Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NOW GO AWAY YOU MEAN LAWYERS!

Children of War

By,

Luna Dragon

Author's Note: *sighs* Gomen nasi that this chapter is late, but I've been really busy trying to update the five fan fiction stories that I own. Who ever knew that having such a small amount of stories was so hard working? Oh, right, this chapter is R rated near the end, so if you're not aloud to read R stuff, then skip these things: ~*^*^*~[R] or else you're gonna read something naughty. (No NOT a lemon you perverts! ^_^;;) But you will read some pretty emotional/mental thoughts and a cut-off-just-before-lemony thing. Don't say I didn't warn you!

~*^*^*~

Long, dark hair waved slightly, though no wind was felt. Incense smoke traveled throughout the air and filled the room. A small fireplace was erupting with an intense red flame that ate at the wood it was over. "Fire, bringer of life, destroyer of life, tell me what you see. Help me fight these demons, help me relive this dark-filled fantasy. . ."

~Rei's Vision~ (Author's Note: Pay attention to this, very important in the final chapters!)

Swirls of color appeared just before her eyesight finally focused, and Rei was surprised at what her mind saw. She was having a vision, another premonition of a possible future. She knew now, she wasn't there, just her spirit.

She saw the girl panting, her head bowed, dark black bangs covering her face. Her body shook with each ragged breath that escaped her lips, sending painful vibrations throughout her injuries. Her fingers hovered over what looked like a control panel, and when she looked up, her eyes had a strange glow to them. "I . . . can . . . help," she rasped out, her throat swore, "even if I . . . have to . . . use this . . . method. The Zero . . . system can . . . help me save . . . Odin . . ."

"Hotaru, you can't handle it!" The Dream Rei shouted over an intercom, her worried face appearing over the dark insides of where Hotaru sat, safety straps keeping her from falling and hitting her face on the panel. She was too weak to handle the Zero System in her condition, and the Dream Rei could do nothing to stop her training.

Suddenly, a vortex of grays and blacks and blues enveloped Rei and when her eyesight focused once again, she was in space. Immediately she sucked in a breath, thinking she would die without being able to breathe. But she had no need, as she noticed she could breathe just fine. With a sigh, she looked around, seeing the millions of stars and the colonies around her.

"It all comes down to the final battle." A voice whispered across her mind, and she blinked, about to ask who was there but stopped short. Who would be able to answer a being they could not see, and who would be able to hear her in space?

An explosion of light caught her eyes and she turned around to see a Gundam. But it wasn't any of the one's she had seen before. Before she could get a good look at it, the Gundam exploded in a mass of fire and metal, sending whatever remains toward the Earth and into the far clutches of space.

An emptiness filled Rei's heart as one name suddenly came to mind. "Duo . . ."

~End of Vision~

Rei was forced back to reality as the vision abruptly ended. She stared around with wide eyes at the fire that was going out. She was panting, sweat rolling down her face. The fire flickered, the incense burned into a pile of ashes and dust. Dark as it was now, the vision's blackness remained in her head, each word spoken was etched in her mind, each person she saw was clear in her eyes.

A small, barely audible whimper escaped her dry parted lips. She could remember the intense heat of the explosion, felt as a scorching wind of fire and radiation flew past her, and she remembered the name she had whispered, the name that would have to be sacrificed.

'Duo . . . .' Her mind again whispered slowly, knowing his end would come.

Or would it? Since she was a child she had been taught the ways of the Chinese. Their martial arts, their religion, beliefs, ways of life, and of course, how they meditated. In the old scrolls her grandfather used to read, she remembered stories of great prophets that saw the future; how they had roamed all of China before the place was exiled to space and reborn as a colony. She had thought those as fairy tales, fables, especially since her grandfather had told her they were her ancestors. Now, however, she wasn't too sure how make believe those prophets were.

'There's still a possibility of this vision, I should say, that it could be fake, or have a hidden meaning.' She thought hopefully, standing and letting her red kimono fall to her feet.

Carefully, hands trembling, she placed away her incense holders, putting out the fire and walking to her bathroom. Exactly an hour later, she walked back to where the Gundams were held. Five giant machines loomed down at her as workers busily finished up rebuilding them. It would be soon now.

Stopping in front of Deathscythe for mere seconds, she let her gaze fall on it's giant wings, black paint, and evil looking Gundanium body. Eyes narrowed almost angrily, she climbed up the stairs that let the workers reach the torso and upper body of the machines, and walked swiftly. Only did she stop was when she was mere feet from the ceiling. Glancing down at the workers, she skillfully climbed up a hidden ladder, that led to a small compartment, which led to the outside roof of their secret hiding grounds.

Unknown to the solitary seeking priestess, a pair of narrowed black as coal eyes watched her every movements, before following her completely out the way she came.

~*^*^*~

Rei sat on the roof of the giant wooden looking building, watching as the afternoon sky began to dim, slowly, but surely. A small creaking sound reached her ears, and through the back of her eyes, she saw him walking up toward her, arms crossed.

"Well, if it isn't Karate Kid. What are you up to now Wufei?"

The young man stepped back off the tilted ceiling and onto a metal gutter that supported his wait, looking upward. In the dimming light of the fading sun he could see a dark figure crouched up on the roof. "What the hell do you think you're doing up there?" He asked.

Rei's reply was calm. "Nothing much. Care to join me?"

"I have better things to do with my time," Wufei informed her with arms crossed.

"Like what?" Rei asked the question in such a manner that indicated she knew she wasn't going to get a good answer.

Wufei just stood there and looked indignant, keeping to himself the fact that the only reason he was there was because he had nothing better to do. This time, Wufei did not have a good reason for following Rei and he knew it.

"Get up here," The priest invited again. "There's all these holes in the polluted wood-like crap stacked up near you so you could climb up. Unless you're afraid that you're going to fall off!"

Wufei narrowed his eyes as she continued to grin. A moment's pause and then Wufei turned on his heels and headed back the way he came. Minutes later he was up on the roof and approaching the place where Rei was sitting with legs crossed watching the early evening sky. Wufei silently took a seat beside her in the same fashion.

"Think anyone of us stands a chance?" The priest asked softly.

Wufei raised an eyebrow before grunting in reply. "Depends on what you mean. We might win without cost, we might win with it. We might even loose. It all counts on our fighting, not what we think." There was a moment of silence before Wufei spoke again. There was a more commanding tone to his voice this time. "You know something that you're not telling anyone," he stated.

Rei scrunched her brows and gave him an odd look. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"There's no use hiding. I can see it in your eyes. They've become hard. They know things they didn't know before you dragged me here, and don't feed me insolent lies about this being your first time seeing a Gundam."

Rei quickly looked away. She had not expected that kind of accusation so soon. The teenager was proving to be more astute than she had given him credit for. Beginning to get impatient at her silence, Wufei growled. "So tell me then, am I wrong? Look me in the face and tell me that I am wrong and I will ask no more."

Rei hung her head. "No, you are not wrong."

Wufei smirked in triumph. "So tell me then, what is bothering you so I can get on with my life?"

Rei lifted her gaze and leveled it on him. Raising an eyebrow at his last comment, she decided to ignore it and reply evenly. "I can't."

"Why not?" he demanded, folding his arms in annoyance.

"Trust me Wufei, you don't want to get involved. You're better off just leaving it alone. Besides," Rei added with a crafty smile, "I would think you would have had enough after I wiped the floor with you earlier."

Wufei returned the smile with a crooked smirk of his own. He realized she was attempting to change the subject but he allowed himself to take the bait. "Your memory fails you woman. It was I who proved that you were weaker."

"Whatever! I swung you and that cheap sword around like a red-headed step child!"

"As I recall, you were the first to fall under my superior abilities."

"Only because you almost slashed me across the face!"

"Well you deserved it!"

"Yeah, well you started pulling out all the odds only because you knew you were loosing!"

"What? Absurd! There is no justice I say!"

"And you're a big cheater, too!"

"Woman, you are challenging my integrity!"

"No way! I'm just calling you a cowardly lair!"

"Injustice! I will teach you how to hold your tongue!"

"Oh yeah! Want to make a bet on that Forehead Boy?"

~*^*^*~

The exchange of insults became indistinguishable as both parties started yelling at each other at the same time. And though Haruka wasn't too thrilled about having to listen to their childish squabbles at the moment, she was glad at this argument didn't seem like it was going to develop into physical combat.

"What are you smiling about?" She asked Michiru with a raised eyebrow. The aqua-haired woman was looking at the roof, smiling slightly from her place on a chair in front of Haruka.

"Oh nothing," she said with a small laugh, "I was just wondering how long it will take those two to share how they feel."

"What's that supposed to mean? They're lucky I'm not up there to stop their annoying shouting." Haruka mumbled.

"They're both stubborn, and have a lot of pride. But I believe they really like each other under that tough exterior. But who knows? It's just a small hypothesis."

Haruka grumbled. "I'd not rather listen to their annoying comments. Even if they are just playing around, its aggravating."

"Playing around?" Michiru laughed lightly. "And how do you know this?"

"Rei doesn't have the anger in her voice she gets when she's pissed off, and Wufei doesn't have that 'I'm a man, hear me roar' sound in his voice. Hence, fooling around. Damn it there's too much love around here."

At the remark, Michiru's smile only grew larger. "You have no idea, my love. You have no idea."

~*^*^*~

She needed to choose, one way or another. At this point her next decision, her next move, would decide everything. Whether she lost or won, whether if they died or if they survived. Their fates were in her hands, and she couldn't take this lightly. Her brow scrunched in thought, she saw it. An opening in her opponent's seemingly flawless plan. Taking the chance, she went in for the kill, for her victory and his loss.

"Check mate," Ami said happily, taking her queen and defeating Quatre's king. They had been playing chess for the last two hours, and were yet to grow tired of it. In total, Ami was beating the blonde Arabian at twenty five to three.

Quatre frowned, contemplating how he could have lost. "This is the twenty fifth time you've beaten me," he sighed, "and I still don't know how you did it."

"I've always loved chess, and I guess I'm a natural. It did help a lot to practice though," Ami said, blushing lightly.

Quatre grinned. "And they say I'm helpful when it comes to making strategies."

At this, Ami's blush grew but she looked down at the game board grimly. "It's only a chess game Quatre. Unlike you, I did not have a chance to fight in the war. . ."

Her words trailed off as Quatre lowered his head close to hers. "They can be similar, in some ways." He said softly.

Quatre stroked her jaw line lightly with his fingers and he lifted her chin up so he could see her face. With blue eyes staring into blue eyes, Quatre brought himself nearer to Ami's awaiting face, going slowly, cautiously. He wanted to make sure she wanted this, that she wouldn't back away. However, if she did, he wouldn't force her, this was her decision, not his.

Both teens could feel the temperature begin to warm up between them. Ami loved the way his feather light touch felt against her skin, and she wondered if her heartbeat was echoing around the room. Quatre brushed his lips onto Ami's, and she could feel his warm breath on her lips, silently asking permission. And in all truth, not a cell in her body wanted him to stop.

Finally, their lips met, softly at first, both wanting to make sure the other would reciprocate. She leaned closer, deepening the union, and giving him the answer he had wanted, but knocking one of Quatre's knights off of the table. She grimaced slightly, hoping its shatter wouldn't ruin the moment.

Yet the chess piece never fell. Instead, the blonde-Arabian extended his free hand, catching the black night in his awaiting palm. Ami smiled to his lips, her hands climbing slowly up his arms, and came to a rest around his neck. Quatre could feel her fingers intertwining through his hair, and he knew that he never wanted to leave her side; war or no war.

Their kiss lasted long, soft and gentle turning into hard and intimate. None of the two were aware how much time had gone by, but the need for oxygen was intensifying.

Then they broke apart, the necessity for breath too strong. Ami felt a sudden surge of embarrassment as a red tint appeared over her nose. She had no clue what to expect afterwards; her time as an illegal operative, working as a scientist on the Gundams, and a double agent left her no time for relationships.

Quatre smiled slightly at Ami's flushed expression. It made him forget where he was or who was around him when her beauty was near its peak; and he didn't regret the kiss, even if the war had a chance of breaking them apart. Silently he promised Allah he wouldn't let anything happen to the blue haired and eyed goddess like woman in front of him. Not as long as he live.

Ami looked up, feeling his stare. She was slightly surprised to see him smiling at her with his kind blue eyes, which flashed momentarily with seriousness, before being tinted again with a slight happiness that wasn't there before. Her blush deepened to a dark red when she realized she was a part of that joy, but despite it, she smiled back at the blonde.

Though the two would face challenging battles soon, they knew they weren't alone anymore. They didn't have to be; now, they had one another.

~*^*^*~

Kaiya stood with her arms crossed across her chest, leaning against the wall. No emotion could be read on her face, but if you looked closely enough into her eyes, you would be able to tell she was angry, yet sad all and the same. She glared slightly at the closed door which had grievingly beautiful music escaping through the walls, as if wanting to leave such sadness. The notes of anguish danced around her ears, mocking, yet healing her simultaneously. 'What is it that Trowa does to me?' She asked herself silently.

A debating argument was being contemplated throughout the teal-eyed girl's head, considering whether she should go inside what was partially her room, or stay out here, away from her counterpart's piercing gaze. 'Maybe he could teach me how to play the flute?' She thought suddenly. 'Seems like a stress reliever.'

Working around her shyness, embarrassment, and strange feelings she had around the mysterious teen, Kaiya took a deep breath and placed her hand firmly on the doorknob. Slowly, silently, she opened the door, trying not to disrupt the peacefully sad melody, and walked in shutting the door quietly. Taking a place with her back propped against the wall, she watched as Trowa played.

His fingers covered and lifted from holes on a silver instrument, producing the music which drew Kaiya here. His eyes were closed as he poured his heart into the song, concentrating and inventing the piece of music line by line as he went along. He stood taller than ever, lips parted slightly on the mouth piece as he swayed just barely noticeable to the tune.

Finally, yet unfortunately, the song ended, his lips and fingers disconnecting from the silver flute. His teal eyes opened, and they showed no hint of surprise at the now shy teen in front of him. His face expressionless, he waited for Kaiya to be the first to speak.

With a small inward sigh, Kaiya Moretsu knew that Trowa would not speak yet. It was his way, as it was sometimes in Kaiya's. "Hello Trowa," she greeted sheepishly. He acknowledged her with a small nod. "I . . . I was wondering if you could teach me how to play a flute. I've never heard someone play the way you did, just now, and maybe it'll help me." She whispered, head staring at her shoes. "If you mind, I can understand."

'Jeez, this was the longest sentence I've said in a while. What does this guy do to a person? Maybe its just me . . .' Kaiya realized with a small smile, looking up from her feet.

When she looked back up, Trowa was holding his flute to his side, a small hint of amusement tinted in his eyes. "I don't mind," He said, holding his flute to her. "Try it."

Kaiya smiled sheepishly. 'Wonder if I should tell him I don't even know the basics?'

Deciding against it, she took the flute, placing the mouth piece to her lips. With a blow, she winced as a loud screeching sound escaped the instrument that had made such beautiful music earlier. "Blow softly and you wont get the same effect," her new sensei instructed.

She nodded, blowing softer this time. The flute shrieked, yet not as loud as before. Continuing to puff smaller amount and less pressured air into the flute, she soon found it making soft whistles, like whispering wind. A smile plagued her face as she looked toward Trowa, who nodded an approval. But hey, it was good enough for her!

"Move your fingers along the holes to create different sounds, and combine them to create a song."

Dumbly, Kaiya nodded, trying each hole, then twice at a time. Despite her efforts, the music came out disoriented. Each time she tried to make a song, fingers would fumble and overlap, creating a less than pleasant sound effect. With her whole mind put into concentration, she didn't notice that Trowa was behind her until strong arms wrapped around her, gently resting a pair of hands on hers. Immediately she tensed, looking up at Trowa in surprise, a blush on her face and her mouth suddenly dry.

'Conclusion complete. This is not normal.' She confirmed, taking a gulp.

"Put the mouth piece to your lips and blow softly, then move your fingers like this," Trowa explained, his warm breath near Kaiya's ear, making chills run up and down her spin, and making her hairs on her neck stand on end, though pleasantly so. The teal-eyed circus performer moved his fingers along the flute as Kaiya blew, a soft melody erupting soothingly from the musical instrument.

Kaiya listened, her eyes opened as she watched the way Trowa's fingers directed hers where to go by gently guiding them with his own. Carefully, Trowa's hands left Kaiya's, but his arms still lingered around her, awaiting to assist hers if she needed it.

Playing whatever her heart desired, the former illegal operative found herself lost in a sea of music, music that she was creating. It wasn't anywhere near Trowa's potential, or even great, but Kaiya continued to play, barely noticing Trowa's warm breath against her skin, the way her fingers fumbled just slightly, or the high pitched squeals the flute made every three or so seconds. 'So it's not great, but I'm playing a little, aren't I?' She asked herself, grinning inwardly.

She stopped slowly, the song ending in a whispered note. The flute left her lips as she turned, Trowa's arms dropping to his sides. A grin was on her face and a small smile dared to creep its way on Trowa's. "Not to bad, was I?"

"With more practice, you'll improve a lot." He said simply, nodding his head.

Kaiya found herself being drawn to the deep dark teal pools of Trowa's eyes. Cocking her head slightly to the side, she decided to take a chance and ask the question that had run through her mind for a while now. "The time before we were captured by Kaori Night," Kaiya said softly, "did you mean the kiss? Or were you just going along with it so it would be more convincing? Because . . . I meant it more than I realized before, and I just wanted to know . . . ."

Trowa stood in front of Kaiya, who still held the flute in her left hand that was at her side. Did he mean it? He wasn't sure. True that Kaiya had started it just so they wouldn't get caught, though they did anyway. He did, in fact, like the feeling she gave off. Mysterious took up most of it, but she was still shy, innocent, embarrassed. He did, also, not want to let her go. A part of him liked Kaiya, even possibly loved her, and the feeling was foreign. Was he going to follow it and take the chance of losing a loved one over again?

Silently, he decided. Yes. Yes, he meant it. A small genuine smile appeared on his face as he leaned his face down near Kaiya's. Teal and teal eyes locked, and no words were exchanged, as none were needed.

The Heavyarms's pilot placed his mouth to Kaiya's, slowly at first, giving her a chance to pull away. Her answer was simple; wrapping her arms around Trowa's neck, she deepened the kiss as his arms tightly wrapped around her waist, pulling her closely. His tongue rubbed her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth slightly, tongues beginning to dance.

When they did pull apart, both weren't surprised to find the other short of breath. "Did that answer your question?"

Kaiya smiled at his rhetorical question, but answered it humorously. "I'm not sure, you'll have to answer it again until I fully understand."

Trowa's smile didn't leave his face as he once more placed his lips to hers. Yes, he meant it completely.

~*^*^*~[R]

Staring up at the white ceiling above her, with only one lamp on in the room, Akiko's face was completely expressionless as a lone tear escaped her eye. Why did things have to be the way they were? She hated being dragged into this war. She hated that her friends were a part of it as well. Why? Was fate so cruel as to let someone, anyone, suffer like this?

Now she knew her real past. She remembered her parents; a loving mother and a loving father. Both deceased. Her family had meant everything in the world to her when she was younger. She could now remember the smile her mother had always given her; filled with love and fondness. Her father had been the same, though his smile had long ago died when he went off to fight the war. But she remembered when it was safe, when she could walk home from school and run to her parents arms and feel so secure. Why did things have to change so much?

She remembered Kaiya's family; her mother and father that treated Kaiya with love and respect. She still had had her two parents back then, before Professor Tomoe destroyed everything.

Face still expressionless, eyes filled with pain, she took the disk containing all the information on her and Kaiya out from the computer that was on the side of her bed and fought the urge to try to crush it with her bare hands. "Will the pain ever end?" She asked herself softly, looking around the room as if expecting an answer. Nothing but quietness answered her plea.

Akiko sighed, remembering the minor intimacy she and Duo had shared. Now she was wishing she could turn back time and stop herself from doing something so foolish.

What was she thinking?

Clenching her fists, she closed her eyes tightly. How could she have been so stupid as to kiss him? Why now? Why right before a war that ultimately held a choice whether or not you lived or died, loved or lost? Death had constantly followed her, and she knew Duo believed something similar about himself. Why else would his trademark be the Shinigami?

She couldn't sit still, despite her injuries. Thanks to a shot Michiru and Ami had forced her to take, Akiko's skin was already mostly healed, the stitches were no longer necessary, but she did wear a small bandage.

Rising from her bed and choosing to pace around the room, she began undoing her hair from the ponytail it had been in to keep it way from her face when she searched the disk. She had wanted no distractions. She didn't want to miss anything, instead know everything.

Again her mind wandered back to Duo involuntarily. "Why did I let him kiss me?" She asked, turning to look in a mirror that was provided. Her appearance surprised herself, she didn't know how long she had been in her room with her sadistic thoughts and endless tears, but by the looks of it, hours. Dry tear streaks saturated her cheeks, as did new falling tears she hadn't even felt. Her hair was out of its ponytail, and it cascaded down her neck like a waterfall of blackness. She was wearing nothing but a long gray shirt that reached her knees, the collar so big it dropped to her shoulder and showed the dark bra underneath. Bruises were scattered into some places, as were old and new scars. How could Duo find her attractive like he had said?

She was nothing but a teenager that was living nothing but a lie. She joked, she laughed, she was sane, she was insane at times. But with each laugh, with each smile, with each joke, every time she added to her facade of mischievousness and contentedness, her heart broke off a small piece and shattered. But still, Duo had liked her when no one else did. And to top that off, he had liked the real her more than the happy-go-lucky one.

More tears ran down her face as she placed her hand on the mirror, then her arm, until she was leaning onto it fully, one brown eye staring at its doppelganger in the reflecting mirror. She wondered if people could see straight through her as Duo had. Could they see the hurt in her eyes all the time? Could they see through her lies? Could they hear as her heart quickened each time some one was close to finding out her true feelings? Could they see all the love she felt for Duo?

Mentally she kicked herself. She had been trying to avoid going back to that. But she couldn't just forget about him. 'How can nothing but a simple kiss with someone you love mean so much to a person?'

There was a knock on her door and Akiko looked at her alarm clock briefly. It was six thirty in the afternoon. It wasn't time for the meeting that Michiru and Haruka had told her about, so who would disturb her now? "Akiko at your service, just open the door and say what you want." She said, not bothering to wipe away the tears. She did, however, manage to put humor into her voice and a smile on her face.

She could feel the piece of her heart break off and shatter into nothing but blood vessels and burn into oblivion.

Slowly the door opened then closed, and Duo walked in, throwing his large bag on the floor. "I think it's time to pay a visit and see Heero for a little bit. Maybe I can get him to help me do a little bit of repair work on my Gundam since his is done? Provided he doesn't steal any of my parts again. . ." He muttered absentmindedly, but stopped as he saw Akiko. "Kiko?"

The brown haired girl said nothing for a while, looking at Duo's concerned face in the mirror. She memorized every detail. The way his eyes clouded when he rid himself of his protective mask. The way his yard long braid seemed to sway even at the slightest movement. When he smiled, when he laughed, when he was serious and his brows scrunched in worry. The way his cobalt blue eyes looked at her, the way he came up with a nickname. She looked at him, as if it were the final time she would see him.

And maybe it would be. They were fighting a war now. Who knew what sick plans Professor Tomoe had for them? She for one, didn't know. Brown eyes stared into cobalt blue ones after Akiko turned around, the silent tears gone, all that was left were the dry streaks not yet soaked up by her skin. His dark eyes had banished their fake charade and held nothing but unadulterated concern. Slowly, she broke her eyes away, looking down to the floor, willing the tears away.

Why did he have to like her, and possibly even love her? She couldn't bare hurting him for any reason. "Duo. . . ." Her voice trailed off, unsure of what she could say. What was the use of lying now?

He said nothing, only stood there watching her. And although she didn't dare look at him again for fear of being entranced, every other sense was focused on him. She could hear the ever-so-faint whisper of his breath, detect the barest wisp of his scent. She could feel his nearness, and his eyes on her. It paralyzed her, the knowledge that he was here, alone with her. It seemed that the time for waiting had ended.

"Kiko, what's wrong?" Duo's voice broke her from her thoughts and she could see as he came closer. Shaking her head, she took steps back, back pressing against the mirror.

He stopped when he noticed Akiko's retreating gesture. "I . . . I don't want to loose anyone else. No one else. . ." She stammered, a tear rolling down her cheek again. Angrily she wiped it off. "I don't want to loose you especially, Duo."

The Deathscythe pilot walked forward again, this time placing a hand on Akiko's cheek, wiping off the dry tears. "It's all right to cry, you know." He said.

Akiko stared up at Duo with anguish filled eyes that made his heart twist, his stomach churn. "No, it's not all right! I don't want to cry. I don't want to."

Another tear slid down her cheek, and she angrily wiped it away once more. Duo reached out and gently caught hold of Akiko's wrist. She dropped her gaze, but Duo grabbed her chin and gently forced her to meet his gaze. Akiko, the child who had lost so much and had not a chance to mourn and grieve, didn't fight it any longer. She let the tears fall, not caring anymore. Her shoulders shook with each powerful, heart wrenching sob.

Duo stared down at Akiko, pain once more filling his heart. He wrapped his arms lovingly around Akiko and held the teenage girl tightly.

Together they stayed like that until Akiko had no more tears and her sobs had turned into soft whimpers, all the while Duo embracing her with all his love, stroking her arms, her back, her hair. He hated all the feelings she was going through, but he couldn't help but love the sensation that Akiko gave him when they were this close.

Akiko was quiet when Duo once again lifted her chin to see her face. With his hands caressing her cheeks, he wiped the tears away. Lost in a battle of inner turmoil, Akiko leaned onto his hands, eyes slightly closed, breathing content. Half of her mind knew where this was going to lead to, and was pleading for Akiko to stop, but she couldn't. It just felt, right. And she wasn't going to walk away from something she believed in. She trusted Duo, trusted him with her life.

She felt Duo kiss her forehead, her eyes, her tears, before finally full and hard on the mouth. Their tongues danced and he wrapped his arms around Akiko's waist, pulling her close as if it would make the pain go away, as if he never wanted her to leave him. Akiko fell into the kiss, pressing her soft frame against Duo's, fully aware of just the shirt and bra she was wearing.

Fingers feather light and soft, Duo ran his hands wherever he could.

Hands leaving the comfort of his neck, Akiko began to untie the yard long braid, letting her fingers practically flow through his silk like hair when it came undone.

Leaving Akiko's lips full and pink, Duo trailed kisses down her cheek, and before they realized it, Akiko's legs hit the bed and she found herself pulling Duo down with her, sharing another passionate kiss, tongues meeting once more . . .

~*^*^*~[End of R]

Michiru looked at the clock that was hanging in the meeting room, ticking away each second. It was just eight forty-five; fifteen minutes before the meeting would start. She looked over at Haruka who was staring at a car catalog, though visibly tense. She could understand what was at stake, they both could.

"Do you think the Gundams are enough to stop all this?" Michiru asked softly, the clock ticking another minute.

"I believe in them, but personally I think they could use help. During war number one: they had help from various sources, and during that Mariemaia incident, they had much more help. What makes you think they can survive this? Hell, if it wasn't for Hotaru, those five would probably be dead." Haruka mumbled, closing her catalog. She shrugged. "But they're gonna get help, again, whether they want it or not. We can't just leave those other five Gundam's in space now can we?"

Michiru shook her head slightly. "No five men van do this alone. They're teenagers, not even twenty yet. Of course they need help."

"I know, but I'm trying to prove a point. These dumb asses think they're superior, but they don't have any idea of how bad these two crazy shit head scientists can be. You've seen Tanaka, remember? He's not human."

The aqua haired woman nodded, looking at the clock. It ticked five minutes till nine. There was a knock on the door and Ami was there. Along with Quatre. Following them were Wufei, Rei, Trowa, Kaiya, Heero, and Hotaru. Pressing a button, Haruka let the sealed door open, and the group of eight inside.

Before the door closed, there were various shouts and Duo slid to the door followed by Akiko. "Uh, sorry we're late?" She said sheepishly. "We would've been on time if Duo didn't want to finish the rest of his Meat Omelet Surprised."

Wufei raised an eyebrow, as did everyone else. "Meat Omelet Surprise, Duo?" Quatre asked, blinking with a confused expression.

"Yep! Eggs, cheese, onions, meat, ham, turkey, peanut butter, chocolate, meat balls, mustard, ketchup, and peppers. There's still some left over if anyone wants some!" Duo answered happily, a giant grin on his face. (Author's Note: I actually tried this as a dare before! But it had Twinkies, pickles, and raisons in it too. U.U It wasn't a very pleasant taste.)

There were various answers, though all of them relating to one: no. Plain and simple. "Lets just get this meeting over with." Haruka muttered, shaking her head sadly while motioning everyone to take a seat.

Surprisingly, each roommate and respective (some more respected than others) counterpart sat together. Throwing a quick glance at the smirking Michiru, Haruka sighed. 'I should have known better than to mess with her on this subject,' she muttered silently.

"Alright, there's some news I want to share with all of you. . ."

And so the meeting went, Haruka explaining to all ten listeners about what was happening. She explained all the mobile suits and mobile dolls that were being built before and as of now, both on Earth and in space. In truth, this would be the war to end everything. This was Dr. Tanaka's sick plan to annihilate the human race, and give birth to a new generation of beings: Gundanium bodies.

Robots, basically. Dr. Tanaka, with the help of Professor Tomoe, had created a DNA transplant which could transfer one's human DNA into that of a body made completely of titanium, and Gundanium exterior. Inside, a massive system computer generated organs, each identical to humans, but with no limits. One would not die, one would not have to breathe, feel pain or anything at all. It was just metal with only one purpose: to destroy others.

With their sick minds, Haruka also explained, that it would cause a chain reaction. They were immune to everything, and had every strength a mobile doll -- no a Gundam possessed. This batch of bodies were immortal, and with no known way to destroy them. If they were released, their wouldn't be any stopping them since they had no way of telling them apart from the real humans.

They would travel through the space colonies, through Earth, destroying any and every life form, destroying the life of the world and sending everything to hell. Nothing would survive. No one would be left. And if they didn't stop this, the whole world and space was doomed to be lifeless machines.

By the time the speech was finished, everyone was sitting back, stunned. The tension in the room instantly intensified. Each pilot knew what needed to be discussed, but it seemed neither knew where to start.

"And the soap opera continues to becomes even more dramatic," Duo commented, shaking his head.

"Don't get imprudent Maxwell," Wufei warned.

"I find my foolishness very handy in a time like this, Wu-man," He replied, a grin on his face.

"At a time like this, your foolishness could get you killed," Wufei shot back. "And my name is Wufei!"

Duo's grin widened. "Well it hasn't yet, so I'm sticking with what I know best."

"Maxwell. . . ." Wufei growled, rising from his seat.

"Hold it!" Michiru yelled, and both teens (one grinning, the other red from anger) looked toward her. "Your fight isn't with each other so don't start! We have enough on our hands as it is, we have no time to be cleaning up blood spills."

Each of the others shook their heads. Hotaru narrowed her eyes and looked at Haruka. Her father figure nodded once. "Alright pilots, this meeting is augured, finished, whatever. Now, I need to talk to the ladies alone."

Warily, each pilot looked at each other, knowing that they weren't going to be told something important. The question was, what?

Duo cast his eyes to Akiko who sat next to him. Her expression held a confused frown. She looked at Duo as he stood, and she smiled. "I'll be fine, Duo. Go finish your omelet or something."

Sighing, he shrugged, a grin on his face once more. "Whatever you say, Kiko. Whatever you say." Walking out, he trudged out to his room, but not before kissing Akiko full on the lips. Eyebrows raised in question as the braided pilot left.

"Why do I have a feeling you know what's going on?" Quatre asked Ami quietly.

"Because I do. But believe me Quatre, there are some things that you shouldn't know about me, and this is better left alone. Can you understand this at least for now?" She asked, her blue eyes pleading.

Quatre looked worried and doubtful, but nodded. "Just . . . tell me what's going on when you're ready?"

Ami nodded, standing on her toes and kissing him on the cheek before he left. Again, more eyebrows and amused looks, making the two blush fiercely.

Kaiya and Trowa looked at each other calmly. Nodding once, Trowa stood and left, squeezing Kaiya's hand tightly and kissing it before leaving.

Heero looked at Hotaru who's head was bowed, eyes filled with longing. He shook his head, fighting the urge to at least rest a comforting hand on her shoulder. Without a word or romantic gesture like those before him, Heero left.

"Women and their emotions," Wufei grumbled, receiving an elbow in the ribs by an angry Rei. "Woman, don't start with me."

"Just leave, Forehead Boy. This doesn't concern you yet." The former priestess snapped back. With a grunt, Wufei left, the door closing behind him.

Each girl turned to one another, similar blushes on their faces with the exception of Hotaru and Rei. (Author's Note: At least not yet anyway, ^ - ^;;)

"Alright, what's this about?" Akiko asked.

"I need you five to go to space, just you, no Gundam pilots. Five Gundams are just finished, and you'll need to retrieve them for yourselves." Haruka explained.

"What do you mean for ourselves?" Kaiya asked.

"What she means is that these Gundams are ours." Hotaru spoke softly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

End of Chapter!

Yay, I finished updating! I promise updates will be more frequent, but tomorrows Mother's Day, so no updates then. ^_^;; Read and Review!