A/N: Hello! Long time! . sorries

This chapter hasn't been beta'ed.

If you find any mistakes, just let me know and I'll fix them.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 02

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Quatre gasped as his head broke the water's surface. The light was blinding without the ocean's distortion. "DUO!" He choked, squinting to find his long-haired friend. "Where are you?"

"I'm here, Quat." The other mer-boy reassured, grasping the smaller fish's arm and tugging it. "Come on, there's a lagoon over this way where we can hide."

"How long 'til the sharks leave?"

"Don't know." The braided teen ducked back under the water, surveying the ominous shapes that were searching the kelp. "But just to be safe, we need to go. You're still bleeding."

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"lim r(t) (lim f(t), lim g(t), lim h(t))" Trowa mumbled to himself, tapping his pencil against his calculus book. He groaned, running his hand through his bangs. "I so don't want to do this right now."

"Don't let Father hear you say that." The redhead giggled.

Emerald eyes flashed as the banged teen whirled to glare at the juvenile intruder, standing in his doorway. "What are you doing in my room, Mari?"

"Father sent me to make sure you were doing your work." The child smiled sickeningly sweetly. "And to inform you that you are to join us for dinner."

The teen raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that I was going without tonight."

Mariemaia smirked smugly. "Father wants you to join us for dinner; he said nothing about you eating with us."

"Great, so he's rubbing it in my face." Trowa groaned. "That man hates me."

"We all do, Trowa. You should know that by now." The redhead girl cooed before dancing out of the room, "Don't be late."

"Demon spawn." The banged teen growled, turning back to his text book. After staring at the same problem for twenty minutes, he closed it in frustration and booted up his computer. He may not be able to concentrate on his unreasonable amount of homework, but he could at least try and complete the research on his uncle's bull shark.

.Ping.

Trowa grinned as an instant message from Hiiro popped up moments after logging on. Status?

The banged teen thought for a moment. If he answered honestly, it would only serve to agitate his friend; but if he fudged the truth even a little bit, Hiiro would know and pass it along to Wu Fei and then they would both worry. Making a decision, he quickly typed: Tired. Long day. U?

-Pissed

Y?

-The pink Banshee followed me home again.

Damn. sorry.

-Not your fault.

Could file for a restraining order. She is stalking you.

-Doubt it would stop her.

Lol probably right.

What's your mom fixing for dinner?

-lasagna. You?

Dunno.

--You did eat, right:(

Trowa groaned. Now that Wu Fei had joined the conversation, there was no way of getting by with the non-answer he was about to give Yui.

-Trowa? Hiiro's message prompted.

Resigned he tried: dinner hasn't been served yet.

Almost immediately, Wu Fei's response popped up: He's not letting you eat!?

Not tonight.

-Can you sneak out? Mom says you're always welcome.

Thanks, but I'm okay.

--Barton, this is unacceptable! It is injustice! You haven't done anything to deserve punishment! It's abuse!

And what am I to do, Fei? Trowa typed almost angrily. It's not even that big a deal. So I'm hungry 'til morning. So what? If it's not one thing, it'd be another. Why fight it?

-Because you deserve better.

--Because you're our friend and we hate seeing you treated this way.

A small smile tugged at the banged teen's mouth as he typed back, Thanks guys.

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"How did you know these rocks were here?" The blonde mer-boy asked, once his friend had deemed it safe to relax a little.

"Ah, you know…" The braided teen shrugged. "I know how to hide."

"I'm glad." Quatre smiled before becoming serious. "It could have been really bad if you hadn't been there."

"Don't make that face, Quat." Duo smiled, drawing his friend into a comforting embrace. "Nothing bad happened."

"It could have! He really wanted to kill me!" The smaller fish snuggled closer, "I could feel it…"

"That bastard could have tried, but you and I both know that you can't kill the Life." He tilted Quatre's face till their eyes met. "Not even I, the Plague, can kill the Life." Duo placed a gentle kiss against the blonde's forehead. "Now you've got a nasty cut on your cheek…" He tilted the boy's head to examine the bleeding gash. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Just my pride." Quatre grinned cheekily.

"Funny." The braided teen teased as he held his hand over the wound. "Hold still." He ordered, his violet eyes glowing. In seconds warmth spread from the tips of his fingers into the injury site, mending the skin, healing his friend.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem. It's good to know that being cursed has some benefit to it."

"Were you able to see Hilde?"

"Briefly." The ebony-tailed teen rolled his eyes. "That girl is seriously wack'."

"What happened?" Quatre asked as he laid his head on his friend's lap.

Duo sighed, before stretching out along the rocks, running his fingers through the smaller mer-boy's hair. "Hilde said that the royal family wasn't going to budge on their position concerning us."

"It's so wrong. How could they turn on us like that?"

"Instincts flare when a fish is scared. They don't understand what they've seen and they're afraid of what they don't know."

"Do you think they sent Cain?"

"Maybe." The braided fish shrugged. "You should try and sleep. We can't stay here for too long. The fishermen start at early dawn."

Azure eyes studied their amethyst counterparts, "What aren't you telling me, Duo?" He asked quietly.

"Sleep, Quat."

The Life looked like he was going to continue arguing, but a warning glare from the Plague stopped any further questioning. With a resigned sigh, the smaller mer-boy snuggled beside his friend, quickly drifting off to sleep.

0o0o0

I need to go. Trowa typed when he heard his Aunt called dinner ready.

-k

--Barton. You know that we're here?

I know.

-Any time.

:) I know.

-will you be on later?

Dunno. I've got a lot of homework to finish before I even start the research for the aquarium. The banged teen cringed as his uncle's voice yelled for him to get his ass downstairs immediately. I gotta go! Ja ne!

Hurriedly, he closed the lid to his laptop and dashed downstairs. His uncle was waiting for him at the bottom; Dekim's wrinkled old face twisted with distain.

Admittedly, the tall teen had been expecting the sharp blow that stung the side of his face; even as his emerald eyes closed against the pain as he fought to keep his expression mutual. One thing that he had vowed to both himself and his friends was that he wouldn't give his uncle the satisfaction of a reaction. Sometimes it was easier than others.

"You're late." Dekim spat. "Mariemaia informed you that dinner was almost ready and that you were to be prompt." He grabbed his ward by the ear, extracting a hiss of pain from the teen. "I'm talking to you! You will answer me!"

Emerald eyes stared defiantly at the old man.

"Are you two going to stand there all day and let our food get cold, or are you planning on joining Marie and me?" A slender woman with piercing jade eyes glared. "I suggest you choose wisely."

"We'll be right in, Dania." Dekim snarled. "I just need a moment with the boy."

Trowa's aunt frowned at his uncle as she spun on her heel and disappeared into the dining room.

Lowering his voice, the older man growled at the banged boy, "I will break you into itty-bitty pieces." He promised. "You will submit."

"DEKIM!" Dania's voice hollered.

"We're here. We're here." Dekim growled, shoving the lanky teen into his seat while taking his own.

"It's about time." His wife chastised as she began placing their meals in front of them.

"Don't bother with his food. He won't be eating tonight." Dekim instructed as he cut his meat. Turning to his daughter, he smiled, "And how was your day, Pumpkin?"

"Nothing special." The little red-head smiled brightly. "School is boring and my friends are imbeciles." She pouted slightly, "I don't know why I can't go to the university everyday. High school is just so… lame."

"You're just a child, Marie." Her mother reminded. "You may have the IQ to attend college courses, but you don't have the physical or mental maturity to be in that environment. Plus you need to interact with children your own age."

Mariemaia scowled at Dania. "You're just trying to hold me back, mother." She accused. "My youth isn't a disadvantage but an opportunity to learn what I must in order to live a fulfilled life. Being surrounded by snot-nosed, bugger-eating, naïve brats is nothing but an annoying hindrance that I can most certainly do without. Why should I hold myself back? I am capable of so much more. Why… I would even go as far to say I could rule the world."

"Your humility astounds me." Trowa rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the growl of his stomach. Of course his aunt had prepared one of his most favorite of meals. The smells were beyond tantalizingly torturous.

The little girl stuck her tongue out at her cousin. "No one asked you, Nanashi."

"See, Marie." Her mother sighed, "This is just what I'm talking about. I'm not saying you couldn't exceed your potential, but in all honesty, the reality of the situation is no businessman, congressman or monarchy would take you seriously –no matter how high your IQ is."

"Your mother has a point." Dekim agreed. "Unless you want to end up as a nobody, like Trowa, then you need to grow up."

"Yes, Father."

"That's my girl, now eat your peas." He smiled at his little protégé before turning his attention to the ever present thorn in his side. "Did you get that information yet, Boy?"

"I've been busy." Trowa deadpanned. "I have to raise my grades."

"It's no wonder too, why his grades are so poor…" Marie piped up, as she pushed some funky vegetable around on her plate. "With all the time he spends on the computer chit-chatting with his loser friends."

"Shut-up." Trowa hissed under his breath.

Dekim cleared his throat as he stood, drawing the teen's attention. "This is inexcusable." He began his tone dangerously low. "You know what I expect; and that I expect it to be done promptly. After all I've done for you, taking you in, sending you to school, letting you work at my aquarium-THIS is how you repay me!?" The old man grabbed Trowa by his shirt, hauling him to his feet. "With laziness and disrespect?"

The banged teen struggled against his uncle's grasp. "Let go!"

"Maybe a night in the basement will improve your attitude?" The old man snarled, pulling the struggling boy out of his chair and down the hall.

"NO! LET GO!" Trowa protested.

Ding-dong

Dekim froze.

Ding-dong

"Damn-it!" He growled. "Dania, answer the god-damn door!"

"Yeah, yeah." The woman grumbled, before pasting a fake smile on her face as she opened the door. "Chang Wu Fei, what a surprise."

The teen bowed slightly, "Good evening, Mrs. Barton. Is Trowa ready?"

"Ready?" Dania blinked confused. "Ready for what?"

The Chinese boy flashed her a smile, "We had made arrangements to meet so that we could study as well as research the shark for tomorrow… Didn't Mr. Barton inform you? It was his idea." He raised an eyebrow and made a show of looking at his watch, "I'm not late am I?"

"Young man, I wasn't aware that late was in your vocabulary." The woman stated, somewhat amused.

"So, is Trowa ready to go?"

"I'm here, Fei." The banged boy announced, twisting away from his uncle's grasp.

"Great, let's go get your stuff."

"I just need my computer and book bag." Trowa whispered as they ascended the stairs.

"Make sure you have a change of clothes for tomorrow. You're not coming back tonight." Wu Fei instructed under his breath.

Silently, the banged teen obeyed his friend.

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To be continued…