Back for more, are you? Great! I hope you enjoy it! This second part should bring in more of the characters you all know and love (or hate, depending upon how you look at it). I do hope that this story worms its way under your skin until I get lots of reviews and you guys can't wait for a new post because, frankly, I'm having a great deal of fun. Sit back and strap in, this may get a wee bit chaotic.

Grand Prize Winner (pun intended)

Part 2: Cold Feet

Dorothy Catalonia emerged from her room hardly feeling refreshed from her night's sleep. She had been staying in the Winner estate for a just over nine months, and though she and Quatre didn't get along too well, the large house was comfortable enough. However, she hadn't slept well the night before, and the reason was beyond her. After all, the bed certainly was comfortable enough, and…

…blast it all. She did know why she hadn't slept well. She just didn't want to admit it, not even to herself. She had been slowly warming to Quatre over the past few months, warming to the point that she was becoming attracted to him. Perhaps, though she would die before she'd admit it, she was even falling for him

Which, of course, made little or no sense at all. Dorothy shook her head and briskly continued down the hall. At least if she had to face Quatre Raberba Winner this morning, she would face him as his equal, his adversary, and not a squealing fangirl. It was humiliating enough that she had to live under his roof after nearly killing him during the war with a fencing foil. She still couldn't believe he'd allowed her to stay in his home after that, but that was Quatre for you. He'd never turn away someone in need. This was on of his greatest weaknesses. However, there was never a point in time in which Quatre was unprotected. He'd even ventured as far as to take martial arts lessons from his comrade Chang Wufei. He was very adept at protecting himself, though he was often flanked by bodyguards and surrounded by security.

The breakfast table was a different situation, however. During this relaxed time of day, Dorothy noticed that Quatre merely wandered downstairs in a pair of jeans to eat. He wasn't placed inbetween two bodyguards as was the norm throughout the day, but sat at the head of the table, surrounded only by friends or roommates. If there was to be some sort of assassination attempt, breakfast would be the most opportune time in which to do it. Not that such things mattered to Dorothy anymore. They were no longer enemies, especially seeing as there were no enemies.

She entered the dining room at the same time as Quatre, though from a different door. He nodded politely to her and took a seat next to his friend and "father" Rasid Kurama. Rasid was the captain of an elite desert force known as the "Maganac". During the war, the Maganac had come to Quatre's rescue more than once. Rasid himself had become a dear friend of Quatre's, and that bond grew as the years passed. Dorothy found it…touching in a repulsive way.

The fact that the Winner heir was marrying Relena Peacecraft didn't seem to faze Rasid. Instead the man seemed overjoyed and pleased with the idea. What could be more perfect than the world's 'monarchs' pairing up? Dorothy, however, wanted to be sick. They would be a picture-perfect couple on the outside, but there was certainly no spark to keep either warm during the nights they'd undoubtedly be forced to spend together. It was a marriage doomed to fail.

Or was that simply wishful thinking?

Blast it all.

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Sally Po jumped as her front door opened, then reminded herself for the millionth time that she had given her partner a key. What a wonderful idea that had turned out to be, she added to herself sarcastically. She plastered on a smile as Chang Wufei entered the dining room, where she had only moments before been enjoying her breakfast.

"Glad to see you're up, woman," he said gruffly, helping himself to her fresh pot of coffee. "I wouldn't want to have to wake you up again."

"There definitely won't be a repeat of that episode," she agreed icily, remembering back to Saturday, when Wufei had burst into her room and thrown her covers off of her body, only to reveal that she slept in the nude.

"You're in a mood today," he observed. He seemed rather cheered by that fact. Sally glared and clutched her fork tighter, trying to calm her anger before she really amused him.

"Whatever makes you think that, Wufei?" she asked after a moment. Wufei shrugged and settled down at the table.

"Your knuckles are turning white," he replied, motioning to the hand that clutched her fork. "And you've got a look."

"A look?" she repeated.

He nodded but didn't elaborate. Sally found herself even more frustrated than when he'd first walked in. And to think, last night she was feeling attracted to him. Well, that was certainly over. Once again Wufei had managed to tick her off with his greater-than-thou attitude.

Still, there were moments when he surprised her, moments when the tender, vulnerable Wufei came out. Those were the times that Sally would give anything to marry him and begin their family together. Those moments, however, were infuriatingly few and far between. He was back to his 'woman' routine within hours. And every time Sally could practically see him reconstructing the walls around his heart, shutting her out yet again.

She sighed aloud and then rose from the table. Wufei glanced at her, then took a longer look as she moved to rinse off her plate.

"Did you see the news yesterday, Wufei?" she asked, figuring that at least would be a safe subject.

"Yes. I can't say I'm surprised. But I also can't say I'm pleased," he replied. Though Sally had been expecting this, she turned to him and inquired, "Why's that?"

"It's practical. It makes sense. The people will be happy. But Relena and Quatre will never be in love. In fact, I have a suspicion that Relena's feelings for Heero will be what holds Quatre back from even attempting a romantic relationship."

Sally couldn't argue with that logic. She'd known Quatre for too long to have any illusions about him sweeping Relena off her feet and making her forget all about Heero. He would recognize her continued obsession over him and stay quiet, content to forever be the married bachelor.

"So what's your plan?"

"What?" Wufei glanced up at her in confusion.

"Your plan," she repeated. "If you don't think that Relena and Quatre will be happy, you should come up with a plan to help them."

"Woman, that's the most insane thing I've ever—"

"Hm…maybe Duo would help…now where did I put his number…?"

"All right! I'll help…"

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"Hee-man! Long time no see. How're things going?" Duo asked. Heero Yuy hardly reacted to the enthusiastic greeting, however. He spoke in his normal, monotone voice, his face expressionless.

"Fine."

"How's the apartment?"

"Fine."

"What's the weather like?"

"Fine."

"What's your name?" Duo asked, obviously finding himself quite amusing. Heero only lifted an eyebrow and waited in silence for the point.

"Hey, did you see the paper?" the American finally said. Heero nodded, picking up the article he'd clipped from it.

"Hai—yes. Quatre's marrying Relena," he answered. Duo rolled his eyes at this lack of response. He was expecting something a little more personal about this particular subject, but Heero was playing Devil's Advocate.

"Yeah, I know. What do you think about it?" he asked impatiently. Again, Heero was monotone.

"They're both adults. They'll make it work." Heero's gaze flicked over the picture of his Arabian friend, then he set the clipping down once more. "What's your point, Duo?"

"Come on! You can't possibly let Quatre marry her. It's like…sentencing him to life in misery."

"Hn."

"Heero! Relena and Quatre aren't in love! Don't you think that they should marry people they love?"

Heero eyed his braided friend with interest. "You think that I love her."

"No, no way. I know you don't love her. But I thought you'd at least want to help out Q-man."

Ouch. That hit a sore spot. Quatre had always been accommodating and kind. He was always there to quietly steer people toward the answers they were seeking, and worked hard so others didn't have to. He continued on with insane work hours without even so much as a 'thank you' from the workers who could go home in the evenings for dinner because he would be at the office well into the morning hours. Quatre drove for world peace with all his heart, which was ironic because Heero knew the man had little peace of his own. Marriage did seem to be the right answer, but marriage to Relena was completely wrong. Quatre needed to marry a woman he was in love with, and not a woman who was as busy and unattached as he was.

"What are you suggesting?" Heero asked, and watched Duo smile.

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Catherine Bloom stared out at the stars and sighed, secretly nursing a somewhat-broken heart. For years she'd had a crush on Trowa's friend, Quatre, but now he was getting married. She had no right to feel so jealous, and she knew it, but for some reason she remained resentful. Relena had everything; fame, glamour, good looks, and now she even had the world's best looking bachelor. It simply wasn't fair.

Trowa had moved away from the circus just over a year ago, when he married his wife, Kathleen. Because of this, Cathy had taken to feeling quite lonely at times. Her brother visited, but he wasn't around all the time like he used to be.

Perhaps it's time I paid Trowa a visit, she mused. She smiled at the thought of her brother's reaction to a surprise visit. Yes, that was definitely overdue. She would go see him tomorrow. Kathleen would be happy for the company. And Quatre might even show up at the same time, ready to re-think his engagement.

Okay, so that was wishful thinking, but a girl had to have some hope, right? Chuckling to herself, Cathy walked into her bedroom to pack.

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"Duo Maxwell, you leave Quatre alone!" Hilde shouted at her boyfriend. Duo smiled back innocently, raising his hands in defense.

"Come on, babe, you know I can't let him do this," he replied, inching closer at a snail's pace.

"But you even called Heero," she yelled, exasperated. "And you've dragged Angel in on this as well!"

"Hey, she wanted to be part of it!" He winked at her. "It must be my animal magnetism." He slid his arms around her waist and burrowed his nose into her neck, making her giggle.

"Duo!" she protested. "I'm trying to be mad at you!"

He grinned, snuggling closer. "You never could stay mad at me, especially when you know I'm right."

"Damn it all," she muttered, and settled against him. She wasn't agreeing with him, and she didn't approve of his sneaky approach, but he might, somewhere in there, have a good point. Perhaps. Besides, when he kissed her neck like he was, she couldn't think straight. She decided to change the subject.

"Duo, baby," she whispered.

"Hmmm?" he replied, muffled against her neck.

"When are you going to marry me?"

That had his attention. He blinked at her as he pulled his head from the cove of her neck and shoulder. Had Hilde been carrying a camera, she would have used it at that precise moment.

"Hilde, hun, I told you…when Angel can afford to live on her own and I can get us a bigger place, then I'll marry you. I don't want you to have to cram into my dirty old apartment. And I don't want Duo Jr. crammed in there, either," he replied, quite seriously. Hilde smiled and nodded.

"All right, but I'm getting impatient." She watched in satisfaction as he paled. "And we're not naming our child 'Duo Jr.'"

"Aw, come on! It's got a great ring to it!"

"Duo!"

"Babe!"

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Did you like this chapter? I thought it was pretty good…but that's just me. Leave me a review and I'll get back to you. Feel free to comment about (almost) anything. Happy reading!

*Angel