It had only been a few hours since a sniper had missed in his aim of her, but Relena was already starting to suspect people. She'd been running all day long, hoping that someone would see her and tell the world that she was okay. Yet, people didn't seem to notice, maybe because she was wrapped in a long black cloak that Heero had provided for her.

Now she was sitting on the last plane of the day headed for the desert. It was going to be a rather short flight from her current position in Sanq, but she felt worried that someone would spot her just the same. Roddy was sitting next to her, asleep and cuddling a petite pillow under her head next to the window. Heero was seated across from them facing Relena and reading a paper. It had been seven years and she was sure that no one would notice the elusive Heero Yuy, especially in his present state.

She looked him over, realizing that he was nose-deep in the paper and decided to examine how Heero had changed in the past seven years. He was taller; he wasn't overly tall, he was around six-foot. His hair was cut neatly, but he continued to keep the messy bangs that allowed him to contain some of the youth that he once had. His face was older, more masculine, and his eyes were softened somehow; his eyes were calm and loving, instead of the hardened chill they used to have. It was as if he'd finally let go of his past. And finally, he'd gotten rid of the damned spandex shorts and green T-shirt. He was actually clad in a gray business suit and tie; something that Relena never thought that she'd see him in.

"Is there something bothering you?" she heard him ask. She hadn't realized that while she was examining him, he was actually doing the same. She quickly looked away towards the window.

"No. Nothing is bothering me." She said quietly.

"You aren't afraid are you?" his voice was softer somehow; it was caring and loving.

"Heero why are you here?" she blurted out almost rudely. She looked into his eyes and saw that she'd hurt him. He lowered his head trying not to let her see his emotions.

"I knew that something was going to happen. I promised you that I'd always protect you." She turned away. So that's why he returned. Nothing had changed at all; he was still the same Heero. He was still the same man that he was seven years ago, always wanting to protect her and keep her from harm. She was foolish to think that he actually wanted to stop playing soldier and start playing house.

"Why are we going to the desert?" she asked, not revealing the contempt she held for him.

"Quatre lives there now. I haven't seen nor talked with him for seven years but I know that he'll take us in. No one will think to look for you in the middle of the desert. So don't let yourself be seen by anyone, especially people that seem suspicious." His voice was commanding but low and quiet. It was the voice that could command thousands of troops. They were silent for the rest of the plane ride, Relena thinking about the past and Heero concentrating on the future.

****

Dorothy stood on the regatta admiring the small oasis that Quatre had chosen to build his house in. It was lofty, an innate find, much like its owner. She walked down the stairs towards the small, natural pool and watched as the sun set over the waving palm trees. Only seven years of peace. How was it possible that things could go so wrong so quickly? It was human nature to forget- to forget about wars and arguments, to forget about deaths and the dead, to forget about the living- but was it human nature to forget so quickly? It was such a beautiful night, and such horrible, terrible things happened on beautiful nights. She let her blond hair down from the thick bun that she'd been wearing it in and allowed it to flow in the salty, humid air. She closed her eyes and accepted the beauty of the nature around her; this was probably going to be the last time that she was to have this peace.

"It's so beautiful out here." A statement from the gentle blonde that she knew had been watching her ever since she'd decided to step out here. She'd left him and Trowa alone to discuss some things and now Trowa had retired to his room for the night.

"Quite." She said, hoping that this would be the end of the conversation. The situation was uncomfortable to say the least. She didn't turn to look at him, but she heard his leather Oxfords slide against the concrete stair towards her. She could smell his annoying scent wafting towards her in the wind. He smelled like the sand and the salty wind and something distinctly male; he smelled like a hot desert night.

"It's too bad that people realize it too late, how beautiful the earth is." Dorothy commented almost shyly. She'd never said anything shyly. He was standing behind her now, which could be the reason for her inhibited actions.

"She's declared war on Relena." He said matter-of-factly as he walked passed her and towards a small, red flower that's color was quickly disappearing in the fading sunlight. Dorothy closed her eyes and shivered at his words: another war. Who would fight it? They couldn't; they were far too old and out of shape to even consider fighting in another war.

"What is going to happen now?" Dorothy asked; that seemed to be the question of the day. Quatre, being deemed speechless, shrugged his shoulders and picked the red flower from the ground.

"Change, maybe. I don't know." He handed the flower to Dorothy and she took it. She tried to smile at him, but it came out as a smirk. Only seven years had passed and he looked good. His face no longer held that cherubic innocence that once made him effeminate. Finally puberty had kicked in and given him more height and allowed him to grow a goatee. He allowed his blonde hair to grow a little so that it touched the collar of his shirt, and he wasn't as skinny as he'd been in the past. He was a full-grown man now; time seemed to change things and it had been a long time.

"You don't know? I thought that you were the brains behind the last mission ever planned against Marimeia. You mean to tell me that you don't know what to do?" Dorothy's eyes narrowed at him.

"It's been seven years, no one was prepared for this. Especially not me." He was angry; she could see it coming in his beautiful turquoise eyes.

"Endless waltz, the three beats of peace, war, and revolution. Take a guess as to which beat we're on now." She spat out and walked back towards the house.

"Do you want me to fight, Dorothy?" he yelled behind her.

"It's better than being complacent." She stopped and turned around.

"And what do you propose that I fight with?" he said, his hands on his hips in ultimate defiance.

"Your mind Quatre, use your mind to beat Marimeia." She opened the door to the house and went in leaving Quatre to watch as the sun disappeared into the night sky.

****

Duo opened the door to his apartment in the Industrial District of L2 with Hilde right behind him. He flicked the switch to the light and illuminated the otherwise gloomy room. Duo walked into his bedroom, taking his and Hilde's coat with him while Hilde found a comfortable seat on the couch.

"You're going to get fired." Duo said returning from his bedroom and walking into the kitchen preparing them both a cup of coffee. He entered the room with Hilde holding two mugs of warm coffee.

"No. They need me at the law firm." She said taking the offered cup.

"Besides, they wouldn't want to get rid of someone as beautiful as you," he said. She blushed and sipped her coffee cordially.

"You wanna watch some television?" he asked clicking on the TV and getting the face of Marimeia. Both of them stopped as they looked at the familiar face and listened to the familiar voice declare war. Hilde was speechless as she looked at Duo. She put her coffee on the table in front of her and grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Duo looked away from the TV and over to Hilde who was weeping silently. He shut off the TV quickly.

"I suppose TV was a bad idea," he said wiping the tears away from her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a bit caught up. We've been so peaceful for so long." Hilde said clearing her throat and stopping the tears.

"I know. It was like a dream that shouldn't end. I wonder where Relena is? I wonder if she knows what that spoiled brat is up to?"

"I'm sure she knows, wherever she is. What are you going to do, Duo? Are you going to…" she couldn't even say the words. She didn't want him to fight; she'd lost him earlier to a war and finally found him again after seven years. She didn't want to lose him again.

"Do I hear concern?" he teased and lifted her chin with his forefinger. He was smiling down at her with that genuine grin and those radiant violent eyes.

"Cheer up kid." He said wiping the tears away that had started to fall again. There was a silence as he wiped them away, their eyes meeting and never parting. He wanted to kiss her and lifted her chin up so that he could do just that.

The moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. Duo looked at her apologetically and got up to open the door.

"You finally cut the damned braid." Wufei said standing in front of Duo. Duo smiled and pulled the Chinese man into an embrace.

"So did you," Duo said noticing that Wufei was without his customary ponytail. Wufei looked over Duo's shoulder and noticed that Hilde was sitting on the couch.

"Was I interrupting something?"

"Uh…come in." Duo said stepping out of the way and allowing Wufei entrance. Duo introduced Hilde to Wufei and the Chinese man sat in one of the large chairs next to Duo's couch.

"I hope I don't have to explain to you what this is about." Wufei began, "I… we… the Preventers need your help in stopping this coup d'état. Marimeia is dangerous, and since we don't know where Relena is we need to take much caution as to what we do. This happened so suddenly that the Preventers didn't even get wind of it until after they attacked Aurora Heights, by then it was too late."

"They attacked Aurora Heights? That's where most of the world leaders reside."

"Now you see why I need you and everyone's help."

"Wufei we have no Gundams. We blew them up remember." Duo said standing up from the sofa.

"We have ourselves and our skills." Wufei said standing up behind him.

"Okay. Say you get me, I just can't do it by myself."

"Quatre and Trowa I'm sure will help." Wufei commented.

"What about Heero?" Duo asked.

"We haven't been able to find him. He only gets found when he wants to be found, you know that."

"We can't do it without him. He's the Perfect Soldier. I'm sure he's where ever Relena is." Duo looked up at Wufei with earnest eyes.

"Will you travel with me to the desert? I need to find Quatre and Trowa." Wufei said.

"Trowa is with the circus." Duo commented.

"I've already contacted Catherine. She said that he left early this morning… headed for the desert."

"Why the desert?" Hilde asked.

"Quatre has a home out there, it's the last place that anyone would think to look for anyone. Who in their right minds lives in the desert?" Duo answered, then a light bulb went on in his head. He looked up at Wufei with wide, expressive violet eyes.

"Heero and Relena are headed for Quatre's too. I'll go with you Wufei, let me pack my stuff." Duo jumped up and ran towards his room. Hilde followed him. She watched as he quickly and quietly threw a couple of shirts and pants into a duffle bag. One of the pieces of clothing looked awfully familiar; it was a priest outfit, complete with collar and along with the memorable hat. She inhaled with the memories those clothes brought, the memory of meeting Duo, holding him hostage, almost dying to help him. She'd only just found him again; she wouldn't let him get away from her any longer. She walked up behind him and embraced him around his chest, burying her face into his back.

"Hilde?" he asked, taking the small hands from his chest and turning around in her embrace. She looked up into his eyes defiantly.

"I'm going with you. I don't care what the risk." She said, her blue eyes filling with crystal tears.

"Hilde, you can't, it's too dang…" he was silenced by her lips on his, a simple, innocent kiss that he'd been waiting on for seven years. She was going with him and he didn't mind one bit.