A/N: I hope you guys really appreciate the fast updates! Don't expect them to be this quick all the time, though! Lol! It's mostly due to my great betas and the really great response this story has generated. Hey, maybe if I keep getting such interesting reviews, the chapters will keep flowing! Haha!

Coming Home

Harry woke with a big yawn. He felt groggy, but he smiled when he saw he was under a bed. He was home.

"Harry-chan, oh, Harry-chan. Are you awake yet?"

He blushed, amazed that he had a name now other than 'Boy' or 'Freak' or 'Slut'. The sheet falling over the edge of the bed shifted and Duo's head appeared upside down. Harry giggled and pressed his face into Sage's stiff fur. They had given Sage a bath with him and used the blow-dryer to dry him, but he was still a bit of a mess.

"I see you," Duo singsonged, grinning. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes," Harry admitted, shamefully. He was weak and a burden, but Duo didn't seem to mind. He just kept smiling.

"Come on out, then. Cat and I have food for you."

Harry nodded and crawled from under the bed. He flinched, heart pounding, when Duo reached for him, but he held himself still. His brother grabbed him gently and lifted him on the bed. Harry smiled shakily, heart thudding at the close proximity of the older boy. He relaxed minutely when Duo went to sit in the nearby chair instead of on the bed. The braided teen turned it around and sat backward, resting his arms along the back, still smiling. Quatre was standing by the dresser. A towel rested around his shoulders and his blonde, wavy hair hung wet around his face. He was messing with a food tray, opening the milk carton and stirring something. Harry used the opportunity to look around.

The room was unfamiliar. The carpet was maroon while the single bed had brown sheets and comforter. The walls were white. There was a dresser and a bedside table. No windows, but there were two doors. One was open, revealing a small bathroom. The other door was shut and had a peephole. He realized they were in a hotel.

"Here." Quatre turned around with a smile much softer than Duo's and handed him the tray.

Harry took it with trembling hands and immediately offered Duo some.

"Thanks, kid, but we already ate." Duo winked a violet eye and pushed the tray back to him.

Harry nodded and practically stuffed half of a sandwich in his mouth.

"It's not goin' anywhere, kiddo," Duo reassured, voice soft. His chin rested on the back of his arms and there was something sad about his eyes. Quatre shook his head and went to the bathroom to blow-dry his hair.

Harry hesitated, eyes wide, before forcing himself to eat more slowly. He finished the cup of applesauce and a handful of sliced raw carrots quickly, but he made sure to chew well. He didn't want to be bad. He didn't want to get Duo mad at him or make him sad. He wanted to be good. He wanted to stay here where it was safe and warm, where he got to eat all the time.

When the tray was clear, Duo stood to collect it. Harry leaned instinctively away from his reaching hands, but Duo merely lifted his braid and tickled Harry's cheek with the end, making Harry giggle.

Quatre came out of the bathroom then and smiled at them. He sat at the end of the bed. He was close enough to make Harry nervous, but he didn't say anything. Harry could see there was something serious in his eyes. He tensed and hugged Sage tightly to his chest.

"Harry, since you're feeling better about being with our family, we thought you might want to meet some of our very good friends."

His eyes widened. He was scared, but he did want to know more about his brothers and make them happy. He gave a tentative nod.

Quatre's smile gentled. "Good. We thought we'd go see Trowa's friends first. He used to live at a circus before he became our brother. Do you want to see the circus?"

Harry's eyes widened further. "C-circus?"

"Yep!" Duo said cheerfully. Harry jumped at the loud voice. "With lions and elephants and clowns! It'll be awesome!"

"Oh." Harry pulled his legs up, boxing Sage in and making himself smaller. Panic began to claw up his throat. Were they sending him away?

"Don't worry. We'll all be there together," Quatre reassured. It was like he could see into Harry and read his mind. "Trowa and Heero will go first to make sure everything is ready for us. Me, you, and Wufei will all go together in the same shuttle."

"W-what about brother Duo?" Harry whispered. He knew it was wrong to ask questions, but he was afraid this was a trick. He was terrified of being left behind.

Duo flopped his hand in a careless wave. "Don't worry about me. I have to take care of a few things here, make sure the house is all locked up and stuff. I'll be right behind you."

Harry nodded reluctantly, but it wasn't his place to complain. He wished they could all be together, but he understood that adults had important things to do. Things way more important than him.

"In fact, I need your help." Duo stood so he could crouch on the floor and rest his arms on the bed in front of Harry. "Before we leave, we have to finish something important. There are bad guys trying to start something scary. Your uncle was helping them, Harry. We want to make sure your uncle can't hurt anyone again. I know it's difficult, but we need you to be really brave. Can you do that, Harry?"

Harry felt light, like he was going to float away. He knew from experience that it was a sign he was going to faint soon. His heart pounded in his ears as the old fear woke and began to choke him. He flinched backward, slamming his head against the wall, as Quatre reached forward. The blonde teen gently touched Harry's knees, and… and… Suddenly, he could breathe past the fear. Harry closed his eyes tight, taking deep breaths.

"We're right here, Harry. You aren't alone." Quatre's voice washed over him. "No one will hurt you here. It's okay. Don't be scared."

"I know. I know, Harry," Duo promised, voice low and intense. "I know how hard this is. I know you want to forget, but we really need your help."

Harry cracked open his eyes and looked past the barricade of his arms and knees. Tears streaked his cheeks and blurred his vision, but he managed a shaky, "Okay."

"Good," Duo praised. "You're being so brave. I'm so proud of you."

"Harry," Quatre called, drawing his attention. "We need to know the numbers your uncle told you so we can stop these bad guys. Can you tell us?"

Harry flinched and slammed his eyes closed. He shook his head frantically. No. He didn't want to go there. He didn't want to remember those lessons. But it was too late. He was trained to obey. The whip cracked down on his back, punishing him for hesitating. The sound of the tool whistling through the air made him tremble and beg for forgiveness.

"Sorry… Sorry… I sorry!"

Numbers. Uncle was chanting the numbers. Harry had to say them right. If he got it wrong, Uncle would take the belt to the inside of his thighs and his privates again. The pain… It was worse than anything else, being hit there. He wanted to curl up and die, just for it all to end. But there were so many numbers!

"Harry!"

He jerked and blinked wild eyes. He wasn't with Uncle. He was with his new brothers. He was curled in a tight ball, breathing fast and hard, sweat and tears dampening the twisted comforter underneath him. Duo and Quatre were crouched by the bed. Harry released a shaky sigh of relief when he saw they weren't reaching for him. Quatre wasn't even looking at him. He was looking down at the floor, not even paying attention.

"Harry," Duo said again. "Stay with us. You're safe. We're here. We're not going to hurt you, I swear."

Harry nodded. He'd be good. "17. 36. 91. 09. 28." He was shaking so hard his teeth were chattering, but he knew the numbers. He could do it right, he could! "57. 23. 11. 78. 49. 03." He was going to be sick. His back arched as phantom pain assaulted his senses. It hurt so bad, but… but… Duo was right there. He was staring into Harry's eyes. It kept the pain away. Harry was safe. He wasn't with Uncle. It gave him the strength to continue. "92. 43. 86. 34. 65. 29. 57. 41. 72." He was panting, breathless. Almost finished! "3. 0. 5… 7. 8. 2!" Harry broke into wracking sobs, curled tight once more and blocking everything out.

"You did so good. You're so smart to remember it all." Duo murmured from far away. "You're the best little brother ever. It's all over. You never have to remember it again. You did so good, Harry. I'm so proud of you."

Harry let it wash over him. Something warm settled around his senses. It was like a blanket being tucked around him. It felt… nice. Like he really was safe. Slowly his muscles unclenched and his shaking stopped. He lay limp on the bed, staring dully up at Quatre. The blonde reached forward slowly. He only winced a little as Quatre ruffled his hair. At the touch, the warm feeling grew, making him gasp and fresh tears sparkle in his eyes.

"You're fine. We've got you. It's over now. Hush, now. We're here. No one's going to hurt you."

Harry nodded and put on a brave smile, only to jerk sharply when the door opened. He flung himself backward, pressing against the headboard, hands clutching at the wood desperately. Duo stood and greeted Wufei, Heero, and Trowa with a cheerful welcome. As Harry slowly relaxed once more, all of his new brothers found places around the room. They talked about shuttles and travelling to the circus, totally ignoring Harry, which made it a lot easier to breathe.

"All right, baby bro. We're off to get everything ready. Have fun with Q-ball and Wuffers!"

"Maxwell," Wufei growled. He saw Harry's flinch and subsided with a huff, crossing his arms.

Duo laughed loudly. "I'm definitely keeping you around, kid! You save me from Wufei's lectures!"

"We will see you soon," Heero said gently. He crouched before the bed so Harry could look into his eyes. "Be good."

Harry nodded. Shyly, he reached out a hand. Heero never moved or blinked, accepting anything he wanted to do. Tearing up, Harry gently touched his cheek. He moved his fingers up and down a few times in a caress. "Don't… Don't be hurt."

Heero nodded and took the hand in his own. He gave a gentle squeeze before standing. Trowa knelt in his place. Green stared into green. Harry's tears finally spilled over and he crawled forward to wrap his arms around Trowa's neck.

Trowa's arms came around him in a hug. "See you soon, Harry. When you arrive, I'll show you the many secrets of the circus."

Harry nodded with a watery smile. "…'kay."

Trowa released him and stood.

"Bye, Harry! See you soon!" Duo called one last time.

Harry hugged Sage to his chest as three of his brothers walked out the door.

"It'll be okay, Harry. They'd never let you down," Quatre promised. "Come on. I brought clothes for you. We don't want to miss our shuttle."

"Yes, sir."

"Just Quatre to you," the blonde corrected with a smile.

Harry ducked behind Sage, hoping the rest of his brothers would be with him soon. He didn't like the idea of them leaving. What if they never came back? Or got hurt? Taking deep breaths, he tried his best not to cry.

xXxXxXx

Duo sat on a balcony, one leg hanging over the edge, the other drawn close to his chest. He held a cell phone up to his ear while his eyes remained locked on the hotel across the street. Third floor up, second from the right, was Heero's room. Every ten minutes or so, a shadow cross that window, telling him Heero was well.

"We're on the shuttle now, ETA about five hours out," Quatre informed him.

"Telling us the code really unsettled him. Keep him under while you're in route."

The plan was Quatre and Wufei would go to L3 and orbit the colony until the mission was over. The shuttle was extremely defensible, since radar would alert them to anyone's approach, not to mention they were all at their strongest in space. Plus, the colony would be right there if they needed to make a quick escape. Hopefully everything would be finished in a couple days; it would be safe to keep Harry unconscious that long.

"I agree," Quatre said with a sigh. "I felt him begin to retreat and shut us out before he finally fell asleep."

"We arranged for a prisoner to be allowed to contact his employer with a message from Heero. Now it's up to them to make contact."

"Check in when something happens," Quatre ordered.

Duo gave a lazy grin. "You know me, I'd never let you miss out on the gossip!"

Quatre laughed and cut the connection.

The sound of the door opening made Duo turn. Trowa entered the hotel room with a bag of takeout in his hand. His only visible eye widened at he caught sight of Duo.

He grinned wolfishly. "Oh, I'm sorry, Tro-baby, am I distracting you? Is this body too much of a temptation?" He ran his hand down the tight black tank he wore and over his daisy dukes.

Trowa shook his head. "Perimeter is clear."

"You're no fun," he muttered, before leaping off the balcony and entering the room. "Betcha Wuffers would've blown his top." He snatched up the bag of food. "Everyone's in position."

Trowa nodded as he settled in the chair at the rickety desk. He began to eat his portion in silence.

Duo sighed. "You know, Tro, there's no law against talking. You don't have to ration your words." He jumped up on the bed, sitting cross-legged as he took a big bite of his burger.

Trowa shrugged faintly, continuing to eat.

Duo lifted an eyebrow at the challenge. "You know, I could tell you all about my shopping trip down to the last detail. Of course, if you'd rather spare yourself that punishment, you could have a conversation with me.

A single green eye slid in his direction. "What do you want to talk about?"

Duo grinned in triumph. "How are you and Cat? I mean, you guys dropped everything to help take care of Harry."

"We're good."

There was a long silence, and Duo huffed. "Fine. So, I went to Roger's, but the clerk only had seventeen racks of shirts. Can you believe it? As if that's enough! The first rack was mostly button-ups. How boring can you be? No offense to Q-ball, of course. I figure he's allowed to be fashionably stunted due to his high class upbringing. The second rack was t-shirts. I mean, really! Who hangs t-shirts, anyway? I saw these really good shirts with birds on them, but they were a bit abstract for my tastes. Why bother with clothes you have to decipher? Most people walk by in a flash, so the effect will be totally lost on them…"

Trowa sighed and crossed his arms. "We're good," he repeated, still hesitating. He sighed and lifted his eyes. "I don't think Quatre could have continued as he was much longer."

Duo's surprise melted quickly. Yeah, he got that. "Pushing papers." He gave a dramatic shiver. "I try to avoid paperwork as much as possible on L2."

Trowa gave a shadow of a smile. "Yes, Quatre feels the same. And there haven't been any real challenges. Winner Enterprises holds a solid position in the business world."

"Kitty-Cat always did love a good challenge." Duo flopped back on the bed, using the comforter to wipe his greasy fingers clean. "Wufei seems happier now, too. We've all been a bit bored. Now we have Harry, and we're on a mission again." He grinned and propped himself up on his elbows. "See? Aren't you enjoying this thing called conversation?"

Trowa rolled his eyes.

Duo's grin turned sly. "So you and Q-ball gonna tie the knot?"

Trowa shot his temporary partner a glare. "That's none of your business."

"Come on! You two were flirty one minute and together the next with no one remarking on it!"

"I recall you making many remarks," Trowa countered with a lifted eyebrow.

Duo grinned. "Yeah, but you never said how it really came about."

Trowa stared back at him silently.

"Sooooo…. Where was I? Oh, yes! Rogers! The third rack was more interesting. Of course it was clearance. The best shit's always there because people just don't have any taste. I saw this green top that would look killer on you, Tro-baby! But I knew you wouldn't appreciate it like a sensible person. So I decided to keep it. Maybe I'll let you borrow it sometime."

Trowa shook his head. "You can talk all you want. It doesn't bother me."

Duo's expression sobered. "Yeah. I know. You'd just tune me out. But come on, Trowa! We're friends. The bestest of friends, aren't we? We're even raising a kid together! What's it gonna hurt to share a little bit about yourself, huh?" He flashed his best puppy-dog eyes.

Trowa sighed. "A couple months after the war, Quatre called me at the circus and said he'd received a death threat. I offered my assistance, and I just ended up staying with him."

"That's nice, Tro, but that's not really the story I wanted to hear." Duo pouted, arms crossed childishly. "Come on. You can tell me. Who jumped who first?"

Trowa flushed minutely, much to Duo's pleasure, and turned away.

Duo laughed and was about to needle him some more when a flash of light hit the wall. They were both instantly on their feet, guns in hand. With a sharp gesture, Duo ordered Trowa to cover him and stalked stealthily up to the balcony. Across the street, Heero was flashing a mirror at their window.

"I'll follow him. You follow me," Duo said, all business, but then a grin slipped out. "I'm in disguise, after all."

"As a stripper," Trowa muttered.

"Better than looking like a cop," Duo retorted with a laugh. "All right, let's roll!"

xXxXxXx

The shuttle was small. It had six reclineable seats, a piloting cabin, and a small stowage area. Harry was strapped firmly in one of the seats, and Quatre sat one row in front of him, just watching his sleeping face. The little boy was so still and peaceful like this. So different from reality. Even when he was asleep, Harry normally gave off some level of anxiety, but drugged unconscious he was calm. A steaming mug entered his line of sight, and Quatre looked up to see Wufei with a cup of his own.

"Thanks," he said warmly, taking the tea.

"You should rest. I'll take this watch," Wufei offered.

"I can't sleep yet." Quatre took a sip, letting his bangs fall in front of his eyes.

Wufei stood next to him also watching Harry. "Do you think he will recover?"

Quatre's lips quirked. "Duo believes so."

There was a pause before Wufei asked, "What do you think?"

Quatre looked up at that. Wufei's guarded eyes held his. The Chinese pilot never mentioned his empathy. Quatre had always assumed he was uncomfortable with it. Concentrating now, Quatre could feel his friend was anxious and worried, so he answered carefully. "I don't know. I've never had any experience with children who suffer from abuse."

Wufei turned his gaze back on the boy, saying nothing to that, but Quatre could feel the cold anger that sparked at the mention of abuse. It was intense enough to raise Quatre's blood pressure in an echo of Wufei's.

"Why does it anger you so much?"

Wufei turned a sharp glare his way. "It angers us all."

"Not like you," Quatre denied softly before ducking his head in apology. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to invade your privacy."

There was a long moment of silence, and Quatre very carefully kept his empathy to himself. He felt bad. This was the first time Wufei had addressed his empathy or sought his opinion due to his gift, and he'd managed to set Wufei even more at a distance. It was a stupid mistake. One he wouldn't have made if he wasn't so tired and strung out worrying about his friends on Earth.

"I was raised in a different culture."

Wufei's voice startled Quatre. He looked up, surprised. His friend stood motionless, like a statue as he stared down at the sleeping boy.

"Family is everything. The bonds of family link those with the same blood together for eternity. It is a bond that surpasses even death. In my culture, children are expected to behave perfectly because each individual represents the family as a whole. Thus dishonor on oneself is dishonor on the whole. I am not unfamiliar with the idea of punishment, but it should never be done with the intent to permanently harm or maim the child. Children are the clan's immortality, and that is everything to the clan. Without children, there is no continuation."

Wufei paused and began to turn the mug in his hand as his distress increased. "It makes me so angry at the injustice of it. The sheer futility. What could possibly be gained from this? The Dursley house will forever be cursed. He brought destruction and death onto his family by his actions. So… Why? Why did this happen? They were family, Quatre. That just… isn't comprehendible to me."

"Wufei…" Quatre said sadly. He had no answers for his friend. He had no idea how one could do such a horrible thing.

His friend shook his head sharply, cheeks flushed with emotion. "Tell me. Will he recover?"

Quatre looked away to give Wufei privacy and time to recover. "Harry's so afraid, about everything," he confessed quietly. "He's constantly surprised by our kindness and can't fully trust our good intentions or our promises. When he told us that code… Wufei, the pain was as bad as any torture we faced during the war."

Wufei's hand had clenched around his mug tight enough to turn his knuckles white.

Quatre reached out and gently touched his arm. "But Harry's also brave and loving. He's already very attached to us and to the idea of being a good little brother. He still has the capacity to feel happiness, curiosity, and wonder. I think Duo is correct. He will recover from this." Quatre's hand tightened to emphasis his point. "We will make it so."

Wufei nodded and silently pulled away. Quatre let him go, knowing now wasn't the time to push. He sighed and was about to lie down to get some rest when his com beeped. He quickly pressed his ear piece, answering the call. "04 here."

"They rendezvoused at an ice cream parlor. Who does that?"

Quatre gave a startled laugh. "Perhaps they were hungry."

"Whatever. They've taken the bait."

"Location?"

"A warehouse in downtown London."

"I'll alert Une."

"Oh, hey, Tro told me all about how you practically assaulted him when you first got together. Way to go, Cat!"

Quatre turned a bright red and gasped in shock. "He didn't!"

"Oh my god! You mean you did?" Duo laughed wildly in his ear.

"Shut up and focus on the mission!" he snapped and viciously disconnected the call.

Wufei's lips quirked up with amusement. "Maxwell?"

"How'd you guess?" Quatre grumbled, willing his cheeks to cool.

xXxXxXx

Heero stared at the laptop sitting innocently on a crate. There were shadowed figures with machine guns standing on a second level balcony circling the room above their heads, but other than that the warehouse was empty. It was dark. The only light came in through small grimy windows. The air was wet and smelled of the polluted river not far away. The redhead who'd interrogated him stood beside the single waist-high crate. The laptop sat open, the screen casting gentle illumination over her lean thighs and small waist. She held a hand out to him, as if to shake, and her smile was wide.

"Heero, darling, I'm so glad you've reconsidered." Her voice made his hands twitch for a weapon.

"I don't leave my missions unfinished," he answered in the dull monotone he was famous for.

"You are the best," she practically cooed at him. "The world will thank you for this one day. You are making the right decision."

He regarded her coolly. "I was unable to obtain all forty-eight digits."

"How many did he remember?" she demanded, brown eyes flashing.

"The boy only recalled the first thirty in the segment."

The woman gave him a reassuring smile. "We need a starting password eight digits long, a thirty-five digit string of code to finish the main programming, and an activating code five digits long. Dursley assured me he had the boy memorize them in order, so you know the first and most of the second. With time, we can discover the rest easily enough. Don't worry. You did very well in bringing what you could. Now tell me the numbers."

Heero watched her through unblinking eyes as she bent forward slightly, her perfectly manicured hands poised over the keypad. "The first eight digits were 1 7 3 6 9 1 0 9."

The woman began to smile in glee. As she looked up at him, the screen reflected eerily in her eyes. "So far so good, Heero. Now the rest."

"The following twenty-two numbers were as follows, 2 8 5 7 2 3 1 1 7 8 4 9 0 3 9 2 4 3 8 6 3 4."

Her eyes widened as he rattled off the long string of numbers. Almost desperately, she demanded that he repeat them.

Heero stepped closer. "Allow me…" he offered, gesturing at the machine.

Before she could answer, he sprang forward, snapping up the computer, and dove to the floor in a roll. Gunfire broke out behind and above him as the warehouse doors exploded inward. SWAT came pouring in, shouting commands to surrender. Heero protected the laptop with his own body, knowing it held important information. He huddled in a corner and pulled out a memory stick from his pocket that was programmed to download the hard drive of whatever it was plugged into. Attaching it, Heero's head snapped up as he sensed someone's approach only to relax as he saw the long tell-tale braid swinging down the masked soldier's back.

"You almost bit the dust for that stupid thing," Duo snarled. "What were you thinking? You were supposed to dodge back away from the enemy fire!" He continued to rant as he took up a guard position as the bullets continued to fly.

Heero tuned him out, attention on the computer. It was connected to the internet and had a live feed. At least the mission wasn't a total failure. Their prime objective had been realized. Harry was no longer in danger from this group. They would think Harry knew nothing else.

In minutes, all was quiet except for the blood that dripped from the balcony above, splashing softly. A small side door banged open. Guns came up to the ready position, but it was only Trowa and the redheaded woman, who was in a painful arm lock. She cried out in pain, her shirt torn to reveal a black lace bra and her heaving chest. Heero could see the whites around her eyes as they darted around in terror. He barked out a warning as her jaw flexed and her teeth snapped together. Trowa pinched at a nerve in her neck, but it was too late. She went limp and Trowa dumped her to the floor. Not thirty seconds later she began to convulse, foam coating her lips.

"Since when are terrorist beautiful women?" Duo demanded loudly.

Heero narrowed his eyes in fury. Who were these people? They had poisoned molars, impeccably run operations, and were impossible to trace or infiltrate! He crouched and turned his attention back to the machine. A feral grin split his face as he set to work. A live feed had to go somewhere. He'd just have to trace and track where exactly.

"We are totally superheroes. Taking down the bad guys, saving the world, able to dodge bullets," the braided pilot was still nattering on. "Spandex would be right at home on two of our group already! The clown and Mr. Biker Shorts over here."

"I'm pretty sure superheroes come away with the girl still alive," Trowa stated with a hint of humor in his tone.

"She doesn't count!" Duo argued. "Come on, man! She's the bad guy! And we may not have rescued the girl, but we got our boy, didn't we?"

Heero leapt away from the computer, snagging the memory stick as he dove to the side. Snap-crackle- and- pop, the machine began to smoke and melt.

"Ow!" Duo groaned. He was flat on his back where Heero had tackled him. "You've one heavy ass, 01!"

"Baka," Heero snapped, irritated with the loss of important evidence.

"Sir, perimeter clear," one of the Preventers reported with a sharp salute.

"Grab the machine and bag any prisoners, we leave in five," Heero barked. He climbed to his feet and held out a hand. "And get me a com ASAP!"

"Sir yes sir!"

Duo made a whipping noise. When Heero sent a heated glare his way, the braided pilot only laughed.

xXxXxXx

Harry came awake slowly. It was like floating up through clouds. He became aware of a sound first. It was beautiful. Blinking crusty eyes, he managed to make out a black and white blur. The sounds became words, but they were unlike any he'd ever heard before. They dipped and swirled in an unexpected melody. It was Wufei!

His new brother was sitting two seats away, and he was singing. Harry held perfectly still. He didn't want to interrupt and get Wufei mad at him, and… the song was really nice. He'd never heard someone sing before. Wufei held the last note and, as it faded away, Harry closed his eyes tight.

"Sleep well?"

Harry opened his eyes to see he had Wufei's attention. His throat was too tight for words, so he gave a nod, hoping that was enough to satisfy the teen.

"Did you like the song?"

Harry nodded quickly. What else could he say? No wasn't an option. Besides, he really had liked it. It was really pretty.

Wufei granted him a small smile. "It's a Chinese song. My mother sang it whenever we traveled. It's said to grant good luck. I will teach you, if you'd like."

Harry's anxiety faded away as he became aware that Wufei wasn't mad and was actually offering him something special. "I… Thank you, brother Wufei…"

Wufei inclined his head. "You are welcome. Quatre is finishing the docking procedure. We will depart soon. Are you ready to see the circus?"

He answered in the only way he could. "Y-yes..."

The door to the pilot's cabin opened and Quatre came out with a wide smile. "Looks like someone's come to meet us."

Harry's eyes widened. His heart leapt in his throat at the thought of seeing Heero, Trowa, and Duo again. But maybe Quatre didn't mean his brothers. Maybe he meant Trowa's friends. Harry wrung his hands around Sage as he followed Wufei to the exit. The metal door opened outward, revealing a platform that would lower them down to the floor. Quatre offered his hand. Harry flinched, but then grasped it tightly in his own, knowing it was expected. Quatre was nice, but Harry wasn't stupid enough to disobey him. Heart beating fast, he moved onto the platform. Sage was held in his free arm, Wufei standing on his other side, as they slowly descended. His eyes widened as large as plates when the platform reached the bottom and he saw who was there.

"Hey, kiddo! Did I tell you we'd be here or what?" Duo called loudly. He was waving enthusiastically, a big grin on his face.

Trowa stood with his arms held loosely at his sides. A small smile softened what Harry could see of his face. Heero stood between them. His arms were crossed and his thick dark brown hair fell messily into his eyes. Harry felt a smile slowly spread across his face, his heart racing with surprise and relief. They'd told him they'd be here, but some part of Harry thought they were just getting rid of him while they could. Harry hadn't blamed them, but to find them here now… It was more wonderful than he could ever say.

He reached out a shaking hand, needing to touch them to make sure they were real. Heero was the first to understand. He crouched and pressed his cheek into Harry's reaching hand. Harry closed his eyes briefly, whispering, "Thank you." Heero nodded and stepped away.

Duo came next. He shook Harry's hand and ruffled his hair simultaneously. "You're gonna love the circus, kid. Maybe we can even talk Tro-baby into juggling for us before dinner. And Cathy is going to just love you! I'll teach you the super secret look you can flash to get her to slip you extra sweets!"

Harry nodded, smiling shyly, and reached for Trowa next. The teen gently ran his hand through Harry's hair and down his cheek in a brief caress. Harry sighed and hugged Sage so tightly it was a wonder the bunny's head didn't come off.

"We have to go through this building before we can leave," Quatre told him, crouching down so he could look in Harry's eyes. "Do you want to walk? We could carry you if you'd like."

Harry bit his lip and ducked his head, surprised and grateful he was given a choice. He timidly offered Quatre his hand. The blonde took it easily and they walked together. As soon as they were inside, Harry was glad all his brothers were there. It was crowded and loud. Hundreds of people were going this way and that. Harry kept his eyes on the ground and held tightly to his bunny.

Heero and Trowa took up the lead. He and Quatre walked close behind them while Wufei followed at their back. Duo bounced back and forth amongst their group, always talking, but Harry had no idea what he was saying. All the sounds and people filled his head with a rushing, dizzy sound. He could hardly catch his breath and his clothes stuck to him damply as he sweated.

Thankfully, they were through the busy building and outside again soon enough. It was getting late. Soon it would be night. A large press of people moved toward the train station. Harry felt his panic spike, and Quatre squeezed his hand to get his attention. Harry flinched and looked up warily.

"We're not going that way. We're going to walk through the park. It'll be quiet and we'll have time to talk."

Harry released a loud breath in relief and his shoulders dropped from their hunched position.

"We're on a colony now. L3 to be precise. Have you been on a colony before?" Quatre asked gently.

Harry shook his head.

"Well, a colony is a big metal bubble in space," the blonde explained. He looked relaxed and at ease, not at all mad at Harry's stupidity. "A lot of people live in them in cities like this one. Look up. You see that? It's made of special panels that produce light and an image of the sky on earth. It's not exactly the same, but it's beautiful nonetheless."

Harry looked up. The sky almost looked touchable, it was so close. Quatre was right. It was beautiful.

"We all grew up on colonies," Duo added. He walked backwards, his hands linked behind his head and his elbows out. "I grew up on L2. Wufei lived on L5 and Quatre grew up on L4. That's where we were before we came here. Quatre has lots of houses. He's mega rich because he owns a big important company."

"Duo!" Quatre scolded.

"It's true!" the braided teen protested, making his eyes go big.

Harry hid a smile against Sage's fur. Duo was so funny sometimes! "Where…" he froze, shocked he'd even spoken.

"Where what?" Quatre asked, smiling easily.

Harry ducked his head and angled his body away from Quatre, certain punishment was coming for daring to voice a question. "Where live brother Heero and Trowa?" he whispered.

"They lived many places growing up. I guess they didn't really have a home," Quatre answered. He didn't seem mad. "Trowa lived here on L3 at the circus for a while before meeting us. This is the closest thing he really had to a home. That's why this place is so special to him."

Harry's eyes widened with surprise. He glanced up where Heero and Trowa were walking. They were like him, then, not really having a home.

"The circus tents aren't far. We'll be there soon," Duo promised. Harry noticed his boots were untied and hesitantly pointed it out. The braided teen grinned. "Thanks! Probably would've busted my head open if you hadn't caught that."

Harry hid another smile as Duo tied his shoes while still moving forward, hopping on one foot.

"And it's not like you can afford to lose anymore brain cells," Wufei muttered.

Duo flung his arms around the Chinese pilot. "Oh, I'm sorry, Wu-man-chu. Did I deprive you of an opportunity to play nurse? How cruel of me!"

"You need a shrink, not a doctor," Wufei snapped, shoving him away.

Harry winced, but Duo didn't seem upset. He just laughed. Still, Harry would be especially careful not to make Wufei mad.

"What are you looking forward to most, Harry?" Quatre asked, tugging gently on his hand.

He flushed and ducked his head toward Sage. "Um… seeing brother Trowa juggle."

"Yeah!" Duo cried out in excitement, making Harry jump nervously. "Whatcha gonna juggle, Tro? Balls? Knives? Babies?"

Harry's mouth fell open in shock.

Trowa looked over his shoulder and winked. "It's not the right season for babies."

"Too bad," Duo mock groaned. He ran up ahead to throw an arm around Heero's shoulders. "Didn't you want to see him juggle babies, Hee-chan?"

"I'm sure it will be impressive whatever he juggles," the brunet answered smoothly.

"You're no fun," Duo whined.

"So you keep telling me," Heero drawled back.

They came around a grouping of some type of tall trees and saw large colorful tents set up a little distance away. People in costumes of sparkly colors with tattered streamers, bowties, and tall hats moved this way and that, clearly getting ready for a show. Outside lamps were on, casting a soft golden glow over the scene. The distant cries of animals could just be heard; loud lion roars and elephant trumpets. He stared at the wonder in utter amazement. He was going to stay here? Wow!

One woman caught sight of them as they approached. She wore tights and a short skirt made of lavender feathers. Her top was made of sparkly material and a large purple feather stuck out of her dark red curly hair. Her face lit up with happiness, and she dropped the box she carried to run toward them. Harry moved quickly to Heero and pressed himself against his legs, hiding. Fortunately, the woman hadn't noticed him yet.

"Trowa!"

"Cathy," Trowa answered, smiling.

The girl laughed and flung herself at him. Trowa caught her and gave her a brief hug. She held onto his arm when he released her and smiled at the group. "I'm so glad you guys could come. We set up a pavilion just the way you asked for it."

"Thank you, Catherine," Quatre spoke up with a winning smile. He gave her a quick hug that she returned happily. "Let us know if we can do anything in return."

Still smiling she turned to Heero. "I'm glad to see you looking well."

Heero inclined his head, while Duo cheerfully introduced the little boy. "This is our little brother, Harry."

Harry flinched and pressed harder against Heero as the woman turned her eyes to him.

Heero's hand snapped out to grasp Duo's braid, pinning the excited teen in place. "Baka."

Cathy shot Duo an amused glance before she knelt with a warm smile. Harry tensed, but she didn't seem to want to move closer or touch him. "Hello, Harry. I'm Cathy. Trowa here is like my little brother. I'm very happy to meet you."

Harry had no idea what to say to this. He was nervous and overwhelmed with everything. She was Trowa's big sister? Did that mean she could make Trowa hate him if she didn't like Harry? It was all so confusing. He buried his face against Sage and whimpered.

Heero turned and smoothly scooped him up into his arms. Harry cried out in fear, arms and legs locking around Heero's chest, terrified he'd be dropped or hurt somehow. Heero held him gently, though, and his deep voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke. "Could you show us the way?"

"Of course," Cathy said easily. She stood and immediately began walking them to where they'd stay.

Quatre and Cathy talked about the weather and recent news as they walked. Duo butted in every once and a while. Trowa stayed close to Heero and Harry, and slowly Harry's racing heart calmed. He peaked out of his tangled fringe to watch all the strange performers they passed. He saw one guy balancing a stick on his nose with plates and balls on top! And their clothes! Harry had never seen such bright colors! Stripes and polka dots done in neon and pastels. It was enough to make his head swim.

They walked away from the big tent and the performers to a little clearing screened off by more trees. There were trailers and camping tents spread out in a sprawl. To the left, a little set off from the others was a big tent. He remembered Cathy had called it a pavilion. It was as big as a house!

As they passed through the tent flap, the increasingly loud sounds of laughter and cheers were muffled by the thick fabric and the bright colors were replaced by a solid blue of the pavilion's walls. Harry lifted his head to see a small sitting room with lounge pillows on the floor around a low coffee table. A TV sat in the corner with a couch in front of it. A bookshelf and padded chair was along another wall.

"As you can see, the walls are just fabric so be careful not to pull them down," Cathy explained with a wide smile at Duo.

"Why are you looking at me?" he demanded, huffily crossing his arms.

"Maybe because the last time you were here you burnt the kitchen down," Wufei retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"How'd you find out about that?" Duo turned narrowed violet eyes on Quatre. "Cat!"

The blonde rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "It just kind of came out. You have to admit it was funny."

"Come on. I'll show you your rooms," Cathy offered, reaching out to link her arm with Trowa's.

Heero followed the two with Harry still in his arms, leaving the other three to bicker.

The curtains divided the tent into seven sections. Three bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and the sitting room. The last bedroom they saw was the smallest, and Trowa and Cathy left them there. Heero set him down on his feet, and Harry looked around curiously. There was a pile of green pillows with white blankets in the corner. A small bookshelf stood on the other side with a lap desk and writing tools next to it.

"This is your room," Heero explained. "We can make you a little tent to sleep in if you don't like the pillows."

Harry wrung his hands around Sage's ears. He wasn't sure about this. On one hand, it was totally cool to be sleeping in a tent at a circus, but curtain walls weren't going to protect him. There were no good places to hide in and there were no other doors. He would be trapped in here… Wait, the walls were curtains. If he had to, he could slip out from under them and get away. His shoulders lowered a bit in relief at the thought.

Heero crouched down to look into his eyes. "Give it a try. If you are too uncomfortable, we will figure something else out."

Harry nodded slowly. He would try, for his brother.

Heero smiled and gave his head a pat. "Good. Stay here and get settled in. I'm going to see about dinner."

Harry waited for Heero to go before moving to the pillows. He crawled around on them and pulled the blankets over his body. It was surprisingly comfortable. He could still hear the noise of cheering people, of music and fireworks in the background. He could smell popcorn and caramel. Even closer he could hear the rise and fall of his brother's voices. Duo's was the most frequent, but Quatre and Wufei were also there. Heero and Trowa's voices were rarer.

Harry curled around Sage. It was all so strange and crazy, nothing like anything he'd ever experienced before. It was scary, but it was also new, which was somehow… hopeful. Yeah, that's the word. He felt hopeful. If everything was new and different, then maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be the same as before. It didn't make sense in his head, but it did at the same time.

When Duo came to get him for dinner, he followed in a daze. They had noodles in cheese sauce with milk. Even more amazing, they all sat together at the table in the sitting room: Harry and Trowa on one side, Quatre and Duo on the other, and Wufei and Heero on either end.

Harry watched his new brothers with a sense of awe as Duo snuck a bite from Wufei's bowl only for Wufei to sending his fork flying. Heero glared at them, cheese splattered across his hand, while Quatre tried to hide his snickers. And at the end, Trowa promised to take him around the animal cages when he felt strong enough to go. It was like something out of a dream. Maybe he had a real family at last!

Chapter end.

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