NB:

Disclaimer: Yes. In my own little world where everyone worships me and my friends muck out my stables and clean my toilets, I own Gundam Wing. But in this world (where I have been banished because I was naughty in another world), I do not own Gundam Wing and am merely using the characters for the enjoyment of others and myself.

No. I am not getting paid for writing this. Unless you count the money I'm getting for babysitting my sisters, but that actually has nothing to do with this fic…

A/N: I do hope that you enjoy this, it's just a little twisted fic, the start of my 'What If?' series. This should be a whole series of 'What Ifs', one fic for each character.

Remember to leave shoes and candy wrappers at the door when you enter, and leave your reviews when you leave by pushing the button that says review. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, I'm merely 'pointing the way'. ^^;;

Thank you. Now, I shall get on with the story.

What If?

Masquerade

Chapter 1 - Hiding, Looking, Seeking, Finding

'All these years I've hidden, hidden who I truly was. All because my father wishes to have a male heir, not another female one. Even though I was of natural birth.

It was my birth that killed my mother…'

Quatre sat up on the bed as another knock echoed around the room. Frantically, Quatre ran into the bathroom before calling 'Yes?'.

"It's Duo, can I come in?"

"Er…no…" Quatre replied hesitantly.

"Aw c'mon Q-ball, it's nothing I haven't seen before." Quatre blushed.

"Still, I'm feeling self-conscious. Come back later Duo, give me ten minutes."

**

Outside the door, Duo sighed and walked away. Halfway down the corridor, he paused and looked at Quatre's door.

"If I didn't know any better Q-man, I'd say you were a girl…"

**

Quatre walked back into the room and sat down on the bed. Undoing the tight biding that covered most of the chest area, Quatre let out a sigh.

Slipping into a figure hugging T-shirt, the feminine figure that was Quatre usually, suddenly became all out feminine when the top was smoothed, showing a pair of…breasts…

Quatre was a girl. She always had been, always would be.

"Allah, that binding is so restricting. I must get out some time. But," She sighed as Duo called up again "for now, it is back to becoming a guy." She walked into the bathroom and appeared with the binding done up tightly as before.

She slipped on the pink shirt and waistcoat, slipping into the façade all too easily as she buttoned up the shirt and walked out of her room.

**

She got halfway down the corridor before she fell to her knees and let out a cry of pain. She put one hand over her stomach and curled up on the floor. She whimpered as she tried to get to her feet again, but this time, pain flared in her back and she collapsed once more to the floor, her eyes welling with tears of pain.

**

Duo heard a thud, then a cry, then a whimper and then another thud. His eyes widened and he ran back to Quatre. He saw her lying on the floor, her eyes filled with tears.

"Quatre?"

"It hurts Duo…" Duo scooped Quatre up into his arms and carried the blonde back to her room.

"What hurts Q?" Quatre blinked her tears away and looked at Duo trustingly.

"Can you get me a hot-water bottle?" She asked timidly. "And some painkillers?" Duo nodded and ran out of the room, just in time too, because as soon as he had left, despite the pain, Quatre ran into the bathroom, opened the cupboard, pulled out a sanitary towel and shut the door.

**

She emerged a few moments later, cursing. Stumbling back into the bed, Quatre slipped under the covers and relaxed into the covers. She took off her shirt and undid the binding before slipping on a very loose shirt. She eased her trousers off and kicked them out of the bed with some difficulty. She barely had enough time to hide her binding under the bed before Duo walked in.

"Hey Q. Got your water bottle, chocolate and painkillers. Now," He sat down on the bed as Quatre put the hot-water bottle so that it was resting under the base of her spine. She swallowed the tablets before starting delicately on the dairy milk bar Duo had bought up for her. "Fancy telling me what's the matter?" He asked, looking disappointed and slightly hurt when Quatre shook her head. He knocked a book off Quatre's bedside table and it fell under the bed. "Be right back Q." He missed the look of shock and the rapid shaking of the blonde's head as he disappeared under the bed.

Duo emerged a few seconds later holding the book and the binding. Quatre blushed violently and threw the covers over her head.

"Quatre," Duo said dangerously as he walked over and locked the door. "What the HELL is going on?"

"Well Duo…" She sighed, she had to explain now. "Duo, you've got to understand, what I'm about to tell you, you can't tell anyone. Not even the others. They must never know."

"Know what?" Duo asked, suddenly becoming very serious.

"I'm a…"

***

END of chapter 1

A/N: Don't you hate me?! No… please don't hate me! I'll update real soon if I get five or more (preferably more) reviews!

Yes, this will be 2x4, but not slash cause Quatre's a girl. ;)

Review please!

Willow

~x~