**Author's Note: Ok, here it is...a day late. I'm sorry. I had to work yesterday, and I didn't get time to fine tune the chapter like I had wanted to, or read it over to my sister. I hope you enjoy this one, I'm trying to move the plot along now that everyone's awake and has been introduced to one another. Thank you for all of the reviews hehehe, if I hadn't have gotten so many I wouldn't have had this chapter ready so fast :) (even though it was almost written anyway lol).**





Disclaimer: Yes, I own Gundam Wing, and Ronin Warriors, and Venus, and Jupiter too. I tried to get the title to the Earth, but it was just too damn expensive. (Sense my sarcasm?)









Chapter 10



"Dude, I bet he'd sleep through a twister!" Kento tossed another pretzel at Duo's sleeping form. He was lying flat on his stomach, face lost in a pillow in the exact same position he was in when Heero had finally finished his hair. Trowa claimed Heero had taken so long fumbling with the braid Duo had fallen asleep, but Cye, Quatre, and Sage had all vouched that they'd lost him before Cye had even started brushing his hair.

Trowa smirked, he was playing chess with Rowen, "He's usually a really light sleeper… we all had to be, but he hasn't been sleeping well and I guess it's all catching up to him."

"He's gonna wake up with crazy pillow creases all over his face," Kento chuckled, picking the pretzel back out of Duo's hair and munching on it. He'd begged one of the team of doctors on their case to let him have solid food early, and since the doctor could find nothing wrong with his system other than the fact that it had never been used, and Cye was just fine after eating solid food, he okayed it.

"Leave him alone, or I'll beat you up," Trowa said just as calmly as he would state his order for a hamburger and fries. He didn't miss a beat in moving his next chess pawn, and Rowen's mouth dropped open at his strategy. "Holy… this isn't supposed to happen! No one beats me!"

"I beat you once," Sage contradicted, he and Cye were sitting on the windowsill playing cards.

"I let you win," Rowen sneered. He really hated losing at chess…he hated losing at anything period, actually, but he especially hated losing at chess! "That's it! No more Mr. Nice Guy! You're going down!"

"Uh-oh," Kento breathed, looking at the others warily. Rowen had that crazy look in his eyes. They could be in for a very long evening.

Trowa chuckled, and looked at his watch, with a sigh, "Actually I'm going to have to wait until this evening to finish going down, Rowen. I have to get to class." He grinned at Rowen's impatient look, "I'll be back around 8, after dinner. You can beat me then, honest."

Rowen blew a long strand of blue hair from his eyes, "Fine...but you'd better not be late."

Trowa stood and held out his hand for Rowen to shake it, and confirm their deal to reconvene later to finish their game, "I have a good memory, so I wouldn't advise you to move any of the pieces from the board."

"I'm no cheat!" Rowen sniffed glaring as Cye and Kento began to laugh. "I'm not!"

"Sure, I believe you," Trowa said dispassionately. He hoovered over Duo's form on the bed, and pointed,"You guys want to keep this here, or do you want me to take it home?"

"Oh leave him, he feels so tired. It would be a shame if you woke him up," Cye said glancing at Duo with a slight smile. Trowa nodded, "Alright then, I'll see you tonight."

Trowa gathered his jacket and strode out of the room. "I like him," Sage said after Trowa had closed the door. "His aura is pleasant."

"Yes it is," Cye agreed, "I can see why Quatre is so drawn to him."

"Empaths are attracted to cool winds," Sage said, looking at Rowen serenely.

"So what do you think of them, Blondie? You like them?" Kento asked, he was slouched in a chair still fighting with the zipper on his pants.

Sage nodded, "I do. But I knew I liked them before I joined you all. Do you all like them?"

"Yeah, you see everything they've done for us, just out of the kindness of their hearts...and then, they're also really cool guys. Though I don't know much about Wufei or Heero yet. They are both really quiet. Trowa is quiet too, but he just spent a few hours alone with us, and he's pretty cool. He's like you Sage," Kento grunted as he struggled.

"Do you think it's odd the way we all get along so well?" Cye asked Sage. "Did you see how we all gathered in here, and started talking like we were old buddies? Honestly, some of the things that were said and done... I would have been so embarrassed, and flabbergasted if it had been with anyone but them."

"Yeah, like the stuff about...you know," Kento gestured to his pants. "It was like talking to you guys, instead of you guys and strangers, and I know they felt the same way. Heero didn't even look like he was going to kill me, when Duo mentioned Little Ken."

"Wufei felt a little angry," Sage said softly.

"Wufei? But why would Wufei...?" Kento looked puzzled, as Cye seemed to bristle, "Out of all of them, I must say Wufei is the one that I'm unsure about. He is nice enough, but... I just get the feeling he is trying to come between Heero and Duo. I feel his attraction, and I've actually seen the way he looks."

"I look at Duo flirtatiously..."

"Yeah, but that's your way Kento. You flirt and think he's cute, I mean who wouldn't, but you wouldn't actually try anything would you?"

"Maybe if the lights went out.."

"Kento, be serious!"

"No, no I wouldn't."

"You think Wufei's another Ryo in disguise?" Rowen asked sounding disgusted. "Geez, is nothing sacred? Does Duo know?"

Cye grinned, "I don't think so, no. In a way, he's really innocent. He casts this spell over people, and makes us all smile."

"Too bad he can't cast that same spell over himself," Sage said with a yawn. "He's so sad on the inside."

"Duo? Sad? This Duo?" Kento grabbed the end of Duo's braid and waved it at the two empaths to make sure they were talking about the correct person. "Oh come on, this kid doesn't stop smiling. He's a little ray of sunshine."

"He smiles on the outside hoping to stimulating a smile from within. He's happy about where he is, and who he's with, but there's so much left unresolved inside of him that he's never released," Cye said.

"It's why he doesn't sleep well at night," Sage played his next card.

"It's why Quatre, Trowa, Heero, and Wufei worry," Cye frowned at his hand of cards, and what Sage had just played.

"And you guys are sure you're not mind readers?" Rowen raised his brows at the two fair skinned boys.

"We're not mind readers," they said in a rather grouchy unison. They smirked at each other, and Sage yawned again. He set down his hand face down, and leaned back on the window seat to gaze out into the afternoon sun.

"If you're sleepy, Sage, take a nap. There's enough room on my bed for you to lie down too," Cye patted his friend's arm. "You're too pale."

"Aren't I always," Sage said staring at one of his arms rather thoughtfully. He stretched as he stood like a lazy feline, and moved to Cye's bed, where he sat leaning back on his pillows. "We can finish our game later, can't we?" His voice was so soft that Rowen frowned, and Kento glanced at him in concern. "Of course we can," Cye said, "Don't worry about it. Are you cold, would like for me to get an extra blanket?"

Sage smiled softly, "That would be nice."

Rowen was up in a flash going to the closet where an extra blanket might be kept. He pulled out a cushy light blue quilt, and brought it to the bed, spreading it over Sage, and folding it back a bit to get Duo, but not cover his head. "Maybe we should move him a bit. He might not be too comfortable with his legs hanging off the bed like that."

Rowen shrugged, and went around to lift Duo's legs and turn him on the bed. He made a small purring noise, and curled on his side after being moved, turning towards Sage's legs. "Well he's not waking up for a while," Rowen snorted, tucking the braid under the blankets with him. You warm now, Dreamer?"

"Mmhmm," the blond uttered, snuggling under the blanket and pulling a pillow to his chest. His eyes were already shut. Rowen sat on the edge of the bed, next to Sage's head and rubbed his back gently as the blond was lulled to sleep, he leaned in close to his ear, lips brushing against the delicate skin, "I'm worried about you, Dreamer."

"Don't be," Sage breathed, "there's nothing wrong with me, that wasn't wrong before."

"There was nothing wrong before Dreamer, you were perfect."

"No one's perfect, Galileo." Rowen kissed the ear he spoke into, and then placed a hand on his forehead. The skin felt cool and smooth.

"He's exhausted Rowen, stop worrying so much," Kento was standing before Cye's mirror staring hopelessly at his broken zipper. "He'll bounce back in a few days. I mean he's been awake for a couple of centuries, I think the boy deserves a nap."

"Yeah, yeah you're right, Ken," Rowen said, but continued to frown at the dark bags under his love's eyes. 'There's nothing wrong with me, that was wrong before... No one's perfect...' Was he trying to tell him something he hadn't known?

"Hey, you guys wanna play poker?" Kento pulled his shirt down over his pants and whirled to look at Cye and Rowen with his hands on his hips.

"You got money?"

"Uh..."

"How about Crazy 8's," Cye suggested.

"That sounds fun," Rowen agreed, as Kento scowled. "No one EVER wants to play what I suggest."

"So?"





~*~ ~*~





Ryo was in the cafeteria listening to the melting pot of voices stir around him. It was comforting sort of, to be in a mix of people who knew nothing of him. He didn't feel like an spare part here, he was just another face. He'd rather be nobody special, than to be in someone's way, or the object of discomfort. Rowen hated him, he was sure of it. He hadn't even spoken to him that morning when he'd apologized. He'd glared at him, and shook his head. He was never going to be forgiven. And Cye, Kento, nor Sage prompted Rowen to speak up, to try to make up with Ryo. They all seemed to respect his opinion. Those other 5 boys, they'd watched with curiosity but said nothing of the scene, then they'd ignored Ryo.

He sipped a small glass of water and studied the people around him. They didn't look much different from the people who'd surrounded him in his previous life, albeit most of them were American, but their clothes and styles didn't look space age to him. They wore jeans and t-shirts, skirts, and leather jackets. He wondered what their cars looked like, and what space colonies were like to live on. Would he ever get a chance to find out? He did want to live his life, he supposed. He really didn't want to sit around thinking about battle plans all day when he could very well die the next. But who could he share this with...not his friends. They acted as if they didn't want him around, didn't need him. They hadn't even objected when he left the room when Quatre, Heero, and Wufei exited to go to class.

Maybe he as overreacting a bit.... They hadn't asked him to leave, or glared at him...well Rowen had. But Cye had come after him, Kento had talked to him the night before, Sage accepted his apology. But how they'd acted earlier, he didn't like that they could move without him so easily! It hurt! He felt his eyes welling with tears he couldn't shed, not in public....but he didn't want to be alone. He held them in check, taking another small sip of water. His throat was enraptured by the cool wetness of the liquid, and wanted him to down the glass and get them something else, more flavorful to drink. His new taste buds cried out for fruit juices and sodas. Maybe he would try something to eat, after all Kento had.

"Would you like some dinner?" Ryo jumped. He jerked his head up to meet the serious blue eyes of Heero Yuy. "I'm sorry to frighten, you. Duo is always telling me I shouldn't sneak up on people, but old habits are hard to break."

Ryo just blinked. The boy was talking to him as freely as he talked with the others, like Ryo had bonded with him as well as his friends had. "Uh..."

"Kento was allowed to get a few things from the line, so I do not see the harm in you sampling something as well. I am about to get something for myself, and Duo. Trowa told me he was still here."

Ryo blinked, "S...sure. You don't mind?"

Heero put a small smile on his face, one that didn't look quite natural, but it was handsome, "No, I don't at all. Come."

Ryo stood and followed Heero to the line, not missing the attention Heero drew as he grabbed a tray and began selecting things for himself and Duo, "Get what you want, but try not to choose anything too greasy."

His voice was so mechanical, like everything he said was a ratiocination. He really did wonder what someone as bubbly as Duo, was doing with him. Heero sounded like a war general, gruff and to the point. Ryo eyed a goblet of red gelatin, and reached for it. Jello was safe, and hopefully it wouldn't be sugar free. He wasn't really hungry. Unlike Kento, his IV was enough sustenance for him, and he really hadn't felt any hunger pains at all yet. He followed Heero to the soup line, and then to the drink line, where he held one of the two large drinks Heero had poured. After getting plastic ware, straws, and a large bag to place all of their cartons in, Ryo had spooned his jello into a round plastic container, they left the line and the cafeteria. "What were you doing down there all alone?"

"Me?" Ryo asked rather stupidly. They'd entered the elevator, "I noticed a lot of tension in the room earlier, and your eye is swollen, as is Rowen's lower lip. He mentioned an altercation between you two, and you are not on good terms with one another. Is everyone else angry at you as well?"

Heero certainly wasn't the type to beat around the bush. "Um...well I don't know. I don't think Cye and Kento are angry, and Sage, it's so hard to tell with him, but I'm sure Rowen hates me." His eyes widened and his mouth fell open at the way he'd revealed those things to Heero without even really thinking about the fact that he was talking to a stranger.

"They are your friends, friends forgive," Heero said simply. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Both Japanese teens stepped out onto the floor, and Heero looked at him again with those searing Prussian eyes of his, "Are you going back to your own room?"

Ryo felt himself freeze a bit inside. He didn't want to feel like an outsider again, he didn't want to put himself back into that same situation he'd been in that morning. "I... yes. I don't.."

"Then I will join you, after I take food to Duo."

"You'll what? But don't you..."

"I am here to help you, all of you. I cannot help you, if I never spend time with you, or get to know you. I will come in a few minutes, if you do not mind."

"N..no, not at all." He really didn't want to be alone, and with Heero he wouldn't be...and he also wouldn't feel like an unwanted part. Someone wanted to spend time with him, that didn't feel guilty or the need to reunite the team. Heero wanted to get to know him, and to help him. "Ok, then. Um...t.. thanks, Heero. I really appreciate it, man."

Heero nodded gravely, and turned like a soldier, marching straight backed to Cye's room and disappeared inside.

See, I don't need you at all.

Silence.

Good.





~*~ ~*~





"Heero! You brought me food!" Kento beamed at the dark haired Japanese teen who entered holding a large bag of what smelled to be dinner. Heero stared at Kento unimpressed, "I brought dinner for Duo and myself. You can order up your own dinner at any time."

"Ouch," Kento made a face. "Hey, you're not mad about me getting a woody on your koi, are ya?"

Heero set down the food, "He was rubbing against your anatomy, I would think your body was not functioning properly if you hadn't."

Kento's jaw dropped, so that was why Heero hadn't gone for his gun. Kento knew he was packing for a fact now, he'd seen the bulge of the concealed handgun in his jeans earlier that morning when he'd left to go to class.

Rowen was laughing, "Love the way you put that Heero." Heero smiled politely at Rowen and walked to the bed where Duo was still sleeping. "He hasn't woken at all since this morning?"

"No, not one peep," Cye said. "How long has he not been sleeping?"

Heero frowned, "He sleeps, just not restfully at night. He has nightmares about the wars and his childhood. He'll go to bed before me, and wake up after me, looking just as tired as he had the night before. I think it comforts him to sleep in bed with someone, when he sleeps with Quatre and Trowa he always seems more rested."

"He sleeps with Quatre and Trowa?" Kento asked. "Isn't that...kinky? I mean, aren't Quatre and Trowa...?"

"Yes," Heero nodded. "I think it bothers them at times, but Duo will not allow himself to sleep in bed alone with me."

"Why not? You two are...?"

"He was raised Catholic, and though he does not believe in any god but the one of death, the priest and nun who raised him instilled the fear of premarital sex permanently. He won't sleep with me under a blanket unless he's fully clothed, and it can't be for the night. He won't touch me in sexual ways, and though he leers, he never peaks."

"Duo?" all eyes in the room were incredulous. Raunchy little Duo actually was the saint his large eyes could make him appear to be! "But all of those jokes...and the things he says..."

"Are simply jokes, and things he says," Heero shrugged. "Duo's got a large mouth, an interesting vocabulary, and a rather unique way of expressing himself with it. You'd be surprised at some of things he won't do."

"Do you get frustrated?" Kento couldn't help but ask. He looked at the small lump in the bed that was Duo, and knew he'd be taking ice baths every night to relieve himself. "With him not touching you and all.... do you touch..."

"KENTO!" Cye erupted, his face bright red.

"No, I tried to once and he froze."

"Geez, the priest must have convinced him his thing would rot off..."

"Kento please..."

"What? Heero's not embarrassed, are you Heero?"

Heero ducked his head a bit, and rubbed Duo's back to try and wake him, "Duo...Duo, wake up." No response... "I've bought you some ice cream."

"Ice cream.... hmmm?" Duo began to stir. One violet eye opened slowly to peer at Heero. "My Heero?"

"Yes."

"You brought me ice cream?"

"No, but I did bring you jello."

Duo sat up slowly scratching his head, and letting the blue blanket slip from his shoulders. He gazed around the room noting that the sun was in a different position in the sky, and Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei were missing. He ran a hand over his face grimacing at the roughness of the pillow creases etched into his face, "How long have I been asleep?"

"A long time Duo, it's 5 o'clock."

"Five? Oh shit, the lab Heero, I was supposed..."

"You were banned from the lab by Sally, Duo," Heero said.

"But I still had projects going. I just wanted to check on them. Connie was gonna let me in, and everything. She's probably pissed."

"Since when have you cared if Connie was pissed?" Heero questioned looking amused. He ran a finger across a pillow crease on Duo's forehead. Duo slapped Heero playfully, and then wrapped his arms around his waist, "I feel a lot better."

"Good. Now get up, I brought you something to eat. I'm going to go keep Ryo company for a bit, but I'll be back in an hour to take you home."

Duo nodded, as he stretched. Then he stopped Heero, as he further thought about what he'd said, "Why doesn't Ryo come in here? We don't stink."

Kento chortled, but quieted at the expression on Rowen's face. "I don't think he feels very comfortable in here with all of you just yet."

"Poor Ryo must feel like an outcast. I'll come with you Heero," Cye was standing, and Kento joined Cye in rising. "I'll go too."

"Well I'm not staying here if you're all leaving!" Duo grumped folding his arms over his chest. Heero eyed the large group that would be accompanying him to Ryo's room, "It would seem it'd be more convenient for Ryo to simply come in here."

"Yeah...lets buzz him! Give me the phone," Duo was climbing up the bed to reach for the phone when he discovered, "Ooh Sleeping Cutie...." He stared at Sage, he looked a bit troubled then, "Did I miss a doctor coming in here, and telling us his blood test results?"

Rowen shook his head, "One's coming today?"

Duo nodded, "Sally said so. I was supposed to tell you, but I...fell asleep. Sorry."

"Sage had extra blood work done?" Heero asked.

"Yeah, remember Dr. Mia noting she had problems with him when he was younger? Well Sally had been keeping a special eye on him. I think she thinks something's wrong. I hope not, but she didn't look too happy."

"Something like what?" Cye asked, he started to bite his nails, "I knew something was wrong. I knew he looked too off-color, and tired, and... What problems? Mia had problems..."

"Yeah, when you guys were young, he kept getting viral infections. It got really bad in your 8th year, and she had to take him out of the capsule to treat him. He actually woke up for a little bit there."

"He was really sick when he young..in his first life, you think maybe it was something genetic and it happened again?" Kento asked.

Duo shrugged, "You are exactly the same as you were."

"But there was nothing wrong with him when we lived together...well up until, you know... but that was more of a mental thing," Kento scratched his head. "Sage was never sick."

"Sage was taught not to show weakness. The whole thing in New York, with Shikaisen, when he pushed us away... didn't you learn that lesson then?" Rowen snapped. "Sage never has any problems to us, because he will never tell us if anything is wrong. But I'd been to his house, I saw how gentle his mother and sisters were with him. Vivian was always whisking him away...she was a doctor you know, taking him to her clinic. I always believed he went to volunteer, but perhaps he went for other reasons as well."

"He's prone to migraines," Kento suggested , trying to be helpful.

"He's psychic, dumbass," Rowen rolled his eyes.

"Sorry!" Kento glared at Rowen, "Just trying to help, geez! Cye doesn't get them, and he doesn't faint either."

"He's stronger than, Cye."

"Well one would think he'd build up a better tolerance for it by now," Cye said softly. "He'd nursed the ability since he'd drawn his first breath... he said he was born with a caul over his face."

"What's a caul..."

Duo shuddered, "A part of the amnion, one of the membranes that envelopes a developing fetus, and some times children are born with it wrapped around their heads. The babies look like they have no faces... freakin' scary. Superstitious people believe people born with cauls over their faces have premonitions."

Kento blinked at Duo's explanation, he was as bad as Rowen!

"It's a load of crap," Rowen spat.

"But he is psychic!" Cye breathed, sounding a little hurt.

"It has nothing to do with a caul being over his face... his grandmother was a seer," Rowen said, "It runs in the family."

"The only thing that ran in my family was premature baldness," Kento said, looking cheated. "How about you Cye, anyone in your family have some kind of ability that you inherited?"

Cye shook his head, "Not that I know of... the only thing I got was a fast metabolism."

Kento looked cheated yet again, "Bald, fat, and no psychic abilities, what else can I not have?"

"Intelligence is rumored to be inherited too, and my Dad was a genius," Rowen smirked at Kento, ducking when a pen was chucked at his head.

"Don't worry Kento, I'm sure you got something good somewhere mixed into your genetic soup that will make everyone else jealous when you find it," Duo said helpfully. He rolled out of the bed, and set his feet on the floor, moaning as he put weight on his legs. "Still so tired.... You see Heero, you see what happens when you guys won't let me have my caffeine and sugar. I get lethargic and lazy."

"No, you get your proper amount of rest," Heero corrected him. "I'm going to go over and ask Ryo to join us now. If he doesn't wish to, I'd like to spend some time with him alone."

"Is that your way of telling us you don't want us around?"

"Yes," Heero said petting Duo's head like an obedient puppy, and Duo whimpered before hopping back onto the bed, waking Sage.

"Oh Duo, don't..." Cye had begun, but was too late. Heero shook his head, "Hello Sage."

Sage sat up, his hair disheveled, giving him the appeal of a sexy underwear model posing in bed. "Dude, I gotta wake up next to you more often," Duo grinned, he crawled behind Sage and pulled his hair from the loose ponytail it was in. "All you need to complete the Calvin Klein look is a nice braid...with a few strands tumbling loose from it in key places..."

Heero rolled his eyes, as Cye, Rowen, and Kento chuckled at Sage actually remaining still to let Duo do as he pleased. "I'll be back," Heero said, taking his sandwich and leaving the room.

"Hey, you look like Skylar Pfeiffer, really awesome model guy...but you know what, with those eyes he's got nothing on you," Duo ruffled Sage's hair free of the braid, and put his ponytail back in, "You gonna keep your hair or cut it off?"

"Cut it," Sage said yawning, and clutching at Duo's long braid, "People will mistake me for a woman if I keep it. Why do you keep yours so long? I'm sure you've had similar problems to the one I've stated."

Duo fingered his braid fondly, "It's my memory chain. I'll never cut it off."

"Memory chain?"

"Every new notch I can braid symbolizes a new year, new experiences. It's my scrapbook, the only thing I've been able to hold onto all my life... and it will still grow, and be my oldest and dearest belonging even in death." He tossed the braid over his shoulder then, and touched Sage's knee, "A doctor's gonna come in for you some time today and go over your blood tests with you. Any idea what they might tell you?"

Sage and the others were still marveling over what Duo had said about his hair. The concept had been lovely, poetic even, and it seemed odd coming from him. Duo was such a layered character. Sage looked thoughtfully at Duo, his grey eyes silverish in the lighting, "He may tell me something about my immune system not functioning properly. It never has."

"What do you mean it never has?" Kento frowned. "You were never sick.."

"I never let you see," Sage said. "I.... when I was younger, people treated me different, like I some glass figurine that they could break by touching too hard. My...family...even put me in girl's clothing because they thought girls were gentler creatures. Obviously they'd never observed Yayoi in her natural state of play, she was a beast. But I didn't like that, I didn't and don't want anyone cushioning me. So...I learned to hide it. I trained harder, and made myself more disciplined to not show weakness."

"Sage you could have hurt yourself, put yourself in danger!" Cye objected. "You could have told us, you know we'd never treat you differently!"

"You're already looking at me differently Cye. I don't want people worrying about me all the time. My mother almost drove me crazy. Why do you think I spent so much time with you guys at Mia's?"

"But Sage, I've been to your house. Your Mom never acted weird..."

"That's cause you liked all the attention," Sage gave Rowen a mild look, "she really liked, you know. My dad and grandpa liked you too."

"Sensei Date liked me? Really? He always looked at me like I was a bum," Rowen looked pleased.

"He looked at everyone like that," Sage shared.

"Not you."

Sage dimpled slightly, "I had a little family favoritism being the only male child in the house."

"I sensed that," Rowen chuckled. "And if they treated you any differently, I thought it was because of that, Dreamer. They all acted enchanted by you, even your Grandpa."

"Wonder how they got along after I...left them," the blond's lips slightly down-turned. "Mom couldn't have any more children after Satsuki...perhaps one of my sisters had a son to carry on the Date name."

"I could do a trace for you," Duo said, rubbing his arms and staring at the bag of food Heero had brought. "I wonder if Heero brought me anything good, he can be such a bummer sometimes."

They watched Duo shift through the bag making comments about the entries he discovered. Everything was labeled edible, but there was clear disappointment in the lack of a sugary dessert.

"Guess Ryo must have decided to hell with us," Kento snorted, lifting Duo's bag over his head to sniff at the contents. "Chicken, spinach, and carrots... Dude, no mashed potatoes, no macaroni and cheese?"

"Too much starch," Duo grumbled, jumping for the bag Kento dangled over his head teasingly. "Gotta jump higher than that Shorty-OW!"

Cye, Rowen, and Sage laughed as Kento hugged his abdomen where Duo had struck him. "You should never tease a hungry man," Duo winked. He climbed back in bed with Sage, forcing him to share his pillow. Sage shot him an amused look and pulled out the TV table, helping him spread out his meal. "This doesn't look very appetizing."

"It doesn't," Duo agreed.

"So why eat it? Why not go down and get something you want?" Kento shrugged. "I'll go with you."

"Eh, I'm on a special healthy diet... Sally said she'd kill me if my physicals didn't start looking better, and she's not the type to make empty threats."

"Did Sally fight in the wars?" Cye asked.

"Oh yeah," Duo said. "She kicked major ass too. In fact, she was one of the people that helped bring our Gundam team together. She also has like this major thing for Fei Fei...but I think he likes guys. I wanna tell her, but I don't. You know how that goes?"

"Wufei totally likes guys?" Kento looked interested. "You know his type? He single?"

"Kento, I thought you like Duo...and Heero."

"Hey, they're taken! Wufei's hot and single!"

"He is hot, huh?" Duo poked at the chicken.

"He's attractive," Cye said dryly. He rolled his eyes at Kento who was picturing himself with Wufei.

There was a light knock at the door, and slowly it opened, a thin doctor poking his head in, "Is there a Sage Date in here?"

"Yes," Sage raised his hand.

"Good, I have lab reports for you. I'm Dr. Simmons," the doctor entered the room and closed the door. He was young with red hair and freckles, he gazed around the room with some discomfort at the slight crowding problem. "Do you want all of these people in the room when I..."

"Oh, I don't mind," Sage said. "They'll all want to hear about it anyway."

"Alright," Dr. Simmons said, he pulled a small palm pilot from his pocket ready to bring up Sage's data. "Do you already have an idea about what I'm going to tell you?"

Sage nodded.

"I figured you would. Do you know what Selective IgA Deficiency is?"

"Yes."

"I do too!" Duo perked through a mouthful of chicken, "It's a condition caused by faulty white blood cells or B lymphocytes. And while patients have a normal number of B cells, the cells don't mature into normal IgA-producing cells."

"What's IgA?" Kento was lost.

"Immunoglobin A, a type of antibody that protects against infections in the mucous membranes lining the mouth, airways, and digestive tract...." Rowen babbled, "Sage, you've been hiding this?"

"Hey, a lot of people with IgA are healthy, they have no more than the usual number of infections. If there are any symptoms they are usually ear, sinus, lung infections that may not respond to regular antibiotic treatments. You have allergies, Sage?"

"I had really bad asthma when I was little."

"So... is this Iggy-thing a disease, like cancer?" Kento scratched his head frowning at Sage. "Will he have to take medicine, or something?"

"There is no specific treatment for IgA deficiency. We only treat bacterial and viral infections with antibiotics, and hope they are effective."

"So this thing's dangerous?"

"No, not really," Dr. Simmons shook his head.

"All of that fancy talk just means he's the more likely to catch a cold," Rowen said

"Well is there something you recommend for Sage to do to help his body's natural defenses?"

"Just a proper diet, rest, and exercise. Routine check ups are also a good idea. Did you do all of that stuff before?"

"My mother was a physician," Sage nodded.

Dr. Simmons smiled, "Well you were easy. I thought this was going to take at least 30 minutes just to explain. You have any questions for me, Mr. Date?"

Sage shook his head.

"Great. Well if you don't..."

"I have a question!" Dr. Simmons stared at the small long haired boy who was sucking on a fork and eyeing him oddly.

"Yes?"

"Does the soda machine on this floor carry root beer?"

"Duo!"

"What?"







~*~ ~*~





The jello was too sweet. Ryo set down the spoon making a face. He should have chosen the strawberry shortcake. He looked up at the TV not really paying attention to the silly cartoon playing, he just liked the background noise it gave. He hated silence. He lie back on his bed folding his arms under his head, and tentatively stretching his awareness in the web to brush against the others. They were still together.. He frowned suddenly... That was funny, he'd thought he'd felt two more connections. They had been brief, like a radio station coming into focus, then fading out, the signal lost.

What in the world had that been? Should he worry about it? He sat up and leaned on the railing of the bed letting one hand dangle over the metal edge. Cye and Sage had probably felt it too... Sage probably knew what it was, if it had been anything. He looked toward the small window, outside the sun was setting, the light fading.

Sage hated sunsets. He said they symbolized "an end." He preferred "beginnings." Ryo smiled as he recalled the blond telling him these secrets of his, as they'd sat together in one of Sage's favorite areas in the woods that masked Mia's home. Rowen had gone into the city to meet with his father for lunch, Sage had been wary that Rowen's father would stand him up again. He'd been so tense, Ryo had suggested they go out somewhere soothing, and Sage had surprisingly led him to his insular sun spot. There, Sage taught him how to put himself into a trance, clearing his mind of troubling thoughts and emotions. It was one of the single most wonderful experiences of Ryo's life. That afternoon those glinting grey eyes had been for him, and the shimmering halo of honey flavored hair was for him to sample. How quickly he'd forgotten the underlying reason for their being there sharing such an intimate moment, was Rowen, and Sage's anxiety for him.

Ryo had already known he was in love with Sage Date, but it was then when he realized he had to have him. He would stop at nothing...he would never rest... until Sage called him koi, and wandered out into the woods to calm himself because worry for Ryo was driving him mad.



He had to have him... he wanted... Stop that! Ryo shook his head, black tangles falling into his eyes. No, no... What in the hell had made him start thinking about that? He was going to put all of that behind him. He had to! He had a team to lead, demons to fight, friends to prove he was worthy again to. He would not lose it all to lust.

You won't win.

Where was Heero? He said he'd come. Ryo tapped his fingernails against the bed, he was with the others... He said he'd come after he finished with them. But why would he want to leave their company to be with drab Ryo?

He wasn't coming. Of course he'd rather stay with them.

It hasn't been very long, he could still be coming.

He's not.

I think I hear him now. There was a slight sound, but it hadn't come from the door. Blue eyes slid back toward the window, gazing out in shock. "Oh my gods..." he climbed over the bed railing, slowly making his way to the window, his mouth scraping the floor... He reached the glass pressing his palms against the warm pane, staring, shock painting his features sharply. He'd seen... The body was gone now... but he'd seen...

He struggled to open the window. He wrestled for 5 minutes before the frame came free, and he threw it open. He leaned forward into the warm breeze, eyes scanning the ground below for familiar shapes. No...

But he'd seen... he could have sworn he saw...

"Greetings Wildfire."

He lost his balance, nearly toppling through the open window. The person sitting on the ledge just below the window laughed good-spiritedly, "Surprised to see me?"

"K...Kayura?"

The dark haired woman smiled, "Won't you come and join me out here, the breeze is quite lovely."

Ryo nodded dumbly, still dazed at seeing the former Warlord sitting so casually just outside his window. He swung one leg after another out onto the wide ledge, and once both feet were firmly planted on the wood he pushed from the sill and stood. The air was warm and fresh, the light wind teased his hair. He looked down at Kayura studying her... she looked the same as he'd seen her last. Her hair was still long, past her waist, bound in a single ponytail, her face was still smooth and unlined. She wore no make up or jewelry, all of her beauty radiated from within. She wore a simple white tunic and loose cotton pants, with wooden sandals on her feet. "Kayura?" He sat beside the woman hesitantly, she smelled faintly of lilacs.

What was she doing there, outside his window? Why hadn't she come in? If she was there, then the other Warlords must be still in existence... He hadn't doubted that they were, he just hadn't expected to...to see them. When they'd parted last, they hadn't been enemies, but they hadn't been friends either.

What was she doing outside his window?

"Why..."

"The Ronin armors call for you, I've come to bring them home," her blue eyes met his solemnly, then from her pocket she produced 5 large marbles, each its own color carved with a trait of humanity.

The small hairs on the back of Ryo's neck stood on end as a rush of energy flooded his body. He felt a slight burning on the skin of his forehead...his kanji. "Virtue," he whispered. The dove white hand extended to him, and he plucked the tiny ball, tinted red with passion, from the palm. The kanji ball glowed with life in his hold, and he quickly tucked it into his pocket. He took the other 4 kanji balls as well, putting them into his other pocket.

"Will you be staying to help us fight?" He watched the graceful woman as she still sat placidly watching life go on beneath her feet.

"In the end, everyone will fight."

"And who will win?"

Kayura tore her eyes away from the view below, and gazed up at Ryo, "Fate doesn't even know the answer to that question... and neither do I."

"So is this really the final battle then?"

"There are many battles being fought, but they all lead to what may be the end of all things."

"Do we stand a chance?"

Kayura smiled at him sadly then, "You hold the power in your hands, young one, you and your warriors. Ask yourself these questions, for only you know the answers."

"I ask myself plenty of questions, and the answers are less than satisfying."

"Then maybe you are not asking the RIGHT questions."

"Well, what are the right questions?"

"That I cannot help you with," the woman stood, she was as tall as Ryo remembered her being. "When you have need of us, we will come to you."

"How will you know when we need you? Where will you be? Why don't you stay with us?" Ryo tried to touch her, to take her hand, but she was gone. He stared at where she once was, her scent still lingered where her body did not, letting Ryo know she hadn't been a hallucination. The kanji ball of Virtue burned in his pocket, and he patted it. He held the power in his hands.... Once again he felt he strange sensation of an extra body in the web, before it vanished.

"Ryo."

He heard his name said...Heero? He had come after all. He climbed back into the room through the window, laughing at Heero's frown. "What were you doing?"

"Nothing...just getting some fresh air."

"We can go out if you wish," Heero suggested. "I don't think anyone would oppose to us taking a walk around the grounds."

Ryo smiled at the other Japanese teen, feeling warmth for the boy... the first real feeling he'd had toward any of their caretakers. He touched Heero's shoulder in a friendly manner, jumping when he felt a small jolt... Heero looked at him in alarm, "What...?"

Ryo blinked... the kanji burned his thigh, and his forehead... what did it want? He gasped staring at Heero's forehead. He slowly brought a cautious finger to touch the soft skin of Heero's face, brushing the unruly dark brown hair aside so he could better see the red symbol of virtue on the boy's brow. Chills ran down his spine, making him tremble.

"Ryo, what's going on? What is this mark on your forehead? It was not there before." Heero's normally level voice was husky, and he raised his own hand to trace the symbol on Ryo's knotted forehead.

In the end, everyone will fight... "We need to talk."







**Author's Note: Well, there's Chapter 10...can you believe this story has 150 pages? It's my longest anime tale yet. I'm excited about the great response its been getting, and it inspires me to work harder on it. I have never updated a single story as frequently as I've updated this one. Please review, I know its annoying to do so..but it really does help author's out a lot. Oh, and if any of you are Escaflowne fans, I've got an Escaflowne story up that I've just posted :)**