Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.

For the heart I once had

Chapter 2

The boy she had once known had grown up into a handsome man with a mysterious appearance. This was a man, not a boy. The boy was no longer there and she best remember that.… He was a man with a past, a man who had fought in the war, who had survived and build a life. And now he had a name. Trowa Barton. He was no longer Nanashi, the lost boy she had known on L3. But what could she expect after all those years of not seeing him?

-x-x-x-

Quatre entered the room and felt bereft of breath when he saw the young woman sitting on the bed. It was as if the pictures scattered around his L4 mansion had come to life. She was the vision of his mother, and it pained him to know he had never known about her existence. How had it been possible that someone had taken his sister and disappeared?

Aalia turned her head to look at him when she heard his footsteps and her eyes widened. "Quatre…"

She looked so much like his mother… The eyes, the hair, the mouth. She was her splitting image.

She reached out when he came to a halt next to her bed and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug. "Finally…" she whispered.

It occurred to him that while he might not have known of her existence, Aalia had known about him. He gently pulled away from her embrace and rested his hands on her shoulder to smile down at her.

"It is nice to meet you," he said.

She smiled, and her eyes sparkled up at him. "It is nice to meet you too."

"Mom always talked about you," she said.

Quatre blinked, realizing she was not talking about her biological mother. She was referring to Dunya Sarami, the woman who had raised her.

"It was quite a shock to hear that I had another sister," Quatre said, while sitting down in the chair by her bed. "And to know she had been kept in such dire circumstances for years."

Shadows played over her face. "The Barton foundation… it was their revenge."

"For what?"

"My mother… she tried to stop Operation Meteor when she found out what the true plan was…" Aalia's fingers curled into the sheets. "They ordered her death."

Quatre had read through Heero's report, and the details had been sickening. The Barton Foundation had been very adamant about keeping their true objectives quiet. And when Dunya Sarami had found out, she had paid the price for it.

"I'm… I'm glad I get to meet you. Dunya… She always told me that one day I would return to my true family."

"Did she ever tell you why she took you?"

Aalia shook her head. "No. But she loved me dearly, as if I was her own."

At least she'd known that. Quatre was relieved to learn that.

"Trowa will take you with him to Europe once you get out of the hospital. He will keep you safe."

"Yes, he said so." Her smile was a little timid. "Can't I stay with you?"

"Soon." Quatre reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Right now, I live too much in the public spotlight to guarantee your safety."

"I see…"

"But I'll call you everyday, if you'd like."

Her eyes lit up at the idea. "That would be lovely."

Trowa would take good care of her. Quatre was certain. And he thought it best that she was with someone she knew while she adjusted to a normal life. No doubt her time at the hands of Razouli had shaped her. Quatre didn't want to think too much about it, but he knew she was likely traumatized by her experiences. As much as he loved to help her, he simply didn't have the time, being in the middle of a huge ESUN project that he simply couldn't step away from. But soon… he vowed. Soon there will be time for family.

Both he and Aalia looked up when Trowa came walking into the room, carrying a tray with steaming paper cups.

"Coffee?" he inquired casually.

It was quite some time later when Trowa and Quatre stepped out of the room together. Quatre's heart felt a lot lighter with the knowledge that his best friend would take good care of his sister. The way they interacted told him he had made the right choice not to take his sister to L4 with him.

"You'll keep her safe." It was as much a question as it was a statement.

Trowa gave him the barest hint of a smile. "You have my word."

"Thank you. Not just for taking care of her, but also for saving her." Quatre patted his friend on the back. "I owe you."

"You don't," Trowa said dryly.

"Oh, but I do." Quatre grinned and continued on his way down the hallway. "I'll call you when I land."

"Sure thing."

-x-x-x-

It was two weeks later that Trowa finally found himself on a Europe bound shuttle. They had been stuck in Egypt while Quatre had arranged for Aalia's documentation and passport, and most of the time she had spend resting. She had gained some weight and there was bit more of a healthy glow to her cheeks. Still, the years of malnutrition took their toll on her. She still couldn't walk for a long time, and she had to follow a special diet that allowed her body to slowly get used to regular meals again. Trowa made a mental note to contact Sally once Aalia was settled in in Brussels. She could set up a dietary and exercise plan to make sure she would gain strength.

"What will happen now?" Aalia asked, once the shuttle had reached flight altitude.

Trowa met her questioning gaze. "I was thinking I'd set up an appointment with you with one of Preventer's medical experts. She can help you gain strength."

"I'd like that." She pursed her lips in thought and smiled. "What will you do in the meantime?"

"Me and my partner have to round up the case so we can bring Razouli to trial."

"Then you'll need my help, I suppose."

"Yes. But that's not something you'll worry about, okay?" he said when he noticed the shadows in her eyes. "Sally can also arrange for a therapist."

A frown formed between her eyebrows. "I think… Will I need to see one?"

Trowa rested his hand on her shoulder. "You have been through a lot. It might help."

"And afterwards?"

"Once we can guarantee your safety, you'll be free to do as you choose. You could go and live with Quatre."

"Or I could stay with you?"

He gave a nod. "Of course. You could study, or find a job."

A smile spread on her face at the prospects she had. It warmed his heart to see it. So far she had refused to talk about the suffering she had endured at the hands of Razouli, and he hated to think of the abuse she had gone through. To see her happy made him realize there was hope.

"There's only one little problem," he said after clearing his throat.

"Oh?"

"I ah…" He gave a little sheepish chuckle. Christ, what was wrong with him? Sheepish was Duo's forte. "My apartment… there's no bed in the guest room."

"Oh…" Color rushed to her cheeks. "I could sleep on the couch."

"Nonsense," he protested. "You're still recovering. We'll turn the guest room into something that will suit you, okay?"

The smile she gave him was positively radiant. It soothed the dread he felt at the prospect of sleeping on his couch.

When her head came to rest on his shoulder, Trowa dared a look down at her face and found her to be fast asleep. Her blonde hair tickled on his arm but he found he didn't really care. It was rather comforting to have her so close.

She shifted slightly in her sleep, getting more comfortable against him. She made a small noise in the back of her throat and a slight smile appeared on his face. He was glad to have her back in his life. During his time as a mechanic on L3 she had been a nice distraction. They had been good friends. When her Dunya had died he had promised to take care of her, but he had not been able to for long.

When Razouli had gotten his hands on her, she had vanished without a trace. It was months later that he had found the grave, had believed her to be death. It had all been a trick and he hated to think he had fallen for it.

But she was alright now…

She shifted again, muttering some intelligible words under her breath, while a frown formed on her face. Trowa recognize the first signs of a nightmare. He placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her gently.

"Aalia," he said softly. "Aalia, wake up."

She didn't wake up and shifted again. A whimper rising from her throat. The sound made his blood run cold.

"Hey."

"Don't… don't touch me…" A desperate plea.

"Aalia," he repeated, louder this time, "Aalia, wake up."

He shook her again. She jolted away, gasping. "What… where…"

"Easy now," he said. "Are you alright?"

She ran a hand through her hair. "I think so…"

He wished he could believe her, but from his own experiences he knew better. Now wasn't the right place or time to make her talk about it. But she would have to at some point.

-x-x-x-

She looked at him in fear. Would he really? Razouli approached her, a mad glint in his eyes.

"I'm going to break your spirit, you little whore," he said.

"No." She backed away from him, until her back was pressed against the wall. "Leave me alone."

Due to her sprained ankle she couldn't move too fast and his knowing smirk said enough. He knew. He grabbed her shoulders in a rough and painful grip, making her tremble to her bones with fear.

"Don't… Don't touch me!" She tried to push him away, but found herself too weak.

She was only a girl and he a grown man. He had been chasing her around the room for hours. She felt numb and weak with fear.

He slapped her cheek with so much force that the ground came up to meet her. She tried to move away from him, crawling over the tamped earth floor of the basement, but he grabbed her hair and used his grip on it to yank her to her feet.

She cried out in pain. "Stop it! You're hurting me."

"That's the idea, whore." He grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back.

She fought him all the way to the desk in the corner, struggling wildly in his grip. She tried, desperately to remember the self defense lessons that Nanashi had given her, but her brain was close to shutting down.

Razouli threw her down onto the table and clasped his hand around her throat, forcefully holding her down. "You'll never make it out of here alive."

Her vision blurred and she struggled to breathe. She feared he was right. He was going to kill her and she would never see Nanashi again. Nanashi, who had sworn to protect her. But even he could not have foreseen this.

Razouli lifted her head off the table and slammed it back down against the hard, wooden surface. She was left dizzy, with the dimly lit room spinning around her.

"Nanashi…"

"You will not speak his name again, you hear me?!"

Razouli's voice sounded as if he was shouting down a tunnel at her. Her ears were ringing and she was painfully aware of her own raging heart beat thundering in her head. She was slipping and welcomed the darkness, almost pleaded with it to come and claim her. Anything but to be aware of her predicament.

Her mother's face appeared in her hazy vision, all pale, creamy skin surrounded by a mass of black curls. "Aalia…" she seemed to whisper. "Aalia, stay strong."

But she wasn't strong. She had lost when Razouli had come for her. He wanted to break her spirit, he had said.

But he wouldn't have her spirit. No, he might beat her 'till she bled, but her spirit was her own.

It was her last thought, before darkness claimed her.

-x-x-x-

Trowa opened the door to his apartment to let Aalia inside. She stepped into the hallway, a small smile on her face. The door fell shut behind them, and he rested his hand on her shoulder to propel her forward into the living room.

She gazed around curiously, eyes roving over the overflowing book cases, the plants in the window sills, and the colorful throw pillows on the couch. Trowa nearly winced. Catherine had insisted on them, and yes, they were comfy. But he felt a little awkward at the smile that spread on Aalia's face.

"It's nice," she said, then chuckled. "I like the pillows."

"My sister insisted on them."

"You have a sister?" Her eyes went wide at that new bit of information. "I thought you didn't have any family."

"She's not really my sister… but she acts like one."

"Oh." Her smile was warm as it spread on her face. "But it's nice to have someone act as your sister, I think."

Trowa thought of Cathy's nagging about his lack of a girlfriend, her insistence that he needed soup the moment he set foot on the circus grounds, and her not so subtle inquiries about him giving up his work as a Preventer.

"She has her charms," he said dryly.

"So… Now what?"

"I thought we'd get some rest. It's already quite late." He mentioned her to follow him. "I'll show you the bedroom."

She followed him and bit her lip as she gazed at his large double bed. "I feel bad knowing you'll be sleeping on the couch."

He chuckled and rummaged around in his closet for a shirt that she could borrow. "Don't worry. We'll go furniture shopping tomorrow. And I suppose you'll need clothes as well."

"Ah… right."

"Quatre said he'd make sure you'd have some sort of allowance."

"Really?"

"Yes." He handed her a shirt. "You're family. All his sisters have an allowance that comes from Winner Inc."

"I see…"

He showed her the bathroom where she changed into the shirt he had given her. While she was busy, he dug up a pillow and a blanket and went to make his bed in the living room. By the time she poked her head around the door, he was already stretched out on the couch.

"Would you mind if I left the door open?" she questioned in a timid tone.

"Of course not."

"Okay." She smiled at him. "Goodnight."

"Night."

He heard her crawl into his bed and sighed. God he was tired. Almost tired enough not to hate his couch. It was comfortable enough to sit on, but sleeping was another matter. It was only for one night, he told himself. Tomorrow, she'd have her own bed in the guest bedroom.

Content with that thought, he let sleep claim him.

- End chapter 2 -