New twist to the story. I feel bad about torturing Duo so much… XD

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Part II. A.

It took a while, but Duo did heal. Slowly, but surely, he regained his strength back. The other pilots helped him the best that they could, but at times they too were at a loss. After a few tries, Duo declined Wufei's offer to join his relationship with Quatre. It was a selfless offer and Duo did love them, but not in a romantic sense. It would be too much awkward to have a relationship with someone who was like a brother in every sense.

The war ended and the pilots tried to settle into their new lives. Quatre immediately took charge of his father's business, his hand full with trying to manage WEI. Wufei, after paying his respects to his colony and Treize, moved in with Quatre, taking up a position in the Preventors. They were still together and were extremely happy.

Heero and Trowa had settled close by to Quatre's mansion. Both of them had also taken up positions as field agents in the Preventors. They lived in an apartment a couple of blocks from Quatre's place.

Duo on the other hand had lived with Quatre and Wufei for a while, before deciding to move out. It wasn't fair of him to live off of his friends. He moved to the same apartment complex as Trowa and Heero, due to Quatre mother-hen tendencies. The blond had wanted someone to keep watch over Duo, but that still didn't stop Duo from attempting suicide twice more. Luckily Trowa and Heero had been able to find him both times and save him.

To help him ground himself, the pilots persuaded him to join the Preventors. He had reluctantly agreed, not sure that this would do him much good. But they had been right. His depression had gotten better and though he still went to Sally at least once a month, he was content with his life. There were some…after effects that the war had left behind but it didn't stop him from living his life.

If someone touched him unexpectedly, he would flinch and move away. Even if he had warning before, his muscles would tighten just so before relaxing. And even since that mission, the one where he had been brutally tortured, he disliked the dark. Even at night, there was always a light on somewhere in his apartment. But through this all, he was still himself. Maybe not the vibrant joyful Duo from long ago, but a more calm, quiet Duo.

All in all, life wasn't so bad anymore.

(……)

Duo sighed for the fifth time in the last five minutes. His partner, Chang Wufei, twitched.

"Duo, either tell me what's wrong or stop sighing and get to work." He commanded shortly. Duo flushed and grimaced, crushing a piece of paper and throwing it at his partner's head. Wufei merely caught it without even giving it a glance and tossed it behind him, hearing the resounding thump as it landed in the middle of the trashcan behind him.

Five minutes later…sigh.

Wufei frowned and turned in his seat so that he was facing Duo and folded his arms across his chest, relaxing against the back of the chair comfortably. "Talk." He said simply.

Duo almost sighed again but caught himself in time. "I don't know, Wu. Today's just not a very good day, I guess." And by that, Wufei translated, he was starting to feel depressed.

"You have been taking your medication, right?" He asked cautiously. He knew that Duo hated that question but it was his duty as a friend to ask it.

"Yes, Mama Chang!" Duo said exasperated. "It's not that. I just – oh forget it!" He threw his hands up in frustration and turned back to his sketchpad, starting to scribble again furiously.

Wufei observed the tense muscles in the hand that was moving almost frantically across the page. His mind immediately put two and two together, depressed and sketchbook equals bad night. He got up and walked over to Duo, snatching the sketchbook from underneath his hand and flipping to the page before. He had been right.

"You want to talk about it?" He asked, tossing the sketchbook aside. Duo scrubbed his hands over his face and raked a hand through his bangs.

"No, don't want to think about it. Damn it, it's been over seven years! Why the hell can't I forget it?"

"Because it impacted you greatly, Duo. It was your purpose to fight for so long, it doesn't make any sense for you to forget about it." Wufei soothed.

"Forget about what?" A new voice asked. Duo's eyes narrowed and he automatically closed himself off, while Wufei turned to look at Heero.

"Nothing really. What's up?"

"Mission for the four of us." He said, implying that Trowa was in on this too. "But we have two months to train under the Commander."

"Commander? Who would that be?" Wufei asked, frowning. They usually did their own missions and trained by themselves. This was new.

"Milliardo Peacecraft." Wufei's eyes widened at the name and then narrowed. Une expected them to train under their ex-enemy? What was that woman planning?

"Une knows that we work by ourselves. What was the need for her to put us under his command?" Heero merely shrugged, his expressionless face revealing nothing. Wufei simply sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead. "Fine. When are we meeting?"

"0700 tomorrow." Heero replied before inclining his head in a nod and leaving. Wufei turned back to Duo, who had grabbed his sketchpad and had begun drawing again.

"You could have at least said hello, you know." The Chinese Preventor commented. Duo's only response was to scowl and scribble more furiously. God, he could be so stubborn sometimes.

"How long at you going to keep him at a distance, Duo?" Wufei desperately wanted Duo to be happy. He knew how lonely his best friend felt when they had paired off but no amount of persuading would convince him to start seeing someone.

"Leave it alone, Wu. I'll just deal with it my way." Duo said darkly, without looking up at him, his fingers were turning white, his grip on the pencil hard. "Besides, it's not like I never talk to him. Someday are just not particularly good, all right?"

Wufei sighed and pushed away from Duo's desk. "All right." But sooner or later, you'll have to do something about it.

(……)

Review and let me know what you think! I know its been a while since I've updated, but I just got done with SAT and next week I have a concert so…yeah, It'll be a little slow. But please keep on reading! XD and review of course!