Explaining to the Preventers Part 2

*

"What!"

Heero and Trowa had their guns drawn before they'd realized they were out of their chairs. They stopped running when they pulled up at Sally's door, surprised by the lack of any enemies to shoot. Sally waved them down and returned her attention to the phone.

"Quatre, that's impossible--no, I know you wouldn't lie but--he was? Like a nurse? Wait, assuming, and I'm not agreeing, mind you, assuming you're right, why was he there in the first--" She gasped and plopped down in her seat. "You mean...he's the one...Wufei's boyfriend...? Oh my God...how?"

The two Preventers exchanged glances, and Heero shrugged.

"He hasn't hurt him?...yes, yes, like a nurse, I heard you the first time--he doesn't remember his last name?" She pressed her knuckles to her mouth. "Maybe...maybe not. If he isn't lying, and...but Wufei wouldn't trust him if he was lying. He'd be able to tell, right? So he must have forgotten everything...oh, right, right, I forgot. A doctor, a doctor...no. I'll come myself. Of course I can, I was only out of the medical branch a year ago...or so." She rummaged around her desk for the address, crooking her head to hold the phone on her shoulder. "If it's serious, we can get a specialist, but I don't want anyone outside the office for this. Thank God Duo picked up and not one of the...where is that damn file...Quatre, where's his stupid apartment, I can't find the address."

Ripping a sheet of paper in half, she grabbed a pen and scribbled furiously. "All right, I know where that is. Now, you said he isn't acting threatening? Nothing at all like his old self? Odd. Okay, I'm bringing Trowa and Heero with me. Stay put, don't let him out of your sight. Wait a sec, how's Duo handling all this?" Her eyes widened again. "Really? Mm...we'll be there soon."

"What was that about?" Trowa asked.

She slowly set the receiver down and raised her eyes. "First, I want you both to promise me you will not draw your weapons unless physically threatened, and that you will act, if not with respect, then at least to the codes regulating the treatment of prisoners of war."

Heero leaned back on his heels, frowning even as he nodded. "I will."

Trowa nodded once.

"Treize Khushrenada is alive and has been living with Wufei for at least several weeks," she said, gauging their reactions.

Neither even flinched.

"Is that where Duo and Quatre went?" Trowa asked.

Sally eyed them warily. "Yes. Duo received a call from Treize, asking for help."

"'Help'?" Heero repeated.

"Wufei's sick and needs medical attention."

"He hurt--?" Trowa started.

"No, it's the flu, or some variant," she said. "Do you think Wufei would keep Treize there if he didn't trust him?"

"China," Heero said. "That's when he started acting strangely. He must have brought Treize back then."

"You can ask him when you get there," she said, grabbing her keys and standing up. "Let's go."

An hour later, Une returned expecting half the paperwork to be complete and everyone busy at their desks. Instead she found an empty office, stacks of work undone, and a handful of secretarial clerks trying to sneak in after a late lunch.

*

"So you don't remember anything?" Duo asked, dangling his legs off of corner chair.

Treize shook his head and wrung the rag out again, dabbing under Wufei's jaw. "Not much. Wufei says I have amnesia, but that I shouldn't try to remember. He says it's better this way."

"He hasn't explained anything to you?" Quatre asked. He shifted from one foot to the other as he looked out the window, watching for Preventer vehicles.

"Nothing. He...he gave me a disc yesterday that he said would show me what I did before, but I haven't looked at it yet. From the way he spoke about it...I don't want to see it." He left the rag in the water and relaxed his arms, craning his neck back to ease the sore muscles. "I don't think I was a good person."

Neither responded.

"Treize...?"

Duo and Quatre looked up as Treize leaned over Wufei, one hand smoothing back his hair.

"Yes, love?"

The Chinese pilot sighed. "Help me up."

"'Fei, you're too sick to get up," Treize said, easing his arms around him regardless. "You have to stay in bed."

"Just...let me sit up, then."

Knowing his lover would be furious, Treize nodded once and helped him sit back against the pillows, adjusting them so he was comfortable. Wufei stifled a cough and lay his head on his love's shoulder, trying not to sigh. He still couldn't stop his coughing fit. He turned his face and snuggled into Treize's shirt.

"Time?" he rasped.

"One thirty-seven," Treize answered. "At three you can have the next dose."

"Now?" he asked, looking up. He tightened his fingers around Treize's shirt and pulled himself closer. "Right now?"

"No," he said, holding him with one arm while the other hand stroked his hair. "You can't take it too soon. The bottle said it could hurt you."

"Want it now," Wufei said. "Please?"

Treize bit his lip and looked at the bottle. "I..."

Duo shared a look with Quatre. Both nodded at each other, and the blonde stepped forward into view. "You'll only hurt yourself if you overdose," he said. "You need more rest."

For a moment, Wufei only heaved a frustrated sigh and closed his eyes, lapsing into sleep again. Then his eyes snapped open and he spotted Quatre in front of him, Duo not far behind. "How...why?" he whispered.

"I called them," Treize said, shrinking when Wufei's pale glare turned on him.

"I told you never to contact anyone." Wufei pushed away far enough to see his lover's eyes. "You promised you wouldn't. You promised--" and another coughing fit forced him to stop.

"It's not his fault," Quatre said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You're really sick. He got scared and called for help."

"But...but...no," he cried and wrapped himself around Treize. "No, I won't let you take him. He's mine. I called him back, he loves me."

Quatre held his hands up. "It's all right, he's not going anywhere."

"He doesn't remember anything," Wufei said. "He isn't the same person anymore. It'd be cruel to hurt him now."

"Then," Duo started, "it's true he's got amnesia?"

Wufei nodded.

"But how is he alive?" the braided pilot asked. He sat beside Wufei and put a hand on his shoulder. "I thought you..." he glanced up at Treize. "You know."

Wufei swallowed and let out a shaky breath. "It's all right. He has a right to know...I suppose you do as well."

He opened his mouth to say more, but they all heard the front door open wide and footsteps come down the hall. Wufei tightened his grip on Treize, almost pulling him into bed as well. Quatre walked out to meet them while Duo sat on the edge of the bed, shielding the pair from the door.

*

Treize lowered his eyes and gently tightened his grip on Wufei's hand. So many people in the apartment, after only seeing Wufei for so long, and all of them stared as if he were some kind of alien. Only Duo spoke openly, but even his words sounded carefully chosen.

"It looks like he's just got a bad case of the flu," Sally said, leaning back.

"It's probably just that bug going around," Duo nodded. He still stood beside Treize, acting as a buffer between Wufei's frightened lover and the rest of the room. "So we don't need to get another doctor?"

Sally shook her head. "No, but I am going to have some stronger medicine brought in. This over-the-counter stuff won't do much." She stared at Wufei. "If you'd stuck to these, you'd be in bed a lot longer."

"I didn't want to attract any attention," he said.

Heero, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, looked up. "May I ask the obvious question?"

Wufei turned his glare towards Heero.

"How did Treize survive the explosion?" The Japanese pilot stared at Treize. "We saw his mobile suit explode. And even if he'd survived the shock, he wasn't wearing a space suit. He should be dead."

"Explosion?" Treize whispered, turning to his lover.

"You won't believe me," Wufei gave a bitter laugh. "It is all too far-fetched."

"Try me."

"Fine." He readjusted himself against the pillow. "You're right. Treize did not survive. He died the instant I ran him through, and any remains were vaporized by the explosion."

Heero blinked. "Then how is he alive now?"

"I called him back." Wufei pulled Treize closer so he could lean on the taller man's chest. "When I went to China."

"For that ghost ceremony?" Duo asked. He smiled when Wufei stared at him in surprise. "Hey, I listen sometimes."

Sally nodded. "It was the only way for anyone to properly remember those who died in space. I'd wondered if it worked."

Wufei glanced at perhaps the only person in the room who believed and understood. "It did. I...I asked for something...to ease the pain."

"And they sent the scholar a ghost," she said, not knowing if she should laugh. "I thought those were just stories."4

Wufei chuckled once. "So had I. I don't think I can ridicule them anymore."

"I don't think I followed that," Quatre said with a sigh.

"He asked his ancestors for a favor," Sally said. "I guess dragons can work better favors than rabbits can."

"Rabbits?" Wufei said. He stared at her twisted hair. "Ah. Now I see the family resemblance."5

"You're right," Heero said. "That is far-fetched. You can't expect us to believe it."

"I don't lie."

"Then he's lied to you," the soldier said. "Treize Khushrenada was not known for his honesty."

"...Khushrenada...?" Treize whispered.

"He was in the Tallgeese," Wufei snapped. "I killed him. You saw the tapes, he died."

"Obviously those tapes were tampered with," Trowa said.

Sitting in the far corner, Quatre sat back and shook his head. "Neither of them is lying."

They all turned to stare at him, except Treize, who was starting to shiver.

"They're both telling the truth." The blonde rubbed his temples and groaned. "To be honest, though, all of you are giving me a headache."

"Quatre, if you can't feel this clearly--" Trowa started.

Quatre held his hand up, hushing him. "That's the problem, I'm feeling all of you too clearly. You and Heero are intent on hurting someone, Sally's nervous, Duo's nervous, Wufei's seething, and Treize...he started out scared, but now he's so terrified he might faint."

"He should be," Trowa nodded. "He has to stand trial for his crimes."

"He already died once for them," Wufei said.

Heero shook his head. "I don't believe you."

"Dammit, he wasn't evil, Romefeller was, and he helped destroy Romefeller--"

"He manipulated the deaths of Noventa, Septum, Darlian, and countless others. He orchestrated an entire war."

Duo lay his hand on Treize's shoulder, and he sighed as a tiny bit of tension left his body. "Heero," the braided pilot murmured, "he didn't kill Noventa. You did. Une killed Septum and Darlian. She used the colonies as a shield. Treize never pulled a trigger. He didn't even hurt Wufei, and he had two chances."

Heero glared at his lover. "He micromanaged the entire Oz overthrow--"

"--and Zechs led the White Fang," Duo said. "Zechs wanted to destroy the earth, he actually fired the Libra cannon. I haven't seen you condemning him."

"He was confused," Heero said.

"Then you admit people can change?" Wufei asked, trying to keep his voice level.

"Not as much as Treize would have to. He'd have to entirely change personalities, like Une."

"He has," the Chinese pilot said.

"That's impossible."

"You just said Une could do it."

Heero narrowed his eyes. "Until I review those tapes, and we get a real diagnosis of Treize's condition, I consider him a prisoner of war."

Duo stepped in front of Treize while Sally leaned closer to Wufei. From the corner of the room, Quatre stood up and stared at his lover.

"Trowa, you can't let him do this."

The green-eyed boy stared back. "Quatre, Treize is not worth your efforts. Don't make this difficult."

Without waiting to hear their reactions, Heero took a step forward. "Treize shouldn't be in this room. I saw another room here that's almost empty. He can stay there for the time being."

"No," Wufei whispered.

"Heero, you can't do this," Duo said. "He hasn't done anything wrong."

"He is our enemy and not to be trusted." Heero motioned for him to move aside. "If you can prove otherwise, he can come back."

"I'll call Zechs and get him down here," Duo said with a frown. "If anyone can tell what's going on in Treize's head, it's him."

"Fine, just get out of the way."

Wufei turned and put his arms around Treize again. "No...no, he's mine..."

Swallowing once, Treize gently pushed Wufei back onto the pillows. "It's...it's all right, love. I'll still be here, and...and you should...get more sleep."

"Treize..." He rushed a kiss and squeezed his hand. "I love you."

"I will always love you." Blinking rapidly, Treize stood and followed Heero out of the room.

Quatre closed his eyes and tears slipped out. "Trowa, how can you--?"

"You knew," Trowa cut him off. "You knew Treize was here, and you didn't tell me. Why not?"

Quatre clenched his hands into fists and he glared. "I wish to God I hadn't called. I don't know how you can be so cruel." He walked to the door, stopping only when Trowa grabbed his arm.

"Quatre, dammit, think--"

The sound of Quatre's hand striking Trowa's cheek resounded through the room. Trowa froze in disbelief while Quatre stepped back out of his reach. "This is wrong, Trowa. Duo was right. People can change."

"Not like that."

The blonde looked up quickly and his eyes filled with tears. "Then there's no hope for any of us, is there?"

Trowa breathed in when he realized what he'd said. "Quatre..."

His lover slipped by into the hall. "I'm going to finish uploading those vids. The sooner I can show you two you're wrong..." He went into the living room without finishing that thought.

In bed, Wufei bowed his head, his shoulders jerking slightly. Not saying anything, Sally took one of the smaller pillows and pushed it into his lap, and he instinctively hugged it close. Duo rose to make the phone call, and when he paused at the door and looked back, he watched Wufei turn to one side and let Sally hold him while the sobs threatened to make him even sicker.

*

"Sit down."

Cringing at the harsh voice, Treize obeyed and sat in the hard chair. He decided Heero must have dragged the chair in before, since the room, usually Wufei's meditation room, held nothing besides curtains for the window.

Heero tossed something heavy into his lap, and Treize stared at the pair of old Oz restraints, not understanding what they were. "Put those on," Heero said.

After a moment, he recognized the similarity between the restraints and handcuffs and realized what the things were for. He slid his hands through the iron casings and felt them snap tight as soon as his arms were through.

For awhile, Heero did nothing but pace back and forth in front of Treize, who thought he looked like a wild dog stalking the length of its cage, trying to escape. Treize kept his head down, afraid to meet Heero's eyes when the boy occasionally glanced at him. Long minutes passed. In the other rooms, he could hear his lover's weeping quiet down until he was sure Wufei had fallen asleep. The vid was on, the sounds of a recording playing over and over again. Duo's chattering voice had ended almost as soon as he started. His phone call must have been short, Treize thought.

"How long have you been here?" Heero asked.

Caught off guard, he took a moment to collect his thoughts. "Um...Wufei says six months. I'm not sure exactly--"

The Preventer cut him off with a wave of his hand. "How far back can you remember?"

Treize sat back in the chair and sighed. "I remember waking up next to Wufei. I was cold and shaking, and he warmed me."

"Before that?"

"I...it's very blurry."

Heero glared.

"I was cold," his captive whispered. "I remember that. I was cold. And all alone. I could sense others around me, but they were very far away."

"What else?"

If Treize could have put his arms around himself, he would have. "Sometimes, I would feel someone pass by me, moving fast. I never saw anyone, though. It was lonely there."

"Before that," Heero said. "What do you remember?"

"Wufei said I shouldn't try to--"

"Tell me, dammit."

He swallowed once. "Pain. An explosion of light and heat, and then something dark and cold hit me." He sighed and closed his eyes, forgetting Heero for the moment. "I told Wufei once, when we were laying down together. He said I'm remembering my death. He said I shouldn't think about it."

"And before the pain," Heero said, ignoring what Treize had said after. "What comes before that?"

Treize stared at him. "I don't remember anything before that."

"I might've believed that if not for your ridiculous 'back from the grave' story," the Japanese pilot said. "You're lying."

Treize shook his head and leaned forward. "No, I swear--"

He found himself on the floor, his head throbbing as he winced. When he looked up, Heero stood over him, rubbing his bruised fist.

"You're lying. Get back up and start again."

Treize stared at him in shock.

"You said you woke up next to Wufei," Heero said as he turned his back. "Describe it."

This is a nightmare, Treize thought, somehow climbing back into the chair. It has to be a nightmare. I'm asleep next to Wufei and I'm going to wake up any minute now.

"I said describe it. Now."

Closing his eyes, Treize started.

*

"You see?" Quatre asked, turning the vid to one side. "No one could have survived the explosion. We know Treize was in there, so Wufei must be telling the truth."

Trowa shook his head once. "The tape could be altered."

"It's a Preventer tape," Quatre insisted. "Our experts've checked it. It's real."

"Wufei could have done it afterward. Or he could have planned it with Treize and staged the whole thing." Trowa turned to leave.

"Please, Trowa, they're not lying." Quatre put his hand on his lover's shoulders, trying to hold him still. "I can feel it. They're just afraid and alone."

The tall boy lay one hand on Quatre's, turning so he could place his other on his love's cheek. "I know you want to believe them," he said softly, "but there are too many variables, too many ways to fake something so outlandish as resurrection."

"Wufei's a Preventer," the blonde tried.

"And he was a soldier in Mariemaya's army."

"Trowa...He wouldn't lie to us."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't believe it." With that he walked out of the room.

Quatre heaved a sigh and sat down, rerunning the tape again while he searched for another recording, one of Treize entering the Talgeese and taking off. But that was an old Oz tape, and difficult to secure.

Duo plopped into the sofa beside Quatre and spread out, staring up at the ceiling.

"You called Ze--Wind?" Quatre asked.

"Yeah, he was already on his way. He said Une called him back from patrol early when she saw the empty office." Duo forced a smile even though he didn't look at Quatre. "Hard to get used to calling him Wind, huh?"

Quatre glared at him. "Not as hard as calling you Preventer Shinigami."

"Hey, it's a good name."

"Preventer Braid would be better."

Preventer Braid squawked. "And this from Preventer Pipsqueak?"

"Hey, I'm as tall as you are."

"Ha." Duo raised his head and looked over Quatre's shoulder at the vid screen. The Tallgeese blew up once, twice, three times, over and over as the blonde replayed the recording. "There's nothing left, is there?"

Quatre shook his head. "You can see everything from this angle, the fight, the last hit, the blood sprayed out just before it explodes..."

"Everything goes up," Duo said. He pointed at one part of the screen. "If he'd tried to get out, he'd have to have gone this way, standard escape procedure."

"Yeah, but he didn't even try. Wufei told us Treize said he was committing suicide. He planned the war out and then planned his own death."

The braided pilot crossed his arms and leaned back on the soft seat. "If he hadn't died, the war might've kept going. He knew he had to die to end the war."

"Duo?"

"Yeah, Q'?"

"You remember Treize said that Wufei made a disc with all the information on the war?"

Duo nodded. "Yeah, something about it not having any propaganda."

"Think we can find that disc?"

"What good would that do?" Duo asked, quirking an eyebrow. "We already know what happened and why."

"No, we know one version of the story." Quatre stood up and straightened his shirt out of habit. "Maybe Wufei had a different point of view."

"Well, when you're in love with the enemy--"

"I'm serious, Duo."

The American grinned and stood. "I know. We'd better not disturb Wu and I know better than to interrupt Heero when he's in a mood. Let's find that disc."

A knock at the half-open door interrupted them.

*

"--yes, I was shivering when I woke up next to--"

"Woke up?" Heero asked. "I thought you said you didn't wake up, you were just there."

"I was just there, I--"

"Then why did you say you woke up?"

"It's the only way I know to describe it."

"Then you woke Wufei up?"

Treize stifled another yawn as he spoke, slurring his words. "I don't know if I woke him up. He just held me and told me to go back to sleep."

"So you were sleeping."

"No, I hadn't been there before--"

Heero nodded to himself. "You weren't dead, you were asleep."

"No, Wufei said--"

This time he felt something crack when he struck the wall, sliding to the floor where he lay still. His head pounded harder than before, with flashes of light before his eyes, and he half-curled his body.

"Get up."

Treize turned his face towards the wall and told himself again it was just a bad dream. Heero twisted his fingers into the man's hair and forcibly pulled his head up.

"I gave you an order, Khushrenada."

Treize didn't even look at him. "Stop."

Heero frowned and raised his fist.

A hand fell on his arm, gripping him tight and holding back the hit. Heero dropped Treize as he turned, intending to strike whoever had him. He found himself staring up at Preventer Wind, the long blonde hair falling over his face as usual.

"Heero. Leave."

Heero's lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something and couldn't force the words out. He looked back at Treize, crumpled and still, then stared again at Zechs. His eyes widened. "I...I..."

Zechs nodded once. "I know. Go on, I'll take of this."

Heero rose and backed to the door, while Zechs took his place beside Treize. Someone put their arms around his shoulders and pulled him out of the room, guiding Heero to the front door and the hall. Duo closed the door behind himself and gently pressed Heero against the wall.

"What were you doing?"

"I..." Heero shook his head. "He wasn't cooperating."

Duo put his hands on his lover's face to hold him still. "You were beating him."

"He's my enemy."

"You had him locked up. He couldn't defend himself."

"He's dangerous. He's lying, he's planning something, I know he is."

"Heero--"

He lowered his eyes and mumbled his words. "No one comes back from the dead, least of all him. He doesn't deserve a second chance, he started everything...it's all his fault." He pulled in a ragged breath. "And now he's back, and Wufei's...and he's gotten your trust...and...and..."

Duo forced his face back up, and two tears spilled down Heero's cheeks. "No."

"He's my enemy." Heero closed his eyes and leaned against Duo's body, pressing his face to his companion's shoulder. "The mission isn't over. It's never over. It just keeps going, and going..."

Duo bent and guided Heero to the floor, hauling him onto his lap. Duo didn't say anything, only allowed him to sink into a crying jag. He wrapped his arms around the thin Preventer and hugged him close.

"It never ends," Heero said, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve. His tears only streaked across his face. "It never ends."

"You have to let it," Duo whispered. "You have to let it end."

*

"Is this the disc you were looking for?" Trowa asked, holding it up between two fingers.

Quatre looked up from the desktop discs he'd been searching. "Does it have a label?"

"Treize." He set the case beside Quatre's smaller hand. "It was with all the roses." He turned to leave.

Quatre set his hand down on Trowa's and held him. "Thank you."

Trowa didn't turn. "I hope you find what you're looking for," he whispered.

"Stay with me and find out?" his lover asked.

Trowa looked over his shoulder at him. "You sure?"

The blonde nodded and motioned at a nearby chair. Trowa pulled it over and sat down beside him, close enough put his arm around Quatre's shoulders even though he didn't. Quatre watched him until he settled, and then put the disc in the vid and hit "play."

*

Zechs set his hand on Treize's shoulder, but he jerked back again when Treize flinched. "It's all right," he said. "I won't hurt you."

Treize turned his head a little.

Zechs didn't move. "I promise. You're safe now." He touched Treize again, and this time he didn't flinch. "Can you sit up?"

"I--I think so."

The blonde helped him rise, easing him against the wall and holding him steady until he didn't need help. Treize kept his gaze on the floor, still crying. "I want Wufei."

"Let's get you cleaned up first," Zechs said. "And out of those restraints." He retrieved the card key from the other side of the room and unlocked the manacles around Treize's arms, tossing them aside. "Where's the bathroom?"

Treize didn't move.

Zechs put one hand under the former general's chin and raised his head, forcing him to look up. "I know you want to be with Wufei, and you'll be with him soon, but you don't want him to see you crying, do you?"

"Do I know you?" Treize asked. "You look...familiar."

"We used to be friends, years ago," Zechs whispered, lowering his eyes. "Let's get you to Wufei."

"Friends?" Treize asked. "Why did we stop? Because I died?"

"It's not important," Zechs said as he extended his hand. "I'm sure Wufei's waiting for you."

Treize took the offered hand and got to his feet. "But Heero, he won't--?"

"No one will hurt you," Zechs said. "Come on."

Sally couldn't help her relieved smile when Zechs walked in with Treize behind him. Treize sat down at the edge of the bed and stroked a few stray strands out of Wufei's face. He looked over his love's body, what he could see of it.

"We wouldn't hurt him," she said.

He half-smiled. "I...thought wrong, then. He's all right?"

"The pills haven't arrived yet," Sally said, "but they should be here soon. He'll be better after a few doses of those." She put her hand out to touch Treize's face but he shied away. "It's all right. I'm not going to hurt you."

Treize didn't back farther away, but he didn't move closer either.

"Was there a lot of blood?" Sally asked Zechs.

"No, it looks like Heero held back for the most part."

That was holding back? Treize thought, putting his hand on his cheek.

"Still, those bruises look painful." She took a bottle from her bag and popped it open, spilling out two pills which she held out to Treize. "Here, these should help."

He let her drop them into his hand. "What are they?"

"Regular old aspirin." She looked up at Zechs. "Speaking of which, where's Heero?"

"In the hall, with Duo. He's not taking this as well as he wanted us to think."

"Poor kid," she said, shaking her head. "He's kept everything so bottled up for so many years, no wonder he's finally breaking down."

On the bed, Wufei mumbled and turned and opened his eyes halfway. He smiled when he saw his lover and brought his hand up on Treize's, squeezing it. "You all right?"

"Well enough," Treize said. "Don't worry about me, just rest."

Wufei gave a little nod and closed his eyes again while Treize pulled the blankets up to his throat. He sighed heavily and lowered his head, still holding Wufei's hand.

"You won't hurt him?" he asked again.

Sally stared into his eyes. "We won't. I'm sorry Heero hurt you, I didn't expect him to do anything like that."

Treize looked away. "Then...what will happen?"

"Good question," Zechs said, glancing at Sally. "If we tell anyone else about this, he'll be arrested and put on trial."

"You don't think they'd execute him?" she asked.

"No, but they would lock him up for the rest of his life." Zechs ran one hand through his hair. "And I don't think they'd let him stay in an empty mansion this time."

Sally looked at Treize, who had hunched his shoulders slightly and tightened his grip on Wufei's hand, scooting so close that he was nearly laying beside him. "Life in prison? But he's too well known, he'd be dead in a week."

"And it would probably kill Wufei," Zechs said. "We can't let that happen."

"Telling people is out of the question. But they can't keep hiding him forever. Sooner or later someone's going to spot Treize."

"So, we have to find a way to keep him in the open, but also avoid a lynch mob, an arrest or Heero going ballistic again." Zechs shook his head with a bitter laugh. "Simple."

"Actually, it might be," Quatre said, coming in. "Sorry, didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"You finished watching that disc you were looking for?" Zechs asked.

"Some of it. Trowa's watching the rest of it right now." The blonde sat down in a spare chair and heaved a sigh. "According to that, Treize was a pacifist."

Sally frowned. "A pacifist? Then why start a whole war?"

"To show people how awful war is," Zechs said before Quatre could. "He talked about it before, when I lived on his estate. He said if people wanted to fight, he'd show them just how terribly beautiful war is."

"That's a hell of a way to go about it," she whispered. "But you said you had an idea?"

"Make him a Preventer."

Zechs and Sally sat straight with wide eyes and dropped jaws. Even Treize, who'd been more intent on his love than the conversation around him, looked up.

"Are you serious?" she finally asked.

Quatre laughed at their expressions. "Yes, I'm serious. I'm not saying make him our public relations manager, just make him an agent. No person accepted as a Preventer agent can be held accountable for actions done before their activation as an agent, right? That's the law."

Zechs leaned back in his chair. "Well, true. I suppose it's not so far fetched. All of us have done some pretty bad things."

Sally shook her head. "But his face was all over the vids. Anyone would recognize him."

"I'm not saying he wouldn't have to stay locked up in here," Quatre said. "He'd just be safe from legal attack, just in case someone ever sees him."

"But...I've never left the apartment," Treize said. "How could anyone find me?"

"You stepped out to get that pizza," Quatre said. "Anyone looking over the security camera tapes would see you."

"You were watching?" A blush crept over his cheeks. "Oh, of all the times..."

Quatre wondered why he was blushing until he remembered what else he'd seen. "It's all right, Trowa and I do that sometimes, too."

Treize bent his head and blushed brighter.

"Oh, Une's just going to love this," Sally said, bringing her hand to her forehead. "And I can just imagine how's Heero's gonna take it."

Zechs leaned over and lay his hand on Treize's shoulder. "Will you be a Preventer? It would make things easier for you."

Treize closed his eyes. "I...Wufei has to decide. I don't know enough to make the choice."

He felt his lover's hand squeeze his own, and he looked down to find Wufei wide awake. "Love? I thought you were asleep."

"While they're deciding my love's future?" Wufei smiled and raised his hand to his friend's cheek. "Do it. We can worry about sneaking you out once in awhile later."

There was a knock at the door, and Duo walked in with a box in his hands, followed by Heero. "Hey, those pills you wanted are here." He flipped the small package at Sally and leaned against the wall. "So, what's new?"

Quatre looked up at him. "Treize is going to be a Preventer."

Duo opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

Wufei laughed after taking the two pills Sally had given him. "So that's what it takes to shut him up."

"It's the only way we can keep him from being attacked," she said. "The blanket pardon for war crimes will cover even him."

Heero looked at Wufei's lover, ignoring how everyone stared at him. "You're just Treize, then? Not Khushrenada?"

Treize shook his head. "I don't even remember that name. Wufei said I'm a little bit like him..."

"Just a few mannerisms," Wufei said. "A love of roses, a romantic...I admit he's great at poker."

"He sounds just like Treize," Zechs said. "At least when I first met him. The way he acts now, the way he speaks...it's all like he's fourteen again."

Heero shook his head once. "It won't work."

Wufei tightened his hand around Treize's. "What do you mean?"

"Heero, I know how you feel about this--" Sally said.

"The legislators thought about that free and clear pardon," Heero said. "They didn't want the Preventers to become an easy way out of prison, with just a badge that could exonerate anybody. A Preventer agent must be active and involved, or else the pardon is void."

"But what could he do?" Wufei asked. "He doesn't remember anything outside this apartment."

A hint of a smile appeared on Heero's face. "I may have an idea that'll work. Zechs, I'll need your help."

The blonde nodded and stood, following as Heero left the room.

"We'd better get Trowa for this, too," Heero said as they disappeared.

Sally smiled. At least he didn't go nuts again. "I think we'd better let these two get some rest. It's been a busy day for them." She left the pills on the nightstand and walked out, Quatre right behind.

Duo yawned and turned to leave.

"Duo."

The braided boy stopped and looked back. "Yeah, Wu'?"

"I...hadn't thought you'd listened, when I told you about the ceremony before."

"You mean before you took off for China?"

"Yes."

"I listened." A grin broke over Duo's face, and he closed the door a little so the others wouldn't hear. "Wanna hear a secret?"

Wufei tilted his head. "If you wish."

"I wish." He stood next to Wufei and whispered, "I always listen. When someone says anything, I listen, even if I'm talking a hundred miles an hour. When I'm talking, everyone thinks it's safe for them to talk, and that's when I hear things."

The Chinese pilot smiled slowly. "So you really aren't a braided baka."

"I just play one on the vid." Duo went back to the door.

"Duo."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for listening. For everything."

His grin softened. "Anytime, man."

As soon as the door closed, Wufei tugged Treize closer. "Lay down with me?"

His lover nodded and climbed into bed beside him. "I'll give you a bath later, if you like."

"Yes." Wufei smiled before a yawn forced its way through. "It's been awhile." He brushed Treize's hair aside, resting his fingers on a bruise around his eye. "Heero really worked you over, didn't he?"

Treize shrugged and winced as a few bruises pulled. "It sounds like I deserve that and more."

Wufei shook his head. "No, you don't. Like he said, you're not Khushrenada, not really. It just took him a little while to accept it."

Treize pulled the blankets up around their shoulders and let Wufei snuggle against his chest. "'Fei?"

"Yes, Treize?"

"If I'm not Khushrenada...am I still the man you loved?"

Half-asleep now, Wufei smiled and kissed his throat, the only part he could reach with minimum effort. "Oh yes. Still my general...just so much more innocent."

The End

Author's Notes:

1. It just makes sense that McDonalds would still be around, doesn't it? Long live the french fry!

2. I don't know anything about this. Honestly. (And if you know I'm lying, you obviously know more than you should!)

3. Duo and Quatre are playing a real card game. I know it as "Louisiana Swamp Rat" but it has many names. Rules of play are: Divide the deck evenly between all players. Players hold cards in a stack face down. First person lays one card down face up, the next person another, and so on. When two cards of a similar number appear one right after the another, first person to slap their hand down on the cards gathers them up and adds them to their pile. If a jack is placed down, the next person has to put down two cards. If a queen, three cards. If a king, four. Play ends when one person has all the cards.

4. The beautiful ghostly woman visiting the studious scholar is a common theme in some Chinese ghost stories, especially since the woman often offers sexual delight to the frustrated man. Since Treize is Wufei's version of the beautiful ghost, Sally and Wufei both understand the humor of the situation.

5. No, I don't know if her family descends from rabbits, I just couldn't resist! But with that hair, her name really should be Usagi Flopear.

Epilogue

A new moon and scattered clouds kept the warehouse district so dark even the silhouettes of the buildings were hard to make out. The five agents scattered through one building in particular kept to the darkest corners, despite being alone in the area.

A new voice crackled over their communications. "Sandrock, Angel, are you in place, over?"

Quatre pushed the heavy night vision goggles back into place and glanced over the expanse of glass that made up the dome ceiling and nodded at Heero, who nodded back. "We're ready, over."

"Dragon, Lion, are you in place, over?"

Wufei pressed the small hearing nodule in his ear and wished he could turn the volume up a little. "We are."

Sitting beside him on the second tier inside the warehouse, Trowa checked the safety and power levels on his firearm one last time. "Are the others all right?"

Wufei lowered his head so his voice wouldn't carry in the large room. "Are the others confirmed, over?"

Sitting behind the computer in the apartment, Treize clicked off two more points on the schematic in front of him. "Sandrock and Angel are, over." The contact broke off from Wufei and transferred to another receiver. "Shinigami, are you in place, over?"

On the ground floor, Duo hid behind a heavy metal crate and flattened himself against the surface. "Yup, I'm all set. Could you do something about the lights, though? It's too damn dark." He snuck a peek around the crate until he remembered. "Oh, right. Over."

A sigh, and Duo could hear the newest Preventer shaking his head.

"Not yet, Shini'." Treize put the finishing touches on his hack job, giving him complete access to the warehouse automatic functions, and brought the light command up. "I'm sticking to Angel's plan."

Duo grinned and looked down at his watch. Twenty more seconds before seven o'clock and all hell broke loose. "Aw, Thorn, you're so good with our code names--"

He stopped talking as the main door opened, and he looked around the corner of the crate to see several men walking in, two carrying briefcases and the rest in typical thug attire of suits stretched across huge muscles. They looked around the room and then gathered around a single crate in the center of the room.

"They're early," Duo whispered, ducking back into the shadows behind his own crate. "But I can't see all of them."

Two channels of communication opened. "Dragon, can you see them?"

Wufei looked over the railing. "Yes, there are...fifteen, I think."

"Angel?"

"We've got visual." Heero released the safeties on his two desert eagles and left one in his holster. He looked up at Quatre, who nodded once. "We're ready."

"Hang on," Duo whispered. "Something's happening." He stood on his tiptoes and watched the two dealers open a laptop and bring something on screen. Duo squinted and stared at the image until he recognized the shape. "Oh geez, we were wrong..."

Treize readjusted his headset and opened another window on his computer screen. "Shini? What is it?"

"These aren't ordinary arms dealers," Duo said. "Those're tactical nukes."

"In the crates?"

"I think so." He switched his firearm from semi to automatic. "Boy, we got lucky. What a bust."

Heero tapped his communicator twice. "Shini, quiet. We attack in three, two, one--"

Treize flooded the warehouse with light. Glass from the dome exploded down, slashing the men's faces as they raised their heads, and Duo dived onto his side, firing at their legs.

Wufei and Trowa leaped down from the second tier, closing off the only escape route.

"Shini," Wufei called out, "stop firing at the nuclears."

A moment later, Duo stopped and stood. "Heh, sorry."

Quatre, sitting with Heero halfway along their rappelling ropes, counted the groaning, bleeding men on the floor. "Nine, ten, eleven...guys, we're missing two."

Duo brought his gun back up even while he looked over the wounded. "The dealers...where are they?"

They acted without any further communication. Trowa moved to the left, back into the spaces behind the crates, while Wufei worked through the right. Duo hung back, gun out, waiting for his comrades to flush the prey out into the open. Above them, Heero released the clip on his rope and slid down the rest of the way to the floor. He leaned over the laptop and read the pop up windows on the screen.

Still hanging on his rope, Quatre used his vantage point to search for movement. Wufei was visible, as were Trowa's long bangs behind a few small crates. The room was so large, though, even with the boxes of nuclear arms filling it. He heard something squeak to his right, and he swung his weight around. One of the dealers already had his gun up, looking down the sight at Quatre's face.

Quatre ducked before the man even squeezed the trigger, bending backward on the rope like Trowa had showed him. He felt the heat of the bullet pass over his cheek and disappear, and when he can back around, he fired his own round. He heard more than saw his target slam back into the wall and slide to the iron grating floor.

Another shot echoed through the warehouse, and Quatre looked down behind himself, ignoring Duo's laughs at how ridiculous he looked hanging upside down. Behind them, Wufei waved from on top of one of the largest crates.

"Got him," he said.

"How'd you get up there?" Quatre asked.

Wufei jumped down and started dragging the unconscious man across the floor. "It wasn't easy. Barton?"

Trowa somersaulted over the few crates between him and Wufei and took one of the man's legs, helping pull him to the rest of the bodies.

"Is everyone all right?" Treize asked. "I've got an unidentified signal coming out of there."

"We've got a problem," Heero said. "One of them got a program out just before they ran."

"Program for what?" Duo asked, looking over his shoulder.

Treize pulled up two of his own programs. "Let me guess. A run command."

Heero nodded. "Exactly."

Quatre finished sliding down and walked over while he worked on undoing the clip holding him to the rope. "A run command?"

"It's a little warning telling everyone who gets it to run and hide." Heero slammed his fist on the crate. "By the time we track it, the entire network'll disappear."

Wufei crossed the floor, wincing at the amount of blood getting on his shoes. "Thorn, can you do anything on your end?"

"Hang on," Treize said. "It still hasn't divided..." He flew through the network route, following the program as it sent itself to a central mainframe. Just before it reached its target, he slid in his first program. He waited, then laughed. "Got it. I snagged it on a loop. It still thinks it's on the right track."

Heero closed the window holding the nuclear schematics and rooted through the hard drive until he found the most recent command and deleted it. "I've cut it off from here. Can you kill the part still going?"

Treize checked the properties and sighed. "No way. It'll consider any alteration as an attack and divide itself and run out. I don't think my loop can hold that many messages."

Heero accessed his own computer through the laptop's internet connection and brought up a list of files. "Then let's see if we can follow all those messages."

"Virus?"

"Mm."

"I'll call Wind and Fire. Any suggestions where to concentrate?"

Heero picked a few choice viruses, smiling at one in particular, and sent them to Treize. "Tell them to keep to eastern China and lower Russia. At least those're the dialects the files are in."

Treize chuckled when he saw the viruses Heero had sent him. "Ah, the Braid special..."

Duo blinked. "Huh?" He leaned on Heero's shoulder and squawked when his lover closed the window. "What's the Braid special?"

"Just a virus I named after you."

Quatre frowned at the stubborn clip, still trying to pry the tight clamp from the rope. He felt the line go taut suddenly and he was pulled backward too fast to turn around. Whoever was pulling tossed the excess rope in loops around Quatre's arms and tightened them, so that when Quatre finally stumbled into his captor's arms, he couldn't move. Trowa smiled and hugged his love from behind, stealing a kiss.

"You had me worried up there," he whispered.

Quatre smiled. "The bullet didn't even graze me." He squirmed, but Trowa was stronger. "Let me go. We're still on a mission."

Trowa shook his head. "Hee--Angel and Thorn seem to have this all wrapped up. I'll think I'll take you home like this."

Quatre blushed bright pink as his rope was made into a leash. "Trowa!"

Treize turned off the communication channels to Quatre and Trowa, then sent off the run command with the virus playing piggyback.

*

Thousands of miles away on earth's surface, Zechs and Noin each sat inside a Preventer mobile suit, flanked by their own troops. Zechs leaned back in his seat and stared at the miniature viewscreen nested within the main screen. "Any activity on your end yet?"

Noin shook her head. "Nope. The architecture's nice, though. Looks like Hershey's kisses."

Miles away, Zechs smiled. "Not here. Just a lot of junks and low houses."

"At least you got the Chinese harbor to look at,"she said. "It's only a lot of snow and ice up here."

"And Hershey's kisses."

Noin smirked. "Yeah." She checked the screen again. Even though the virus was moving, it still hadn't reached its destination. "I can't believe anyone has connections this slow anymore."

"Thorn said that's why he was able to catch it so easily. Otherwise he might have missed it."

"He'd have found something else," she said. "Hey, Wind."

"Yes?"

"Is Thorn really all that different as I've heard?"

Zechs smiled. "Sandrock?"

"You know he can't keep a secret from friends. So spill."

"He's not the same, no. He's a lot less self-assured."

"Sandrock said he was pretty shy now."

"Mm-hmm. He won't do anything without Dragon's say so."

Noin laughed. "Must make poker night interesting."

"Actually, he usually ends up cleaning everyone out." His monitor beeped, and he sat straight. "Fire?"

"I see it, too. Good luck, love."

"You, too."

And holed up in their respective hideouts, two groups each received the distant communication and opened the files. First came the command to run and hide, but as soon as they had finished reading the messages, a new picture popped up and covered the screen, freezing the hard drive. The flashing graphic too interesting to pass up, the enemy held still in mute horror even while Preventer troops broke in and surrounded them.

A perfect scan of Duo's body, clothed in his black jacket and red shirt, began a little dance, wiggling his rear end at the viewers and flipping his braid back and forth. Of course, a neat hole had been digitally removed from the seat of his pants so his dance kept him mooning the audience.

*

"Heero, how could you?" Duo held up his new printout of one of the many stills from the Braid special. "I mean, showing me off to countless enemies like that."

Heero glared at Treize, his hands tightening around his mug. "You just had to show him."

"It wasn't by choice," Treize said. "He threatened to pluck all of my roses."

"Don't try foisting this off on him," Duo said. "You're the one who did this. Where the hell did you get a scan of me anyway?"

Wufei pulled a chair up beside Treize and sat beside him, leaning forward on the dining room table. "It's probably a composite of all the bedroom pictures he has of you."

Trowa put his arm around Quatre, still wrapped up, and put his mug of hot chocolate to his lips, letting him take a sip. "Sounds like a nice idea."

Heero smiled and patted Duo's paper rear end. "I think I'll have this framed."

"That is not going up in our apartment," Duo said.

"Not the apartment," Heero said, smiling even more. "Over my desk."

Duo blanched.

Treize reached around Wufei and opened a cabinet drawer, bringing out a deck of cards. "So, what's the game tonight?"

"Poker," Quatre said and he looked up at Trowa. "So untie me."

Trowa sighed but did so. On the other side of the table, though, Wufei took out a pair of handcuffs and snapped them on Treize's wrists, taking the cards out of his hands.

"Um, love?"

Wufei smiled as he shuffled. "I'm not letting you clean us out again. You're playing with a handicap."

Treize brought the metal up to his face and stared at the lock, then looked at Duo. "Could you?"

Duo grinned and pointed at his braid. "Sorry, Heero won't let me."

They all looked and saw that Heero had a firm grip on Duo's braid.

"All right," Wufei said, dealing the cards out. "House rules, one eyed jacks wild, no limits on bets."

"And the stakes?" Heero asked.

"One article of clothing," Quatre said with a big smile.

Everyone stared.

Treize lowered his head to his bound hands. "Oh, joy."

The End

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