Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and plot. I hope that you like and thanks to all those who have reviewed and intend to again. As always all suggestions and ideas are welcome and appreciated. Thanx.
Special Note: I am allowing my readers to pick who Cat will be paired up with as I can see her paired with any of the five. Please review and state who you think would be best and please don't just pick your favourite character, pick who you think would suit her the best. The course of romance in this will depend on the couple requested from the reviews from here on in. You can vote once per chapter and I look forward to hearing from you.
Preventers Meets Cat
Quatre figured that Duo or Wufei would be the best choice for it but he had no idea how to go about getting them to do it without having to bribe them. Of course he could always leave her at the house but what if something were to happen? There would be no one to help her. Therefore she couldn't stay home alone; one of the guys would have to take her to work with them. Quatre would have taken her if he could have but he was going to an important meeting and he wouldn't have anywhere to put her or anyone to watch her while he was out. He could try Trowa but the pilot had mentioned he would be doing outdoor training with his students and Quatre didn't want to risk Sassy getting lost in the forest or mistaken for a wild animal. Of course there was Heero too but Quatre didn't want to have to ask him unless there was no other choice. In other words Wufei and Duo were his best shot.
"So Duo, Wufei, what do you guys have planned for tomorrow?" Quatre asked casually as they ate their dinner. It had been his night to cook and he'd been sure to make foods that he knew Wufei and Duo liked, better to start things off right. So far they appeared to have had a pretty good day which was a good omen.
"I have paperwork and martial arts with students." Wufei said with a nod as he finished his herbal tea. "I've just received several students from that baka Rodgers so how badly they've been taught should be interesting."
"And all I've got is a shuttle to repair." Duo said as he raised his glass and took a quick sip of his pop. "It will probably take me all day though, the pilot really didn't know what he was doing when he landed the thing or in this case when he tried to land."
"Speaking of which who's going to look after the cat tomorrow, it shouldn't be left here alone." Trowa commented as he shook some pepper onto his potatoes. "I'd take her but the forest is no place for her and I wouldn't want her mistake for a wild animal and hurt."
"I can't take her, I'm on guard duty with Relena, her idiotic brother fired the last one again. Why doesn't he just bodyguard her himself is beyond me." Heero said with a roll of his eyes.
"Well I could watch her Q-man, or Wufei and I could trade off, he could have her half the day and I could have her the other half." Duo piped up, happy to help. "When I'm working on patching up the holes in the shuttle I'll have to use some chemicals that might hurt her seeing as she's a cat and all. Maybe Wufei could take her then? How about it Wufei?"
"I suppose that would work." Wufei said with a nod, not really wanting to take care of the cat but willing to because it was the honourable thing to do. "Since you'll be doing the patching up later on you can take her until lunch time then I'll pick her up."
"Perfect." Quatre said with a wide grin. "Thanks guys."
Later
Oh yea, just perfect Cat thought with a dark look as she sat in her basket that night, picturing what was in store for her. She was going to Preventers tomorrow to be babysat by Duo and Wufei; boy must she be unpopular with the big guy to deserve this. Not that the guys were cruel or particularly bad, it was just that she'd rather go to hell all ready as oppose to sitting around waiting for it to happen. Besides, Quatre would be really upset when she left and the longer she was around the more attached he'd become. Not that she cared overly but the world had very few truly good people in it and she didn't want her disappearing to hurt one of the few that had survived the war.
"Hard to believe he was once a Gundam pilot who took the lives of his fellow human beings." A voice said and with a narrowing of her eyes Cat turned her head slightly to see Colin sitting on the couch, watching her watch him.
What are you talking about? Cat mentally asked him as she gave him a disdainful look. Well as good a disdainful look as a cat could give.
"Quatre Winner was a Gundam pilot, the pilot of the Sandrock." Colin said with a smirk that thanks to her cat eyes she could make out. "All the men you're staying with are the five legendary Gundam pilots who with the help of the Peacecrafts and the resistance that brought about the downfall of Oz and the other terrorist organizations. Heero Yuy was the pilot of the Wing Zero, Duo Maxwell the Death Scythe, Trowa Barton the Heavyarms, Quatre the SandRock and Chang, Wufei Altron."
Wait a minute, Trowa's last name is Barton? Cat demanded as she sat up in her basket. Is he related to the sadist Bartons who damn near destroyed the world four years ago?
"No. Trowa doesn't know the name he was born with and simply goes by that name." Colin said with a reassuring look. "Trowa was there when the real Trowa Barton was killed by the scientists, he took over the other man's identity."
Oh, all right. I knew about Duo but the rest? It does make sense though Cat realized as she turned things over in her head. She'd already figured out that they were soldiers but if hadn't occurred to her that they were those soldiers. What the hell were they doing working for Lady Une?
"She's changed you know, her evil side no longer exists." Colin answered. "As to why, it's their way for atoning for what they did during the war. Quatre and Trowa aren't really overly a part of the Preventers organization. Quatre is the head of the Winner Corporation so he's more of a part time helper at Preventers while Trowa spends over half a year with his sister Catherine and the other half helping here. How did you know about Duo, most people don't know about any of the pilots."
I saw him in battle once, he did this stupid line about running and hiding but never telling a lie. Then after doing major damage to the base he left in his Gundam. It always stuck in my head because his voice sounded so young and I remember my dad saying that no one sounding like that should be in the role of a soldier Cat thought, getting the hang of talking through her thoughts.
"Your dad was a wise man."
If what you've said so far is true then Quatre won't go to heaven, will he? Cat realized as her eyes went wide. None of them will.
"Not exactly." Colin said as he got up and walked over to her basket, sitting down Indian style in front of her. "They'll all be judge when they die but it will be different for all of them. If everyone who'd ever taken a life was immediately sent to hell you can bet heaven would lose quite a number of people."
Then what will happen to them?
"Well I can only guess." Colin said with a considering look as he thought his answer through. "If I were to guess I'd say that Quatre will go to heaven without having to go through what you and I are doing. He's lived an exemplary life; he gives to everyone in need and has dedicated his life to the betterment of all. He's taken lives yes but he's done so to protect the lives of those he loves and he suffers greatly for those who've lost their lives as a result of something he did. As for Duo, my guess would be that he will have to do a few things to manage it but will get into heaven as well. He's a good guy who has done a great service to the earth and colonies. Plus he has connections to the church from what I hear, that counts for a lot. Also like Quatre and the rest he didn't kill for pleasure or money or glory, he killed to make the world better, risking his life to do so."
What about the others? Cat mentally asked.
"Well as for Wufei he will likely go to heaven. He, like the others have suffered greatly for their actions and he has mourned the lives he have taken as he mourns those that he has lost. He is a very spiritual person and has done much in the way of trying to atone for his sins. Trowa and Heero will be the questionable ones, too much like us I'm afraid."
No they're not, Cat thought as she shook her head at him even though he probably couldn't see it in the dark. They're both good people and I'd be willing to bet they're just as sorry for what they did.
"Yes but you don't know them well now do you." Colin pointed out. "Whether or not Trowa and Heero will go to heaven will depend largely on them I think. If I were a betting man I'd say that they'll likely end up doing what I'm doing right now though they might get off if the people who love them die first."
Why would that be a good thing?
"Like your old landlady I know of several of Trowa and Heero's friends who have the status to try and convince the judgers of the need for leniency. Perhaps that a good reason to try to get to heaven, you'll be able to repay their kindness when they arrive for judgement."
Are you trying to blackmail me? Cat asked him as her eyes narrowed into slits. She was tempted to leap out of her basket at him but she'd just go through him likely so what was the point. I'll do whatever I please and there is nothing you can say or do to stop me.
"We'll see, we'll see."
Preventers was already alive with activity the next morning when Cat arrived with Duo, stuck in her carrier where she really didn't want to be. Her leg felt fine and though she had a slight limp she could get around and would rather have walked. Of course she couldn't exactly tell Duo that so she lay on her pillow in silence, watching the world go by through the bars of her cage. Seeing a blonde woman headed their way with a stupid look in her eye Cat mentally groaned, no doubt in her mind that the blonde was heading straight for Duo.
"Hey, Duo." The blonde said with a wink as she stopped them before they could reach the elevator, a swing in her hips and invitation in her green eyes. "What do you have in the carrier?"
"Our cat, no one was home today so Wufei and I brought her to work with us." Duo said as he lifted the cage up so that the blonde could see Cat and Cat could see the dumb blonde. This woman had definitely been putting on makeup for a lot of years and forgetting to take it off Cat thought with a smirk as the woman cooed at her. Or maybe the blonde was a clown here to entertain the drones working here, after all there was no way she was a natural blonde.
"She's absolutely precious, I just love cats." The woman cooed some more which really grated on Cat's ears. Maybe she'd never had a boyfriend but Cat was pretty sure that no man in his right mind could possibly find a person who cooed attractive. Unless you were Duo and didn't care about what she was like above the bust line Cat added mentally a couple of minutes later when Duo and the woman continued to flirt and talk about things that really didn't matter one way or another. She couldn't stand to hear that one speak another word and Cat was damn well going to shut her up, cat or no cat. Drawing upon what little she knew about children Cat opted to use one of their most efficient ways of communicating without actually having to speak. She whined. Making miserable sounds in her throat Duo had her out of her carrier and into his arms in seconds.
"What's the matter Sassy, were you scared in the carrier?" Duo asked as he stroked her head, completely forgetting about the blonde. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Once we get down to the shuttle bay you can lay down on the couch and rest. I think I better be going, Cindy. Sassy doesn't like her carrier much and I don't want her to get upset, she's been very ill you know. I'll see you later." He added before taking off for the elevator, not even waiting for her good bye.
Score one for me Cat thought with a grin as she decided to let Duo get away with calling her sweetheart in front of someone. He needed a keeper though Cat thought as she looked up at the man who was ordering the elevator to hurry up. Anyone who thought that that blonde was dating material had more then a few screws loose. At the sound on the chime the elevator opened and they walked into the shuttle bay where jazz music could be heard and then the sound of a female voice using some very interested four-letter words.
"Hey, Hilde, that you?" Duo called out and Cat watched as a girl walked over to them and Cat figured that the irony in this was thick enough to cut. Here was Maxwell with hair longer then most girls working with a girl who's hair was as short as any guy's and could most likely to be mistaken for a guy from the back while the opposite was true for Duo.
"Yea, the moron is a dead man when I get a hold of him. I'm surprised the son-of a-bitch didn't blow himself up in mid-air. What's with the cat?" Hilde asked as she looked at the large cream coloured puffball.
"This is Sassy. There was no one home today so I've got her for the morning and Wufei's got her for the afternoon. I figure she can take the couch and sleep, she won't be any trouble." Duo added when he saw the look of annoyance on Hilde's face. "She's not a people person at all and will likely ignore us until Wufei gets here. Less of course we somehow end up watching a horror movie, then she'll come over to watch too."
"She will?" Hilde said with a raised eyebrow as she looked at the cat that stared back at her with unblinking eyes.
"Yup, she loves horror movies. Sassy and I stay up all the time watching them until our eyes cross. She'll watch action and even comedies sometime but she hates romances and dramas. Isn't she cool?" Duo said proudly as he shifted his hold, proud as any papa.
"She's a cat. Why don't you go put her on the couch and we'll get to work, kay?" Hilde said with a smirk. She liked cats as much as the next person but there was something about this cat that reminded her of Heero when he was thinking about something. The cat had definitely been in the G-boys household for too long.
"Okay." Duo said with a nod. Walking over to the couch they kept near the office area for breaks Duo carefully set her down on the lumpy cushion and pulling her pillow from the carrier set it down on the cushion beside Cat. Picking her up he placed her on the pillow then gave her a thumbs up sign when she didn't hiss or scratch him. "There ya go, Sassy. Meow if you need anything."
Very funny, Maxwell, Cat thought with a dark look as she watched him walk away, his braid swinging behind him. Shaking her head at him Cat looked around her, taking in her surroundings with a feeling of home having spent plenty of time in cockpits as a kid. Her father had been a soldier and with her mom gone they'd spent most of their time on bases. Her play areas as a kid had been like this; full of weapons and machinery designed to kill. She could even fly a little though not well enough to make a career out of it or anything. The man who'd been teaching her had been blown up before he could get into the more complicated aspects of flight and she'd never made any move to find another teacher. It might even have been one of the boys that she was living with that had blown the man up but Cat didn't really care either way. If you were a soldier you were basically signing your life away, if you were killed it was your own fault. It was kill or be killed; her teacher hadn't been quick or good enough.
"So who are you?" A voice asked and Cat turned her head to see a girl about twelve or so to her left, her hands stuffed into her pockets. The girl had short red hair and a face that Cat knew from somewhere but couldn't quite place it. The girl was pretty in an elfish sort of way and Cat allowed the girl to pick her up, even though she wasn't a big fan of it. She was just a kid after all and Cat wasn't in the habit of hurting those who couldn't defend themselves. Cuddling the cat to her chest the girl smiled before looking around as if she were trying to spot something. Then she spoke again and Cat knew who she was looking for. "Duo, Hilde, are you here?"
"Hey kid, over here." Came Duo's voice and with Cat still in her arms the girl walked over to Duo and Hilde who appeared to be doing some rewiring in the shuttle's circuits. "Hey, looks like you brought Sassy with ya too and she didn't scratch you. She must like you."
"Anna asked me to come down here to ask you if you have a copy of the report you wrote about the shuttle's landing, her secretary misplaced her copy." The girl said and again Cat was struck by the feeling that she knew this girl, that face, that voice. But where did she know it from and why did it make her uneasy?
"No prob, Maia, just hold on a second and I'll get you it." Duo said as he put down the thin knife like instrument he'd been using.
Maia, as in Mariemaia Barton Khushrenada? That bastard Trieze Khushrenada's daughter? The one who'd nearly caused another war thanks to her vicious grandfather and her lack of humanity and brainpower? She was suppose to have died the year she attempted to take over but Cat wasn't surprised to see that she was still alive, Lady Une needed someone to worship and obsess about, why not Treize's daughter? Struggling now Cat leapt from the girl's arms and landing on her feet glared at the girl or did at least mentally. When the girl attempted to move forward to pick Cat up again Cat hissed loudly and threw up a paw for good measure. Maybe the kid had only been a pawn in her family's twisted game but anyone with Barton or Khushrenada blood wasn't to be trusted.
"What's wrong, Sassy?" Duo said as he looked down at the cat in confusion before looking at Mariemaia who looked heartbroken at the cat's rejection. Poor kid, always having her past hang over her like a huge set of weights Duo thought. He didn't blame the girl for what had happened but a lot of people still did and they'd come after her if they ever learned she wasn't dead. The girl had basically no friends and it didn't take a genius to see that Mariemaia had wanted to make friends with the cat. "Don't worry about it, Maia, she's most likely just in pain and since she's miserable she tends to like to pass it on."
"She's-she's in pain?" Mariemaia said as she looked down at the cat that was watching her through narrowed eyes, her tail flicking back and forth. The cat looked all right to her.
"Yea, she nearly got killed on a road a while ago and she's still recovering from it. Her leg's just about healed but she won't stay off of it so its not healing as well as it should. She wasn't in a good mood in the elevator either. Her leg's likely bothering her and she simply took it out on you." Duo said with a kind smile, glad to see the pain in Mariemaia's face change to concern.
"She'll be all right then?" Mariemaia said with such concern in her voice that Cat felt a bit of guilt pierce her heart. The kid had been only seven at the time; she really shouldn't judge the kid by something she'd done when she was too young to know any different. Plus the kid hadn't tried anything in the last four years and even if Duo wasn't the brightest of the bright he wasn't completely stupid either. He was sending her not happy with her actions looks and Cat squirmed inside at the guilt she wasn't at all use to feeling.
"She'll be fine, Maia. She just needs some sleep." Duo said with a reassuring look, glad that the cat had stopped hissing and swinging her tail back and forth. "Why don't you go put her back on her pillow for me okay?"
"Okay." Mariemaia said with a smile, which grew when Cat allowed her to pick her up and return her to her pillow. The girl carefully placed the cat on the pillow and sitting down beside the cat Mariemaia stroked the cat's head until Duo returned with the files. "Thanks, Duo. I hope you feel better, Sassy."
"Bye, Maia." Duo said with a smile and watching the girl leave Duo waited until the elevator doors had closed behind Mariemaia before turning his eyes to Cat who lay on her pillow, her eyes on the elevator. "That girl's had a really hard life, Sassy. I know you don't like people all that much and you aren't one to be cuddled or played with but I'd appreciate it if you were nice to Maia. It's hard enough growing up in this world without having the problems she has and I don't think that she has anyone she feels that she can confine too. Lady Une tries but I doubt that Mariemaia tells her much, maybe if you were nice and put up with her cuddling she could get some of the bad stuff off her chest. Heero says I'm stupid for talking to you like you're a human being but I think you're just as intelligent as Heero or me. So maybe you could be her friend? Just a thought."