Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, and I stand to gain nothing financially from writing this.

Authors note: Hehe, I'm glad that you enjoyed this Jason, and don't worry, all will be explained! I'm actually not bothered that I didn't get many reviews as I wrote this for you, so if people wanna read it, they can, if they don't, well, then it's their loss!

Wait and See.

By Bubblegum Thai.

Chapter Two; Freedom comes to those who fight for that right.

As her eyes opened a crack, her senses were flooded with a bright white light. Turning in the large arm chair, her joints and muscles aching as she did so, the burning sensation on her tanned skin shifted to her back as she buried her face into the soft back of the furniture,

"Good morning." A soft voice and a gentle hand a top of her head broke her out of her shy spell, "You're turning into Duo more and more as time goes on, hiding from the sunlight! Just don't go back into that wearing black stage you were in when we first met, alright?"

"What time is it?" She croaked, rubbing her eyes,

"10am." He chuckled, holding out a hand, two white tablets balancing perfectly in his palm. She took them and stuffed them into her mouth before grabbing the glass of water out of his other hand and downing the lot,

"Thanks." She mumbled, rubbing her eyes again, "What day is it?"

"Saturday."

"Hmmmm . . . Saturday . . ." She peered up at him through messy Auburn bangs, a sly smirk creeping onto her lips, "No work and nothing to do on a Saturday . . ."

"Areia, are you still drunk?" Trowa asked, raising an eyebrow,

"So what if I am?" She continued slyly,

"Oh boy!" He stood, "C'mon, I promised Quatre that we'd be at that little presentation he's giving, come on! Get dressed!" He scolded,

"Help!" She whimpered, trying to clamber out of the overly-soft chair, discovering herself to be trapped,

"Oh jeez . . ." He rolled his eyes, "Exactly how much did Duo let you drink last night?"

"Only one . . ."

"Now, I find that hard to believe!"

"No, seriously! I only had one glass! They kept topping it up!"

Trowa snorted, helping her stand up and nudging her in the direction of the stairs,

"Make sure you look good, alright?"

"Why?"

"Because this is important to him!"

"Why do I get the feeling that there is an ulterior motive to that . . . and it's probably got something to do with Wufei . . ."

Ever since Trowa had found his voice, as it were, he and Wufei had been in regular competition, battling over ridiculous things such as most polished shoes at a wedding and how many oysters one could stand before vomiting was inevitable. Areia and Sally both found it highly annoying, especially when they were footed the bill as both men made a mad dash for the nearest bathroom.

Standing, once again in the bedroom, Areia sighed. Her desk was littered with random objects. A pen. A notebook. A name badge. A gun (Trowa's, obviously). A bottle of perfume (not Trowa's, obviously). Everything seemed so set out, it all seemed fake. His and hers. Everything was . . . boring . . .

"Do you remember when we first started dating?" She asked as she heard him enter the room,

"Remember? Of course I do . . . but, we're going to be late! Hurry up! Please!" Trowa huffed as he slumped on the bed,

"I was just thinking . . . do you think that we're getting boring . . . like a married couple . . . an OLD married couple . . ."

". . ."

"Trowa!"

"Yes?"

"Never mind . . ."

* * *

"So . . . I guess that . . ." He stumbled over the words, ". . . that this is goodbye?" Duo sighed, lowering his eyes to the ground,

"It doesn't have to be, I mean, you know where you can find me, alright?" She chuckled, catching a tear with her index finger and flicking it away, "You'll be on L2 and I'll be on Earth . . . I mean, Ill come find you, alright? I promise . . . once I find my family, I'll come find you . . ." She smirked and leant forwards, kissing his cheek, "Take care, Duo Maxwell . . ."

She turned and walked away, putting an umbrella up as she left the space port, hailing a cab, a whiz of bright yellow and she was gone.

* * *

"But I never did go back . . . not for a long time . . ."

"What did you say?" Trowa asked, walking up behind Areia as she stood in the kitchen, where she'd been smoothing her dress idly for several minutes now,

"Huh? Oh . . . nothing . . . just talking to myself really . . ."

"Oh, you feeling alright?"

"Huh? Oh . . . yeah . . . I am, just, Nostalgic."

"Hm." He replied, eyes narrowing in confusion slightly before continuing to the front door, "Your car or mine?"

"Yours." She called, glancing at her keys on the counter, "My stereo is busted."

"Fair enough."

Sitting in the car, waiting at the red light, the pair sat in silence, Trowa's hands loosely on the steering wheel as he hummed along to the radio as Areia stared out of the passenger window, which was misting up every 20 seconds,

"I wonder why it's been raining so much recently . . ." She murmured,

"I guess because it's that time of year. Besides, I thought you liked the rain."

"Duo likes the rain." She added.

Trowa raised an eyebrow,

"That doesn't surprise me one bit."

"Why not?" Areia turned to look at him slightly, "He just never saw water much as a child."

"I don't really know, it's just that you'd expect that from someone like Duo."

"Is he going to be there today?"

"I think so, why?"

"No reason, I was just wondering if he would be."

"You only saw him last night."

"I know, but . . ." She trailed off, "I guess I still miss him, he's hardly ever around!"

"Heh." Trowa smirked, "The pair of you are very strange, you know that, right?"

"Tro, I don't think that you like Duo that much." Areia stated calmly, leaning back in the seat and facing out of the windshield,

"Why do you think that?"

"I dunno, you just always seem cold towards him." She sighed, "I wish you'd try and like him more . . . he is my best friend, after all."

"Hmmmm." Trowa mused as they turned right, pulling into a car park of a elegant meeting hall, "Fine. I'll do my best. For you." He sighed, stepping out and putting an umbrella up. Areia did the same and the couple walked in together,

"Hey Barton!" Wufei called as soon as they stepped in, "I do believe that I've won this one!" He chuckled, placing an arm around Sally's waist,

"That's all a matter of opinion!" Trowa answered, humour in his voice as his arm went around Areia's shoulders,

"Areia! It's been a long time! Where have you been?" Sally giggled, offering Areia a glass of wine,

"No thank you. Where have I been? Studying, of course! Doctors don't just guess what they're doing, y'know!"

Both women sauntered off together in search for Relena,

"I still think that I've won, Barton." Wufei muttered as he handed Trowa a glass of red wine,

"Like I said, all in your tastes."

"Well . . ." Wufei trailed off, biting his tongue,

"What?" Trowa asked the hesitant Wufei,

"I was just thinking, perhaps you should keep her away from Duo."

"Oh and why's that?"

"Well, a little birdie told me that they've been getting a little close while you've been gone . . ."

Wufei smirked and wondered off somewhere unknown. Trowa rolled his eyes, he was NOT going to become the paranoid boyfriend . . . he was not,

"Perhaps I should go check . . ." He thought, casually moving through the business officials.

Standing on the left of the meeting hall was Areia, Relena, Hilde, Sally and Duo,

"Y'know, I'm the minority here . . . I'm gonna go find Heero or someone." Duo said, trying desperately to slip away,

"Heero's not here, I've already looked." Relena sighed sadly,

"Now, there's a surprise!"

"C'mon Duo, let's go find Trowa, alright?" Areia cut in before a full-on war broke out between her braided friend and the obsessive blonde, "Goodbye ladies!" She called as she took Duo's offered arm and disappeared into the crowd,

"A hundred bucks says that Areia leaves Trowa for him!" Sally snickered,

"You're on!" Hilde chuckled, "I know Duo, he's not like that, and he'd never make Areia leave Trowa!"

"Well, I personally think that she'll sleep with him and go back to that uni-banged boy." Relena said snobbishly,

"Trowa."

"Bless you." She murmured, wondering off also,

"Oh dear . . ." Hilde rolled her eyes,

"Hey Trowa!" Duo cried, walking towards the bar where Trowa sat with Quatre,

"Duo . . . have you seen Areia?" Trowa asked as the other former pilot was still making his way towards him.

It was only then that he noticed that she was hanging onto his arm. He paled,

"I'm right here, silly." She giggled, detaching herself from Duo and walking to him, slipping her arms around him loosely, kissing the tip of his nose slightly,

"Oh, alright."

"What is that you wanted?"

"I just wondered where you disappeared off to."

"Yes, well, sadly, I got concerned along with Duo here by the others."

"The others?" Quatre questioned,

"Yes, Relena, Hilde and Sally."

"Oh. You haven't seen Catherine at all?" Trowa asked half heartedly,

"Not yet." She turned in his arms and grinned at Duo, who didn't really know where to look and found his shoes awfully interesting,

"Duo . . .?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you ok?"

"Fine."

"Are you lying?"

"Yes."

Areia was taken aback,

"Ok, what's wrong?"

"I can't say."

"Why not?"

"If I do, I'll end up with several broken ribs . . . so, if you'll excuse me . . ." He turned and fled rather quickly,

"Oh dear . . ." Quatre hopped down from his bar stool and followed him,

"What was all THAT about?" Areia asked, slightly befuddled.

Trowa shrugged and tightened his grip on her,

"Love you." He whispered,

"Love you too . . ." She replied, seemingly distracted.

Outside, Duo sat a top a wall, Quatre leaning over it beside him,

"Are you going to tell me so we can go inside, or what?" Quatre sighed,

"If I tell you, do you promise to stay quiet, not tell anyone? Especially Trowa?"

"I promise."

Duo took a deep breath,

"I think . . . I know . . . I love Areia . . ."

Quatre exhaled heavily,

"Oh . . ."

- - - To be continued . . .

Ok . . . slow chapter . . . I know . . .