Connections

Chapter Six

Diviana

~~~

[Chapter Flashback: Duo makes a family of sock people, Kami gets Wufei to laugh, and Trowa ends up in really bad shape.]

***

"I am not leaving this doorway," she announced, showing how much she had come to trust Heero's friends, "until he's able to walk through it."

"Kami," Heero began.

"No. Watashi koko todomaru (I'm staying here)." she replied firmly.

"Kami..." he sighed. "Do you know how long that will take? You can't stay standing there for that long; You'll go mad,"

"As if I'm not already?" she asked with the sincerest of faces. "I've made up my mind. And if you don't like my decision, fine." Kami leaned up against the wall, crossing her arms under her breasts. Her emerald eyes found the floor fascinating, and she stared at it so long, so hard, she had to blink and refocus.

Heero watched her, a strange look on his face. "Okay," he said finally. "Okay." He blinked, then continued. "Tell me when he's up, alright?"

"Don na ni (Whatever)," she murmured, shrugging her shoulders as she continued staring at the floor by his feet.

Heero came back several hours later. It was nearly noon, and they had left the safehouse around ten the night before, arriving on the space port an hour later. He was certain the girl would be asleep and hungry, but when he arrived, Kami was fully awake and talking to Sally. Well, more like Sally was talking to her and she only nodded in reply. When Heero paused behind Sally, the doctor turned, startled, having noticed how Kami's eyes flickered towards him.

"Oh! Heero, there you are!" she said. Kami swallowed, looking off aways and not paying attention.

"What is it?" he asked, curious as to what they were talking about before.

"Oh, it's just that I've been looking for you all day, and--"

Heero cut her off. "Kami... daijo--" She interrupted him with a harsh 'I'm fine', glaring. Heero blinked.

Sally sighed, tucking her clipboard under her arm. "You can talk later, alright? I promise, it'll only take a few minutes," Heero blinked, looking at her, then Kami again. The girl didn't respond, only leaned back against the wall again and stared at the floor.

Heero silently followed Sally down the hall to her office where she looked at his wound. "Ouch, you're gonna have a scar from that one," she commented. Heero shrugged.

"One more scar won't mean a thing," he replied.

"Still, Heero, that's gonna be a nasty one. You sure you don't want anything for it?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Okay," she shrugged. "Well? Go on, get," She shooed him away, smiling, albeit sadly. He left her office and walked back down the hall to where Kami remained.

"Everything okay?" she asked him quietly, not looking up.

"Yeah. What about you?" Her eyes found his, then drifted back down to the ground. "Kami," The girl shook her head violently, breathing hard. Heero grabbed her shoulders and said her name again as she sobbed, hands over her face. The girl didn't even think about her words as they poured out in Japanese, her forehead resting on Heero's shoulder.

Heero stood and listened, trying to decipher her muffled sobs. His insides flipped and twisted as he figured out what she was trying to say. "Kami... it'll be alright, just watch... it wasn't your fault, shhh. He'll pull through okay..." he assured her, rubbing her back in small circles. She finally quieted, though she still clutched to his shirt.

"Come on, Kami, are you hungry?" She shook her head as he tugged her gently. "They have wonton, you know," he pressed gently. She shook her head again. "You want to take a nap?"

"I'm staying here..." she mumbled, still stubborn in her fading facade. He knew she was anxious on seeing Trowa - he was too, but he had slept for six hours. She hadn't.

"Kami, c'mon, I promise I'll wake you up if he does..." She looked up at him, biting her lower lip as she weighed her options.

"Promise?" He nodded. "Swear by the Goddess herself? 'Cause if you don't, Goddess help me, I'll kill you." Heero smiled.

"Cross my heart and hope to die." he whispered, bending a little to pick up her knees.

"That's good, 'cause I don't think I'd have the heart to kill you..." She laid her head on his shoulder again as he carried her down the hall to their quarters.

"That's because you wear your heart on your sleeve, imoto (little sister)," he whispered back. She didn't hear it, however, since she had already nodded off to sleep.

***

"Wazuka (Only a little)..." Kami replied, her head dropping to the table. Heero smiled as he shook his head and left for a few moments.

"So, you get enough sleep?" Quatre asked her.

"Sleep? Waz dat?" she yawned, sitting up, and stretched. Heero seemingly popped up out of nowhere.

"Here, drink it. It's ocha (Japanese green tea)." He pushed a small porcelein cup in front of her.

"Wonton?" she asked hopefully.

"No... there's ohebi (lobster)..."

She sighed, staring into her cup. "... I think I'm going to be sick..."

"Alright..." Heero left again, worried, to be replaced by Wufei and Duo.

"Hey! What's up?" the braided boy asked.

"Hello, Duo," Quatre said, moving over to let him sit. Wufei took a seat across from Duo and next to Kami, who was still staring into her cup. He put a hand on her shoulder, whispering in Mandarin. She nodded silently.

"Gohan desu ka (White rice)...?" Heero set the plate in front of her questioningly. She smiled at him, her face a little less green.

"Arigatou, Niichan (Thanks)."

He nodded, and sat on the other side of her, not noticing the Chinese boy. Nor did he notice when Kami made Wufei eat her food. He wasn't watching, wasn't being attentive. He was thinking, worrying. Nothing like this had ever happened before, not to them. True, there was that kamikaze mission he had gone through and the self-destruction, but that was him, that was simple burns, that was a different story all together.

The group had been together since Operation Meteor Two took place. Before that even, in training, in cause. He knew, he had just known, that somehow he was going to fit in. And he did. They had all become good friends, against their wills maybe, but eventually they all took it for granted. Their missions always crossed over, they were always partners, and because of that, everyone recognized them as a group. Even them.

They had long ago unofficially and unspokenly taken up ranks in their little club. Heero was the leader. That was a given. He was the most trained, the most ready, the most prepared to die. He would not let sentimentality interfere with the mission. Wufei was just sort of there. He inspired them all through his beliefs of justice, and one could count on him, if he was in favour. He understood revenge, he knew how to stand up for what he believed in.

Quatre was the one they all protected, he was the one they went to if they needed to feel 'normal'. He was the one they all worried about, took care of, and he in turn, taught them how to take care of themselves. Duo was an expert on weapons, as much as his personality proved otherwise. Guns, poison, bombs, hostages, he knew it all, had worked with it all. He was also the street-smart one, the one with the most common-sense.

But Trowa, he was more than that. He was the rock, the glue that held them all together. He was the one everybody counted on, the one they could all trust to come through for them. He stopped the fights between them all, and was mostly never part of them. He was the oldest, perhaps the wisest, but the most experienced by far. Having been raised as a mercenary, he knew war better than any of them, Heero included. Without Trowa, they would fall apart, but not before a whole lot of fighting.

And then there was Kami. They had all accepted her by now, as a temporary part of their group. Some had bonded, befriended her. It was she who reminded them what exactly they were fighting for - friendship, freedom, peace, humanity. It didn't surprise him much. She had always been so easy to get along with.

~~~Flash~Back~~~

"So, how do you like Russia?" The man smiled, chuckling.

"I like it, thank you. It is after all, my home-country." Heero blinked, watching them from the other side of the bar. Kami cocked her head.

"Really? Oh, that must be a shame. To be Russian, I mean." It was the man's turn to blink.

"Ja, ja ((Russian) yes, yes), I suppose so. Sucks, doesn't it?" Kami giggled. Heero looked at her, confused.

"Kami, we're here on a mission," he whispered in Japanese through the tiny mic. "Stop fooling around."

"I'm not fooling around," she whispered back, holding her hand to her face as if to scratch her nose to hide the fact that her mouth was moving. "I'm getting information. And his trust. So there." She turned back to the man, smiling. "So, you drink here often?"

"Ja, ja ((Russian) yes, yes), the bartender's a close friend of the family. Besides, it's the only place that serves my favourite in fifty kilometers." Kami nodded.

"And your favourite would be?"

"Straight martini, shaken, not stirred," he replied solemnly. Kami giggled loudly.

"And I suppose your name is James Bond?"

"Right you are, little miss. I'm James Bond himself."

"Uh huh, sure," she replied, still smiling. "So, uh, would you happen to know one of my uncles? He comes here often." She lied, but he didn't catch it.

The Russian man shrugged. "Don't know. What's his name?"

"Vladmirich. Dmitri Vladmirich."

"Hell no, little miss, he and I, we don't mix, if you know what I mean." She shook her head, her eyes wide making her look innocent. "Well, he and my buddy Boris got into a brawl the other day. And besides, Dmitri's one of those rich folks from downtown Moscow, we don't mess with people like him. Chyort ((Russian) buggers)..."

"I see." Kami nodded, looking at Heero through the corner of her eye. He nodded and got up, walking out of the bar. She could see him pause at the door and wait for her."Well, I've got to go home now, okay? Bedtime, you know," she smiled shyly as she stood to leave.

"Sure thing. You know, you remind me of my little gurl... killed in a fire, you know."

"No, I didn't. I'm sorry." She ran off into the crowd and met up with Heero outside the door. They ran off into the night to meet with their contact. Their mission was complete.

~~~End~Flash~Back~~~

But it wasn't Kami he was worried about. Heero blinked, sighing inaudibly. For once he wasn't worried about her. He knew now that she could take care of herself. She didn't need him now as much as she had.

Instead, he worried about Trowa. Kami had said it was multiple fractures, some hairline and some cleanly bent inward. His lung was pierced, and internal bleeding had occurred. Sally and the other doctor had fixed the last two, and all they could do was wait to see about the broken bones. After all, they couldn't exactly put his ribs in a cast. And of course, there was still burns and gashes and an awful scrape on his thigh. Not to mention the bruises that dotted his body.

Heero wondered how Trowa had gotten away with those injuries for as long as he had. No one ever noticed until the day before... Come to think of it, he had been uncharacteristically slow... and tired, too. Why hadn't anyone noticed?

The loudspeaker came on, and someone droned on about something. Heero wasn't listening. He was still lost in his thoughts. "Niichan!" Kami growled as she grabbed his arm and dragged him down the hall of the Preventers spaceport before he knew what was going on.

"Kami, let go, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing!" she replied. He wrenched his arm out of her grasp, and followed her down the hall. She hadn't noticed she no longer held his arm, but she could care less.

The person over the loudspeaker was repeating everything in a series of languages, and Japanese had just happened to be one of the first. By the time Kami had thrown open Sally's office door, the English announcement had come. And then Heero understood.

Kami grabbed his arm again, after only listening to a minute of Sally's speech, who threw her hands up in the air and mumbling, "Why do I bother?" and they ran down the hall again to stop in front of Trowa's room. By that time, the other three pilots had heard the announcement and were down the hall, running and laughing. Heero saw Duo whoop right before Kami tugged him into the room with her.

"Trowa!" she cried excitedly, jumping onto the bed happily. She hugged him akwardly, then sat back on her knees and started going on and on about how he had worried them. Heero blinked, and after a moment, reached over and covered her mouth with his hand. She glared at him and tried earnestly to remove it, but Heero would have none of it.

"What she means to say is that she's happy you're alive." Trowa smiled, chuckling slightly.

"So am I."

"Okay, so anyway," Kami said, finally pulling Heero's hand away from her face, "You could have at least told someone, you know, instead of waiting until the last possible second."

"I'll remember that. But I do recall you not telling anyone about a certain other injury," Trowa replied softly, poking her gently in the side. She glared.

"That's different."

"Heero doesn't seem to think so." They both looked up at him. Heero blinked, coming back from his thoughts again.

"What?"

Kami giggled. "Nothing."

"No, I want to know what's so funny." Kami sighed.

"You think me and Trowa are the same." Heero blinked, not understanding. "Well, not like that, oh, whatever." Kami sighed, turning back to the boy in the hospital bed. "Anyway, you still should've told somebody." Trowa shrugged weakly. The girl sighed again. "I don't know why I bother. You guys all have this stupid egoistical way of handling things." Heero finally understood what they were talking about.

"If it were me, I wouldn't have said anything either," Heero offered. Kami looked at him and shook her head.

"See?" she mumbled.

Trowa gave a tiny smile. "Well, just a bit of advice: It hurts like hell." Heero smirked, chuckling. Kami blinked.

"What's so funny?" she asked confused. Heero and Trowa shook their heads, still laughing slightly.

"Trowa!" Duo bounded in, followed by Wufei and a meek-looking Quatre.

"Maxwell, must you be so loud?" Wufei asked, "The rest of this hall must know his name by now."

"Hi, Trowa," Quatre said softly, waving. Trowa smiled at the blond, who approached cautiously and stayed close to the door.

"Okay? So then..." Duo droned on, talking to Trowa about who-knew-what, his hands wringing as he enunciated his words. Heero almost made a face - it was the exact same thing Kami had done minutes before.

Trowa nodded, catching only half of it. Kami giggled as he tried earnestly to understand what Duo was rambling about. "Duo, shut up." Heero growled after a few minutes. They all turned silently to look at him. "You're giving me a headache."

"Pssht," Duo replied, turned back to Trowa and started again with a wave of his hand. Wufei glared.

"Maxwell," He didn't answer. "Maxwell..." Still no response. "Duo!" Wufei grabbed him by the bicep, whirling him around, and stuck his face into his. "Yuy said to shut the hell up. Do as you're told." he hissed. Duo blinked.

"Whatever you say Fei-kun," he said cheerfully, pulled back and continued talking. Trowa gave an apologetic smile. Kami patted his leg before lunging off the bed's edge into Duo. "Eep!" The braided boy fell back to the floor as she clasped on. He struggled for a moment before she leaned over to whisper something in his ear. "The what?"

"I said I'll personally rip out your windpipe if the mouth doesn't shut in two seconds." she hissed, her hand already on his throat.

"But--"

"One..."

"Okay, okay, okay..." he relented. She glared, got up and dragged him across the room by the back of his collar. She had Wufei's wrist in her other hand, and led them both out into the hallway. She closed the door and stood in front of it, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

"Woman," the Chinese boy growled.

"No. Give them ten minutes and then maybe, *maybe*, I'll let you two go in." Wufei turned to Duo, who was picking himself up off the floor.

"This is all your fault, Maxwell. If you had just shut up--"

"But Fei-kun--"

"Maxwell--"

"Iyaa usagai (Shut up)!" Kami yelled, then took a deep breath and sighed loudly. They blinked, looking at her. "Wufei, go find some aspirin. Duo, go bug Sally about the files. She'll know what I'm talking about."

They didn't move. "Now!" Meekly, the two left, going seperate ways. Kami sighed again. Men...

***

"I told him I'd sell him to the dumpling man up the road," Kami said with a blush. Heero grinned. "It was an accident!" She said to Quatre and Trowa's questioning looks. "Okay? An accident, as in something that wasn't meant to happen? Something not done on purpose? Some-"

"Okay, okay, we get the idea," Heero snapped almost playfully. She glared at him though there was a smile tugging at her lips.

"So where are they now?" Quatre asked.

"Duo's with Sally running an errand for me," she smiled almost devilishly at the thought of the braided mouth being an errand-boy, "and Wufei should be coming in any minute now with..." The door opened and the said Chinese boy stepped in, a white bottle in his hand. He closed the door, glaring at Kami, and gave her the tiny container.

"There you are, woman,"

"Why, thank you so much, Fei-kun!" she said sweetly, giving him a quick, uncharacteristic hug, popped the top off the bottle and shook it upside- down. Kami passed some aspirin to Heero before offering Trowa some. He shook his head, declining.

"I've got codeine." he said, nodding towards the I.V. stand.

"Ooh... the good shtuff," Kami said with a smile.

"Yeah. Wish it were easier to take though," Trowa replied with a small grin.

"You want pills?"

"Huh?"

"You want pills?" she repeated. Heero looked at her strangely. She smiled in response. "Quatre, come with me," Kami asked, heading out the door.

"Um, okay, why?" the blond asked, following her. Wufei looked at Heero.

"You think she's going to raid Sally's cabinet?"

"Better not." Heero answered, sitting on the edge of the bed. Wufei took up a vigilance in a chair next to Trowa. "She's in enough trouble as it is,"

"You never told me how you were, Heero," Trowa said, changing the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Your side, sha zi ((Mandarin) idiot)," Wufei mumbled. He sighed. "Why do I always--"

"I'm fine," Heero cut in. "Sally looked at it. I'll have a scar, but it's not very serious. You guys did a good job sewing it up." Wufei immediately stopped his glaring.

"Yuy complimented me..." he said in an awed voice. Heero gave a tiny smile.

"I think I'm getting better at that. Of course, if you would me something to compliment about..." Trowa snorted as Wufei glared again.

"I have plenty charateristics about me that one should compliment," he shot.

Heero chuckled. "Like what? The ability to keep people far, far away?" Trowa blinked. "Duo said it once," Heero shrugged, explaining the science- fiction-ish tone he had used.

"Yes!" Wufei said, standing up. "I am particularly good at keeping my distance. Not to mention fencing and swording, and origami," He paused. "And gardening..." he murmured, a blush creeping up his cheeks. Kami burst out laughing. Wufei turned to see her and Quatre standing there.

"Wu... fei... the, the florist!" Kami snorted, still laughing.

"Shut up," he sulked.

"O-okay," she replied heartily. She managed to tame her laughs down to mere giggles. Kami held out a hand and grinned. "Lookit what we got'cha, Trowa!"

"Kami..."

"I didn't steal it, Niichan!" she said in a hurt voice. "Quatre did!" Everyone looked up at her words, eyes wide. "Ah, I'm just joking. Here," She tossed the bottle to Trowa who caught it easily with one hand.

"Kami," he said, reading the label, "this is pretty strong,"

"I know. It works wonders. Just... don't take it with any anti-depressants, or grape fruit juice..." She made a face.

"Why?"

"Dunno. It sends out some signal in the sky and Mister Sandman comes a- running. He likes to overstay his welcome." Trowa blinked.

"Sleep is good," Quatre said.

"Not if you're suppose to be awake." Heero raised an eyebrow at her.

"Where'd you get it?"

"No where important," she said innocently. Wufei snorted while Quatre blushed.

"Kami,"

"It was from a doctor," she said. Heero raised his brow again. "Godsdammit, it's true, I tell you!"

"I never said it wasn't,"

Trowa set the bottle down on the night stand and Wufei immediately picked it up to look at it. "Kami," Trowa began, "did you talk to Sally about this?"

"Teh, no."

"Don't you think it'd be best if she knew about it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because." Heero glared. "That's my answer, and I'm sticking to it,"

"Kami," they all said at once.

"Fine, then I'll go put it back." She swiped up the bottle in a quick movement and turned on her heel. Heero caught her arm and wretched the bottle away. "Niichan!" He glanced at the label, raised his eyebrow yet again and dragged her outside the room by her arm, berating her in Japanese.

"That was certainly interesting," Wufei commented, sitting back down in his chair. Quatre gave a small smile.

"It's my fault," he said quietly, "I shouldn't have let her bring it,"

"Where'd she get it, Quatre?" Trowa asked, feeling guilty that she was in trouble because of him.

"I'm not sure. After all, she said it was from a doctor."

"He means where did you go to bring it here," Wufei said, sighing again.

"Room four-eighty-one,"

"Which is..."

"The room Heero shares with her," Wufei answered. "Which means it was hers or Heero's, and she wouldn't take something of his, would she?"

Trowa shook his head. "Heero doesn't seem the type to be taking codeine,"

"Well, maybe it was his and he just hasn't used it for awhile." Quatre suggested.

"He would have thrown it out,"

"That's true." Quatre sat on the corner of the bed, carefully making sure he didn't bounce the matress. He gave a deep sigh. "Sometimes I really hate secrets,"

***

A tall, long-haired girl ran down a dark alley. Pausing, she peered around a corner. Night had fallen quickly there on L-1. Sighing, the girl went on, her brown hair trailing behind her as she ran.

Where are you, Twenty-three-eighty-four-forty-six? she thought. She had heard, but didn't believe, the rumours that the girl was back on the colony.

The girl came to a housing development and ran down what seemed to be the main road, searching intently for the girl she once knew. If she had heard correctly, that one boy was here as well. Another rumour, started by Fushiro, said that the Namuris were starting to get paranoid again. Putting two and two together, she had come up with one answer. Twenty-three-eighty- four-forty-six was here on L-1, with the boy, and they were in the Namuris' house...

She had run off earlier that day, but got lost among the roads, not used to being outside in public. Now she came up to a familar house and walked up the driveway, catching her breath. She peeked in through one of the windows, but the shades were dark and drawn. She sighed and knocked on the door lightly.

No one answered. It wasn't that late, she thought and knocked again harder. Dammit, she thought, why isn't anyone answering? It's the right house, I know! Carefully, the girl pulled out a long, slender metal object and stuck it into the doorknob. She regretted doing this, but it had to be done.

The tall figure stuck the pick back into her pocket and turned the knob. The door opened and she crept inside. "Hello?"

The house was dark, no lights on, and as she searched the place, she learned that no one was there. Damn it! she thought, kicking at the floor. She had missed them! The girl sat on one of the beds in the first bedroom. She had turned on the light and stared at the floor, head in hands. Where are you now, Twenty-three-eighty-four-forty-six? The soldier stood and turned to leave when she noticed something.

The sheets were dark, but one could still see the tiny stain in the fabric. She picked up the sheet and looked at the underside. She touched the spot and found it flakey; rubbing at it with her fingernail, she presumed it was blood.

They were here, she confirmed to herself. And not very long ago, either. The blood hadn't dried completely. The girl set the sheets back down, smoothing it out, before heading for the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she found nothing but a carton of expired orange juice. Popping the carton open, she felt the paper. Even without the light from the fridge, she could tell someone had drunk straight out of the box. It was something she had been taught, trained.

The girl closed the refrigeratour, keeping the orange juice in her hand, and left the house silently, remembering to lock the door as she exited. Looking around suspiciously, she ran back down the street to the base so she would be able to grab a seat in the lab and run some tests on the carton.

Hopefully, she would be able to find the girl, and the boy. The trick was not letting the others find out.

***

"Hi, Trowa!" He looked up to see Kami and Duo bounce in.

"Hi," he said carefully. The two sat on either side of his bed, both grinning ear-to-ear.

"Guess what?"

"Hm... I don't know..."

"Guess!" Kami said, giggling.

"You wrecked havoc throughout the space station," Both dissolved into giggles.

"No, that was yesterday," Kami said. "But tomarrow, we're gonna take over the world. Wanna help?" He shook his head, smiling.

"Guess again, Tro-man!" Duo replied.

He thought for a moment. "You're engaged." The two looked at each other before shrieking, "Ew!" and falling off the bed to the floor. Trowa chuckled. "I suppose that was wrong then,"

"Obviously," Duo muttered, rubbing the back of his head. Kami got back onto the bed.

"One more chance, Trowa," Duo crawled back up onto the sheets.

"Oh, geez, I don't know. Really. I honestly don't have a clue." The two long-haired teens grinned, looking at each other and pulled from behind their backs two large brown paper bags each.

"Sugar!" they shouted together. Smiling, they ripped open the closed bags and rumaged through them, placing things on the sheets around Trowa's legs. Rice cakes, inari, creme puffs and eclairs, peanut brittle, popcorn, botan; his sheets were piled with candy and desserts.

"Lookie! Pixi-stix and marshmellows," Kami sighed, looking at the bags.

"Yeah? Well I got... pocky!"

"You found pocky? Really? That's not fair!"

"Heh, sure it is. I got white rabbits, too," Kami said its name in Japanese, staring at the braided boy with awe.

"I got you a bottle of sake," Kami said with a grin after coming out of her reverie. "Wanna get drunk?"

"No, thanks," Trowa said, smiling.

"How come you get rice wine?" Duo pouted.

"'Cause you got pocky."

"Oh. Right," They went back to their bags, gleefully calling out the names of the confections they were pulling out.

"Collan!"

"Korean Cheetos, Trowa, look,"

"Sutokaziclub!"

"Korean Doritos... dude, those people know howta live!"

"Milk Puffs!"

"Chocolate bars,"

"Dan ta!"

"Fafa..." Duo looked at the bag, then shrugged and tossed it down.

"Lookie! Wasabi!" Kami hugged the bag to her chest. "Oh wait... you're vegetarian... darn. Duo, want some wasabi?"

"Later. Flute Cookies,"

"Oreos,"

"Chocolate chips."

Kami looked at him. "A bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips? Duo, those are for baking."

"So? They're good ta eat straight outta the bag!" he said defensively.

"Whatever. Morinaga caramels, mmh... you'll like these, Trowa. They're gooood..."

"Not as good as pocky,"

"No, never as good as pocky. Nothing's better than pocky."

"'Cept for that mango pudding stuff you made me eat yesterady," Kami grinned.

"It was good, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, but... it was green,"

"So?"

Trowa was laughing by the time all the bags were empty. They had thought of everything - from pies to soda, peppermints to gum, wax bottles even.

"How much did you spend on this?" Trowa asked, ripping open a package of banana chips.

"Uh... lesse..." Kami thought for a moment. "twenty-five thousand and eighty-two yen,"

"That's what, nineteen hundred American dollars?" Duo asked. Kami stared him.

"So you do have a brain under all that hair!" Duo gave a mocking glare.

Trowa cleared his throat. "And why did you get all this?"

"'Cause we love ya," Kami chirped happily. She was currently swaying from side to side, a smile pasted across her face as she hummed cheerfully.

"Uh, yeah. What she said," Duo smirked. "No, really, Tro-man. You're our bud!" Kami giggled.

"It's true. We all pitched in, even Sally," Trowa smiled at the thought of Wufei buying junk food.

"Well, I don't think you needed to get all... this..." He waved his hands over his bed. His sheet-covered toes poked out from under the candy.

"But we wanted to,"

"And besides, we didn't know what you liked,"

"Thanks..."

"Welcome!" Kami and Duo chorused. There was a pause, and then,

"Can I have the wasabi, Trowa?"

***

"Hihi!" Kami yelled, jumping onto Heero's back. He straightened and tried to turn around, but she was already ontop of him. He was in their room, his laptop on the desk with books and papers spread on his bed, which he was currently leaning over.

"Kami..."

"Yes?" she asked sweetly, leaning over her shoulder to look at him, her jean-covered legs wrapped around his waist.

"What're you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing?" She pulled the half-empty bag of wasabi out from her pocket and started munching happily, brushing the crumbs from Heero's hair absently.

"Kami, I've work to do."

"Sho? You ca shtill do it wif me up ere,"

"Kami..."

"Fine." She hopped off his back, still munching cheerfully on her beef chips. "Sho what'cha doin'?"

"Looking for information on the base on L-1."

"Oh. Okay. Why?"

"Because."

"'Kay." She thought for a moment. "Didja know Trowa's okay? He can walk around now, isn't that great?"

"Mh hm,"

"An' me and Duo, we helped out the cooks this morning with breakfast. Isn't that wonderful? We made peanut-butter waffles with chocolate chips!"

"Kami," he looked at her.

"Yeah?"

"Give me the chips."

"Why?" she asked defensively, hugging them to her chest again. He thought for a moment.

"Because I'd like them,"

"Oh. Okay. You coulda said you wanted some." She held out the bag which he took and promptly stuck in his back pocket. "Niichan!" she whined as the chips crunched into tiny pieces. "Why'd you go 'n' do something like *that*?"

"No more sugar for you," he replied, going back to his paper.

"But Niichan!"

"No. You've had more than enough for today. Maybe for all next week. Now go if you're not going to help me."

"But Niichan..." she pouted. "Fine. I'll go. After I get my chips back." She jumped him, trying to pull the bag from his pocket.

"Kami!" He whirled around, trying to grab her. She danced away.

"Ha!" She held up the bag triumphantly and leapt away for safety. "I got 'em back! Haha!" She stuck her tongue out at him and turned around. "Eep!" She fell onto the floor, landing on her backside. Trowa looked down at her, a strange look on his face.

"Yes, Trowa?" Heero asked exasperately. No wonder she never ate dessert. The girl's reaction to sugar was outrageous.

"I came to give you these," He stepped up and handed Heero a small stack of disks. "Sally said they might help."

"Thanks." Heero tossed them onto the desk and went back to his papers.

"Sure thing," He turned to leave, but paused, seeing Kami sitting on the floor, rocking back and forth, happily humming and eating chip crumbs. "Heero, would you mind if I took Kami with me?"

"No, please do," he answered gratefully. Trowa smiled.

"C'mon, Kami," he said, walking out the door.

"Okay. Where we goin'?" she asked, following obediently.

"Thank you, Trowa," Heero mumbled and went back to work.

***

Sally walked in to the library. "Your files," she said, tossing the manila envelope towards Kami. She caught it easily and smiled.

"Thanks a bunch, Sally,"

"You're welcome. Anything else?"

"Nope," Kmai said, her nose in the files. Sally looked at Heero, who was balancing two open books in his hand and reaching for another.

"I'm fine, thanks,"

Sally nodded. "I'll be in my office then, if you need anything."

They both nodded absently, absorbed in their work. "If," Heero started, "the Preventers made sure there was no gundanium or titanium being shipped anywhere, how do you suppose the regrowing OZ fractions were able to make suits?" He turned a page in one of the books he held, setting it on the desk. "Preventers made sure they knew of every factoury on Earth and in the colonies. There must have been one underground somewhere and the suits were just shipped to the base we destroyed."

"Mh hm."

Heero looked at her. She was still standing in the middle of the room, reading the papers Sally had just given her, chewing anxiously on her lower lip. "Kami?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you listening to me?"

"Of course."

"So what do you think?"

"I dunno,"

"Kami."

"Mh?"

"Earth was just taken over by eight feet tall purple monkeys who speak polar bear-ese and have rabid mice as slaves."

"That's nice,"

"This morning, I woke up to find out my head was missing. The monkeys had taken it, but I was fortunate enough to blow up their planet and get it back. I sewed it back on with dental floss."

"Oh. Alright."

"Kami?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you listening?"

"Uh huh."

"What'd I say?"

"Purple monkeys who rule Earth took your head and you sewed it back on with floss this morning after blowing up the planet the slave mice are from." Heero shook his head, wondering how she did that.

He stepped up behind her and tried to read over her shoulder, but she whirled around, startled, and wouldn't let him see the papers. "Kami, what is it?"

"Nothing."

"Well it's not blank paper, is it."

"Maybe it is," she said defensively, sticking the files in the manila envelope. She turned to walk away but he grabbed her arm. "Niichan!" she said, startled.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I already told you."

"Then you wouldn't care if I read it."

"I do care."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Kami,"

"Leave me alone, Niichan," She tried to shrug him off.

"No. It's something important and I wanna see what it is." He shouldn't care, he told himself, don't care, you're not suppose to care. But he did.

"It's paper,"

"Kami, tell me what it is."

"No." He sighed, lunging for the envelope, but Kami twisted around. He was too quick for her, though, and stuck his leg out, tripping her so she fell back. He didn't let her fall, but helped lay her down, hovering over her and still trying to get the papes. She curled up in a ball on the floor, sticking the envelope between her stomach and knees. Heero knelt on the floor beside her, reaching over, and grabbed at it. He missed.

She let go of the papers, uncurling lightening fast. Kami sat up, eyes wide, pushing Heero to the ground only to sit on ontop of him. It was all he could do just to put up his arm fast enough to block hers from hitting the side of his head.

"Dammit!" She hissed after a moment. Her breath shuddred as they stared at each other. "Gods fucking damn it!" She shoved him again and pushed herself up, storming out of the room. Kami slammed the door behind her and stalked down the stairs to the lobby as she redid the button on her jeans.

Heero sat up gingerly, rubbing the back of his head with one hand, the other clutching the files. He sighed, uttering a curse. Heero looked down at the files in his hand, skimming the words with his eyes. Two pages later, he threw them on the floor and rushed out of the room.

***

He grabbed her shoulders and threw her up against the wall. He held her there and let his face stand right in front of hers. "You don't understand. She's gone." Sally blinked.

"Heero, she probably went for a walk; the space station has a garden, you know."

"She's not in the garden," he hissed.

"You checked?"

"I didn't have to. I read the files you gave her." Sally sighed akwardly, still pushed up against the wall.

"Heero, maybe if you asked why she had the tests done,"

"I don't care why; She's gone because of them."

"Heero,"

"And besides, she's been missing for three days now,"

"Heero, it's just--"

"No. It's not just anything. Something is wrong, and if you don't find her, I'll kill you." He glared for a few more moments before letting go. She took a deep breath.

"Okay," Sally started, but he was already outside the room and closing the door.

The boy paused in his journey down the hall to look up at Trowa as he spoke his name. "Yes?"

Trowa blinked thrice before taking a stride towards him. Heero fought down both the natural instinct and learned training that told him to step away. Trowa cocked his head to the side slightly as he studied Heero's form. "Heero, are you alright?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"... Kami? L-1? How should I know?" he asked. Heero shrugged, looking off down the hall. Trowa smiled slightly. "You washed your hair with soap again, didn't you?" Heero turned back to look at him, brows furrowed.

"What do you mean by that?" Trowa shrugged, still smirking. With Heero facing to the side, a certain clump of his hair waved past Trowa's face and swayed under his nose as if teasing him.

"Your hair smells like the bar soap in the shower room." Heero sighed before glaring slightly.

"So?"

"Why don't you use shampoo?" Trowa implored, genuinely curious.

Heero shrugged, "Saves time," he answered, looking back down the hall. Trowa glanced in the same direction. No one was there.

"Okay." He studied Heero closely, his observant eye picking up all his blinks, the wrinkles in his shirt, the way he clutched his fists. "Heero... What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?" This time, Heero's eyes didn't waver to him. Trowa said nothing; instead, he reached out and placed his large hands on the boy's shoulders. Heero shivered quickly before whipping his head around to glare at the older boy. "What?"

Trowa shook his head slowly. "Nothing, I was just getting your attention." Heero glared, and turned back to look down the hall. Trowa sighed and let his hand drift down to take hold of Heero's left wrist, leaving his own left hand on Heero's shoulder. Heero spun his head to face him, stepping back at the same time.

"What're you doing? Trowa, stop,"

The Latin boy held the wrist firmly in his hand in a way that the Jap's elbow was bent and his wrist was at the same level as his shoulder, as he stared into Heero's face. "Something's wrong. Tell me."

"Nothing's wrong!" Heero replied, his voice a bit too high to be the truth. Trowa raised an eyebrow.

"Heero,"

"Let go, okay? Just, just let me go." Heero struggled weakly, as if not really caring.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." Trowa insisted.

"Nothing's wrong, okay? Now let me go!" The older of the two watched, somewhatly amused, as Heero tugged futilely to free his wrist. "Trowa, please?" He shook his head halfway before letting it hang. Heero's voice dropped as he tried to step back. "Trowa, let go, please, let me go..."

"Heero,"

Barely above a whisper, Heero admitted, "Trowa, let go, please? You're hurting me..." Trowa blinked, his heart sinking suddenly. He dropped the boy's wrist and let his hand waver there for a moment before reaching out and cupping Heero's downcast face in his hand to bring it up. His fingers brushed the throat as his palm held the side of the jaw and his thumb rested softly at the edge of his cheek bone.

"I barely touched you," Trowa stated. Heero's throat hitched as he stepped back.

"I know," he whispered. Trowa thought of letting go, but decided against it - Heero would probably drop his head down again. So instead, he let his thumb brush the corner of Heero's eye, wiping away the tiny drop of brine that threatened to spill over.

Trowa's brow creased. "Heero," he admonished. The Japanese boy's throat hitched again before he closed his eyes and fell forward onto Trowa. Startled, Trowa groped for him, thinking him unconscious.

"I'm sorry," Heero apologized softly, wrapping his arms around Trowa's waist for a tight hug.

"For what?" Trowa asked, smiling, relieved, as he placed his hands on Heero's back and shoulder. The younger's arms snaked up to clasp behind Trowa's neck.

Heero didn't answer, only began to cry into the green turtleneck. Trowa swallowed, unsure of what to do. Think, he told himself, then quickly made up his mind. He bent to grab Heero's knees and carried the boy down the hall to his room. Better inside than in front of a passerby, he thought as he tried to set Heero on the bed.

"Heero, please, you're choking me," The grip around his throat lessened, but Heero still did not release him. "Heero, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Trowa raised his eyebrow.

"Heero... you wouldn't do this over nothing, what happened?" The Japanese boy gasped for air, and Trowa lost his balance. They landed on the bed, the Latino ontop of the Jap. "Heero, let go, I'll crush you,"

"No, it's nothing," he heard Heero mumble. Trowa sighed, and tried to roll off of him. It didn't work - Heero went wherever he did.

"Heero, please," They had ended up sprawled across the bed, the sheets rumpled, and the pillow on the floor. Trowa's legs hung off the bed at his knees, and the smaller boy laid ontop his chest, clutching at the turtleneck. "Heero, my ribs," Trowa winced. He got no answer. He managed to shake the boy's shoulders, and heard a delicate sniff and a tiny murmur. "What? I didn't hear you,"

"... I didn't do it..." Trowa looked down as best as he could at Heero's face. Closed eyes and slightly parted lips told him he was asleep. Trowa tried to shake him awake, still being grasped tightly. After a few minutes, he gave up and let his head loll back. He stared at the ceiling, listening to the ragged breathing of the boy on top of him.

It was unusual to see Heero so helpless. Duo had broken a few times, Wufei had cracked once or twice, and Quatre seemed to fall every once in awhile, but never had he seen the Jap cry. He didn't know what to do. Duo needed to be hugged and given comforting words, Wufei just needed to be listened to, and Quatre was to be cuddled and talked to. Kami seemed to just need a smile and a pat on the back to cheer up, but her brother's consolation was a complete mystery to him.

After a moment of thought, Trowa put his hands on Heero's back and rolled, bringing his knee up. He leaned over the Japanese boy carefully, and brought up the other knee to balance himself as Heero's head lolled back a little. He placed his hands on the bed above Heero's shoulders to hold himself up so not to crush the smaller form.

"Niichan," Kami asked cautiously as she walked in, closing the door behind her. Trowa turned his head to look at her, startled, knowing she had stopped in the middle of her stride. She stood motionless, staring at the sight before her. Kami swallowed, her face blank. "What're you doing?"

"Can you help, Kami...?" he whispered, doing his best to nod at Heero's sleeping form. Kami's face wavered for a moment before she swallowed again.

"Depends." she said, looking between them.

He sighed. "It's not like that," he explained gently, "It's a long story, I'll explain it all if you help,"

"You'll explain it now," she answered, "Before I do something... drastic." Trowa sighed, looking down at Heero. She still hadn't moved, and Heero wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, he could tell.

"I told you, it's nothing like that," Trowa relayed for her a shortened form of the story, but she didn't look convinced. "Kami, why would I lie?"

"To save your hide," came the automatic response.

"Kami, if there was anything going on like that, don't you think I would've told you?"

"Not unless I specifically asked about it." He sighed, getting no where.

"No," Heero mumbled. Kami's expressionless face turned dark the second she heard the word. Barely a moment of hesitation passed before she sprinted across the rug to the bed. She lifted Heero a bit, pulling him out from under Trowa, and at the same time, grasped his wrists so he'd let go of the turtleneck. Trowa stood quickly, standing behind her and slightly to the side as she checked over Heero.

"You see? He's fine, Kami," he said when she was done. She turned, glaring dangerously.

"Get out." she hissed. He blinked. "I said get out." He sighed, "Leave now if you know what's best for you." Kami growled.

He turned smartly on his heel and strode out, not looking back. He only hoped Heero would remember what had happened so he could clear his name. Kami closed and locked the door behind the Latin boy before returning to the bed. She gently pulled Heero's body to the side so he was laying the right way and fetched the pillow from the floor. She sighed after a moment, looking at the clock, and then crawled up next to the sleeping figure, bringing the blankets with. Not laying down, she smoothed the sheets around herself and Heero.

Kami opened her mouth to speak as she turned to face Heero, but thought better of it and laid her head next to his. "Shit," she mumbled before she fell asleep, her body draped over his.

***

Heero awoke groggily, not moving as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. His cheeks felt caked for some odd reason. He tried to get up, not remembering crawling into his bed, when he noticed Kami. Her leg was thrown over both his, her torso on his chest. Kami's head rested on his shoulder and he felt her breath on his neck. Her hands were in his hair.

"Imoto (Little sister)...?"

"Mmh...?" She cuddled up closer to him, if it was possible, one hand dropping to clasp the back of his neck. Heero closed his eyes and rubbed her back gently as she struggled awake. The clock on the nighstand said four forty-six in the morning. "What is it?"

"There're two beds, ya know," he whispered, toying with her hair.

"I know." was the reply. Kami propped herself up on her elbows and looked at his face, her hair falling to curtain around their heads and pool on the pillow. Her brows furrowed as she looked him over. "Daijoubou desu ka (Are you alright)?" she whispered. He nodded slowly, unsure. "I'm sorry," Kami mumbled, sticking her nose in the juncture of his collarbone.

"For what?"

"For everything, I suppose..."

"Kami...?"

"I shouldn't have run off like that," she murmured, "Not without leaving a note or something. I didn't mean to.. to snap at you... I didn't mean to scare you so badly - Sally told me what happened in her office. I, I should have been here... for you..." He moved his head abit, trying to look at her.

"What is it?"

Kami looked up. After a moment, she blinked. "You don't remember...?"

"Remember what?" He remembered yelling at Sally, walking down the hall, talking to... "It's Trowa isn't it?" Her face darkened.

"I'll kill him." she growled, shifting her weight around. She managed to sit up and pushed away the blanket. "I'm going to kill him," she announced again, standing and making sure her gun was loaded. Heero quickly sat up, wincing as his head throbbed in protest.

"Wait," he grabbed her arm, "Trowa? You're going to kill Trowa? Why?" Kami turned, partly startled.

"Niichan..." she blinked, "I, you, he..." Heero immediately understood.

"Sit down, Kami," he ordered softly, ignoring his headache. "Put away the gun, come back to bed," Only after several minutes of thought and coaxing did she do as he asked. "Kami, don't kill him." She opened her mouth but he cut her off with a finger to her lips. "And don't shoot him either. No stabbing, no bombing, nothing. You hear me?" Kami nodded slowly. "Promise," he said, holding out his arm as if they were going to shake hands.

Kami grasped his hand and they put their thumbs together, pressed up against the other's, while the other hand came around to rest on top of it all. "I promise. Unless he provokes it," she added.

"Kami, it isn't what you think," She gave a soft snort. "I was worried - the files and you running off. He was trying to help..."

"Pah,"

"Kami,"

"Go back to sleep, Niichan," she said sharply. "We'll discuss it at a decent hour if we have to."

"No." She looked at him. "We discuss it now."

"Fine." He explained what happened in short, clipped sentences, starting at when she stormed out of the room and ending with falling asleep on the bed, using the excuse of stress to explain the whole break-down thing. "That doesn't mean a thing," she said.

"I'd think I'd know, Kami," he snapped, harsher than he wanted to be. She was surprised by the tone of his voice, but covered it up.

"Fine." She laid her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes.

"Kami," he swallowed, "I'm sorry," She opened her eyes at the whispered apology. "I didn't mean to pop the button on your jeans, it's just..." She nodded jerkily, taking a deep breath.

"It was part my fault, too, I guess,"

"No it wasn't."

"Yes, it was," Kami said firmly. "I uh... I asked Sally to do some tests. They, uh... they're for Preventers." Heero blinked. "I um, I decided to try to join it. I mean, what's the point of having training if you're never going to use it?"

"You're in Preventers?"

"No," she shook her head. "I'm not. Unn has to decide if they take me on or not. I don't think they will. I have too many... problems..."

"Problems?"

"Will you stop repeating everything I say?" Kami snapped. "Gesh. If you have a headache, which you probably have because everytime you have one you repeat everything, there's aspirin in the night stand drawer." Heero glared slightly, but reached over to fumble for the bottle.

"What problems?" he asked again, popping some pills into his mouth.

"Well, my lactose intolerance for one. I can't even eat pocky half the time anymore. And I have low blood sugar, which is why you are forbidding me to eat wasabi ever again. And... I'm... skiddish."

"Skiddish?" She nodded.

"About, you know, that hospital thing... and Drewmaud. I could be a handicap on a mission or something. Besides... I tend to take things too seriously when it involves... yeah," she gave a lopsided grin as she snorted. "Whatever," Heero sighed. "That's why I didn't tell you, 'cause I knew she wouldn't put me on."

"Unn'll find a way to put you on somehow. She might just stick you in the library or something, but you'll end up as a Preventer." Kami smiled.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Um..." She blushed. "Nevermind,"

Heero raised an eyebrow. "Alright."

She smiled again. "Go back to sleep now, Niichan. We still have three hours until Sally expects us in the cafeteria to go back," she paused, "home," Heero nodded and laid down beside her.

"Home is good,"

***

[Chapter Six Finished]

[Chapter Seven Teaser - "No, no, I can't do this," She rolled over, her hair curtaining her face. Heero watched her, his hand still in the air.]

***

A/N: All that junk food stuff, if ya wanna know what it all is, just ask, 'kay? Some of it's Japanese, some is Korean and some is Chinese, just in case you didn't know. And I *finally* got that other pilot in there... whew... I am sooo lazy... But don't worry, there's only four more chapter to go! Yay! And then it'll be done and over with and I won't have to shudder at the thought of this piece of crap anymore...

[*chibifies*] And please don't hurt me for the thing with Trowa... it's got a really good reason, I swear it, and he's the good guy again next chapter, okay? I promise! [*hides under blanket*]

***

And if it isn't too much to ask, Melanie, would you mind emailing me after reading this? I'd like to talk to you about stuff (no, nobody's in trouble ^^).