Author's note – Nothing to add other than thanks for all the reviews so far!

A Night to Remember – What Happened Next.

Chapter 4

The four ex-gundam pilots left the hospital together, amazed that the place was still so busy at such a late hour.

"We should get back to the hotel," Quatre said; like Heero reluctant to let Duo go when they had only just found him again.

"You're welcome to come and stay at my flat," Duo offered. "It's not far from here although it's probably nowhere near as grand as the hotel you're in and I won't be able to offer you all a proper bed…"

Quatre glanced at the other two, although the answer was already at his lips. "We'd love to."

Duo hailed them a cab, glad that he wasn't going home alone. Wufei paid the driver as they pulled up at the old Victorian property, Duo stepping out first to find his keys. He led his friends up the stone steps, trying not to look at the blood staining the concrete inside the porch. Duo winced as he let the others into his flat, knowing it wasn't exactly tidy.

"Make yourselves at home," he said, kicking a pair of boots out of the way before scooping up a plate of half-eaten pasta. "Sorry about the mess… I er wasn't expecting visitors."

He looked to the other three, all smiling at the state of Duo's place; more than a little reminder of the way he had lived at the safe houses they had hidden out at during the wars.

"So how long have you lived here, Duo?" Trowa asked as they sat down on the sagging leather couch in the living room.

"Since I came to London," the other replied as he moved through to the kitchen, to the fridge. "Can I get anyone a drink?"

Trowa and Wufei took a beer along with Duo as Quatre requested some water. None of them failed to appreciate how differently the night had turned out, but each was secretly pleased that it had. Sitting on a beanbag with barely any beans in it, Duo wrapped his arms tightly around his knees. There was a faraway look in his eyes that told the others he was probably contemplating just where his future lay now that Heero was back in his life.

"Duo?" Quatre asked eventually. "Do you want to talk about it?"

The American shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'll just go and make the camp bed up for Wufei and change the sheets on my bed for you and Trowa."

"Don't put yourself out, Duo…"

"I'm happy on the couch," Duo insisted with a grin as he downed the rest of his beer. "I fall asleep on it most nights anyway."

He disappeared into another room, leaving the others alone.

"Well," Wufei said, running a hand across his smooth hair. "Tonight certainly has been full of surprises."

"Good ones though," Quatre added as the others nodded in agreement.

"I don't think Relena will see it that way," Wufei said with a grimace.

"We'll have to decide what to do tomorrow," Trowa said calmly before he glanced at his watch. "Or later today, I should say."

Duo emerged from his bedroom. "Okay, my bed's ready for you guys. I'll just dig out the camp bed for you, Wufei."

"D'you want a hand?" the Chinese man asked as Duo opened the closet; the storage space equally chaotic as the rest of the flat.

"No, no. I'm fine. Just watch the TV and chill out or something."

When he'd finished ensuring they all had something to sleep on, Quatre was unsuccessfully stifling a yawn. "I think we'll hit the hay," he announced; standing and stretching before he pulled Trowa to his feet. "G'night guys and thanks again for putting us up, Duo."

He walked forward and embraced the long-haired man. "It's truly wonderful to see you again, Duo. We'll talk more in the morning. We've a lot to catch up on."

Duo nodded as the two ex-pilots went into his room and closed the door. Equally tired after an evening at work followed by several hours sitting in a hospital, Duo slumped onto the couch next to Wufei.

There was silence as he undid the end of his braid and began to unravel the weaves of hair. It took a full minute before the seemingly endless brown waves were free; cascading down his back like a huge chocolate coloured blanket that covered his body as he sat hunched across from Wufei.

"I never realised your hair was so long," Wufei said in amazement, having failed to take into account how much braiding caused the length to shorten. "Wow…"

Duo smiled as he began to comb it through with his fingers. "I know I should really get it cut. It's completely impractical but…"

"It's you," Wufei finished for him.

Duo nodded, glad that the other man understood and wasn't dismissive of his sentimentality. "Tell me what you've been up to, 'Fei. How's married life?"

Wufei smiled as he thought of his wife. "Wonderful. Fantastic. Brilliant. We've decided to try for a baby."

"That's great," Duo replied, with a broad smile. "I could just tell when we met again before that you were really settled. It shows on your face."

The Chinese man's dark eyebrows knitted together in a mock frown. "Shhhhhh, you won't be doing my fearsome reputation any good."

Duo laughed. "Still with Preventers, huh?"

Wufei gestured in the affirmative. "Would you not consider it? They'd have you like a shot."

The shaking of the head was emphatic. "It might only be bar work but I like it. I feel like I've had enough responsibility to last me a lifetime."

"That's understandable."

"Besides," Duo continued with a wry smile, "I think my future's looking complicated enough without undertaking any major career changes, don't you?"

The ebony-haired man let out a short bark of laughter as he rolled his eyes. "I can't even begin to imagine how Relena is going to take this…"

When there was no response, he looked up to see Duo staring him intently. "D'you think I'm doing the right thing, Wufei? D'you think I should have turned Heero away so he and Relena can live happily ever after?"

After a quick contemplation of the question, Wufei shook his head. "I don't think it would have made any difference. Seeing you obviously told Heero that he wasn't being true to himself and even if you'd have told him where to go, I doubt he would have gone through with the wedding. You may as well give it a shot; see if you can pick up where you left off three years ago."

"Three years is a long time," Duo said doubtfully. "What if we've changed, 'Fei?"

"Then you've probably both changed for the better," he said firmly. "I know I have. And don't feel guilty about Relena."

Duo nodded thoughtfully and smiled. "Thanks, Wufei. It means a lot to know that I'm not disappointing my friends." He frowned, thinking of his prolonged absence. "Again."

Wufei shook his head, not wanting to hear it. "I told you, Duo. We understand that you did what you had to. If anything, I'm disappointed with myself that I didn't try to do more at the time."

Duo smiled, twisting the flowing strands of hair between his fingers. "I don't know if it would have made a difference. Heero wouldn't talk to me about what was worrying him and we were supposed to be in love." He rested his head against the back of the couch and sighed. "I wish I could be sure everything was going to be okay."

Wufei smiled, sensing his friend needed some reassurance. "I think you should just focus on the fact that something incredible has happened here tonight."

Duo frowned, prompting Wufei to explain. "I mean, what are the odds of you two, having not spoken for three years, actually being in the same country, in the same city, in the same bar on the same night?" The Chinese man rolled his eyes, knowing the statistics involved were beyond his comprehension. "If that's not what you'd call fate then I don't know what is."

Now Duo laughed. "I guess you're right. Maybe it's meant to be after all."

"I'd say so."

They smiled at each other before Duo let out an unexpected yawn.

"I think that's our cue to go to bed," Wufei grinned, standing and stretching. "I'll see you in the morning, Duo."

"G'night 'Fei," Duo said as the Chinese man disappeared into the small bedroom he used mainly for storage, before he pulled the blankets over himself and settled back onto the couch. In the morning, he wouldn't be surprised to recall that he'd spent much of the night dreaming of Heero…

The American awoke to the smell of breakfast. Looking over the top of the duvet, he saw Quatre already dressed frying bacon on the stove, and smiled.

"You're supposed to be a guest," he said sleepily, pushing the sleep-mussed hair from his eyes.

"Coffee," Quatre said with a smile, indicating the mug he had left on the coffee table next to Duo's head.

"Thanks," the other replied, reaching out for it and drinking the potent liquid greedily.

"Trowa's getting dressed and Wufei's just finishing up in the bathroom. When you're ready and we've eaten we can get back to the hospital to check on Heero."

Duo sat back, realising for a brief second that he'd forgotten about Heero. They'd agreed to try again, hadn't they? No wonder he'd forgotten about his lover; every other time something like this had happened it had turned out to be nothing more than a dream. He was drawn from his musings as Wufei emerged from the bathroom, smoothing his hair into its usual ponytail.

"Bathroom's free," he announced, giving Duo a smile as he passed, retrieving the cup of tea Quatre had made for him.

"Thanks," Duo replied, climbing out from under the blankets and cracking his knuckles noisily. His endless brown hair trailed after him, leaving the others shaking their head in amazement at its length and condition.

The three pilots were eating breakfast when Duo emerged, hair now braided and half dressed in a faded pair of blue denims. As he wandered around the living room, clearly searching for clothing for his upper body, his three friends marvelled at the large black tribal tattoo that covered his right shoulder blade and spilled across and down his upper arm to join the pattern they had noticed near his elbow the evening before.

"That's some tattoo," Trowa said in admiration as Duo pulled a black t-shirt on over his head. They knew he'd gotten previous decorations before but nothing as extensive as that one.

"Maybe you should get one of those next," Wufei said to Quatre as he took a mouthful of bacon and sausage, the corner of his mouth twitching with a smile.

"Next?" Duo enquired with a frown, wondering what they were talking about.

Quatre duly undid the button on his sleeve and peeled back the material to display his own piece of body art. Duo's eyes went wide.

"Quatre? With a tattoo?"

"The very same," Wufei grinned. "Like it?"

"Yeah," Duo said, sitting down at the table to study the design more closely. "It's Arabic, right?"

Quatre nodded. "It's Trowa's name. I did it for a bet."

The American raised an eyebrow. "That was some bet. I hope the prize was worth it."

"There wasn't a prize," Quatre said flatly, although he wasn't too disappointed. His body art was starting to grow on him. In response to Duo's confused expression, the three pilots began to explain about Heero's bachelor night and the tasks they'd arranged for him. Duo laughed as he learnt of Heero's impromptu striptease in the restaurant, Trowa's singing and Wufei's near arrest.

"Sounds like you were having a good night," he commented when they'd finished. "I mean up until the bachelor decided to wander into the wrong end of town that is…"

"He went with good reason," Quatre said firmly, not wanting Duo to blame himself for what had happened. "And I'm sure he'll think it was worth it."

"I hope you're right."

The other pilots nodded with great certainty despite their lingering worries about the 'Relena problem'. As if Duo sensed their thoughts, his expression darkened. "Is someone going to contact Relena today to let her know what's happened? With Heero's injury I mean," he added as an afterthought. "He maybe shouldn't speak to her himself if it's likely to get stressful."

The others clearly agreed. "I think we'd better speak to Heero about what he wants us to do," Quatre said, standing and starting to clear away the breakfast dishes.

"Leave those," Duo said quickly, indicating the plates before he blushed, knowing the others would understand the reason for his haste. When they exchanged knowing glances, he smiled shyly. "Yeah, I wanna see him, okay?"

After telephoning to check they would be allowed to visit, the four men jumped in a cab and headed over to the hospital. Despite his protestations that he was fine, the others observed Duo on the ride across London, fidgeting with uncharacteristic nervousness. He had the air of someone about to go on a first date, even though he had known Heero for most of his teenage years, later intimately. In his hands he clutched a rucksack of clothes, knowing Heero's own garments were ruined and he would need something for when he was eventually released.

"Duo," Quatre said for the third time as he tried to get his companion's attention.

"What? Sorry, Quat."

"Relax. It's just Heero."

"I know," the American replied, twisting his hands in his lap. "It's just gonna take a bit of getting used to that we're back together."

They arrived at the hospital and checked in at the main desk. The receptionist directed them to Heero's room, since he had been moved first thing that morning from the Intensive Care ward he had been admitted to the night before. They took the elevator and waked through several bustling corridors in silence until they found the right place, their expressions morphing into simultaneous frowns at the sound of raised voices coming from further down the corridor. The instinctive emotion was panic; had Heero's condition taken a turn for the worse while they'd been away?

TBC…