Author: Arithion/Arithkenshin Email: arithkenshin@yahoo.co.uk Title: Delusions of Normalcy Rated: R Warnings: Continuation, language, mild introspective Angst Disclaimer: I don't own them, I don't get any money for this... just a time sink Set: End of GW Summary: If you use a tool in the wrong way, you can end up breaking more than you fix."

Noted: Thanks to Sol for the beta, and the War Room for LOTS of things lol and hugs to Makoto Thanks to Deidre, Enna, Neko Freak, Karina, Dulin, Anne, Amanda, Misanagi, Kage, Morgan, Ame, Cecilia, Asuka, Raven, Rurouni Triv, Merith and Wild child for all the feedback last chapter! Apology: I have had an international visitor staying with me for almost the last three weeks, so I haven't really been able to get my chapters out as fast as I would have liked. They should start to pick up again by next week. Thanks for your patience and sticking with me

Delusions of Normalcy:

Tedium

Duo rose early the next morning, just as the sun was rising, intent on finishing his exercises before the others woke. His muscles protested mildly due to the work out they'd received the previous night, but he ignored them. Anticipation made him tingle as he pulled on his old faithful clothes once more, just for his workout. He quickly made his tea and quietly let himself out of the unit, closing the door softly before turning around to make his way up to the roof. There, he stopped in his tracks.

Heero knelt on the ground, working with a small drill. His shoulders were tense, but he didn't look up from the intricate work when he spoke. "Morning, Duo." The question hung in the air, unspoken, but there nevertheless. Where are you going?

Duo cricked his neck from side to side before speaking. "Checking out the view." He took a step closer to Heero, shielding the top of his mug as he peered at the handiwork in the wall. "How'd it go?"

"Acceptable. It should do the trick. I just need to hook it up inside now." Heero stood up, brushing himself off, and eyed Duo, sniffing lightly. "Tea?"

The American's face reddened only slightly, before he quipped in return. "Wufei's new one. Can't give him special treatment just because it's the first day of classes."

Heero snorted and headed back into the unit without another word. Duo stood watching the closed door for a couple of moments, knowing Heero hadn't bought that reason at all. But Duo smiled and headed up to the roof. He hadn't lied after all. It was Wufei's new tea, and he would be pissed.

Try as he might, Duo just couldn't concentrate. He could almost feel the hum of awakening activity in the building below him. It set him on edge and no amount of concentration was going to help soothe him. Eventually he gave up and headed back down stairs with his now empty mug.

It was still early, but the others were already up. Heero was finishing off the trip laser he'd installed, and turned mildly curious eyes on the American as he walked in, before going back to his work. Duo nodded at the others, smiling, and washing his mug out in the kitchen.

Wufei leaned against the sink, and tapped Duo on the shoulder, not phased in the least as the American ignored him. "No coffee this morning, Duo?"

Duo was too busy focusing on calming his state of hyperactivity to pay the close attention to Wufei that he should have been. His shoulders were tense and all he wanted to do was bounce, fight, let out some of his pent up tension, and he answered vaguely. "Nope. Other stuff's better..." He rolled his shoulders, and missed Wufei's glare.

"Things like tea?"

"Ye...you gotta be kidding!" Duo turned a full-blown grin on Wufei. "Wow. Would you look at that. I have to go and get dressed." The American skilfully avoided the other youth and slipped into his bedroom, still trying to push away how wired he was.

Wufei scowled at the closed door.

Heero walked up to him, stopping short and cocking his head to one side, his arms crossed. "You shouldn't do that, Wufei." His voice was flat.

Wufei raised an eyebrow, but the scowl remained. "Do what?"

"Scowl."

The Chinese youth bit back a sarcastic retort and snorted, his scowl still in place.

Heero shrugged. "I just heard that if the wind changes, your face will stay that way." He turned and walked into his own room to finish getting ready, ignoring the look on Wufei's face. Heero allowed himself a small smile.

A short while later all five of them stood in the living room of the apartment, each one of them dressed in a crisp pair of deep green slacks, a fresh white polo shirt neatly buttoned up, shiny black shoes laced with white socks to match, and the smart cadet version of the jacket. Each of them looked around at the others making sure that none of them had an advantage over the other.

Duo broke the silence. "Fuck this." He almost ripped the jacket off, yanked the three polo shirt buttons open, and slung the jacket over his shoulder, hooking it with his finger. "This isn't a damned boarding school. I refuse to look like a fucktard."

There was a brief silence in the room, but the impact of Duo's rebellion was undermined when Quatre started to laugh. "Oh, Duo." The blond was having trouble getting himself under control. "Seriously. I've been to boarding school." The laughing continued. "And you're so right. Fucktards. What an apt description." He reached up and undid one button, unzipped the jacket, rolled up the sleeves, and grinned at Duo.

Trowa looked between the two, and sighed, a small smile playing at his lips. He muttered under his breath as he too made his uniform more comfortable. "United we stand..."

Duo laughed and turned his attention towards Heero and Wufei. "...Divided we fall..." he finished the old saying. "Come on, you two. It's not that hard, honest."

It didn't take Heero and Wufei long to make themselves more comfortable, either. Wufei slung the jacket around his waist and tied the arms at the front, while Heero rolled his jacket sleeves up and undid all his polo shirt buttons.

Duo laughed once more, feeling a little better about the up and coming day. "We've got Networking first. I'll keep you awake if you promise not to let me snore."

Quatre grinned. "Deal."

"Then lets get going."

It was only just after seven am, and classes didn't begin until eight. By some type of unspoken agreement, they'd wanted to leave earlier. It would give them a chance to secure a place well away from the other students in the lecture theatre, and make it less likely for them to run into crowds on the way over.

Sure enough, they didn't meet one cadet on the way down or out of the building. It served to relax them, just that little bit. Not that their attention waned; they still felt eyes watching their every move.

They arrived at the lecture theatre shortly before half past seven, and secured themselves a seat at the end of the back rows on the left-hand side. Wufei, Quatre and Trowa sat in the lower row, while Duo and Heero sat in the one behind them. It was a way for the five to keep everything in sight. They'd piled their jackets on the three seats to the right of them and on the seats in front of Wufei, Quatre and Trowa, to discourage anyone from sitting too close.

Instead of sitting and talking like the other students did upon arrival, they watched at first. Eyes covered the entrance and exits, the theatre seating, and the way their fellow students moved, the things they brought with them.

Duo frowned. "Why do they all have bags with them?" His voice was soft, his posture barely changed, and his eyes didn't miss a beat.

Quatre was about to answer, but Wufei beat him to it. "Notes. They probably have materials to take notes with. Pen, Paper, laptops, palm pc's. General concept of studying, implies that taking notes is...efficient."

"Oh," Duo fell silent for a moment. "Should we have brought something with us?"

Heero's voice was barely audible when he spoke, his shoulders tense, eyes busy. "What subjects do we have today?"

"Basics in: Networking, Theories of Espionage," Duo couldn't keep the derision from his voice when he mentioned the latter, "IT: Programming basics, theories of project analysis, and demolition for babies."

Quatre snorted but Heero ignored it and moved on. "And you think you'll need to take notes?"

Duo grinned. "In no way, shape, or form."

"Then who cares? It's inefficient to burden yourself with unnecessary equipment." The statement was matter of fact, and Heero's eyes left his quarry for long enough to make his point to Duo.

The American grinned. "Sometimes, Heero, I almost like the way you think."

#*#

Trowa's face registered no surprise when Une walked into the room, flanked by two men: Mathews and Gray. He knew she wasn't the lecturer scheduled for their first lecture, but being the first day of the first intake of preventer cadets, he thought they deserved a little ceremony.

He could feel the tension in his comrades, almost hear their thoughts, and it made him smile slightly. The strain of anticipation, the mild hope that maybe there was an important reason for Une to be there, made the five youths lend her a little more attention than they might have otherwise. On another level he realised that the other students had barely paid attention to the entrance at all, which gave him pause. They were all older than he, shouldn't they have had more...well, more experience at this sort of thing? Wasn't it normal to notice people walking in or out of a room? Obviously not...

Trowa watched Une and the men at the podium for a short while. He observed their hushed tones, and Une's obvious avoidance of speaking in his own direction. That almost made him smile, too; it was subtle, but it was something that screamed what sort of person she was. It wasn't every person who shielded herself from possible lip readers. Though it was far too much effort to do so, Trowa almost tried to get around it, just to spite her. It intrigued him. He wasn't very satisfied with their current predicament, and although he knew Une wasn't his enemy, he also trusted her about as far as he could throw her.

He sighed softly, his disinterested gaze refuting any concern his comrades might have had. Trowa was bored already, and for some reason, he didn't think that was a good thing. In fact, he knew it wasn't. His fingers were itching to do something, and he found himself wanting to tap his foot. It might not have been obvious to anyone else, but all five of them were bored, and the day hadn't even started yet. He wondered how the other people in the hall did it. They were all speaking so animatedly, so carefree. Didn't they know a war had just finished? Didn't they realise that danger didn't disappear just because the war ended? Trowa frowned slightly, perplexed.

There was a low buzz that rang through the room, and Trowa sighed in relief. It meant that things were about to start. He glanced around at the others. Duo had his feet up on the seat next to him, hands hooked behind his head, eyes wandering around the room. Heero sat with his arms crossed, a look of pure indifference on his face. Quatre's eyes were roaming the room, a finger absently drawing a constant circle on the knee of his pants. Wufei was staring straight at Une, as if he could make her go away if he looked hard enough. Trowa was content in knowing that each of the others, though they might show it in different ways, felt exactly the way he did about the situation.

Une tapped the microphone abruptly and drew the attention of the rest of the students. She addressed the class in her usual brusque manner. "Now, this is your first day. This entire first week will be less of learning, and more orientation, with your teachers, the materials you'll need for the subjects and of course, with each other." Her eyes fell on the five Gundam pilots, and Trowa almost laughed. He knew exactly what she was implying: play nice. He shrugged almost imperceptibly, and she turned to look at the room once more, having gotten more of an answer than she hoped for. Trowa didn't mind playing nice for now, but he'd be his own judge of just what that entailed.

"Although I am fairly sure you are all aware of what is in store for you, I will go over it quickly once more. For those of you with selective hearing, I suggest you pay attention." She gave another spot in the room a pointed look before continuing. "The first six months of this curriculum are basic introductory courses. No matter what your background, it is highly unlikely that you will have encountered many of the areas we will be covering, if indeed, any." Trowa smiled as Duo turned a derogatory expletive into a coughing fit. Une glared at him until it subsided. It had sounded something like bull shit, but Trowa couldn't be sure. Une carried on.

"You will never be expected to have more than basic knowledge in all of these subjects, and therefore you are correct in assuming that basic is all they are. They are simply in order to give you a general idea of each area of prospective study. After six months you need to decide for yourself what area it is that you would like to focus on. In most cases you will need to choose two majors and two minors. I realise this is a lot, and yes, we hold you all to a high standard, or else you wouldn't be here. You all have backgrounds and qualifications that set you apart from others, and this should therefore, not be hard for you." She looked around the room briefly before moving on.

"I, together with Doctor Arden Mathews and Mr. Malcolm Gray," each of the men nodded at the crowd as they were introduced, "comprise the senior section of staff at this point in time. Your teachers will also be available to guide you, and afford the same respect as we do. We have three years in total to spend together. I advise that you make the most of it."

Une glanced at the men beside her for a second before focusing her attention back on the crowd. "As you are aware of, you are required at least once every two months to attend an interview with either myself, Mr. Gray, or Doctor Mathews about your progress so far Should you need to seek us out at any other times, there are contact hours in your handbooks." She nodded slightly at the men, and they nodded briefly before departing the room.

"Next I need to address those subjects that, for your duration here, will be compulsory no matter what path you chose. One of those is piloting." She held up a hand, pre-empting the groans. "As a Preventer agent you are required to be able to drive any and every vehicle that exists. This includes, but is not limited to: cars, busses, trains, motorcycles, boats, space shuttles, and mobile suits."

Trowa could feel his adrenaline rise, and a small smile spread over his face. He briefly looked at each of the other four, determining that they were having very similar thoughts. Piloting was probably one of the things he would have missed most. As it was, it appeared he didn't have to. This could prove very... interesting, especially considering the standard that the five of them represented. Trowa could practically sense the annoyance from the rest of the attendees already. What adult liked to be showed up by a teenager?

"There will be some of you that are more advanced in these areas than others," Her eyes flickered briefly to the Gundam pilots, "and therefore classes will be divided as such. You will be taking this class throughout your studies, no matter how advanced or otherwise you may be. The same is required for Physical Training. This class will have sections devoted to gym work, martial arts, escape artistry," Trowa perked up at the latter, "fitness levels, and defence principles, amongst others."

"The two areas I have just mentioned are compulsory. Failure in either will result in applications as full time Preventer Agents being rejected. As you can see, they shouldn't be taken lightly. The specialisations you choose will determine your roll in the Preventer organization. These specialisations need to be chosen by the first of June and discussed with either myself or Doctor Gray. We have the right to veto your choice based on valid reasons such as grades and your adaptability."

"Uniforms are the last subject I will touch on. I realise it is somewhat unconventional, however you are Preventer cadets. You represent this organization whenever you are on campus. Should it be necessary, you are all aware that you can be called up for active duty. Although this will probably never happen, it also helps for you to already have uniforms. They are to be worn with care, and taken care of." She sent the pilots a slightly exasperated look, and Trowa fought with the urge to wink at her. "Consider them work uniforms if you must, but wear them. It's part and parcel with attending here." Her eyes flickered back to the pilots. "Are there any questions?"

Trowa could see her silently asking them not to make a show, and he could feel how much it was costing Duo to comply. It made him chuckle softly, and earned him a roll of the eyes from Duo. Trowa settled himself into a more comfortable position, watching the hands raise and Une answer the questions. It all felt so surreal; that they were here, in this position. Trowa had never really been to a school before. That didn't mean he didn't want to learn, it just meant that as a child in a mercenary troupe he'd never really had the time to learn anything more than basics. The rest of his abilities came from hands on experience.

He frowned slightly, wondering just how much of this studying was going to be practical. It didn't sit well with him, this whole scenario. Sitting still and poring over books of theory wasn't usually his style, unless they covered subject matter that grabbed his attention. His mind was on automatic pilot, cataloguing movements, sounds, and dismissing them as the norm. He noticed both Mathew Storck and Jason Harvey were two of the students who felt the need to ask questions. It made him smile, that these people had obviously don't so little research before entering an agreement to attend the programme. Somehow it seemed woefully unprepared. Trowa's attention snapped back to Une when she tapped on the microphone once more.

"Your classes for today, as I have mentioned before, will be introductions. The purpose is to introduce you to your teachers, allow you to ask any questions you might have, and to list the materials you will need. Therefore there will also be free sections in the day, simply because the full fifty minutes will not be taken up by a lecture. I ask that you conduct yourselves in a manner befitting future Preventers agents." Trowa couldn't help himself, he snorted softly, earning him a glare from Une, before she carried on. He shrugged once more before she looked away, as much of an apology as she was ever likely to get. She seemed content with that, or maybe, thought Trowa, she knew not to expect more.

"At ten o'clock you will have Basics of Networking, at ten-thirty: Theories of Espionage," She ignored the snort this time, it came from Duo, Trowa had managed to control himself. "At eleven you will have IT: Programming basics. This will put you back on schedule for the day, and should give you an early lunch. Before I take my leave of you, I would like to remind those that have appointments this week, that these do not receive the lenient treatment that the rest of the week does. I'll take my leave of you now." She left the room.

Noise broke out on a level that made it more difficult to keep track of what noises were normal and which weren't; more difficult being the operative word. It was still doable, although Trowa couldn't figure out why the other students felt the need to talk so much. Especially about such trivial matters as those he could hear when he listened closely. Trowa dismissed that line of thought and turned in his seat, as did Quatre and Wufei. The subtle reminder from Une that they would all be expected to attend their appointments was obviously grating on Duo.

"I'm restless. Are we seriously expected to be able to sit like this for such extended periods of time? It's ridiculous!" Violet eyes showed agitation, and Duo's face wore a rare scowl.

Wufei rolled his eyes and looked pointedly at Duo. "Need I remind you that none of us want to be here, Maxwell."

Duo was obviously irritated, and he snapped back rather cruelly. "Well, you do. You'd volunteered if I remember correctly, Chang. Don't pretend to be as pissed off as we are."

Wufei stood in his place and glared at Duo, his voice almost in a tight, low tone. "I may have volunteered originally, but that was as an agent. I did not volunteer for this. And I most certainly did not volunteer to have my freedom taken from me when we fought so hard to win that same thing for everyone else here. Do not belittle what any of us are going through, Maxwell. It makes not one of us feel any better about the situation."

Duo sighed, eyes running through the whole room, determining the decided lack of interest from any other party in what they were talking about, before returning to look at Wufei, a slight hint of guilt showing before the usual spark returned. "I don't mean to belittle. It's just frustrating as hell, and I can't stand sitting still for so long. I'm so used to ... doing shit."

Trowa stretched his neck, easing a slight crick in it. "We're all frustrated, Duo." He said quietly. "Let's just wait and see, give this a chance. You never know, maybe it'll surprise us."

Duo snorted. "You don't believe that yourself, Trowa."

Green eyes blinked impassively, shoulders shrugged with indifference. "What I believe or don't believe is irrelevant, Duo. The possibility still remains that we could, in all probability, be surprised. They obviously have other things in store for us than they've let on." Trowa took in the almost imperceptible darkening of Duo's visage, but didn't miss a beat in what he was saying. "It could be that their intentions aren't so dark after all. However, you are right. I don't believe that is the case either."

Duo just nodded and stood. "I don't know about you guys, but I need to move, and I need to move now. I'm going for a walk, anyone want to come with me?" He tensed before anyone could answer and turned slightly to watch the bottom of the stairs that led up to them.

The others turned to where Duo's attention was riveted. His arms were crossed and he was watching a group of five men walk up the steps. One of them could be recognised as Jason Harvey from the previous day. It immediately put each one of them on alert. In indiscernible ways, each of them changed their posture; more rigid, more alert, more ready to move at a split seconds notice, and all in the blink of an eye.

They watched the men approach, and it was Jason who spoke first. "Hi there. Remember me?" The five nods he received obviously gave him enough guts to move on. "I guess I'll get introductions out of the way first." He grinned and began gesturing to the people around him. He singled out a man of medium build, brown eyes behind slimline glasses and a half smile. "This is Ian Davies, he had a computer science degree. Top of his class, Harvard." A blush spread over Ian's face but Jason was too busy moving on. "This is Evan Fields. He's actually come over here from England to be a part of this." The blond haired man looked bored. Next Jason indicated a brown haired man with startling green eyes to his other side. "Daniel Mathers, sleuth extraordinaire, with the choice between FBI and the Preventers." Jason chuckled at his own joke, while Daniel rolled his eyes. "Last but not least: Simon Short, who also hasn't told me much about himself, but I'm sure I'll find it out." Jason stopped a second and gestured to the Gundam pilots. "These are: Duo, Heero, Quatre, Wufei and... Trowa, if I remember correctly."

Duo simply nodded absently, as did Heero. They were too busy memorising names, to match with the profiles of the students. It would never cross their minds not to do so. They'd researched the roll of students to be in attendance and done brief background checks, so nothing made them really nervous. It was just matter of being prepared. Had he not been so involved in his current thought processes, Duo might have laughed at the fact that Simon Short was so tall.

Quatre, on the other hand, decided to take it upon himself to be polite, since the others were obviously preoccupied. He stood up and stepped around Wufei's seat, coming a little closer to the other men than he would have liked, but he didn't think that could be helped. Quatre smiled, putting in effort to seem as relaxed as possible. "Nice to meet you all. Might I ask what brings you over here? You were on the other side of the room." Quatre could have kicked himself. It probably wasn't normal to know where everyone was all of the time. He sighed softly, glad that Jason still seemed willing to step in and talk to them.

"Well, I have a confession to make. There are some wild rumours floating around about you five."

Quatre didn't let the smile leave his face as Jason spoke, but his body tensed, mind examining everything else in all the more detail. His voice was steady and light when he spoke. "Rumours?"

Jason looked a little rueful. "Yeah. I don't... well..."

The man with the brilliant green eyes stepped forward, and Quatre worked hard through his own tension and that he could feel emanating from the others, to put a name to the face. Daniel Mathers. That was it. The voice was excited when he spoke. "Did you actually do that yesterday afternoon?"

Quatre looked at him blankly. "Do what?"

"Scale the A building."

Quatre laughed, his tension easing a fraction. "Oh, well. Yes, pretty much." A light blush coloured his cheeks, bringing back in full force just how young he looked. "I didn't realise people had seen us."

Evan snorted derisively and Quatre got the distinct impression the man didn't like any of them even slightly. "A few people saw you. It was just so improbable that not many people believed."

Quatre shrugged, feeling the challenge in the other man's words. "It's not improbable. The walls are stucco; there are windows that provide adequate rest possibilities. It's only impossible to those that can't do it. Improbabilities exist only in the mind." He smiled, but it wasn't his usual smile and Duo snapped out of his own contemplation in time to see it.

The American stepped in with his usual ease. "Ah, yes. We could discuss the philosophies of probability and possibility all day. But personally, I really don't give a fuck about any of it. Anything is doable if you feel the need. We were bored yesterday." Duo shrugged. "Sorry, if it was annoying or something." He didn't sound in the least bit sorry, and knew it.

Ian chuckled. "I wasn't annoyed. I just like people to know that I didn't see things. I wish I had upper body strength like that."

Heero eyed the man. "It's not just upper body strength." He spoke as if someone were dragging the words from his throat.

"There's a lot of flexibility involved as well." Trowa studied his fingernails, already bored with the conversation.

Wufei just scowled at Evan. He didn't like the way that man looked at them. It was almost predatory. Had Wufei been anyone else, he would have classed the look as unnerving, but none of the pilots were easy to unnerve.

"Timing. Timing counts too." Quatre chuckled. "Never know when the building will fall down around you."

Duo laughed, tension easing a little. His brain switched back into automatic mode, categorising everyone once again, smoothly adjusting to the changes to seating accommodations and the stress levels in the room. "Timing is probably the one thing we need to work on."

Jason eyed the five youths thoughtfully. "I have to admit to being insatiably curious. You can't be a day over twenty, if you've even hit eighteen. How did you get into this programme?"

That put all five of them immediately on guard. Wufei spoke first. "We have connections. Our abilities enabled us to gain entrance through those connections. So here we are. Whether we want to be here or not, is something we'll find out over the course of time. Now, if you'll excuse us, we were in the middle of something."

It was a brush off, a rather abrupt and impolite one, but the hint was taken. Jason simply smiled and said a cheery "See you later," before turning to leave. But it was obvious that one or two of the other students were not impressed at being dismissed so easily by someone so much younger.

Wufei, however, really didn't care what other people thought. His attention had already left the departing men, dismissing them as no threat, and turned back to his own comrades. "Perhaps it was a little foolhardy of us to do what we did yesterday."

Duo shrugged. "If we didn't do it yesterday, we would have had to do it soon anyway. So it's really no difference."

Heero stood up, stretching his shoulders, eyes never resting from their constant vigilance. "I could have done it alone. There was no need for us all to do it."

Duo raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "Come off it, Heero. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty. Besides, it was fun." He winked at Heero and smiled. "I still want to stretch my legs. So, who was coming with me?"

Heero shrugged. "I'm already standing. I will."

"Excellent. See you three soon." Duo turned, arms still crossed and walked down the stairs, trusting that Heero would stick close to him. He hugged the wall on the way down, and uncrossed his arms letting them fall loosely to his sides. They moved quickly and exited the lecture theatre. In the hall outside were relatively fewer people, and Duo headed to the soda machine in a far corner. Then he led the way to a window overlooking the grounds and wedged himself in the corner, his view enabling him to see anyone approaching them.

Heero crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to the American. "Why the walk, Duo?"

Duo's laugh had an edge to it that Heero couldn't quite figure out. "You know me. Need to move, need to be doing something." He twirled the can idly in his hands. "It's just so...I hate having to do something I don't want to."

Heero regarded Duo thoughtfully. "Is it that? Or is it that we're being forced to do something, and yet, at the same time, it doesn't feel forced because technically we aren't prisoners?"

Duo smiled. "Exactly. We're not in chains, we aren't in a holding cell, we're not being tortured or having the fate of the world held over our heads... we're just told to attend like the good little children we are... or else." He finished his soda off and threw it in the nearest garbage bin with perfect aim. "Damn this, Heero." His voice was low, soft and angry. "I almost want to see what the 'or else' might be. Give me a challenge; let me do what I'm good at. They couldn't catch me if they tried, so why do I feel this stupid urge to grab what they're offering me?"

Heero looked directly at Duo, his own eyes searching those of his comrade. "Maybe your reason is the same as mine." He waited for that to sink in before continuing, his voice pitched low. "I want a chance at something I've never had, consistency. A constant routine, constant surroundings and somewhere I can reliably give out as a permanent address. I don't know about you, Duo, but that's something I've never had. It's something I want. If I refuse this offer, and leave, although I know they will never catch me, I also know I'll technically be on the run. For once, I want the chance at peace. Just the chance, and that is what this is."

Duo looked at Heero for a few minutes before nodding. "Valid point, my friend." He smiled. "Let's go back in side. I think I wanna give em hell."

Heero snorted. "I'd be almost disappointed if you didn't want to."

The American laughed, and slung an arm around Heero's shoulders, in what appeared to be a carefree move, but was far from it. A couple of years working together enabled him to do that sort of thing. But he couldn't do it for long without Heero's tension becoming obvious, and he withdrew his arm before they re-entered the lecture theatre.

#*#

They sat in a semi circle, after a fashion. Duo and Quatre lay on their backs, heads propped up by their jackets. Heero and Wufei sat on the ground, and Trowa leaned against the tree at their backs. There was no one around, the chill wind probably keeping them all indoors. The former pilots didn't feel it. Whether it was conditioning or they were just ignoring it wasn't really the point.

Quatre watched the clouds in the sky, before sighing with exasperation. "This is so... boring."

"It's only the first day. Give it a chance." Wufei's covered a yawn with his hand.

"I know, but Duo and Heero still have to attend their interviews with Mathews and Une. I have this stupid hostage negotiations teacher to meet, the one that will be giving me private tutoring. Seriously... do they expect me to be able to talk someone down from that sort of thing?" Quatre propped himself up on one arm, blond strands fell into his eyes and he blew them away in exasperation.

Wufei smiled tightly. "Very probably. Compassion can go a long way, Quatre. Don't underestimate yourself."

The Arabian blinked, before smiling. "I'll try not to." He turned his attention back to watching the grounds, and the occasional cluster of students walking through them. "You know what irks me?" He asked no one in particular.

Duo rose to the bait anyway. "Hell, I'll bite. I don't know, Quatre. What irks you?"

Quatre smiled briefly before a small frown crease appeared between his eyes. "Actually, it doesn't irk me at all. It pisses me off." Now he had everyone's attention. His eyes cleared and there was a sheen of defiance there. "The thought that they can do this, no, that they think they can do this. We're people. We deserve this peace a damn sight more than a lot of other people do. And yet, they're still making us pay for it. I'm sick of paying for doing something I believed in. For doing something I believe I had no choice in. To top that off, how can they say we did something wrong, when they sit there and reap the benefits of what we put our lives on the line to achieve." He stopped, flopping back down to the ground and watching the clouds once more.

"I don't like it any more than you do." Trowa left his tree and sat in the middle of the others. "For now, it's something we need to deal with. For now, it's a way for us to rest in the one place without having to worry about too much. So, for now, just go with it. It's not like you're in this alone, Quatre. None of us are."

The blond smiled at Trowa before hauling himself up into a sitting position. "Well, when you put it that way." He stood up, brushing himself off and slung his jacket over his shoulders. "Well, come on then. Let's go feed ourselves to the lions."

Duo hauled himself up laughingly. "Such a lovely visual, Quatre. I wonder if I should employ the age old adage, eat or be eaten." He snickered and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Quatre groaned. "You give off even worse visuals. Don't blame me for those. Just remember everything you talk about, I want to know what's in store for me tomorrow in my appointments."

The American mock saluted. "Yes, sir!"

Quatre laughed and led the way back to the main complex, the others following in his wake. He knew they looked like five teenage boys enjoying a walk through the gardens, and he sighed, wishing that's all they were. Somehow that melancholy thought robbed him of his good mood.

When they entered the building the sunlight was cut off, and shadows fell around them. Quatre glanced at the others, seeing the slight discomfort in their posture as well. When they were inside a building there was less room to move. It was confining, almost intimidating. He watched the others head off to their own appointments. Heero and Duo to Une and Mathews. Trowa and Wufei to one of their specialisations.

Quatre's shoulders slumped a little. He wasn't looking forward to his own 'class'. In fact, right then, he wasn't looking forward to his life. It felt like anything but his own. He frowned in concentration. There had to be a way to change that.

And if there was, he would find it.

~~**~~

NB: The lecture theatre's that I describe in here are taken from my own university experience. We had large halls with a lecturn in the middle down the front, a large semi-circular seating arrangement around it rising up with each level. There were desks on each level and chairs that attached to the desks, able to swing a little. There were also those that had the desk part attached to the arms... Sooo that's what I'm actually referring to when I say lecture theatre ;)

Hope you liked it!

~Arith