Disclaimer: I still don't own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing or anything else that I might mention that is copyrighted or trademarked by anyone else. And I definitely do not make money on my writing, especially on fanfics!

A/N: Sorry about the huge delay in this fic, but the laziness bug bit me hard and the bug was the size of a Clydesdale horse. I think I got too worked up with my last chapter. (Rei and Heero stand behind me and smirk smugly. Duo screams, "I want my turn next! I want to make out with my koi too, you know! It's not just all about them!" Heero turns and murmurs, "Actually, the author, baka that she usually is, did mention that this is a Rei-centered fic. So technically, it is all about us.") Heh. Don't worry, Duo-kun. There will be romantic sap and mushiness for all couples, just not as soon as you may have hoped since there's still plenty of story to go around.

Dedications: To Fleur de Lys, , Sakura Yuy, Mars_Goddess, Curlyq, Li Ying Fa, Gourrina_chan, Konekochan_hime, Marsbab9, RubyRedDragon05, Chibi Dark, The Firey, Shaolin, Marzy001, AceofSpade, and Kellie. Thank you for all your support! I'll try to write mushier scenes next time! Also, to Chibi-chan and A-chan: You two are the reason for everything! Thank you for sharing your brilliant talent in this forum! There will be more Hota/Wufei scenes coming, but it will be a little bit slower than the rest since Fei will be our Firefly's first taste at love and Fei has some issues to get over first. Duckie, as always, you're the reason everything comes out good in my life.

(Not putting the ages and other crap I normally do here anymore. I hope that if you're reading this chapter, you've read the ones before it so you'll know what everything means and how old everyone is. ^_^)

####***

Hazy sunlight pouring through arched windows fell upon an aqua-haired woman sitting on a padded gilt chair as she slowly brushed her hair with an ornate silver brush. The only sound in the room was the gentle rhythmic whisper of the brush gliding through hair. A sandy-haired woman lounged on a turquoise and gold velvet divan, her body stretched out lazily and her head lolling in a casual fashion. Others might have thought that she was asleep, but the woman at the vanity table knew better. Her dark teal eyes searched the mirror in front of her until they met those of the reclining woman who acknowledged the attention by letting one corner of her mouth quirk up slightly. Her midnight blue eyes were staring intently at her companion but they were glazed and her thoughts were obviously elsewhere.

"Michi, did you see anything unusual when we were on the moon and separated," asked Haruka suddenly, her husky voice breaking the silence. Her eyes were hooded and brooding and they drifted back to Michiru as she raked one hand through her hair in apparent agitation as she awaited an answer.

"Why do you ask, 'Ruka? Did you see something? You know Setsuna has forbidden us to say anything until she has talked to us first," replied Michiru, her melodic voice guarded and unsure. She had wanted to say something yesterday when she had first seen Duo, the young man she had recognized from the Moon, but Setsuna's warning stare had held her in check. Setsuna never concealed information unless there was a really good reason and Michiru respected that, even though she was dying to say something. She stopped brushing her hair as she continued to ponder the possible reasons for Setsuna's insistence on complete silence. Her eyes studied the ornate engraving on the back of the brush and wondered if the complicated design on the brush could even begin to rival what must be going on in the Senshi of Time's mind.

"I know, but I have to say something and I can't wait for Sets to decide when it's convenient for her to talk about it. She keeps putting us off and I have to tell someone about what I saw before I do something drastic…," Haruka responded before she was cut off by a sharp knock on the door. She raised her eyebrows at Michiru who shrugged, having no clue as to who would disturb them this early in the morning. Haruka rose from the divan in a fluid movement and strode toward the door, yanking it open and smiling wryly when she saw Setsuna and Mamoru on the other side. She stepped back to let them in and watched as Setsuna settled herself on the now vacated divan and Mamoru found a seat by the window. "It figures that you'd show up as soon as we decided to speak about what we saw on the moon. Do you have our room bugged or something," asked the Senshi of Wind testily.

"Haruka," said Michiru admonishingly, the one word a warning that had Haruka grimacing. The normally gentle woman could be amazingly rough when her patience was pushed to its limits and nothing tested her patience like what she perceived as rudeness. Michiru turned and looked at the oldest of them questioningly before asking, "Are we going to discuss what we saw, Setsuna?"

"Hai. It is time we talked. I need to know exactly what you saw before I can answer the many questions you must have. I will try to explain what I can, but you must understand that there are some things I still will not be able to tell you without breaching the rules of Time," the older woman said warningly. Her night had been spent pondering the stars and wondering if what she was doing was right. 'If I keep them apart, especially Rei and Heero, will I be thwarting Destiny or aiding it? I don't know what to do anymore. I sat back and watched as their past was ripped away from them, leaving them alone and feeling as if they were incomplete, but it was necessary. Is it still necessary? Are they doomed to love and lose for all of eternity, watching as Serenity-hime and Endymion-ouji grow closer and closer while they unconsciously pine for their lovers? Time has already proven that they will settle for no other. They have all had chances to find love, but each one of them has turned away or let the possibility pass them by. Am I dooming them to loneliness,' she mentally questioned. Her reverie was broken by the sound of a masculine voice cutting through the silence.

"What about Usako? Shouldn't she be here as well? I know she saw something as well and we'll want the full picture. I was on my way to go see her when I bumped into you in the hallway, Setsuna," Mamoru asked, a feeling of foreboding filling him. He didn't like the look he had seen in Setsuna's normally secretive gaze. It was rare for her to show so much emotion in front of them, but it had been blatantly obvious that something was bothering her. Anything that bothered Sailor Pluto was enough to raise his hackles and set him on guard.

"It is not necessary for her to be here at this time. I need to speak to Serenity-hime later so I will discuss everything we speak about here with her in detail. We need to clear the air before the others awake," Setsuna said calmly, her poise once again in place.

"Fine. I'll start. I landed in some sort of sauna room," began Haruka, purposely omitting the position she had landed in. "I went out and heard clanging noises so I decided to see what was going on. I saw our Hota-chan and that baka Wufei fighting."

"She was in physical combat," Michiru asked, interrupting, her elegant face frowning in concern. "She almost never participates in fights, especially not physically. She's gotten healthier and has more stamina then when we first met her, but she still considers herself weak compared to the rest of us."

"Well, all I can say is she was fighting and she was doing a pretty good job of it too," responded Haruka, pride evident in her voice. She too remembered how frail and delicate Hotaru had been and how it had frustrated her to no end that she couldn't last as long as the others in Senshi practice. It had gotten to the point that Hotaru would no longer throw herself physically in battle, preferring to use her Silence Wall to defend or her healing abilities instead. "You should have seen her, minna! She was flawless and giving him a good run for his money until he finally disarmed her. She began crying in frustration about being weak and not good enough of a partner for him. Michi, he made her cry," frowned Haruka, her face fierce with the need to protect her little chick.

"Ara, so that's why you've been glaring at him ever since we arrived here," Michiru's voice trailed off thoughtfully, the puzzle pieces in her mind beginning to move into place. "You're so overprotective, 'Ruka." Michiru flashed a small smile at her companion and fellow parent.

"You'd be overprotective too if you saw what I did! First, he beats on her then he's kissing her like he's some sex-starved maniac and saying how much he loves her inner strength. Now he's ignoring her like she's got the plague and spouting all of this woman-hating crap like a misogynistic bastard. He's going to break her heart and I won't stand for it, Michi! It'll happen over my dead, rotting corpse," snarled Haruka as she paced angrily and plowed a trembling hand through her short hair, ruffling it. She had the greatest urge to do something violent to the smug little jerk and she didn't understand why no one else could understand her desire to beat the crap out of the Chinese boy.

Michiru frowned thoughtfully, her maternal instincts warring with her knowledge and trust of Hotaru as a level-headed young woman who deserved the right to make her own mistakes and live her own life. "They were kissing," echoed Michiru, her maternal instinct having won over her sensible mind. She rubbed her chin gently as she remarked, "This is so strange. I saw Duo with Ami-chan and they were very close as well. She had a glow to her that I've never seen before, but now they seem to be barely aware of each other." Her voice had trailed off as speculation filled her eyes. The puzzle pieces were slowly coming together but there were still huge gaps that made no sense to her. She seemed to be deep in thought before saying," Setsuna, what is going on and why are you being so secretive about everything? There's obviously something going on that you don't want the others to know and why you won't let us say anything either."

"I'll answer that soon, Michiru, but first, I want to hear what you and Mamoru saw on the moon," Setsuna answered calmly.

"Well, like I was saying before, I landed in a library of some sort and I had to hide when I heard voices. To my utter surprise, I saw Ami-chan wearing some sort of fancy blue gown being chased by Duo," Michiru began before being cut off by Haruka.

"Duo? That guy with the braid that's always cracking jokes. What was he doing with our little bookworm? I don't see that happening at all," Haruka humphed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"As I was saying before being so rudely interrupted," continued Michiru, rolling her expressive eyes at her longtime partner's outburst. Haruka flushed brightly and smiled sheepishly before gesturing for Michiru to continue. "Ami-chan was upset. From what I could gather from their conversation, people were insulting Ami-chan about her lack of offensive attack power as a Senshi and she was feeling extremely discouraged. Duo was trying to get her to understand that she has her own strengths and to be proud of them, instead of always comparing herself to the rest of us. I've always thought she was fine with her place among the Senshi, but I guess there's much that we haven't seen among our younger counterparts. I've never seen her so happy with someone before. He said he loved her and she responded in kind."

"So we have another set of lovebirds," questioned Mamoru, his mind wandering back to the sight of Rei and Heero embracing in the crystal gazebo.

"So it would seem, Mamoru-san. However, ever since we've arrived here, they've pretty much ignored each other. They don't act like lovers would at all," replied a perplexed Michiru.

Haruka frowned before muttering, "They'd better not be messing with their hearts. I won't stand for any guy playing fast and loose with those girls' sensitive feelings." She had developed a rapport with Ami-chan after their forced partnership during Nehelenia's re-awakening by Galaxia and was prone to look after her now. Everyone had found it quite amusing to see the two of them bond so closely since they were such opposites in philosophies. Haruka believed in physical strength solving everything and Ami preferred to take a more cerebral approach, but the friendship formed had overlooked all of that.

"I'm sure these young men wouldn't be so unfeeling as to deliberately hurt anyone," remarked Mamoru, his blue eyes dark with the memory of how many times he had inadvertently hurt Usagi with his good intentions. He had always tried to protect his beloved princess, but many times he had hurt her like when he had decided to stay away from her after his dreams of her being destroyed kept recurring over and over. It had hurt him so much to be cruel to her, but he had truly felt that he could be satisfied with the thought that she would be safe even though they couldn't be together. It had slowly killed him and then she had taken everything out of his hands by risking her life anyway. He admired his beloved, her seeming fragility hiding a core of strength that continued to amaze and delight him. He thanked the heavens above for the opportunity to have someone like his Usako love him and to be loved by him.

Three pairs of eyes turned expectantly toward the Prince of Earth at his words, each of them sensing that there was something he knew that they did not. They waited patiently as he tried to find the right words to convey what he knew and what he felt.

"Perhaps, Mamoru, it would be best to start with what you saw during your time alone on the Moon," suggested Setsuna gently, her burgundy eyes fixed calmly on the Prince of Earth. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest as she realized that soon she would have all of the scenes concerning the Senshi's last moments in the Silver Millenium. 'I'll have to decide what to tell them. I have to decide on how much we can encourage or discourage the feelings that are bound to be reawakened with their close proximity to each other. Will Haruka, Michiru, Serenity-hime and Endymion-ouji understand? Will they help me,' she wondered silently.

Mamoru was seated in a small, delicate chair by a marble-topped table by one of the windows. Sunlight poured down on him, lining him with a golden aura that threw his face into shadow. He rested his chin on his steepled fingers and calmly surveyed the three women looking at him. He had patiently listened as Haruka and Michiru had described what they had seen, his mind racing as he realized the enormity of what had been revealed. "I guess I'll start with what Usako told me about what she saw," he said apologetically, throwing Setsuna a look that conveyed his regret that Usagi hadn't listened to her. "Usako told me the other night as I was tucking her in. I think she was as puzzled as we are about how the couples we have seen are acting towards each other and needed to unburden herself."

"I understand. It must be hard for her to see what she has seen and not say anything. Actually, I'm surprised she hasn't said anything sooner. I know how much she hates keeping secrets from her friends," replied Setsuna, inclining her head at Mamoru as a sign of her acceptance of his apology. "Please go on and let us know what our princess observed."

"Hai. Usako saw Mako-chan and Trowa together. They were walking back from a hunt and seemed to be completely at ease with each other. She couldn't hear everything they said because sometimes they would murmur to each other. She guessed that something he said startled Mako-chan because the hawk on her arm was upset and reared up to strike at the sudden movement. She's sure it would have pecked Mako-chan. She said that she had never seen anyone move so fast in her life. She said that she had barely blinked when he was in front of Mako-chan and had taken the strike for her. She heard Mako-chan ask why he had done something like that and he replied that he would always protect her. Mako-chan was astonished since it seems that her position as Senshi of Protection has always made her feel as if she didn't deserve to be protected. Usako was pretty upset after that because she felt that she hadn't realized what was going on in Mako-chan's heart. She felt better knowing that someone cherished her protector," concluded Mamoru wearily. He shook his head as he remembered a clearly exhausted Usagi asking him why Trowa wasn't gathering Makoto in his arms and being on the verge of tears as he explained that things were probably different here and now. His wonderful Usagi had then asked what made them so special that they were together but the others were separated. She had drifted off to sleep soon after that and he had been left alone to ponder the same question.

"I had no idea that Mako-chan felt as if she didn't deserve to be protected," exclaimed Haruka, aghast at the thought that one of them had felt so unloved. "Mako-chan and I are very similar in personalities, but even I know that I deserve to be loved and protected at times. It's what makes us human," she finished softly. Her eyes met those of Michiru's and the love that she saw in the gentle teal depths of her lover's eyes made her smile.

"Obviously there's a lot we don't know about our teammates that we should have made time to learn. It's easy for us to say that they should know better than to think that they're weak, unimportant or undeserving of protection, but how many times do we not see our own weaknesses and let them conquer us," questioned Michiru gently. "All that's important now is to make sure they don't feel that way anymore."

"It's not that simple, Michiru. There are things they need that we just can't give them," Mamoru said regretfully, his blue eyes sad with remorse. "I saw that all too clearly during my time on the Moon."

"What do you mean, Mamoru-san? What did you see that leads you to this conclusion," questioned Michiru, tilting her head to one side in puzzlement.

"I saw Rei-chan and her lover. I've never seen her so at peace with herself and the world around her, minna. I believe that it was because she knew he loved her and that she loved him back with all of her heart and soul," Mamoru stated simply.

"Who was our little spitfire with? Is it one of the guys here," questioned Haruka, her navy blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. She was intrigued with the possibilities of who could have captured the heart of the arguably most prickly of the Senshi. 'Heh. I'd be prickly too if some of the stuff that's happened to her had happened to me. At least with me it was my decision to cut ties with my family when they didn't approve of my lifestyle or my relationship with Michiru. Rei-chan never had that choice. Her otou-san fobbed her off on her ojii-san without another thought and then her ojii-san, the only man who had ever really cared for her, died suddenly,' the tall sometimes mannish young woman mused.

"Her lover was Heero… Don't look so shocked, Haruka, Michiru. He wasn't like the way he seems now. He was completely devoted to her. He was relaxed and very affectionate. He couldn't seem to bear being apart from her. He was always touching her in some fashion or another, holding her hands or playing with her hair. I could tell that whatever was between them was completely mutual. I heard him tell her that life wasn't worth living without her and she responded that she didn't want him to die for her. She said that she knew they would find some way to be together and they would find each other again," Mamoru finished quietly, looking straight at Setsuna, his deep blue eyes unblinking, as they seemed to issue a challenge to the normally unflappable Time guardian.

"Nani? What's going on? That cold fish, Heero, was our little pyro's lover? That is way beyond imagination," guffawed Haruka, grinning wildly at the thought. She shut up suddenly as she saw the speculative look in her lover's eyes. "What are you thinking, Michi?"

"Hmmm. I was just remembering that when ice and fire meet, heated steam is usually the result. The steam is usually scorching in its intensity, hotter than even the fire alone would be. Don't underestimate either of them, 'Ruka. Of course, what intrigues me most is what Mamoru-san seems to be saying to Setsuna so secretively with his eyes and what Setsuna saw while we were on the Moon. After all, I haven't heard anything about Minako-chan yet. I'm presuming that that is who Setsuna saw, ne," questioned the observant and elegant young woman who had also pinned Setsuna with an inquisitive look.

The other three occupants of the room watched as Setsuna bit her lip before responding, "Hai. I was the one to see Minako-chan and her lover, Quatre. They were in the ballroom and they were looking for Serenity-hime and Endymion-ouji. Minako-chan was having a hard time and couldn't locate her so she was beginning to panic. Quatre soothed her and reassured her of her competence as a leader of the Senshi before guiding her onto the dance floor for a twirl around the ballroom. They also spoke of some of the history between them and that of the other Senshi and their partners," concluded Setsuna haltingly, as if loath to speak of the tender moment she had witnessed.

"Why don't you tell Haruka and Michiru the other piece of relevant information they should know about, Setsuna," prodded Mamoru gently, not wanting to upset Setsuna but needing the other two to understand what exactly was going on.

"What is this other piece of information, Setsuna? Is it why they're all ignoring each other or treating the other one as just a friend or acquaintance when they obviously are so much more? Are they ashamed or afraid to let us know about their relationships," Haruka mildly interrogated, her brows crinkling in frustration. She seemed to be getting more questions than she was getting answers and she didn't like it one bit.

"The other thing you need to know about what you saw is the fact that the events you saw happened over a thousand years ago," stated Setsuna impassively, her eyes carefully kept blank and emotionless as if she had stated that the weather was going to be sunny and comfortable. She looked at no one but Mamoru, hoping that his eyes could somehow lend her the strength she needed. Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru had never seen the Silver Millennium. They had heard about it from the others in passing, but had never given it much thought to the possibility of them living over a thousand years ago in the past.

"Masaka," breathed Michiru, her eyes widening dramatically as she looked over at Haruka, who was obviously thinking the same thing from the shell-shocked look on her face.

"What does this all mean? Why won't you let us tell the girls about this? They should know about this. Don't you think they deserve to know about their lovers," demanded Haruka. "They've all been hoping for someone to love. I've seen them look wistfully each time Michi and I walk past them holding hands or when Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san kiss and cuddle together. You know it too, Setsuna! I know you've seen the looks in their eyes whenever a couple, deeply in love, exchanges simple affection with each other in front of them. How could you keep this from them? What possible reason do you have for keeping them apart," Haruka practically roared, her eyes snapping with fury. Outside the windows, a strong wind seemed to manifest itself from nowhere and battered the leaves of an oak tree relentlessly.

"Calm down, Haruka. I'm sure Setsuna has an explanation for this and I, for one, am eager to hear it," Mamoru said, his voice carrying a tone of command and authority that hadn't been heard in millennia and wouldn't be heard for quite a few years more.

Setsuna bowed her head slightly before responding, "There are reasons as to why I wouldn't let you say anything to the others. The first one being that what you saw was the past, the Silver Millennium to be precise. There is no guarantee that what happened in the past is destined to happen again in the present or future. If you told the girls what you saw, they might come to expect that their falling in love with the young man you saw them with is supposed to happen. They will have lost their opportunity to choose their own lives. Do you want that to happen? What if they're disappointed because their relationship isn't all that they expected it to be? Could you live with that? Secondly, these men have been reborn just like you. They've had different lives from what they had. They may have become different men with different personalities, likes, dislikes. Maybe they're already in relationships with other people. Have you thought of that," asked Setsuna forcefully, her own patience having worn thin. 'They don't know how hard this has been for me. I want those girls to be happy as much as they do. Please let them see things from my perspective even though I cannot give them all the information they desire,' she wished desperately.

"Okay, okay, I understand a little more clearly now. There's no need for us to argue amongst ourselves. We all have the well being of those girls foremost in our minds. My only question now is can we say or do something if it seems that those particular couples are leaning towards re-igniting their old relationships with each other," asked Michiru, who had risen from her chair and walked over to Haruka who was leaning against one of the giant columns of the four poster bed. She laid one delicate hand on Haruka's shoulder, effectively calming her.

"Again, my answer would have to be no. There are ramifications that could happen here that would destroy the future as we know it. Never mind that Crystal Tokyo will no longer exist. There is a very real possibility that both worlds will be destroyed if things go wrong here," answered Setsuna, relaxing slightly as she saw that Michiru and Mamoru both looked seriously contemplative while Haruka had calmed down sufficiently to listen.

"Would it be better if we left here as soon as possible then," asked Mamoru, saddened at the prospect of separating Rei from her lover. He staunchly believed that they would find a way back to each other, regardless of whether or not their lives had been different from their past lives. However, he could not ignore the possibility of what consequences could possibly happen if things went awry or didn't happen the way they were supposed to.

"I believe so, yet I will not push the situation upon them. Going too far in either way could possibly upset the timeline, so I will attempt to just observe and let things happen as they may," Setsuna said, flicking back a long tress of hunter green hair that had fallen forward. "I hope that you will agree to do the same."

Mamoru, Haruka, and Michiru looked at each other for several long moments before nodding hesitantly. Mamoru looked tired suddenly and asked to be excused, leaving the room suddenly. Setsuna gazed after him, a sad look in her maroon eyes as she realized how much this would kill him to keep such information from the Inners since he had known them longest out of the four of them and saw them all as little sisters, especially Rei. She rose gracefully to her feet and excused herself to Michiru and Haruka, stating her desire to see Usagi and explain things to her. Michiru and Haruka stared at each other as they wondered how their overly emotional and caring princess would take the news from Setsuna.

####***

A little bit down the hall where her future was being so thoughtfully considered and planned, Rei woke up slowly, her eyes blinking drowsily as her mind began to clear from the haze of fog that seemed to cloud it. "Ummmmm," she murmured as she stretched languorously, her long pale limbs beginning to find their way out from the light coverlet draped over her. She sat up and pushed herself upward on the massive bed, laying her head against the pillows propped up against the headboard. Her mind went over the events of the previous day, reliving the reunion with her friends, the subsequent argument that followed when they had mentioned going home and the surprise Ravager battle that had cut off all arguments. She blushed when she remembered what came after that. 'Did Heero and I really kiss? It seems so farfetched and yet my lips feel extremely tender and swollen,' she wondered as she ran one slender fingertip across her rosy bottom lip.

'How did I get here,' was the second thought that ran through her mind as she surveyed her room carefully. There was no sign of anyone else being in the room besides herself. She remembered kissing and being held in Heero's arms as they watched the sun slowly rise, painting the sky with pale hues of lavender and shell pink before she had succumbed to sleep, the events of the day finally claiming her. 'Did Heero carry me up here? Did he put me in bed,' she wondered, her cheeks burning. Her eyes flickered as they idly watched the flames in the fireplace dance merrily, seeming to convey a message of happiness. She extended her senses, feeling the warmth of the fire penetrate her soul as she closed her eyes in meditation. 'I have to get myself together. How should I act when I see him again? Will he think I'm too bold and pushy or will he feel the same way I do? What am I feeling? I'm all fluttery inside and I feel like my heart is racing a mile a minute. Is this just attraction or is this something more,' she asked herself, nibbling her lip in uncertainty. Her thoughts were abruptly cut off as she saw a flash of something that seemed like a cross between a premonition and a memory. She saw a man with eyes like ice holding his hand out to her. She saw her own hand take his and could feel a jolt travel down her spine as the icy eyes melted and she was hauled next to him, her body pressing flush against his. He leaned down and whispered huskily, "Aishiteru, Rei-chan, forever. Don't ever leave me, little flame. We'll never be separated, never." Rei's violet eyes snapped back open in shock as a loud pop from the fireplace intruded upon her senses. "What in the name of Kami was that? Who was that guy? Was it Heero or was it someone else? It can't be Heero. I've never met him before and he's never said anything like that to me before," she mused aloud. "Then again, I never thought Heero and I would be acting the way we did last night either. Okay, girl, snap out of it! I'm not getting any answers just sitting her and thinking to myself. It's time to see what Heero's reaction will be." She abruptly lunged from the bed and decided to get washed and dressed before heading down to breakfast and…to Heero.

####***

It was a half an hour later when Rei found herself walking down the curved stairwell and headed towards the breakfast nook. She stood in the doorway and watched as Minako giggled at Makoto's wide-eyed look at the sumptuous buffet laid out before them. She smiled and noticed Hotaru and Ami quietly talking to each other in a quiet corner while Duo smiled charmingly at them, trying to catch their attention. Hotaru was oblivious to the pilot of Deathscythe but Ami was vainly trying to keep from blushing as her blue eyes would meet the teasing ones of the flirting pilot and he would grin cheekily and wink at her as she turned her head away from him. Rei watched in amusement as this happened several times and Ami was never given a chance to let her cheeks cool down and resume their normal color before she was caught in the snare of Duo's eyes once again. Rei sighed softly and pushed herself away from the archway before murmuring to Duo so that only he could hear her as she walked past him, "Stop giving Ami-chan heart palpitations with all of your flirting, you rascal. She's not used to such heavy-handedness in her interactions with guys. Do not lead her on or I will let Wufei chop your braid off and hang it from the nearest flagpole as a trophy."

Duo yelped and backed away from Rei slowly, clutching his precious braid in his hands. His eyes never left hers as he mouthed silently, "Party pooper."

Rei laughed lightly and joined Ami and Hotaru, who were both quizzically staring at her interaction with Duo since they hadn't heard a word spoken between them. Minako and Makoto soon joined them, both carrying plates piled high with mounds of fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, hash browns, pancakes, Belgian waffles topped with whipped cream and strawberries, plump country sausages, and still steaming blueberry muffins.

"Are you really going to eat all of that? It looks like something Usagi-san would have," said Hotaru in awe, her violet eyes wide in astonishment as she watched Minako stagger under the weight of the huge platter, her wrist wobbling dangerously.

"We really didn't have any choice in the matter. Omar and Abdul piled our plates with all of this stuff and wouldn't let us decline anything except for the T-bone steaks. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear they're fattening us up like cows or something for the slaughter," laughed Makoto, who had a platter in one hand and a giant glass of juice in the other.

Rei laughed as she watched Minako gingerly approach a small side table and carefully ease her enormous burden onto the linen covered surface with a grateful sigh when she didn't make a single spill on the snowy fabric. Minako wiped her brow with an exaggerated swipe of her hand and let out a gusty sigh before speaking. "I don't know how you manage to stay so slim, Rei-chan, if they feed you like this all of the time. I mean, I enjoy a good meal as much as Usagi-chan does every once in a while but this is pure overkill! Tell me your secret," the blonde begged, her cornflower blue eyes wide with pleading.

"Well, you learn to pick your battles," Rei said thoughtfully, her head tilting to one side in contemplation. "I've learned that some things can be debated with the Maganacs, like how much of an escort I need to go to town or how revealing my clothes are. Other things, like how much food I have to eat or what kind of duties I can do around the house so I don't feel like a freeloader are absolutely impossible to win so I've stopped trying on those. It's easier to just slam my head against a huge brick wall repeatedly when it comes to arguing with Rashid-san. He is the absolute law around here. Even Quatre-kun doesn't argue much with Rashid-san, but then again, Quatre-kun doesn't really have to argue. All he has to do is smile that sweet smile he has and speak calmly and the rest of the Maganacs fall into line."

At the mention of Quatre's name, Minako flushed slightly, her thoughts running rampant at the thought of the cute, blonde Arabian. Her flush deepened as she noticed the object of her thoughts stroll in with Rashid, the two men engrossed in a serious discussion and Rashid holding a thick sheaf of official-looking papers. She tore her eyes away from the sight of Quatre running his hand through his hair in frustration and frowning mildly at Rashid. 'I want to smooth away that frown from his face. It doesn't belong there. He should always be at peace. Aack! What am I thinking? What if he's the one Rei-chan likes? I can't let a guy come between us,' Minako thought worriedly, her eyes darting to sneak a peek at Rei's face and hoping that her extremely perceptive friend hadn't caught her staring at Quatre. Minako's hopes were dashed as she saw Rei stare at her, one slim black brow lifted in question before turning to look in the direction she had been looking so fixedly at moments before. Her heart plummeted to the soles of her feet as Rei turned to look at her with an amused expression on her exotically beautiful face.

"Interesting," Rei murmured, her violet eyes flashing with suppressed mirth. A delicious idea began to form in her mind as she watched Minako try not to blush and fail miserably while staring at the normally perceptive Quatre who was completely oblivious to the emotions that were practically dripping from a certain besotted Senshi of Love. 'It would be extremely fitting for me to turn the tables on my dearest friend after all of the times she has set me up with some guy she thought would be perfect for me. Also, I can tell that she thinks Quatre-kun is attractive and Quatre-kun could certainly use someone like Minako-chan in his life to make him forget about his responsibilities every once in a while. And if my little bout of matchmaking should happen to keep the Maganacs from wanting to offer me to Quatre-kun like some sacrificial virgin bride, so much the better,' thought Rei gleefully, mentally rubbing her hands together in anticipation. She had caught on quite quickly to the machinations of the devoted Maganacs when she had been thrown into Quatre's company at the slightest whim and hadn't known how to let the kindly but meddlesome men know her interests didn't extend in Quatre's direction.

"Anou, Rei-chan, daijoubu," asked Makoto worriedly, her forest green eyes narrowed in concern as she saw the strange look on Rei's face. She put down her glass of orange juice and studied her friend a bit more closely, looking for signs of fatigue or illness. 'She should be sleeping more after yesterday. We've never pushed ourselves that hard before and Rei-chan was doing three times as much damage as we were,' Makoto fretted mentally, her protective instincts surging forth.

"Hai. I'm fine, Mako-chan. I'm just wondering why Rashid-san is bringing business to Quatre-kun so early in the morning. Normally, he gives Quatre-kun a couple of hours of relaxation time in the morning before dumping all of the paperwork that Quatre-kun has to look over on him. As head of the Winner Corporation, he has to look at the all of the financial reports and then he has the memos and files he has to study as the liaison between the Preventers, the Earth Alliance and the Gundam pilots. Basically, he's considered the leader and all things defer to him," Rei said seriously, sitting down at the table across from Makoto and smiling ruefully as Omar settled a heaping plate in front of her.

"I thought Heero-san was the leader since he pilots Gundam 01," said Hotaru, her violet eyes dark with confusion. She sat down next to Rei and rolled her eyes as one of the bustling Maganacs immediately placed a loaded plate in front of her.

"Iie. Heero pilots 01 because he comes from the L1 Colony. All of the pilots have Gundams numbered after the colony they come from. Officially, there is no rank among the guys. They're all soldiers, but Quatre-kun has the best diplomatic skills so the Preventers and HQ seek him out when they want to relay information to the rest of us," Rei responded as she cut into her pancakes. "How did you know that Heero pilots 01? I'm pretty sure we only mentioned the names of the Gundams, not their numbers."

Hotaru quickly swallowed the bite of hash browns she was eating and answered, "Akbar-san told me last night as he was escorting me to my room. He was saying something about how he was going to have to pull an all-nighter in order to make all the repairs that Heero-san's 01 needed. Was that information I wasn't supposed to know?" Hotaru looked at Rei, deep violet eyes meeting almost identical deep violet eyes.

"Iie. Akbar-san is very chatty and talkative, but he would never let anything that was supposed to be top secret slip out. All of the Maganacs take deep pride in serving Quatre-kun and his friends and they're fiercely loyal. You'd have better luck squeezing blood out of a stone than getting secrets from them. Akbar-san heads a team of 7 other Maganacs in the repairs on Wing Zero. Each Gundam has a team of 8 Maganacs devoted solely to the upkeep and repair of that Gundam. In fact, Ami-chan, you should go and watch when they repair the Gundams. I know you'll be fascinated by the technology of this time period," said Rei, turning her gaze to her blue-haired friend who had settled next to Makoto and was currently slathering a small slab of butter on a steaming blueberry muffin.

"I would love to watch them if they don't think it would impose on them too much," Ami said softly, thrilled with the prospect of seeing the Gundams up close and perhaps investigating their insides as well. Her blue eyes sparkled in anticipation and she had to keep herself from enthusing too much.

"A cutie like you could never be an imposition. Heck, I'd tell you all of my secrets in a heartbeat," said Duo roguishly as he walked over to the table and plopped down in the chair next to Ami, sending her a lazy wink. He grinned as she blushed, thinking that Rei surely wouldn't leave him to the not so tender mercies of their Chinese compatriot so it would hardly be dangerous to flirt with the cute girl seated next to him.

"Feh, only a baka like you would be so entranced by a mere onna that he would offer to tell all of his secrets after only knowing her for less than one full day. Of course, with a mouth like yours, you can't have all that many secrets left to tell," a scowling Wufei said as he entered the breakfast room. Trowa and Heero accompanied him and it was very obvious that the three young men had been working out or sparring recently as they all glowed with physical exertion. They had also taken showers recently, as their hair was still damp and small drops of water beaded across their skin. Wufei was dressed in a black tank with a dragon design emblazoned on the front and dark blue pants, his ebony hair loose around his disapproving face. He slowly pulled the hair back from his face and began to put it into the sleek ponytail he habitually wore as he continued into the room. Trowa followed, his arms beginning to work their way into a red muscle shirt. He hesitated briefly as he saw the gathered group at the dining table, unused to having so many women around besides Rei, and put down his arms, showing a toned chest as he absorbed the currents of tension that were beginning to build. He shrugged minutely and then continued to pull the shirt over his head, smoothing it down as it fell to his waist. He wore slim, tight-fitting dark gray pants that showed off his long, toned legs as he walked further into the room. Heero brought up the rear, a white T-shirt slung over his bare muscled shoulder, his black sweatpants riding low, the ties dangling untied. A lone drop of water rolled from the hollow of his throat down through the center of his chest. He ignored everyone and made his way to the dining table, barely acknowledging anyone in his path.

"I'd recognize the sweet dulcet tones of our resident manic, katana-wielding, woman hating, battle crazed, plain unhappy Wu-man anywhere," exclaimed Duo, walking over to the newly entered trio. His lavender eyes sparkled with his enjoyment of taunting Wufei.

"Call me Wu-man one more time, Maxwell, and I'll gut you like a fish where you stand," snarled Wufei, his ebony eyes snapping in fury as he stalked over to the happy-go-lucky pilot who was the bane of his life.

"Are they always like this, Rei-chan," Hotaru asked worriedly, biting her lip in anxiety as she watched the two men hurl insults at each other, one growling and yelling, the other grinning maniacally and his voice almost singsong with his taunts.

"Yes. There doesn't seem to be a day that doesn't go by without the two of them turning a perfectly normal conversation into a battle of the wits that ends up being an almost homicidal rage on Wufei's part. They thrive on arguing with each other," Rei stated plainly. She was ignoring the interaction for the most part, except for brief flicks of her eyes toward the scene. The other pilots calmly ignored the battling pair and sat down, digging into their food with healthy appetites.

"Like you and Usagi-chan used to do so often and still do occasionally," inquired Makoto, her eyes alight with curiosity as she continued to watch Wufei and Duo heatedly exchange words. She had never realized that there were people who enjoyed fighting so much that they would do just about anything to instigate one. She knew now that when Rei and Usagi fought, they fought because Rei wanted to see Usagi mature to become the ruler she was destined to become. She was worried that Usagi would be hurt if she didn't, while Usagi rebelled because she didn't want to be reminded of her destiny and wanted to prolong her time as a normal girl.

"Iie. I sense that it's very personal, but neither one of them will tell me what it's all about and the other guys don't know either," Rei said, sighing softly as the tension continued to build. She wanted peace to return, but she wouldn't go near the pair again after she had nearly broken Wufei's arm when he had thrust his katana in her face after the last time she had tried to break up the two fighting men. "I wonder if they even know. Duo-kun isn't the type to start fights, but he sometimes goes out of his way to do something that he just knows will set Wufei's teeth on edge. Wufei isn't much better when he rises to the bait every time when he should know better after all the years they've fought side by side."

"Shouldn't we do something to break it up? It doesn't look like it's going to calm down anytime soon, " Ami said, her blue eyes dark with concern as she darted looks at the still engaged pair. Duo was making some remark about how Wufei's eyes should be popping out from the pressure his ponytail exerted from being pulled so tight and Wufei was practically frothing at the mouth in response.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Ami-chan. We usually ignore the two of them since their verbal exchanges can last for hours and they don't listen when they're this lathered up. We'll have to wait it out until it passes or it starts to get very physical, in which case we'll then have to dog-pile the two of them to separate them," Rei said resignedly, already used to such exchanges between the opposite tempered pilots. She sipped her orange juice morosely, wondering if this would be the last fight that she would see between the two. 'I don't want to leave, but if Usagi-chan insists…How can I refuse my princess? But how can I turn my back on these guys who have come to mean as much to me as the Senshi, especially Heero,' Rei agonized, a sad expression flitting momentarily across her features. She had caught her breath sharply when Heero had first entered the room and her pulse was just now beginning to return to normal. She became concerned when she tried to catch his eye and he ignored her, steadfastly refusing to glance her way. She frowned and was about to get up and approach the perfect soldier when her attention was snared by the sudden escalation in the volume of the fight currently going on.

Everyone's attention was riveted back to the exchange between Wufei and Duo as Duo questioned Wufei's masculinity because of his lack of interest in the fairer sex. Quatre dropped his head into his hands and moaned, already thinking of the damage that would be done and the bruises they'd be suffering in trying to separate the two. Heero raised an eyebrow and studied Wufei, gauging his explosion limits and desperately trying to ignore the raven-haired goddess sitting only a few feet away from him. He found that his thoughts continued to stray and it was with great effort that he reined in his impulse to look at her and absorb the sight of her this morning.

Minako leaned forward and across the table slightly to garner Rei's attention. Satisfied she had it, she whispered to her best friend, "Let me handle this situation, Rei-chan, before it gets too out of hand." She hated fights and made it her personal mission in life to end any that she could by whatever means necessary. After all, it was so much more fun laughing than yelling with your friends.

Rei studied her friend for a brief moment; her violet orbs bored into Minako's robins egg blue ones before she nodded sharply. She trusted Minako implicitly to deal with the warring combatants without bloodshed and with a minimum of fuss. The Senshi of Love had an uncanny knack for making people forget all about what they were arguing about in the first place. "I trust you," she whispered back and gave her best friend an encouraging look.

Minako smiled brightly at Rei's vote of confidence before getting up and strolling leisurely toward Wufei. She leaned over and whispered hotly into the intense young man's ear, "You're too uptight over something this trivial, Fei-kun. Let me help you loosen up." Her hand had captured his ponytail and she was suggestively twining her fingers through it, her knuckles brushing the nape of his neck every so often. She blew into his ear seductively and watched the reaction she had anticipated happen right before her eyes.

Wufei blanched and his eyes widened in utter shock as he backed up nervously, sharply yanking his ponytail out of Minako's grasp. He continued backing up, bumping into Duo blindly. The observers in the room snickered softly to see Wufei so unhinged by a flirtatious girl.

"A girl just hit on Wu-man? A pretty girl hit on Wu-man," Duo spit out, nearly stuttering in his amazement. Soft titters of laughter rolled through the room at the sight of the usually eloquent Duo reduced to near incoherence.

Minako bowed at the waist and made her way back to her chair, high-fiving Rei on her way back. She settled into her seat and calmly popped a piece of sausage into her mouth as she winked over at Hotaru, who was seated across from her. Hotaru giggled softly and gave her a thumbs up sign, which was returned jauntily. Basking in her glory for a few minutes, Minako failed to notice the look of admiration that a certain blonde Arabian was shooting her for her quick thinking. One person did notice however, and her violet eyes sparkled with suppressed mirth as she realized how easy her plan to throw together these two would be.

"Leave it to Minako-chan to come up with a way to diffuse any tense situation. Then again, she's had plenty of practice keeping Rei-chan from wanting to beat Usagi-chan senseless with her broom every time she was late or had detention," mused Makoto wryly, her shoulders shaking with mirth as she watched Wufei and Duo both try to get their act together.

Wufei rebounded first and sniffed contemptuously at Duo before remarking, "There is no surprise that a woman would find me attractive, Maxwell. After all, I have been married." Leaving that quiet bombshell as his closing shot, the young man found a place at the table and seated himself with little fanfare. Looking up to see the myriad faces in front of him, he answered the unspoken questions burning in their eyes, "No. I will not tell you anything more." Turning to Heero and Trowa, the only two to not react or show they cared one way or the other about Wufei's statement, he asked them to pass the butter and continued to ignore the other dumbfounded people.

Rei sat back in her chair, stunned as her mind tried to process the thought that Wufei had been married. 'So he wasn't always the woman-hater he is now. I guess we all change and grow as life goes on. I wonder what happened to him? I don't think he'll ever tell me though. I just hope he finds someone to confide in before he drowns in his loneliness. He reminds me of a stray that has been abandoned one too many times and doesn't trust that people can care for him and stay beside him. Well, I had better start thinking about things I can do since Wufei will never let me get that close to him. Heero hasn't looked at me twice since he came in. Is he just trying to play it cool because he doesn't want anyone to know what we did last night? Or is he going to be the same as Kaidou and walk all over my heart after I've opened it to him,' Rei fretted silently. She slid a sideways glance at him, finding him seated three seats away from her. She admired his physique, still uncovered by the shirt that was slung over his shoulder. She bit her lip, wanting to see some sign from him that last night had happened and had meant something to him.

Heero felt the force of Rei's eyes on him and he steeled himself from the automatic reaction to look up and meet her gaze head on. He shuddered slightly, his willpower slowly slipping away. His hands were under the table and clenched tightly into fists, the knuckles white with the strain. 'What the hell is wrong with me? I am Heero Yuy, the cold, unfeeling Perfect Soldier. I should be able to treat any woman as mere annoyances, like I do with Relena. So why can't I seem to get Rei out of my mind? I thought my craving, my interest in her, would wane once I kissed her and got her out of my system, but it just seems like the craving has become more intense. I want her desperately. Even now, I want nothing more than to have her in my lap and just stroke her hair or her silky soft skin. Baka! She's leaving, probably as soon as the rest of her friends appear downstairs and I'll never see her again. She's as much a soldier, a warrior as I am and she has to follow orders. If her leader, the one with the absurd hairstyle, commands her to return home, she has no choice but to follow, so stop hoping for something that will never happen,' he berated himself mentally. He hated this need in him which was clawing him from the inside out. He didn't like to see himself this way and his disgust with himself was growing by the minute. Heero was so absorbed in his thoughts, the darkness roiling inside of him, that he didn't hear or see the looks of concern that he was beginning to garner.

Quatre, seated at the head of the table, felt Heero's emotions slam into him like a Gundam on full throttle. He saw stars momentarily and almost blacked out from the pain and anger that was boiling under Heero's surface. His soft blue eyes filled with concern and he wondered how to best approach Heero and help him through whatever he was going through. He looked at Rei and his eyes softened as he saw the worry in her deep purple eyes directed at the pilot of one of the most feared machines in the universe. 'I have the strongest hunch that whatever is eating Heero-kun up inside has something to do with our fiery friend. I don't know what happened since yesterday between them, but I sense it was something momentous,' he sighed to himself mentally.

The others gathered around the table could feel the anger radiating from Heero like the rays from the sun and were suddenly glad that he was sitting so far down from the rest of them. Trowa, seated next to Rei and with two empty seats between himself and Heero, frowned and looked across the table and slightly diagonal at Duo and nodded his head toward Heero significantly. Duo shrugged his shoulders in helplessness and pursed his lips slightly, thinking of possibilities that might have sent Heero into this strange mood. Wufei, seated next to Heero, could also feel the agitation from Heero but he chose to deliberately ignore it, letting the intensely private man decide when he wanted to speak. The other Senshi looked at each other before looking at Rei, hoping for some kind of explanation. They had no idea of what was going on nor did they have any clue as to what type of man Heero was and didn't want to intrude on his sullen musings. They were shocked to see Rei staring at Heero intently, practically boring holes into his head with her eyes.

Rei had the horrible sensation that whatever was causing Heero to brood like this was all because of what had happened between them the night before. 'Does he think I'm too pushy or that I want some kind of commitment from him so soon? Or does he just find me repulsive? Please don't let this be like all of the other important men in my life, Kami, all of them leaving me broken-hearted and bitter. I don't know how much more of this I can take,' she agonized privately. Finally, deciding to get everything out in the open, Rei turned again towards Heero and tried to get his attention. "Heero? Heero, what's wrong," she questioned, her voice directed at him alone.

Of all of the reactions she could have possibly predicted, the one she received was not one she had foreseen. The emotionless pilot looked up directly at her and his blue eyes were blazing with hatred. "Leave me alone. I think you've done enough already," he snarled, his normally flat voice rich with disgust and contempt. He pushed his chair back roughly and stood, the chair toppling with a loud crack against the marble floor.

Duo stood as abruptly, the smile on his face wiped off as if it had never existed. He had been surprised to hear that tone of voice from Heero. That was the voice reserved for bitter enemies and not used lightly. He was even more disturbed that it was directed at Rei-chan who looked as if he had slapped her across the face. He looked over at Trowa silently and nodded, causing the taller man to also stand up. With a brief glance thrown at both Wufei and Quatre, the two brunettes hauled Heero by the arm and dragged him out of the room, the blonde throwing a hasty look of concern at a shell-shocked Rei before practically pushing Wufei out the door. The Chinese man struggled briefly, not wanting to get involved in Heero's private business, but was overwhelmed by Quatre, an unfamiliar look of angry determination stamped on his face. The girls sat stupefied, hearing sounds of a physical struggle before the unmistakable sound of a fist hitting flesh followed by a soft thud reached their ears. Quatre's soft voice admonished, "Duo, you didn't need to hit Heero so hard. I'm sure he would have calmed down eventually after Trowa cut off more of his oxygen supply." Duo's answer was muffled and then the sound of footsteps leading away from the breakfast room died down as well.

####***

Duo paced the length of the library angrily, his lavender eyes flashing with an anger normally reserved for enemies and people who thought they could take him for a fool. His braid whipped behind him, the tail like that of an angry jungle cat as it swished through the air. He looked over at the still unconscious pilot of Wing Zero and had to restrain himself from throttling his fellow pilot in his frustration. The look of shock and pain that had flashed across Rei's face was still vivid in his thoughts. He had just spent the last couple of months trying to get rid of the sadness that had lurked in her deep violet eyes only to have it brought back tenfold by Heero's unthinking remarks. He was ready to tear out his precious hair by the roots at the sheer stupidity of his friend. 'It's only obvious to just about everyone but him and Wufei that he cares for Rei-chan. I'm sick of his dancing around the thought and treating love like it doesn't matter. He doesn't know how lucky he is to find someone like Rei-chan. She's not exactly the type of girl that just drops from the sky. Heh. Actually, Heero is such a lucky bastard that his dream girl did drop practically into his lap,' he thought in exasperation. His thoughts lightened somewhat at that thought but they darkened again as he watched the bruise beginning to form on Heero's face. He settled down on a nearby footrest, preparing for when the icy young man woke up so he could give him a piece of his mind or another piece of his fist.

Trowa covertly watched Heero from under his bangs, his green eyes somber. He was seated on the corner of a large oak desk, his frame resting lightly against it. He had felt Rei flinch next to him, but he had also seen that the anger in Heero's eyes hadn't really been directed at her. The look in Heero's eyes had been the same as when he had awoke after blowing up the Wing Gundam and finding that he had not died, therefore failing his mission. It was the look of self-hatred and Trowa recognized it easily. He didn't know what had happened between Rei and Heero, but obviously it did mean something to Heero to make him react this way. He hadn't wanted to haul the angered man out of the breakfast room but he had been upsetting Rei and their other female guests. He had wanted to get Heero to come quietly with them to the library, but Heero had struggled fiercely, like a wild animal, so he had had to cut off Heero's oxygen temporarily by putting him in a headlock and using his greater height to give him leverage against Heero's superior strength. He had hoped to make him fall unconscious without having to resort to Duo's tactics.

Wufei snorted unhappily, his eyes narrowed in disgust at the meddling of his fellow soldiers into Heero's private affairs. He didn't want to get involved in whatever it was going on between Heero and the fiery onna. He respected her skills as a warrior, but he understood that she would only be a weakness to Heero sooner or later. 'All women become weaknesses sooner or later. I've learned that lesson very well,' he reminded himself. He made it clear to the others after they had dragged Heero into the room that he would have no part of whatever they thought was right for Heero. He crossed his arms angrily and leaned against the solid wall of books behind him, turning his face away from the others.

Quatre was seated in the matching armchair to Heero's and was observing him silently. He had a glass of water held loosely in one hand and took a small sip, his earlier headache caused by the ferocity of Heero's emotions finally beginning to die down somewhat. He blew softly at his bangs, upset that such turmoil could happen in his household and between two of his dear friends. His heart still ached at the look of disbelief and hurt that had been plainly written across Rei's face. He cherished women and believed them to be strong and capable yet needing respect and tenderness. It had shocked him to the core to hear such harsh words coming from the emotionless pilot. 'Emotionless? Heero has been nothing but emotion recently; he just keeps hiding it and trying to suppress it. I should have known something like this would happen if he continued to ignore his feelings for this long. Of course, he has to realize what his feelings are before he can acknowledge them,' he thought ruefully.

All thoughts were suspended when a brief moan and the slight stirring of the figure slumped over in the other armchair captured the other occupants' attention. They watched as his eyes flicked open, the pupils focusing immediately on his surroundings. The Perfect Soldier was back in full force and several of the men flinched at the thought of the upcoming battle that would drain them more than any Ravager battle ever had. Heero sat up straight, his back like a ramrod. His eyes were beyond icy; they were glacial in appearance and Duo shivered slightly before girding himself and deciding to confront Heero directly. He walked over and stood in front of him, hoping he looked intimidating.

"What the hell do you think were doing, yelling at Rei-chan like that, Heero? Haven't you ever learned how to treat a lady," Duo barked, poking his finger into Heero's chest. He was beginning to get upset again as he watched Heero stare first at his finger still poking him before looking up at him with the most emotionless eyes. His ill humor grew as Heero flicked his hand away and stood up. He headed for the door without a backward glance.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? I'm not finished yelling and berating your sorry behind for how you treated Rei-chan. At least take it like the man you're supposed to be, Heero," continued Duo, his face growing red with the beginnings of true rage.

"It's none of your business. What goes on between Rei and myself is just that, between Rei and myself," was the stark reply from the motionless man as he stood in front of the door, one hand on the doorknob.

"Don't you care about how she feels? You hurt her, Heero. She may never admit it, but you hurt her deeply with your unthinking words, " Trowa offered, his face grave and serious. He didn't want to think that Heero could treat any woman like that, much less Rei, who had become a very close friend to him.

Heero clenched his fist tightly around the doorknob, threatening to rip it right out of the door. He had seen the look on her face; it was etched in his mind permanently. He had wanted to recall the words as soon as he had said them, but his pride wouldn't allow him such a foolish gesture. 'I'd just be apologizing to someone who will be gone and forget about all of this like it was some strange fever dream,' he thought viciously.

Quatre's face grew sad as all he heard was silence in response to Trowa's question. 'Does he really care for her that little that he doesn't care about her feelings? I thought he was interested in her after he approached me in my study and questioned me about her for several hours. Maybe I was reading too much into it. No, I know that kind of emotion cannot be mistaken. I have to get him to see that it's okay to care for someone,' he decided firmly to himself. "Do you care that little for Rei-chan, Heero? Are all the things between you fully explored or will you regret it after she's gone? I'm assuming that that is what this is all about, that you're scared she'll leave you to return to her world even after you reveal her feelings," he stated mildly, but was scared witless inside that what he was doing would only push Heero further away from Rei.

"That's crazy! Rei-chan would never be that way. She's already been fighting with her friends to stay here. You know, the friends who just got reunited with her and who she has been missing ever since she first arrived here? Does that tell you anything, Mr. Perfect Soldier? Does that give you a friggin' clue yet," Duo exclaimed, his face flushed with upset.

"It doesn't matter how hard she fights. She'll have to return sooner or later and I can't afford to get involved with anyone anyway," was the quiet response from Heero, who was still facing the door.

Duo was about to interject again, with Trowa and Quatre also looking as if they wanted to respond when an acerbic voice cut the minute silence. "Leave him alone. It's none of your business what he thinks or feels about the onna. After all, he's right. She will have to leave with her other weakling onna friends and that baka man that follows them. Good riddance, I say. We fought without her before and we can fight without her again. It just means that we don't have to watch out after her anymore," Wufei sniffed contemptuously. His words were harsh, but even he had to admit to himself that he would miss his little spats with the spirited onna. 'Feh, I'm becoming weak already around just one onna. I can only imagine what I'd become after being surrounded by all of them for an extended length of time. Good thing that they're leaving before they can try to get on my good side,' he thought angrily.

The other three young men looked as if they wanted to tear Wufei limb from limb for his careless remarks, but before they could, a rush of air and the sudden sound of Wufei slamming into the bookcase made them blink. They looked in amazement at the sight of Heero with his hands clenched in the folds of Wufei's tank top, a grimace of fury plastered across his face.

"She is not a weakling! She's contributed more to this fight than we have! We sit in our big, metal Gundams and shoot our weapons in relative safety while she's out in the open and more often than not on the ground, facing monsters that are three times her size. She stands toe to toe with them, never flinching, never backing down. She fights until she can't lift her arms anymore, can barely stand, and you stand here and call her a weakling. She's willing to sacrifice her relationships with her closest friends and fellow warriors over our fight. Do you understand what kind of bravery, what kind of heart is able to do that, Wufei, or are you so set on your high horse that you can't admire her qualities just because she's a woman," Heero snarled, his fists tightening with every word until small rips appeared in the fabric clenched in his hands.

Wufei stared in shock as he felt the rage emanating from Heero, the one pilot who seemed to understand his feelings about women. 'Maybe it was just that peace-loving princess, Relena, that caused that feeling of disgust,' he thought fuzzily, his mind still reeling from Heero's outburst. The other pilots were also silent with shock until Duo suddenly grinned crazily at what Heero's words had revealed.

"You do care about Rei-chan! Your words say a lot more than you think they do, Hee-man! I knew you couldn't hold off from falling into those amethyst pools without being bit by the love bug," he crowed in exultation. He did a little jig, his happy mood restored instantaneously.

"I never said I loved her, Duo," Heero growled menacingly, finally letting go of Wufei's now tattered shirt.

"You're not denying it either, Heero. Make a decision one way or the other. It's not fair to either of you if you keep playing this game of Hot & Cold with both your feelings," warned Trowa, brushing his bangs out of his eyes.

"You do have to discover what you feel, Heero. Would it really hurt for you to give her a chance? You might just find what you've really been searching for, a heart that gives you the peace that the outside world can never seem to accomplish, a heart that understands you and accepts you for who you are, a soldier who fights for peace," Quatre murmured softly. "Search inside of yourself and answer yourself truthfully. What do you feel for Rei-chan? Don't think of all the other things, the obstacles barring your path. Just think of Rei-chan."

Heero was silent, his lids closing over Prussian blue eyes for several long minutes as he searched his soul for an answer. 'I've always known that she would understand my feelings about war. I know that she has been the only one to really touch that part of me that seems to need, to crave physical touch. Does that mean I love her? Can I live without her? Can I live without at least knowing how she feels about me or letting her know how I feel about her,' he questioned his soul. After much soul searching, he opened his eyes once more and stated crisply, "I need to find Rei so we can have a talk."

####***

The silence that followed the abrupt departure of the Gundam pilots was deafening. Hotaru made a soft noise in her throat and leaned closer to Rei, resting her head on her friend's shoulder, trying to offer comfort. She hadn't been in love yet or anything even close to that, only little crushes on the occasional boy, but she knew that whatever Rei was feeling was deeper than those flighty emotions. She shivered slightly, hoping that when love finally found her that it wouldn't be so tempestuous.

Ami left her place at the table and made her way to the other side of Rei. She picked up Rei's slim white hand, feeling the slight calluses that marked her as someone who had worked for all that she had and smiled softly at Rei, encouraging her to open up and share her thoughts. She held her hand and frowned when she felt how icy it was in her grasp. Rei was almost never cold because of her powers and it bothered Ami deeply to feel this coldness and to see the paleness of Rei's face. Her extreme stillness also bothered the gentle soul greatly, for Rei was never one to declare her emotions to the world, but she didn't hide them either.

Makoto growled low in her throat, the sound of a she-wolf protecting her cub from an intruder. Her hand reflexively gripped the butter knife in her hand and it was a very lucky thing that Heero had been dragged from the room or he might have found death by a very dull blade. She was incensed at the careless disregard of her friend's feelings, but didn't feel comfortable with comforting Rei personally since she was so keyed up at the moment. The last thing she wanted was for her anger to be telegraphed to Rei and cause her to lose control. She could tell by the way the priestess held herself so still that she was exerting great self-control to not fly into a rage or a fit of despair. 'She's so stubborn. I've told her time and again that she needs to rely on us and share her fears and worries with us so we can help lighten the burden on her, but she just can't seem to bring herself to until it's almost too late. She's too self-sufficient from having to rely on herself so much in her childhood,' Makoto thought exasperatedly, blowing a wisp of wavy chestnut hair away from her face.

Minako was uncharacteristically silent; her chin propped on one hand as she studied the silent figure of her best friend. Her heart bled inside as she watched the pain and hurt run across her friend's face before being carefully hidden behind the cool mask of unconcern that her friend could sport on occasion. Her sensitivity to love, her personal domain, made her extremely aware of how close Rei was coming to falling for Heero. 'Well, that answers my question about whether or not she likes Quatre-san, but this isn't the way I would have preferred to find out. Oh, Rei-chan, please get through this. Please be strong until you find what you're looking for,' Minako thought desperately. The two best friends had spent many nights during sleepovers with each other discussing what they wanted in life, from their careers to a future husband and Minako knew that Rei desperately wanted someone to love her as madly and deeply as she would love him. Rei was a passionate soul and everything she did; she poured herself into it, body, soul, heart and mind, including love.

Rei sat quietly for a few more minutes, but the soft whispers and entreaties from Ami and Hotaru, the alternating glares of protectiveness and worry on Makoto's face, and the absolute silence from Minako grated on her nerves until she felt the strongest need to scream aloud. The look in Heero's eyes had almost killed her. She had never felt this much pain before. The guilt on Kaidou's face, the apology in Mamoru's eyes, the overwhelming lust in Jadeite's eyes, the disgust on her otou-san's face, none of them could compare to the hatred she saw in Heero's eyes. She could feel her heart falter as the inescapable thought ran through her head, 'Am I so unlovable that no man besides my ojii-san can love me? Even my own otou-san can't bring himself to care for me except when I can be of some use to his political career. Am I doomed to forever be lonely? What is it about me that makes men use me and then throw me away like I mean nothing?' The thoughts seemed to crowd her and she felt as if she would suffocate under the weight of her despair. Shooting up suddenly, she wrenched her hand away from Ami's grasp and dislodged Hotaru's position form her shoulder, the chair underneath her falling to the ground like the one earlier underneath Heero. She threw a hasty look of apology before running out the door, ignoring Makoto's cry of "Matte!" She needed to get out before she let the angry fire in her veins erupt and hurt the ones that did still love her.

Minako put out a hand, halting the three other young women from following their hurting friend. "Don't," she commanded firmly, her blue eyes stern and uncompromising.

"Nani? Minako-chan, Rei-chan's hurting! She needs us to give her support and be there for her. It's obvious that she was rejected by Heero in some way," Makoto protested, her emerald green eyes full of a combination of anger and confusion. Ami and Hotaru murmured their agreement, both of them staring at Minako as if she had been replaced by some youma.

"I know she's hurting, but it won't help her to have all of us gang up on her. Let me talk to her for a little bit and see if I can help her calm down a bit before bringing her back in here and then we can have an in-depth conversation with her. You know she won't listen until she calms down first," Minako reasoned, her eyes pleading with her other friends to let her have her way and understand what she wanted to accomplish.

"She's right, minna-san. Rei-san won't listen until she gets rid of the rage inside of her and Minako-san has already proven how effective she is at doing just that. Let's trust her. After all, they are best friends," Hotaru suggested, her wide violet eyes trusting and sincere with her desire to help the young woman she looked upon as an older sister.

Ami and Makoto looked at each other before nodding to their leader. Minako smiled gratefully at them before exiting the room and racking her brain for what to say to her tempestuous friend. She found Rei by the grand stairwell, a lonely figure sitting on the bottom step and huddled over as if she were trying to hide from the world. "Rei-chan," she said softly, tears pricking her eyes to see how vulnerable her strong-hearted friend seemed. 'It's times like these that make me hate what my power can do to people,' she thought to herself.

Rei heard Minako's soft voice and looked up, her large velvety eyes conveying her misery. The anger in her had drained suddenly, leaving her only the dregs of misery. She sighed and allowed the blonde to sit next to her and wrap her arms around her firmly. She put her head down and whispered so softly that Minako had to bend her head down to hear her. "Minako-chan, do you think that maybe people like us aren't meant to love or be loved? Maybe all we're supposed to do is safeguard the safety of the world and love would just distract us from our true purpose. Is that why love always seems to slip through my fingers?"

"Rei-chan! How can you say that? Everyone is meant to be loved, especially you. I know you've gone through a lot of pain in your life, but that just means that you'll appreciate love more when it finally does come to you. I believe in that thought completely. I know that when you find love, it will be the most amazing experience of your life and you'll look back on this day and laugh at your doubts," the Senshi of Love stated firmly, her grip tightening reassuringly.

"I thought I had the most amazing experience of my life last night, iie, early this morning," Rei continued to whisper, her gaze locked on the swirls in the marble floor. Her hair had fallen forward and it shielded her face, as if protecting her from the harsh glare of the world.

"What happened," Minako asked softly as she leaned her forehead to the back of Rei's bent head. Her long blonde hair fell to mingle with the dark violet strands of Rei's own locks.

"I couldn't sleep last night with all of the thoughts about possibly having to go home swarming in my head so I came down here to think. Did you know that this colony doesn't have a moon? It was so strange that I haven't noticed it until now. I missed it. The stars didn't seem to shine as brightly without the moon among them. It's kind of like us without Usagi. Anyway, I was just thinking and then Heero appeared out of nowhere, but it was like I knew he would be there. We talked a little bit and then it happened," Rei murmured, her voice like sensual silk as it dropped a note in remembrance of the passion he had evoked in her.

"It happened? What type of it are you talking about, Rei-chan? Surely you don't mean…," Minako's voice trailed off in shock. 'If it happened and he's treating her like this, I will have to kill him. I'll let Mako-chan help and then the rest of us can take turns stomping on his head until it resembles pulp,' she thought murderously. She was so wrapped in her thoughts of torturing Heero that she almost missed Rei's reply.

"Ecchi! Minako-chan, I wouldn't do that after knowing a guy for such a short amount of time! I meant that we kissed, but it was far beyond the normal type of kissing I've experienced before. I thought I felt our souls touch. I know that I've never felt so much…heat before," Rei confessed, a soft blush suffusing her porcelain skin.

"Whew! You had me really worried there for a minute, Rei-chan. If this kiss was all that you say it was, why don't you confront him about it? Maybe he's just as scared as you are about this love stuff," Minako advised, her eyes serious and deep. She stroked Rei's back soothingly, hoping to impart calmness into her friend.

"Heero doesn't get scared. He's perfect. There is no room in him for imperfection or things like fear or worry," Rei scoffed, the thought of Heero scared seeming ludicrous to her. She had raised her head now and was staring Minako directly in the eye.

"If he can treat you the way he did in the breakfast room then he's not perfect. And before you go defending him, think about this: People say the same thing about you. I can't tell you how many people see you as this epitome of perfection, that you're above it all. Surely you can't be oblivious to the stares of admiration you get everywhere you go? Even Luna thought you were the Moon princess when she first met you! (A/N: This was in the manga.) So maybe if you're feeling scared then so is he," Minako offered hopefully, her eyes searching for some sign that Rei was listening to her. Her heart lightened with hope as she watched Rei slowly absorb her words, her lips pursed in thought.

"Do you really think so, Minako-chan," Rei asked hopefully, her eyes intent on Minako's face.

"Yes, I do. My question to you is this though: Are you sure about what you feel for Heero? Do you love him," Minako asked. "Be careful of your answer, Rei-chan, for this could change your life forever. For one, it would mean that either you stay here or he comes with us. Either way, if you really love him, I'll stand by your decision all the way. After all, how can the Senshi of Love stand in the way of true love being fulfilled?"

"I don't know if this is love I truly feel for him yet, Minako-chan. I do know that whenever we're together alone I feel as if a part of me is reaching out to him. Is that love? I haven't really experienced it so I can't be sure. I am sure of one thing though: I want to explore this connection I feel to him. I have the feeling that if I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life," Rei answered, her voice throbbing with emotion and determination.

Minako inwardly smiled to see the light and fire in her friend's eyes again. She closed her eyes momentarily in relief, the fear that her best friend's spirit had been irrevocably crushed by the thoughtless words of some guy, handsome though he may be. "Then you need to show him what you feel, Rei-chan! Where's that fiery spirit, that go-for-it attitude, that take-no-prisoners, nothing-will-stand-in-my-way, storm-the-Bastille kind of personality that you're famous for," Minako exclaimed, jumping to her feet in excitement. This was the Rei-chan she knew and loved and she was back!

Rei had also gotten to her feet, her eyes snapping with fire and life. She felt the blood surge in her veins, refreshing and revitalizing her with its fiery warmth. She felt as if she could take on the world and conquer it without a second thought. If she had faced the Ravagers, they would have been decimated within moments. It was while this exhilaration was pulsing through her that several things happened at once. One, Ami, Makoto, and Hotaru made their way out of the dining room, set on discovering how Minako was faring with Rei. Second, the Maganacs also came out of the breakfast room, half of them intent on finding Quatre-sama and the other half wanting to see to Rei-sama's welfare. Third, and most importantly, Heero and the other Gundam pilots came out of the library, with all three groups meeting in the hallway in front of the stairwell.

Rei stalked over to Heero with purpose in her every step and determination blazing in her eyes, oblivious to everyone else but her intended target. Everyone gathered, with the exception of Minako, held their breath, anticipating Rei punching Heero so hard that he'd have a matching bruise on the other side of his face. To their quiet shock and amazement, Rei came to a stop a bare inch away from Heero and said quite distinctly, "I don't regret what happened last night at all. I'm not looking for anything from you except the chance to see where this thing between us might go. Are you ready to take that chance? Let me give you something to think about while I wait for your answer." And with that little statement, she cupped Heero's face in her hands and kissed him thoroughly.

Duo gasped out loud and muttered, "Lucky, lucky bastard. Life is too good to you. And Wufei calls me a baka."

After several minutes and several people clearing their throats and trying vainly to get the attention of the kissing couple, Rei finally let go of a dazed Heero, a smug smirk on her face. They were both breathing hard and Heero's eyes were dilated with the passion that had sprung up like a wildfire at their first contact. He finally shook himself and focused on her form.

"What about your dimension? What if you have to return now when your other friends finally come down? Will you deny your leader," he asked huskily, his voice still heavy with sensuality.

"That is something that doesn't have to be considered. We are going nowhere," stated the firm tones of Setsuna, Sailor Pluto.

####***

A/N: It's done! All 27 pages of it! This chapter is done! I am now going to dunk my head in a barrel of Code Red Mountain Dew and hope that Rei and Heero will finally leave me alone and stop shooting me death glares. I never thought I'd write a chapter this long. Well, just to make you feel better, I already have started on chapter 13. I just hope the lazy bug doesn't bite me again. (Rei, Heero, Duo, Ami, Minako, and Quatre stand ringed around authoress, all of them holding giant fly swatters and looking really grim, even Quatre. "What," they all shout. "We're finally getting somewhere and our love lives are beginning to look up!") Sigh! 'Til next time!

P.S. If anyone wants me to notify him or her when a new chapter comes out, please leave your e-mail address in your review or e-mail me at Purrasha@aol.com.

Next: What's changed Setsuna's mind? What will Heero's response be to Rei's challenge? And now that Minako knows that Rei isn't interested in Quatre, will she make her move?