Author's Notes: *yawns* Boy, it's been a while. ^.^" I really should work on my HP fic, but this chapter was so close to being done that I couldn't help but to work on it. It's a bit shorter than the last two chapters, but should still be a good read. In this chapter, the R/H fans will probably need a plushie to hug while reading. ^.^" It's so cute! Anyway, this is the start of when things get to really move. The plot's starting to show itself people! *cheer* ^.^" Well, I don't know much of what I can say except I want to thank the two people who decided to review this fic ^.^" Jeez...I didn't know this thing would be that much of a flop...maybe it's because it so freakin' LONG! ^.^" Anyhow, let's start with the fic, shall we? ^.~v

Disclaimer: I already told you! I own no one! T.T Why can't I though?! WAHHHHHH! *sniffles and huggles her plushie* T.T I want to own the Gundam Pilots...*notices Wufei with his sword* ...^.^' Well, maybe not Wufei...he doesn't seem to like me ^.^"






Unshed Tears





"I suppose it wasn't any trouble," Trowa said, looking to the other pilot and the shuttle behind him. It was only a few hours after the long-haried boy had contacted Lady Une and had discovered the true enemy's intention, and Duo had only just-arrived to collect the others at the warehouse.

"None, actually," the other boy said smugly, acting his part as the light-hearted one, though his mind was buzzing with the information Tom had given him. "I actually contacted Une when I first got on the ship."

Now the tall pilot looked curious. "And what did Lady Une say about what we suspect?"

Duo shrugged. "Not much," he answered as he looked back at the shuttle. "She must have already suspected something. Also...Quatre's been to visit her."

"Oh?" asked Trowa.

"Yeah..." Duo said slowly. "He went to see the Mobile Suits..."

"Spit it out, Maxwell," Heero said, coming over. "Don't beat around the bush and say what you want to say."

For once, Duo looked nervous around the Japanese boy, whose eyes were narrowed in a studious manner. Clearing his throat, the braided-haired boy continued, "Quatre was taken to the hopital this morning. Une's people found him pass-out in the Mobile Suit hanger. We--Une and I--think whoever's running the Faction was responsible."

The other two pilots were quiet.

"He's all right," Heero spoke up, not looking at either of the other, who exchanged glances.

"Yeah," Duo agreed, nodding. "He should be all right. Une said something about him being in some sort of shock."

"Well, this makes things all the more interesting," Trowa commented, looking to the ground. "The enemy must have known we would be separated--"

"Or that Quatre would actually go to the Preventers," Heero said with a dark tone. Duo scratched the back of his head, thinking.

"It's kind of funny, though," he said, gaining the others' attention. "None of the authorities tried to stop me when I took off in the shuttle."

This definately caught their attention.

"Our security's never that lax," Trowa said, looking upward at the 'ceiling' of the Colony.

Heero looked grim. "They're toying with us," he said bluntly.

"Ah, shit," Duo swore half-heartedly as he looked back at the stolen ship. "I guess that means getting out of L3 will be harder than getting in."

"I don't think that's the case--" Trowa began before Heero grabbed his shoulder and nodded toward the ship. Duo, noticing, turned and saw Tom quietly exiting the shuttle.

"Oh," said the long-haired pilot, "that's Tom Taylor. Une's officer. Followed me around when I was getting the shuttle."

This didn't reassure the others as they cautiously watched the older boy come over nervously. For a minute, no one said or did anything. Then, Heero clutched Trowa's shirt in his hand and stared at the lighter-haired young man. Trowa, brow furrowing, looked to the one at his shoulder in concern.

"Heero? You all right?" he asked, watching the smaller teen carefully.

After a moment of silence, Heero released the cloth and looked away. "It's nothing," he said before stalking passed the Preventer. "Get the hostages. We need to leave."

As he headed toward the shuttle, Trowa looked to Duo, who shrugged, and then to Tom, who sighed.

"I think he recognized me," the young man said with a bit of bitterness in his voice.

Trowa rose an eyebrow but didn't ask questions as Duo shook his head and signalled that he would explain later. "All right, then," he said instead, "Tom, help me with the hostages and, Duo, you get the ship ready."

Duo threw him a salute. "Aye, Captain," he answered, heading toward the ship.




The first thing Quatre noticed when he woke was white. It was very disorientating and confusing to look at, since it never seemed to be any different. Just white.

'Where...?' he asked himself, turning his head and seeing a face peering at him with a smile.

"Glad to see you awake, Quatre," the visage of Sally Po said politely. "We were worried that you wouldn't wake for another day or so."

The blond-haired boy smiled weakly. "Sorry I've worried you," he said, his voice sounding weak even to himself.

"No need to apologize," Sally assured him. "You weren't the one who made you collapse in the hanger."

Quatre's bright green-blue eyes widened as he remembered what had happened and he tried to sit up, but the Chinese woman put a hand to his chest and pushed him back down. "Sally..." he objected.

The trained nurse frowned heavily at him in disapproval. "You shouldn't sit up or try to. Your body's too weak--"

"But, Sally," Quatre said, not moving since the woman had not removed her hand, "I need to tell Lady Une--"

"That's not an excuse," another voice said sharply from the door.

Quatre looked over and flushed with embarrassment when he saw who it was. "I'm sorry, Lady Une," he apologized. "I suppose I wasn't thinking correctly."

Une nodded. "Yes, I understand. However, I would appreciate it if you would listen to Sally when she tells you something." Quatre didn't reply, still looking embarrassed. "I have some news. Duo contacted me from L3 and was asking about you. Apparently, you were on the news."

"Oh," the boy said with not very much surprise. "Where is Duo?"

"With Heero and Trowa on the L3 Colony still. He was in the process of stealing a shuttle," the darker-haired woman said with some amusement.

"Sounds like Duo's sticky fingers are really beginning to show themselves again," Sally commented with a smile.

Quatre couldn't help but to smile as well. "Sounds like him," he agreed.

"Well," Une continued, a little more lightly than before, "he also told me that Trowa had discovered that there may be a Faction of soldiers inside the Preventers. Duo thinks that is who caused you to collapse."

"I think he's right," Quatre replied, motioning for Sally to raise his bed in a sitting position. "There was a man that came in while I was in there. he gave me a real cold feeling, and he seemed to be wearing a uniform that didn't fit him. He introduced himself as Willian Sloh."

Sally looked to Lady Une as she stopped the bed at a forty-five degree angle. The Preventers Leader looked ill as she heard those words.

"Sloh? That..." Quatre watched in surprise as the woman spun away from him and clenched her fists. "It was all Sloh. He had been in charge..."

"It's all right, Lady Une," the boy assured her calmly. "He was a traitor from the start, I know he was."

Sally put a hand on his shoulder, gaining his attention. "Let me talk with her alone. You get some rest."

Quatre looked at her, then to Lady Une before nodding. "I understand," he said but added, "Lady Une, be careful with this Sloh. He's not normal. He...seemed to be a very powerful empath. I have never met anyone able to control their...I don't know what to call it."

"Thank you, Quatre," Une said, not facing him and her voice hardening. "This information has been most valuable."

Quatre nodded, uncertainly, feeling the anxiousness the woman was feeling.




"Come along," Trowa said to the captives, who watched him curiously from their positions on the ground. "We must be going."

Tom came up cautiously and blinked in surprise. "Well, this is amusing," he said lightly.

Wilms gave him a withering look while Davis looked curious. "Are you another pilot?" he questioned with a fair bit of confusion, making Trowa and Relena look amused.

"Uh, no," Tom answered, looking a bit embarrassed, "I'm Thomas Taylor. A Preventer."

Wilms immediately brightened. "Good!" he cried, standing. "Then you'll--"

"Stay there, Senator," Trowa interrupted, his gun quickly in his hand. "Taylor isn't here to rescue captives."

"What?!" the old man demanded before turning toward the young Preventer. "You are in an alliance with these...terrorists?! Madness!"

Tom's back straightened and he looked angrily at the Senator. "These terrorists--as you so 'mildly' put it--are the reason we've even *had* peace these last few years," he said before his eyes narrowed. "You should learn to have some respect, Sir."

Wilms bristled but said nothing as he then eyed the Gundam pilot with distate.

Relena chose that moment to intervene, standing, and saying, "Gentlemen, I do not think that now is the wisest time to argue over whom we should respect." She looked to Trowa. "Mr. Barton, I believe you said we must be going?"

"Yes," answered the pilot, not at all surprised that she was diffusing the situation.

"Then, I suppose we must follow your orders," the girl replied, helping Davis to his feet. "After all, you are the one with the gun."

For a moment, Trowa looked impressed as the young woman somehow managed to subdue the older men; of course, he quickly changed his expression to a blank mask and looked to Tom. "Get to the shuttle. Tell Duo to be ready to leave in five minutes."

The older boy nodded and headed back toward the shuttle while Trowa gestured in the same direction with his gun.




"Something wrong, Heero?" Duo asked as the silent pilot took a seat in the captain's cabin. The braided-haired boy looked uncertainly at the other boy when he remained silent and didn't answer the question. Shifting uncomfortably, Duo turned his attention to the control panel.

"I don't like this Taylor Lady Une sent us," Heero said, causing his friend to jump in surprise.

Duo sighed, calming himself. "That's what's bothering you?" he asked with a bit of a nervous laugh. "Lady Une wouldn't have let him come with us if there was something not right about him."

Heero didn't reply.

"Besides," Duo continued, waving a hand airily, "it's not like he can kill us. Three against one?"

"I see you've never heard the famous miliatry stradegy: Divide and conquer," the Japanese boy said with some dry humor.

Duo frowned.

Before he could retort, however, the door opened to reveal the object of their discussion. Duo looked out of the corner of his eyes, just in time to notice his partner tense with apprehension, before he turned toward Tom.

"Hey," he greeted cheerfully, "I thought you were helping Trowa."

Tom looked at him for a moment before turning to look at Heero and then back to Duo. "He told me to tell you to be ready to go in five minutes."

Duo nodded. "Sure, thanks," he said before turning away from the Preventer and back to the consel. As he worked, he could feel what Heero had been telling him. He hadn't noticed before, but now that he knew of it, he could feel the uncomfortable feeling of Tom standing at the doorway and watching his every move. Unnervingly firm, the stare never seemed to waver and Duo felt himself tense up, throwing a glance at Heero, who met his glance with a pointed look with narrowed eyes. Duo shrugged and went back to work, shaking himself mentally.

"Tom, could you tell Trowa to hurry it up?" he said as he began the engines' warm-up.

Tom nodded. "Sure," he said and left.

Duo sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Man, that was awful."

"I told you," Heero commented, crossing his arms and watching the panel in front of him. "My instincts tend not to lie. When I don't act on them, disaster happens."

Duo shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. "Well...maybe we're paranoid. I mean, sure there's a chance he's with the Faction but--"

"That's right," interrupted Heero firmly, "there's always a chance, and we can't drop our guard until we're sure he isn't with them."

Again, Duo shifted in his seat. "Well, yeah..." The American teenager shook his head, sighing. "I hate being paranoid."

"Hn," was the reply.

Duo shot him a dirty look. "I hold you responsible for this."

"Hn," again, was all Heero said.




"When will I be able to pilot?" Quatre asked curiously as he slowly pulled a shirt over his small frame. It was almost a day since he had been admitted into the hospital and he was now well enough to leave, though the doctors and Sally Po insisted for him to not do so many activities for a few days. It was a bothersome arrangement, but the young Arabian knew better than to not listen to their orders.

Sally, who had been the one to get Quatre his clothes, gave him a curious look. "You're actually eager to pilot?" she asked dubiously.

Quatre smiled with uncertainty and replied, "Not really. I just kind of want to...see how it is again. It had been a while."

"You treat three years as if it were thirty," the Chinese woman said with amusement while the boy blushed.

"It almost seems that way," responded the blond teenager. "Time just seems to have crawled by extremely slow since the New Year's Battle."

"I can understand that," Sally agreed, leading the way out of the hospital. Quatre trailed after her slowly, still weak from whatever had happened to him. Sally frowned and asked, "Why don't you use a wheelchair? I don't know if--"

"I'll be fine," Quatre interrupted with an insisting tone. "I need to walk, Sally."

The Preventer General sighed but did not push the matter. "It won't be until next week until you can pilot. One: you're too weak for it; two: we're still installing special features into--"

"Not the Zero System!" Quatre exclaimed with alarm.

"No!" Sally said with a small laugh. "The Zero System is not in any of the Mobile Suits--"

"Except Heero's, right?" Quatre looked up and immediately saw, and felt, the sinking feeling of one hiding something in Sally. "What?"

"Heero...won't be piloting until we work with him for a while," Sall said slowly. The blond Arabian immediately became concerned.

"Is Heero all right?" he asked, coming up beside the Preventer. "Nothing happened to him?"

The Chinese woman sighed. "I didn't want to be the one to tell you, but...Heero's unable to go near any weapon. Duo's informed Lady Une that for a year or so, Heero had been captured and exprimented upon by a scientist. This scientist can somehow make Heero into a puppet whenever he's holding a weapon and is distracted. Duo said he's witnessed this occurring twice already."

"Allah..." Quatre said, horrified. "Why would someone do such a thing?"

"Duo said something about the 'perfect soldier' and how the scientist tried, and failed, to make Heero be the perfect soldier," Sally continued. "Then he said something about genetics. Heero's genetics."

Now the boy looked confused. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Lady Une hasn't told me everything," Sally said as they exited the hospital. "I suspect that it's confedential and it's too dangerous to speak of."

"...so Heero can't pilot his Suit," the blond boy said with a sigh. "I hope that whatever is happening won't escalate until we're able to fight back, if we need to."

Now the Chinese woman looked surprised. "Combat? Quatre--"

Quatre smiled at her. "Only if we're needed again, I'm sure. We can't let whoever is causing this destroy what we've established here."

Sally's surprise faded and she gave him a small smile. "I'm glad."




Once again Heero found himself unable to sleep when the others did. Duo, he noticed, hadn't even bothered to get to a bed in the back and was now snoring lightly on the panel in front of him, luckily without hitting anything. For while, Heero had entertained himself by watching the stars in space and listening to the sleeping boy in the chair next to him. The silence unnerved the Japanese boy, but he ignored the uncomfortable feeling as Duo chose then to mutter something about a test.

'Amusing.' Heero shook his head. 'Out of all the things he could have been dreaming of, a test was the last thing one would think he would be dreaming about.'

Distracted by the amusing thoughts, Heero almost didn't realize that someone had entered.

...but he had.

Spinning toward the door, he cursed his situation of being without a gun until he saw who it was. His eyes widened microscopically as he took in the sight of Relena standing there patiently, her hair tangled and disheveled but still...still what?

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Heero turned slightly away. "Relena."

For a moment, there was nothing...then, with much surprise, Heero felt a slightly smaller body press against him and two arms wrap around his middle. He froze, not knowing what to do and just stood there stiffly, waiting.

Then...he heard it. A small sound, barely heard. His brow furrowed as he though of what it could be.

Was Relena...?

"Relena--?" He tried to turn toward her but the tightening of her arms around his waist stopped him, so he contented himself with staring out at the stars.

For several minutes there was silence which was punctuated with Duo's breathing and the small sound that came from the young political figurehead that held tightly onto Heero. The boy could feel her face pressed into his upper-back, between his shoulder blades. He didn't relax and was tense all over as he thought of what to do.

...but what could he say to a crying Relena Darlian?

He was spared from thinking of something as the girl clinging to him spoke, "I'm sorry, Heero."

This greatly confused the pilot. He didn't know how she did it, but somehow, she was the only one that could confuse him in such a way.

"Relena..." he tried to say but it came out as a silent whisper.

"I shouldn't be crying," the young politician said firmly into his back. "I am too old...too mature...and..." She stopped herself, then started again, "I've been worried about you. When I heard you and Duo were being hunted, I was worried but I wasn't afraid. I wasn't afraid until...Duo told me about what happened--"

Heero stopped listening and gently pulled her arms from around him and stepped away, turning toward her. She watched him, frozen still with her head lowered as if she was ashamed of her tears. Heero watched her for a moment before lifting her chin with his left hand and, after a moment, wiped a tear from her face with his right.

"Don't cry for me," he told her, his voice low and gentle as it tended to get whenever he spoke to her like this. "I'm nothing. I deserve no one's tears."

Relena stared at him. "How can you say that? Heero...you aren't nothing--"

"Nothing worth attention," he interrupted, sounding as though he was repeating something he had been told.

"No," Relena said firmly, her eyes drying as she watched his. "Please don't say that, Heero."

Heero merely looked at her and said, "I am not arguing about this," before turning away. As soon as his back was to her, he felt something slam into him from behind and was forced to keep his balance. He looked at his waist to see that her arms were there yet again.

He tried to pry her arms away again but they refused to move. "Relena..." he said, a warning in his tone.

In all truth, he was unnerved. He hadn't been close--this close--to anyone before. So why was she doing this?

"Please, Heero," she said, a near plea in her voice. "Please...let someone worry about you. Let someone be afraid for you. Let someone cry for you--"

Heero, his hands still one hers after he tried to take her arms away, closed his eyes. "I cannot allow anyone to cry for someone who does not know how to," he said, stopping himself from immediately pushing her away.

"That shouldn't matter," Relena insisted and was surprised when she found that he somehow managed to loosen her arms to slip out of her embrace and face her, her hands still in his. He had done it so quickly that she almost didn't believe he did it.

"It does to me," he said, his voice becoming cold and his eyes hard.

Now Relena narrowed her eyes at him. "Why do you push everyone close to you away? Every time you run off, you run from everyone only to return and do the same thing again and again. Why, Heero? Why do you act this way?"

Heero said nothing for a moment. Just watched her, his expression never changing and his gaze never wavering. Then he released her hands and walked out of the cabin.

"You know," a voice commented as the door closed, "you should know the answer to that by now."

Relena turned and saw Duo Maxwell wide awake with his head propped up on his palm as his elbow sat on the panel. "How long were you awake?" she asked tiredly as she sat in the seat Heero had sat in moments before.

"Hm..." the American said, looking at the ceiling, "probably since you asked him to let someone cry for him."

Relena said nothing and Duo watched her carefully. "Why were you crying?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.

The girl smiled weakly. "It is really a silly reason...I'd prefer not to talk---"

"Ah." The boy nodded as he sat up, confusing Relena. "Now I think I know why."

"What?" Relena asked, watching him carefully.

Duo leaned over to her and poked a finger at her each time he spoke a syllable. "You. Love. Him."

Confusion faded and a smile crept onto Relena's face. "I didn't expect you to be so blunt about it," she said.

The Gundam pilot gave her a wounded look before grinning. "I only like to do the 'Beat-Around-the-Bush' thing to annoy Heero." He scratched his head thoughtfully. "I dunno why but I think this is a good thing."

"You're annoying him is a good thing?" questioned Relena with joking curiosity.

"Eh?" Duo asked before blinking and then laughing. "No, no. I meant you and Heero."

The girl sighed. "I'm afraid there isn't anything," she said.

"What makes you sure?" the braided-haired boy asked curiously. "Listen, I don't know Heero too, too well, but I know him enough to know why he is how he is. Part of the reason I can guess about these kinds of things is because, in a way, we're kind of similiar."

"Oh?"

Duo nodded. "Mm-hm. For one thing: we're both orphans with no idea of our real names, if we had one to begin with. Another is that we were--along with the others--trained to carry out Operation Meteor." Duo leaned forward and looked seriously at the girl next to him. "Here's where the differences really come into play. While I was trained, I wasn't pushed to kill--Hell, I hardly cared at times! Death always seemed to be on my heels, anyway. I think, as a result, I wasn't affected too much by what I did. Heero, on the other hand...

"Heero told me that he tried to kill himself so many times in the past because he didn't want to be a killer. I'm guessing he never wanted to be a part of the Operation; I didn't want to, either. It called for the deaths of thousands of innocent people on earth." The pilot leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms and closing his eyes before continuing, "Anyway, Heero was supposed to be some perfect soldier but, even though he sometimes acted like it, he never could be or was one.

"Now, I can't admit to knowing what they did to him to try to make him break away from his 'flaws'--because I have no idea--but I am almost sure that they pushed him too hard. It would explain his reluctance of being near people and why he's not very open with his feelings."

Relena watched him for a moment before asking, "Is that why he runs? Why he always says he's nothing?"

Duo frowned. "I've never heard him say that. Those doctors better be happy they're dead."

Relena ignored him. "I should have known this already, you were right," she said, looking at her hands. "Perhaps I shouldn't try to push him into letting me care for him then--"

"Bad idea," Duo interrupted. "You're not going to get him to react that way."

"How else? He's like a turtle--"

"Turtle?!" Duo laughed.

"Yes," Relena said, ignoring his laughter, "a turtle. He won't come out of his shell if there is someone yelling for him to come out--"

"Okay, one: Heero's not a turtle." Duo snickered at the mental image. "Two: don't yell."

"What?" the girl asked, obviously not following his train-of-thought.

"Don't yell," the boy repeated. "Coax. If he was a turtle, coaxing him with a soft voice and gentle movements would make him come out, right?"

"I'm not sure," Relena replied.

"Well, that's my advice," Duo said, putting his hands behind his head. "Heero probably needs someone to chase after him when he runs. No one's ever done that, 'cept for us."

"'Us?'"

"Yeah, us meaning you, me, and the other Gundam pilots. We wouldn't abandon Heero or let him abandon us," the long-haired American said, "but since Wufei, Trowa, Quatre, and I aren't homosexual--I hope not--I think you're best qualified to continue."

Relena gave him an amused look. "So I'm best qualified?"

"Simply put: yes," Duo answered with a smug look. "Though it is nice that something is there between you two."

The girl frowned. "I wouldn't call one of two people having feelings for the other while the other doesn't 'between.'"

"Aw, he likes you," the boy said, waving a dismissive hand. "He just shows it in different ways. I mean, he wouldn't kill you, he tries to keep you from danger, he actually chases after you when you're kidnapped, he says your name in a certain way, he actually allows you to hug him, and he gets confused--or shows he is--with you."

Relena gave him an odd look. "What does that last one have to do with this?"

"Easy," Duo said, once again sounding smug. "He actually lets you see him, know what I mean?"

Relena thought about it for a while, then smiled. "Surprisingly, I do. I've known about all the things he's done for me...but I've always thought--or tried to tell myself--that it was for some other reason I couldn't understand."

"Who ever said love was understandable?" Duo countered with a bit of a grin. Relena smiled at him slightly as she stood.

"Thank you, Duo. I suppose I've needed a little insight on this," she said, nodding her head in a small bow. "It also eases my worries on certain matters."

"You're very much welcome, Ms. Relena," the pilot responded cheerfully. He watched the girl head toward the door before asking, "What were you crying about?"

Relena stopped a few steps from the door, turned, and gave him a sad smile. "I was wondering if Heero could make it through this ordeal without losing control and killing one of us." She paused. "Then, I wondered, 'if he did and it was me who was killed, would he know that I have always cared for him?'"

Duo was silent, thinking.

"Good night, Duo," Relena said, exiting the room.

As the door swished shut, she noticed that a figure was propped up against the left corner of the small area. She watched, blue eyes showing sympathy, as Heero slept peacefully.

She couldn't help but to walk over and sit next to him, studying him. His head was bowed and leaned slightly on the wall beside him, making his now-shorter hair fall slightly onto his forehead, still trying to reach his closed eyes. His arms were crossed over his chest, making it appear as though he was not even breathing.

With a sad smile, she brushed a lock of his hair away from his face only to have it return to where it had been. He didn't even shift in his sleep as she did this.

Feeling tired, she settled herself next to him, idly playing with his hair, which somehow always returned to its previous position. Still, he did not wake.

'Sleep can do wonders for people,' she thought to herself, leaning against Heero as she began to feel her eyes close on their own; she hadn't realized how tired she was. 'If only we could enjoy life as much as we do sleep.'




"How far are we?" Trowa asked as Duo exited the captain's cabin, stretching since he had been in the same seat for almost twenty-eight hours.

"About half-an-hour," the American answered, stiflng a yawn.

The other pilot nodded before looking to the left corner. "Should we wake them?"

Duo, having another yawning fit, snapped his mouth closed and looked over to see Heero and Relena sleeping peacefully next to each other. Relena's head was on Heero's shoulder with his head against hers, and Relena right hand was on Heero's left leg, apparently having settled there as she fell asleep.

"Oh..." the long-haired pilot said, grinning. "Well, if this isn't a Kodac moment, I don't know what is!"

Trowa watched as his friend dove over to where his duffle bag was, digging for a camera. "I don't know if you should, Duo," he said, watching as the American tossed several notebooks over his shoulder.

As the other boy continued his search, Trowa stood and went to get one of the notebooks. There were all sort of drawings, doodles, and such on the covers of the one he retrieved, but when he opened it, he found that there were words inside. He rose a curious eyebrow and read a few lines.

"Never figured you for a writer, Duo," he said as the other boy held up a camera in triumph.

"Huh? What, Trow--Ah! Trowa! Don't read it!"

Trowa shut the book and looked toward the panicking Duo. "I didn't," he lied, not wanting to upset him as he tossed the notebook over. "Be careful where you're flinging things."

Duo, having caught the notebook, eyed him suspiciously before tucking it under his arm and heading toward the sleeping would-be couple. An evil grin lit his face as he rose the camera, just as Trowa walked over.

Click.

"They'll thank me for this later," Duo said as he took a few more pictures.

"I'd like to see you caught like that." Trowa gestured toward Heero and Relena. "Can we say 'blackmail?'"

"Heh, you'll never find me with my girl," Duo said, pocketing the camera.

"You have a girl?" Trowa asked dubiously.

Duo snorted and stuck his nose into the air. "I'll decide if I'm insulted later," he said as he walked into the captain's cabin again, notebook under his arm and arms crossed.

"Hm..." murmured Trowa with amusement as he looked at Heero and Relena once more before following the other pilot, who was once again sitting in the seat in front of the main consel. "Have the Preventers contacted us?"

"Funny you should mention that," Duo said, pressing in commands and looking over to the vid-screen. "We've got mail. From Quatre."

With a small beep, the image of the fourth Gundam pilot appeared on the screen.

"Hello, Heero, Duo, and Trowa," the blond Arabian said in greetings. "I hope you guys get this message soon. I wanted to tell you guys that I am well and I should be able to see you all when you arrive at Headquarters."

"That's nice to hear," Duo commented, sitting back with his hands behind his head.

"Also," Quatre continued, "I know of all of what may be going on. I can explain it when you arrive. We have a lot to discuss and decide about in our situation, that much is obvious." The boy's eyes softened in a sad, sympathetic fashion. "I was also told about what happened to Heero. I don't know all the details, but I know you're unable to go into any form of combat, Heero. Lady Une and Sally Po have a room set up to try to help you break whatever hold this scientist has over you.

"I know that you're probably not wanting to participate in any more experiments, Heero, but this is serious. We believe we know who it is that is controlling you, and if it is him, then this can become deadly.

"Trowa, Duo, take care of yourselves and be sure to help Heero until you arrive. If the scientist was who I think it was, then Heero'll need support. The man who may be in charge of the Faction is very strong in the mind. Take care."

With a beep, the message cut off and the vid-screen was blank.

"That was...foreboding," Duo said, frowning as he lowered his hands.

"But very much truthful," Trowa replied, crossing his arms. "How long do we have left?"

"Less than fifteen minutes, why?" Trowa was already at the door when Duo turned toward him.

"I'm going to wake up Heero," the former circus performer answered. "It would be best to let him know what to expect when we arrive."

Duo nodded in understanding. "Wake Relena first, before Heero," he said with a grin. "Wouldn't want to embarrass them both...not yet, at least."

Trowa nodded and exited the room.




"Is everything set up?"

"Just about; we just need the pilot."

A low chuckle echoed throughout the room. "Excellent. The Soldier will not get away this time."




Heero looked around at the assembled group that stood on the landing platform in front of the Preventers' Headquarters building. So far, all he saw was a wave of uniforms, all of them standing still--though some shifted their feet idly as they lost feeling. Glancing back, he saw Trowa and Duo standing next to the hostages and Taylor; neither of them had their weapons out.

"Heero!" a voice cried cheerfully from the far left. The Japanese boy turned his head to see a blond boy running toward them, relief showing on his young face. Quatre.

"Heero! Duo! Trowa!" the Arabian shouted before he reached the ragged group of pilots, captives, and one Preventer. "Thank Allah you are all all right!"

"Hey, Quatre!" Duo shouted from his position, a wide grin on his rough face. "Long time, no see, Buddy!"

"Too long!" Quatre said enthusiastically with a laugh. "Trowa!"

The tall Gundam pilot looked over and nodded in salutation. Quatre smiled brightly.

"Quatre," Heero said, interrupting, "am I to go straight to Lady Une?"

The Arabian looked surprised at the question. "I...well, yes, but--"

"Take me to her then," Heero said, looking away. "I don't wish to draw things out any longer."

Quatre looked pained as he watched his friend before looking to the others. Duo pursed his lips, looking slightly thoughtful as he stared ahead, not looking toward them. Trowa's green eyes flickered from straight ahead, to Heero, to his side, and then back in front of him. This puzzled the blond boy, but he shook it off with a sigh.

"All right," he finally said, nodding, "we'll head inside now."

He nodded to the others, who then got their hostages and Tom to follow Quatre and Heero, who were heading toward the building. The group quietly made their way inside but stopped as Lady Une stood before them.

"I'll take it from here, Quatre," she said, nodding to Heero. "Show the others where they will be staying, have them freshen up, and inform Trowa and Duo of everything."

"Uh," Quatre said hesitantly as he looked to Heero, who stared determinedly ahead. "Of course, Lady Une."

He relunctantly lead the others away, leaving Heero with Lady Une, who gave the Japanese boy an odd smile when they were out of sight.

"It is good to see you again, Heero," she said.

The boy didn't reply, knowing that this was not Lady Une.




"Okay...that was creepy," Duo commented as Quatre lead them down a corridor that was brightly lit. The blond Arabian smiled a bit, though he felt dread creep into him.

"Lady Une's always that way, remember?" he said, laughing uncomfortably.

"She's never had that feelng about her, though," Trowa spoke up. "Just the way she looked at us made me uncomfortable."

Now Quatre frowned.

"Ah! We're just being paranoid!" Duo said loudly before turning to the politicians. "Okay, bye-bye now!"

Wilms and Davis blinked.

"Oh, yes," Quatre said, still feeling dread. "We've called for a hotel for you two. We thought we could at least make up for your kidnapping by making you as comfortable as possible before you return to your offices."

"What about Ms. Relena?" Davis asked, concerned for the young woman's welfare.

"Don't worry about me," Relena said, coming to the older man's side. "I'll be fine. I know Lady Une fairly well and she will not permit anything to happen to me."

"Not to mention you've got a personal bodyguard," Duo commented from the front with a snicker.




"Just who are you?" Heero questioned darkly, eyes narrowing at the woman posing as Lady Une. The woman grinned at him with something akin to distaste and satisfaction.

"Oh, it doesn't matter who I am," she said, stepping forward. "What does matter is who you are--or rather...what you are."

Heero was still but was inwardly panicking about his situation. The scientist had caught up to him. He was with the Faction, and he was using actors to get to him. Instict told him to run; his mind told him to stay still since there may be others around. For a moment, he decided to try the latter...

...then attempted the former as the woman produced a gun from her sleeve.

It was too late, however; he had waited too long. There were men around a corner in the corridor, and they were able to get a hold of him before he could escape. Twice he was punched in the face and once in the gut. It was enough to get him and keep him restrained. That didn't stop him, though. Even as the woman posing as Lady Une came over to them, he struggled to get released.

The woman's gun was them aimed at the Japanese boy's head, forcing Heero to cease his vain attempts to become free. He glared at her, dark blue eyes flashing with rage. All of his progress of keeping ahead of the scientist was for nothing. He had been planning this whole time. Since L3, Heero thought to himself.

"Tut, tut," the woman said with a grin, "it wouldn't do for me to have hurt you, would it, 01-X2-99?"

Heero nearly growled at the number. It just went to prove that they thought he was just an experiment; another number among thousands of others that had been used. Used for what purpose though? Was there even a reason behind the madness of these experiments?

A knee to his gut cause him to remain quiet, and he suppressed a wince as he felt the impact and lost his air.

"Come now, 01-X2-99," the woman said lightly, "do behave. We don't want to make things more painful for you."

Heero merely glared.

The woman sighed. "Best get on with this."

Heero warily watched, expecting her to do something. What he didn't expect was one of the men holding him jabbing a syringe into the back of his neck. The pain was horrible and one of the men was forced to cover his mouth, though all he did was gasp and let out a silent shout. Then, the needle was pulled out, and the substance that had been injected into his systems quickly took affect, blurring his vision and causing his legs to collaspe in on themselves.

The men supported him, the one hand covering his mouth never leaving. He tried to shake off the affects, but it was futile. His thoughts were becoming muddled and everything was starting to dim.

"Let's get a move on," the woman's voice said from Heero's right. "We don't want the Preventers to..."

Everything faded and then came the darkness.




"So...Quatre," Duo commented to his lighter-haired friend as he sat across from him in a chair. "You're okay, you're sure?"

"Yes, Duo," Quatre answered, feeling his patience wearing thin. "It was a brief spell. Only a moment of dizziness. It'll happen sometimes since I'm still kind of weak."

Duo watched him sip his tea, the cup and saucer jinking against each other in Quatre's unsteady, pale hands. "Right," he said drawlingly.

It was then that the blond Arabian lost his patience and practically slammed the cup and saucer onto the table, startling the damp-haired boy sitting across from him. "I'm fine, Duo," Quatre said in aggitation.

Duo held up his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. I'll ask no more."

"Thank you."

The two of them sat quietly in their respectful seats, waiting. Quatre had had a dizzy-spell of sort while showing Duo his temporary home. After he had recovered, the blond had tried to reassure his friend he was fine. Duo, however, had insisted he sit down before he fell over and the other boy surrendered. Sure that Quatre wouldn't leave, Duo had then jumped into the shower, cleaned himself, gotten out, toweled his hair as good as he could, put the long strands into a messy braid, shaved his face, and then went to the kitchen for something to eat--ah, the advantages of having a pre-stocked 'fridge.

All of this happened in less than then minutes.

A sigh broke the silence and Quatre rubbed his head, looking pained.

"Got a headache?" Duo asked curiously.

"No." Quatre shook his head. "Not mine, at least."

The other boy stared. "...okay..."

Again the blond sighed. "You remember I'm empathetic. Someone I'm close to must have hit their head."

Duo frowned. "That caused the dizziness?"

Quatre paused. "Yes..."

"Do you think we should tell someone?"

The blond shook his head. "No...I don't think so," he said. "If I feel anything else, we'll tell someone, but for now I'm fine and there's no reason to worry others."

"Sure," Duo agreed, leaning back in his seat. "Whatever you think is best. Trowa should be here in a minute anyway."

"Oh, right," Quatre said lightly in slight surprise. "I'd forgotten that I needed to tell you two about everything."

"You think Lady Une's gonna tell Heero about everything?" The darker-haired pilot looked upward at the ceiling. "Ya know, I'm getting real worried about him."

"Why so?" Quatre asked, lifting his tea with now-steady hands.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just..." Duo paused. "Just something someone told me. It made me really think of things differently."

Quatre nodded. "I know what you mean," he said truthfully before taking a sip of the tea. "The words of just one person can change the outlook of a situation, making it seem as of it were a completely different perspective from that of which they saw from before."

"The same with actions," a voice spoke up, gaining the two's attention. "The assassination of Heero Yuy so long ago changed the entire course of time. One fatal bullet created the felt-need for revenge and war, the building of the Gundams, the designs of Operation Meteor. It completely changed the perople's Idea of how to achieve peace."

Quatre nodded at Trowa, who had come close to the others as he spoke. "A domino effect."

Duo sighed. "That's depressing."

Trowa looked to him curiously. "How so?"

"Well, what you're saying to me is: watch what you do, the Apocalypse can come if you do just one thing wrong," the long-haired teen said, looking at the ceiling once more.

"Hm," Trowa murmured, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "You are lucky that you have yet to do such a thing. I feel sorry for Heero for that reason."

"Everything is the result of someone's decision," Quatre put in. "None of us would be here otherwise."

Duo thought on it. "You're right," he said before blinking and looking at the Arabian. "All right then...what's your time-altering news?"

"Nothing that important, I hope," the blond said with a frown, placing his tea back onto the table. "Lady Une and I have come to the conclusion that yes, the Faction had the man who caused me to pass-out in the hanger. His name was Sloh. Major Willian Sloh who was in command of the Retrieval Operation that involved us. I'm not sure why he would betray everyone, but it must have something to do with all of this Perfect Soldier nonsense--"

Duo snorted.

"--Lady Une told me that after I was hospitalized, Sloh had only done just one last thing before he left," Quatre continued, looking at his drink. "He resigned his position and quit the Preventers."

"Guilty conscience?" Trowa suggested.

"No," the blond answered, "he knew I knew who he was and what he looked like, so he knew that he would be a wanted man--"

"Then why resign?" Duo asked curiously. "I mean, why bother?"

"To show that he denounces what the Preventers stand for, to announce that his alliegence is with another, to let everyone know how he will willingly accept his losses to gain another goal." Trowa looked to Duo. "Take your pick."

"Or," Quatre said, looking up, "he's proving he is brave enough to openly turn against his once-allies and now-enemies. There are people who would never openly say, 'I've chosen to stab you in the back by joining your enemy.'"

"People tend to die when they do that," Duo mused.

"A slap in the face?" Trowa asked, ignoring the American teenager's comments.

The blond Arabian sighed. "That is what I believe, but it might not be fact. It worries me. If it was a 'slap in the face' then this Faction must be growing in power. They may even be ready to take on their enemies soon."

"That's not good," Duo commented with a frown.

"The other problem is that they could have outside support," Quatre continued, "from former members of Oz, White Fang, and others."

"That will not be good for the Preventers," Trowa murmured, watching the table before him.

"It won't be good for anyone if it happens," Duo put in seriously as the three young men thought on the possible events of the future, which just may include yet another battle to be fought. "So when are we going to see the Mobile Suits?"

Quatre gave his friend a thin smile. "We could head over there now, if you really want."

Duo stood and stretched as Quatre also stood and Trowa wandered over to the door, "Who said anything about want?"






Author's Notes: Well, that's all for now. I wish I had more to put for this chapter, but what I have in mind would make this chapter WAY too big to read! ^.^" I always said I love long fics, but honestly, that would be getting a slight bit silly! ^.^ Anyhow, thanks to all who bother to read this thing. ^.^" I promise that it gets good. In fact, I'm warning you now...you WILL need tissues near the end of this thing. I'm not joking. Well...maybe you won't cry, but I came close to it when I wrote the scene. *shrugs* Oh, well...that won't be for another few chapters...three at the most, I think. ^.^" *scratches head* Is that part near the end? I forget...^.^" Oh, well, it doesn't really matter. Thanks for reading! ^.^" Ja ne~! ^.~!