I ran into the building with but a single thought. Sammy and getting him out of there. I heard the commotion behind me but didn't bother to look behind. I knew it was about me.

I was in. And facing a wall of flames that wanted to devour me. The smoke in the air was so thick that it clogged my lungs and caused me to start coughing. Damn. I did not need this now. Pulling my collar up to cover my nose and mouth, I scanned the burning room. God, it was so hot. I could feel beads of sweat running down the back of my neck. I blinked my eyes and scrunched them to try and see better through the smoke. Where would Sammy possibly be? A few of the beams had fallen down and were blocking my way further into the house. I took a step forward and was immediately thrown back as another beam fell.

Shit. Damn. Crap.

I hit one of the burning walls on my right side and hissed. Damn, that hurt. I could feel the skin peeling and the smell of charred flesh assaulted me. I wrenched myself away from the wall, groaning and holding my arm close to my side. It hurt worse that anything I've ever felt and believe me, I've had to go through a lot.

I could see my vision start to go gray. Dammit, but this was not the time. I still had to find Sammy. Staggering forward, I managed to focus again a little better. Damn. That beam was blocking my way. I was moving forwards when I heard someone yell.

"DUO!"

I whipped my head around and saw Heero come in. What the hell was he doing on here? I spotted me and came running towards me, pushing me to the side and diving out of the way himself as something else fell from above. I cried out as my arm came forcefully in contact with the ground. And though I usually wouldn't mind Heero on top of me, this really was not a good time.

He pulled back immediately as soon as I cried out though. "Duo?" He looked at me, worry clouding his eyes, I would realize later. "Come on, Let's get you out of here."

"NO!" I refused his hand to help me up and struggled on my own. "I can't leave without finding him."

"Listen to me! We found Sammy outside. We need to get out of here now." He took a hold of my good arm and pulled me up. "Sammy's with the others. Come with me."

Sammy was all right! He was okay! Relief flooded through me and I knew I had a silly smile on my face. "He's okay." I remember murmuring before falling into the welcoming darkness.

(……)

I woke up feeling extremely disoriented and my mind in a haze. My head was pounding and I found myself lying on my back. Why was I lying on my back? I always slept on my side. Only then did I register the numbness on my arm and strangely, the lack of pain.

I heard voices whispering softly but I wasn't able to make out whose it was. I tried to move, and an involuntary moan escaped me as I felt the stiffness of my muscles. Damn, how long was I out for? The voices stopped.

And then… "Duo?" I blinked my eyes open to come face to face with two pairs of eyes. One cobalt and one onyx. Heero and Wufei.

"Hey." I whispered, my throat dry. Immediately, I started coughing. I felt a pair of hands steady me and another pressed a glass of water to my lips. I gladly accepted, letting the cool water sooth my throat but couldn't hold my head up. Another hand came and cupped the back of my head and held my head up as I drank. It was a relief to not have to talk with a sore throat.

"Thanks." I murmured once I was done and let my head slip back onto the pillow. Heero's hand let go and slipped around my neck to caress my cheek gently. I closed my eyes and sighed softly. I did not wonder then as to why he was being so…nice.

"How do you feel?" Wufei asked.

"Can't feel much at all." I murmured back, without opening my eyes. Probably was the morphine or some sort of painkiller. "How long have I been out?"

"42 hours." Heero replied and his voice was…strange.

"Damn." No wonder I felt so stiff. My mind replayed the events of that night and I suddenly started.

"Sammy! Is he okay? What about the other children? Tricia? I-" I was cut off as finger was placed on my lips.

"Hush." Wufei chided gently. "They are all fine. They are with Quatre and Trowa." I relaxed back onto the bed.

"So everyone's all right?"

"Yes…" Heero answered me this time. "Everyone except you." I chuckled dryly. Fingers stroked through my hair and it felt oddly comforting. I could feel the short strands falling across the side of my…short? What the hell?

I reached up to still the hand and then felt the short hair for myself. It was…gone. My braid. My most treasured and precious possession was…gone. My fingers curled around my shoulder length hair in frustration and pulled.

"No, Duo. No." Hands worked my fist free and I shut my eyes tight, holding back incoming tears. It had been the only thing that I had left of my childhood. Of the Maxwell church. Of sister Helen. And now, It had been burnt.

Shudders started though my body as I forced down my sobs. I felt someone pressing a kiss to my temple and holding me tight, tucking my head in against a warm crook of someone's neck. I breathed in and realized that it was Wufei.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Duo." He whispered to me in a choked little voice and I clutched at him, my hacking sobs shaking my body. God, it hurt so much worse than getting burnt. I was going to forget them. I didn't have a remainder any longer.

"No, no Duo. You won't forget them. They'll always be in your heart. In your memories. You won't forget."

I would. I would and then what would happen? Their sacrifices for me would be in vain because I would not have the courtesy to even remember them. I would forget.

"Shh, Duo…"

(……)

I was a child again, standing amidst of the flames, though the truth was that I was never there. The church was burning around me and I was trying in vain to find sister Helen or father Maxwell or…just about anybody. Then I find her. Sister Helen.

I crouch down and take her into my arms, asking her to not go.

"Sister Helen…"

"Duo…"

Then I look up to see father Maxwell, flesh burnt and charred, standing in front of me. The other kids were there as well, in a similar state. Sara, Annie, Rex, Josh, Freddy, Mia, Lizzie, George, Jared. They were all there.

"How could you, Duo?" Father Maxwell asked. "How could you do this to us? I thought we meant something. I thought you wouldn't kill us…"

"Why, Duo?" Suddenly sister Helen's face became just as gruesome as the others. I dropped her like I was burnt, backing away. "Why did you do this?"

Then came a chorus of 'Why'-s, from the other children, overlapping each other, echoing, forcing me to back away when Solo emerged to my right. He grinned that lopsided grin at me.

"You keep this up, kid and you're going to be all alone."

All alone…

"But…I didn't mean to." The child in me started to protest. I turn around to run and face a very very tall, hooded figure with flowing black robes.

Shinigami…

(……)

I woke up screaming. The same nightmare. All over again. I warned you didn't I? But strangely enough…I wasn't alone in the dark. I felt two pairs of arms holding me. And soft voices lulling me back to sleep.

"Shh. Duo…"

No dreams.

(……)

It was morning. It was bright. I did not like it.

Moaning, I buried myself further into someone's arms and hid my face against the glaring light. "Damned sun…" A low chuckle rumbled and the chest beneath my ear moved. That's when I realized where I was and who I was with.

Heero. In front of me. Wufei, behind me. And me? Snuggled in between them. I felt a blush rising to my cheeks and only hid my face further.

"Awake, yes?" I nodded hesitantly. Silence stretched out long and uncomfortable. Then Wufei sighed and spoke.

"Duo? Would you like…to come back to earth?"

Excuse me? Did I hear that right?

"I know it might seem sudden and all but since you and the children don't have a place to stay, we could have you stay at our estate." So this was out of pity. Not out of love. Huh. Figures.

"That's okay." I said shortly. "We can manage here." I pulled away from them as much as I could and struggled to get up. Damn uncooperative muscles! Move!

"Stop it." Heero said sharply. He sat up with me and took a hold of my arm, meeting my glare squarely. "We are not doing this out of pity." So he figured me out. Big deal.

"Let me go." I gritted out. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture.

We had a staring contest. Cobalt met amethyst. In my imagination, electricity sparkled between us. So intent was our gaze.

And then, without blinking, he leaned in very close to me and said,

"No."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Damn it, what do you want from me?"

"Say yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes."

Damn. I had fallen right into that one. I must have been even more out of it than I thought I was. As for Heero, he had this goddamn smirk on his face that was absolutely infuriating.

"I'm still not going." I said firmly.

"You said yes." I wanted to wipe that smirk of his face.

"You tricked me."

"You never lie."

"Within my knowledge."

And then another staring contest. I heard a sigh but refused to blink. Then warm arms were wrapping around my waist and I felt Wufei rest his forehead on my shoulder.

"Please?"

Startled, I lowered my eyes, breaking the stare. How could I say no, when he pleaded like that? One word was enough.

"Why?" I asked hoarsely.

"Because." He replied, his breath washing warmly across my shoulder.

"Because why?" I persisted.

After a moment of silence, Heero responded. "Because we love you."

(……)

…

…what?

He couldn't have said what I thought he just he?

"We love you." He repeated. He did say it! "We always have, but we were afraid that you wouldn't want us."

"Please come back with us, Duo." Wufei asked, kissing my shoulder tenderly. I shivered.

"I-I can't. The children. I have to take care of them. And then there's Tricia-" I was babbling and I knew it. But…this was overwhelming.

"Stop making excuses, Duo." Heero said harshly. "We told you, already. They will come with us also. We want you with us. This isn't where you belong."

"Where else then?" I asked wearily.

He cupped my face and kissed me then. An electric shock raced up my spine as his lips touched mine. So warm, so soft, so gentle and infinitely tender. My first kiss.

"With us." He murmured against my lips, his fingers caressing my cheek tenderly. My heart constricted. They wanted me. For real. This isn't some sort of a joke, is it?

"Don't play with me, Heero." I said harshly, pulling back to glare at him. "If this is some kind of a joke-"

"Oh god, no!" He moaned and pulled me back against him, kissing me again, feverishly. Hm…I could get used to this. "This is no joke. We let you go the first time. We don't intend on making the same mistake again. Please believe me."

"I want to." I whispered to him my forehead resting against his. "I want to. I'm scared, Heero." And I was. So very scared. "Don't you dare back out on this. I won't be able to withstand it."

"Never." Wufei whispered and tightened his arms, searching for my lips. I tilted my head back and let him take the kiss that he wanted. Shivers raced through my body as I fell into the kiss.

"Take me back then." I whispered, looking into his eyes, praying that this wasn't a dream. Could I trust them? I did, with my life. But with my heart? I brushed away those questions for now and smiled at him. He smiled back at me softly and pressed a kiss to my temple.

"Of course, love." And the joy shining in his eyes was enough. I was going back.

(……)

NOT THE ENNNDD! (glare) see? Not the end…more stuff…you don't think I'll finish this story without torturing Duo some more, now do you? Heh.

REVIEW! (points)