Disclaimers: See Prologue.

Can be posted anywhere, just ask first.

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Christmas Wishes Part Two

By Puu

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A.C. 197...Christmas Eve

He would never admit it to anyone, but...

He was *glad* that Sally had dragged him out to the party.

Wufei had been working on a particular case that caught his attention

when some anonymous tip came across his e-mail a while back. At first,

he thought it was a trap or some practical joke someone wanted to play

on the Preventers. After some careful checking, however, he realized

that wherever the information came from, it seemed legitimate.

That seeming legitimacy was very disturbing.

He brought the case to the attention of Lady Une, who okayed the

project, but told him that he needed to exercise discretion. So he

worked alone, not even telling Sally what he was *really* doing. But

after his initial check, he couldn't find his anonymous tipper or

anymore information.

Frustrated couldn't even begin to describe what he felt. So when Sally

found him at the office, he half-heartedly argued, but capitulated

quickly so he could leave the problem for another day.

Of course, if he had known that the girls were going to ask him

embarassing questions, he might have decided to stay at the office

after all. He looked at Sally, who was still talking to Lady Une, and

tried again to picture her in the way that Relena, Dorothy, Hirde, and

Catherine implied their relationship. He shook his head. He couldn't

do it, of course.

Sally was a friend, nothing more, although they both had entertained

the thought of being more and tried dating. After a couple of weeks,

they couldn't do it and broke off the attempt.

The process was disappointing and a little painful, but it was all for

the best.

Wufei glanced around the room and noticed that Duo seemed absent from

the party. Out of all of them, Wufei expected Duo to be out full

force, joking and partying and generally having the best time in his

life. But Duo was nowhere to be found. Wufei found the situation

a little strange, since Duo had been exhibiting some strange behavior

for the past few months. He wondered if anyone else had noticed.

He turned his attention to Trowa and Quatre, who started playing

another beautiful duet and decided to mention it after the holidays.

After all, it was Christmas.

***

Hirde gave everyone a smile and excused herself. Then she looked

around the room, frowning to herself. As the holidays came closer, Duo

had been spending an inordinate amount of time at the Preventer

offices. He never seemed so preoccupied with work before, but this

time, this time he stayed until all hours, working his ass off. He had

not told her what he was doing and when she asked questions, he was

very closed mouthed about it. She worried about him and wondered what

could be so important that he would go without sleep for days on end.

He seemed pretty normal today, Hirde thought, but now, now he was off

by himself somewhere. It just wasn't like him.

Wufei stood to the side watching Quatre and Trowa. Hirde walked over

and tapped him on the shoulder. Wufei looked back at her and he raised

his eyebrows in question.

"Have you seen Duo?"

Wufei shook his head. Hirde frowned. "Well, thanks." Hirde was about

to walk away, when Wufei grabbed her elbow gently and steered her to a

corner opposite to the grand piano.

"Is there something wrong?" Wufei looked at Hirde intently.

Hirde shook her head, stopped, then sighed. "I don't know."

"That's not a reassuring answer," said Wufei with a wry smile.

Hirde looked exasperated. "Well, I don't know what else to tell you."

Wufei blinked, that wasn't the response he expected from her.

"All right," he said slowly. Then he paused and a long silence hung

between them. Hirde looked around at everyone else and Wufei sipped

his drink. "Everyone's worried, you know." Hirde looked sharply at

him and he laughed. "Didn't you think everyone would notice how hard

Duo's been working lately? It's a bit unnatural for him."

Hirde gave him a wide astonished look. "I thought you were always on

Duo's case for being a, now let me get this right, 'lazy, worthless

bum.'" Wufei blushed. Hirde crossed her arms and leaned toward him,

her eyes narrowing. "Am I right?"

"Well..." He looked at Hirde, eyes serious. "I don't really think

he's lazy. He's harder working than we realize sometimes. But he

hasn't been himself lately. He hasn't played a joke on me in ages."

"Yeah, ever since you said that--"

"I don't expect him to change just because I say something, and

personally, I don't want him to change because it wouldn't..." he

grinned, "well, wouldn't be just."

Hirde sighed. Then she gave Wufei a sideways glance. "You're nice

when you want to be, you know." She paused, thinking. "But he has

changed. And not for the better." She went quiet, thinking for a

moment, then snapped her fingers. She looked at Wufei and Wufei raised

an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You remember that anonymous tip you got over the 'net?"

"Yeah?"

"He started acting strange at about the same time."

Wufei stared at the far wall, his eyes distant as he thought. Hirde

was disappointed when he shrugged. "It doesn't prove anything."

"He was going to play another joke on you. He hacked into your files

and looked at them. He was going to make your computer sing love songs

every time you opened a file. The next morning, when your computer

didn't sing, I knew he didn't do it." Wufei gave her a flat look. She

raised her hands. "Hey, that was months ago and nothing happened."

"Well..." Wufei shrugged. "Anyway, that's not the point. What makes

you think it has something to do with my snitch?" He paused and his

brow furrowed again. "And how did you know about that tip? The only

person who knows about it is Lady Une."

"I'm not without my own sources." Wufei's eyes bore into her, but

Hirde closed her mouth and refused to elaborate. He didn't need to

know that Duo told her. Besides, she was pretty good at hacking her

own way in when she needed to. "And, like you said, that's not the

point," she said quietly. Hirde took a deep breath. "I think he's

looking for your snitch."

Wufei started. "He's looking for..." He shook his head. "Nah."

"Why not?" Hirde took Wufei by the elbow and drew him farther into the

corner, keeping her voice low. "He didn't start looking until he got

into your files. He's never been this obssessive."

"There are a lot of holes in your theory."

"Oh yeah?" Hirde let go of Wufei's arm. "Well, he may not be looking

for your source, but something he saw in your computer is making him

crazy."

"Maybe..." Wufei said dubiously.

Hirde gritted her teeth. Her instincts concerning Duo were never

wrong. Wufei may be willing to help, but he wasn't taking her

seriously enough. "There's something else you should know."

"What?"

"As you know, he wears this cross around his neck. Now, I've seen the

cross before, he always wears it, but I've noticed lately that there's

also a locket on that same chain. He never takes off the necklace,

so I think he's always had that locket. Every time he got frustrated

with what he was doing, he would always pull out his cross..." Wufei

nodded and Hirde felt a little surge of triumph at his agreement, "but

lately he's also been pulling out the locket, opening it, and looking

inside."

Wufei nodded again, more slowly, and his eyes grew distant. Hirde

waited as he thought about her words.

"So, whatever Duo is looking for, the answer would be in that locket."

They spun around at the extra voice. "Or perhaps I should say

whomever?"

"Q-Quatre..." stammered Hirde. Quatre looked at them and smiled.

"I'm sorry if I was listening in but you weren't at the tree, so I

went looking for you." He smiled at Hirde. "Interested in some

advice?" Hirde nodded, her face burning. Wufei tilted his head toward

Quatre. "Well, since we're not really sure what's actually going on, I

think the best course is to just ask him what he's doing."

"Well..." said Hirde, still a little embarrassed about being caught.

Wufei, on the other hand didn't look disturbed in the slightest.

"It's not that simple, Quatre. He's being evasive," said Wufei.

Quatre shrugged. "Then, we'll simply be sneaky about it. Why don't I

go talk to him first?" He looked around the room, in search of his

missing guest then he turned back to the other two. "I haven't seen

Duo all night. Do you know where he is?" Both shook their heads.

Quatre then looked to the balcony and saw a lone figure standing

outside. He turned to Wufei and Hirde. "Anyone care to join me?"

"You found him?" Hirde asked. Quatre nodded to the balcony. "What's

he doing there? It's freezing outside."

Wufei also looked over and said, "I think someone's already beaten you,

Quatre. Look." All three watched as Trowa walked toward the balcony

door and stopped for a moment. He appeared to hesitate for a moment,

looking at the person there, then he opened the door and stepped

outside.

***

Trowa watched Duo for a while, waiting for him to register his

presence. But Duo never turned around, never acknowledged him, so he

came closer. Duo's eyes were closed and he held something tightly in

his hands. Yet, Trowa didn't notice those things. His attention was

attached to Duo's face and those little things paled in comparison to

the tears hanging precariously to his eyelashes.

Duo was crying and that was something that Trowa had never seen

him do, even when he was hurt. Trowa reached out to grip Duo's

shoulder and had to jump back as Duo snapped out of wherever he was and

attacked. Trowa landed five feet away from Duo and they eyed each

other, Duo still in his attack pose and Trowa crouched on the ground

calmly regarding him. Neither of them moved or spoke for the longest

time.

"You've been hiding a few things. Isn't that my move?" Trowa stood

and folded his arms, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

Duo relaxed from his stance, still gripping the thing in his hand

tightly, and turned away. "Then maybe you shouldn't sneak up on

people, since you know what'll happen." He paused and then moved to

slip the thing in his hand into his shirt. "What're you doing out here

Trowa?" He brushed away the almost tears before turning back to face

the taller man.

"I just came to call you in. We're going to open presents soon. It's

almost midnight, you know." Duo turned back around and leaned on the

railings of the balcony, his chin resting on his hands. Trowa waited

for a moment then started to go back inside. He did what he was

supposed to do, he need not do anythi...

"I'll be there in just a minute." Duo's voice was soft, but Trowa

detected a catch in his voice. "I just needed to be alone for a

while."

Trowa had reached the door, but did not go inside. Instead, he came

back and settled right next to Duo. "What's wrong, Duo?" Duo looked

at him sharply, then returned to staring off into nothing.

"Nothing," muttered Duo.

"Bull."

Duo's head snapped around, his mouth hanging open. Trowa calmly

studied Duo, his mouth working. After a series of gaping gasps, Trowa

spoke again.

"The fact that you've actually changed quite a bit in the last few

months is far from nothing. You're actually working very hard, Duo.

Not just hard, you're becoming a lot like Heero in that sense. And you

don't joke around as much anymore, you're becoming more quiet. What's

bothering Duo Maxwell so much that his personality begins to change,

and not necessarily for the better?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Both men turned, and Hirde came up

from the shadows, to join them.

"It's nothing!" Duo snapped. He glared at Hirde and Trowa.

Trowa saw Hirde stiffen and lift her chin. "Okay," she said. Her

voice stayed deceptively even. "Well, then..." She turned back around

and headed for the door. Before she went inside, she looked back and

said, "You two better hurry. Everyone's gathered around the tree."

After watching them for a couple of more minutes, she went inside.

Trowa watched Duo closely. His clenched jaw and stiff face seemed to

indicate that his *nothing* was, in fact, everything. "That was

was unfair, Duo. She's worried." Duo shook his head and turned away.

He walked to other side of the balcony. "We're all worried. You've

been acting strangely and everyone's noticed." Trowa sighed. Duo was

determined to ignore him, it seemed.

Trowa walked to the balcony doors. "We're willing to listen. When

you're ready." He went inside and saw Quatre standing next to the

door.

"Will he be coming in?"

Trowa shook his head. "He needs time."

***

Duo knew he was being unfair, he didn't need Trowa to point that out,

but this was his problem. It was too personal to bring in anyone else.

Duo didn't want to burden them. A tear slipped down his cheek and he

brushed it away angrily.

But he wasn't getting anywhere. His search kept on coming up to dead

ends and he was running out of ideas.

He needed help.

He took out the locket and cross from beneath his shirt and stared at

them. He stroked the locket gently, opened it, and looked once more

at the pictures. One small frame had Hirde's picture, a recent photo

that she didn't know he had taken, but the other was of a little girl,

faded after ten years.

"Ducina..." he whispered.

He walked back to the door and looked inside. Everyone surrounded the

Christmas tree and he saw Hirde sitting with Relena and Dorothy. They

started exchanging presents and he felt a little pang of shame when he

realized how he acted toward Hirde and Trowa.

They were only trying to help, after all. And it was Christmas. What

would have Father Maxwell said about his behavior? Or Sister Helen?

Or Du...

No, he won't go there.

Duo knew he owed them both an apology.

Taking a deep breath, he closed the locket, shoved both the locket and

cross underneath his shirt, and opened the balcony door.

***

Wufei watched the scene unfold with a twinge of apprehension. Hirde

held her hands clenched tightly in her lap, but there was no other

outward sign of distress. She was talking with Relena and Dorothy

about some of the things that were going on in the L-2 Colony.

But something about her expression seemed a little...off.

He heard a door shut quietly behind him and he listened as Duo stood

behind him. Wufei kept his eyes focused on the things going

on in front of the Christmas tree.

Heero gave Relena a teddy bear with a red bow around its neck. Relena

threw her arms around Heero's neck and gave him a kiss. His flat

expression didn't change, but he grew very red and twisted out of

Relena's grasp. Wufei heard a soft snort come from Duo. Tilting his

head slightly, he could see Duo grin out of the corner of his eye.

Wufei turned to face Duo.

"Hey, Wufei. Nice party, huh?" Duo said lightly. But Wufei noticed

that Duo's eyes, usually bright, seemed dull and gray, highlighting the

shadows beneath.

"You look like shit, Maxwell." Wufei grabbed Duo's arm and steered him

away from the little festivities around the tree.

"Gee, Merry Christmas to you too, Wufei. You're so observant." Duo

shook Wufei's hand off. "If you'll excuse me, I need to talk to

Hirde."

"It looks like you've already said enough."

Duo looked over to where Hirde sat and sighed. "I was going to

apologize. Is that all right?" He sat heavily into a chair and buried

his face into his hands. "God, it's not supposed to be this way."

"What way?" A voice came coolly over the sounds of celebration around

the tree.

"Well, hello Heero, coming to lecture me on good manners too?"

"More likely he came to get away from Relena."

"Hey, Wufei, you do have a sense of humor!"

Wufei sniffed. "No. Just stating the obvious."

"Are you both done?" The icy tone of Heero's voice could have frozen an

erupting volcano.

Wufei winced and Duo gave a short bark that couldn't pass for a laugh.

"I didn't even know we started."

Everything was silent except for the merry sounds coming from around

the tree.

Heero glared at Duo. Duo just stared at his hands. Wufei cleared his

throat.

"Duo, I think you should tell us what the hell is going on."

"Don't say hell. It's Christmas," Duo snapped, but he kept looking at

his hands rather than at them.

"Duo..." Heero snarled.

Duo hunched down in his seat. He reached into his shirt and brought

out a gold chain with a cross...and a locket. Duo unclasped the chain

and handed the necklace to Wufei. "Recognize anything?"

Wufei turned the objects over in his hand. The cross was plain and

made out of real gold, slightly bent out of shape. The locket, round,

an inch in diameter, and similarly dented, had a symbol etched onto the

front. Wufei looked back up at Duo, who watched him. Wufei handed the

necklace to Heero.

"A Celtic trinity surrounded by two olive branches." Wufei knew where

this was going, but he tried rationalizing. "The trinity is fairly

common..."

Duo pinned Wufei with his tired blue eyes. "Which was also our

verification signal for any of our missions."

Heero offered the necklace back to Duo, who replace it around his neck.

"You knew who our mission contact was."

"I did. But she disappeared after Lady Une threatened to destroy the

colonies." Duo went back to staring at his hands. "I haven't been

able to locate her since then."

"Her?"

Wufei and Heero looked at each other before stepping aside for Hirde.

Duo stood up and extended his hand.

"Hirde, I'm sor--"

She put a hand up to his mouth, stopping the words. "I know. I know.

You always say that." Wufei and Heero started backing away. "Wait,"

said Hirde. They stopped at her command, but she didn't look back at

them. "I think you need to tell all of us, Duo."

Wufei could see Duo swallow, but he nodded. Hirde offered him a hand

and he took it. She dragged him to the couch, leaving Wufei and Heero

to follow. Duo sat down heavily, a blush spreading on his face.

Wufei almost felt sorry for Duo as Relena settled next to him, opposite

of Hirde.

"Everything has something to do with this," Duo whispered and he took

out the locket. He unclasped the necklace and gave it to Hirde.

Wufei was surprised when her eyes widened in what seemed like

recognition, before she frowned. She seemed to think for a moment,

then handed the locket to Relena.

Relena glanced at the locket. Then she stared at it. She gasped.

Duo's eyes widened. Wufei raised his eyebrows in question. Heero came

over to stand next to Relena. Everyone else looked puzzled at her

reaction.

"The locket," she whispered. "Dorothy, look at the locket." Dorothy

came over. She also gasped as she saw the locket.

"What? What is it?" Duo queried, his confusion growing. Relena looked at

him.

"There's another locket like this, isn't there, Duo?"

"Yeah, there is." Duo frowned. "How do you know there's another one

like it?"

Relena ignored the question. "And are the only two of their kind?" she

asked anxiously. Duo's frown deepened.

"Yes. I found out years later, that the lockets were handmade

especially for... Look, why are you asking me all this?"

By this time, Wufei noticed everyone's curiosity had heightened ever

since Relena's reaction and intent query. Lady Une and Mariemaia came

up to also look at the locket. Their look of interest turned to shock.

Sally, looking at their faces, also came up to take a look.

"I've seen that locket before," Sally whispered.

"So have I," whispered Lady Une, her expression turning thoughtful.

She shot Wufei a questioning look.

He casually shook his head. He still hadn't found anything out about

his mysterious snitch.

"She was the one who..." Mariemaia's voice trailed off.

Duo, looking thoroughly confused, and tired of their cryptic remarks,

demanded, "What are you talking about? How do all of *you* know about

this locket?"

Wufei butted in. "I'm a little curious about that too." He knew the

symbol, all the Gundam pilots did, but a lot of people recognized the

whole locket.

That meant he had to step up his own investigation and bring the other

guys in on the case. Wherever the information came from, his new

snitch *had* to know something about *her*. Whoever *she* was.

"Can you tell us about the locket, Duo?" Relena asked softly. "How you

got it?" Duo was silent. Then he spoke.

"I had--have a twin sister," he whispered.

Hirde sighed and looked straight in his eyes. "Can you tell us about

your sister? Please."

"Only if you all can tell me how you know about this locket." When

they nodded, he began to tell them what he remembered.

"My sister and I were orphans on L2. Neither of us remember our

parents. I'm not even sure if we're really related or if there's just

an uncanny resemblance, but all we had was each other and for as long

as we could remember, we were together."

He took a deep breath. "I guess that was what was really important.

Nothing else quite compared to that..."

****

Somwhere in the tundra of Canada...

"Finally, this is it. The Preventers can take care of the rest." A

person in a snowsuit and goggles, with a muffler around their face,

trudged a few more feet, before turning around to face an abandoned

base. The person fingered the self-destruct control and checked the

maps on the laptop. There were red dots with the word "destroyed" next

to them all over the world map. There were very few green dots left.

The person nodded, confirmed the location, and pressed down on the

button and watched as explosions bloomed over the base. The person

watched until the dust cleared and all that was left was the falling

snow. A few taps on the keyboard entered the report into a log and the

person e-mailed the log off to Preventer Headquarters.

The person turned and began to walk toward the nearest town that was a

couple of miles away. "Now, time to keep that promise." The person

sneezed twice and then again once more. "Geez, what's with the

sneezing? Probably getting a cold. That's all I need," the person

muttered as she made her way back to town, periodically flicking snow

off her long braid.

...to be continued