Disclaimer: Me no own.

A.N. - I'm sorry that this chapter took so long, but I've been suffering from a severe lack of inspiration. You may be glad to hear that I used the time to start an outline of the plot, so hopefully the chapter after this won't be pulled out of thin air like the rest have been. It might also help me update faster, since I won't have to think so hard about what to write.

Also, does anyone know Lady Une's first name? I can't remember if I've ever heard it mentioned.

Last Chapter:

"Ok, ok, you win. Just let go of the hair, alright?" he conceded. As the Chinese pilot did so, he rubbed his abused scalp and muttered under his breath about cheaters. Wufei chose not to respond as he walked calmly towards the house, intending to have a shower.

He was thwarted in his intentions as the other pilot shot past him into the house, yelling, "you won by cheating. That means I get first shower!" Wufei sighed.

"I guess I'll let him win. His hair takes a lot longer to wash than mine anyways. Just as long as he doesn't use up all the hot water." In the interim, he decided to go back to the garden and meditate some more. He needed to centre himself again after all he had discussed with Duo anyways.

Chapter 25:

By the end of the two weeks off, all five of the pilots were practically vibrating with nervous energy. They weren't used to having so much downtime, and weren't quite sure what to do with themselves. They had begun having impromptu sparring matches by the end of the first week, and as time went on the matches lasted longer and became bloodier. Fortunately their improved healing had begun to kick in or else they would have been too injured to go back to work. On top of the normal restlessness was the added frustration that they couldn't practice using most of their new powers in case the neighbours saw. Heero had already decided to ask Une for a special practice area for them when they went back to base.

All five of them were glad when their two weeks was up. When they arrived at the Preventers HQ, Une was there to greet them.

"Good work you five. We've learned in the past few weeks that you completely destroyed that particular group, and the data you brought us was enough to make vaccines for all the viruses before we destroyed them. Private Sugoff was the only person infected, and he has since made a full recovery. The only problem that cropped up from this action is that the government wanted to publicly acknowledge your unit." All five of the pilots showed surprise and worry at that, but Une continued before they could say anything.

"But we've since persuaded them that would be a bad idea. Aside from the fact you are immortal, having your faces televised would put you in danger on future undercover missions."

"Thank you, Commander," Heero answered for them all. "Do you have something specific to assign us?"

"The data you brought us, aside from giving information about the viruses, also contained names of people with links to that group. Your assignment is to research those names, and arrest those who pose a threat. I've put copies of the relevant files in your offices."

"Alright," agreed Heero. Turning to the rest of them, he said, "you guys go ahead. I'll be up in a minute." After they left, he turned back to Une and asked, "do you have a moment, Commander?"

"Of course. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I was wondering if the five of us could get our own private practice space. We need somewhere we can practice using our new powers without anyone seeing. Our dojo at home is too small, and if we practice in our backyard, our neighbours can see. It would be best if it were steel-lined as well, since one of Wufei's powers is the creation of fire."

"I think we have a perfect room in the basement. It used to be for testing mobile suit parts, now we just use it for storage. I'll have it cleared out and have a lock installed on the door. I'll let you five choose who you want to give the code to."

"Great."

"Was that all, Heero?"

"Yes. I'll go get started on that research now."

Une sighed as she watched him walk away. "Those five are far too young to carry the heavy responsibilities they do. It's too bad you're not here, Treize, to watch them make the peace you dreamed of into a reality. You were right to believe in them. And somehow it's right, however hard it may be, for them to be made immortal to protect this peace they helped forge."

Une had missed Treize everyday since he died. Although neither of them had ever publicly acknowledged the love she had for him, she'd never tried to conceal it either. Many of her more questionable actions during the war had come from her need to fulfill his ideals, without having a clear idea of what those actually were. She closed her eyes as she remembered threatening the pilots with the destruction of the colonies if they failed to surrender. At the time, she hadn't understood how someone could take their own life for their ideals, but the image of Heero's self-destruction had been forever ingrained into her memory. That was when she had begun to understand Treize's admiration for the pilots.

When Trowa had joined the Oz forces at Space Fortress Barge, she'd actually been almost sure that he was a Gundam pilot. She still didn't understand why she'd ignored that, aside from a feeling that it was the right thing to do. The quiet boy had grown on her the longer he was there, and she still felt that he understood her in a way that few people ever could. The same feeling that told her to let Trowa stay was also the reason for her allowing him and Heero to take the Mercurius and Vayate out by themselves. Her growing feeling that the Gundam pilots had been right all along finally resolved with the Romefeller Foundation's choice to imprison Treize and Tsubarov's attempt to kill Duo and Wufei. It was that which allowed her to carry out Treize's final order to surrender to the colonies and destroy all mobile suits after his death.

In spite of her love for Treize, she couldn't find it in herself to hate Wufei for his part in his death. He had known what he was risking in that battle, and had intended to die all along. Besides, if the pilots could forgive her for her actions against them, she could do no less.

It never ceased to amaze her the strange turns life took. The group that had done their best to kill each other during the Eve Wars were now as close as family. The little girl who had tried to take over the world wound up in the care of the woman in charge of the organization which protected it. She was glad to have Mariemeia though. Taking care of her was the one last thing she could do for Treize, and the girl deserved to have someone see her as something besides a pawn.

Une was brought out of her thoughts abruptly when she noticed Heero standing near her. She hadn't even noticed his return.

"Are you alright, Commander?" he asked, peering at her concernedly.

"I'm fine, Heero. Just got lost in my memories, that's all. Did you have something else you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Actually, I wanted to extend the invitation for you and Mariemeia to visit our house anytime you wanted. There are so few of us left who were in the thick of both wars, we should stick together, don't you think?"

Une almost took a step backwards, she was so startled. It was shocking how much Heero's words paralleled her own recent thoughts.

"I wonder if that's part of his telepathy leaking out. Sometimes it surprises me that it's Quatre, and not Heero who's the empath."

Out loud she said, "thank you, Heero. That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm sure Mariemeia and I will take you up on that very soon."

Heero smiled. "You're welcome, Commander." He turned to leave, then turned back again. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm happy to listen. I'm sure Trowa would be too." With that, he walked away.

Une was left reeling again. Just when she thought she'd figured Heero out, he went and did something like that. The offer did sound appealing though, and she couldn't help feeling warm that just maybe, she'd found another person who understood her.

By the time Heero made his way to his team's offices, Zechs and Noin had arrived and begun helping. They had not made any real progress yet, instead sorting the folders into groups and setting up a system to record information and show links to different organizations.

"Good work you guys," Heero said once he assessed what they'd done so far. "Once this is finished, I suggest we link our computers together so we can share information. It should go much faster that way."

The others agreed, and they all sat down at their computers for a long day of looking through files. Questions were called back and forth, and their search progressed rapidly for work of that type. By the end of the day, they had connected several of the names to known terrorist groups, but thus far no pattern had emerged. When Heero announced they were done for the day, Duo stood and yawned loudly, cracking his back as he did so.

"Man, I'm not used to sitting and staring at a computer screen all day. Let's go home and get some food." He quickly grabbed the two people standing closest to him and dragged them out the door. The others followed, amused by Wufei's protests about being dragged down the hallway by Duo. Quatre remained silent, almost as tired and hungry as Duo. As they reached the parking garage, Noin and Zechs separated from the group of pilots, saying their goodbyes and quickly leaving in their own car.

Duo talked about food the entire way home, and after a quiet dinner, the five separated to do their own activities before heading to bed for the night. None of them said it, but they were all secretly glad that their first day back at the Preventers had been an uneventful one.

dk-joy - Thank you. I'm glad you're loving it, that's always nice to hear.

Mystical-Maiden - Thank you very much for saying I'm good at 'this writing stuff'. I'm glad you like the garden idea. It seemed appropriate somehow. All this character development is because it would be a very long, boring story otherwise. They're immortal now, and it can't all be battles and explosions.

Lady-Frisselle - Thank you. I like it too that the pilots are getting to know each other better. I don't think they ever got that chance during the war.

Windy River - :P

Deaths Fallen Angel - I'm glad you love it. Duo and Heero will be getting together soon, since I've finally figured out how I'm going to make that happen. I haven't figured out yet who, if anyone, I'll pair Wufei with.

The Chaotic Ones:

All - Sorry, but this review is too interconnected to reply to you all individually. That last chapter was for you guys, with all the Duo and Wufei. Yes, you can write a sidefic if you really want to, but please include notice that it is a sidefic, possibly an AU, because this story looks like it will be continuing until at least 100 years in the future, so it may confuse people who start reading later. Japanese is so weird in the whole many ways to address family. I do speak some Japanese though, so don't worry about including it in your reviews. I'm glad my whole thing with the water bit made sense. I'm making up a lot of this stuff as I go along.

scotty-lass - I completely understand the snowed in by work thing. (Not that I am right now, but still.) I'm glad you're still enjoying this fic. I'd like to think that it's developing fairly well, even if it does stall sometimes.

neuroticperoxideblonde - Glad you like it. Sorry it wasn't updated faster.