

Ken: Wow…good job, dl. You're posting again. I thought we'd lost you to reading fluffy fan fics forever.

Dragon Lady: ^^;; Well, my first love is reading…*laughs*

Trowa: But writing is just as good.

Dragon Lady: *shrugs* Sometimes, true. I know that something I'm writing is worth keeping if I'm as reluctant to stop working on it for even a minute, as one of the books I read. ^^

Ken: Interesting way to figure out what your decent ideas are.

Dragon Lady: Oh, I have a lot of ideas, but only the best make them off the drawing board.

Trowa: This story has made it off your drawing bored, so I'm sure people would appreciate it if we stopped ranting and let them read it, don't you think?

Ken: Well put. ^^;

Dragon Lady: Absolutely. ^_^;;

Ken: So read, and hopefully you'll enjoy.

Dragon Lady: And a big thank you to Bryn for making me realize that I need to be working on all my unfinished stories, like this one! ^_^

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Sinister Shadows

By: DigimonDragonLady

Sunday evening, just before dinner, when they were all gathered in the parlor which was a room more modern than the rest of St. Gabrielle's, Duo brought the picture he had done to show Quatre. It had been forgotten the previous day.

"I've got your portrait here, Quatre," Duo called from the entrance of the parlor, flourishing a sheet of paper at him.

"Have you?" Quatre glanced up from a book that he was reading; one that Mr. Treize had lent him from the small library he was compiling at St. Gabrielle's. "Let's have a look then," he said.

Heero and Quatre had been reading, and Trowa dealing a game of solitaire at the small card table in the corner, but with Duo's entrance, they all looked up from their activities. There was something about Duo's liveliness that could waken up any room, and at the moment he looked so innocently pleased with himself that Quatre found himself smiling, though his mood a few moments earlier had been considerably dark.

"I didn't know you were an artist, Duo," Quatre commented as his new friend crossed the room.

"Neither did I, Q-man," Duo replied, handing him the paper. "I kinda surprised myself."

Quatre held the sketch out in front of him to see it, and gasped in amazement. "Duo…it really is of me!"

"I told you it was," Duo leaned over the back of the couch on which Quatre was sitting and smiled at him. "So, what do you think? Do you like it?"

"It's incredible, Duo! Honestly," Quatre couldn't take his eyes off the picture.

Heero had come to look at Duo's drawing as well and stood behind them to see. His eyes widened slightly, and then narrowed again, and he was silent for a moment before he said, "Duo, you couldn't have drawn that. You must have traced it or something."

"No I didn't," Duo gave him a hurt look. "I told you what happened. I had been writing my letter, and then I took a small nap. When I woke up, I could hear you all outside talking, and I was going to go join you, but all of a sudden I felt like drawing a picture. So I got a pencil and a sheet of paper and sat down and drew this. And the funny thing is, I didn't even know what it was going to be, and then it started to look sort of like Quatre, and then it was Quatre."

Indeed, everything about the sketch screamed Quatre. From the wide shining eyes to the smile that he always wore during his brightest and happiest moments.

"It's expert, Duo," Heero said patiently, with the air of an adult questioning a small child when they knew they were telling some fantastical story. "Professional. How could you have done it?"

"I just did!" Duo snapped at him, and then calmed down. "I just did."

By this time Trowa had come over to look. "Its wonderful, Duo," he said.

"I really do like it," Quatre said. "Would you - would you let me keep it?"

"Of course," Duo looked pleased. "I'm real glad you like it enough to want it."

"Duo," Heero grabbed his arm, and Duo turned to look at him coolly, as if not caring what it was Heero wanted. "I'm sorry, Duo," Heero said softly, apologetically. "I know you never lie about anything. But…well, its just that we've known each other so long, and to find out that you have this…talent…is just a surprise. It makes me feel like I don't really know you."

Duo's cold expression softened and melted into one of forgiveness. "Oh, Heero, nobody knows me better than you, I can promise you that. And this surprised me too."

Quatre watched Duo and Heero curiously, without making it obvious that he was watching. The more he thought about it, the more he was sure that there was something more than just friendship going on between the two of them. Duo looked like he would have kissed Heero, had they not been interrupted by the arrival of Zechs.

"Good evening," the teacher greeted them.

"Hello, Zechs," Duo smiled, stepping away from Heero. It had taken most of them, with the exception of Duo, quite a while to get used to calling the man that, but he had refused to give them a last name to use "Mr." with, so they had resorted to using it in the end.

"What have you all got there?" Zechs inquired, directing his attention at the picture that Quatre still held.

"A picture of Quatre that Duo drew," Heero told him, trying for some reason, to make it sound as uninteresting as possible.

"Really?" Zechs asked curiously. He extended his hand. "May I see it, Quatre?"

Quatre reluctantly handed over the sketch to him, and Zechs examined it for a moment, before handing it back and commenting. "That is excellent, Duo. Very well done, indeed. Have you ever taken any art courses before?"

"No, sir," Duo replied. "None."

"Well, I think perhaps then, that is what we should gear you towards here at St. Gabrielle's. I shall talk to Doctor J. and see if we can't get him to find you some art supplies from the village; the headmaster always wants to encourage his students in any way possible."

"Um…thank you…" Duo murmured, not knowing quite what it was he was supposed to say in this instance. He'd only done one little sketch. Wasn't Zechs being a little extreme as to order him all kinds of supplies that he'd never touched before in his life? What would he do with them when he couldn't figure out what to do with them?

Quatre stood up. "Its five minutes before dinner. I'm going to put this in my room before we eat." He excused himself and hurried up the stairs to his room. He entered quickly and shut the door behind him.

He leaned back against it breathlessly. He hurried through the halls of St. Gabrielle's, when it was dark like this. They were so silent and foreboding that he did not enjoy them at all. He chided himself for being so silly as to start developing the fear of the dark that he had never had as a child now.

Quatre stared down at the picture he held in his trembling hand. The sketch was simple enough while still capturing beauty. The way Duo had drawn his eyes was what captivated him the most. They eyes were those of a young man who was not as certain on the inside as he appeared to be outwardly. They reflected uncertainty, and some inner loneliness and longing.

"Who am I?" the eyes asked. "What is my path in life? In which direction am I traveling? Will I be happy? Do people like me? Does Trowa like me? Am I worth loving?"

* * *

Quatre started his lessons with Ms. Noin on Monday shortly after morning breakfast. She had him bring down his violin from his room and play for her, anything he wanted. When he had finished she brought out a musical composition that he had never played before and asked him if he would try to play it cold for her.

He had played it admirably enough for the first time, with only a few mistakes here and there throughout the piece, and when he stopped she seemed very satisfied.

"It's wonderful, Quatre," she told him, "That you can play so beautifully."

"I like the violin," Quatre said softly. "I-it makes me feel better to just sit and play sometimes. Happier."

"I understand what you mean," she agreed. "Music like this can set a person free, don't you think?"

"Ms. Noin…" Quatre said. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel very much like playing any more right now."

"What's wrong, Quatre?" she asked. "Is something the matter?"

"I-well, not really. I'm just very tired. I haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately," he answered. She nodded. "And-I was wondering if I could ask you some questions…"

"You can ask me any question you like, Quatre, I'll always try and answer it if I can," she told him seriously.

"Has the Institute really only accepted four students?" he blurted out. "There aren't any more coming?"

"Yes, we have only accepted you four students for our first session," she agreed. "There were many applicants," she continued, as if already sensing his next question, "but most of them didn't fulfill our requirements."

"Why not? They couldn't pass the tests? I didn't think the examinations were that hard. I passed them, and I'm not an all-A student…"

"Its not just that," Ms. Noin told him. "Your selection was not passed entirely on your academic accomplishments. There were other considerations, I was told."

"So…you didn't help to choose us?"

"No. Only Doctor J went through the applications, I believe."

"Doctor J. went through all those applicants…by himself?" Quatre asked incredulously. "What were the other considerations, do you know?"

"Not really, no," she answered, hesitantly, and Quatre thought for a moment that it might have been a question that she was not allowed to answer, and not just one she didn't know. "I suppose you all just have the attributes we want our students to posses."

Quatre found himself thinking about how all of the four students had lost a loved one, and how Trowa had seen his parents after their deaths.

"Does it bother you to be part a small class?"

Quatre looked up and blinked. "What? No. Not at all. I really enjoy knowing all of my classmates, and it's given me a chance to make some wonderful friends that-that I just know I'm going to keep my whole life."

"Why all these questions, Quatre?" she asked him.

"No reason, Ms. Noin. I was just-just curious."

"I suppose that's understandable," she said. "Hey, Quatre, why don't you go upstairs and rest. I know I'm supposed to have another hour of class with you before lunch, but you really do look very tired. Try to start getting some more sleep at night, won't you?"

"Thank you, Ms. Noin. And I'll try."

"How about you just look over these compositions, and we'll practice with them again some other time," she suggested.

"Yes ma'am," he agreed, taking the papers from her. "I'll do that."

* * *

Several weeks passed, and Quatre got used to his new schedule and classes and felt that he might be somewhat settling into the house. His favorite would always be the time that he got to spend playing with Ms. Noin, but the rest of the teachers were very nice too. They had world literature with Mr. Treize, who was a very eloquent speaker indeed, and then Ms. Une taught any number of different mathematics courses, depending on what level they worked. Zechs taught them art appreciation, and it seemed that he had taken Duo on as his special case student as Lady Une had taken Heero, and Ms. Noin, Quatre.

Indeed, in time before dinner, Duo babbled happily on about how Zechs had gotten Doctor J to provide him with canvas and oil paints and all other manner of art supplies so that he could draw or paint whenever the desire overcame him.

Quatre thought that Heero still seemed very skeptical and wary of Duo's newly emerged talents, but he kept whatever feelings he had very private and always congratulated Duo accordingly whenever he showed them a new sketch.

Late one evening Quatre was in his room practicing a musical composition that Ms. Noin had given him before he went to sleep. He hadn't been playing for very long before he heard his door open and close and turned to see Trowa standing there.

He put his violin down.

"Is something the matter, Trowa?" he asked in concern.

"No, not at all," Trowa said softly. "I only wanted to listen to you play. You're very good, Quatre."

"Thank you," Quatre replied. "…Where are Duo and Heero?"

"Duo, I believe, is in his room working on another one of his paintings, and Heero is downstairs in the parlor with Ms. Une, working on a complex problem of some sort."

"Heero seems gratified in learning from her."

"Yes," Trowa agreed. "He does indeed. Which only leaves me without an extra teacher."

"Mr. Treize would take you, Trowa," Quatre said. "He thinks you write very well."

"But my writing is only that. Just writing. The rest of you can write just as well. So there is no need for him to take me as his special case student," Trowa shrugged. "But I think maybe, I prefer it that way."

"I see," Quatre said. He was still confused as to why Trowa had come to him. It seemed like his friend had a lot on his mind, but he wasn't really talking to Quatre about anything in particular that was bothering him.

"Quatre," Trowa said, and Quatre looked up at him. "I know that its getting late, but would you come for a walk with me?"

"Outside?" Quatre asked.

"Yes. Outside."

"Whatever for, Trowa?"

"I-I want to look at St. Gabrielle's from the outside again. I can't really explain it."

"Well, all right," Quatre agreed, seeing that Trowa was really very serious about it. "Just let me put my violin away."

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Dragon Lady: And the plot thickens. ^_^ *giggles* Sorry, I've just always wanted to say that.

Ken: -_-;;

Trowa: ///_-;;

Dragon Lady: *blushes* What? ^^;;

Ken: Never mind, dl, it's much too late to save you. There's nothing left of your sanity.

Dragon Lady: Well, I could have told you that…^^;;;

Trowa: *sighs* Why did I have to be the muse of an insane fan fiction authoress?

Ken: News flash, Trowa, all fan fiction authoresses, especially the ones with muses or "voices" running around in their heads, are crazed and insane, particularly the yaoi fans at that for some reason.

Dragon Lady: Hey!

Trowa: Be courteous and review, please.

Dragon Lady: The reviews are always appreciated.

Ken: Let us know how much you want to see that fifth chapter and maybe it'll keep dl from waiting another month to upload it!

Trowa: Don't push it, Ken.

Dragon Lady: Oh, ye of little faith. =P