MS: Oh, you guys really love this story! (Or at least pretend to for my sake!) Either way, it makes me so happy! This is for all of you who have reviewed and stayed true through the whole thing. You really mean a lot to me! Very sorry it's taken so long to write another chapter, I'll try to be better from now on. On to writing!

Peach: Thank you for putting up with our bad habits and poor qualities. You are too, too kind! We are trying to be better from now on, I promise!

Heero sat on the cold bed, shifting only slightly every few minutes. He had been contemplating what Quatre had told him, trying to come to a decision. What can I do? This room feels so....so cold without him......I never thought I'd feel like this when he was gone..... Why do I.....!? I just don't get anything anymore......

Breathing deeply and heaving a wearisome sigh, the boy thought of all the possibilities of situations Duo could be in. In the end, though, most of them lead to one final situation--captured by Oz. He made a slight movement to get up from the unfriendly furniture, but hesitated. Duo's thoughts on my trust in his capabilities......

Heero had mostly been thinking on one of the subjects from his talk with Quatre, and hardly gave a second thought to the lightly brushed topic at the end of their conversation.

What did he mean....listen to my elders.....? The pilot rubbed his temples in frustration, giving a scowl. I don't have time to solve these stupid riddles! Restlessly, he growled aloud into the empty room.

"What does this all mean!?! I just don't get it! Dammit, Duo!" His words echoed in the vast silence of the big room, making the room seem even lonelier, if that was possible.

"Listen to my elders....listen to my elders...." Heero commented to himself, probing his mind of any solutions to the enigmatic statement. "If I can crack a code for a top-secret business and set the place in chaos, why can't I just figure out this stupid stupid code!! What should I do, Duo?"

He grabbed his head and shook it violently back and forth, stopping abruptly. A look of shocked surprise spread across his face, sending his mind racing on thoughts unspoken. Racing up off the bed and into the kitchen, Heero grabbed a few things and put it into a small, green knapsack. Without a word to anyone else, he flew out the door in a frenzy to the gundam shed. Moments later a roar of an engine come to life was heard in the gray skies above.

***

Duo lay on an uncomfortable doctor bed, breathing harshly. Nobody was in sight, no doctor to hear news from, only tools and a mirror. Probably a one-sided mirror..... Duo thought. I bet they're peeping at me right now from the other side. Enjoy your looks, 'cause they ain't gonna last long..... He tried to sit up several times, but failed. A sharp pain would sting in his stomach every time, a reminder that he had just gotten his stomach pumped.

On the other side of the mirror, a doctor and Commander Shar stood conversing. Commander Shar nodded in turn as the doctor spoke, but not really hearing much she had to say. Her only thoughts remained on the poor boy stretched out in front of her in pain.

"Were you able to get it out?" The commander questioned in the topic.

"......No, we weren't. We'll just have to let it get itself through, with antibiotics to help out." The doctor replied, shuffling through some papers in a folder she was carrying. She pulled a few packets out and handed them to Shar.

"Thank you. Is it alright....if I go visit him?" The doctor nodded, and soon after headed off in a bustle, eyes locked onto her watch.

Shar chuckled and smiled, opening the door to the sterile room. Duo looked up at her as she entered, and collapsed right back down afterwards. "To think, that woman would rather be late to her other work then chance to offend me by not updating me on your situation. Silly girl."

Duo smiled weakly. "Knowing you, you wouldn't have done any harm to her if she had left. God, I feel like I was hit by a car." Giving a big heave, he closed his eyes and relaxed a little. Having Commander Shar near him was like having an trustworthy old friend close by.

"I'm terribly sorry, Duo. I really am. I never had any intentions to have you get food poisoning. I can't believe....! We are going to burn all the food in the prisoner warehouse as soon as possible."

"I know you wouldn't do something like this, for some reason. It just didn't... You are too......warm on the inside. Too light."

Commander Shar raised an eyebrow slightly in question. "Light?"

"The color of your spirit. I can see, no, I can feel, it's light. Evil people have darker spirits. After living through what I did, you begin to see them. It helps you decide whether or not to trust the person. God, it hurts..." Shar smiled weakly at the marvel of his strength. "Don't look at me like that...." Duo said, cracking one eye open slightly. "It hurts me. I've seen that same look of pity too many times in my garbage life. I don't need it, I never did. But people give it to me anyways, no matter what I tell them."

Shar's smiled dropped, and she adverted her gaze slightly to the floor. "I'm sorry, but I can't help the fact that I feel that I'm the one responsible for this mess. I hate this place, and I hate hurting people. I just wish I could get away from this base, and my life sometimes. I'm living a lie everyday when I tell myself, no one is hurting because of me. They're hurting because of themselves."

Duo gave a short laugh, clenching his stomach. "They are hurting because of themselves, not just you. Because of all the other trash out there that treats them like shit with no respect for the human value. The whole world rips us apart. All of life digs at us, weakening us. Only the strong survive." He began to fall slowly into a restful, dazed, sleep, closing his eyes and relaxing.

Shar smiled again, this time no pity shining in her eyes. "You are so brave, son. I wish I could be like you, sometimes. Courageous, determined, smart, skillful, special. I feel honored that a gundam pilot trusts me enough to relax and sleep peacefully in my presence. Usually only a true friend could make you do such."

"And that's what you are, right? We're friends, aren't we?" Duo mumbled, the words slightly slurring together in his exhaustion.

"Real friends, Duo. Really good friends." Shar smiled brightly, picking up and shuffling some papers. As her hand placed itself on the doorknob, Duo mumbled something indistinguishable. "What was that, dear?"

"Did they....catch it before it was too late? The poison?" He spoke almost silently, tired from the day.

Shar paused momentarily. "No, but you are still lucky. It's not too bad. You should only feel weak for awhile, and you might have the urge to throw up sometimes. It could have been much worse."

".....Awhile...? How long is 'awhile'?"

".......There's no telling exactly. It could be a week or few days if you're really lucky, or it could be a month or two."

There was silence from the stiff bed, but Shar knew Duo was not asleep, but thinking to himself quietly, wondering what it would do to his career as a pilot. She decided it was best to leave him be for the time being, and left out the door.

As the heavy door's slamming noise echoed in the cold room, Duo emitted a frustrated growl and hit the bed with his fist angrily, leaving a tear in the cheap plastic leather.

MS: Man, I am SO sorry this took so long! I will try to be better from now on, I promise. I'll try to post a chapter every week at the LEAST, and believe me, I'm repenting my mistakes right now. It's about to get really good soon, or at least I plan for it.

Peach: And thank you who reviewed! This chapter is for Emily Hato especially, because she is the greatest! Thank you, everyone else, it's also for you guys. You are all too kind, you really are.

MS: And please check out my newest story "Discovering You and Me" if you haven't already. It's one of my personal favorites! Thank you!