Chapter Three is now adjusted, and it brings us back to the main arc. Enjoy!

I do not own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon.

Only One

---Chapter Three---

Ami moved carefully down the aisle, trying to find her seat without jolting other passengers putting away their overhead bags. Despite the rush and unpleasantness of boarding the plane, she was very, very happy to be returning to Japan after a three-year absence. She found her seat and slipped into it. Her seat was on the aisle, and in the window seat next to her was a man who appeared to be close to her own age. He had shaggy brown hair and steel-blue eyes that she just barely caught a glimpse of as he reached down to pull a laptop from his bag.

"Do you mind if I use this?" he asked in a perfect monotone, as though he didn't really care if she minded or not.

Ami smiled politely nonetheless and pulled out her own laptop. "Not at all, I have my own." She blushed immediately, as the statement was the sort of flirty banter she'd have expected to come out of Minako or Makoto's mouths, not her own. The man didn't reply but proceeded to set up his computer. Ami noticed the insignia on his jacket as she put her own beloved blue laptop on the fold-down tray. "You're with the Preventers?"

He began typing. "Yeah. Have been for ten years."

Ami bit her lip. "You were in the war with the planets on Queen Relena's side, then."

"I don't take sides, just orders. What are you, some anti-war, save-the-planets activist or something?"

Ami looked down. "No, not exactly. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. The war destroyed the lives of so many people, including a few of my friends. I guess I'm still bitter about it."

The man paused in his typing. "I know exactly what you mean," he said softly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts. Flight 18395, nonstop Los Angles to Tokyo, will be departing shortly."

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They didn't speak for the rest of the flight, but when the plane at last landed, Ami smiled again at her seatmate. "It was nice to meet you… oh, gomen nasai! I never asked your name."

The man stood. "Lieutenant-Major Heero Yuy."

Ami's smile sweetened. "I'm Dr. Ami Mizuno."

Heero took a deep breath. "Dr. Mizuno, would you like to get coffee with me sometime?"

Ami blushed. "Um, sure. When?"

"How's now?"

"Now is… now is good."

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"Moshi moshi?" Minako said automatically when she answered the phone. "Ugh. I mean, hello?"

"Minako-chan?" Ami's voice sounded strange over the planet-to-colonies connection, but to Minako the feminine voice speaking in Japanese was the sweetest thing she had ever heard.

"Ami-chan! I've been waiting for your call all afternoon! What took you so long? Did your flight get delayed?"

Minako was sure she could hear Ami blush over the phone. "No… I met a guy on the plane and we went out for coffee… and then we ended up having dinner together." Minako grinned. "Really? Well, you know I expect details from you, Ami. What's his name, what does he do for a living, how hot is he, that sort of thing."

"His name is Lieutenant-Major Heero Yuy and he's with the Preventers. I… I suppose he could be considered quite attractive…"

Minako frowned. Where had she heard that name before? "A Preventer, huh?"

"Yes. He was in the war too."

"No wonder you had plenty to talk about. His name sounds familiar, but I can't place it."

"He knew Duo."

Minako paused. Of course. She could hear Duo's voice even now.

"Yeah, my buddy Heero wants me to go back to the colonies, but I told him I'd rather stay here with you."

Minako gulped. "Ami, do you think it's possible we weren't the only ones from the Silver Millennium reborn in this time?"

Ami sighed. "If you're asking if I think Meridian was reborn, I really don't want…"

"No, no, I didn't mean that. It's just… Duo's here, Ami. Here at the asylum. He's one of my patients. He supposedly has multiple personalities."

"Oh, Minako…"

"Ami, I don't think that's what it is. One of his personalities calls himself Shin and talks about a sister named Viola."

Ami gasped. "Do you think he really is Shin? I mean, yes, Duo is Hotaru's half-brother in this life, but…"

"I think he is. And I know you don't want to hear it, but if Shin was reborn, who's to say that Meridian wasn't?"

"If Meridian was reborn, who's to say he isn't already with Alyssa? I told you, Minako, I don't want to know."

Minako bit her lip, thinking about how she could redirect the conversation to cheer her friend up. "Well, no, because he might get in the way of you and Heero, huh?"

Once again Minako could practically hear Ami blush. She made a mental note to get a video phone installed.

"I've only known Heero for less than a day. I really don't think…"

"Don't think what?" asked a male voice on Ami's end.

Minako's eyes widened as she heard Ami say "Oh, Heero! It's nothing."

"It didn't sound like nothing," Heero's voice replied.

Minako really, really wished she had a video phone.

Ami was struggling. "I was just talking to my friend, because I'd promised to call her, and I told her about you, and she has this habit of teasing…"

As Ami trailed off Minako realized something. "Ami, are you at your apartment? With him? Already?"

"No!" Ami shouted into the phone. "I mean, well… we're at his apartment, but I'm leaving soon! And he lives in my building. Next door to me, actually."

Minako fought the urge to laugh hysterically. "Okay then, I'll let you get back to whatever the two of you were doing. Ja ne, Ami-chan!"

"Minako, wait! It's not-"

Minako hung up in the middle of Ami's protest, grinning manically. Oh, she was going to have fun with this one. She'd have to call Makoto later and tell her, since she couldn't depend on Ami to do it. Someone knocked on her office door. "Come in," she called, glad to have answered in English instead of her automatic Japanese.

Gertrude peeped in. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Dr. Aino, but you're scheduled to speak to each of your patients this afternoon."

Minako stood up, brushing out her skirt. "No problem."

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And there weren't any problems… until she reached Duo's room. If Hades was still in control, she wouldn't be forced to talk to him, but Minako felt that she should. Gertrude unlocked the door. The TV was on now, blaring out some cartoon that Duo was staring at blankly. He turned when Gertrude and Minako came in. He stared at Minako.

"Duo," Gertrude said gently, "this is Dr. Aino. She's going to talk to you for a while, if that's okay."

Duo didn't look at the nurse. "You look like her," he said to Minako. She swallowed hard.

Gertrude looked concerned. "Should I stay, Dr. Aino?"

Minako shook her head. "We'll be fine, thanks." Gertrude looked doubtful, but she left. Minako pulled a chair over to Duo's bed. "Hello, Duo."

"It's been eight years, during which I thought you were dead, by the way, and all you can say is 'hello'?"

---End Chapter Three

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