Author's Note: Kinda early, huh? Don't get used to it. Even I'm surprised that I'm updating this early. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

Warning: language, shounen ai

Back for an Encore

"Are you sure you know how to get there?" a short haired girl whined from the backseat of the small, ratty-looking car. "Maybe we should stop for directions."

"Yes I know where we're going," the male driver of the car grumbled, "and no, we don't need to stop for directions! Isn't that right Alex?"

The male in the passenger seat named Alex who held the road map sideways answered, "Yeah, I know exactly where we are going!"

"If that's so, then why are you holding the map the wrong way?" asked the only other person, a girl, in the backseat.

"Alex!" the driver shrieked.

"Oops," Alex squeaked, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Great, this is just great!" the driver ranted.

"So, does this mean we're going to have to go back?" Alex asked, embarrassed at his screw up.

"Like Hell we're turning back!" the driver spat. "We've come too far! We're going to make that asshole sorry about putting us through this! I mean, how hard is it to give us one lousy call?! Honestly!"

"I think you're taking this a bit too far," warned the short haired girl. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Not a big deal?!"

"Now you've done it," muttered the other girl.

The three passengers all groaned in sync as the driver launched into yet another one of his infamous rants, the piece of crap car continuing on its way.

--

"I don't wanna get up!" Duo whined, sounding awfully like a little kid who didn't want to get up for school. Wouldn't you know it that they were under the same circumstances since the weekend (both Saturday and Sunday for that matter) had passed all too quickly for both the teens' sakes?

"C'mon! We don't have a choice in the matter!" Solo argued as he stood beside the bed, glaring down at the smaller teen. "Do you know what Uncle will do to us if we don't have a good excuse for not going to school today?"

"Tell him we're both sick," Duo mumbled into his pillow. "Tell him we got some contagious disease over the weekend or something and we got to stay here today."

"Don't make me pick you up, Short Stuff," Solo threatened.

"Don't make me have to kill you, Tree Trunk," Duo shot back.

"I can hear the church bells already," Solo sighed. "I'm giving you one last chance Short Stuff. Either we can do this the easy way or the hard way and let me tell you that the hard way involves a pair of handcuffs, ice cold water, and a sponge."

Ten minutes later, the two of them were trudging down the stairs, perfectly dry. Duo had no clue if Solo had really meant the threat but he wasn't going to stick around to find out since he had learned many a time that Solo usually kept his word no matter how ridiculous he might sound.

Entering the dining room, the two were greeted by the sight of their other two friends. While Trowa looked nonchalant, Quatre was giving them both a knowing look, one complete with a wide smile.

"We didn't see you all weekend," Quatre groused as the two long haired teens sat down at the table. "You two didn't happen to be doing anything you shouldn't have been doing, have you?"

"Don't pretend that you're innocent," Duo shot back as he dug into his breakfast. "Compared to what you two, we kept it on a more civil level, unlike two kinky bastards that I could name if I was provoked."

"So how do you feel now that your cherry's been popped?" asked Trowa who didn't change his demeanor in any way, sounding matter-of-factly.

He received three looks of surprise, which were shrugged off a few seconds later.

"Didn't know you had a filthy mouth," Duo commented. "Perhaps Quatre should wash your mouth out or something."

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Trowa replied, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Still, Quatre, you better have some soap on you the next time he comes out with that kind of stuff," Duo advised.

"I'll keep that in mind," Quatre said wryly. "However, you didn't answer Trowa's question and it's rude not to answer when you're asked something."

"You think it's any of your business?" Solo intervened.

"And whose house is this?" Quatre countered. "I deserve to know what goes on under my roof."

"He's got me there," Solo conceded to Duo.

"First of all, this isn't your house," Duo stated.

"Of course it is! I live here!" Quatre argued.

"While it's true you live here, it's also true that your dad owns the place, not you," Duo replied. "So, it's actually his house, not yours."

"He has you there," Trowa commented.

In answer, all Quatre did was fold his arms and pout, unable to come up with a decent comeback.

"Don't mess with the best!" Duo chirped as he dug back into his breakfast, all of it drenched in his favorite condiment: maple syrup.

--

Upon entering school that morning, Duo had a noticeable bounce in his step. Or maybe he was treading carefully because his ass was still a bit sore… Regardless, he had never felt better on this fine day.

Solo seemed amused by this but kept an arm or hand on him at all times, as if the limb was a leash. Personally, the braided one didn't really mind since it gave him a sense of security whenever he caught an occasional glare being leveled at him by a member of the opposite sex, jealous that he had hooked and reeled in the big one.

He would have to agree with them, Solo was quite the catch, if he let you catch him that is.

Despite the covert hostility that was directed towards him, there was no incident that could have caused the braided one's smile to turn into a frown. Hell, even taking a seat in their first period and waiting for the bell to ring couldn't put a damper on his spirits that morning.

However, the sight of Dorothy Catalonia coming in just as the bell rang did put him under a little unease. That girl did not look good. She must have had one shitty weekend or something. He especially didn't like the glare that she threw at him, a look that would have been lethal had it been an actual weapon. Solo came to his rescue and sent her his own glare as his body tensed, just waiting to be unleashed upon the blonde girl if she made one single wrong move. She quickly averted her gaze and tried to shrink down into her seat as soon as she sat down.

He felt so much safer already…

Still, one shouldn't turn their back on Dorothy Catalonia. That bitch was a conniver. Plus she was a girl; they rarely struck out in the open.

--

Heero's triumphant return to school wasn't as glorious as he thought it would have been. As he hobbled up to the building, having to make great use of the crutches that he had received upon leaving the hospital, all he got were sympathetic looks of pity and the occasional "how you doing?"

What seemed to be the center of all the gossip around him was what had happened at Homecoming. Something big occurred and all he knew was that it involved Dorothy Catalonia somehow.

Now that just pissed him off. Here he was, the school's best quarterback to have ever set foot onto the field, back from being hospitalized and no one was clamoring around him.

Then, as if to add insult to injury, he caught sight of Relena, his former stalker. The girl was not paying him mind, instead focusing it all on his "back-up." And the second-rate player was actually returning affections with her! What the hell was Relena doing with that loser Walker? Wasn't that guy going out with Dorothy? This was all fucked up here.

He could feel the fires of jealousy burn through his veins and he had the sudden urge to strangle or even mangle the average-skilled jock. He had to remind himself that this was all Duo Maxwell's doing. He was the source of all this change, of that he was sure.

What reason would his only friend, Wufei, have to lie to him? The little faggot needed to be put back in his place again but he was in less than perfect condition. So how was he going to do this? He'd have to discuss this with Wufei. His friend could make a plan that could accommodate his current condition.

Yeah, that's what he would do.

--

Normally, Dorothy would have been in class like a good, responsible, little girl. However, she was too pissed off and furious at the situation to do such a thing, instead opting to hang out at the back of the school where the pothead losers usually went to enjoy a joint or three.

She was only glad that there was no one else out here so that she could be alone for once.

Her life was falling apart. She had no boyfriend, the one she wanted didn't want to have anything to do with her, her friends were giving her wide breadth for some reason, and her grandfather had refused to do anything to fix this mess. The world was a dark and lonely place and she couldn't help but feel despair try to swallow her up in her misery.

"If it isn't Dorothy Catalonia, what brings you out here?"

She snapped around to glare daggers at the person who dared to intrude into her thoughts. She was not in the mood for company of any kind right now.

Greeting her was the smug Chang Wufei who had an air about him that seemed he was just barely tolerating her presence. Hmph! Let him be that way. She was here first and if he didn't like it, tough.

"Your presence here might be a good thing. Yes, I think I can make something of this…"

Though it was suppose to be said quietly, Dorothy was able to hear each word uttered from the Chinese and was immediately confused. What was he talking about?

Deciding to let her confusion be known to her unwanted companion, she demanded, "What is that suppose to mean?!"

Wufei blinked, surprised that she had heard him. Couldn't be helped now…

"What's she doing here?" a new voice demanded.

Turning around again, Dorothy met up with the sight of Heero Yuy, fresh from the hospital and being supported by crutches. Now this was an odd development.

"I think we may have another compatriot," Wufei told the ex-quarterback. "Here is someone who has also suffered as we have. I believe we might be able to come to an agreement of setting aside our differences this one time and join forces against a mutual foe…"

"What are you talking about?" Dorothy inquired, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"He means we've all been fucked over by Duo Maxwell," Heero stated bluntly. "I don't know what he's thinking but I think he's willing to team us up so that we can take that little faggot down once and for all."

"Very blunt Heero, but yes, you are correct," Wufei acknowledged. "All three of us have been ruined by that rat in some form or fashion. I say we put aside our differences and combine forces. That way, it'll be much more satisfying when Maxwell gets what's coming to him. Who knows, with Maxwell out of the way, you may have a better chance of claiming Solo Winner as your next toy."

That certainly perked up Dorothy's attention. Needless to say, she was not over Solo yet and was willing to do anything to get the blond god to be hers. Perhaps this partnership wouldn't be such a bad idea, especially if she could get rid of the twerp and get the man of her dreams…

"You make an interesting proposition," Dorothy acknowledged. "I accept. Now, what do you have planned?"

"Oh, you're just going to love this," Wufei purred, smiling maliciously.

--

"This is much better," chirped the short haired girl having now gained possession of the driver's seat. The other girl in the car sat in the passenger's seat, holding the map the right way while the two males in the car had to suffer in the back seat.

"I swear, it's all a conspiracy," muttered the ex-driver angrily. "Those corporate jack-offs know what we're up to and they've corrupted all these country folk into delaying us. This is something those greedy bastards would do."

"I don't think they'd go that far," commented Alex, hoping to steer the other male's rant to a more interesting conversation.

"Yeah, I mean, it was Alex who had the map," commented the girl in the passenger seat, "and you were the one that was driving badly anyway."

"I'm a great driver!" the offended male defended. "It's just the government messing with my mind today with the radio waves! Would you turn that damn thing off!"

"Nope," chirped the short haired girl. "I like this song!"

"They've gotten to you too," grumbled the male as he slumped down in his seat.

"You are too paranoid, you know that?" stated the other girl. "Now, please be quiet; I'm trying to read this map."

"So navigator! Where do we go now?" asked the short haired girl.

The other girl studied the map with puzzlement before pointing in a direction. "That way."

"That way we go!" cheered the short haired girl as she turned onto the first road she came to.

"Women drivers," the ex-driver grumbled. "Now we'll never get there."