Disclaimer: Hiiiii, it's me ProtogirlT. You know, now is the time I wish I picked a better name for myself. So that everyone knows Officer Tembo, Li, Shimi, Fox, and Sophia are all my characters. Niko Nightwind is a recurring character. Today's chapter you'll see a little bit more of Niko. Don't want to spoil it for ya, so READ AND FIND OUT!!!!!!!!!! Please R & R

Gundam Wing Episode 10 *Shimi & Foxes Relations* 12:00pm

It's only been a few minutes since we brought Fox back from the construction site and he seems to be getting worse by the minute. Niko knocks on the bathroom door. "You ok in there?"

".Yeah, considering the condition I'm in." Fox stumbles out of the bathroom and leans on the wall continuing to breath heavy. He was wearing different clothes, a sky blue shirt with deep green pants. He doesn't make eye contact with him.

Fox quickly puts a red bandana around his neck, but it was too late Niko notices right away. "What's happened to your neck?"

"Nothing you should concern yourself with." Fox looks him dead in the eyes his voice serious. "You can go now." His stare becomes cold as he hesitates before leaving. A feeling of uneasiness settles in as he looks back at Fox the kind you get right before being attacked by an animal that's given you a just warning.

Geeze, not even a thank you Niko gets a bad feeling as she leaves the room. I'll check on him later. How did that Preventer know I wasn't Sophia Dragon, anyway? How are these people finding out I'm in disguise anyway?

~~~~~~~~~~~~Flash~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sophia Dragon, my name is Sally Poe. You probably don't remember me from the Mariemaia incident, but we've been looking for you for some time now. We need to talk to you." Sally shakes her hand with a smile on her face as a young Chinese man walks up. "I believe you remember-"

"That's not her" He says not giving the girl a second look. Sally looks astonished at her partner sudden interruption. Sally looks back and forth between her partner and the fake Sophia. "If you do find her and I have a feeling you will tell her that I'm looking for her." He turns and walks away without another word.

"What do you mean, Wufei?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~Flash~~~~~~~~~~~~

That guy was just as cold as. Fox. Niko stops in her tracks. Is. it possible that they're related or even.? Niko is pulled out of her thoughts at the sight of Trowa and Heero helping Quatre up the stairs. He looked as white as a sheet breathing almost as bad as Fox was. Duo and Shimi trail behind them. "Mr. Winner, what's the matter? You look so pale."

"He just fell ill suddenly which is way too coincidental" Sophia quickly opens her bedroom door since it was closest. They get Quatre into bed and stand around it thinking on what to do.

Shimi knows more about this then we do and Fox I bet knows who's behind this. I feel so. useless. "A hospital might be too risky." Heero looks at Quatre. He turns to Shimi who looks away.

Shimi feels a stab of guilt as she bits her lower lip. Shimi turns to Sophia who was at Quatre's bed side who was deep in thought. "Sophia, you've worked in the medical field a bit. Try your luck."

"Her diagnosis won't help. He got this virus from a panther and that's that." Everyone turns to face Tikki who was leaning on the door for support looking as though he was going to pass out any minute.

"And I thought Quatre looked bad." Duo says surprised. Tikki moves away from his and staggers over to the bed. Shimi tries to help him, but he coldly shoves her away.

"Tikki, you should be in bed." Quatre tells him weakly as he comes closer.

"That's news to me. I need to see your neck where you got scratched." Sophia unbuttons Quatre's shirt and she carefully peels off the bandage. Tikki manages to stay standing. "Sophia, what do you notice about his scratches and the one across my face?" Tikki closes his eyes as he says this.

"There's no scab, just a crevasse where you were scratched, and the skin around it seems to be dry and to flack off like sand." Tikki takes a step back and opens his eyes, but his eyes roll in the back of his head.

Shimi catches him as he falls. "I'm so sorry for being gone so long and. for what I said." Trowa and Heero walk over to them. "Fox, come on wake up."

Fox. so he was here all along. Shimi sits on the floor holding Fox in her arms. Trowa looks at Quatre who was now asleep. He turns back to Fox.

"I know, but damn it, Shimi you gave me away." Fox murmurs with his eyes still closed. Shimi sighs as Trowa and Heero kneel next to here. Fox opens his eyes slowly. "I'm not in the mood to play right now."

"Is there anything else we should know about this sudden illness?" Heero asks ignoring his little comment.

"Yes, there is." Fox sits up. "But I'm afraid it might startle you." Fox removes the ascot from around his neck revealing the bandages underneath. Instead of unwrapping then he rips the bandages from around his neck. What looked like sand falls in his lap. There was hardly any skin around his neck as well as a giant spot where there was only muscle showing. "If we don't get the cure for this soon there won't be anything left of us, but dust."

*****

Mariemaia pets her puppy Snow Paws as she sits on her bed looking up at the golden brown haired woman as she thinks a moment. "So she went already. Do you know which direction she-?"

"Don't bother asking her, Sally." Sally looks up at Wufei who was looking a bit melancholy out the window. He sighs then closes his eyes before turning to his partner. "We won't find her now. we missed our chance." We'll wait till your guards down Sophia, and then I'll finally figure out why you're running like a scared rabbit.

Wufei. she must really mean a lot to you if you're this worried. Sally follows Wufei out the door after saying goodbye. She watches Wufei closely as they enter the car and he starts to drive to their hotel. The drive seemed endless because of the silence. She follows him to his room to make sure he needed someone to talk to and quietly closes the door behind her. "You're not blaming yourself for this, are you, Wufei?"

Wufei looks up at her after he takes off his shirt. "I thought for sure she'd come up to the table to give Mariemaia her present. She usually does things in person." He tosses his shirt on the bed.

"Maybe something prevented her to do so. Don't worry we'll find her, Wufei." There's a long silence as she walks up to him.

"I'm starting to think we need to set up an ambush like we did with Shimi." Wufei and Sally both sit down at the same time on the bed. The ends of the bed seem to spread out like waves then comes back jolting Sally forward into Wufei's arms. "Did you order a waterbed. Sally?"

"I don't think so." She sits up. There's a knock on the door. Surprised they look up. Sally gets up and answers the door. "Yes"

"Letter for someone named Panda."

"Panda. I'm sorry, but there's no one named Panda here."

"You can take it Sally." She takes it confused and closes the door. He looks uneasily at her. "I'm. Panda" he blushes as he takes it from her.

Dear Panda,

I here you've been looking for me, so quit. I can take care of this by myself. Before you get ballistic on me I'm just peachy, cool, and dandy. I have to do this on my own just like you went off to be a gundam pilot, k. I forgive you for what you did. I'm glad the Solitary Dragon found a job that suits him.

The only girl you refused to call weak when you were small the one who followed you around,

Sophia Dragon

P.S. Don't worry about me. I'm fine, really. Oh. enjoy the waterbed.

Annoyance emerges on Wufei's face as he finishes the letter. "It looks like she's keeping tabs on us instead of the other way around." He looks up from the letter at Sally. She smiles at him as she sits next to him.

"Funny, you don't look like a panda to me, Wufei." She laughs a little as he blushes more.

"It's a nickname she calls me when she's angry at me or is just trying to get back at me for something I did." He turns his face away from hers. "I hate that name." Wufei lies down on the waterbed to escape her gaze.

She lies down next to him to tease him. "I like it. I've never seen you blush before." She sits up looking down at him. "Might as well enjoy the waterbed she got you." He looks up at Sally as she gets up and leaves his room. "We'll try looking for her in the near one in the morning so we need our sleep now. Oh, good night Panda," Wufei scowls at her. He grabs the pillow from the head of the bed and chunks it at her, but she closes the door in time.

*****

Shimi devourers a slice of cheesecake, which she stole from the freezer, nervously. She sits down at the table and picks up another piece, but stops worried. "So, what do you have, Niko?" Shimi looks across from Niko, who was still in her disguise.

"The symptoms show they've been in the desert for a long time without water. We have to keep them hydrated, but. It's the skin though that bothers me. It's almost like their skin is decomposing slowly." Niko looks at Shimi who offers her a slice. Taking it she notices Shimi was shaking a little and as Niko looked at her face she looked a bit guilty. Niko watches Shimi closely as she eats the piece of cheesecake. "You know something don't you." Shimi doesn't make eye contact with her, but after a while she nods her head.

"I know the cure for it so it won't spread, but I don't know how to stop what's already damaged." There's a long pause before she continues. "Um. my blood can be used to make the cure for it,"

"Really, why didn't you tell us before?" Niko looks at her confused. "It would have saved us a lot of time."

"But." Shimi looks up ashamed. "Um. I hate needles, Niko. the though of even having to be pricked by a needle freaks me out."

"Oh, is that all. I thought it was you responsible for this virus or something." Shimi looks at Niko surprised at how easily she took the news. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. There are grown men who cry at the sign of a needles and I mean the small ones." Shimi now reassured with the answer she received stuffs the last slice of cheesecake in her mouth this time with satisfaction.

"It doesn't take long to make it probably five hours at the most. I have to ask you something. Did Fox ever. yelled at you for no apparent reason. You know just all of a sudden stated screaming at you."

"Yes, why"

"Oh nothing really, just wondering" Shimi gets up and throws away the tray that held the cheesecake. Niko looks at Shimi a moment. Wait, it was Shimi who picked my disguise. She gave me any and all information about her like she knew her very well. It was the only thing she asked from me as thanks for taking care of her until she got her memory back. Hah, so I finally found out whom you are, Fox.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Shimi burst out suddenly getting her cheerful attitude back. "Follow me. I think I might have found a way to re-hydrate the skin at least until we get the cure." Shimi heads for the door and Niko follows.

*****

"Shimi this has got to be one of the most unintelligent of your ideas that you've ever had."

"Hey it's working, isn't it; you look and sound perfectly healthy, besides Mr. Winner doesn't mind." Shimi crosses her arms as she sits on the toilet. Heero and Trowa stand on either side of her content that they've found a cure for Quatre's state and Shimi's temporary solution gave them an easy way to keep an eye of Fox. She smiles enjoying the annoyed look on Fox's face.

"That's because the guy's too nice to say it, so I'll say it for him. Shimi this is the most dim-witted idea you've ever had." Fox's voice comes out dull and his face lifeless.

"I don't mind it, really" Quatre says sitting next to Fox neck high in water in the shower. Shimi looks pleased with his reply.

"He's just being nice, Shimi."

"No, it's ok really, I don't mind." Fox looks at Quatre a moment. Quatre turns to Shimi. "I'm just curious; how is it until the antidote is ready?"

Fox looks at Heero and Trowa though the shower glass. "He's not normal is he?" the blonde turns to Fox surprised at his comment. He shrugs off the comment since he's seen him act this way when he has to stay put in one place a long time. Suddenly, Fox gets an impish look on his face that Quatre has seen before at staff meetings when it got too quiet. He always managed to stir up some kind of unusual or bizarre conversation. Fox leans slightly in Quatre's direction. "You're straight right." Fox whispers.

Quatre looks stunned a moment. "Yes, to my knowledge I am" Quatre looks a little confused then finding it vaguely amusing.

"Fox, behave! I know you don't like being cooped up, but don't take it out on Mr. Winner." He glances at Shimi then returns his gaze to Quatre seeing that it didn't faze him any.

Fox's attention switches back to Shimi. "What! I didn't do anything! I was just curious besides there's nothing wrong with wanting to know who I'm sitting next to." Duo comes in because of the screaming. Trowa and Heero just listen carefully to see if they could pick up any important fact that might slip out.

"You know you don't ask questions like that." There was a long silence and Fox submerges his head underwater to avoid Shimi's gaze. Shimi looks annoyed at her partner a moment then closes her eyes. She notices Sophia who stops a moment at the entrance of the bathroom. Sophia mouths that they have to wait another two hours before the antidotes ready. "How would you guys like to join our little team here?"

The guys look at Shimi considerably interested in her request. Fox sits up rather quickly hearing what she asked. "You can't be serious." He could see the consideration in eyes of the guys.

"No, I'm serious. What do you guys think?"

"Sounds like it'll be fun and it's a good time to clean out the cob webs that has set in over two years." Duo leans on the wall. "A little excitement wouldn't hurt."

"Sure, just tell us what you know and we can do anything we can do." Shimi smiles at Trowa's generous offer to help.

"If you need help Tikki, we'll be willing to help you." Quatre says showing his usual bigheartedness.

"Shimi. these guys have lives. Heero has a job, Duo and Quatre own there own businesses, and Trowa has to go back to the circus soon. You can't just tear them away from their lives by asking something like this of this of them." Fox says looking Heero dead in the eyes. He turns his gaze away from Heero then closes his eyes.

"We need the help, Fox, and you know it."

"We don't have the time right now to train rookies. These enemies are far too powerful; they'll be at a disadvantage and I know that from experience."

"Not to burst your bubble, Fox, but we have had training; last time I checked we were gundam pilots." Duo exclaims interrupting obviously unpleased with his commentary. Who does this guy think he is calling us rookies?

"Sorry, but you'll just be in the way if I add you to the group now. I wish to leave outsiders out of this." The end Fox's hair begins to curl up cutting the length of his hair in half, making him look somewhat feminine. He leans back against the wall of the shower.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to help." Duo looks away from Fox annoyed as Sophia comes to the bathroom door with two bottles in her hands. Duo takes the bottles from her, "What's this?"

"That lotion should counter act the effects of the virus on the skin returning it to it natural state and. should help the skin around Fox's neck grow back faster. Make sure they use this for two weeks and they should be back to normal."

"Thanks Sophia. I knew if I asked you you'd find a way to fix everything." Fox looks from Sophia to Shimi unpleased with what he was listening to. I don't like this. How does she know her so well?

Man, his temper is like a volcano, Duo thinks to himself seeing Fox's face change. Something else has to be eating at him.

"Don't thank me. Sina made it for that "just in case" notion of hers then she made me bring it with me. You know how she can get."

"You know her, Shimi." The suspicion in Fox's voice is eminent as he speaks to her.

"Oooh. Sophia took care of me until I got most of my memory back after the accident during my mission. If it wasn't for her I'd almost certainly be dead by now."

"That's why you want to recruit new people." Fox whispers to himself. That explains it. He closes his eyes and submerges his head again. Quatre watches him as he goes under catching a glimpse of tolerant, thoughtfulness in his eyes.

*****

Dear Shimi,

I don't blame you for needing a partner at your side and being afraid to die at a young age, but I don't have time to wait until you get your courage back. so, since you're not up to it, Shimi; I'll do it myself then. It's my fault for asking you to help me in the first place. I won't sacrifice anymore lives for what was once my father's battle. I have to do this on my own. I know that now.

Fox

P.S. It's better this way, I can watch my own back easier then someone else's anyway.

Fox looks over his note again before placing it on the alarm clock that he had used the night he saved Quatre from Black Panther. The clock read 9:44 as he taped it on the clock. He grabs one of the bottles of lotion Niko left behind and stuffs it in his book bag. He grabs his video player off his bed packing it also then he glances at his laptop on the dresser, but decides to pack the things the bathroom first since it was closer. After going in the bathroom, however, there's a knock on the door and the door opens.

"Hey Fox, Shimi wants to know if you want any. Fox?" Duo walks in and looks around that's when he notices the not on the clock. "Why am I not surprised?" he looks up when he hear a sound from the bathroom. He makes his way over to it and he pushes the door open slowly. "Hello?"

He jumps back as a giant black fox, with a book bag on its back, jumps at him. It lands next to him and they make eye contact. He stares at it in disbelief. "What the hell." The fox goes to the dresser and with its orange paw slides the laptop in its mouth and races out of the room. In the hallway, it dashes past the imposter Sophia nearly bumping into Quatre and Trowa.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting to see you." Quatre kneels down and pets her. "This was the fox I was talking to you guys about that saved my life."

"I've never seen a fox like this before." Trowa follows Quatre, but just examines it. Duo walks up stunned as Trowa notices whose laptop was in its mouth and the book bag strapped to its back.

"I should have know, you Quatre would tame any animal." They look up at Duo who sighs. "I found the fox in the bathroom of Fox's room and I have some bad news. He ran off again."

"ShadowBall!" everyone looks up at Shimi who was screaming Heero behind her watching in silence. "You know better! Give me that!" Shimi grabs the laptop and tries to rip it from the fox's jaws, but it only turned into a game of tug of war. ShadowBall growls viscously as Shimi tugs and jerks to get the laptop out of the fox's mouth.

"You know this fox?" Quatre asks standing up.

"Yes, you can say this is Fox's special lady were ever he is his shadow issnnn't far behind. He can't leave without her." She finally rips it from her mouth. "I know he won't leave without his laptop. There's no way Fox's leaving without me!!!!!!!" She keeps it out of ShadowBall's reach as she stands on her hind legs leaning on Shimi's arm yelping almost pleading for her to give it back to her.

"We just want to help your partner." Heero says scratching ShadowBall's head. "If Quatre hadn't been involved and hadn't had this feeling of the colonies being in trouble I wouldn't have considered helping in the first place." ShadowBall looks at him in the eyes a moment and calms down as though she understood.

*****

"Heero I was wondering. the way you talked to ShadowBall. It was like you expected her to understand or something." Duo looks over at Heero waiting for his reply. They made it back to the Winner mansion after combing the area for Fox who Shimi insisted was still somewhere in the house after they searched if five times room by room.

". I just felt like I needed to explain myself for some reason." Heero stops in the driveway as a car pulls up thinking a moment. The way she looked at me, I felt like I needed to ., but why? There was something familiar about her eyes even if she was a fox. Sophia comes walking out of the mansion with two suit cases.

"Oh, let me help you there." Duo quickly gets up and takes the suitcases for her after opening the car door.

"Thank you," she gives him a smile.

"If you're done flirting we could leave already," The driver yells from the front.

"You should talk." Sophia sits in the car as Heero helps pack the suitcases in the back.

"Thanks for the help." The driver looks over at Heero. "No wonder you stayed here so long. Hey Sophia, are there any more hot guys here?"

Sophia just shook his head extravagantly, threw his hands up in the air, mumbling "Some people never change," under her breath and gets into the car. Daga snickers and smiles at Heero.

"WWAAAIT!" Shimi comes running from the house. "Can you stay just a little longer? . Hey Daga how are you doing? Haven't seen you in a while"

"I'm ok, how are you?"

"Everything was fine until." Shimi starts to cry. "He left without me!"

"Calm down Shimi, who left.?" Sophia and Daga get out of the car to try and calm her.

"ShadowBall's gone, so that means Fox left without me behind! He's going to try and get rid of Osprey all by himself! I NEED EVERYONE'S HELP TO FIND HIM BEFORE HE ENDS UP GETTING HIMSELF KILLED!!"

"What do you need us to do?"

*****

Fox looks to his left at Relena Dorling. Might as well make sure her ride home's ok. He looks down his mind wondering. Leaving my laptop behind was inexcusable, but I couldn't have risked having them hassle me. Not now. as long as there are still some assassins that are splicers left in Osprey I can't afford to train anyone at the moment. I don't even think they would survive my training. Relena catches Fox looking at her. He smiles tipping his hat at her. She returns his smile.