Disclaimer: Getting fed up of these things already *sigh*. Okay, I don't own Gundam Wing, yadda yadda yadda…

Warnings: OOC, angst

Chapter 6

In pursuit of happiness

"Master Quatre?" Rashid's voice sprung me from sleep, my eyes darting open and my senses heightening with instinct. Howard stepped into the room and looked down at me with affectionate eyes.

"Sleeping on the job?" he said folding his arms and nodding to the unfinished ledger on the computer.

"I guess I just fell asleep," I yawned rubbing the sleep from my eyes, "I should have done it earlier."

"You've been working too hard lately," Rashid shook his head as he spoke, "but now you have some help at least. Master Trowa has just arrived. He's waiting in the sitting room."

"Trowa's here?" I could feel the sleep slowly slipping away, I felt so glad, "great. I'll go see him now. Would you have a room prepared for him?"

"Of course Master Quatre," Rashid nodded.

"Thanks Rashid," I said over my shoulder as I dashed off to meet Trowa.

I hadn't seen him in months. He'd been away on an assignment from Une, surveillance of a possible threat building on colony L3. It had turned out to be nothing the Preventers couldn't handle, thankfully, but it had meant that Trowa was stuck out in space for three months. I for one was glad he was back. I tried to ignore the gnawing feeling that ate away at me when Trowa left, but I could never shake it. It sounds stupid, I know, but even when I was surrounded by people and friends, I felt alone.

He was staring out of the window when I entered the large over furnished room. His tall figure was barely discernable against the dark of the windows and he didn't turn as I closed the door. Trowa always wore dark, like he was constantly in mourning, and even though he had opened up a lot after the war, letting his feelings be known cautiously to the world, he couldn't seem to shake his old habits, his dress code being one of them.

"Trowa?" I said walking up behind him, "hey, are you alright?"

"Have you ever wondered where we go when we die Quatre?" he asked without looking at me, his green eyes shining.

"What?" I said a little dumbly, completely thrown by the question. Well I mean, it is kind of weird to turn up at your friend who you haven't seen for month's house and start philosophising before you've even said "hello."

"I guess I've never really thought about it," I said shrugging slightly, "why'd you ask?"

Trowa shook his head and stared down at the glass in front of him; he reached out a slender finger and began tracing patterns across the cold surface of the window.

"When we were on L3, my partner was shot and killed" Trowa said flatly, "there was a service held and I was invited, I felt obliged to go, and it got me thinking about it. Strange really, it's not as if I've never encountered death before, but somehow this was different."

Trowa retracted his hand and placed it back in his jeans pocket.

"I'm sorry Trowa," I said soothingly placing a hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"Sorry to bother you with this," he sighed, obviously seeing my confusion.

"You never bother me Trowa," I smiled genuinely at him, "you know I'm always here if you need to talk, about anything."

He looked at me and nodded, a slight smile gracing his lips.

"Arigatou Quatre," he said quietly.

"You want to talk about it some more?" I asked him as comfortingly as I could.

"I'd rather not dwell on it," Trowa said softly shaking his head, "tell me, has anything interesting happened while I've been away?" he asked changing the subject.

"Well now that you mention it, something did happen," I said, glad that I had some good news for my friend, "Heero turned up a couple of days ago, showed up at my door out of the blue."

"Heero?" Trowa started, staring at me a little too intensely for Trowa, "Heero's back?"

"Yes, yes he just turned up at my door…" I trailed off as Trowa turned his face away, staring out of the window, his chestnut bang hiding his reaction from me.

When he spoke again his voice was once again level and contained.

"I haven't seen him for over two years. How is he?"

"Same old Heero," I shrugged leaning against the window pane and staring out into the darkness with Trowa, "he seemed a little, dare I say it, lonely. Duo found a flat near the centre of town, Heero moved in with him."

"You're right," Trowa said even more flatly "that is interesting. Guess he has changed a little then. He's the last person I would have guessed would move in with Duo…"

"Yeah," I agreed looking at Trowa's reflection in the dark glass, -we've all changed.-

"So, how long are you planning on staying?" I asked casually, pushing up off the window sill and heading for the drinks cabinet, hoping to relieve the mood.

"Now that you mention it, I was wondering if it wouldn't be to much trouble if I stayed a little longer this time around," I heard Trowa say softly as I poured out a glass of water.

"Stay as long as you like," I smiled offering him a glass, he shook his head, "so how long? A couple of weeks?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of a couple of months," Trowa said flatly.

I choked on my water and blushed as Trowa smiled at my reaction.

"Gomen," I said putting the water down and coughing, "that's fine."

"Arigatou Quatre," Trowa said thumping me on the back till I stopped spluttering, "I won't bother you any longer than is necessary."

"Trowa…," I started to protest, but he only smiled again and nodded.

"Force of habit," he said.

I nodded and laughed weakly, "Are you hungry?" I asked changing the subject.

"Not really," he answered a little hesitantly, "just tired."

"Your usual room is being done up at the moment, but there's one on the top floor you can take. It should be prepared if you want to go to it now."

Trowa nodded and picked up his bag. I turned back to look out of the window as he left, my head feeling clearer and my body less strained.

"Goodnight Quatre," Trowa's voice drifted into my ears. I turned to see him standing in the doorway staring intently at me.

"Goodnight Trowa," I said suppressing a frown as he closed the door silently behind him as he left.

I'm not trying to imply that Trowa is rude or unfriendly in any way but it is strange to see him indulging in small talk. I think he likes to keep himself to himself, and you can usually tell what he means just from a look, so he doesn't even have to say it. Even though he never wishes me "goodnight", I always seem to know that he does from the nod he might give me or the slight smile. He was acting a little strange, but then there was a lot on his mind. I sighed as I stared out into the dark star spangled night, my breath condensing on the window. I stared at it, noticing that I had happened to breathe where Trowa had been running his finger over the glass, and I was a little confused by what I saw. It was a small Japanese character which when roughly translated meant, "happiness."

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"So you find out who your new partner is yet?" I asked my silent friend as he sat still and upright across from me.

"No," Heero replied as deftly flicked the five small balls floating, suspended in a magnetic field, on my desk.

The small silver balls flicked back and forth their calm symmetry echoing Heero's own cool attitude. I started to feel that I was more nervous than he was about our ignorance concerning the identity of Heero's new partner; he was so calm and unaffected. I guess I had good reason to be worried though…more for the new partner than for Heero. I mean, he's a great guy but, even after five years of going to hell and back with him, he had only just started to open up to me. This new guy was gonna have a hell of a job on his hands.

"Soooooo, um…" I started, not really having anything to say, "you feel okay with this?"

"With what?" Heero calmly drew his eyes from the small kinetic ornament and stared straight into my own.

"Ughhhh…" I mentally slapped myself to bring my mind back to reality; that man could be too seductive for his own good, just one look and I was jelly all over, "being a Preventer now. I mean it was a quick decision on your part. You kinda just turned up, um, moved in with me and then…"

"Duo you really shouldn't worry about me," Heero shook his head imperceptibly looking back down to the swinging silver orbs, the light dancing on their frictionless surfaces, reflecting in his eyes.

"Right…" I sighed and looked at my watch, "wonder what's taking them so…"

Suddenly the door to mine and Wufei's office cracked open, a gentle draft snaking through the gap and around my ankles making me shiver. It slowly swung tantalizingly open, as if what was behind it was a long held mystery just waiting to be discovered. I blinked at the silhouetted figure, my eyes having to adjust to the bright lighting in the corridor before the figures face melted into view.

"Is this Duo Maxwell's office?" the young officer asked with a shy smile.

"Huh? Oh, eh…yeah, yeah," I said, collecting my wits.

A…girl? Why did that thought not enter my mind? Oh boy.

"Come in," I said standing to greet her.

"Arigatou," she nodded her head gently and stepped into the office, the door closing slowly behind her.

She was only a little taller than myself; her crisp blond hair tied back into a tight bun revealing her small oval face. Her eyes were big and dewy, sky blue in colour with snow white frosty spikes radiating from the inky pool at the centre. Her petite mouth was quirked into a small smile as she shook my hand, her elfin nose wrinkling as her smile broke into a full grin at some stupid remark made by yours truly. Her skin was silky smooth and creamy coloured and unblemished in any way. Trainees, you gotta love 'em.

"My name is Melissa Jaden," she smiled sweetly nodding again (must be a nervous thing) to both Heero and I.

I nodded back matching her smile. Heero sat and looked at her calculatingly. I really wish he wouldn't size up everyone who walks into the room. Threat assessment isn't exactly a nice way to greet someone.

"I'm Duo Maxwell," I said congenially, "and this is your new partner, Heero Yuy."

"Pleased to meet you," Heero said in his best monotone, mimicking her nod.

"Likewise," she said, not a hint of malice in her clear voice.

Jees, she was so sweet. Like an innocent little girl, sent into a training school for killers. Okay, not like, she was. Damn, I hate this. Why can't Heero get some hardened grunt for a partner, someone who doesn't need looking after, someone who doesn't need support? I knew, from the unemotional way in which Heero had greeted her, and also the years of experience with my stoic comrades tightly masked emotions, that she would not be getting any support from him. Damn, Une shouldn't leave decisions like this to her secretary. I would talk with her later. In the meantime, I would deal with this on my own. You never know, this partnership could work, Heero Yuy could prove me wrong…one of these days.

"So," I said casually kicking Heero in the foot trying in vain to get him out of his chair, "now you two kids have met, why don't we get down to business. I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to go through your record because our ever so efficient records office didn't send it up; but I can do that later. Meanwhile, I am supposed to brief you on you first mission. It's nothing hard, just general reconnaissance. It's at Garwell industrial estate; Une wants you to check it out. Here's the briefing."

I handed the report to Heero and he took it without a word, flicking through the pages while Melissa peered over his shoulder. I sighed mentally and subtly gave him another nudge. He glared up at me then handed the report to his partner. Now, the thing about the Heero Yuy death glare that I swear could make a grown man cry like a baby when over exposed has no effect on me. It used to scare me, made Heero seem too unfeeling and even more capable of blowing your head from your shoulders, but once I got to know him I realised that it was all an act. This time however, there was such intensity behind that stare, something dark and malevolent raging like a maelstrom behind those frosty orbs. It made me shudder, just like I had the first time Heero had used his secret weapon on me. I shook myself mentally and broke my eyes away from his.

"You have ten hours to prepare; and Heero you have to report to Harry to get your uniform and badge and gun, etc, etc," I waved my hand about and leaned against my desk, all casual and cool like.

"Hai," Heero grunted ignoring me and standing stiffly to walk out the office.

I stopped him with a pained look, flicking my eyes in Melissa's direction as the young trainee stood hands clasped in front of her, looking all too shy and vulnerable. I could see right through her tough attitude, and I wished to god that there was nothing behind it in the first place. Heero looked to her and nodded his head again, somewhat disgruntled.

"Shikkei," he said quickly and then swept from the room, leaving it cold as if he had never even been in it at all.

I blinked in his wake, left alone with his new partner looking rather dazed and forlorn. I really just wished that I didn't have to make him do these things; I wished that they would just come naturally to him. But I guess he kinda closes up when he meets new people. Speaking of new people, I was ignoring the trainee.

"Uh, he's a great guy once you get to know him," If you get to know him, ever, I thought to myself, scratching the back of my head nervously, "really, he's just, uh, shy."

"He looks a little too…fierce, to be shy," Melissa smiled, "but I'll take your word for it. Thank you for the introduction, and the, um, report."

"That's alright," I nodded, beginning to feel like a pigeon the way I was nodding everywhere, "and, hey, if you ever need any help, even just to talk, just drop by, I always have time to talk."

She shook my hand and thanked me again, her bright eyes shining and full of enthusiasm. Aww heck! She turned to leave, but just as she was stepping through the doorway she turned back to me, a questioning glint in her eye.

"I do have one question," she said cautiously, her brow furrowing in thought.

"Shoot," I said folding my arms.

She looked into my eyes and then smiled, her look of awkwardness flying from her features, "Shikkei?" she asked.

I grinned back, "Oh, right, it's Japanese for, well a casual "goodbye". Heero does that sometimes, slips into Japanese, just hit him if he does it too often. Actually don't! Heh, that's what I do, but I have good reflexes for leaping out the way of his fists. But you said Arigatou, right? So you know a little Japanese?"

"Yes, a little," she confirmed, "little being the foremost word in that sentence though."

She giggled (ahhhh no more sweet and innocent stuff I'll go crazy!) and then thanked me. I told her not to worry, and then watched forlornly as she closed the door behind her and went off to prepare for her first mission with Heero.

AN: I'm not sure if Shikkei means what I think it means, so please don't kick my ass if it's wrong, please! My Japanese isn't exactly up to scratch *blushes*. But yeah please R&R, and more angst will be up soon nyuk nyuk nyuk…