Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own anything in this fic except the storylines I create. So people who try to sue me and have no evidence will not have any sympathy either. And if you flame me needlessly I will thump you with a large piece of driftwood.

ChibiMe: Well…the plot thickens. Or does it? o_O

KS: Quiet. It will, in this chapter. I think.

CM: What kind of a writer are you?

KS: A manic one. I created you, didn't I?

CM: litany of swearwords

KS: Okay, ladies and gentlemen, the second chapter of my first properly structured, chaptered fic: The World's In Your Eyes. Have fun.

The World's In Your Eyes, by Kaoru Saotome

The day passed peacefully. Heero and Andre had a lot to do, so they didn't speak much to one another except to request particular tools or parts. The only event was when a farmer arrived to pick up a repaired plough, and stayed to talk for several minutes with the hapless Andre. Heero, fully recognising a situation very similar to Quatre being waylaid in the middle of a task, smoothly performed both tasks at once until the grimy old farmer left. Once the rambling man was gone with his plough, Andre grinned at his new partner.

"Thanks, Heero. He could talk the legs off a heron." He suddenly noticed that both the jobs were still in progress. "Hey, if you're trying to split your concentration – "

"I don't split concentration," said Heero, handing Andre's own work back. "Don't worry, I didn't screw it up."

"If you say so," said Andre, deciding to trust his co-worker. "So, Heero, have you met everyone in the village yet?"

"No."

"There aren't many here. We're a very small town."

"That's why I came here."

"Well, let me give you one piece of advice. It's a Friday, and that means the young men at the factory will be coming to the bar after they finish. Same time we do, just about. Watch out for them; they're typical young men. Very aggressive after a few drinks."

"Got it. Anything else I should know?"

"Apart from 'don't annoy the whole village at once'? Not really. But it might be a good idea to find yourself some friends quite quickly, so you've got someone to talk to. Do you drink often?"

"No."

"As I thought. No one with a mind like yours drinks heavily. Well, I sometimes go to the bar at weekends, just to eat lunch. If you're stuck for someone to talk to, you're welcome to join me."

Heero didn't say anything for a minute. Then:

"Thanks."

They didn't speak for the rest of the day, except when they closed up and said goodbye.

"We start at seven tomorrow morning," said Andre. "I'll see you here at that time."

"No problem," said Heero, turning and walking off back to the village square. Once he was there, he'd buy some food and go home to eat.

This is the life, he thought, stretching his arms over his head and clasping his hands behind his head. Then he realised how much like Duo he looked, and lowered his arms.

He heard the van coming up fast behind him. Turning, he noticed immediately that something was wrong. It was weaving dangerously, and almost knocked over several fruit stalls as it came toward him. He tensed, and then leaped to safety – a distance of some eight feet – as it passed.

No way will anyone else be that lucky, he thought desperately. He had to stop the van. So he got his feet under him and sprinted after it. It wasn't moving fast – maybe twenty at the most – so he caught up to it easily. Then he heard the scream.

A young woman was in the way of the van, and was frozen to the spot.

Aw hell, thought Heero as he charged ahead of the van and knocked the girl out of the way – and then was struck in the back by the vehicle.

He hit the ground rolling and stopped after about eight feet. One rib gone, and a nasty spinal bruise, his body told him. His last conscious thought before the world went black was, Here we go again…

"He's coming around…"

"Nurse, get me that young lady who brought him in…"

Heero's eyes opened fully. Bed. He was in bed. Bandages around his waist, and his ribs too. So they'd recognised both major injuries.

"Monsieur Yuy? Can you hear me?"

"Yes," murmured Heero.

"Heero, you had a very lucky escape," came Andre's voice. "I don't know how you survived that. By rights, you should be dead."

"It happens," muttered the young ex-pilot carefully. "Is that woman all right?"

"I'm fine," came a voice. It sounded like it was smiling. And it was horribly familiar. Heero's gaze shot round to the door.

Standing in the frame was a blonde-haired woman…and he knew her, from long ago.

"Ah yes," said the doctor, missing this. "Heero, allow me to introduce you to the woman whose life you saved: Mademoiselle Sylvia Noventa."

ChibiMe: Woo! Nice.

KS: Your idea, numbnuts.

CM: Leave me alone. cries

KS: Well, folks…slightly shorter chapter, but what the hey; I'm new to this. Now let's see if I can figure out how to work the upload system again. ^_^