Disclaimer:

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own either Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing and probably never will unless Fortune smiles real heavily on me. Oh yeah, I really don't make any money off of this. In fact, I think I lose money on this since I spend so much time writing each chapter!

Dedication: Mars_Goddess2001 for making me feel that this story actually means something to people, A-chan and Chibi-chan for making sure I get that push needed to finish my chapters and for writing really great Rei/Heero fics, and all of the reviewers who have been so kind as to let me know what they think of this little project of mine.

A/N: I suck at writing fight scenes or anything having to deal with battles, so you have been warned. For those who say I'm evil for ending the kiss prematurely last chapter, I know. I promise kissing goodness for Rei and Heero soon and Duo has been warned about butting in again on pain of his braid being shortened to a crewcut. (Duo hides behind Chibi-chan, shaking in fear.)

" " – Spoken

' ' – Thought

####***

Rei shivered slightly as she looked around, the eerie stillness seeming to come alive with its own dark shadows. It was 3 o'clock in the morning and the sky was still dark, the stars glittering coldly. 'What am I doing out here? It's still kind of chilly even though summer is coming soon. I should be snuggled deep in bed right now, dreaming that same dream I've had now for over a week. Instead, I'm perched on the shoulder of a Gundam, making sure that the city is vacated and then I get to kick some monster butt. If nothing else, those Ravagers will pay for making me lose precious sleep,' she thought irately, not letting her mind dwell on what else the news of the Ravager attack had interrupted.

She looked over sourly towards Deathscythe Hell and could swear the Gundam was grinning at her. She purposely ignored the fluttering in her stomach as she remembered the near kiss with Heero and turned her mind towards what had brought her out here. They had been tipped off that the Ravagers would attack Cirrus City during the early morning hours. The Gundams and herself had immediately mobilized, dropping everything to get here in time before the Ravagers attacked. Evacuation of the local citizens had already taken place; the underground shelters built during the Earth-Colony war now considered a late blessing. Rei scanned the ever-lightening horizon, waiting for some sign of the monstrous beings that infested this galaxy. 'What a change from my life as a Senshi. We usually reacted to attacks that happened near us or against us. We never waited for an attack like this. I wonder how the Alliance gets their information on when and where the Ravagers will attack next. They always seem to be right on target. I'd better not look a gift horse in the mouth and just be thankful that their surveillance has always been correct so far,' Rei thought, her body tense in anticipation. She rubbed her arms slowly, the muscles still feeling slightly sore and weak from firing several types of guns repeatedly for several hours.

The sky was slowly turning that wonderful shade of violet tinged with rose that heralded the coming of a new day. Rei shifted, the cold metal of Wing Zero slowly seeping through her long white gloves. Her mind wandered back to how she had ended up riding the enormous shoulder of the Gundam.

**Flashback**

Rei and Heero were hot on the heels of Duo, sprinting into the Gundam bay. Any idea that Duo was pulling another one of his infamous pranks was banished by the sight of all forty Maganacs swarming over the 5 Gundams, making last minute checks on the fighting safety of each mechanical giant. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei were already suiting up, each pulling on the red trimmed black flight suits and zipping them up snugly. Quatre looked up from his inspection of his gloves, his fingers flexing expertly. His face was grim, an unfamiliar look on the normally placid face.

"Reports are predicting a large force of Ravagers heading toward Cirrus City. They're upping the ante this time. Specs at HQ say this may be the largest force we've ever seen. They're getting desperate," the blonde said, his voice hushed yet serious.

"We've thwarted their last several attacks. They must be getting low on energy," Trowa added, his deep green eyes reflecting the seriousness of his rich voice. He had spoken to Catherine and was greatly relieved that the attack was nearby and not anywhere near her vicinity.

"Those bakayaros (bastards) never learn. Wherever they think to strike, we'll be there to make sure they never harm another person," Wufei said, his black eyes snapping with fury. His entire body was tense with the deep anger inside of him. Every muscle seemed to be a separate entity under his jumpsuit, so delineated were they from his anger.

"Especially with Shinigami on your side," Duo added, quickly sliding into his suit. He flipped his braid out of the way and pulled the form-fitting black latex/spandex combination over his shoulders and thrust his arms into the sleeves. He accepted the gloves proffered to him by Omar and pulled them on deftly, all sign of the happy-go-lucky personality disappearing from the now professional pilot. "I wish HQ would find some way for us to end this. Fighting these little battles like this, defending city by city, it's not doing us any good in the long run. Sooner or later, they'll find a way to counteract our Gundams. We have to finish this with one quick strike and eradicate them completely," he finished, his lavender eyes filled with purpose.

"HQ is working on it. My sources say that we have an inside operative who has been forwarding all of their plans to us. It's how we've always known where the Ravagers are going to strike next. The Science Division has been taking the info from all the Gundam battles we've had against them after each foray and are analyzing to see what they discover. It's also why they've greenlighted Rei-chan for battle. They're hoping to glean new information and see how her magic is able to be so effective against them. HQ is just as eager as we are to end this as soon as possible," Quatre responded, his blue eyes reflecting his inner turmoil over the necessity of the battles and his concern over Rei's safety. 'We're protected in Gundanium alloy mechs and she will be completely defenseless on the outside. If anything happens to her, I will never forgive myself for getting her embroiled in this,' Quatre thought, forgetting that Rei was a warrior and that she wanted to protect the innocent citizens as much as he did. It was very hard for him to associate the sweet, refined Rei he had come to know with the Sailor Senshi he had battled not more than a week ago.

"How are we going to handle Rei in battle," Heero said, his voice emotionless. He was already fully suited up. No one would ever know that he had been the last one in the room, nor would they ever guess at the thoughts that were beleaguering him. 'Concentrate, Yuy. You're about to go into battle with huge, magic flinging monsters who will have no problem prying you from Wing Zero and eating you like a sardine a person might find in a can if you let down your guard for even a moment. You cannot be thinking of how sweet Rei smelled or the feel of her in your arms. Thoughts like that in the middle of a combat situation will only get you killed…and her as well.'

"What do you mean, "handle me"? What am I, a piece of meat? I can manage just fine in a battle," Rei said, getting slightly upset that Heero would think she needed to be "handled". She had just finished her transformation in a corner of the hangar bay, not wanting to distract the Maganacs from their inspections or the pilots from their strategy meeting. She could still feel the rush of power and the feeling of the fire flowing through her veins. She walked out just in time to hear Heero's remark.

"I meant that we need to know how to interact with you in our midst. You will not be shielded by a Gundam, and I know you wouldn't want one of us to have to guard you as it would then be pointless to have you join us," Heero responded, his eyes flickering with blue flame. He knew she was upset at the thought that he didn't have respect for her fighting capabilities. It was actually the farthest thing from the truth. He remembered how she fought against them and that had proven to him all he needed to know. She had gone against several Ravagers and then fought off four experienced pilots well versed in hand-to-hand combat and come out on top until her fatigue and Trowa's stealth had finally defeated her. He had never seen anyone fight as if they were born to it like she had.

"Oh. Gomen nasai, Heero, for jumping to conclusions," Rei offered, her deep violet eyes telegraphing her remorse for attacking him. 'He must think I'm the biggest witch for jumping down his throat like that. Now he will never feel comfortable around me again,' she thought ruefully. She was surprised to see him nod slightly at her quietly tendered apology and offer her a slight quirking of the left side of his mouth. 'Is that a smile? For me? Oh, all the kamis in the heavens, what that does for him! He is 100 times even more handsome than before. I think I would apologize for things I had never done for one of those small smiles,' she thought giddily, a faint flush appearing on her face. Luckily for her, the other pilots were deeply engrossed in planning their strategy for inclusion of another fighter in their midst.

"Well, we can't have her in the Gundam because the cockpit is too small. Maybe she could sit in the hand while we travel and jump off during battle," Duo offered.

"I agree on the cockpit, but the hand is too dangerous. What would happen if we were ambushed? Our weapons need the hands to handle them. Rei would either be crushed or we would be at a disadvantage," Trowa answered.

"Why don't we just let the onna sit or stand on the shoulder? If she's so tough, she can handle it," Wufei snorted, waiting to see if Rei would light into him for being inconsiderate.

"Actually, that's a good idea, Wufei. Do you think you could handle it, Rei-chan," Quatre asked, turning toward Rei.

"Hmmm," Rei said, considering the 5 Gundams thoughtfully. "I could do it, but which one," she asked, her head tilting as she tried to see which one would best suit her. "Gomen, Trowa-kun, but I don't think I could stand on yours. If I had to leap off during battle, I'd be afraid of getting hit by those huge guns and missiles you have on Heavyarms Kai." Trowa nodded in agreement, seeing her point immediately.

"Sandrock Custom doesn't have a grip near the head that I could hold on to and Deathscythe Hell has that cloak. I would probably be batted off when the cloak lifted. No offense, Duo-kun, but in the heat of battle you'd probably forget I was there and knock me right off of it," Rei said, her strategic mind churning with possibilities. She was in her element, thinking up plans for the best use of her abilities and the Gundams. "That leaves either Altron or Wing Zero as the only viable choices for me."

"I will NOT have an onna on my Altron," Wufei all but screamed, his eyes sparkling at the thought of an onna defiling his precious Gundam.

"I didn't want to be on it anyway, baka, though I should pick yours just to tick you off," Rei retorted heatedly, her eyes flashing dangerously. She was still in a sour mood after having her interlude with Heero cut short.

"Wing Zero it is," Quatre broke in hastily. "Good choice, Rei-chan. Heero won't mind, will you, Heero?"

"Hn," was the only response from the Perfect Soldier. His intense blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at the beaming innocent face of Quatre. 'He's been asking me that a lot today. What is he up to?'

Duo whipped out a little red book from what Rei swore was a subspace pocket, as the tight flight-suit didn't allow for pockets. It had "Duo's Guide for Heero-ese: The Language of Hn's" neatly lettered in black ink across the cover. "Let me see…That stands for I would be delighted to have such a beauteous person accompanying me on a moonlight flight. This book sure comes in handy," Duo said cheekily, grinning from ear to ear. The book had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and Rei was trying hard to stifle her giggles at the murderous look on Heero's face.

"One question for Rei-chan. How will you stand on Wing Zero in your high heels," Trowa asked, his brows furrowing slightly in puzzlement.

"Oh, you'd be surprised at what I can do in these heels. I'm probably able to do things in these heels that you can't do in boots or flat-soled shoes. (A/N: So true! Have you seen her flip and land on her heels perfectly in the anime? Trowa could bring her to the circus and she'd fit right in! But this is not a Trowa/Rei fic, so maybe next time.) I won't have any problems," Rei said confidently. "Demo, I do have a question as to how I'm supposed to communicate with you guys during battle. I know you guys have receivers and communicators in the Gundams so you can talk to each other, but that doesn't help me on the outside. I really doubt that you want to receive a vid-call from me while you're grappling with some monstrous beast."

"That has been handled, Rei-sama," Rashid said, opening a small box and handing her a clear gel ball. "HQ sent this as soon as Quatre-sama asked that you be put on active status. Put it over your ear. The gel is comprised of nanotechnology that reacts to the contours of the owner's body. It will feel odd for a second but it will flow into your ear slightly while the other part will form a slight mic. When you're done, just think that you want it off and it will return to its inert state. This is a state of the art device from the Science Division. It will allow you to access the same soundwaves that the Gundams broadcast on," Rashid instructed.

Rei accepted the clear gel ball with great trepidation. It looked harmless and was the size of a small rubber ball used in playing jacks, but Rei had never before experienced technology on this level. It seemed astounding what Earth had been able to come up with in the technology field. 'Ami-chan would be in absolute raptures over this stuff and the Gundams would probably send her right over the moon. Me? I'm a little leery about putting something into my ear that can do all that Rashid says it can. Heck, I just got used to the holo-map on my band,' Rei thought wistfully. She swallowed her uncertainty and placed the clear ball next to her ear. It seemed to melt slightly and then she nearly jumped in alarm as she felt it slide into her ear like warm water. She shook herself slightly to get rid of the chills that had crept up her back during the procedure. 'Ugh. This reminds me of that movie Minako-chan and I stayed up late to watch when I spent the night at her house; the one with the alien parasites that infect you and take over your body. I didn't sleep well for a week after seeing that movie. Wufei is giving me that superior look of his. I am not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much this creeps me out even though I just want to scream and I know I won't be able to get a wink of sleep tonight,' she thought in frustration.

"All ready? Let's go then. We have to be in Cirrus City in less than 30 minutes to make sure the citizenry are safe and then place ourselves at strategic areas around the city," Quatre stated.

Five pilots and one senshi quickly boarded their respective Gundams and launched out of the bay, streaking into the night.

**End Flashback**

'That was such a rush! It was like doing a Sailor Teleport but seeing the path whizz right past you was just absolutely incredible. I wonder if Haruka-san feels this way when she races the wind on her motorbike or in her car,' Rei mused, her eyes unconsciously scanning the horizon for any movement.

Suddenly, the fire priestess tensed as she felt an almost overwhelming evil approaching. 'What is that? It's way worse than anything I have ever felt before in my life! The Dark Kingdom (Negaverse), the Black Moon, the Deathbusters and Mistress 9, Nehelenia and even Galaxia and Chaos were no match for this absolute darkness I feel encroaching. I feel almost sick to my stomach, but the warrior within is screaming to be let out to vanquish this evil. How dare they try to destroy this universe,' she thought, her mind turning from fear to anger.

"Minna, the Ravagers are approaching. I can feel them coming from the south," Rei whispered, the nanotechnology in her earpiece broadcasting clearly into the Gundams.

"I don't have anything on my sensors. Are you sure, beautiful," Duo asked, double-checking his monitors. "Wait! What do you mean you can feel them coming?"

"I can sense evil. I used to be a Shinto priestess…I still am actually. The feeling of evil is coming from the south. It's still far away but it's extremely strong," Rei responded, her answer terse as the evil caused her stomach to coil inside her.

"It must be a large attack group then. It could also be a group of higher class Ravagers. Duo and Wufei, move into position for a southern strike. Be prepared," Heero commanded. The two Gundams moved silently and swiftly into position, not bothering to argue with the ring of authority in Heero's voice. Rei lifted an eyebrow to see the two huge machines move as silently as cats and not disturbing so much as a blade of grass in their movement. 'These Gundams are such marvels. I would never have believed that a several ton metal machine could move so effortlessly, almost like a human. The guys are remarkable to be able to control them this way. The newsvids show them as having just as fast a reaction time as if they were fighting in the flesh,' Rei thought silently, watching as Deathscythe Hell settled quietly by a nearby building. The black metal cloak it had was still wrapped around its metal torso, signifying that its stealth mode was engaged. Altron had also taken up its assigned position, the pole that would flare into its energy trident gripped securely in its large hand. Sandrock Custom and Wing Zero were farther back and further out, each flanking one of the two Gundams at point. Heavyarms was between them and even further back, its long-range weaponry primed and ready. Sandrock had its heat shotels out and were crossed in front of the chestplate, protecting the pilot inside. Wing Zero stood quietly, a silent sentinel. It didn't have any weapons out at all but Rei could hear the Zero system whirring to life inside. She had been amazed when Heero had explained the system to her, incredulous that a human could process information as fast as a computer could give it.

Tense silence permeated the air before the sounds of soft growling could be heard. The scraping of what could only be claws on metal set the fine hairs on Rei's nape to stand on end. Seconds ticked into minutes before Duo confirmed the presence of over 40 elite class Ravagers in the south quadrant of Cirrus City.

"Enemies sighted. They are coming and they are ugly," Duo stated, his lip quirking upward at the corner in a slight smirk. "We should put them out of their misery."

"Agreed, but don't take them lightly, Duo. They're registering in the high end of the spectrum power-wise. Don't underestimate them," reminded Quatre, his eyes scanning his sensors intently, waiting for the first move to be made. The Ravagers still hadn't made any move that showed that they were aware that Gundams were nearby.

Wufei snorted, his impatience and barely disguised disgust evident in his tone of voice. "We should just destroy those soulless monsters now…," he began, but was cut short as a concentrated beam of concussive energy slammed into Altron, knocking the immense mech nearly 40 yards away.

"WUFEI," the others screamed, shocked to see one of their own down so soon and so easily. Thoughts were quickly squelched as a veritable horde of Ravagers descended upon the area like rabid hounds, looking for easy human prey.

Rei was startled as she saw the Ravagers. She had fought off a couple when she had first in this galaxy, but those had been nothing in comparison to those she saw now. Each one easily topped 10 feet in height, many over 12 feet. She recoiled slightly as some of them came into the light. They ranged from the mostly humanoid with some animalistic features to the downright grotesque. A huge feline humanoid with neon green cat's eyes was tackling Deathscythe Hell and Rei winced to hear the scraping of claws on metal as the large monster clawed his way down. Wing Zero was shooting its buster rifle, silent whines echoing as it discharged energy in huge bursts. Each Gundam had at least 6 or 7 Ravagers targeting it and Rei decided it was time to help them gain equal ground again.

"Burning Mandala," she screamed, the circles of fire shooting from her hands. She grinned in triumph as she saw the projectiles hit their intended targets dead on. One Ravager, a purple beast with a huge fanged mouth where its abdomen should be, screamed in pain and whirled to find its attacker. Rei gulped hastily as she met its red eyes and instinctively shot out another attack. She watched in satisfaction as her Fire Soul incinerated the gruesome monster and quickly turned to see what else she could get from her vantage-point.

"Geez, these things are like rabid Chihuahuas at meal time," Duo yelled. His Gundam was currently trying to shake off the dozen or so Ravagers attached to it.

"They're cannon fodder," Trowa stated, his green eyes intense as he targeted one of the Ravagers on Deathscythe and calmly launched several missiles at it. He rocked slightly, his head nearly slamming into the console in front of him, as an immense Ravager jumped on Heavyarms' back.

"Get back, foul demons," screamed Wufei. He had been initially taken by surprise with the first attack but had quickly regained his fighting spirit and was busy making the Ravagers regret coming to this colony. A dragon head launched smoothly from Altron's arms and pierced through the monster on Heavyarms. He grinned nastily at its scream and turned to impale another Ravager with his trident, the monster thinking to ambush him from behind.

"Arigatou, Wufei," Trowa stated. "I hate it when they come up close." His deep green eyes flashed and he turned his machine gun on an ice wielding Minotaur-like creature.

"You're much better at long range," Quatre agreed, his curved blades whirling in a tornado of movement, cutting through his opposition intently. His usually soft blue eyes were hard with concentration, the images on his monitors reflecting eerily on his features. He threw up his round shield just in time to block an intense stream of fire. "Does anyone know if Rei is okay," he asked, slightly worried. He had heard her call out her attacks but hadn't heard anything recently.

"She should still be with Heero," Duo stated, his scythe flashing and falling with deadly accuracy. "Heero, what's your status?"

"Surrounded, but not for long," Heero calmly said, the Zero system working its magic on him. Wing Zero had the buster rifle in one hand and the beam saber in the other and both were singing as Heero wielded them. Ravager after Ravager fell to his weapons and was quickly forgotten, the next enemy already sighted.

"Where are you, Rei-chan," Duo asked, finally sighting Wing Zero, which had been separated from the rest of the other Gundams.

"I'm still on Wing Zero. I'm fine. Stop worrying or you'll get wrinkles," Rei added, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she sighted another Ravager trying to sneak up on Wing Zero.

Mars Flame Sniper

Rei was ecstatic. The feeling of fire rushing through her veins as she unleashed the power of Mars was heady, like drinking a fine wine too fast. Her feelings of ecstasy were soon cut short as she felt something immense slam into Wing Zero. The Gundam shook and Rei was knocked off her feet, desperately grabbing for some sort of hold. She saw the Ravager trying to pry the center chestplate open and get to the pilot inside. 'You'll get in over my dead body, creep. Actually, I would prefer it be your dead body,' she mentally snarled. She jumped down from her perch on Wing Zero's shoulder and landed on its arm and made her way to the chestplate area, throwing out another Mars Flame Sniper in the process. The results were unexpected. The fire arrow hit its mark but seemed to cause a chain reaction in the monster. It ignited and exploded in a huge wave of force, forcing Rei to lose her hold and flinging her off of the Gundam.

Rei nearly blacked out from the strength of the blast that hit her, but retained her wits to realize she was in free-fall from the Gundam. Her mind raced as she contorted her body to grab onto a passing lamppost; actively searching for her next handhold or foothold so she wouldn't go splat on the hard cement beneath her. She flipped around the lamppost and used her momentum to swing from the lamppost to the ledge of a nearby building. Landing on the thin ledge, she catapulted herself off and somersaulted several times before landing on slightly bent legs on the street beneath her. 'It's times like these that I really, really wish I had Venus' chain. But I'm also glad that Uranus put us through our paces and drilled us on acrobatics,' Rei thought, heaving a small sigh of relief that she had actually made it in one piece after falling off Wing Zero.

"Rei-chan! Daijoubu-ka," Quatre screamed, having seen Sailor Mars tumble from the Gundam after blasting her opponent. His heart had stopped when he saw her body slicing through the air, grabbing onto anything she could. He felt the shock emanating from his fellow pilots. Time had seemed to stand still for everyone else but Rei as they had watched her aerial performance.

"Daijoubu, Quatre-kun. Don't worry. I do this all the time," Rei lied, not wanting Quatre to be distracted and possibly risk his life worrying over her. She tucked a long strand of violet hair behind her ear and surveyed her location. Out of the over 40 Ravagers that had initially attacked, there were less than half that still remaining. She quickly assessed what needed to be done and ran forward, her long legs eating up the space between her and an aqua-tinted Ravager that had three pairs of glowing yellow eyes and an over 6 foot long tongue. She dodged frantically, zigzagging as the monster shot beams of pure energy from all six of his eyes. Her mind raced, discarding different tactics almost immediately as soon as they came to mind, trying desperately to find some way to end this encounter soon. She had heard the fatigue in the pilots' voices and she knew Heavyarms was getting low on ammunition. She was exhausted as well, having not gone to bed yet when the alarm came. Finally, her mind focused on one possibility and her body automatically reacted, drawing in the necessary power. "Get ready to blast these monsters into dust," Rei screamed. She ran and leapt, using the aqua-colored monster as a springboard, jumping from its extended clawed hands and throwing out an ofuda that quickly multiplied into dozens of the little charms. The charms swirled like a tornado before dispatching themselves and attaching themselves to the remaining Ravagers. (Like the attack in the Sailor Moon R movie)

"Akuryou Taisan," came the triumphant call. Rei gasped as she focused her power, the evil she was trying to eradicate strong and battling furiously against her spiritual power. She could feel it trying to dominate her, take over her soul. She braced her arms and continued to pour power into the scraps of paper, drawing on reserves of strength she didn't know she had until now. 'I won't fail them. Even if I've never had to freeze so many powerful monsters before, I will not fail them. I swear to Kami that these things will be destroyed,' Rei mentally gritted. Sweat was dotting her brow, her bangs beginning to plaster to her forehead. She saw the various monsters struggling to move against the paralyzing effects of the ofudas and smiled grimly. Her smile widened as she saw the Gundams decimate the Ravagers; beams of energy and the rattle and explosions of guns being fired filled the air as they were cut down until there were none left standing.

Rei sighed as she felt the pull on her power subside. Her arms dropped limply to her sides as she surveyed the wreckage of what used to be Cirrus City's town square and the monster bodies that littered the pavement. She smiled softly. 'I did it. I held them off long enough to let the guys finish them,' she thought hazily, her body swaying slightly with fatigue.

"Yahoo! We did it! We just kicked the collective butts of the biggest horde of Ravagers we've gone up against and we owe a lot of that credit to Rei-chan. What do you think Wu-man? Still think that women are weak," Duo crowed, his eyes alight with exuberance. His fatigue had melted away in the heat of battle. His blood was pumping and he was practically panting with excitement. It was always this way for him after a battle, but this had been the most difficult battle so far so the results seemed magnified.

"She did okay and we didn't have to waste time protecting her. She just may be an asset to us after all," Wufei bit out grudgingly, his arms crossed in front of his chest. His face softened slightly as he recalled her earlier performance. 'She has courage. I'll give her that much,' he thought to himself, glad no one was watching him on the monitors. "And don't call me Wu-man! Do it again and I'll send a dragon claw through your cockpit," he snarled.

"Arigatou, Wufei, for the compliment, such that it is," said Rei weakly. She could feel the exhaustion taking its toll on her. She wobbled slightly and vainly tried to steady herself.

"Daijoubu, Rei-chan," asked Trowa, his mysterious eyes filled with concern. He recognized the signs of fatigue setting in and was just about to suggest that they pick her up and go back to the mansion when he saw her slim form crumple silently, dropping to the ground like a falling autumn leaf.

"REI-CHAN," came the collective yell, though Wufei would forever deny he had done any such thing and Heero would only grunt in response. Quatre, Duo, and Trowa immediately started forward to pick up their comrade, but were halted in their movements when they saw the chestplate of Wing Zero open and Heero jump down. The Perfect Soldier sprinted towards the fallen Rei and quickly picked her up in his arms, cradling her towards his chest and sprinted back towards his Gundam, entering his cockpit almost as fast as he left it.

Duo was about to open his mouth and comment on the close proximity Rei and Heero would be sharing, but shut it with a quiet click of his teeth. He smiled ruefully as he remembered how he had barged in on their private moment and decided to let this moment pass. 'I just know Heero is going to find a way to get me back for that. I better see if I have any padded workout clothes because I just know he's going to want to spar with me, otherwise known as beating me into a pulp,' he sighed mentally, already envisioning the wonderful black and blue picture he was going to make.

The other pilots said nothing, doing a last minute survey of the area and checking to see if the area was clear. Quatre reported back to HQ and with that done, the Gundams turned back towards their home.

As the pilots began the trek back to the Winner mansion on minimum power, Heero found himself looking down at the soft figure in his lap. Her head rested in the crook of his neck, her soft breath tickling his throat. Her hair flowed in a dark river down his arm and he shivered as he realized it was as soft and silky as he had imagined. His mind whirled in confusion. His mind flashed to a several moments before when he saw her fall silently to the hard ground beneath her. He had felt pain arc through him when he saw her so small and still against the ground. He winced as he saw an image of her lying bloody and battered on the floor of a crumbling marble palace, her fuku shredded. 'Where did that come from? I don't recognize the setting but it seems like I should know it intimately. And why does it hurt so much to see her injured like that? I've seen so many people die during the wars and during the early Ravager attacks. I should be immune to feeling anything when it comes to death. But when I saw her fall, my body just reacted. All I could do was make sure she was safe. What's wrong with me,' his mind cried. He gritted his teeth silently, resolving to ignore the woman in his arms before she found a way into his heart. But in the recesses of his soul, he feared it was too late.

####***

An enormous room in shades of blood red, ebony black, and serpent green was currently host to several dozen monstrous beings. A long table carved of black jade dominated the center of the room. Chairs at the head and down the sides flanked the table; each chair made from a single piece of red carnelian. As if on cue, the monsters settled into the chairs silently, their heads swiveling promptly to the head where a female was seated. The female, with chalk white skin and long, wavy, pale green hair was very statuesque. Her presence was strong and commanding and her razor sharp eyes, a burning red, were riveting. She sat down slowly, her large lavender bat wings flaring out once sharply before settling around her body like a cloak. She surveyed the occupants of the chairs calmly.

"Report," she barked, her red eyes dilating with menace.

"An elite squadron has been sent to Cirrus City on L4. They'll never know what hit them," a gray humanoid with a blue crystal horn protruding from his forehead replied.

"It's the largest and most powerful force we've sent out yet. These so-called Gundams should be overwhelmed quickly. We've had time to observe and catalog their strengths and weaknesses and we sent out a team accordingly," a humanoid with the head and fur of a tiger responded, his huge feathered wings trembling in excitement.

"We calculate that the energy the squadron will bring in should power us for several more forays into the colonies. Each time should bring successively more power until we have enough to dominate and obliterate this universe," another monster responded.

"You're sure that the Gundams will be defeated," the female asked, her fingers twitching in anticipation. Her fingers had fingernails that lengthened like claws. They were currently flashing and disappearing with each breath she took.

"Even if they should by some remote chance win, we have taken steps to make sure it doesn't happen again," the gray humanoid responded.

"What sort of steps," the female leader questioned, her eyes narrowing in contemplation.

"We've taken steps to make sure that we have an informant on the human side. The informant will keep us apprised of any actions the Gundams take, any improvements or plans being made. Our informant is highly placed and trusted within the human hierarchy. We made sure of that," another answered.

"Can we trust them," the leader demanded. She waved her hand languidly to one of the many lesser monsters lining the walls of the room. The underling ran up quickly and handed her a gold goblet filled with a steaming brew.

"Absolutely, Corthys-sama. We've indoctrinated the informant to be completely loyal and, as a safety precaution, we've injected our own cells into our spy. We can trigger them at any time," the tiger responded.

"Perfect. Our plans for this universe will come to fruition soon. The Ravagers will dominate this galaxy and it will be ours for the taking. No one can stop us," she exclaimed, a feral grin flashing before she took a deep draught of the goblet in her hands.

A set of unnaturally bright green eyes flickered from the row of monsters lining the wall.

####***

Rei opened her eyes to the sight of a darkened room, the burgundy velvet drapes pulled closed. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the fog in her head. She turned towards her alarm clock and was surprised to see that it was 3:00 p.m. "Have I slept that long? The guys must think I'm a total bum, lazing the day away," she said aloud, her musical voice echoing in the large room. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and hopped down lightly. Her bed was huge and was situated on top of a dais with two steps that led to the actual bed. Her cream colored comforter was edged in burgundy piping and the sheets underneath were a rich cream satin. She held on to the bedpost, her fingers digging into the burgundy velvet drapes that cascaded from the canopy and were tied back by rich golden cord. She waited while a slight spell of dizziness passed before making her way down the steps and over to the mirror. She was clothed in one of her nightgowns, but could feel herself still wearing her bra. "Who put me to bed? I don't remember anything after the last Ravager fell and Wufei giving me one of his backhanded compliments," she mused aloud to her reflection. Sighing slightly, she turned and walked into her spacious bathroom, grabbing a change of clothes from the enormous walk-in closet situated next to it on her way in. She placed the clothes on a hanger near the door and turned on the shower, filling the room immediately with steam. She undressed, dumping her clothes into the hamper, and quickly slid into the huge glass enclosed shower. She felt her muscles relaxing immediately as the warm spray hit her skin. She leaned her head back against the glass wall behind her and let her thoughts drift.

'That was the first real battle I've fought since I've been separated from the Senshi. It feels so different. I miss them so much. The pilots are wonderful, professional, and…not the Senshi. I kept waiting to hear Mako-chan's voice ringing through the night or see Minako-chan leaping over a youma. I waited to hear Ami-chan tell us what the youmas' weaknesses were and where to hit it or hear one of Usagi's or Mamoru-kun's corny introduction speeches. I wanted desperately to see Haruka-san and Michiru-san appear out of nowhere and shock the youmas with their elegance and boldness or see Hotaru-chan use her Silence Wall to shield us from an attack or Setsuna-san's mysterious eyes concealing that she knew how the battle would end. It felt good to fight again, especially at the sides of people who I've begun to care about, but the teamwork isn't there yet. The Senshi used to be able to fight practically without talking to each other. We knew how each other would react and adjusted accordingly. We all had our place. What's my place here? Help me, minna. Help me to go on,' she finished mentally, whimpering. The battle finally took its toll on her and tears streamed down her face as she slowly slid to the floor of the shower, curling into a fetal position. The only sound for several minutes was the beating of the water on the shower walls and the soft whimpers of a young woman letting go of her burdens, of things that were and could no longer be.

A half-hour later, Rei emerged from her room, clothed and refreshed, her spirit renewed. She had finally let go of everything and it felt as if the weight of the world had eased off her shoulders. She straightened her white mini-skirt and brushed an imaginary piece of lint off the midnight blue sleeveless v-neck top before descending down the stairs in search of her fellow housemates. She heard the sound of animated conversation in the living room and headed straight for it. She stood in the doorway and observed the five young men silently, looking for injuries. Wufei was leaning against the fireplace mantle, his katana held loosely in one hand. Trowa was seated near the window in a large chair, his bangs hanging forward as he read silently from a large leather-bound book. Quatre was also reading, his head resting on one hand as he sniggled into the corner of a plush loveseat. Heero was typing on his laptop, his eyes riveted on the screen. Duo was sitting on a sofa and was glaring at Heero. She saw that the pilots were uninjured until her gaze reached Duo, who was sporting a split lip, a black eye and was sitting very straight, as if afraid to lean back against the stuffed sofa. 'I wonder what happened to him. I didn't think he got hit during the battle,' Rei wondered. Her musings were interrupted as Duo caught sight of her in the doorway.

"Rei-chan! You're awake finally! Good thing too or the whole gang, including the Maganacs, were going to charge up to your room in the next couple of minutes to make sure you weren't in a coma or something," he said cheerfully, grinning and then hissing in pain as his lip started bleeding.

"I'm fine now, but what happened to you, Duo-kun? I didn't know you had gotten injured during the battle," Rei worried, her violet eyes darkening in concern.

A muffled chuckle from Wufei and hasty coughs from Trowa and Quatre, both who were also avoiding Rei's eyes, made Rei narrow her eyes in suspicion. She turned that look on a now sheepish looking Duo.

"Well, I was fine after the battle, Rei-chan," Duo started before shooting another glare in Heero's direction. The impassive Heero sat on an opposite sofa, one leg crossed nonchalantly over the other. He looked up from the laptop to raise one eyebrow at Duo but said nothing. Duo sniffed lightly before continuing, "It was today that I amassed my injuries. I was dragged out of bed after only 4 hours of sleep by someone who shall remain nameless for now and who then proceeded to beat the tar out of me, saying it was a sparring match."

Rei looked from Duo to Heero and noted that Heero had an uncommonly pleased expression on his face. "I don't even want to know," Rei said, throwing her hands up in the air. Inwardly, she was pleased. 'Good. Now I don't have to beat Duo to a pulp if Heero has already done it. Great minds think alike,' she chortled mentally.

"By the way, how did I get back from the battle and who put me to bed," Rei inquired. Trowa and Quatre threw each other looks before suddenly occupying themselves in reading their respective books. Quatre had a slight flush on his cheeks but would not look up from his book, reading as if his life depended on it. Trowa turned a deaf ear to the proceedings, but his eyes darted to Heero and then snapped back to his book. Wufei snorted, looking disgusted. However, he too would not respond to Rei's question. Duo's eyes lit up before warily assessing Heero. He scooted over on the sofa, getting nearer to Rei and farther away from Heero's position on the opposite sofa. "Didn't you know? It was a real Hero who saved you and made sure you were all snug in your bed. He carried you all the way from the docking bay up to your room and glared at anyone who even looked like they were going to interfere in his mission. I wonder who it could be? Who would want to get Rei-chan all alone in her bedroom and have to undress her? Hmmm, I wonder," Duo smirked.

Rei was completely taken aback by this information, a faint flush staining her perfect complexion. 'Heero carried me up to my room? He undressed me? He saw me almost naked! Did he like what he saw? Oh Kami, what did I just say,' Rei mentally wailed, her blush deepening.

"Duo! That was totally uncalled for. To intimate something like that," Quatre scolded, his flush deepening, but his eyes were twinkling merrily.

Trowa smirked and raised an eyebrow at Rei before closing his book, laying a finger between the pages to mark his place. He continued to stare and his eyes seemed to ask if there was something Rei wanted to confess. Rei shook her head in response to his silent question and bit her lip, her face heating even more. 'I must have gotten a fever from last night, being in the cold night air,' she thought desperately, vainly trying to ignore Trowa's knowing look.

Even Wufei seemed to want to say something, but he held his tongue, only muttering softly, "I can't believe an onna has brought him to his knees."

Heero opened his mouth to say something, his cheekbones also stained with color, but was cut off as Rashid ran into the room. He handed something to Quatre and whispered something in his ear. Quatre's eyebrows shot up and he placed the object Rashid handed to him over his ear. Rei recognized it as being the same as the clear gel ball she had been given for communication purposes during battle. She watched as it flowed into his ear and the remainder elongated and morphed into a small screen before his left eye (A/N: Think the scouters from DBZ). Quatre then placed a small chip into the lens portion and information flashed on the screen, speeding by at a rapid rate. He gasped and then shut off the scouter after a few minutes.

"What's going on," Trowa said seriously, leaning forward to catch Quatre's attention. "That data chip was from HQ, wasn't it?"

"Hai. I've just received news from Preventer Wind (Milliardo/Zechs) that several key members of the Preventers and the Earth Alliance have gone missing recently," Quatre responded, his blue eyes troubled.

"Who is missing," Wufei said, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Relena Peacecraft, Dorothy Catalonia, and Hilde Schreibeker have been missing for over two weeks. They were en route to a conference on Colony L7 together. They were supposed to check in several days ago but they missed their check-in. Preventer Wind sent Preventer Water (Lucrezia Noin) to check on their status and the colony reports that the shuttle bringing them never docked," Quatre answered.

"Whew," Duo whistled. "That's two key members of the Earth Alliance and Hilde is a liaison for Colony L2. It's pretty inconvenient to have all three of them gone like that. Any leads as to what happened, Quatre?" He didn't show it, but he was worried about his friend, Hilde. She had wanted something more in their relationship, but he hadn't been able to give it to her, feeling as if he was lying to both her and himself. They had parted as friends after a long heart to heart talk.

"Matte. You said Preventers were also missing. Which ones," Heero questioned, his mind racing, already trying to connect the missing people with motives.

"Lady Une is missing as is her adopted daughter, Mariemaia. They were supposed to be away on vacation, but no one has heard from them. Preventer Water tried calling Lady Une when they discovered Relena and the others missing, but there has been no response. Preventer Fire (Sally Po) was stationed at the base on the newly rebuilt L5 and she just went missing a couple of days ago. She didn't report for her assigned duty. HQ is going crazy trying to locate them," Quatre continued.

"I'll bet. Lady Une is the head of the Preventers and Sally is a high-ranking and founding member. This is too odd to be coincidence," Trowa said, his brows knit in contemplation. "Wufei, would you have any idea of where Sally is?"

"Iie. We haven't spoken since we…parted ways," Wufei responded. He frowned as he remembered the battle royale that had resulted from their break-up. He had had a nagging sense that he was betraying someone by being in a relationship with Sally. Sally had thought he was still hung up on Meiran, his deceased wife, but he was truthfully past that tragedy. His dreams had been disturbed by the sounds of a girl sobbing while he was with Sally. The dreams had stopped when his relationship with her had ended.

The pilots were each deep in thought, trying to figure out where their friends and comrades had disappeared. Rei stood by silently since she knew of the individuals named but had not met any of them yet. 'Relena…Relena…Where have I heard that name before? Oh! I remember Duo mentioning that name when I first appeared in this time period. Didn't he say something about Relena being mad about her Heero cheating on her with another woman? Shimatta! Is Heero taken? Is he in a relationship already? This is just great! Why do I always fall for the guys who are already taken,' Rei silently despaired.

Trowa had been watching Rei silently while he thought of solutions so he was the only one to notice the emotions that flitted across her face in rapid succession. He knew exactly when she connected the name Relena to Heero and decided he would straighten things out for the young woman he cared for as a good friend. He uncoiled his long body from its seat and walked towards Rei and gently took her elbow, leading her to a nearby study. He ignored the raised eyebrows of his fellow pilots and the questioning look Rei shot in his direction. He smiled softly at Rei and gestured for her to enter the study. Rei, implicitly trusting Trowa, stopped questioning and entered the study. Trowa turned back towards the living room, and seeing Heero frowning at him, smiled and entered after Rei, shutting the door softly behind him.

In the study, Rei sat down in a large hunter green armchair and waited for Trowa to explain his mysterious actions. Trowa smiled to see Rei gazing at him with so much trust in her large eyes. 'It's so amazing to see how much faith she has put in me as a friend already. Even my sister, Catherine, doesn't always trust me so much,' he mused thoughtfully.

"You're probably wondering why I pulled you in here," Trowa offered, sitting on the corner of a large oak desk.

"That had crossed my mind," Rei dryly responded, rolling her eyes at him in amusement.

"I just wanted to tell you that Relena means nothing to Heero. She believes herself in love with him because he brought excitement into her life. Heero has never led her to believe that he has feelings for her," Trowa quietly stated, his gaze locked on her.

"What makes you think I was wondering about that," scoffed Rei, tossing her hair behind her, trying to hide her uncertainty.

Trowa walked over to Rei's chair and knelt in front of her, taking her two hands into his. "You can lie to everyone else, but never lie to yourself, Rei-chan. It doesn't become you."

"He doesn't mean anything to me. How can he? I just got here. I barely know him," Rei said desperately, trying to distance herself from what she feared would be another heartbreak. 'I thought I would die when I discovered that Mamoru-kun and Usagi were destined to be together. I got over it eventually and realized that he and I were better off as friends even if Usagi wasn't in the picture, but I don't think that'll work this time. He already makes what I felt for Mamoru-kun look like a schoolgirl crush,' Rei thought.

"You know him. I know you do. I can see it. You're closer than either of you realizes," Trowa retorted, his eyes holding hers captive as his words sank in.

"I'm scared, Trowa-kun. I'm scared that you're wrong about Heero not feeling anything for this Relena, but I'm also scared that you could be right about the connection between Heero and myself. I'm setting myself up for a huge fall either way and I don't know if I could survive another heartbreak. I'm just getting over the sadness from my friends' abandonment and then their sudden loss. I don't know if I could take anymore so soon," Rei almost pleaded, her violet eyes filled with emotion.

Trowa read the hope that warred with fear in her eyes. "Don't be scared, Rei-chan. No matter what, you have me and Quatre and Duo and even Wufei to help you pick up the pieces. But I believe that Heero will be the best cure for your heartache. I know you're brave enough to reach out for happiness."

"Arigatou, Trowa-kun. I'll try my best," Rei said, smiling softly and resting her forehead against his in thanks.

"I know you will, Rei-chan. Now let's go back out to the others before they get too suspicious of us. I'm sure Quatre has information from HQ on what they expect from us," Trowa said easily, rising fluidly from his kneeling position and extending his hand to Rei to assist her from her chair. The two friends walked in companionable silence back to their comrades.

####***

HQ informed the pilots and Rei that they (HQ) would handle the investigation into the disappearances and the Gundams and Rei were to concentrate on the Ravager attacks. Two weeks passed and Rei went on four more missions with the Gundams, learning their strengths and their weaknesses. She began to feel more at ease with all of the pilots and began to grow accustomed to all of their little quirks and idiosyncrasies. Life was settling into a wonderful pattern for Rei and she was grateful for her second chance at life every day. Unfortunately, her life was going to be disrupted once more.

####***

It was early evening, the dusky clouds beginning to turn from pink to purple. Several stars were already visible to the naked eye. Unfortunately, the only people present were too busy fighting to notice the serene beauty fast approaching upon them. It had been another battle of epic proportions. The Ravagers were now attacking in larger numbers and far more often, driving the Gundam pilots and Rei into near exhaustion. The last Ravager hit the dust, a large 20-foot brown squid with acid oozing tentacles. Rei wiped her brow and slumped against a nearby broken wall, resting her hands on her bent knees, her head hanging down. She wheezed heavily, her breath coming in short, ragged gulps as she fought to stay upright. She had been slowly building her stamina, now able to take on myriad Ravagers without breaking a sweat, but even she felt the drain after battling against 4 dozen Ravagers, each with differing powers and weaknesses.

"Rei-chan, begin perimeter sweep over there and we can get home faster. We'll be doing our search over here in our areas," came Quatre's voice over the gel-comm.

"Hai, Quatre-kun. Hey, Duo-kun, you can have my piece of Omar's chocolate chip cake. I'm too tired to want anything more than a shower and a long night's rest," Rei offered as she began walking toward her area, her eyes darting back and forth alertly, reaching out with her inner sight for any residual feelings of evil. They took extra precautions after each battle now after Wufei had almost been impaled by an overlooked Ravager in their last battle.

"You are the best," praised Duo, his face brightening at the prospect of Omar's deliciously sinful and chocolate packed chocolate chip cake. It was rare for Rei to give up her favorite dessert and Omar always made it especially for her only, stating that their Rei-sama needed all the pampering he could offer. Duo always tried to finagle or bribe or trick Rei out of her dessert, but he always failed so it was indeed a treat for him to be given a piece by Rei herself.

Rei chuckled and let the comment pass. She heard one by one, the Gundams state, "All clear." She was about to confirm that her area was clear as well when she saw a flash of bright light. She headed over, her brow furrowing. 'No one is supposed to be out yet until we give the all clear and power doesn't come back on until we leave the vicinity,' she thought, breaking into a run.

"Minna, we might have a situation at the 2 o'clock quadrant. I'm checking it out," Rei stated into her gel-comm.

"We're right behind you," responded Heero's calm voice.

Rei rounded the corner, getting closer to where the light had briefly flashed. Suddenly, several figures jumped out of the ever-darkening shadows and tackled her to the ground. She hit the ground with an audible OOF! and shook her head to get a clearer look at her assailants.

"REI-CHAN!"

####***

A/N: And so ends yet another chapter of what is beginning to turn into an epic story. This was originally going to be a ten chapter story, but it looks like it's going to go out to at least twenty or twenty-five chapters since some people (the Senshi cringe slightly) decided they wanted to be included. Ah well, what's done is done. I hope you liked this chapter and aren't too mad that it's beginning to take me longer to get the chapters out. However, the chapters are getting longer so maybe that's why it's taking longer (Hmmm, longer chapters=longer time to write them out. Could it be?). Please be happy with these 19 pages of my ramblings. I offer it to you on the altar of Fanfic.

Next chapter: What happened? (Ooh that's mean as a teaser!)