Hey-o, and welcome to my Lil' World of Weirdness!!

I state for the record that I don't own Gundam Wing, or the wonderful characters that will be gracing this story. . . I do however lay claim to Ensign Saratone *again*, and I use him here purely as a replacement for your average Nameless OZ Minion. Other Characters I lay claim to are Faye Bloom, the wizened old man, Chang Xiao Fao Lan, and the Angels.

Let's just say . . . when my writer's block breaks, it's like a dam breaking . . . [shakes head slowly and winces]

Parings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 5xM, 6X9, 13xUne, OdinxHelen and hints of DxR and JxG – I know, I know, nobody wants to imagine it, but I kinda think it's fairly cute . . .

Okay, that's the legal stuff out the way!!

Please ENJOY AND PLEASE R&R!!! THANK YOU!!

Also, thanks to my beloved Bluegoo for her ever wonderful betareading, I thank her for the many hours that she has put in with me on this one, be it correcting my terrible grammar and spelling, or listening to me mumbling large chunks of it down the phone to her . . . You're great, Blue!! Even if you are Commander and Chief of the Apostrophe Gestapo . . .

//Thinking//

"Speaking"

*Stress/Emphasis*

Writing/Dream sequence

Telepathic thoughts

:: Lyrics ::

~*~

For The Grace Of Knights And Angels

By Doctor Megalomania

Chapter Twenty-Six: Retreat

Okay, I need lemon. You need lemon. Bluegoo, no matter how much she protests, needs lemon. Clow'd9 needs lemon. The world needs lemon. Lemonade needs lemon. Cucumber Faye –if she knew what it was- probably needs lemon. So I'm gonna take a moment out of the plot, and move along the personal relationships again. Both hetero and yaoi pairings so there's something for everyone!! And who says I'm not an equal opportunities writer . . . [winks] don't worry, all you Relena-fans, your good lady remains ever pure . . . [grins] and if you are like me, then also don't worry, the ugly little bitch keeps her kit on!! [chuckles at reader's huge sigh of relief]

Mind you, I think I am getting scared, the bit with Relena I actually enjoyed writing . . . I think I'm warming up to Relena and Dorothy pairings . . . hmm, it would keep Relena off Heero's back ne?

[Removed Warning, Am in Better Mood. Don't like Yaoi? Chapter's not for you.]

[Also: French Fille – Your review for this chapter hurt. Really hurt. I know I asked for constructive crits, but that review wasn't constructive at all, it just plain hurt. I'm sorry if you expect this to be professional, but this is actually a chapter I'm really close to.]

[Also, Typos and Grammar are my bad, forgot to send this for beta this week. It will be beta-ed for next week when this chapter will be replaced. No changes will be made to over all plot. Thank you for your patience.]

Chapter Twenty-Six: Retreat

Hours . . . days . . . finally, two weeks passed . . .

Helen looked in on her son, and his best friend. They lay together in the same futon, completely dead to the world. She was afraid that they had died, and often looked in on them. Affectionately keeping them clean and warm, Helen and Odin cared for both boys as they slept off the effects of that battle. Helen sighed as she cleaned the sleep crusts from Heero's eyes, the Japanese boy's long black lashes trembles slightly at the press of cold water, but he didn't wake. The Angels came frequently, checking on their progress, and it wasn't unusual for Helen to walk past the room at night and see Ogama kneeling beside Duo, patiently combing and brushing Duo's hair. Ogama always kept his hair down, the long auburn hair making him seem very feminine. It was almost hard to mistake him for Duo.

The first time he had come to the house, unannounced one wet and windy night, Helen had almost died of fear and shock. Her screams had awoken everyone but the knights. Ogama had appeared in his full cloak, with his hair hidden, and his hood up. He stood staring down at Duo, with one gloved hand clenched around Duo's weapon. It took the angel a long time to calm everyone down long enough to convince them he was not the Grim Reaper despite his appearance.

From then on, even though Ogama disliked travelling without his hood up, the angel was careful not to appear like that. Helen had learnt a lot about him, from their midnight chats. It was clear that the image, the myth and the belief of the Grim Reaper had been derived from Ogama. The Angel admitted that he, unlike the others, preferred to keep an eye on humanity, so that the Angels would understand them, if the species underwent a massive moral, evolutionary, or political change, or even had managed to wipe themselves out completely. And so, the angel was prone to travelling sometimes, keeping an eye on some battles from afar.

Despite his cold persona, his tendency to lose his patience easily, Helen found that Ogama was actually a very caring person, who preferred to keep his emotions to himself.

While Ogama visited during the night, Katana visited during the day.

Odin discovered this one day, while he came to check on his son and Duo. Katana was sat in the windowsill, reading a small book. He glanced up, and for a moment, Odin had thought Heero had woken up. Katana smiled gently, "Konnichiwa, Lowe-san. . ."

"Katana-san?"

"Hai desu." Katana turned out of the seat and placed the book down, "it's a pleasure to meet you, your son is a wonderful student."

Odin nodded, his Japanese still a little rusty, but useable as the two conversed in the language. Katana had a nice, amiable personality and a sharp wit about him; Odin imagined that Heero would have been the same way if he'd grown up in a normal environment. The angel liked to sit in the sunlight, his white wings suspending him in the air. Odin wondered, if the Angel was aware that he almost convinced that - aside from Helen - Angels really did exist.

After the attack, the boys had fallen deeply asleep. Very deeply asleep. Faye and Quatrine looked after they sons in the same way Odin and Helen did, Rashid often came in as well, and had long conversations with Jikan in Arabic. Jikan was a quietly intelligent person; he liked to tease Armbrust when the two visited. They always visited together, and were evidently very close to each other, just like Trowa and Quatre were. Rashid looked at the way Trowa and Quatre held each other in their sleep and frowned deeply. He wasn't comfortable with the idea that Quatre may have fallen for this unknown. He hadn't been comfortable with the idea since the day this Unknown pilot had attacked Quatre, even so they had saved him. Rashid would have preferred that, if Quatre had to take a male mate, then Quatre could have found someone within the Mangrac Corps, at least then, Rashid could have been certain that the man would be treated right. Quatrine accused him of fussing like a father, but since Quatre had started to prove his mettle, Rashid did almost feel like a father and didn't want to see this young prince harmed for anything.

This didn't offend Faye, because she could see how her son felt about his small lover. Trowa had stayed awake as Duo brought back Quatre from the wherever he'd taken them all. He'd grabbed a hold of the smaller boy, and held him, until he couldn't hold his eyes open anymore. Armbrust was a very quiet angel; often not speaking to anyone for long stretches of time. He would look in on Trowa for a few minutes, then go to work the fields with Faye and whoever else was out. He ensured that the plants were grown well, and that the animals were still being kept in good health. He was a terse, quiet person, whose respect was hard to earn. His piorities were clearly the Earth, and her natural children first, and he considered Humans to be mere servants of the Earth.

Konbo visited every three days, and spent the day by Wufei's side. He kept good company with Fao and Meirin, and talked with them a lot in mandarin. His patience was short, but he also had a strange sense of humour. Of all the angels, even though they all had strange senses of humour, Konbo's was perhaps the weirdest. He found facets of human behaviour hard to understand, and found some of the humans' rituals strange, yet still was intrigued by them. He also spoke with others in the camp, liking to speak with Noin and Zechs sometime. He liked to learn about Humanity's past, interested in what battles had occurred within the last few centuries. He was, perhaps, the most human of the angels, concerned with how the humans had progressed over the years.

Each of the angels had the same verdict, that the knights would sleep until they had recovered from their first major battle.

The third week passed slowly . . .

Noin leant through the window and stared at Quatre and Trowa. The two were still tightly wound around each other, barely moving at all from their positions. Trowa's soft snores floated up, and ever so often Quatre would hum a snatch of a song. However, like any of the others, neither showed any signs of even remotely approaching the surface of consciousness.

She sighed and glanced over at the well, Zechs was sat on the rim, drinking.

Noin joined him, and hauled herself onto the wall of the well. "No change I suppose . . ." Zechs murmured, as he passed her the cup.

"None." She drank slowly, downing the whole cup thirstily. Zechs sighed and nodded, waving as Katana walked though the gate. The white-cloaked angel waved back to him and made his way over to the Forth House. "Noin, if what we saw is their power . . ." Zechs nodded slowly, "Then I don't think we have much to worry about . . . I spoke to Odin yesterday . . ." Noin nodded as she listened and glanced over at Rashid as the man carried a basket of fruit into the second house. Zechs dipped the cup into the bucket again and drew out some more water, "He said that Katana thinks that the knights have achieved half of their potential powers now . . . there was some worry, that they are far more powerful than the angels first thought but . . ." he tipped his head back and stared at the sky, "But they are Gundam . . ."

Noin tipped her head back and looked up at the fathomless blue sky, the beautiful reminder of the layers of protection the Earth offered to her small inhabitants from the harsh, cold, airless space.

". . . and Gundam has never failed us before . . ."

Soft lips pressed against his . . .

Gentle humming . . .

A cool cloth covered his eyes, a warm, damp towel ran down his body . . .

He groaned, as his mind surfaced.

The humming paused, and the bed he lay in dipped. A warm body pressed close to his, making him aware of his complete nudity. A small hand stole across his chest; nimble fingers traced his collarbones. Soft lips pressed against his neck lovingly. He groaned again, his throat parched. The bed moved again, and a hand helped him to sit up, while pillows were placed to support him. Warmth left his side for a moment, and returned pressing a cold glass against his lips. He sipped slowly, as the humming began again.

He held up his hand when he had had enough, and the glass was set on the table with a muted chink.

His body felt a little exhausted still, but he'd had enough sleep. He could feel a few bruises, and cuts that had been cleaned and bandaged. He heard the towel dipped into the water, and the dripping as it was wrung out. He hissed slightly when it pressed against a bruised side, but didn't complain.

"Are you awake?"

He opened his eyes and stared at the blue of the cloth on his eyes, "Nataku?"

"Of course . . ." Meirin's voice, once a shrill, girlish sound, that used to irritate him, sounded now so much like a beautiful song. She chuckled, and he could imagine her soft smile as she whispered, "How many other women do you have that bathe you in bed, my husband?"

A smile lit his features, as he slowly raised his hand to remove the cloth. He peered from under one side, the brightness fading, and his vision focusing on his beautiful wife. Meirin's hair was completely loose and pulled so it fell over one shoulder and stayed out of her way, she wore one of his white shirts, and simple underwear. Wufei's throat caught, as she smiled and leant over to pull the cloth away. "Good afternoon . . ." She turned, and grabbed a slice of fruit, "This isn't much, but I didn't expect you to wake today. Eat."

He chewed thoughtfully, "What do you mean by 'today'?"

"The Angels said that you would all sleep for two months at least . . ."

"Two months!" Wufei exclaimed and sat up, he groaned as his side twinged. "How could they expect it to be so long?"

She shook her head, and pulled the pillows from under him, "Lie down . . ." she hummed for a moment, feeding him some more of her lunch. "It's been a month already, after you defeated the Dark Chi's soldiers, each of you began to fall deeply asleep. Maxwell was the last to do it; he brought back me, Winner and Master Fao. When I arrived back, Yuy was already asleep, and Barton remained conscious long enough to make sure Winner was all right." She smiled, "Do you remember what happened?"

Wufei thought for a moment, brief images of gabbing his wife, holding her tightly flashed in his mind's eye, but other than that. . . he shook his head, "Not much."

"That's to be expected, you were running a high fever and you were delirious." She chuckled, "I love you, Wufei . . . never doubt that."

"What did I say?" Wufei raised an eyebrow, as she picked up a banana and began to peel it.

"Just that you swore that you'd protect me, that you loved me . . ." she clambered onto the bed to kiss him again, the tangy taste of apple and the bitter sweet taste of orange on her tongue. Wufei raised his arching arms and wrapped them tightly around her, pulling her against him. The white shirt had fallen open, and he could feel her bosom soft against him. He answered her quiet moan, while his mind brought a memory up, the first time he'd felt any . . .

//. . . desire?//

Was this desire?

//. . .for her?//

He raised a thin, black eyebrow, as he casually stared at his new wife. After two months of marriage, the fourteen-year-old Wufei sat on his bed, in the bedroom they shared, while Meirin sat on her own. She was dressed in a long blue and white silk nightie, a surprisingly feminine item of clothing on a girl who preferred to be treated like a boy. Her pale shoulders were exposed, the nightie's back didn't start until about halfway down her back. She was brushing her hair, her back turned to him. Her spine and shoulder blades were defined, and her shortish, rough black hair was pulled up as she tied it into a high ponytail.

He supposed it was desire.

Wufei shrugged to himself, he liked to look at her. When she wasn't ranting about justice and honour, of course, and wasn't trying to be such a hardened, provoking tomboy. She still wasn't talking to him, after he'd beaten her in their latest fight and proved to her that despite the fact that he preferred to read, he wasn't some retard in martial arts.

He sniffed, and returned to his book.

Meirin slipped between her sheets, and lay down, still not looking at him, still not saying anything to him.

He didn't care, of course. Their marriage was only one like a paper lantern, very pretty to look at, and giving the impression of warmth and family honour, but really nothing more than a metal frame, some colourful paper and a small flame. Nothing really more than that. They would be expected to produce a child, of course. Sniffing again, Wufei sighed and slipped his bookmark into his place. He folded his glasses and lay down to sleep, turning off his bedside lamp as he did so.

He supposed the desire to make such a child would come in later life.

". . . Wufei?"

He blinked as Meirin's features came into focus. "Yes . . .?"

"You zoned out on me." Meirin pulled a face, "Am I really that undesirable?"

Wufei blinked dumbly for a few moments, before he realised where he was. He was half lying on top of his wife, one hand loosely pulling at her hair, and the other on a shoulder. They'd been kissing, and her face was flushed while her lips were slowly beginning to bruise red. Meirin snickered, "Where were you?"

"Thinking . . ." he swallowed and dipped his head to nuzzle between her neck and shoulder, "About how I used to behave toward you."

"Really?" Meirin purred teasingly, as she dragged her fingernails lightly up his back. She was rewarded with a shiver, and a groan from him. She could feel his desire press against her leg and it excited her. She was wary of pushing him too far, though, and engaged him further into the discussion, "What did you think?"

He raised himself onto his elbows and leant over her, "I wish we had gotten along better . . . maybe I wouldn't have been so very angry that I made mistakes. . ." he shook his head, and pulled his hand gently off her shoulder to stroke it down her face. "I would have still missed you though . . ." his dark eyes softened, "I wish I had had this . . ."

She cupped her hand around his cheek, and leant upward to claim a kiss, silly man. Meirin shook her head, "What has happened has happened, but now . . ." she kissed him again, firmly, and pushed him over until she lay above him, "And now . . ."

Wufei began to smile slightly as Meirin kissed him deeper.

"And now we have each other again . . ." she murmured again, as she felt his hands rub down her side enticingly, "And I plan on staying like this for a very long time. Like a husband and wife should . . ."

"'Til death do us part . . ." promised Wufei solemnly, stared at her very seriously, "Nataku, I will not let you go again . . ." she smiled gratefully, and kissed him. "And I will follow you . . ." Wufei promised her, "no matter where you go."

Meirin blinked and pulled back at this. "Wufei . . ."

Wufei sat up and lay on his side facing her, "I mean it." He raised his hand and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Leaning toward Meirin, he kissed her lightly. He felt her hands cup his face, and travel down his body. "I love you . . ."

"Oh, Wufei . . ." Meirin opened her eyes and smiled brilliantly, her whole face lit up wonderfully, and Wufei felt the warmth of the smile course through his body. He slowly pushed the white shirt off her shoulders as she kissed him again, whispering softly, "I love you too, my knight . . ." Meirin giggled girlishly, "My knight in shining armour!"

Wufei chuckled, and kissed her a little harder. He was pleased when she responded; he stroked his hand over her rear daringly, and was rewarded with a firm push back. Meirin sighed, as he teasingly dipped his fingers under the rim of her underwear. "Silly man."

"What?" Wufei smirked as he tugged at the elastic subtly, "Just because I'm your husband doesn't mean I can't play. . ."

Meirin grinned impishly as she slid her knee up his thigh, "Then I guess two can play this game."

He tugged again at the elastic, feeling it stretch and watched her face as the material stretched over her skin. He realised that her skin was very soft to the touch, but still very firm. He liked the look on her face, the tensing of her brow, the way her lips pressed together, the look in her eyes, that far away look, filled with fevered yearning, the brown irises disappearing, as her pupils dilated as he pulled, but then . . . he also liked the look on her face when he let go, the way she would almost focus on him, and smile impishly tempting him to repeat it. He moved his hand and slid it along the underside of her thigh as it lay over his own legs. Meirin smiled slightly, as he tickled her under her kneecaps.

"I guess you're not ticklish . . ." Wufei murmured and lent forward to claim another kiss. He trailed his hand back up the underside of her thigh, rounding her hip, to touch her stomach. His own body responded, when she suddenly sucked in a gasp, and her stomach muscles shuddered suddenly. She gasped, and spread her legs a little wider as her husband dipped his fingers under the waistband of her underwear again.

"Nataku . . ."

Meirin opened her eyes and stared at him, his fingers stilled and he couldn't meet her eyes as he admitted. "I don't want to . . . to hurt you, I don't want to do this if you are not ready . . . I won't do this if you think you'll have regrets . . . Nataku, I love you, I respect you . . . and I never want to let you go."

Meirin smiled at him, and brushed her fingers lower than his were daring on her body, she chuckled at his surprised shivers, and his sharp intake of breath. "Silly man . . ." she whispered, "I want you too . . ."

"I thought I'd find you here . . ."

The silence of the extremely early hours was almost deafening, the factory was quiet, the night shift were breaking off as the day shift slowly started to get underway. It was the time, just before dawn but after the night, when everything seemed to be nothing more than dull colours, and greys. Relena smiled as she tiptoed toward her best friend. Dorothy Catalonia was fast asleep, slumped by the window and against a potted plant. Her make shift bed the polished floor of the observation deck, her makeshift pillow the cold, dark brown Earthen pot, her blanket a mix of her hair, and her work. The woman was knelt on the floor, her hand still clutched around a pen and her forehead pressed against the thick glass. Three cups sat beside her, two empty and one half filled with cold milky coffee.

Relena smiled softly. "Oh, Dorothy . . . that stuff's so bad for you . . ."

Dorothy looked exhausted, overworked, with dark circles under her eyes, her fine Nordic features pallid. A frown curled her infamously long, elegant eyebrows and her lips were down turned. Her eyes were almost still under her eyelids, denoting her dreamless state. Relena shrugged off her jacket and draped it over her friend, gently smoothing back the long blonde hair and loosening the tight hair band. She gathered the papers and slowly pulled the pen out of Dorothy's grasp. She placed it all over her briefcase and slid down next to the sleeping girl. She turned so she could see out the massive windows, they were almost ready, the massive escape ships, the armies, and according to Hilde, the knights too. Heero and his friends were trying their hardest to save them and here in the West, Dorothy and the rest were pushing harder every day. Relena sighed as she shifted so she could lay her head in Dorothy's lap.

The Foreign Minister didn't care that the floor was probably dirty, that it was hard and would give her so many aches in the morning. She closed her eyes, and drifted into sleep, curling one hand up to capture one of Dorothy's, and the other to curl around the other girl's thigh. She smiled as she fell deeper, warmth spreading in her body despite the cold floor as thin, long, pale fingers twined in her short, cornflower blonde hair.

"I waited here . . ." Dorothy's voice quiet and soft as she murmured sleepily, ". . . I thought I'd find you here."

The blankets were twisted, and bunched around them tightly, as if trying to mimic their limbs that wound tightly around the other's body. Pale, lightly tanned skin was a perfect counterpart to the darker, life worn flesh. Blonde gold curls sprawled over the delicate, light blue pillow, dark brunette locks stubbornly stuck out, tickling fair skin as the owner shifted his position. A stray lock of this stiff dark brunette hair ruthlessly attacked the fair head's endearing nose, seemingly determined to wake the smaller boy up. The blonde headed boy frowned deeply in his sleep. He had the absurd frustration, the annoying realisation that if he was to get rid of the lock of hair that was tickling his nose before it woke him up, he'd have to wake up enough to send the command to his hand.

And in realising this, Quatre's mind grumbled as it realised another thing.

In order to have that thought, it had woken up. It wasn't happy with this realisation, but awake, Quatre was.

He stared blankly at the wooden slate ceiling for a moment, not entirely sure where he was, why he was there, what was the reason behind him being only dressed in his pyjama bottoms and nothing else or indeed why massive clumps of dark brown hair was obscuring his sight.

He muttered some choice Arabic words, as he closed his eyes again. He'd figure that out later, besides the heavy, yet deliciously warm blanket covering him, was moving again, wrapping itself tight around his body with hands that were teasingly stroking over his skin, smoothing slowly over his slim hips.

Quatre moaned in his sleep, determined not to wake.

The hands stilled for a moment, as the blanket's legs moved to slip between his own. Getting comfortable again, he raised his knees slightly, and spread his legs a little further apart. Half hard, Quatre groaned again as his pelvis made contact with something warm and hard. He shifted slightly to press more of his body against the warm, heavy blanket that covered him. It felt good and it felt comfortable, and he could feel his body become more and more excited.

The blanket-person-man rubbed hard and slow against him, causing him to groan out again.

Quatre was now waking to the point when his body realised it was bruised and exhausted, it hurt; yet he didn't want the blanket-man to stop. He raised his hands up the warm strong arms and twined his fingers in the previously offending dark hair. He heard a grunt, a sweet, deep, sexy grunt, that send shivers up his spine and found he wanted give this grunting blanket-man a name.

But he couldn't do that if he was sleeping, and he really didn't want to wake up.

Not when blanket-man's teeth nipped at his ear lobe, not when blanket-man's sexy, deep voice grunted again, gasping lustily when he surprised blanket-man by rolling his hips. And definitely not when blanket-man's fingers pulled slowly, teasingly at the drawstrings on his loose pyjama bottoms.

Quatre's mouth fell open and he began to let out a slow, low moan, wordlessly begging.

Blanket-man paused in his ministrations to chuckle sleepily. "Ruhig . . ." His voice rumbled slightly, broken by slumber-lazy throat muscles, "Ruhig . . . liebe, ruhig bitte. . . Verlangen nach du."

Quatre frowned as the German blanket-man continued to whisper. What in the hell was he saying? Quatre's eyes opened once more and stared up with a slightly dazed expression as he felt blanket-man shifted a little lower, his fingers definitely exploring virgin territories. Quatre's mind well and truly woke up at this point as his body gleefully informed him of the blanket-man's explorations.

"Wha. . ." Quatre's voice was hoarse at first, he swallowed and spoke louder, "What's going on?!"

Blanket-man groaned, and rolled off him. Quatre blinked as Trowa rolled until he was lying face down in bunched blanket. Quatre blinked and clenched his jaw hard to avoid from making too much noise as he recognised his best friend's features. Trowa groaned again, his eye still showing some signs of bruising, and a red line under his cheekbone, the last reminder of a cut. Long, nimble fingers reached out and latched onto Quatre. This time the blonde boy had to bit his cheek to stop him from yelping, as Trowa dragged Quatre closer. The tall boy was wearing a large pyjama shirt, and boxers. But even through the loose folds of the boxers, Quatre could feel Trowa's arousal as the taller of the two pressed himself against Quatre.

He was an honest boy, and never liked to lead people on. Quatre's body protested this, reminding him that this was the first time their relationship showed any serious sexual overtones, but still the blonde sighed and began to shake his tall boyfriend.

"Trowa . . ." he whispered quietly, not entirely sure what time it was, "Trowa, wake up. . ."

"Nein, hoer auf!" Trowa frowned darkly, as he hissed back grumpily, "Ich bin muede! Du gehst mir auf die Nerven! Scheisse!"

Quatre snickered, he'd never seen Trowa waking as the taller boy always woke before him. And here he was, grumpy as hell, actually growling at him. Quatre shook his lover harder, "Trowa, stop swearing at me!"

"Schiesse. . ." Trowa swore once more, before his eyes creaked open. He stared sourly at Quatre before he actually started to wake up. Blinking slowly with realisation and recognition, Trowa began to blush. "I'm . . ." he stammered, "I'm sorry . . ."

Quatre smiled gently and brushed a lock of hair out of his boyfriend's face, "Don't worry, I only know a few words, and aside from generally swearing twice, I'm sure the rest of it wasn't too bad."

Trowa smiled hesitantly, before claiming a sweet kiss. He shifted slightly away from Quatre, moving so his morning arousal didn't press against him. Quatre sighed into the kiss, but frowned as Trowa moved away. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Trowa asked, "I'm just. . ."

"I know . . ." Quatre swallowed, and took Trowa's hand. Taking a deep breath, Quatre pressed Trowa's hand against his body and stared his boyfriend in the eyes, "Me too . . ."

Trowa's jade green eyes shuttered for a moment, "I want you . . ." he admitted, he curled his hand and smiled slightly, as Quatre drew a sharp breath. He leant forward and pressed his lips against the slightly swollen, pale pink lips of his lover. "I want you a lot."

"Trowa!" Quatre's body shivered, he wrapped his arms around Trowa tighter, and slipped his legs a little higher. "Trowa, please . . ."

The taller, green-eyed boy dipped his head to nip and lick the soft skin just under Quatre's ear, "Do you know what you are asking for?"

"Yes. . . no . . ." Quatre groaned again, and closed his eyes revealing in the feelings Trowa was sparking in him. His lips, his hands, the press of his body, "Everything, yes!"

Trowa snickered, "Are you . . ." he chuckled again, "Are you a virgin?"

Quatre blinked his eyes open and stared at Trowa, "Does it bother you?"

Trowa shook his head, "I've never been with a virgin before . . ." he stroked Quatre's face lightly, "Do you mind that?"

The blonde blushed slightly, "No . . ." he peered at Trowa, "You're not a virgin? But you're only. . ." he paled, "No, I shouldn't—"

"No, you should." Trowa smiled slightly and lifted his fingers, so Quatre could concentrate on him, "It's fairly important to ask me anyway. No, I'm not a virgin." Trowa rolled off Quatre, leaving both a little frustrated and disappointed, but it was a question that needed to be cleared, "I haven't been one since, I . . ." the green eyed boy trailed off, "Since I was around seven. I've had tests and various screenings, and I'm perfectly clear of any—"

"Trowa!"

He looked up as Quatre sat up suddenly, shock written all over his features. His brow crinkled into a deep frown, as Quatre leant forward and pressed his face against Trowa's chest, "How . . . why. . . oh, Trowa!"

Trowa blinked and raised his hands to stroke the back of Quatre's head, "Quatre . . ."

"Who. . . who would do such a thing?" Quatre stared at the darkly tanned skin before his eyes, his heart pounding, and his throat constricting, "Trowa!"

Trowa continued to stroke Quatre's head, "I'm fine, I've had myself checked out, I'm not carrying—"

"That's not what I mean!" Quatre shifted his head so he could stare up at him, "What I mean is, how can you bear for anyone to even come near you . . . seven?! I don't understand!"

"Quatre. . ." Trowa began slowly, "I can carry on because I know that the people who did this to me are dead . . . because I have something else, giving me better memories, better experiences . . . Quatre, you wipe away such nightmares and give me so much." Trowa traced the edge of Quatre's lips, "Besides, my childhood wasn't always so bad . . . just when there were moments too quiet and boring for them."

Quatre closed his eyes, "And they are dead now?"

"Yes . . ." Trowa sighed, "Even my first. . ." he smiled sadly, "My first love . . ."

"Tell me about her."

"Him. His name was Medic."

Quatre shifted closer; raising a hand to slowly trace over Trowa's chest near his face, "Tell me about Medic . . ."

Trowa paused, and smiled sadly, "Medic was the man who taught me German, he was always with our camp, before I had even been found . . . I was eight when he was killed. . . he used to tell me stories, fairytales because he always thought that it was wrong that a child should have no childhood." Trowa paused, and shifted slightly to get comfortable. "I had been very injured when I first met him, and it wasn't very much love at first sight."

Quatre smiled, "What did he look like . . .?"

"He was small, blonde, and had very beautiful eyes that sparkled with life. He played an old saxophone, and liked to bathe in the natural springs . . ."

". . . if we survive this siege, Mein kleine namenlos Junge. . ."

Medic turned from the tent window, and looked around at the small area he called his hospital. Several of the mercenaries were here because they were too ill to even move. Kleine namenlos Junge, the little boy without a name blinked and looked up from his guns, as Medic stepped over his cleaning surplies to crouch beside him. "You and I shall go to this hot pool I've heard is nearby."

Nanashi nodded, and stared after the blonde man as he hummed quietly, treating his patients. He spoke with a soft baritone, German-accented voice to the nurse, a weary looking old woman. Nanashi came here when he had no better place to be, he delighted in the hair ruffles and the petting as he sat beside Medic's desk/workbench, and the blonde worked hard.

His musical humming a gentle lull to nanashi's senses.

When the siege was over, and the few who'd managed to escape came back to the burning base, nanashi – part of the team who'd used the battered mobile suits to attack the federation, and now was returning – immediately sought out Medic, and was with the blonde as news came that the Federation was coming back and they were moving out immediately.

Medic – who could never allow a living person fall into the hands of the enemy – refuse to move out until all his patients were taken out. The captain, a man who considered those to weak to fight a liability, refused to spend time moving people who couldn't help themselves.

Nanashi was torn between the man he come to love dearly, and the man who was his surrogate father, his captain. In the end, the nameless boy decided to stay long enough to help Medic drug, and poison the people who couldn't escape. The old nurse and medic were just finishing, when the Federation stormed the small base.

Medic grabbed nanashi by the arm, and pushed him into a small medicine cabinet. "Stay here!" Hissed the blonde desperately, his use of German underlying his fear and desperation, "Bitte, Mein kleine namenlos Junge, blieben!"

The nameless boy knew he should have done as he was told, but he reached out and grabbed Medic's blood stained collar in a silent plea for the man to stay. Medic's beautiful eyes filled with tears, as he pried the tiny boy's hand off his collar, "I'm sorry . . . I want you to survive . . ."

"Ich . . . Lueg mich nicht an!" nanashi frowned deeply, as he spoke in the only language anyone had ever bother to teach him to speak, "lassen mir nicht."

"I must leave you . . . I won't let them take you away . . ." A tear spilt from Medic's eye, as the blonde kissed the small clenched knuckles, "I love you, kleine liebe Junge, I love you."

"Lassen mir nicht *bitte*!!"

Medic blinked, more tears falling down his ruddy cheeks as he pulled his dark green scarf from around his neck and wound it tightly around the nameless boy's neck, "Hide here, don't make a sound, when they've gone, then try to escape . . ." Medic leant forward, as the shouts grew closer still, he pressed his lips tightly against nanashi's small, trembling ones. "I love you . . . when I too escape, I'll come and find you . . . I'll come and find you . . . this life or the next, I will find you!"

"Bitte!! Lassen mir nicht!"

The shouts were outside the tent, and medic pushed nanashi back, closing the door so only a sliver of light entered. Nanashi sat back, hiding as Federation officers entered and found a tent full of dead mercenaries, the old nurse and Medic.

The nameless boy flinched as the captain of the enemy began to demand that the other mercenaries come out of hiding. He moved forward a little, careful not to make any noise, and watched as the federation solders shot each bed, every dead mercenary in the head. He watched as the old nurse and Medic were thrown to their knees before the federation captain, and he demanded once more that the fictitious mercenaries come out. He almost did, until the captain – fed up with a lack of a response from people who obviously weren't there, and now feeling more foolish – shot the old woman in the back of the head. Medic's pale cheek was splattered with blood as the captain shouted at him once more, demanding to know if there was anyone else there in the tent. Medic's eyes didn't flicker in nanashi's direction as he calmly told the captain, that no, there was no one else here.

His beautiful eyes didn't blink, even when he heard the captain move behind him, and loudly cock his gun.

The nameless boy blinked as he felt something unbearably hot and wet roll down his cheek, as only when the captain squeezed the trigger softly, and the gun's hammer slowly clicked back, that only then did medic's eyes quickly flicker in the nameless boy's direction, and a look of pure regret filled the man's features.

Nanashi stayed in the cabinet until the war machines of the federation rumbled away . . . finally, after four hours, when the captain gave up, and nanashi had been staring at the dead body of his first true love, whispering one plea over and over, "Lassen mir nicht bitte . . . don't leave me . . . please don't leave me . . ."

"Oh Trowa . . ."

The once nameless boy blinked, and stared at beautiful, tear-filled eyes. Quatre sniffed lightly, and leant forward, "I love you." He kissed Trowa tenderly, "I love you, Trowa, I love you."

Trowa blinked slowly, aware that his cheek was damp, and he could taste salt. He held Quatre tightly, as the blonde showered him with love and kisses. "I love you!" Quatre declared fiercely, "I would never hurt you intentionally ever again!" He panted slightly, as he resumed his kisses. Closing his eyes tightly, Quatre seemed determined to kiss away Trowa's nameless past.

Quatre's desperate kisses, his small fingers - rough on one hand from playing the violin – trailed over his skin. He closed his eyes, as the desperation melted away and the desire returned, more resolutely than before. Trowa pushed Quatre over, laying on him, and feeling the sweet blonde below him breath heavily with emotion, "Quatre . . ." Trowa whispered, "lassen mir nicht, bitte . . . nie wieder, lassen mir nicht . . ."

The afternoon sun poured in on the two, as they passionately delighted in discovering each other's body for the first time.

The warm water sloshed quietly as Odin lowered himself into the pool. The hot water spring bubbled and trickled into the pool quietly, the wildlife chirped silently around him as he relaxed. His back had been killing him from all the extra hours he'd put in with repairing the damage to the first house. He and Helen had decided to leave the boys for now, Duo having had woken up the day before yesterday. Helen was so relieved that he'd finally come round, there was surprise because the angels had said it would be at least a few more weeks before the boys were due to wake up from their unusual slumber.

"Comfortable?"

Odin tipped his head back until he could see the upside down features of Helen Maxwell.

"Yup." He grinned, and sank down a little lower. He wiggled his bushy dark blonde eyebrows suggestively, "I'd be a lot more comfortable if say . . . oh, I don't know . . . you got in with me . . . see . . ." he raised his arm to demonstrate, "My arm needs a little exercise, in the elbow, and a little weigh against this bicep wouldn't hurt either . . . very relaxing . . ."

"Well." Helen got up and brushed her hands off, "There's still a little more work left on the First House, and I'm sure Rashid would be thrilled if you helped him carry the hay bundles tomorrow . . ."

"Ha, ha, ha . . . Odin Lowe is no man's packhorse!" Odin deadpanned, he sighed and rolled over as he watched the younger woman walk around the pool. Her ankles, bare of socks and shoes, flashing teasingly from under her long blue dress. He sighed and grumbled to himself testily, "Why does the woman of my dreams have to be a nun . . .?"

Helen smiled as she cocked her head, and asked innocently, "What was that, Mr. Lowe?"

"Nothing, Miss Maxwell. . ." Odin replied in his best schoolboy impression. He swam over to her as she reached the other side of the pool and sat on the outcropping of rocks, dangling her pale feet into the clear water. Odin daringly grabbed an ankle and smoothed his hand slowly up the underside of her chin.

"Odin. . ." Helen murmured warningly.

He smiled irritatingly, "For the Virgin Mary . . ." he met her eyes, with another suggestive wiggle of bushy blonde eyebrows, "You sure have nice legs . . ." he lifted a small part of her skirt to peer at her chins and ankles, "Very nice legs. . ."

Helen giggled quietly and batted his hand away, "Shoo fly, shoo." She stuck her tongue out at him as he planted both of his hands down either side of her, and hauled himself up. Odin rubbed his nose against hers, as he chuckled, "Now I'm a measly fly, am I? Buuuuzzzzzzz. . ."

"Yuck! That tickles!" Helen pushed her hands against his chest, as he licked her nose lightly. It made her very aware suddenly that the man was wearing nothing but his underwear, and of his very close proximity. Helen swallowed and dipped her eyes from his gaze, then looked up as she realised he was aroused as well.

"Odin . . ."

He kissed her lightly, on the cheek. "I know . . . your beliefs won't let me push this, but I love you, Helen. . . I think you should know that now." He lowered himself away from her and swam around the pool until his excitement abated. He swam back to her side, and leant back against the stonewall. Helen sighed and twined her hand in his dark blonde hair, "I'm sorry . . . but I . . ."

"I understand, Helen." Odin turned to her again, and reached up to capture her hand, "I love you because you're not like any woman I've ever met before . . ." he dipped his head, to lie his cheek against her warm thighs and stared at the small water fall, "And I never wanna let you go . . . Helen, I'll protect you when this thing comes for our boys, I promised Duo that much, and I'll promise you now."

Helen felt a warm feeling blossom in her chest. She felt her cheeks redden and burn, and instinctively clenched her thighs together. She smoothed her hands down his head, neck and down his back as she lent forward to kiss the small hard piece of bone that connected his spine to his neck.

Odin closed his eyes, as he felt her lean over, her breasts cushioning his head as she curled around him. He was warm, and safe with the woman he'd give his life for. His hands left the ground and curled around her legs, resting lightly on the small of her back. He could feel her heart thumping in his ear, her uneven breathing as her chest fought the alternating urges to press against him, make him aware of the harden nubs of her nipples, or pull back away from him, and hide her desire for him. The fact she instinctively clenched her thighs was clear to him, as the muscles rippled under his cheek.

Odin sighed, "I could stay like this for a long time, Helen . . ."

He didn't miss her quiet admission.

"Me too."

Someone squeezed his hand.

Cobalt blue eyes slid open, and Heero stared at Duo for a long moment. The other boy was sat on the edge of the futon, his eyes closed and turned to the window. The warm, dying gold sunlight reflected beautifully off Duo's profile and his hair. He held Heero's hand in his lap, squeezing it lightly every few moments.

"Duo . . . what are you doing?"

"Reflecting on how nice the sun can feel on your face . . . one thing I actually enjoyed about living on the streets was those few peaceful moments when you completely forgot all your troubles . . . everything, not even the fact your belly was empty could bring you down from that feeling when the sun just hits you in the face and you just warm right up . . ." Duo opened his own lilac eyes slowly, and turned his head toward Heero, ". . . I thought you'd never wake . . . I was worried." He smiled, a small relieved smile as he brought Heero's hand up, "I've awoken as Shinigami, Heero . . . I can use my powers now." Heero tried to sit up, finding aches rack his body. "Don't try to sit up just yet . . ." Duo murmured, his voice very quiet, filled with understanding. "We've woken up earlier than the Angels can believe, and our bodies are still recovering."

"How . . ." Heero began as Duo finally turned his body toward him completely and pushed his friend back down. Heero laid his head back on the pillow and stared at Duo, "How did you disappear?"

"I don't know entirely what happened . . . and I'm not sure I understand . . ." Duo smiled, "But . . ." calm broke, the spell of seriousness cleared as Duo's features lit up, "I can travel between dimensions and I can read peoples thoughts . . . it's really weird . . . I've been trying it out since I woke up a few days ago . . ."

Heero smiled slightly, //you've got telepathy?// he didn't change his expression, and nodded to Duo.

. . . cute, ya trying to test me . . .

Heero flinched as Duo smirked, and spoke in his mind. . . . Have I passing your test? . . . Heero flinched again, as Duo folded his arms and 'asked' patiently. Duo snickered aloud, and smiled widely, "I know, it's really freaky . . . Mom doesn't like it, so she's asked me not to do it to her without asking her first." He chuckled, "I'm gonna drive you guys crazy . . . I mean, even if you put your hand over my mouth . . ." he slid his own hand over his mouth, and continued, I can just keep talking like this

Heero chuckled quietly, "It's not that bad . . . are we all going to be capable of this?"

Duo shook his head, "No . . . the ability switches every different generation of knight." He shrugged and glanced out the window again, the sunset now turning red. "It just happens to be me . . ." he sighed, "Anyway . . . just before I switched dimension, I heard everyone's thoughts . . . and I had the Vision . . . the same vision as you and Trowa have had . . . although mine ran a little differently."

"How so?"

"When I asked your name, I was in Purgatory . . . it's one of the realities I can go to, it's where I took Quatre, and the others . . ." he frowned, "There was two versions of you, and for some weird reason I got the feeling I was supposed to choose one of you. For what, I don't know . . . but then I was in the desert again, and Trowa nodded when I asked that . . ." Duo frowned even deeper, "And then I woke up and found myself in purgatory . . . I was there for much longer than I was missing, though."

Heero sighed, and sat up, "what do you mean?"

"Ogama . . . I saw her there, her real form . . . told me that Purgatory was one place where even time wasn't able to control. It was full of ice, but wasn't cold . . . it felt like it was crowded yet it was empty . . . and then there was the girl and her dog . . ."

Duo blinked as Heero's hand clenched suddenly.

"What?"

Heero swallowed, "The flower in your hair, you got it from her . . .?"

Duo nodded, "I spoke to her, she gave it to me . . . Heero . . ." Duo blinked slowly, "Are you the boy in the park . . .?" Heero's mouth fell open, and he suddenly began to pale. His breathing increased, as he stared at Duo. For the first time, since meeting the pilot, Duo actually saw real fear steal across the introverted pilot's features. "Heero?"

"Y-yes," Heero stammered, "I couldn't find her, I killed her, and I couldn't find her . . . I could only find Mary, her pet puppy . . . I-I tried to give her—"

"A proper burial." Duo's eyes softened as he shuffled closer to Heero, "Heero, it's okay, she understands . . . she asked me to tell you, that she forgives you for it, that she's sorry you got into so much trouble, and that it was very kind of you to bury her dog . . ."

Duo raised a hand and stroked the side of Heero's face as the blue-eyed boy swallowed and closed his eyes. "I never even knew her name . . ."

"Mercy Hope . . ." Duo murmured, "Her name was Mercy Hope . . . she had been waiting in Purgatory for a chance to tell you that . . . she would like you to start forgiving yourself for it."

"I can't, I failed my mission and I killed her . . ." Heero opened his eyes and anger flashed hotly in their dark blue depths. "I killed an innocent!"

"But you've saved millions since . . ." Duo reached forward and pulled Heero into an embrace. They sat on the futon like that, until the sun finally set, and moon rose. Heero sighed, as he lay back with Duo in his arms. The longhaired boy had fallen asleep. Heero thought about Duo's powers, and his own. Were they enough to defeat the dark chi when it arrived? Would he be able to complete his training enough, after all, once the Dark Chi arrived there would be no second chances, there would be no chance for retraining. He didn't know if the battle would be one final battle, or a lifetime's worth of warfare . . .

. . . Shhh. . .

Heero frowned at the quiet, murmured voice in his mind. //Duo . . .?//

. . . Go to sleep . . . Duo didn't seem to be aware of himself, as he murmured again, . . . you keep thinking about things that we'll find out soon . . . be peaceful, sleep now . . .

Heero's eyelids began to grow heavy, as Duo's mantra soothed his mind. He smiled slightly as Duo began to catalogue minor things, and complained about what he could 'hear'. It was a little ray of hope for him, as usual.

. . . isn't enough that Wufei and his wife are at it, and Trowa's trying hard not to compare Quatre to the real Trowa, or to that Medic Guy . . . that's a point I really must ask who Medic is . . . and then there's cute lil Quatre, worrying if he's embarrassing himself because he's a virgin . . . awwwwhaaawww. . . and there's you. You with your worrying, I never knew you worried so much about stuff . . . I'd worry too if I wasn't so tired . . . but I won't. . .

Heero fell into that deep space of sleep, as Duo's voice lulled him completely. He almost missed the confession though, but wasn't awake enough to register it completely.

. . . if I didn't love you so much, I'd sock you one for keeping me awake . . . but I do love you, and one day . .  You'll know about it . . .

-----------------------------

And Now it's time to LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!

DrM: Alright let me try again . . . this is the link for the wonderful picture I got from Xiaobai. . . I hope this works this time; you need to take out the spaces though!

http: //www. angelfire. com/ anime5/ fanart3/ Death. jpg

DrM: Isn't she beautiful?! Wow! Anyway, if you have any comments about her, please address them to Xiaobai and I will post them all on the next chapter's A/N's as unfortunately I can't remember if I have Xiaobai's email!

Duo: She's scary looking. . . but seriously cool!

DrM: [grins] I know! I love it!! Anyway, randomly I've seen Pirates of the Caribbean for the third time. I think I've found a new Yaoi Pairing, though technically as it's live action that's really a Slash pairing.  JACK/WILL FOREVER! [grins]

Duo: [whispers to Will] I think now would be a good time for you to run, my friend. . .

William: No, I will stand here and fight, she doesn't scare me! [raises sword] AVAST!!

Duo: [slaps forehead and takes will aside] Yeah, thing is she's the Author. [glances over as DrM grabs Treize and puts him in a bright pink tutu and makes him do Swan Lake] She can do anything my friend . . .

William: Ah . . . I think I have a boat to catch . . . quickly, I would hate for my trip to the other side of the world to be delayed . . . [runs away]

Duo: [sighs] poor misguide newbies . . . just don't understand the power of Yaoi writers . . . [glances at Readers] Course, Yaoi writers bend to the will of their readers don't they? [grins] Please leave a review!!