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 only own Faye Bloom, Chang Xiao Fao Lan and the Angels. You know the pairings, but just in case . . . You've got 1x2x1, 3x4x3, 5xMeirin, a dash of 6x9, a sprinkle of 13xUne, half a teaspoon of OdinxHelen . . . and may just a hint of DxR and Dr.JxProf.G . . . grins what can I say? I'm evil.

rubs hands together what else have we got?

Ah yes, mandatory thank you to Bluegoo, even though she is still my primary betareader, she won't be putting in as much of an appearance for this next year . . . yeah, I plan on keeping on and on for a while . . . anyway, Blue's off at uni, which is BRILLIANT! But means she won't have enough time to beta for me . . . but does that mean that I will go down hill? That my terrible typos and grammar will get out of hand! laughs Oh ho, HO! No way . . . holds up hand and falls silent ladies and gentlemen, yaoi fan girls and guys – I know you're out there - . . . there's a new Beta reader in town. My gracious thanks go out to CLOW'D9 of Cardcaptor Sakura Fanfiction Fame, for her time and her patience in this.

((Thinking))

"Speaking"

Stress/Emphasis

Writing/Dream sequence

))Telepathic thoughts((

: Lyrics :

For The Grace Of Knights And Angels

By Doctor Megalomania

Chapter thirty-two: Haunting

Before him lay the immense army of the Darkness, embroiled in a fierce battle with the human forces.

Mobile suits tackled decaying Mobile Dolls, brothers fought each other, mothers wept as they cut down their children, and husbands closed their eyes tightly as they shot at their long dead partners. The final battle was fierce, horribly fierce. Quatre swallowed as he watched the battle, only half an hour into its birth and already the golden sands of his true home desert were tainted and blessed with the blood of his enemies and his allies. A glow in the sky caught his attention and Quatre ground his teeth with anger as he realised that the Dark Chi's soldiers were preparing to fire the large cannon in the sky. He glanced down, feeling his Space Heart wrench painfully as he felt Rashid take a hit, seeing his good friend's mobile suit begin to smoulder with fire.

He forced himself to turn, knowing that behind him the dark Chi's chosen knights were beginning to walk toward them.

He glanced either side of him; Duo and Heero stood together, in their magnificent black and white cloaks, their white and black wings barely touching as the two glanced at each other. The other side, Wufei and Trowa stood, Wufei's intricate dark red robes stood out against the desert sands beautifully, the young warrior looking every inch a dragon. Trowa was handsome, heartbreakingly, his expression softened for a moment as he caught his hawk.

Heero blinked as he felt Duo's eyes fall on him. Duo frowned, "Heero. . ."

Transfixed by the sight of the six others before him, Heero was too slow to react and Duo was already turning his head, asking someone else his question.

"Does everyone else see six of them and just five of us?"

There was a small explosion of green magic as Trowa lifted his finger and the White Hawk reappeared, landing gracefully on his finger. The taller magician nodded slowly, as Duo turned his head back to Heero.

"Heero . . ."

The once perfect solider opened his mouth but was silenced as they were quickly surrounded by a ring of fire. Wufei glared at the six as they came toward the five knights. "Let them come . . ." he growled, "By the honour of my wife, Nataku . . . we will not fail!"

Before them, the second to last dark knight raised his hand in the air and a wild circle of fire spread around the dark knights.

Trowa closed his eyes briefly and threw his arms forward, a gust of wind swept up and drew up a wall of swirling sand between them. "We cannot fail . . ." he murmured quietly, "Not with so much resting on our shoulders. . ."

Their cloaks billowed as the counterpart of Trowa sent his own winds to disrupt the peaceful gusting sands. In the midst of the sandstorm, Heero raised his hand far above his head. Light twisted and twirled into hand, dispelling the sand from around them. "Not only because we are fighting for the earth . . ."

"But 'cause we're damn too stubborn to lose!" Duo growled as he called water from deep in the ground and sent it erupting into the sky. He sent it crashing down on the sand, quickly forming a gully of quick sand between them. His counterpart did not react. The short gully was enough for the knights to face off. The dark knights stared over impassively as the Gundam knights walked up to the edge of the quick sand.

The dark knight who wore the polar opposite colours to Heero smirked as he stepped forward. He bowed genteelly; "Let us introduce ourselves, so you may know who will crush you . . ."

He swept his arm out gracefully, motioning the first forward.

"I am Quinze. . ."

The dark brown-cloaked knight walked up to the edge of quick sand and raised his gloved hand to peel back his hood. "Formally of White Fang, I am the dark Knight of Time." His old eyes narrowed, as he lifted an arm to point. "Quatre Winner, I claim you as my foe!"

Quatre strode to the very edge, his hands clenched.

"I, Quatre Raberba Winner, am the Knight of Time . . . The Pilot of Gundam Sandrock." He nodded defiantly, "I accept you as my foe!"

"Alex Holloman, formally an OZ fighter, trained by Noin herself!" Alex stepped forward, pulling off his hood hard, "And Swahalia Mueller, formally an OZ fighter as well, trained by Noin by my side . . . we are the Dark Knights of Warriors . . . We claim the Knight of Warriors and any small army he wishes to call to save his sorry hide!"

"Your arrogance will be your downfall . . . and I, the Knight of Warriors, will be your executioner!" Wufei was strangely calm under his angry words as he stepped forward, "I am Chang Wufei of the Dragon Chang Clan, the Pilot of Gundam Nataku!"

The third dark knight stepped forward swiftly, "I am the true Trowa Barton . . ." Barton pulled back his hood, his blonde hair almost wildly mussed and his blue eyes sparkling with dark fury. "I am the rightful pilot of Gundam Heavyarms . . ." he levelled a finger at Trowa as he yelled across, "I claim that nameless bastard as my foe, I am the Dark Knight of Beasts . . . I will claim my true place and revenge for the fall of my family!"

"I am your foe . . . I am the Knight of Beasts . . ." Trowa stepped forward, his dark green eyes crackling with energy. "But this name is now mine! You will take it from me by force! I am Trowa Barton, Triton Bloom . . . I am nanashi . . . the Pilot of Gundam Heavyarms!"

Barton's furious dark blue eyes narrowed as the Dark Knight of Death brushed past him silently. He came to a stop at the very edge of the gully of quick sand. "I am the Father . . . and I have come to punish my son . . ."

Duo let out a low moan; Quatre winced as he felt Duo's emotions roil beneath the surface of his calm face. Duo's thoughts accidentally slipped into all their minds. )). . . No . . . Please, no . . .((

The dark knight pulled his hood back, revealing a kindly looking old man whose hair was matted with blood and whose green eyes, once very gentle, were now narrowed with fury.

"I am Father Rowan Maxwell, formally of the L2 Maxwell Church. I am here to punish my bastard son for carrying on the war and forgetting everything I taught him . . . I am he who gave Duo Maxwell his last name . . ." the man's calm, quiet voice broke as he shook hard and roared, "I CLAIM MY BASTARD SON, I CLAIM THE KNIGHT OF DEATH!" He raised his arm and pointed with his long fingers as his voice thundered over the gully, "I, THE DARK KNIGHT OF DEATH, CLAIM SHINIGAMI AS MY FOE!"

For a long moment, Duo couldn't say anything. He stared across the gully at the man he considered a father and felt his knees go weak. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Alex nudge Mueller, and Barton's lips pulled in a wicked smirk. He closed his eyes briefly, remembering the kind old man Father Maxwell had once been. He swallowed hard, willing long forgotten tears away. When he opened his eyes again, his violet eyes crackled, magic sprang up from his footsteps as he walked toward the gully and stared out. He tapped his scythe down once.

"I am Duo Maxwell . . ." Duo's voice was deep, raw with emotion as he spoke. He stared at the sand of the gully for long moments as he spoke, "I am the Knight of Death . . . I am Shinigami . . . I am the Pilot of Gundam Deathscythe . . ." he raised his head and spoke simply. "And I will save my father, so he may rest in peace."

Father Maxwell's eyes narrowed.

The final knight stepped forward and raised his hands. He began to float, crossing the Gully with ease. The Gundam knights stepped back as he landed and looked around them. His hood hid his eyes, but could not hide his smirks, as he looked each of them over. Finally he glanced at Heero, before nodding and stopping before Duo. Shinigami could barely take his eyes off Father Maxwell.

He jerked back as the dark knight before him took off his black glove and slid a roughened hand against Duo's cheek.

A gentle smile passed over the dark knight's lips as he leant forward and bestowed a gentle kiss upon Death's lips.

Duo's eyes widened as the knight drew back, stroking a finger down the curve of his cheek. "When we were children . . ." the dark knight murmured calmly, "I promised you that I would be your lover . . . and that you would be mine . . ."

Duo's mouth began to fall open with horror as the dark knight's hood fell back revealing dark cobalt blue eyes.

"You don't have to fight, kid . . . you've never had to fight us . . ."

"No . . ." the quiet moan slipped past Duo's lips. "Please . . . please, God, no . . ."

The hood slipped back further revealing messy dark brown hair which at the back had been pulled into a small ponytail, the slightly golden skin of a Japanese half bred, dark bushy eyebrows . . . Wufei couldn't help the gasp escape. "Yuy!"

The other boy looked almost exactly like Heero, only a little older, perhaps a bit paler and had slightly longer hair . . . he smiled impassively as he tipped his head and knelt in a bow to Duo.

"I am Solo . . ." he spread his arms, keeping his balance perfectly and his eye contact with Duo alone, "I was a child thief who took in the kid and taught him everything he knows . . ." he blinked and his happy expression disappeared as he stood once more. "I am he who gave Duo Maxwell his first name." He tipped his head to the side and stared at the younger mirror image of himself. "I am your foe, I am Urami. . . the Knight of Cruelty." He slid his hand under Duo's chin again, forcing another soft moan from the younger boy. "I am here to take back what is mine. My lover . . ." his eyes narrowed as he glanced at Heero again. "And mine alone! I claim Duo Maxwell as my prize, as for you . . ." he glanced Heero over once more, cold contempt in his eyes, "You, kid, are nothing but collateral damage to me . . ."

Heero's eyes narrowed coldly, "Duo is no prize . . ." he spat, suddenly furious at this man. "I am Heero Yuy, I am the Knight of Mercy, I am Pilot of Gundam Wing. . . and I will destroy you before you set hands on my Koibito once more!"

"Kisama!" Hissed Solo coldly, "Very well . . ." he glanced at Duo once more before stepping back. "This ends today. . ." he turned away, and floated back over the gully between them.

Duo stared at his father and the other person who'd practically raised him.

He blinked out of it when he felt Quatre tug at his sleeve. Duo stepped back into the line they formed, and shivered as Quatre held up his hands.

The shifting sands around them slowed to a stop and as they looked over the gully to their opponents, they saw their frozen expressions of arrogance, hatred . . . and in Father Maxwell and Solo's features, undisguised contempt and fury.

Duo felt his heart would break.

"Are you going to be okay, Duo?" Quatre's voice was filled with concern, for him or for the greater good of mankind Duo wasn't in the right frame of mind to register. The ever-strong smile returned to his lips as he turned back to his friends. "Me? Sure!" He winked, "Just seeing Fa-Father Maxwell there and ol' Solo ma-made me feel a lil kooky, that's all . . ." he grinned weakly, "But we're the good guys, right?"

"Right." Quatre nodded firmly. "Well, this is it now." He glanced around them all, feeling pangs of worry from each of them. "I know we can do this . . . all of us, as a team . . ."

Wufei nodded, "Enough talk." He glanced out the time bubble as it rippled slightly. "Do we just walk through it?"

"As you would a curtain." Quatre confirmed. Wufei stared at the shimmering golden magic for a heartbeat longer before glancing at the others.

"Fight honourably." He stepped closer and touched each of their shoulders, "Fight until the end and do not be fooled by their games. They may try to part us, but in our heart we are always, and always have been Gundam. Never forget this." He nodded once more and stepped back, pulling out his staff. "I shall see you all at the end of the battle. Until then . . ."

The four remaining watched as Wufei dashed out of the time bubble.

"Damn . . . Wufei's always been just that little sentimental . . ." Duo's grin faltered for a moment as he glanced at Heero, he held up a hand and grabbed Heero's chin. "No self-destructing, Mister Auto-Destruct . . ." he grinned and pressed a hard kiss against Heero's lips, "See you at the end of the match when it's Dark Chi none, Gundam Win!" He swept his scythe out impressively. He turned and glared out as he spread his dark wings, hollering at the top of his lungs, "SHINIGAMI IS BACK FROM HELL!"

Heero watched as his dark angel passed through the filmy time bubble's surface. He glanced at Trowa and Quatre, managing a tight nod before drawing his sword and walking to the edge of the bubble. "Remember . . ." he paused and glanced over his shoulder, "Dying hurts like hell . . . I don't suggest either of you indulge in it . . ."

He spread his wings and passed though the time bubble. Its surface already beginning to destabilise.

"Quatre . . ."

The short blonde glanced at his lover, Trowa's eyes were fixed on him as the taller knight stepped forward. "Quatre, no matter what happens . . . know that I love you." He leant down and pressed a bruising kiss again Quatre's pale pink lips. He closed his dark green eyes so he wouldn't have to wish Quatre a good bye. He held the slim body of his lover tightly.

"I never want to let you go . . ." Trowa's eyes opened as Quatre began to whisper. "But for the earth . . . for our friends . . . for Gundam . . ."

Trowa pulled back and opened his eyes. He kissed Quatre once more and watched his soft lover disappear, his gentle eyes hardening into cold blue. Trowa touched his face once more before pulling his arrows and bow out. He floated back, jumping gently as he allowed his wings to carry him away from his sweet lover. "For Gundam . . . but Quatre . . ." he smiled slightly, as he got further away, "When we meet again, I hope I see my love, my sweet, gentle Quatre once more . . ."

Quatre's lips smiled slightly as Trowa faded through the bubble's filmy surface.

The ripples dissipated it completely this time and time slowly came back to its normal flow.

The sand cleared around him, Quatre jerked his head up as a shadow passed above him. Quinze had taken a running leap into the air and was slashing down at him with blackened scimitars.

Quatre didn't even have time enough to grab his own weapons before...

And Now It's Time to LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!

DrM: Chiiiii! It's a short update because the next chapters are really going to hot up! Please R&R and tell me what you think's gonna happen!