Relena stood next to the sink. Her arms buried up to the elbows in soap and suds. She wiped the cloth around the plate once more before putting it in the rinsing side. The lady that lived with her and her brother pulled it out, dried it, and set it away in the cupboard. The blonde teen took another dish off the pile and submerged it into the water.
She heard one of the doors open in the rear hall, followed by the sound of a key in a lock. She sighed. Her brother had brought another 'friend' home. She turned angrily to face her kin as he entered the kitchen.
"You told me that the last person you brought here was the final one!"
He brushed aside her anger with a sweep of his large hand.
"This one is different"
Relena clenched her fists, feeling Lady Une's restraining hand on her shoulder.
"You can't keep kidnapping people Milliardo!"
He sighed in response and wearily sat down. His eyes went to the picture of his late wife on the wall. She was sitting on a chair, laughing at something. He was angry at himself for forgetting what that thing was. He rested his eyes on her lovely face, tuning out his sisters angry words.
"…..on with life, stop thinking about revenge and vengeance!"
Milliardo Peacecraft stood up quickly, fire in his eyes.
"That fucking murderer killed my wife, Noin had no chance! Now he has struck again, destroying the house and lives of another. I will personally hunt down and destroy Trowa Barton!"
Relena sighed resignedly. She had heard this all before. Her brother would not rest until he had his wife's killers head in his hands, or he was laid to rest next to her.
"Who did you bring?"
Lady Une asked, nodding toward the locked door down the hallway. Milliardo sat down again and buried his head in his hands.
"A young man by the name of Duo Maxwell. His housing complex was destroyed by a bomb set by Barton. From the way he was screaming, someone he loved was caught in the flames."
"And you think he can help?"
Relena pressed angrily, trying desperately to make her brother see that his life's commitment was a fool's mission.
Milliardo ignored her and left the room. His sister returned to her washing, tears of frustration falling into her washing water.
~*~
Trowa pulled his small car into the parking lot. He passed the attendant a 10, took his ticket, and found a spot. Putting the car into park, he took off his seatbelt and picked up his shoulder bag. Swinging it easily over her shoulder, he closed and locked the door.
When he thought back to it, the attendant would remember nothing exceptional about the man, except that he had the scariest look in his eyes that the employee had ever seen. But that would be several hours into the future, when the police asked him if he had seen any suspicious persons in connection with the murders. The owner of the small car never returned to it.
~*~
Duo woke up abruptly. Something had awakened him, but what it was he knew not. His eyes roamed around the room with growing concern and alarm. He moved to sit up in panic, but a blinding pain in his head forced him down with a vengeance. His vision swam and his eyes squeezed shut.
He fell into a dark pit, falling deeper still. But as he fell, he saw Hilde, walking toward him arm extended. He moved to touch her even as he fell, but the instant before he touched her outstretched hand, he landed.
~*~
The Next Day
~*~
Quatre was sitting at one of the tables in the offices common room. It was more of a room with tables and vending machines, but the employees called it the cafeteria. He glumly stirred the coffee in the cup before him. A heavy sigh escaped his body.
Dorothy plunked herself down in the seat opposite him. Quatre jumped slightly, too caught up in his thoughts to notice much. She noticed this, and cleared her throat to get his attention. Blue eyes looked up at her through blonde bangs.
"What's with you this morning Quatre?"
"Duo"
He replied glumly. Dorothy quieted quickly. She blinked several times, then placed a hand lightly on the others fingers.
"I expected him to call me….or something. There has been no word from him yet, he has no place to stay….why hasn't he called me?"
Dorothy felt the fingers tense under her own hand, gripping the coffee cup with white knuckles.
"Where is he? I.….I don't know where he is, I can't reach him, his house is gone, no one has seen him..…"
Tears threatened to spill from the Arabians eyes, betraying how deeply attached to Duo he was. Dorothy bit her lip. She knew that Quatre cared sincerely for many people, most who did not return the feelings. But still….
She squeezed his hand in the only comfort she could offer, but his hands didn't loose their tenseness. Silence closed around them like a shroud, shutting out the answers to all their questions.
~*~
Wufei lit the candle and moved into the dark recesses of the room. He pulled a large sword out of its sheath on the wall and stood with shoulders squared. The meager light from the single flame danced idly over its blade.
Taking up the warriors' stance, Wufei Chang danced with his blade in the silent room. Heero watched from the deep corner, where the illumination was not present. He sat down and watched.
Wufei sensed the presence of his friend but said nothing. He continued on, letting the weapon be not what it was, but an extension of himself. Allowing the sword to meld to him, thinking only of this. Now, he was as deadly as Barton, in his own way.
Sweat ran freely down his body, the well defined muscles moving gracefully in aid to the strenuous work. Letting out a yell, Wufei brought the pace up to a feverish pitch. Whirling and spinning in a deadly pattern only he knew. The sword sang as it cut through the air with lethal beautiful.
Heero caught his breath as Wufei's back draft from one of his spins blew out the candle. Inky blackness coated the room. Heavy breathing echoed around, bouncing off the walls so that Heero could not pinpoint the position of his accomplice.
A swordpoint nicked his throat. It was not Wufei's blade.