New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Retaliation
By: Shadow Chaser and Sephy
Year: AC 224-226
Characters:
Vailo "Val" Yuy - military academy student - pilot of Gundam Falcon Zero
Reyna Maxwell - high school student - pilot of Gundam Hellfire
Adler Barton - junior instructor at Space Academy - pilot of Gundam Taliesin
Cerelia "Neo" Winner - car racer for Colony 04 - pilot of Gundam Sandstorm Zero
Cavan Merquise - Officer of Preventer - pilot of Gundam Scorpion
Xylon Riyet - military academy student
Severn Cawley - mechanic apprentice
Anima Ryoiji - car racer for Colony 01
Tani Walker - high school student
Julian Kaspari - assassin/bounty hunter
Daemon Hallsfield - senator for Northern European sector
Sean Johnston - senator aide for Daemon Hallsfield
Additional Characters:
Heero Yuy - Commander of Preventer
Duo Maxwell - Leader of Sweepers
Trowa Barton - Captain of Space Force
Quatre Raberba Winner - head of Winner Corp./leader of Colony 04
Wufei Chaing - Major of Preventer/undercover informant
Zechs Merquise - ret. Colonel of Preventer
Relena Peacecraft-Yuy - Foreign Minister of Colonies
Mariemaia Kushrenada - President of Unified Earth and Colonies
Lady Une - Colonel of Preventer
Azure "Hawk" Williams - agent of Preventer
Story:
Prologue- Waiting, In Silence
Pictures flashed, photos taken all of them smiling. There was a group picture where everyone posed, all the Gundam pilots and their parents and siblings. Suddenly the group picture caught on fire and burned at the corners then made their way towards the center. The picture was dropped into a trashcan where it crumpled up into a melted ball of paper and ink.
"How soon should we prepare?" a voice asked kicking the trash can away.
"Not yet, let them think they have won," another replied the first one.
Severn Cawley and Xylon Riyet watched as more of the photos burned up in the trash can. When all were done, both men turned and watched the oceans of Florida Base wash up, brining some metal parts up to the sandy shore.
"Has the senator been informed of the present situation with Foreign Minister Peacecraft-Yuy and President Kushrenada?" Xylon asked the older teen.
"Yeah, he's not too happy about it. He said that it'll make things harder for him, but Sean said to him that he's got a plan," Severn replied and Xylon looked at him curiously. "Tell me this Xylon, who are we actually pulling the strings for?"
"No one, this is for revenge…tell the senator not to rush, we need to think our strategies out, let them mull over their victory. We'll strike when they least expect it," Xylon replied then turned around and headed back up a path that led to a posh looking hotel that overlooked the bay area of Florida. Severn didn't know why a hotel would be situated next to a military base; but then again, he never questioned his orders.
He raked a hand through his dirty blonde hair, having it let it grown long, almost to his shoulders. Things just weren't going to get any easier with the new breed of Gundam pilots, but he and Xylon had to succeed for their own gain. If only…Severn thought then shook it out of his head. It was not right for him to dwell on the past, only focus on the present and future situations.
* * *
Chapter One - First Steps
Paris, France
Rain. Of course. Reyna Maxwell shook her head ruefully as she pushed out into the quad, a sky right out of a horror film greeting her. True, Paris in late October wasn't exactly all sunshine and bows like it was in spring but was it really to much to ask for a girl to have a little sunshine on her birthday? It had been drizzling on and off all week, the sun never once gracing the earth below with so much as a ray. She was beginning to think that the sun was just some elaborate myth people believed in just to relieve the monotony of their gray little world.
Normally, she loved the rain, loved listening to it strike the room of her home while she was bundled safe and dry in her bed with a mug of cocoa. Or being caught in a real storm, the kind that soaked her to the bone and created huge puddles for her to splash in--that was okay, too. But this relentless fizzly little rain of the sort that just sank in your skin slowly and left a chill there was beginning to wear thin.
She shifted from foot to foot, adjusting her backpack and casting an annoyed glare behind her. "I don't suppose we're leaving anytime soon, are we?"
"Give me just a second?" a muffled voice said. Reyna rolled her eyes, moving to the side to let other students pass and watching as her friend rustled through her huge knapsack, very nearly falling into it.
"I swear, Tani, if your backpack gets any bigger, I'm gonna have to carry it for you," Reyna said.
There was a non-committal snort as her friend sat back, arm digging through her belongings in determination. Reyna was stuck once again by just how small her friend was--her backpack was very nearly as large as she was. How she managed to carry it and walk at the same time was something Reyna would never know.
Tani laughed in delight, fishing her hands out of the knapsack in triumph. One of her prizes was an umbrella, for which Reyna was very grateful seeing as she had forgotten her own this morning and had walked to school huddling in her raincoat and shivering. The other prize was a medium-sized gift wrapped rectangle.
"Happy birthday!" Tani all but bounced to her feet, thrusting the package in Reyna's hand.
"Tani, you shouldn't have," Reyna's fingers closed around the package gingerly.
Her friend frowned, her brown eyes scolding. "Now, I know you said you didn't want anything for your birthday but... It's your birthday! How can I not get you something? What kind of friend would I be?"
"The kind who actually listens when her friend says no to something," Reyna quipped, then softened as she saw Tani's pixy-like features turn downcast. She reached out and hugged the girl. "Anyway, I appreciate it. What is it?"
"You have to open it," Tani insisted, her face all smiles again.
She weigh the pros and cons of waiting but seeing as how Tani would probably explode if she waited too much longer, she began tearing into the package.
"You really meant to keep this a surprise, huh?" Reyna grunted, tugging at a heavily taped area.
With a satisfyingly loud rip, the rest of the paper fell away with Tani scooping it up as it fell. Reyna stared at her gift.
"It's a box," she noted. And a very pretty one too. The sort her mother would have called a keepsake chest. She ran her hand over the rosewood surface, her fingers tracing over the carved roses and twisting vines that ran the length of it.
"Not just a box," Tani insisted, "Open it."
Reyna studied her friend, then the box before opening it. She had to use both hands for it caught a bit, the scent of newly finished wood hitting her nostrils but she managed to pry it open. Her eyes widened when she saw the contents, racing to meet Tani's sparkling ones, "Um..."
"Is that a good 'Um' or a bad one?" Tani teased, suddenly appearing anxious. "I know it was presumptious of me but you had expressed an interest and I saw the box the other day when I was shopping and then I saw the rest and just had to..."
Letting her friend's babbling take a backseat, Reyna carefully examined the contents in question. The inside of the box was lined top and bottom with dark scarlet velvet, the kind that made her fingers twitch to touch. Resting on the velvet were a variety of items. A flash of silver caught her attention first and she carefully juggled the box in one hand, lifting a small silver dagger out first.
"I know how you like knives and guns and all," Tani lowered her voice, coming to stand at her shoulder to shield her persual from prying eyes. "Neo said you'd like something like this and I saw it at the flea market the other day and... just thought of you."
It was a good knife. Excuse her, dagger. The silver hilt tapered off into smooth pommel and the leather sheathed blade was long and needle-like. More than anything Reyna wanted to sit down and remove the bindings to look at the weapon more closely but seeing how she was at school and all, she was already pushing it. With some regret, she laid the dagger back to rest and turned to the other items.
There were a few small squat candles of various colors and scents. Scent was a big thing with Tani. She was into aromatherapy in a big way, continually mixing and creating new scents with Reyna often serving as her test subject. Not that Reyna complained too much; a lot of what she created smelled so damn good she had Tani whip up another bottle for her. Which led her to the next item. She lifted a clear green bottle up, holding it between her thumb and index finger.
"Is this what I think it is?" she asked, a note of excitement creeping into her voice.
Tani nodded. "I made it for you. Actually, that one, and that bottle, and the one next to it are all for you. In honor of your birthday."
There was a bottle of stones and some dried rose petals and a few other thing of interest but she bypassed them in favor of eyeing the largest item in the box. In the middle of the interior was another box--this one blue with a woman with an owl on her shoulder painted there. In clean simple lettering, the word Tarot was visible. Reyna ran her hand over the box uneasily, not sure if she was pleased or not.
"You seemed interested in learning," Tani shrugged. She sounded far more nonchalant than she actually appeared.
"I was," Reyna said distantly. In learning but that didn't necessarily mean she wanted to practice. Aromatherapy and crystals and tarot--those were all Tani's domain and while she found the mystical aspects intriguing, the soldier part of her brain was telling her she was an idiot to even harbor a flicker of belief in anything beyond the concrete comfort of her fists and weapons. That didn't stop her from handing Tani the wooden box, so she could open the cards for a better look. Peeling away the cellophane wrapping, she put aside the instruction book and the two blank cards to look at the actual cards themselves. Her mouth quirked when she saw the first card up.
Tani peeked down and snickered. "Oooh, the Lovers. Expecting someone tall, dark, and mysterious anytime soon, Reyna?"
"Idiot," she retorted affectionately. "Like I have anyone tall, dark, and mysterious."
Well, she did, she admitted on further reflection. Or thought she had. Tall, dark, mysterious *idiots* who didn't call their...friend? girlfriend? Reyna decided to settle on the term 'significant other', thinking it was the most neutral term she could come up with, on their birthdays. Neo had called, Cavan had sent roses (and her eyebrows still shot up at the thought), and even Adler had sent a short, but pleasant email wishing her many happy returns of the day. From Vailo Yuy, she had received zip, nada, zilch.
"Anyway..." Reyna drawled, determined not to get upset by thinking about her wayward... She gave up trying to classify Val and turned to Tani waiting anxiously. "Thank you for the gifts. All of them."
Tani's grin could have put the sun to shame--had it been out, Reyna amended with a vicious glare at the sky. Before she could say or do anything else, the smaller girl had thrown her arms around her and was hugging her, very nearly causing her to drop her gifts.
"Oops," Tani raked a hand through her short red curls, peering up at Reyna sheepishly. "So you're not upset?"
She was indicating the Tarot cards. Reyna shook her head. No, she wasn't mad, a little surprised but not mad. Besides getting mad and trying to stay mad at Tani was an exercise in futility.
"And you'll start practicing with them?"
Reyna narrowed her eyes. "We'll see," she said mock sternly. "Honestly, Tani, I don't know how you can remember what all the cards mean. I'll have to look in the book all the time."
"You have to study the pictures. Besides, once you start using them, you'll see how easy it gets."
She started to point out that there was no guarantee that she would start practicing but she let it ride. Partly because she wasn't too sure that she wouldn't. She briefly wondered what Val would think if she started using Tarot cards. He'd probably laugh, she thought moodily.
"Why the long face?" Tani asked.
"Do I have a long face?" Reyna waved it off. "Sorry, I was just thinking."
"About Val?"
Reyna stared at her friend, once again taken by surprise. Although she didn't appear it, Tani was amazingly perceptive, her guesses hitting the nail on the head more often than not. "Reading my mind again?"
Tani shook her head. "Lucky guess," her expression turned sympathetic. "Haven't heard anything?"
"Not for a few weeks, no," Reyna sighed. Maybe she was an idiot to think anything would have worked out anyway. After all, Val was spending this semester in Alexandria, training to be a better 'perfect' soldier. He was probably too busy to even think about her, much less remember she was turning seventeen today.
Seventeen. She could hardly believe it. Less than a year ago, she hadn't expected to make it on a day to day basis let alone all the way to the ripe old age of seventeen. Not with Tarrant gone. It hurt still, to think of his death but it was no longer paralyzing. Maybe it would have been easier if there had been a body to mourn, a grave she could visit to place flowers but she didn't have that luxury. This was the first birthday that would be hers alone and the thought was unsettling, almost numbing. Maybe that was why she had turned down her parents' intentions to throw a huge party for her. She didn't really want to be confronted by lots of people reminding her with all their wishes that her birthday should be *their* birthday. Far better to just have a quiet dinner with her parents. To be truthful, she would have liked it if the other Gundam pilots could have been with her on this day. Even though they'd all gone their separate ways months ago, Reyna still counted them as her closest friends--no, as part of her family. It just wasn't to be, she concluded somewhat sadly. Neo was touring the racing circuit on L4, Cavan was aiding his father and just couldn't get away, and God only knew what Adler was doing. Val... Reyna sighed.
"Maybe he'll call when you get home?" Tani offered.
"Maybe." Reyna did not sound convinced.
"Come on," Tani opened her umbrella and managed to lift her loaded bookbag on one shoulder, "We can stop on the way home and have a fudge cake at Lamia's. My treat."
"Well, if you feel like shelling out the money," Reyna took the umbrella from her. "Need any help?"
"Nope," she grunted, swinging her pack onto the other shoulder, "I'm fine. Got it."
Reyna shook her head, "You are such a masochist, Tani."
"Huh?"
"Why you insist on carting all that stuff around on your back like a turtle is beyond me," Reyna cocked her head, glaring at the offending pack. Once, not too long ago, she'd tried to be a good friend and help Tani carry her books around and had very nearly thrown her back trying to lift the damn heavy thing.
"Is it my fault that you're such a wimp?" Tani stuck her tongue out.
"Witch," Reyna shot back affectionately. This was a game they'd played many times before.
"Bitch," Tani snickered.
Reyna clasped her heart in mock pain. "Oooh, you've wounded me to the quick."
"The truth is never pretty," Tani grinned.
Reyna stuck her tongue out at her friend. Tani laughed and Reyna joined her after a minute or two more of making faces. Sometimes it amazed her how her life had become so...normal in such a quick space of time. It was hard to believe that only a few months ago, she'd been part of the last line of defense for Earth and now here she was, acting like any other teenager she knew.
The rain had picked up, the faint drizzle turning into a slow, trickling downpour as they made their way across the quad to the front gate. She was grateful for that one of them had remembered to bring an umbrella, even if they were having to nearly walk on top of each other to avoid getting wet. She shivered, glaring at her legs and wishing for once that she was as tiny as Tani was. At least then she'd fit completely under the damn umbrella and the legs of her jeans wouldn't be getting soaked.
Beside her, Tani inhaled sharply. "Oh, wow!"
"What?" she groused, still glaring her legs and shoes.
"The hottest guy I've ever seen is dead ahead. Oh my God," Tani was very nearly drooling.
"Hmm?" Reyna lifted her eyes...
...and felt her eyes widen and jaw very nearly hit the pavement.
"He is soooooooo gorgeous," Tani was gushing.
Yes, Reyna thought in a daze. He certainly was--in fact, she thought she had never seen him look better.
Vailo Yuy was standing near the front entrance of the gate, a huge black umbrella shielding him from the elements. He was wearing military drab and somehow managing to make it look like high fashion. Then again, Reyna thought, eyeing his slender, sinewy form, there was something about a man in uniform. Especially this man in uniform. Her eyes followed the cut of the material and the way it clung to him, making him seem older and taller. Or the way it brought out his skin tones to a warm gold, making those brilliant blue eyes a darker sapphire. His normally touseled hair was hidden, a few strands peeking out of a flat-topped, brimmed hat. Reyna's fingers twitched with the near uncontrollable urge to run up there, steal that cap, and run her hands through those dark locks. Of course, there was the distinct possibility that if she rumpled him, he might kill her. At least I'd get to die happy, she smirked, remembering how soft those dark locks were beneath her fingers.
"Hey," Tani elbowed her sharply. "What's up?"
"Hmm?"
"You look like the proverbial cat who's just eaten the equally proverbial canary. What gives?"
Reyna shrugged while Tani studied her through slitted eyes. She followed Reyna's gaze back to Val, then stared at her again. Her pert face went through an astonishing array of changes as suddenly two and two stared being put together. "You know him?!" she squealed.
"Shut up, Tani," she hissed, her cheeks flooding with color as she felt a pair of familiar eyes settle on her, a smirk starting to twitch at the corner of his mouth. Well, damn, Reyna thought. She wouldn't have thought it possible for Val Yuy to look even sexier than he already was--which just went to show how much she knew.
Guess the cat's out the bag, she thought wryly, handing a surprised Tani the umbrella. Rain spattered with loud fat drops against her gray raincoat, staining her hair with tiny dripping crystals as she stepped out from under its protection. So much for trying to stay dry. Val didn't move, just watched her with those mysterious eyes of his as she crossed the intervening space between them. She stopped just short of his umbrella, trying not to laugh aloud, trying to play this cool. Or as cool as she could in light of the fact that she was probably beginning to look like a drowned rat with all the water beating down on her.
"Vailo Yuy," she crossed her arms, "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
She was being a bit of a bitch and she knew it but she considered it a small payback for him letting her think he'd forgotten her.
"Your mom said you'd left the house without an umbrella," he said in that husky voice of his that had the power to stop and cloud minds. Well, *her* mind at least. "Pretty careless of you, Maxwell. So I thought I'd come to rescue."
He sounded for all the world as if there was nothing out of the ordinary--as if it were something he'd normally do. Reyna tilted her head to the side. "My knight in shining armor, eh? Val, don't take this the wrong way, but what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were stationed in Alexandria."
"It's your birthday," he replied, as if that explained everything.
"That's sweet," she paused, a new concern filling her, "You didn't go AWOL just to come see me, did you, Yuy?"
He laughed. It was such a rare occurence that it still took her by surprise each and every time, giving her a warm buzz to realize that she was the reason for it. "Pretty confident of your charms, aren't you?"
She considered that, grinning back at him (probably like an idiot, she was sure) and striking a ridiculous pose. "You know it, baby."
"Baby?" he raised an eyebrow, still amused. "Hnn."
"Oooh, that's what I love about you, Yuy. You say such sweet things," she teased.
"Ahem?" They both turned to see Tani sliding up to them with an interested, curious smile on her face. She struggled a moment, then held out her free hand towards Val, "Hello. You must be Val, 'cause if you're not then Val is gonna be really upset when he finds out Reyna's such a flirt."
"Tani!" she shrieked at her friend in dismay and embarrassment. Tani gave her an innocent look while Val chuckled, shaking the tiny hand the other girl had extended. "Tani, I'm going to kill you--"
"No, you won't. Honestly, Reyna, calm down--Val and I are being introduced. I'm Tani, Tani Walker."
Val tipped his hat at her, for the first time appearing just a tad uncertain as he glanced between the girls. It was almost worth having Tani embarrass her to see that off-kilter expression on the unflappable Val Yuy's face. Almost. She was still going to kill Tani later, when she got the chance.
"Weeeell," Tani drawled, winking at Reyna, "I've gotta head home. We'll talk later, 'kay?"
"You bet we will," Reyna glared at her.
Tani winced then chuckled, reaching out to hug her. "Happy birthday, kiddo. Nice meeting you, Val!"
She practically skipped off, pausing for a second to wave back at them before turning off onto the street and disappearing from view. Then they turned back to each other, neither quite sure what to say. Reyna rubbed the back of her neck trying to allievate some of the tension.
"So...how are things?" she said at last after what seemed like an eternity of searching for what to say.
"Things are good. Busy," he sounded repentant, "I'm sorry I haven't been able to get in touch with you for the last few weeks. I've been out in field training for about the last four weeks."
Her heart picked up a bit. So he hadn't forgotten about her. "Yeah, well, I guess I forgive you. This time."
He smiled--not his normal smirk, but that slow sweet smile that was just for her. Then he frowned, "Reyna, you're getting soaked. Get under the umbrella."
"But I might ruin your uniform," she protested, reluctantly forcing herself to stand away from him.
Clucking his tongue, he stepped closer, "My uniform will dry, Maxwell. Now get your ass under the umbrella. That's an order."
"Yes, sir," she snapped off a mock salute. She put aside her smart-assed quips for a moment. "I'm really glad you're here, Val."
"Me, too," he said softly, his fingers tracing her cheek down to her jaw. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her but then he reached down and took her hand in his. "Come on, your mom will be worried."
Mom? Reyna snorted, highly doubtful of that. If her mother knew that Val Yuy had come to escort her home then nothing short of a nuclear holocaust would worry her. "Still not comfortable with PDA, huh?"
"PDA?"
"Public Displays of Affection," she explained, then rolled her eyes. "Boy, is that all they ever talk about in high school. Mostly to say, 'No PDA, no PDA!' I swear I think the administrators are even more sex obsessed than they think we are."
"Uh-huh. You haven't been engaged in any... PDA yourself, now have you, Reyna?" Though his voice was teasing, there was a note of questioning behind it.
She stopped short, and tugged on his free arm, forcing him to look at her. She lifted herself up on her toes and brushed her mouth against his, watching his eyes widen in surprise. "There. That's my PDA for the last several months. Kind of hard to do all that guy-girl stuff when half of the equation isn't around."
He looked relieved, probably much as she had when she'd realized who was waiting for her earlier. Squeezing his hand, she entertwined their fingers, "Feel better?"
"I trust you, Reyna." He said seriously, as if the question had been in doubt.
"I know that, Val. You know how I love upholding the Maxwell family credo: I run, I hide, but ..."
"I never lie," he finished with her. "Neither do I."
***
"Yo, Mom! We're hoooooooooooooooome!" Reyna called as she slung the front door open.
"Sarah Reyna Maxwell, this is not a zoo. I can hear you perfectly well without you yelling and screaming like that." Reyna winced. Oooh, busted. When Mom said her name like that it meant she'd better sit back, shut up, and take notice or her ass was grass.
"Sorry, Mom," she replied sheepishly. "I thought you might be in the back of the house or something."
From her position near the kitchen sink, Hildre Maxwell leaned against the counter, rolling her eyes. "That's still not reason enough for you to screech like that. I'm old but I'm not deaf. Not yet anyway."
"Sorry," she repeated, throwing her backpack to the floor. "I'm starving. Is there anything to eat?"
Hildre shook her head. "You are definitely your father's daughter. Between the two of you, I don't know how we keep groceries from one week to the next."
Behind Reyna, there was a discreet cough. She slide around, reaching out to tickle the boy behind her, her fingers flexing menacingly. "Oh, you think that's funny, do you, Val?"
He caught her hands, twisting out of her reach before bringing up another issue. "Sarah?" he asked quizzically.
Reyna tossed her hands up in the air in defeat. "Thanks, Mom. Yes, Yuy, Sarah is my first name and Reyna's my middle one. They named me after Mom's stupid sister--"
"Reyna!"
"--sorry, Mom. I was named after my Aunt Sarah but I like Reyna better. Happy now? Oh and if you start calling me Sarah or anything resembling it, I'll break your kneecaps and never speak to you again, got it?" She poked him in the ribs menacingly.
"Sure... Reyna," he teased.
She stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to her mother. "So how about it? Any food around?"
"Yes, but not for you, young lady. We're all going out to dinner in an hour and I don't want you spoiling your appetite," Her mother said firmly.
She wanted to protest and any other time she might have. However, the last thing she need or wanted was for Val to think she was some sort of whiney crybaby. "Fine," she groused and her stomach growled in agreement. Oh, great, she thought helplessly. Just embarrass yourself completely, Maxwell.
Maybe it was her stomach growling or maybe the pitiful expression on her face but Hildre Maxwell began shaking her head, then went to the refrigerator and threw an apple she retrieved from their to her daughter. Reyna brightened, "Thanks, Mom! You're the best."
"Uh-huh. You're welcome, but that's it until dinner. I don't want to digging around in the 'fridge the minute my back is turned."
"Promise, Ma," she managed around a few ravenous bites out of the apple.
Val was shaking his head, "Geez, Reyna, you'd think you'd never eaten before."
Her mouth was too full for her to either respond or stick her tongue out at him so she crossed her eyes and went back to eating.
"Is my father here?" Val asked Hildre.
Reyna's ears perked up. Commander Yuy was here, too? That was unexpected. Did that mean that both of Val's parents were here? And if so, where was Relena Peacecraft-Yuy?
"No, he went out to find Duo and tie up a few last minute details at headquaters. They should be along anytime now," she assured him before turning a critical eye towards Reyna. "Rey honey, you're soaked and you're soaking my clean floor. Why don't you run upstairs and take a quick shower?"
"But..." she darted a quick glance at Val. Hildre followed her eyes and shook her head.
"Reyna, I'm sure Val can entertain himself for a little while. Besides, we're going out to Cafe de Flore and I'd like it you looked a little less grungy."
"Gee, thanks for the ego boost, Ma. And why are you laughing?" she demanded of Val. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
"Says who?" he crossed his arms.
"Men!" she sniffed, whirling around to sweep past him upstairs to her room, grumbling about the injustice of it all.
"You sound like Master Wufei, Reyna," Val's voice floated upstairs after her.
"Omae o korosou," she growled before slamming her door shut.
***
Duo Maxwell was tired. He was tired of people poking their head in his office with stupid questions, he was sick of staring at the mountain of paper work accumulating on his desk, and to top it all off, he could feel the knot at the base of his skull threatening to turn into a real headache. I don't need this, he swiveled in his chair and staring out the window. The day was dying away in reddish streaks across the horizon and he could feel the temperature dropping from the thin glass sheath. He fiddled with the pencil in his hand, tapping it against his lips then balancing it there. He bobbed his head back and to trying to keep it balanced before it slipped. He caught it with one clean swipe and the silence was shattered by a clapping sound. Flushing at being caught, he turned around, ready to ream whoever had been stupid enough to enter his office uninvited.
Heero Yuy was leaning against the door, blue eyes twinkling in amusement. "Practicing to be a seal, Duo? I hear the circus has a few good openings these days."
Unable to think of what else to say, Duo cracked, "Arf, arf."
Heero rolled his eyes before pulling himself off the door and dropping down into the seat across from the desk. Duo studied his friend without comment. Something was up, he could tell without even having to ask. For all his dry flippancy, Heero was tense. Duo could read it in every ounce of his body language. There were dark grooves under his weary sapphire eyes. Duo narrowed his eyes. He had all the appearance of a man who hadn't been sleeping well if at all of late. And since the world was more or less at peace for the time being, he could only conclude the matter was of a more personal matter.
"What are you staring at?" Heero snapped, startling him.
Duo's brows knit in consternation. "You. I was just wondering why you look like shit."
To his credit, Heero did not reach across the desk and threaten to kill him as he might have once upon a time. He looked like he very much wanted to but his sense of humor got the better of him for once. "Trust you to be honest to a fault."
"Just living up to my rep," he leaned back in his chair, propping his feet on his desk and causing a few leaflets to go flying. Heero caught them with Perfect Soldier precision and made quick work of shuffling back into order before handing them across the desk to him.
"Hey, thanks man," Duo beamed taking the papers from him. He skimmed through the first few pages. Ugh, more contracts for him to pour over and sign. Somehow, somewhere along the way, someone had gotten the idea that he was a bureaucrat and not told him about it until he was ankle-deep in paperwork and negotiations. I need a vacation, he rubbed the back of his neck. Preferably somewhere with no phones, vidlinks, or modern convienence of any kind. Camping. He straightened, now there was an idea. He hadn't been camping in ages. Mostly because Hildre really wasn't into all that great, mosquito ridden outdoors. Maybe he'd take Reyna along. It would be a great time to do some father-daughter bonding. He'd been too busy of late to really do anything other than have a few brief conversations at breakfast and dinner. For someone who'd always made an effort to be an integral part of his kids' life, it was disturbing to say the least. He'd make it up to her. Somehow. Tonight would be a good start.
"So to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Commander Yuy?"
Heero looked puzzled. "You invited us for Reyna's birthday, I thought."
Duo sighed. Heero had come a long way but he could still be so literal-minded occasionally. "That was a joke. Oh, never mind. So are Val and Relena back at the house?"
"Val is."
Duo's head rose sharply. "Just Val? Not that Reyna won't be thrilled about that or anything but where's Relena, might I ask?"
Was it his imagination or did Heero tense up at Relena's name? "She couldn't make it," Heero replied, "She sends her apologies though."
Ooookay, now I know something is up, Duo thought. If his haggard appearance hadn't been a clue then the defensive note in Heero's voice definitely was. "Hey, that's okay, man. I mean, she is Queen of the World and all. She's probably got a million things..."
He trailed off as a scowl darkened his friend's face. Oh, I give up, Duo thought in disgust. Subtly is Quatre's thing not mine. "What's wrong, Heero?"
"Nothing."
"Bullshit," Duo countered, watching as startlement flickered over Heero's features. He really wasn't in the mood to play games. If something was up then he wanted to know and not dance around the issue. "What's going on between you and Relena?"
Heero glared and Duo glared right back, refusing to be intimidated by the Yuy glare o' death. Maybe it was a testament to how worn out Heero was because for once Duo wasn't the one to back down. Heero's steel gaze drifted away and became intent on the window over Duo's shoulder.
"Nothing's going on between me and Relena," Heero said, voice soft and laced with an emotion Duo couldn't identify. "At all."
It took a full second for the impact of Heero's words to sink in and they left Duo stunned once they did. Duo's knuckles whitened as he gripped the side of the chair, using it to propel himself upright. "Heero, are you and Relena...?"
"No, we're not getting a divorce," He shook his head. "At least not yet. Legally, we're separated at the moment."
"What the hell happened?" Duo demanded. "I thought you two were like to bugs in a rug."
"Appearances can be deceiving. Things haven't been right between us for... quite some time."
Duo blinked. "Shit, Heero. I mean, I'm sorry. I-- God, how long?"
Heero got up and loped around the desk, leaning against the wall and staring at the activity outside. "How long have we been separated or how long have things been strained between us?"
"Either. Both. Why didn't you tell me?" Duo was shocked that he'd somehow managed to miss something this huge. For God's sake, Heero is my best friend. What does it say about me that I didn't even pick up on this?
Heero shrugged, a deceptively casual motion. "You had things going on and it wasn't something I wanted to burden you with."
Duo stood up, and caught Heero's arm, forcing him to look the former Deathscythe pilot in the face. "Don't give me that. You're my best friend, Heero, and if something major like this is going on, I damn well expect you to tell me. You're not a burden. Understand?"
His tone was fierce but damn it, he was upset. At Heero for not telling him and for thinking that he was some kind of burden. I thought he'd gotten past that, Duo swore. Maybe the separation from Relena had re-opened old wounds. Shit, Duo thought. The last thing he wanted to hear was Heero had self-destructed or done something equally stupid because he was feeling less than worthwhile.
Heero was watching him and made a face at him, throwing him. "I'm not going to do anything stupid, Duo, so get those thoughts out of your head right now."
Giving him a crooked smile, Duo said, "Can't blame a guy for being concerned. So, you're a mind reader now, huh?"
Heero shook his head. "No. Relena asked me the same thing the day I moved out. She's not a bad person, Duo, and it's not her fault we can't live together."
"And who's fault is it?" Duo challenged. "Yours?"
"Yes. Oh, hell, I don't know, Duo." Heero actually started pacing in agitation. "Things haven't been right between us since Akane died. She won't admit it but I think she blames me for his death. I do, too."
"That's bullshit," Duo blurted. "Akane died because of an accident. It wasn't your fault, it wasn't anyone's fault."
Heero grunted, clearly not buying it. Duo ground his teeth. Damn it. He was going to punch Relena Peacecraft Yuy the next time he saw her. Well, maybe not punch her--she did have all those burly bodyguards and all but he'd give her a stern talking to.
"So thing were strained between you two. What was the straw that broke the camel's back?"
"Val."
"What about Val?"
"She thinks I've turned him into... Well, me. I think her exact words were I had taken both her sons away from her. She didn't want Val to become like me. She didn't want him to be a soldier and when he joined the fight against Omicron, she washed her hands of him. And me. We haven't shared a room, let alone a bed for the last year," Heero's voice stumbled.
Duo winced. Okay, things were worse than he'd thought. From all those damned magazines Hildre read about how to make your marriage even better than it already was (something he didn't understand in the slightest), he knew that when couples stopped sharing a bed and expressing physical affection towards one another, the marriage was pretty much over.
"You've talked a lot about Relena and her feelings," Duo observed. "How do you feel, Heero."
"I'll survive."
"I know that. I'm asking what you think about all this. Heero, do you love Relena?"
Oooh, judging from the expression sliding onto Heero's face, he'd overstepped his bounds. Seeing as I'm already in trouble, I may as well press my luck. He poked the Japanese man's arm. "Well, do you?"
Heero caught his wrist and squeezed it, eyes flashing with warning.
"Oi, Heero, you can get mad at me all you want but breaking my wrist isn't going to do anything except make you feel guilty later," Duo hissed, trying to get his arm free.
Heero snorted but he did let Duo do, sitting down beside him on the edge of the desk. Neither said anything as Duo tried to figure out what next. He thought it fairly obvious that Heero did not need to bottle this up, so--
"I don't know." The words were near inaudible, but Duo caught them.
"Heero?"
"I thought I did love her. I think I still do--I--," Heero drew in a deep breath, "It's just we can't seem to live together anymore without hurting each other."
"Just because you love someone that doesn't mean you can live with them, Heero. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try or what we do, we can't make things right--either for ourself or the other person."
Heero considered this. "And what do you do if that's the case."
Duo crossed his arms, lost in thought and memory. "Move on. Try to pick up the pieces, salvage what you can, and then just move on."
He turned to look at his friend, a steely note creeping into his voice. "That doesn't mean disappearing into the night, mind you. Or shutting your friends out. I'm here--we're all here for you."
"I know that."
Duo lightly smacked the back of Heero's head. "Then why the hell didn't you come tell me sooner. What did you think I was going to do, point and laugh. Shit, Heero, you know better than that. You stood by me when Tarrant died, do you think I'd do any less for you now?"
"It wasn't that," Heero admitted "It's just--"
"It's just what?"
Heero shrugged but Duo already knew the reply without him having to say a word. Heero didn't want to appear weak. It went against everything he had been trained to be; training that had, in spite of everything, not left him.
"All right, tough guy, I'll let you off this time but if you keep something this big from me again, I'll--" Duo raised his fist threateningly to emphasize his point.
"I won't keep you out of the loop," Heero said, then his voice softened. "Thanks, Duo."
He knew how much it cost Heero to be open like this. He just wished he could do more. "No problem, man. How is Val taking it?"
"Better than you might think. He and Relena don't see eye to eye, period. I think he's more relieved than anything else."
"He's just protective of his old man," Duo remarked. Which was true. Val tended to hover around Heero like he was the father in the relationship and Heero was the child. If Heero and Relena were truly having as rough a time as Heero made out then he could imagine just how chill relations between mother and son were at the moment.
"Hnn."
"Mr. Talkative strikes again," Duo teased, then a thought struck him. "Um, Heero? Was Reyna by any chance at home when you left Val?"
"No, but he said something about going to pick her up."
All the alarms in Duo's protective daddy system started blaring. "Uh-huh. How about we finish up here and get home?"
Heero looked amused. "They're hardly going to jump each other's bones while we're gone."
"Just so long as they not jumping anything, I'll be happy," Duo replied darkly.
***
Reyna eyed herself critically in the mirror, feeling more nervous than she had in a while. Had it just been her and her parents, tonight would not have been a big deal. It would have been a pleasant evening and meaningful, yes but adding Val Yuy to the equation added nervewracking as well. God, when did I become such a ... girl, she rolled her eyes. Since when do I care what a guy thinks of me?
Then again, this wasn't just any guy. This was Val and that made all the difference.
She'd heard once that love makes you do the wacky. Well, she didn't know if she'd go that far but she'd agree it made you feel and do some pretty stupid things. Like now, Reyna thought, feeling self-conscious as she stared into the full length mirror. Dad is gonna spaz when he sees me dressed like this, she nibbled on her upper lip. He was already a little too overprotective for Reyna's own good where boys were concerned and this was going to send him into orbit. Sometimes she wondered if her dad wouldn't be happier throwing her in a convent, locking her up there, and throwing away the key.
The girl looking back at her from the mirror was as far from Reyna's normal attire as could be. She was dressed in a pair of leather pants that hugged and accentuated her legs. Reyna had bought them on a dare from Tani and had promptly thrown them in the closet under something, fairly sure that she would never have the nerve to actually wear them. Still, she had to admit the pants set off the deep crimson sleeveless turtleneck she wore perfect. She reached for her hair, tempted to pull it into her normal, comforting braid then hesitated. Reaching out, she took her hairbrush and ran it through her newly dried locks gently. Then she reached out and picked up a pair of silver dragonfly barrettes, sliding just above her ears. Then she lowered her hands to her cheeks, the contrast between her warm cheeks and icy hands giving her an odd rush. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" she muttered.
No, she reflected but it was a little late to chicken out now. She'd faced down Omicron troops without blinking and what phased her? A boy. Great, you're going soft, Maxwell. She gave up arguing and after one last look, headed downstairs, grateful that she'd decided against heeled boots.
She poked her head in various rooms in the house, casually waving to her mother and slipping away before she could say anything about her daughter's attire. She'd cross that bridge when she came to it. Although she didn't think the problem was going to be with her mother. Her dad on the other hand...
"Hey," she said softly, pausing in the doorway of the living room. Val was leaning back into the folds of the couch, the remote to the vid screen in hand. He looked up at her distractedly, then did what could only be termed as a double-take. She lifted her eyebrows. "Something wrong?"
His eyes roved up and down her and she realized with a pleasant jolt that he liked what he was seeing. "Not at all. Not at all."
She mock rolled her eyes. "Okay, Yuy, put your tongue back in your mouth. I know I'm cute but you're embarrassing me with all the drool."
"Something tells me that you're not too upset with me," he shrugged then held out his hands. "Come here."
She pushed off the door frame, feeling a rush of tingling warmth run up her body as she drew closer. Her face felt hot but her fingers were cold--very nearly numb and shaking with anticipation. He took one of her hands, closing around it very gently and pulling her forward. With a startled exclaimation and a rising blush, Reyna found herself straddling his lap. "This is cozy," she stuttered.
Val stroked her face, tracing from temple to the line of her jaw, then taking her chin in his hand, he pressed a soft kiss against her lips. All her worries, all her fears fell away, and suddenly she was just a regular girl sharing a kiss with her ...boyfriend. She felt a small glow when her mind finally allowed her to use that word and Val in the same sentence.
They tensed as the kiss changed, becoming something more electrified. Val's hands slid down from her shoulders to somewhere around her waist and she gave herself over to the moment, to being held like that. He was warm and she felt some of that warmth transfer over to her until she wanted nothing more than to wrap herself up in it. With some reluctance she allowed him to pull away, their faces still just mere centimeters apart.
"Happy Birthday," he whispered, his breath tickling her skin.
She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again when he leaned back, just out of reach. "What?" she asked, unable to keep a note of irritation out of her voice.
"I have a present for you."
"You mean, I wasn't getting it just then?" she asked impishly.
"Baka," he tapped her nose affectionately. "Get up for just a second."
She made a big production of it, giving him a childish pout and flopping down beside him. He fumbled with the overcoat laying just off the side of the couch before extracting a silver wrapped box. Another box, Reyna thought thinking of Tani. Somehow though she didn't picture Val as the gift giving type--unless of course he'd bought her a new gun or something.
Still, she allowed him to drop the gift in her hands, leaning back against him as she tore the wrapping away. She struggled, trying to pry the gray top off the box until Val with a concentrated frown, examined the box and located the problem. After he'd peeled away several strips of clear tape, he handed it back to her. "My hero," she giggled.
With that last obstacle cleared away, the box top slid away quite easily. Reyna went still as her eyes traced the lines of long silver crucifix-type item with a loop in the top. Runes and hieroglyphs ran up and down the surface of ornament (which was very nearly as big as her hand) and she brushed a hesitant finger against their rough ridges. "Val, I--I--it--"
"Do you like it?" he asked.
She nodded emphatically, "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. What is it?"
"It's a type of crucifix called an Ankh," he explained. "See, the loop at the top? It symbolizes immortality--kind of like the circle around a Celtic cross. The Egyptians believed that the Ankh is symbolic of life, more specifically, life eternal."
She picked up the item, twirling it around so that she could see both the ornamented front and the smooth mirror-like back. Light flickered and shone off it it as the sun might on clear water. It was perfect, far too good for her. She glanced at Val, eyes questioning but not quite sure what to ask or where to begin.
He laughed at her flummoxed expression. "I got it because I saw it and thought of you, silly. Because I wanted to find something that was nearly as ... beautiful as you are."
That did it, she decided, throwing her arms around him. I am completely head over heels, ass-backwards for you, Val Yuy. If you don't want my heart then it's too late because you've got it, she thought as she pressed a few kisses of appreciation against his cheek, jaw, and finally mouth.
"I guess you do like it," he smirked at her.
"Uh-huh. Want to help me put it on?" Not waiting for his reply, she pressed the necklace into his hands and turned around, lifting her hair up to give him easy access. He draped it around her neck, calloused hands brushing her skin as he struggled with the clasp. The chain was cool, sending a pleasant shock through her that was quickly dispelled as her body warmed it.
Touching the ornament, she eyed it then him. "Eternity, huh?"
"As eternal as some things get, I guess." His eyes unfocused, drifting away from her with those periodic fits of withdrawal he occasionally got. Well, not tonight, she decided.
"Hey," she tapped her fingernails against his forehead. Those sapphire eyes lost their murky haze and came rapidly back into glaring focus. "That's better. So what's it gonna take to keep you with me tonight?"
"I am with you."
"Uh-huh. Yeah, you were here physically but you're about a million miles away mentally. What's on your mind?"
He studied her, reaching out and stroking her newly brushed hair. She leaned into that caress, waiting with more patience than she'd have thought herself capable of, more patience than she would have given most people. This was different however. "I guess," he said slowly, "I was just thinking about how things turn out."
"Hmm?"
"About how life changes so quickly in such a short amount of time," he drew her to him and held her. "About what we lose and what we gain."
Reyna was silent. She knew what he was referring to and knew that he felt the aching sense of loss almost as completely as he did. While Akane had not been Val's twin, he had been his beloved older brother. He had looked to him as Reyna had to Tarrant to take care of him and look out for him. The sort of things that were always taken for granted until they were gone forever.
Val understood that as she did. Moreover, he understood the ghost that haunted her--because he had a ghost of his own. One that he had begun to finally lay to rest but would in some way always be a part of him. Everything changes, she mulled, but life goes on. That truth had hurt her months ago but now she accepted it. Gad, she wrinkled her nose, does this mean that I'm finally starting to grow up? The concept was a frightening and exciting one to say the least.
Sliding back, she brushed Val's unruly bangs back and rubbed her nose against his. "Yuy, it's my birthday and I can have anything I want right?"
Interested, he nodded, a cautious expression taking up residence on his chiseled features.
"Then I order you to have fun tonight and be with me. Like I'm here with *you*," she said, leaving the unspoken 'and not Tarrant.'
"Mission accepted," he agreed, eyes softening even more.
There was a loud stage cough and Reyna very nearly jumped out of the chair and into Val's lap in startlement. "Shit," she swore, climbing halfway up his arm before she managed to get a good look at the cause of her sudden fright. Oh damn, she thought finding that they had an audience of two staring down at them--namely Commander Yuy and her father. She wasn't too sure she liked the gleam in her dad's eyes.
"Hey, Dad," Val called. She wanted to ring his neck for sounding so damn casual about things while she was so...so.. Flustered? Hell, yes, flustered would be a good term.
"Val," his father nodded at him, looking decidely amused (something apparently her father didn't share in), "And happy birthday to you, Reyna."
"Thank you, Commander," she nodded. She tried to summon up her best 'Who, me? What did I do?' smile. "Hey, Dad, how are things?"
He wasn't fooled for a second. "Pretty busy. For the both of us, I'd say."
Oh damn. She sighed, knowing full well that she had a lecture coming to her in the very near future.
***
Sometimes there's nothing you can do but wait and take life as it comes. Heero sat back, once again pondering Duo's words as he let his gaze drift around the dinner table. All in all, he thought the evening had been a success. Certainly the birthday girl looked radiant although that might have had more to do with the fact that his son hadn't let her get more than a foot away from him for most of the evening. Heero suppressed a smirk as he noticed the couple holding hands under the table. It was a good thing Duo was occupied talking to Hildre or else, she and Val would both be getting a death glare to put *him* to shame.
He supposed he didn't blame Duo for his overprotectiveness. After all, Reyna was his only daughter--his only child now. It was only natural that he'd be defensive where she was concerned. Although it had never crossed his mind, he had to admit, Duo was pretty good at playing the stern, hellfire-and-brimstone-if-you-touch-my-daughter guardian. Any other boy would be scared shitless by this time. Reyna was lucky that his son was just as stubborn as she was, he reflected, turning his wine glass and watching the light bounce back and to. Reyna was good for Val, he thought watching the pair through slitted eyes. She brought out something in his son that the boy needed (whether Val knew it or not).
Relena had done much the same for him. Once.
He was tired. The weight of his weariness hit him suddenly and there was nothing he could do except bear it. Unlike Duo, he wasn't good at publically airing his pain. His best friend had been right when he'd said that Heero internalized his feelings. It was what he'd always done. Yes, he'd shared much of them with Relena--before the trouble had started but there was always something of him that held back. He just wasn't comfortable with emotional displays, especially not from himself. He didn't like the feeling of exposure it gave him.
He missed his wife but he didn't miss all the fighting they'd been doing lately. He envied Duo and Hildre their tender moments, the way they so easily expressed their love for each other without having to worry about outside forces trying to tear them apart. From the get go, things had always been difficult for Heero and his wife. Their world views were diametrically opposed for one and for another, Heero had never felt completely worthy of her. And other people had felt the same too and had had no reservations about telling Relena that. Maybe they were right, he thought moodily. Certainly things had been less than... sterling between them of late.
He just wished he knew how to fix things, how he could bridge the ever widening gap between them but he just wasn't trained to handle this sort of thing. This is part of the reason J didn't want me having emotions, he rubbed his temple. Emotions clouded the mind, made soldiers lose focus--they were a liability. He blinked, a thread of fear edging up his spine. Did I just think that? Things were worse than he'd thought if he was falling back into his old defensive patterns and letting the Perfect Soldier nearer to the surface than he had been in years.
I'll always be a part of you, the Soldier whispered. Part, but not all, he thought wishing he believed that was true. You were nothing before me and what will you be without me? What do you have without me? Your wife? He felt the Soldier laugh. Really, if that's so then where is she now? Heero didn't have an answer for that and he felt more troubled than he had in years.
She fears me, the Soldier replied, and because of that she fears you. You'll never find the peace you desire, Heero Yuy. You can hide behind all the titles and wives you want, but you are what you are. A soldier. A killer born and bred for war.
"Heero?"
He jerked towards the sound of that soft voice to meet a pair of dark, concerned eyes. Hildre touched his forearm, "What is it?"
Heero spied a look across the table and shook his head subtly so as not to attract Val's, Duo's, or Reyna's attention. "I'm all right, Hildre." His voice sounded low, strained even to him.
Hildre clearly didn't believe him. "You don't have to be you know," she said quietly, making it an invitation to talk.
He wished he could take up that invitation. Right now he'd like nothing better than to sit somewhere and unburden himself in the face of her gentle anxiety. She would listen, he knew, and she wouldn't judge him. Not the way he judged himself, nor the way Relena judged him. But she wouldn't understand. She couldn't understand. She had fought in the war, but she had not been a creation of that war. She hadn't been taught that her humanness was a liability, a crutch that had to be cast away until she was nothing more than a near automation.
"I appreciate your..." He struggled with the words. Why was it so hard to say what he felt? Why couldn't he just admit that he was hurting? That hard shell he thought he'd long moved out of was suddenly there again and he chafed under it.
"Heero."
He shifted to meet Duo's discerning gaze. The former Deathscythe pilot had a solemn expression on his normally jovial features. "I still feel him, too. Moving around under my skin some times."
Heero inhaled sharply. Did Duo really understand? "Duo..."
His best friend shrugged, glancing at Hildre. Something passed between them and he squeezed his wife's hand before turning back to Heero. "The soldier," Duo said simply. "I think we all feel him. Because none of us ever lost him."
"And it's hard to reconcile that with what we think our lives should be like now," Duo continued, voice soft. "We think we should be normal, that we should have moved past all the nightmares and the missions but we haven't. We're not normal, Heero. We never were and it's wrong to expect yourself to fit into a mold that was broken for you the day you were born."
It was rare to see Duo so thoughtful. It wasn't that his friend was stupid--very far from it but Duo was like him in one respect. His friend wasn't one to wear his heart on his sleeve. He kept that carefully hidden by an ever present jester's mask. Maybe that was why they understood each other so well. In many respects they were the same, it was just the ways they dealt with their pain that differed.
"Arigato, Duo," he said, knowing that his friend would understand. He just wished he had realized sooner how much Duo would understand. It was wonderful not to feel quite so alone in this. For over half of his adult life, he had been part of a pair--Heero and Relena, Queen and Commander, Mother and Father. Now, he was on his own again and trying to cope, to readjust to that was harder than he'd thought. And it was all too easy to fall back on past habits.
Duo grinned, then scowled as he glared down the table. "I knew we should have seated those two across from each other."
"Duo, you wouldn't be happy unless you were sitting between them. Now, shush and eat your dinner," Hildre chided.
"How can I eat my dinner while my daughter is being groped--no offense, Heero--right in front of me?" Duo growled, looking as if had half a mind to actually get up and carry through with his threat of separating the two.
Heero spared the couple a glance. True, they were holding hands and their faces were awfully close, voices a low steady murmur but it was hardly what he'd call grouping. "I think you're overstating things, Duo."
"You would say that," Duo pouted. "He's your son."
"Duo Maxwell," Hildre, much to Heero's amusement, actually smacked Duo's hand like a disobedient child. "You stop that and behave this instant."
"Yes, mother," he replied, morose.
"Honestly, I'm not sure which one of you is the bigger child, you or Reyna," Hildre rolled her eyes.
Heero snickered while Duo glared at Hildre, then, reluctantly, gave into the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
The rest of the meal went more or less without a hitch. Even if Duo did toss a few meaningful glares at Val and Reyna, muttering the occasional veiled threat. Heero was glad he had decided to accompany his son to visit the Maxwells. This was the nicest time he'd had since the separation, he decided as they left the restaurant, walking along the west bank of the Seine.
Of course, that was when the sky exploded in a kaledoscope of color and sound.
"The hell?!" Duo yelled, reaching for Hildre without thinking to shield her. Val did the same with Reyna who was already trying to wriggle out of his grasp.
Heero's eyes narrowed, studying the scene. "An explosion," he announced, then his eyes widened as he realized where. "Sweeper headquarters."
"Shit!" Duo swore, taking off towards the blast site, his braid flapping in the night like a flag. Heero wasn't far behind him.
They reached the scene in record time, with Val and Reyna on their heels. Duo gasped, and Heero had to catch his arm to prevent him from running into the golden inferno that had once been Sweeper headquarters.
* * *
Authors' Notes:
This is Shadow Chaser and Sephy calling in from the fan fiction world! Just to tell ya, the relationship between Reyna and Val will be discussed in a small add-on fic by Sephy. If you have any comments, you can reach Sephy at persephone@gw.zzn.com, or Shadow Chaser at shadow_chaser41@hotmail.com. Until next chapter!