Duo gasped the moment that he laid eyes on Ryo's friend.

"Ryo, you didn't tell me that he was such a hottie! Damn!" Duo exclaimed as Ryo shrugged.

"You just usually don't think about your friend that way." Duo shrugged.

"Still… Damn!" Ryo shrugged.

"I guess Heero's attractive." Duo nearly fainted at the understatement.

"He's a god!" Duo exclaimed, loudly enough to get an odd glance from Heero, who was currently cleansing the wounds of the small blonde, and dressing them with herbs. Duo grinned innocently as Heero turned back to Quatre. Trowa glanced between his injured lover and Wufei.

"Wufei?" Wufei turned to the rather silent boy.

"Yes?"

"How did you know our names?" Duo laughed.

"You get loud when you're worried about your lover. I think the dead heard your screaming his name." Trowa blushed and said nothing, turning back to Quatre.

"You alright?" Quatre nodded as he bared his bandaged hand.

"Heero says it'll be fine in a few days." Trowa smiled at his lover, as Heero rose, helping Quatre to his feet. Trowa scooped the angelic boy into his arms.

"Ryo, when do we get to meet your friend Solo?" Wufei asked, earning a disturbed look from Heero.

"Ryo…" Heero began as Ryo shook his head.

"I don't care! They can still meet him." Heero sighed, turning his head away. Wufei looked awkwardly between the two, choosing not to say anything as Ryo took his hand.

"He's out back in the garden." Wufei nodded as Ryo led him behind the house. Wufei looked around the flourishing garden, yet saw no one.

"Ryo, where is he?" Wufei asked as Ryo pulled away and smiled, walking over to the most caloric part of the garden.

"He's right here." Wufei glanced on in confusion until he noticed the small, finely carved cross. If was then that Wufei finally realized where Ryo's best friend was.

"Ryo, I'm so sorry." Ryo smiled, shaking his head.

"It's Ok. I was sad and upset at first, but now I'm ok. He's in a better place." Wufei nodded as he finally noticed the soft crinkling of leaves behind him. He turned and realized that it was Duo.

"You know Ryo, he misses you too. He's happy with his mother and father, and yours too. They miss you as well. They all want you to move on, to find a place to settle down, a place to find love. They all want you to be happy…" Duo stated as Ryo gave Duo a confused look.

"How did you know about my family?" He asked as Duo smiled.

"Just believe me Ryo. They want you to find happiness, that's all. They only wish the best for you." Ryo said nothing as he fixed his gaze on the grave once more. It was as if Solo was there with him, right now.

"I… thank you Duo. That makes me feel a lot better." Duo gave Ryo a quick grin.

"Well, anyways, Heero is making dinner. He sent me out to tell you two that it'll be done in about fifteen minutes, so be on time." Ryo nodded as Duo walked away, presumably to go flirt with his newest comrade. Ryo turned to Wufei and smiled. Stepping forward, he picked a soft blossom from a tree, and walked over to Wufei. Carefully, he pulled the string out of the Summoners hair, letting it fall free. Gently, he slid the flower behind Wufei's ear, as he smiled once more.

"You look pretty. Both you and the flower are vibrant and full of life." Wufei blushed faintly. Carefully Ryo kissed his blushing cheek.

"Thank you for understanding about Solo. But, if you don't mind, I wish to be alone." Wufei nodded, his face still burning from where Ryo's lips had brushed the skin. Quickly he returned to the home, as Ryo walked back over to the grave, kneeling before it.

"I like him Solo, I really do. But now what do I do?" Ryo asked as he ran his fingers over a petal of one of the flowers, reveling in its softness.

"I miss you Solo, I miss your advice. Yet, I'll try to be happy. I really will. For you, and for Momma and Papa." And with that, Ryo rose to his feet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The moment Duo entered, he nearly fainted.

"Damn Fei! You're hot when you don't have your hair up! What is this, hottie day?" Wufei shrugged, a slightly disturbed expression covering his face. Quatre turned to him.

"Wufei?" The blonde asked gently as the raven-haired boy looked up.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" Wufei nodded.

"Just worried about Ryo. I hope he's Ok…" Quatre nodded. Wufei was worried about the one he loved. Seemed reasonable enough.

"I think you should just tell him about your feelings. Secrets do no good." Wufei nodded as He noticed that Duo was still ranting.

" I can't believe you have a flower in your hair Fei!"

"Hey! I put it there!" Ryo stated defensively, his hands on his hips as he stood in the doorway.

"Just in time for food." Heero stated as he carried plates of food to his guests, Trowa helping. The moment the food met Duo's lips, the boy gasped.

"This stuff is great! It's even better then Sister Helen's famous beef stew, and Father Maxwell's pasta! I haven't had a decent meal in so long, and this is even better then decent!" Heero blushed furiously as he slowly picked at his meal. He wasn't used to such gushing compliments.

"It's because he uses so many herbs!" Ryo exclaimed between bites.

"Did I tell you that he's an Earth elemental? He can grow ANYTHING!" Heero continued to blush. His friend was unusually cheery today.

"You're an Earth elemental?" Trowa asked in awe, as Heero nodded.

"But I thought all the elementals were dead!" Heero gave him an odd look.

"What would make you think that? My mother is still alive! She just… had to leave for a while. She'll be back though." Trowa sighed.

"Heero, no one has been able to sense the elementals anymore. We thought they were all dead. At least, the pure ones are." Heero shook his head.

"You're wrong! My mother is not dead! She just got delayed on her return home!" Trowa hung his head. He didn't mean to upset Heero.

"Well, maybe our magic gatherings are not accurate. But… they've never been wrong before." Trowa could have hit himself for saying that. He knew Heero would be upset now…

"No…" Heero growled, his voice sharp and angry.

"She promised to be back, and she will be. She wouldn't lie!"

"Well, maybe something came up and she hasn't been able to contact you since she left." Quatre stated, trying to calm the angered Elemental.

"How long ago did she leave?" Wufei asked as Heero hung his head.

"She's been gone for six years…" His voice trailed off as Quatre sighed. Heero's mother could not possibly be alive, yet he couldn't bring it in his heart to tell that to the boy.

"Well, anyways, we better get going soon! I mean, we can't stay here, there's not enough room. We only came to see Heero and Solo, and to get Quatre taken care of. We have to get going to the nearest town to get an inn." The other's nodded.

"Though there is one thing that I'd like to ask." The group waited for him to speak.

"Heero, would you come with us?" Heero's eyes went wide.

"But I thought you didn't want me to come for my safety." Ryo waved his hand as if to banish the thought.

"We need you. If something happened to one of us, and Quatre doesn't have his hands to cast magic, they'd die for sure! We need you in case one of us is harmed." Heero nodded.

"Alright. I have been getting lonely lately, since you never can come by and Solo can't make you anymore…" Ryo smiled.

"And, while we're running around, we can search for your mother as well." Heero smiled at the notion.

"Thank you for letting me come Ryo." He stated as Ryo nodded.

"Well, gather what you need, and we meet outside in five minutes." Heero nodded as everyone parted to go their own way.

"Quatre, you'll be riding on my back. I'll change into a horse and carry you until we get to the town. I don't mind, and it'll just be walking, so no protesting." Quatre was about to speak, but Ryo waved him off.

"We have to get going. Hop on. Err… Trowa, help him on." Quickly Ryo changed into a horse, as Trowa lifted Quatre onto his back. Quickly, he walked out of the house, as they waited for the others to arrive.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I think we're getting closer to him…" Duo muttered to no one in particular as Wufei turned to him.

"You can tell?" Duo shrugged.

"I dunno. I just got this weird vibe, and people say that twins can sense each other and stuff." The others said nothing as Duo walked over to the town inn.

"Well, here's the inn. I'll get us a room with my amazing beauty and charm! Heero, you come with me for looks." Duo grabbed Heero as he dragged the boy away. Heero gave Ryo a pleading look, yet his friend merely laughed. Or rather neighed.

"They better hurry up, I'm tired and thirsty, and I want a room to stay in." Wufei muttered as the others laughed. It was moments later that Duo bounded out.

"Come on guys, time to head out! Or rather, in! We got three rooms." Heero nodded, confirming what the other boy had said. After everyone had settled in, Wufei turned to his roommate, the ever-energetic Duo. Somehow he had gotten stuck with the insane one.

"Duo, I'm going out. I'll see you later."

"Bye Fei!" Quickly, Wufei took his leave as Duo glanced around.

"Darn, now I'm all alone…" He shrugged.

"Well, might as well go out and check out the town." Duo stated cheerfully to himself, as he bounced out of the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, Lust, who's that guy over there?" Lust turned towards her companion and shrugged.

"No clue, Protection. Sure is a real hottie, isn't he?"

"Oh yeah, wouldn't mind a piece of him."

"Unfortunately, with our luck he's probably gay." Protection laughed.

"Most likely. Seems all the hot ones are." The other girl giggled, as Treize turned to look at them. He smiled faintly as they both laughed flirtatiously. Treize glanced at them oddly, and turned back to his drink. He was surprised they didn't know who he was. After all, he was the father god. Was he that full of himself that none of his people knew his name? Instead they stayed away? He shook his head. That couldn't be it. Carefully he sipped at his martini.

"Damn that guys hot!" Treize's ears perked up, yet he refrained from turning his head to see who was speaking.

"Yeah Survival, he is something." Males. Two males.

"Survival, Luck, you idiots! That's Treize! The father god!" The two gasped.

"We didn't know!"

"Not like I've ever seen the guy!" Power sighed at his idiotic companions.

"Just, keep it down. Maybe he didn't hear you."

"Hey, why wasn't I informed that they head god was so damn hot?"

"Shhh! Luck, you're going to run out of it if you don't shut up!" Quickly, the boy silenced, as his comrade rose. Or so Treize heard.

"Come on, let's get out of here before he notices us talking about him and gets mad." The other two nodded as they rose, and the trio quickly walked out of the bar. Treize sighed, as he gulped down the rest of his drink, and rose as well. There had to be better things to do then to sit around and get drunk. Leisurely, he walked out of the tavern.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Duo Maxwell wandered around the town of Armstead, attempting to find some form of entertainment in the amazingly carefree and lazy town.

"Let go of him… now." Duo's head perked up. Something was actually happening in this pathetic little town! Wow! Quickly, Duo bolted to the commotion, and groaned when he realized just who it was.

"You again." Duo muttered, as he wrapped his fingers around a familiar man's collar.

"Hey! Let go of me!"

"But first you let him go." The captor dropped the boy to the ground, as he scrambled back to his companion.

"Ack! It's the damn god again!

"Let go off me!" With a swift kick, he brought his foot to Duo's stomach, causing the boy to fall. With an inhuman speed, the boy was gone again.

"Damn!" Duo cursed. He would catch that boy and make him talk eventually. Quickly, he glanced up at the duo he had helped.

"Sorry about him… By the way, I'm Duo."

"I'm…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"He's scared ma'am. Why did you scare him? He's afraid to leave his cell now. He's afraid to let anyone near him…"

"Good." Relena sighed to herself.

"But, I know that you need him, but is scaring him really going to help you in any way?"

"Actually, no, but it's fun." Relena turned her head away. Why couldn't they just leave her son alone? Well, the closest she'd ever have to a son. She still had nightmares about him crying as an infant for his real mother, though she had been slain, the body burned like all the rest who had been murdered at the hands of War. And no matter how hard she tried; she could never forget the young blonde asking where his real mother was, even though she had never told him that he was not hers. The boy was smart, and it hurt.

"Must… Must you kill him when the time comes?" She asked softly as Dorothy laughed.

"Of course. Only then will I have all his power! All their power!" Relena hung her head, as she noticed a small noise at the door.

"That's all I wanted to know good lady." With a bow, Relena took her leave, knowing very well who was listening in.

"Sage..." She hissed as the blonde hung his head.

"Honey, you have to get back to your cell." Sage turned away from her, yet didn't budge.

"Mom… I don't want to die…" Sage choked out, as he turned to his "mother", burying his face into her chest. She kissed his hair, as she whispered soothing words.

"I won't let them hurt you honey…. I won't let you die. Now, you better get back to your… room." Sage nodded, wiping the tears from his face as he took off in the direction of his cell. Relena sighed. Over her dead body would they harm her child. She turned on her heal, and walked back to her own room.

End of Chapter 4…