Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor it's characters. Merely borrowing them for a little torture.

Warnings: Shounen-ai (because I suck at yaoi) , major A.U, some OOC I think, mpreg (mentioned, implied, so on)

Reflections of the Past

Part 1

It would be almost six weeks before Duo Maxwell, formerly of the Western Spirit Shifters, Healer extraordinaire, would be able to perform an age old ceremony that marked the life of all Shifters. He had been far more weakened than he cared to admit by the misadventure and later the grief he still felt for his dead brother. While he didn't blame Heero for killing Solo, his mate was only protecting him and their son, he couldn't forgive himself for, perhaps, not trying harder to make Solo more content with life. He was careful not to voice these thoughts to Heero or any other of the tribe for that matter as the betrayal of his brother was still fresh in their minds.

The Choosing of a child was usually done when they were a month old. The child's parents trekked all the way to the middle of the Forbidden Forest where the oldest oak stood weighed down by heavy boughs. There, the child was surrendered to the base of the ancient tree. Normally, the glow of the Ancient would surround the child and when the light faded, the Ancient would have Chosen a life for the Spirit Shifter of either a sire, bearer or Healer.

Odin was two weeks late and despite Duo's insistence that Heero took their son for Choosing, the chief refused anything of the sort and patiently waited until his mate was well enough to make the journey. Now, Duo was antsy to have this important part of his son's young life completed. He was dressed once more in his favourite attire of a dark shirt and pants, which brought out the beauty of his fair skin, violet eyes, and long reddish gold braid. In his arms was a small little mewling creature that was currently demanding furiously for attention.

"Shh," Duo cooed softly, rocking the heavily bundled baby to his chest. He smiled softly when Odin quieted and cuddled instinctively into his mother's warmth. Feeling eyes on him, he turned to find his mate leaning against a wall of a dwelling with a proud smile on his handsome face. Duo tilted his head in invitation and soon he was engulfed in Heero's arms. The chief kissed his mate's temple tenderly and reached down with one finger to trace Odin's tiny nose. The baby wrinkled his nose adorably and Duo laughed, delighted.

"We should be leaving," Heero shared a smile with his mate at his son's antics and hefted a small bundle that was a change of clothes. It was also tradition that during the journey, they were to live off the land and no extra provisions were brought.

Duo nodded and securing his son against his body, led the way out of the village with Heero close behind him. The rest of his tribe stood in two lines flanking the exit route, as if an honour guard. As little as Duo knew about this, he knew that this attention was not normal and was more than a little uncomfortable with all this fuss. As they left the village grounds, Duo became aware of four other presences. Letting out a hiss of annoyance, Duo rounded on his friends.

"Go home!"

The other four had the grace to look embarrassed but apparently had no intention of leaving the couple alone. Duo glared at Heero, trying hard to tell him to order them to stay behind. Damn his mate, who shrugged and draped an arm around Chang Wufei, one of his most trusted warriors, leaving Duo to bore holes in his back with his flashing violet eyes.

"Duo, be reasonable, we can't just let you go off alone," Zechs Marquise of the Western Shifters, tried to reason with his annoyed cousin.

"And why not?"

Zechs shrugged and continued walking, leaving his cousin behind with Quatre and Trowa, who were both looking at the tall blond Shifter with something akin to betrayal in their eyes.

Duo shifted his attention to the both of them. "What's your excuse?"

The mated couple exchanged a long look with each other before following Zechs' example and shrugging nonchalantly. They quickly left Duo seething behind with little Odin sleeping soundly, unaware of his parent's irritation. He had thought, alright, he had hoped, that all this intense coddling would stop once the baby had been born, but so far, it had gotten so much worse. He wasn't a child and certainly capable of taking care of himself. Besides, the threat to him was, he choked at the thought, eliminated. Staring at the retreating backs of his friends, he sighed, resigned. Then an involuntary smile blossomed. This was his family now and they loved him. He would never be alone again.

"Come, little one," Duo told his son, who was still ignoring him in favour of slumber. He really didn't know babies slept that much. "Let's meet your future."

They reached their destination two weeks later and, except for an increasingly short-tempered Duo, they were none the worse for wear. The land had been bountiful and the Forest's inhabitants kind to the travellers. Apparently, the warring races had come to a tentative truce from the embarrassment at being fooled by something as simple as a Shifter in their form. Though they had wanted revenge on the Spirit Shifters, something had settled the tempers and Duo thought it was Zechs' wonderful diplomacy of shaming everything into submission. He wondered if Zechs gave lessons, it would be a wonderful talent to have, especially in dealing with offspring and mates.

The oak stood quietly before them, its branches shading acres. There was almost a hushed quality and there didn't seem to be a single sound emanating from the surrounding area. The six of them stood under the shade, at a loss of what to do. They stared at each other, unsure of where to start until Trowa spoke up.

"Now what?"

Quatre, now having the duty of carrying Odin exchanged a look with Duo and shrugged. "Under the tree?"

Duo nodded and came forward to take the warmly wrapped baby from the Healer. Heero came up beside him and together they walked to the base of the huge oak. As Odin's parents, it was their duty to deliver their son to the Ancient for Choosing. Carefully, Duo lowered his son to nestle against the gnarled roots. At some point, Odin had woken up and was now gurgling happily, waving his fists in the air. Once he was sure the baby wasn't going to topple over, Duo stepped back into Heero's embrace. For some reason, he felt his heart race with trepidation. Despite being a Healer, he had little experience in this part of the life of the child and didn't know what to expect. These were traditions that were passed down by parents, and since they were all technically orphans, there wasn't much they were able to glean about what to do in this situation.

"It'll be fine," Heero whispered into Duo's ear but the long haired Shifter could feel the accelerated heart rate of his mate as well. He stiffened abruptly as a soft breeze swept through the smallish clearing, brushing past each of them, but it didn't ruffle any of the leaves on the tree. "It's happening."

A warm glow surrounded Odin, even as he chortled and squealed in glee, as if the light tickled him. It grew in intensity filling the clearing with its brilliance and all of them found themselves narrowing their eyes from the light. When it faded, gasps of surprise and awe were issued from all present.

Duo's eyes widened impossibly as he recognised the glowing figure now holding his son. He remembered that soft glowing form, the power, that kind wisdom.

*The Ancient* Quatre was close to an apoplexy.

*Indeed, little one* Her telepathic voice was amused.

Duo was confused. What was the Ancient doing here? Judging by the awed looks and the bowed heads of the rest of them, they couldn't understand it either nor hear their conversation. The Healers had a very intimate relationship with the Ancient and were trained on some level to understand and heed her desires. Their connection with each other enabled the Healers to speak telepathically to each other, but someone outside the bound, even if he were the most talented Hearer in all of Shifterdom, would be completely deaf to the Ancient's calls.

*They can't hear you, my Lady* Duo indicated his friends.

A soft lilting laughter rang through his head as the soft breeze swirled around them again. *Silly me* The brilliance dimmed and the Ancient stood before them. She looked a woman in her golden years, her back was bowed and silver threaded her hair. She was incredibly wrinkled, but her grey eyes held an untold wisdom and they glowed with love for all of her children, especially the new life she now cradled in her arms.

"What, little one?" The Ancient noted the slightly crestfallen expression on Duo's features.

"You are not how I remembered," Duo hung his head in shame at being attracted to physical qualities.

The Ancient came forward and lifted Duo's head to meet her gaze. "Smooth skin, perky breasts, that one?"

Duo thought he would explode into flames of embarrassment at the Ancient's frank assessment.

Off to one side, Quatre chuckled softly at his friend's obvious discomfiture and was rewarded with an amethyst glare very much like the one he had been getting all through the week.

"I'm dying," the Ancient explained frankly as the others gasped in shock.

"Pardon me, Lady, but the Ancient is eternal. That's why we call you the Ancient," Wufei stumbled awkwardly through the explanation. "You are… ancient…" He looked like he wished he had kept his mouth shut.

She laughed again and the Forest responded to her amusement. "For everything there is a spring and winter," she explained.

Spring and winter. Life and death.

Duo could understand that.

"I've had my spring." Her youth. "I've had my summer." The peak of her life. "My autumn." Her middle years. "And now my winter." Her golden years. "Soon, I will die and be reborn again."

Duo and Quatre shared a look of wonder. As Healers, this lore was part of their training, but they had always thought it was symbolic but what the Ancient was telling them was a literal death and rebirth.

"I don't understand," Heero confessed.

She tilted her head with an easy smile, rocking Odin to keep him from fussing. "I meant that literally. I have been born to many races, had countless parents and died countless deaths. I feel myself fading and soon I will begin the cycle again."

"But why?" Heero stuttered, struggling to understand.

The Ancient sighed. *I'm glad my Healers are not as stubborn* She shared a private smile with both Duo and Quatre who exploded into uproarious laughter.

Their friends stared at them in confusion, knowing some form of communication had passed between the three of them and feeling a little resentful at being left out of the loop.

"As Spirit Shifters, you live with the cycles of nature, of life and death. It would be a mockery for me to be exempt from this."

Quatre and Duo nodded simultaneously, understanding what the Ancient was saying. When life began it was a signal for death to come. And death was nothing to be feared as it was merely the beginning of life. That's why Healers can't Heal death. That meant they would be killing death. The two Healers shared a look of extreme discomfort and their eyes strayed to Trowa, realising belatedly what they had done.

*Try not to do that too often, little ones?* The Ancient admonished lightly. *It does upset my balance a little*

"So, what will you be after this life ends?" Zechs wanted to know.

The Ancient smiled softly. "I think I make an attractive rose, don't you think?"

They stared at her, unsure if she was joking or completely serious. However, the twinkle in her grey eyes told them she was merely pulling their collective legs. "I am yet unsure. But this time, I wish to try something different, something more exciting. I don't know yet. Maybe I shall be a nice panther. I happened to think I look very good with a tail."

Once again, the others stared uncertainly at each other. Apparently the Ancient had an odd sense of humour as well. A soft cry of impatience from Odin brought them all back to the matter at hand.

"Your little one wants some attention." She levelled a look at both Heero and Duo, motioning from them to step forward. "Your son can be many things and as I have listened to you, I should listen to your son as well."

Duo's jaw dropped open. Does that mean Odin would be able to ask anything of the Ancient as well? That he was a Healer? He felt a stab of disappointment. He wanted so much for Odin to be Heero's heir.

"You mistake me, my Healer," the Ancient addressed Duo, correctly interpreting the subdued look on her favourite Healer. "I'm giving your son a choice, like I've given you. Show him what he can be and when he has decided, he will find me."

"Here?" Duo gestured to the tree. "Find you here?" He was still grasping at the idea. His son was being Chosen but given a choice. One to be made in the future; a future, which was currently unwritten with many roads and forks leading to bright and unusual paths. His heart leapt at the possibilities opened to his son.

The Ancient smiled a small enigmatic smile. "He will know how to find me."  She carefully placed the squirming infant into Duo's arms and with one last look, she started to glow again. The brilliance got brighter and brighter, and when they were able to open their eyes again, she had disappeared.

tbc…

Sorry for taking so long with an update. Needed a beta, found a beta. Thanks to Kat for doing a great job.

This was initially the epilogue for FC but got freaking lazy. The next chappie is where the story officially starts. Thanks… see ya.