We've had an inch and a half of sleet and hail here, so class was cancelled today.  Perfect time to sit at home and write some fanfics, ne?  Just hope that the weather continues to suck for another day so I can write some more tomorrow.

Chapter Eight

"And since Daddy can't play sports very well," little eight-year-old Quatre continued, "Uncle Tro has been teaching me how to play football!  He says I'm great at it!"

"That's good," Kaori said with an enthusiastic smile, holding Quatre Jr.'s hand on one side and Trowa's daughter Natalie in the other.  She was making her way to her father's office, trying to find him to ask what should be done about the two munchkins.  "Is Uncle Trowa teaching you American football or soccer?" she asked, knowing that the rest of the universe referred to soccer as football most of the time, while only Americans had their own personal version of football.

The quizzical look on the blonde boy's face only made her smile more.  "We use a black and white ball," he said, hoping that answered her question. 

"That's soccer then," she informed him.  "Americans have another game they play that's also called football.  But it's very different."  Quatre nodded his head, understanding.  "You should talk to your Uncle Duo's boys," she said.  "They both play soccer."

"Do they really?" Quatre asked, his voice getting louder with his excitement.  "Do you think they would play with me?" 

"Of course," Kaori answered with a calm smile. 

"Uncle Duo?" the girl on her left side asked. 

Kaori turned her attention from one child to the older child.  "That's right," she said.  "He's come to live with us now.  He had two boys, and they're about Mei's age."

Natalie nodded thoughtfully.  "Is that why we came here in a hurry?  To see Uncle Duo?" 

Kaori stopped walking and looked down at the kids in front of her.  Her face was serious, and the smart children picked up on the change in atmosphere immediately, understanding that she was about to say something important.  That's what they liked about her.  Uncle Heero, Aunt Jin, and Kaori had lived with Natalie for years at the Academy.  And at least twice a year, they all visited Quatre's mansion on L4.  And twice a year Quatre's family visited them at the Academy during the end of semester dinners and balls.  The two kids had decided Kaori was their favorite of all the aunts, uncles, and cousins because she seemed nice inside.  And she always treated them like adults.  They knew she wouldn't lie to them, like some other adults would.  She wouldn't make up a story to "protect their little innocent minds" like some silly adults who sometimes thought they were too young would.  They liked her because she treated them just like they wanted to be treated, and she always had.

"Listen," she instructed, needlessly for the children already gave her 100% of their attention.  "Something bad is happening.  Our daddies might be in danger.  They all came here together to find out what to do about it."  After seeing little Quatre's face distort in fear, she added, "There's nothing to be afraid of.  We're safe inside the Academy, and there're lots of people here to protect you and our daddies.  Ok?"

The children nodded in unison.

"But just to be careful," she added, "You two shouldn't go walking through the halls without one of us with you.  Make sure you aren't by yourself, ok?"

Little heads nodded again.

"Good," Kaori said with a smile.  She started walking again, and passed her father's office once she saw the light was off inside.  They might be in Duo's office.  "Do you play on a team, Little Quat?" she asked, changing the subject back to sports.

"Not yet," he said with a stunning Winner smile.  "But next year I'll be old enough to!"

Kaori walked into Duo's office in time to hear her father say, "And no one but those on the list will know what's going on.  This is strictly confidential, understand?"

The group nodded slowly. 

Kaori nodded too. 

"Hey kiddos!" Catherine said with a smile, despite the heavy atmosphere.

"Hi Mommy," Quatre said, running to give her a hug.  "Is Daddy safe?"  He clutched onto his father's waist and buried his head in Quatre Sr.'s stomach. 

Heero glared at Kaori.  "What did you tell them?"

"They asked," she replied, knowing that her father knew she couldn't not answer a question.  "So I told them that there is possible danger.  But we're safest in the Academy, and we're all going to find a way to stay safe."

Heero's features softened, and he put an arm around Kaori's shoulders.  "Sorry," he whispered to her, apologizing for being curt earlier. 

"I think this one's had it," Quatre announced, looking down at his son.  Quatre Jr. had fallen asleep, still holding onto his father's waist. 

"Oh, poor dear," Cathy cooed, smoothing her son's hair.  "I think all this leaving suddenly and then running around the Academy, and now this information that we're in danger…it was all too much for the little guy." 

Kaori stepped forward.  "Where are you staying?" she asked, cradling the sleeping Winner into her arms like a baby.  

"My place," Duo answered.  "Trowa and Roddy are staying with your father.  You know the access code to the door, right?"

Kaori nodded before turning to head out the door.  "You know where I'll be," she announced.  Pressure on her back caused her to turn her head, seeing her father.

"Here," Heero said, sliding his own gun into the back of Kaori's belt.  "Be careful."

She smiled at him warmly.  "Come on, Natalie," she called.  "You could probably use a nap too.  I know I need one," she added when it looked like Natalie was about to deny needing a rest.  The ten-year-old girl kissed her daddy on the cheek before following Kaori out the door.

Kaori never thought that the metal butt of a gun poking into the small of her back as she walked would give her as much comfort as it did now.  Making her way down the sixth-floor hallway, she found morbid reassurance in knowing the weapon was tucked into the waist of her pants.  She opened the door to Duo's apartments and walked into the spare bedroom.  The bedroom was "spare" since Hayden and Luke moved out into the dorm room on level five. 

She wasn't aware of her humming until a sleepy eyed Little Quat asked her what song she was singing.  Kaori looked surprised for a moment as she laid him on the bed, sitting beside him and tucking him in, in a very motherly fashion.  Natalie crawled over the bottom edge of the bed and settled in next to Little Quat, pulling the covers up over her.  Both sets of eyes watched Kaori as she sang softly, "Trust in my self-righteous suicide – I cry when angels deserve to die…"  The words came out barely above a whisper, sounding more like her humming voice than actual words. 

"What does that mean?" Natalie asked, her eyes already closed to surrender to sleep.

"What does it mean?" Quatre repeated.

Running her hand softly over his face, Kaori got Little Quat to close his eyes.  "It means I'll gladly give my life in order to save you from being hurt," she said, changing the meaning of the song.  "So rest peacefully, little ones." 

She closed the bedroom door softly behind her and plopped heavily down onto the couch in the den.  Wincing at the unforgiving metal poking into her back, Kaori reached behind her and pulled out the gun.  Her father's gun.  She set it carefully on her knee, resting her right hand on the butt of the pistol, in case she needed it.  Without knowing it, her tired body submitted to slumber.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *

Wufei joined the group in Duo's office after his class was over. 

"What's going on?" he asked, wanting information on anything and everything. 

"We're on a hit list," Heero growled, mad at their current predicament. 

Wufei rolled his eyes and centered his attention on someone else besides the angry Japanese man.  Quatre looked downcast.  Duo had an arm around Quatre's shoulders and Trowa stood protectively on the other side of Heero.  "What happened?" he asked.

Trowa looked up, his green eyes clouded in anger.  "We analyzed the sequence and significance of the names on the list," he started.  "Quatre Jr., Cathy, Quatre, Kaori, Jin, Heero, then the rest of us." 

Wufei nodded, acknowledging that he to knew the order of the names. 

 "All this leads to one conclusion."  Trowa paused his speech for a moment to steal a glance at Heero.  "Some one wants Heero and Quatre both to suffer before they die."

His breath caught in his chest.  Wufei had expected this all the time, once he had gone over the list in his head.  But hearing it out loud made it real.  Someone was going to kill Quatre and Heero's families before letting them out of their misery.  Someone wanted them to feel that kind of pain first.

"So, what are we going to do?" Wufei asked.

Heads of pilots and wives shook silently.  No one knew what to do. 

"Kaori's armed and staying with the kids," Heero offered, hoping that'd make some of them feel better.  "And we'll be armed.  We'll watch each other's backs, just like always."

"There's just more at stake this time," Trowa said softly.  "Speaking of armed, where can we get weapons, Wufei?"

"Upstairs," he said simply, leading the way out of Duo's office and toward the elevators.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *

Luke opened his father's door, staring down the business end of a pistol.

"Shit, Luke," Kaori breathed.  She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and put the safety back on.  Easing back into the couch, Kaori closed her eyes.

"What the hell is going on?" Luke asked, sitting down next to her.  His eyes radiated concern.  Kaori could feel it acutely in her heart. 

"Don't ask me that, please," she begged of him.  "I am not supposed to tell."

"Do our fathers know?" he asked, probing for more information.

She nodded, opening her eyes to look at him. 

Luke stared at her for a moment.  Her eyes always seemed more blue, like her father's, when she was sad.  And they seemed that way now.  He put a big arm around her shoulders and eyed the gun still setting on her knee.  "Whose gun is that?"

"Dad's."

"Are they going to give us some?" Luke asked, referring to the rest of the Gundam children. 

"I don't know.  You have limited experience with firearms, but they might feel safer if you had a means to protect yourself.  I don't know what they'll decide."  She sighed and eased into his side, cuddling in his comfort and warmth.  "Right now I'm the only one of us who knows what's going on.  And I have a feeling that protecting the kids will be my top priority."

"The kids that came into the gym today?"

"You sure do have a lot of questions there, little man," Kaori said with a smile.  She knew the towering giant scoffed at that nickname.  Luke poked her in the ribs playfully with his free hand, and she squirmed at his touch.  "Yea, the kids that came in the gym.  Uncles Quatre and Trowa are here too.  The whole family in one place."

"Except for your mom," Luke reminded her.

Kaori's heart got a little heavier when he said that.  She'd been missing her mother all day.  And all day yesterday.  Finally, she was getting over the sickness she'd felt when first hearing about the List and her mother's disappearance after the remains of her ship were discovered.  She didn't want to be reminded of it all now.

"Sorry," Luke said with a little squeeze. 

Kaori smiled weakly at him.  Apology accepted. 

"You hungry?" the big guy said, getting up from the couch and holding out a hand to her.  "Class was over a while ago and I'm sure that we'll meet Mei, Daniel, and Hade in the cafeteria.  It's already almost 18:00."  Kaori took his hand while stuffing the gun back into her belt, and he practically threw her up into the air.  She laughed for what seemed like the first time in three days, since she and Hade had…well, he wasn't going to assume he knew anything about what she and his brother had or had not done Saturday night.  But he did feel sorry for them both.  They should be basking in their newly found affections, rather than Hade taking care of Kaori while she was sick over something so secretive that she couldn't tell them what it was.  And now she was a personal bodyguard to two little kids.  Even more to keep her and Hade apart. 

"Let me wake them up.  If it's dinnertime, like you say, then we've been sleeping up here for the past couple hours," Kaori said, walking back to his old bedroom.

Natalie was awake when she walked in, calmly looking around the room to amuse herself.  When she noticed Kaori in the room, the little girl smiled and rolled over, pushing on Little Quat to wake him up.  Quatre Jr. moaned and rolled over the opposite direction from Natalie, coming close to falling out of bed before his aquamarine eyes opened and he smiled at Kaori.

"It's time for dinner, you two," she said softly.  Luke had never heard her sound more motherly. 

Green eyes opened wide.  "Who's that?" Natalie asked, staring at the big man leaning in the doorway. 

"That's Luke Maxwell," Kaori answered.  "He's Uncle Duo's son.  Do you remember me telling you about him?"

"You play football!" Little Quat beamed as he jumped out of bed with fresh energy and rushed to the new figure.  "Will you play with me?" 

"Play football?" Luke said, getting down on one knee to look the kid in the eye.  "Aren't you a little small for that game?"  Quatre Jr. looked insulted. 

"He means soccer," Kaori informed him, using her fingers to brush out Natalie's bed-mussed hair.  Kaori pulled it back and braided the fine hair to keep it from getting in Nat's way so much. 

"Oh, soccer.  Yea, I'll play some soccer with you.  We have a big field out by the lake that's just perfect for a game of soccer."  Luke smiled at the energetic Quatre spawn. 

"Mommy doesn't like my hair pulled back," Natalie said softly, sounding more like her stoic father than her opinionated mother. 

"Well, Mommy's not here right now, is she?" Kaori said with a wink.  Natalie giggled.  Kaori finished braiding her hair and fastened the ends with one of the many abundant elastic ties that seemed to spontaneously reproduce wherever Hayden happened to live.  "Natalie," she said, getting the girl's attention.  "This is Luke.  Luke, this is Natalie Barton.  And that little blonde replicate is Quatre Jr., otherwise known at Little Quat."

Luke remained on his one knee as he held his hand out and shook each tiny hand in his own.  "I met them at Mom's funeral," he informed Kaori, since she hadn't been there to know.  "But I'm not sure if they remember me."

"Of course I remember you," Natalie said proudly as Luke stood up.  "I remember you because you're almost as tall as Daddy."  She stuck her tongue out at Little Quat as she walked past him and out of the bedroom.

"Oh yea!" the blonde yelled as he scurried after her.  "Well, I can play the flute better than you can play the violin!"

Kaori rolled her eyes as she reluctantly followed the children into the den.  She may be regaining her strength after getting sick this weekend, but these kids were surely going to drain her energy all over again.  She smiled in spite of the foreboding exhaustion.  At least it'd be a good way to go, she thought as Little Quat grinned brightly at her and held her hand.