the way to a silent boy's heart

Disclaimers: Sadly I do not own Gundam Wing, so please don't sue me.

Chapter 9

Robert glanced around and saw that he and Quatre were beginning to draw a crowd. Well I guess it is to be expected., Robert thought. It isn't often that the sweet Quatre Winner lost his temper.

"Quatre, calm down your causing a scene." Robert said softly.

"I will not calm down." Quatre said. "How dare you question who I invite to my party or who I associate with."

"I'm sorry. I never meant to offend you." Robert said all of a sudden defending himself from Quatre.

"Well guess what, you did." Quatre yelled advancing on him.

"What are you going to do? Try to beat me up?" Robert taunted. "You're much to nice..."

Robert trailed off cause Quatre had just decked him. A collective gasp went through the room. No one would have believe that Quatre would do that.

Quatre pulled back his arm to hit him again. But found that he couldn't punch Robert again. Quatre looked over his shoulder to see Duo holding his arm.

"Duo, what are you doing?" Quatre wondered, puzzled.

"Here's a better question, Q. Why are you doing this?" Duo responded.

"I...I don't understand what your saying." Quatre stammered.

"Why did you hit him?" Duo asked, then in a softer tone he added, "We're not in the war anymore."

"I know, Duo, I know. I just lost my temper." he said letting his arm fall, all the while looking slightly defeated.

Robert saw the look on Quatre's face and got mad. How dare this little worm make Quatre feel like that. He has no right, Robert thought moving from mad to angry.

"It's alright, I know your under stress." Duo said understandingly, letting go of Quatre's arm.

"It wasn't that I was under al a lot of stress. More like for some reason something inside just snapped." Quatre said a little baffled at what happened.

The crowed, realizing that there wasn't going to be a fight, started to disperse leaving the three alone.. However not far away was 'the figure'. He saw Robert getting angrier at Duo and he didn't want that guy to hurt Duo.

"Hey don't worry about it Q. There's no harm done. Well, no real harm done at least." Duo said tilting his head slightly to indicate Robert.

Quatre looked where Duo had indicated. Seeing Robert there, he moved around Duo towards Robert.

"I'm sorry that I hit you. it wasn't the best way I could have handled this whole situation." Quatre apologized.

"I suppose that it's okay." Robert said with soft eyes. They hardened, however, the moment Duo stepped up beside Quatre. "I was wrong to say anything about your choice of 'friends'." he continued looking down his nose at Duo.

"Don't even go there." Quatre said warningly. "That was what started this whole mess. If the two of you would excuse me, there is something that I must do."

Quatre walked off towards Abdul ( did I spell it right?) who had been trying to get his attention, before either of the guys that he was standing with could say a word. Robert and Duo just stood there for a second watching him walk away.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving as well." Duo said politely as he started to walk away.

"What do you expect to gain?" Robert asked suddenly.

Duo stopped walking and turned around to face Robert. "What is that supposed to mean?" Duo asked.

"Exactly what I said. What do you - an ex-gundam pilot - expect to gain out a friendship with Quatre?" Robert said more bluntly.

"Nothing." said an astounded Duo. "If I expected to gain something from Quatre then it wouldn't exactly be called a friendship now would it."

"Some hoe I don't believe you. Everyone knows that the Gundam pilots are never going to amount to anything off the battle field." stated Robert.

"Just how many of the Gundam pilots do you know of?" Duo questioned.

"I know of you and the pilots of 01 and 03." Robert answered.

"Well then you don't know of the two pilots that are doing the best for themselves. So I wouldn't say that we won't amount to anything." Duo said before waling away again.

"Hey, I'm not through with you. Robert said as he grabbed Duo's shoulder and spun him around.

"Look, you, I'm beginning to lose my temper and believe me that isn't a pretty sight." Duo told Robert calmly.

"I don't care. I have something to say to you and you'll stay here till I say it." Robert growled.

"Fine then. Way it so that I can get out of here," Duo said noticing a few people near by were starting to take an interest in what was happening.

"Stay away from Quatre. He's a nice guy and he doesn't need an ex-gundam pilot hanging around him to destroy his reputation." Robert said.

"Hey, Quatre told you not to go there." Duo reminded him. "And if you think that I'm just using him in some way, you couldn't be farther from the truth. I would never do anything so low or that would hurt him that much. I have more dignity than that. And just because I don't hold a fancy title and I'm an ex-gundam pilot doesn't make me a bad guy." Duo said walking away.

"Bastard!" Robert said just as he throw a punch at Duo.

However, it never landed, because someone quickly stepped between the two and caught Robert's fist in the air. All that was heard was the thunk of fist hitting hand.

Duo turned and saw a person's back that had very broad shoulders. Over one shoulder he saw Robert's eyes widen whether out of surprise or anger Duo couldn't tell.

"You weren't just about to hurt one of my friends now were you?" the person asked in a familiar monotone voice.

To Be Continued.......

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A.N. can any one guess who it is??????????