Author's Note: Thank you so much to all who reviewed my last chapter. You guys are the best. Anyway, due to some other priorities, and that I got stuck in this chapter (everything I put out was poorly written), there was a delay, but not any longer! Hopefully this chapter will please you as much as the others have, and I sincerely hoped they did prove to contain at least some entertainment value. Like the chapter? Drop me a line. Didn't like it? It would still be nice to receive some constructive criticism.

One last note: a lot of the basis of this and future chapters are based off the manga Episode Zero and Preventors 5. I still cull out the majority of the information from the show itself though, so you don't even have to know of either manga's existence to follow along (besides, most of the information is already known by fans anyway).

Disclaimer: Sorry. I barely have ten dollars to my name, and I seriously doubt Sunrise or Bandai will consider my offer with that sum, although you never know...

Chapter 3: A Deep Seated Desire

I sat there at the sofa's edge, my sorry excuse for nails digging into the nappy cloth. It was the best I could do to express my anger - well, the best way that didn't involve physically injuring something or someone. I had a way with my temper and when it did ignite, I was notorious for doing idiotic things. So I sat there in the living room in silence, with bunched up fabric stretched between my fingers, and waited there. Just sat and waited.

It had been a few hours since Heero had arrived. I could hear them, or at least Duo, chattering away from upstairs. At first I had tried to listen. But it was muddled, and I could only catch a word of their conversation here and there. The tone was clear though, and I knew that Duo was happy. Of course he was almost always cheerful, but for some reason the sound now seemed lighter, laugh seemed longer, and I deep down I knew that Duo was genuinely happy. I could never make him feel like that. And that was when I began to make my mind up about Heero Yuy.

I absolutely hated him.

The two of them came down that evening and sat with me. I offered Duo a smile that grew in size as he sat down beside me instead of Heero. I turned to the other soldier, unabashedly sizing him up. By this point I could care less what he thought. I almost wished he hated me too. There was something different to him, not just in the way his posture slumped and his hands twiddled nervously. A lack of something rather, a glint of light normally found buried within the depths of his cobalt eyes now vanished. They held emptiness. Hurt. Sorrow.

"What's wrong?" I blurted out.

Heero looked up at me, surprise clearly etched in his features. "What - Are you talking to me?"

"Yeah, I mean you look so sad sitting there. Is there something wrong?" A slight pause. "Does it have anything to do with Relena, maybe?"

Heero shook his head. "She doesn't need anymore bodyguards."

"He's been wandering for the past couple months," Duo interjected. "I've always wanted to do that myself. Be a wandering spirit... wouldn't that be fun?"

I nodded silently, and the conversation subsided to a thick silence. Heero stood shortly thereafter and mumbled something about getting some sleep. And when he left, I was hoping for the pressure that had mounted over the course of the past few minutes to dissipate, but it only managed to grow in size and proportion. It was me and Duo. Duo and me. And the longing inside for it to only be Duo and me.

Duo looked at me, a soft smile playing across his features. He reached down and squeezed my hand lightly. The silence still lingered, until he spoke.

"I'm glad Heero came for a visit." I nodded again and Duo cocked his head to the side, looking me directly in the eye. "I think the question here is are you alright? You've been acting a little strange all day."

I shook my head and could hear Duo give an exasperated sigh. He leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the cheek like he did every night before he headed off to bed. But it meant something more that evening, at least to me it did. I watched him bound off to bed, until I could no longer see his braid bouncing behind him. When I heard the clap of our bedroom door close, I got up and ambled over to the kitchen. Paging through my old address book, I found Relena's number and then, with a slight hesitation, picked up the phone and called her.

Yes, I finally got around to finishing this chapter! The next chapter is when things get complicated, and not just with Relena being there. Until then, it would be so nice if you would tell me what you think thus far. I'll love you forever. Honestly.


-Sicilienne