Author's notes: This story is a deviation from what I normally write. I hope you enjoy it.

Small Packages

Chapter 2

The next week passed swiftly, Trowa threw himself into his work, accomplishing more in that one week than he had in the last month. Tuesday rolled around and he stretched quietly. He glanced at the small clock on his desk. Three pm. He had a meeting to be at in less than ten minutes. He rose from his seat and began to gather his things together.

Wufei paused at his office door. "Barton, there's a messenger here with a package for you."

Trowa groaned inwardly. He shook his head slightly. "Whatever it is will have to wait. Would you mind taking care of it for me? I have a meeting that I'm almost late for and then lunch with Quatre. I'll come by later to pick it up."

Wufei gave a nod. "Fine."

"Thanks." Trowa brushed past him and made his way down the hall towards the conference room.

The Chinese man frowned, vaguely disturbed by this blatant change in his friends demeanor. He resolutely turned his back on the retreating figure to go back to his own office. Wufei took a seat behind his desk, quickly signing off on the sheaf of papers presented to him by his secretary. "The messenger in here, Sir." He barely spared a glance at the young woman, giving a curt nod before turning back to his laptop.

A few keystrokes sent the reports he'd been working on into the cyberspace of the Preventers mainframe. The shuffling of feet on the other side of his desk caught his full attention. He stared at the young man, barely older than himself, expectantly. The man thrust his hand out. "Preventer Chang? My name is Robert Lake. I'm a junior partner with Hamstead, Reeves, and Cohen law firm. I'm here to deliver the necessary forms for Mr. Barton's approval. I understand you will be acting in his stead."

"Yes." Wufei spoke shortly, wondering where this was going.

"Good." The young man reached into his briefcase and extracted a sealed manila envelope, followed by a file folder. He placed the two items on Wufei's desk, tapping the file folder with his forefinger. "Your secretary already gave me a copy of the power of attorney you hold for Mr. Barton. If you will please just sign your name at the bottom of that first page followed by the abbreviation P-O-A"

"I know." The curt words were followed by a quickly scrawled signature. "Anywhere else?"

"Pages three, four and seven by the x's that I've made for you." Seeming to kow what was good for him, the young man spoke quickly.

Wufei signed hurriedly, not bothering to read the documents. They really weren't any of his business. He would pass them and the package on to Trowa in an hour anyway. He snapped the folder shut and pushed it back at the man. "Is that all?"

He received a nervous nod in response. "Yes. Where do you want me to leave her?"

"Her? Oh, the package. Just on the couch is fine. Good day, Mr. Lake." He bowed his head dismissively. "You can show yourself out."

The young man stood uncomfortably, shifting from foot to foot. The last words he spoke were hesitant. "I certainly hope that everything works out for Mr. Barton."

"I'll relay your message. Good day." Wufei stated perfunctorily, never lifting his eyes from his laptop. There was a short shuffling of feet, then the feeling of someone staring at him. He spoke again, his patience wearing thin. "Please close the door behind you."

Several moments later, the door to his office was shut softly. The feeling however did not dissipate. He was still being watched. At last he released an exasperated sigh and lifted his head. Harsh words of Reprimand froze on his lips as he realized that the lawyer was gone. Sitting silently on his couch, sat the person who stared so intently at him. Vaguely familiar eyes stared at him, blinking owlishly. It was a child.

Wufei frowned. "Who are you?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She replied promptly.

The frown deepened. "My name is Chang Wufei."

"My name is Megan Noelle Hanahan. Now we're not strangers." The tiny girl broke into a dimpled grin. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Wufei."

"Chang. My surname is Chang." He corrected gently. "What are you doing in my office?"

"Nanny told me to wait here and that my Papa would come for me. I'm not to move from this spot until he does." She clutched a well-loved stuffed lion closer to her chest as she curled chubby legs beneath her. Almost instantly, her mouth formed a silent "O" of surprise, as though she were remembering something important. Immediately she straightened her feet back out. "I'm sorry."

The frown eased a little, smoothing into an expression of confusion. "For what?"

"Nanny and Mama told me it was rude to put your feet on the couch with shoes on." She smiled sheepishly. "I won't do it again."

"How old are you?"

The little girl held up four fingers. "I'm five."

Automatically Wufei's hand extended, fingers outstretched. "This many is five." He realized what he was doing and shook his head. "What is your Papa's name?"

Megan shrugged. "I don't know."

"Do you know your Nanny's name?"

Auburn curls bounced as she puffed her chest out proudly. "Yes, I do."

"What is it?" Wufei prompted gently.

"Nanny." She grinned again.

Wufei felt his heart sink. This was getting him nowhere. "Where is your mother?"

"Mama went to heaven." She frowned. "I didn't want her to go. But she said she had to. Are you my Papa?"

He shook his head adamantly. "No. Listen, do you think you can sit quietly for a few minutes while I try to figure this out?"

She nodded and put a finger to her lips, whispering to the stuffed animal. "We gots to be real quiet so Mr. Chang think, Leo."

Mr. Chang grimaced. What was a child doing in his office? Was is possible that this was what the lawyer had been talking about when he'd mentioned a "her"? Wufei had simply assumed it was something inanimate. He reached for the envelope and ripped it open without hesitation. Trowa would not be upset, of this he was sure. After all, Every pilot had every other pilot's power of attorney for just that reason. He extracted a thick sheaf of papers. On top was a sealed legal sized envelope addressed to Trowa in a distinctly feminine script. This he set aside. It was obviously personal in nature and Wufei drew the line there. The front page in the paper-clipped bundle was a birth certificate. It obviously belonged to the child. Megan Noelle Hanahan. Born December 2, AC 197. That would make her five and a half.

Obsidian orbs moved further down the page, past the weight and stats to the parents names. Mother: Emily Marie Hanahan, age 17. Father… Wufei's hand froze as he whispered in disbelief. "Barton is a father?"

He raised his eyes to the child who sat playing quietly with the stuffed toy. "Holy shit."

"It's not nice to say that word." Evidently, she had the hearing of a hawk.

"Sorry." He muttered distractedly and he returned his attention to the birth certificate. Promptly, he flipped through the rest of the pages. He found vaccination records, bank statements. Apparently this was one rich little girl. She'd inherited everything from her now dead mother. Emily Hanahan. That was the name of the prisoner that had been brought in last week on charges of tampering with the mainframe. So he hadn't been imagining things when he'd noticed that Barton had begun to act strangely. Perhaps the death of an ex-lover had struck him in some unknown way. Wufei exhaled heavily and dropped the papers to his desk.

He reached for the phone and dialed Sally's extension. Her secretary answered on the first ring. "Agent Po's office, this is Hillary."

"This is Chang. I need to speak with Sally."

"One moment please."

There was a momentary pause before his friend's voice came over the line. "Po."

"Sally, I need Barton out of that meeting, pronto."

"Wufei, why how lovely to hear from you. I'm fine, thanks for asking and I can't get Trowa out of that meeting, it's top priority. I couldn't even put Quatre's call through. Sorry."

"Woman, this is urgent."

"I'm sorry. Une clearly stated that she, Duo and Trowa were not to be disturbed for anything short of a natural disaster."

Wufei's eyes snapped to the child once more. "Fine. Tell him to call me on my cell. I'm going to see Quatre."

"Okay. Have fun." He could hear the smug satisfaction in her voice. It was rare that she was able to deny him anything, so the rare occasions were usually met with that familiar self-satisfied tone.

He dropped the phone onto it's cradle and gathered the papers together, placing them back into the envelope. He rose from his seat and grabbed his uniform coat, regarding the little girl with a forced smile. "You'll have to come with me."

She shook her head insistently. "Nanny said not to move."

His lips thinned as he spoke patiently. It wasn't the child's fault, after all. "It's okay. I promise. I'm a Preventer." He fumbled in his pocket for a moment to pull out his badge, showing it to her. "See? I outrank Nanny."

She thought for a minute. "Mama said that I always hafta do what the police say. Are you the police?"

He nodded brusquely. "Yes. I am the police. I'm taking you to your Papa's husband."

Megan frowned. "My Papa is married?"

"Yes. I'm sure they will explain everything to you. Please come with me."

She scooted off the couch and stepped forward, slipping her hand into his. "Yes, Mr. Chang."

Quatre heard the commotion before the elevator doors were fully open. Angry voices were rapidly rising over the piped in Muzak and clear down the hallway. "Mr. Winner will see me. I'm on the list."

"What list? There is no list?"

"The list of people he'll see no matter what meeting he's in. So don't tell me he's not here."

It was Wufei, arguing with Belinda. The young woman had replaced Lillian who'd finally retired. Quatre quickened his pace, tightening his grip of his briefcase. The anxiety that rolled through him was not his own, but Wufei's. He knew instinctively that Belinda had honestly told him he wasn't there. She probably didn't even know where Lillian kept the list. He turned the corner and was stunned to find Wufei leaning over his secretary's desk, palms flattened as he glared at her red-faced.

A wave over fear crashed over him. It wasn't Belinda's usual cool-headed signature either. He pivoted his head to the left and stared in confusion at the child who sat in the chair, quietly holding a tattered stuffed lion close. "Wufei, I'm here now. Is something wrong?" Quatre kept his voice purposefully even.

The Chinese man spun on heel. The blond could feel the relief as Wufei's anger all but disappeared. "Yes. I need to speak with you. It is urgent."

"It must be for you to come all the way over here in the middle of the day. Who is this?" He indicated the little girl.

Wufei released a controlled exhale. "That… " He jerked his head to the side. "is Megan Noelle Hanahan."

"Oh. I see." Quatre grew more confused. "I really don't see. Why don't we adjourn to my office." He turned to Belinda, offering an apologetic smile. "Belinda, will you please prepare some tea for us, and maybe see about some milk and something to eat for Miss Hanahan if she is hungry?"

His secretary nodded. Wufei turned towards the little girl, kneeling and smiling gently. The change was sudden and complete, serving to calm the child. "Stay here. Remember, I outrank everyone except your Papa and he's not here right now."

"Yes, Mr. Wufei." The tiny girl nodded emphatically.

Wufei rose. "And the secretary is not a stranger. Neither is he." He indicated Quatre with a flippant wave of his hand. "I'll be right inside his office."

Another tiny nod. Quatre was amazed by the girl's untainted trust in Wufei. He'd never known that the stern man had it in him to be so tender. Quatre unlocked his office and led his friend inside, gesturing to the sofa in the middle of the room. "Please have a seat." He abandoned his briefcase atop his desk and dropped into the nearest chair, giving Wufei his full attention. He considered his fiends to be family, and family always came first.

A large manila envelope was thrust at him. He hadn't even noticed Wufei carrying it. Reflexively he accepted it, noting that it had been previously opened. "I got roped into signing for a package that arrived for Barton."

"Yes?"

"Imagine my surprised when I found a 5 year old girl sitting on the couch in my office. She claimed her nanny turned her over to the lawyer who left her with me."

"Oh." Once again, Quatre found himself confused. Wufei shoved his hands in his pockets and began to pace. The blond was surprised, it was rare to find Wufei in such a state. "Please continue."

"I opened the folder you have there to see if it would shed any light on what was happening." He dropped onto the leather sofa. "Go on, open it. The papers can explain it far better than I could."

Quatre drew in a deep breath and pulled out the bundle of documents. A cream-colored envelope bore his husband's name in an elegant script. He placed it on the table before him, unopened. Staring up at him was a birth certificate. "Is this the girl's?"

Wufei nodded. Aqua eyes returned to the paper. "Emily Hanahan. Isn't that the woman who committed suicide last week?"

Another nod. Quatre's brow knitted in confusion. "Father's name, Trowa Barton."

He inhaled sharply. "Wufei, is this some kind of joke? If it is it's not funny."

There was a snort from his left. He lifted his eyes to Wufei. "So these papers are for real."

"Unless it's a very sophisticated forgery, I think it's very clear that your husband has just received custody for a child that may or may not be his."

"You think the woman would have lied?" Quatre considered this carefully.

Wufei shrugged. "Anything's possible. Sally refused to get Trowa out of that infernal meeting, so I brought her here. I thought I would let you deal with it."

Quatre nodded. "Of course. I'll call Iria. She's in the building. She can draw a blood sample from the girl and compare it to Trowa's DNA that's on file. I should have the results in less than an hour."

Wufei nodded. "What will you do with her?"

Startled, Quatre raised his head to stare at his friend. "That will be up to Trowa won't it? If she is his daughter. I'll have to discuss it with him before a decision is reached."

The door to the office opened quietly, announcing Belinda's arrival with tea. Quatre smiled gratefully. "Belinda, how is Miss Hanahan doing?"

"She's having milk and a that half of a tuna sandwich you had left from your lunch yesterday."

"Good. Please call Iria and have her bring her medical bag up immediately. Tell her to drop everything else, this is more important."

"Of course, Mr. Winner." Shooting one last poisonous glance to Wufei, the woman turned and exited the office to do as she was bid.