Disclaimer:  Gundam Wing belongs to Bandai, Sunrise, and others who aren't me.  I don't get any monetary compensation from this fic.

Warnings:  Yaoi, violence, sexual situations.  The last chapter to the story (is that a warning?  Or a blessing?)

Chapter 8

Ivan Morris pressed down the self-destruct button . . . and nothing happened.  He cursed and stared uncomprehendingly, then mashed his fist down on it again.

Still, nothing happened.

Getting frustrated, he punched the button over and over, cursing angrily.  He was practically quivering with thwarted rage.  The gundam pilots exchanged glances.  Finally Duo said:  "dude, give it up."

"Why isn't it working!?"  Morris screamed, a vein popping out unattractively on his forehead.

"Because it needs this."  They all turned and looked as Heero appeared in the room.  In his hand he held a fistful of wires, obviously the reason they hadn't all been blown to kingdom come.  The Japanese pilot raised an eyebrow as Morris started to pitch a fit, jumping up and down, screaming, and frothing at the mouth.  He was so busy having his little temper tantrum that he didn't notice Duo walking up behind him until he smacked him on the back of the head.

Morris turned around in outrage, holding his injured noggin protectively.  "How dare you?  Why you little . . ." 

From there his language deteriorated horribly, though Duo didn't look terribly offended; his expression was more amused than anything else.  Finally he reared back his fist and clocked the guy, looking immensely satisfied as Morris crashed unconscious to the floor.  He shook his head in mock disgust.  "Looks like we're going to have to wait to have that talk about drowning people."

Wufei walked up behind him and rested his hand comfortably on Duo's shoulder.  "I think you've done all the talking you need to." 

Duo chuckled.  "I suppose you're right, and I think our little talk went pretty damn well.  Don't you think so, guys?"

Quatre grinned and bounced across the floor to Duo, only to reverse course halfway there and throw his arms around Heero instead.  The Japanese boy stiffened, not expecting the attack, but after a minute he unfroze and slid his arms around the blonde's shoulders.  Quatre could literally feel his jealousy turn to relief, the reason why he had greeted him first.  "Speaking of talks, we need to have one about putting yourself in unnecessary danger," he told the blonde sternly.

Quatre made a face.  " It worked didn't it?"

Heero's expression got even stricter.  "Idiot," he pronounced calmly.

"Hey, Heero old buddy, I thought that was your pet name for me?"  Duo was obviously feeling rather giddy after cheating death once again.

"It's now a shared title."

Quatre paused and stared around the room, focusing on each of his friend's in turn.  There was relief from Heero, happiness from Duo, contentment from Wufei, and a strange mixture of uncertainty and satisfaction from Trowa.  He could feel what each and every one of them was feeling, at once.  That had never happened before.  His gift had never been this intense in the past, not for everyday emotions.

"Quatre, is something wrong?"

 Concern laced the relief from Heero now, and the blonde turned to look at him.  For a second he hesitated, than he smiled and schooled his features to hide the turmoil behind them.  "Every thing is fine, better than fine in fact.  I'm just so glad that everyone's okay."  He turned and looked at Duo and Wufei, smiling happily.  He didn't want them to have to deal with his problems right now.  Maybe he should tell Heero what was going on, but maybe it would go away on its own, and there would be no reason to worry him.

Trowa walked up to Ivan and poked him with his toe.  "We should get him restrained, then call some on-duty authorities." 

"Yeah, because this sure shouldn't be our problem anymore.  Damn it, we're on vacation, we've still got a couple days left!"  Duo shouted happily, ignoring the groans from his teammates.

"But the paperwork . . ."

"We did bring him down, I'd like to see this to the end."

"Duo . . ."

Violet eyes narrowed dangerously.  "We.  Are.  Not.  Leaving."  He said, clipping off each word precisely.  He suddenly smiled sharkishly.  "Besides, Wufei, Trowa, don't we have to have a little talk?"

That shut them up.

Two days later, Quatre finished packing his suitcase.  He straightened up and looked around the suite, left-hand rubbing his head absently.  The blonde had a headache, and he wasn't looking forward to the shuttle ride home.  He had gotten them first class this time around, but there was still going to be other people on the flight. 

Quatre had found out that his teammates weren't the only ones whose emotions he could read.  He could feel everybody's, and he couldn't shut it off.  It was painful, never being alone in his own head, and if he didn't concentrate and sort out what belonged to who it was easy to mistake the emotions for his own.

But he still hadn't told anybody what was going on.

In fact, he was trying very hard to hide it from them.  After they had gotten Morris turned over to the authorities, Quatre had been forced to do some fast talking to keep Duo from telling Heero about his little incident in the forest and dragging him off to a doctor.  He had managed to convince Duo that it had been his empathy, and not a side effect from the Red Formula.

He had been at least half telling the truth.  It had been his empathic ability working overtime, but he suspected that his increased ability was a result of the Red Formula.  But if that was the case, what could modern science do about it?  Would the doctors even believe him when he mentioned his gift, or would they just consider it a delusion?

So he had kept quiet about it. 

And it was hard.  Duo had mentioned that he had felt the strangest thing when he had been drowning.  He had felt Quatre's presence.  He had laughed it off, but the blonde had known what Duo didn't.  He really had been there.  But still, he said nothing.

Amusement, a nagging worry.  Quatre knew that Heero had entered the room, even though his footfalls were near silent.  "Quatre, staring at your suitcase isn't going to make anymore room appear.  You shouldn't have bought so many souvenirs."  The dark haired pilot crossed the room to the blonde and slid his arms around his waist.

The Arabian leaned back into the embrace.  One person's emotions at a time he could handle, especially when they were Heero's.  "I got it shut didn't I?"

"So you did.  I'm dutifully impressed.  Quatre . . . is everything alright?"

Quatre closed his eyes in exhaustion.  "Everything's fine," he replied by rote, "I just have a little headache."

"Hn."

A tiny smile quirked the blonde's lips, -even before the increase in his abilities, he had been able to translate Heero's varied 'hns.'  This one meant 'I don't quite believe you but I'm going to let it go for now.'

Quatre sighed and settled back more comfortably against his lover.  Aquamarine eyes stared into space.  He would force himself to be fine.  For Heero's sake, and his own, he would ignore this.

He would make everything stay fine.

Duo leaned back comfortably in his seat, fingers entwined with Trowa's on the armrest on his left side, foot brushing against Wufei on the other side.  A grin pulled at his mouth.  He was happy.  Really, ridiculously happy, and he had never figured that things would turn out this way, but he was glad they had.

It just went to show that life enjoyed throwing him curveballs.

He peeked past Trowa and looked out the small oval window, watching the small peaceful ball that was The Emerald Sphere Resort recede farther and farther away.  He loved that place.

Okay, so he had almost died there, but all was forgiven now.  Duo wasn't one to hold grudges.

A great relationship with two of his best friends made him willing to forgive almost everything.  He still couldn't believe he could use that word.  Relationship.  It was such a bland word, but it sure meant a lot.  They had talked.  About a lot of things really, but in the end Duo had agreed that they could all try and be together.  It might not last, but this time Duo was at least going to try.

He leaned past Wufei to look at Quatre and Heero's seats.  The blonde had the window, and his head was resting on a pillow propped up against the side of the shuttle.  The American frowned slightly when he saw the expression on the sleeping blonde's face.  His eyes were screwed shut tight and he didn't look like he was sleeping peacefully.  As he watched, Heero leaned over and took Quatre's hand, which was pushed into a tight fist, and held it in his own, massaging until the hand loosened.  The Japanese boy was watching the blonde too.  His face was expressionless, but he showed no signs of releasing Quatre's hand from his own.

Duo shook his head and leaned back in his seat again, trying to shake off the sudden feeling of unease.  It was ridiculous.  Yuy would take care of Quatre, that was obvious from his actions.  Duo shouldn't worry; it would only upset the blonde.  He shook off lingering dark thoughts and situated himself more comfortably.  He glanced to his left, where Trowa was sleeping, and then he looked to his right.  He couldn't help but grin as he watched Wufei trying to fight the urge to take a nap.  His eyes would slide shut and his chin would start a downward slope to his chest, but then his eyes and head would jerk open and up and he would start the process all over again.  Duo chuckled softly and let his own eyelids slide closed.

It was a peaceful little scene.

He would enjoy it while it lasted.

Peaceful Illusions:  The End

Notes:  This is the end of Peaceful Illusions.  I hope everyone enjoyed it.  And yes, because of the developments in the last chapter, there will probably be a sequel.  I have a bad feeling that this might develop into the plotline that never ends.  We'll see.

Thank you very much to all who reviewed.  I may not have replied to everyone, but know that I appreciated what you all said none the less.  Special thanks to Caer, for her patience in the completion of her thank you gift.  Also thanks to my wonderful beta reader Willowbranch.  And last (but never least) thanks to Anne, with her continent crossing nagging stick.  (Anne - Thanks for giving my stories such a nice home!)