Broken tears

Chapter two

Quatre resisted the urge to throw something at Duo. For the last six hours Duo had been hinting at something between him and Dorothy. Thankfully Dorothy has slept through the entire thing making Quatre wonder when the last time she had gotten any sleep but he shy away from thoughts like that right now he need all of his wits to keep from strangling Duo.

"Duo for the last time I am going to ask you to stop. We are approaching earth; I don't want to hear another sound out of you about Dorothy and I." Quatre said trying to sound authorities. Duo had been pushing his luck and if he kept it up he would not be going back to his girlfriend he would be on a one way trip out the air lock. Quatre had threatened him more then once with that kind of ending but Duo seemed incapable of taking a hint. Quatre knew that he was emotionally a mess but he could sense Dorothy's pain, it coursed through his own veins and made his head hurt. Quatre moved to touch Dorothy's shoulder and end up with a gun in his face. Only Quatre's own quick reflects saved him and the rest of the inhabitants of the plane from dying.

"It's alright Miss Dorothy. I won't hurt you. I wanted you to know we were beginning our decent to earth. Miss Relena is waiting to greet you at Preventer Head- Quarters. She is quite worried about you." Quatre said in a soothing tone as he kept his hand on the gun, keeping the safety locked. Dorothy blinked rapidly at him and then shoved back her hip long hair.

"Where are we?" Dorothy asked looking around the cabin.

"On our way to Prevent Head-Quarters in New Europe." Quatre said softly

"Why?" Dorothy seemed generally confused about this entire operation.

"You need to be protected. So we will protect you, after Miss Sally looks you over I would like you to return to space with me to the L4 cluster. If you decided to stay on earth you will be placed with one of the other pilots for a while." Quatre explained.

"Other pilots? You mean Yuy, or Barton?" Dorothy released the gun into Quatre's hold and sat up completely.

"Yes, or Wufie Chang and his partner Sally Po." Quatre said with a happy nod.

"Why can't you stay on earth?" Dorothy asked quietly

"I'm afraid I can't steal anymore time. One of my elder sisters is watching over the Winners but I'm needed back soon." Quatre explained. Dorothy nodded slowly she glanced at Duo blinking at him she tried to place him. Finally giving up she turned to Quatre.

"Who is that?" Dorothy asked confused

"This is Duo Maxwell… he is a pilot as well." Quatre explained. Duo having heard Dorothy's voice came to investigate.

"Yo Cat Lady…. Good nap?" Duo asked as he lounged against the seat in front of them. Dorothy looked startled for a minute then narrowed her eyes.

"Don't call me a Cat Lady you long hair moron." Dorothy managed a haughty tone and a sneer but ruined the effect by sneezing. Quatre quickly removed his jacket and offered it to her.

"Are you cold Miss Dorothy? Please use my jacket." Quatre's good manners shone through him and Dorothy smiled slightly at him.

"You never change do you? your still kind to a person that grievously injures you…. a person who you demanded your friend rescue and a person you made get off a dying ship if only to prove to you that she was strong enough to live. Your kindness never fails to amaze me. In any other person I would claim such kindness made them weak……. But your kindness seems to only strengthen you……." Dorothy sighed and turned her attention to the ceilings

"I just don't understand you…. not one bit." Dorothy said it so convincingly that Duo just laughed at Quatre's startled expression.

"Guess she got you pegged hm Q?" Duo said smirking lightly and Quatre turned to look at him giving him a warning look.

"You." Duo exclaimed with a pointed finger "Have been around Heero for far too long. That or you naturally had a killer death glare that no one knew about. I am going to have to ask Trowa about this." Duo nodded to him self obviously already having the conversation in his head. Dorothy looked from Duo to Quatre in slight confusion.

"What is he talking about?" Dorothy asked Quatre looked cornered for a moment then smiled charmingly.

"I have no idea Miss Dorothy, I have no idea." Dorothy narrowed her eyes again but then shrugged it off she had more important things to worry about.

"How's your company doing?" Dorothy asked as she taping a finger against the arm rest of her chair. Quatre smiled warmly at her.

"We just started a new project that will allow us to be more of an assist to the colony itself. Not only were we mining in zero gravity but we were able to discover a way to convert the material we were mining into coal and other combustible substances. Now the colonies don't have to rely on shipments so strongly." Quatre frowned slightly

"Its not that we want to cut off the earth and colonies for natural resources but this kind of resource would actually be cheaper for the colonies in the long run because of transportation."

"And you had time to do all that and look for a lost girl?" Dorothy asked raising an eyebrow.

"Not lost, hidden there's a difference." Quatre corrected softly

"And I wasn't the only one looking. I was the one that asked to come after you after we pin down your last location and figure out the new one. It didn't help that at first your destinations seemed so random finally we were able to piece together a pattern and then from there figure out which colony you would be jumping to next. It was obvious that you were skipping some because they were more colonies and there were more people in the way of a battle.

"You figured me out?" Dorothy sound half impressed and half disbelief.

"Um…. You were going to jump to earth soon…… we decided it would be easier to catch a hold of you in space then on earth. If you went to ground there wouldn't be much we could do to find you. Our expertise is space after all." Quatre smiled gently. Dorothy shook her head and sighed as she watched earth appear before her eyes.

"You never fail to amaze me Mr. Winner." Dorothy said with a tired sigh.

"So has Mr. Yuy made his move on Miss Relena yet?" Dorothy asked. Quatre sighed and Duo perked up.

"Not you too." Quatre groaned. Duo laughed

"Not yet but me and Hilde are working on a killer plan to get them together." Duo claimed.

"Duo!" Quatre yelled.

"Oh come on Q if we don't help them they will never get together." Duo said with a roll of his eyes. Dorothy giggled at both of them.

"Duo, Heero will not be happy if you try and fix him up with Miss Relena. We should just stay out of their affair." Quatre said shaking his head.

"They're having an affair!" Dorothy sounded slightly scandalized.

"What? No of course not…. Well I don't think they are." Quatre stuttered.

"They had best not be….. Miss Relena is the next generation if she and Yuy get pregnant the next thing you know ever girl under the age of 20 is going to trying the exact same thing." Dorothy said quietly almost sage like.

"Ya think?" Duo actually looked worried about the possibility.

"Maybe I should tell hil we gotta nixed that plan….. I mean it would probably be bad if we were responsible for a baby boom right." Duo scratched the back of his head. Quatre just groaned and Dorothy laughed.

"We are now entering the atmosphere please return to your seats." A female voice said over the radio.

"Ah, well we can talk some more when we hit the ground." Duo shrugged and started for the front of the plane.

"Is he flying the plane?" Dorothy inquired softly

"Duo? No just going to sit by the front door it's a precaution is all." Quatre was quick to reassure.

"Oh." Dorothy looked frightened but only for a moment then the shutters fell back over her eyes and she was Dorothy again.

"We have now docked at New Haven, please be advised that Major Po is awaiting your arrival." The female voice said.

"Miss Dorothy are you ready?" Quatre extended his arm out to her. She sighed and took it.

"Do you really think it will be safe here?" Dorothy questioned almost ideally.

"As safe as we can make it Miss Dorothy," Quatre paused her and then step to look her square in the eye.

"I swear to you Dorothy I will do everything to keep you safe, I won't abandon you. I will protect you with my life." Quatre risked putting his hand under her chin.

"I won't let anything happen to you I promise." Quatre whispered the last part. Dorothy smiled slowly and almost sadly at him.

"Don't, don't through your life away for me…. If anything happens I want you to promise me that you will live….. that the promise I want from you. No matter what happens you will live….. that's enough for me." Dorothy's eyes slide past him to the run way where she could see a bit of a crowd gathered. Quatre frowned he could feel her sadness and her despair. It was like a living breathing thing inside her.

'I'll find a way to bring you back. I swear it.' Quatre thought fiercely.

Duo rocked slowly on his heels he could see Relena, Heero, Trowa, Sally and surprisingly Commander Une standing at the edge of the hanger. Relena and the Commander looked happy to see the plane but the longer Quatre and Dorothy were taking the less thrilled them seemed to be. Turning his head he could barely make them out. Quatre was standing in front of her and what ever he was saying seemed to just make her sad. He watched her shake her head negatively at something Quatre said then talk back. Her voice was far to light to pick up especially with the win blowing. He was kind of surprised that Quatre was touching her though he had been very careful not to touch her the entire time she slept on the plane, but here was Quatre with his hand holding her chin in place so that he could stare into her eyes. He watched Quatre square his shoulders slightly then step back a bit so he could lead them off the plane. Finally Quatre looked at Duo. Duo gave the go ahead sign and Quatre walked down first ever vigilant with a tired and sad looking Dorothy trailing behind him. The fact that neither hadn't let go of one another's hand didn't pass Duo's notice.

"What's taking them so long? Duo's been standing down there for five minutes all ready. If something was going to happen wouldn't it have happened by now?" Relena asked concerned.

"Quatre's talking to Dorothy." came Trowa's soft answer.

"Then they really found her this time?" Relena's entire face light up.

"She seems hesitant." Heero offered the others nodded in agreement.

"Do you think she didn't want to come back?" Relena began chewing on a nail she looked worried.

"She's probably frightened, the people chasing her were trying to kill her and came pretty close a couple of times, she's just warier of new surrounds." Sally said doctor tone firmly in place. Heero reached out an arm and gentle pulled Relena's hand away from her face. She made a face at him but stop chewing on her nails.

The trio slowly made their way towards the small group.

"Hiya Princess, three wearier travelers home and accounted for." Duo said with a smirk and a sloppy salute. Relena giggled at him.

"Hello Miss Dorothy." Relena said softly. Dorothy eyes meet Relena's for a moment.

"Hello Miss Relena, Master Quatre tells me that you were part of the effort to bring me home….. I…. Thank you." Dorothy said quietly her eyes seemed to breeze around the group.

"Hello Mr. Barton, you look well….. Hello Mr. Yuy." Dorothy greeted the other. They watch as Commander Une suddenly moved forward they all looked a little startled when Une pulled Dorothy into a tight and fierce hug.

"Mr. Traize would have never forgiven me if I had allowed his favorite cousin to die. You look tired Dorothy." Une said quietly having examined Dorothy as she had greeted the other. The other looked her over now. She looked like she was barely standing on her own. It hadn't escape Heero's and Trowa's notice that Quatre was probably the only thing keeping Dorothy on her feet, she was terribly thin, he clothing hanging off of her and her face was pale and drawn, her check bones proment.

"When was the last time you had a decent solid meal?" Sally demanded she reach forward and was slightly surprised when Dorothy shied away. Quatre tightened his hold slightly and shook his head negatively.

"This is Sally Po, she's a doctor." Quatre said softly, Dorothy nodded.

"Hello Miss Po." Dorothy responded softly.

"Meal?" Sally demanded again. Dorothy shrugged no committing, to be honest she wasn't completely sure when she had eaten last or even what day it currently was.

"I am uncertain." Dorothy finally answered. Duo light up quickly

"Can we take her to that burger joint? The food there is amazing it would tempted a saint into eating!" Duo rubbed his hands together greedily.

"But we have Miss Relena with us…. We are bound to make a lot of noise, and we are trying to hide and guard Miss Dorothy, maybe take out would be better." Quatre protested softly.

"Duo and Trowa think you can pick up a bunch of burgers?" Heero gave them both a look.

"It would probably be safer then take out." Trowa agreed.

"Miss Dorothy what would you prefer?" Quatre said softly rubbing a hand unabrusitive against Dorothy's back.

"I would like some tea actually." Dorothy said sounding tired.

"Of course Miss Dorothy, why don't we go inside and get you settled." Quatre started to lead her forward when her legs finally gave out. Reacting on instincts, the ones that had kept him alive as a pilot, he lunged to catch her in his arms. Turing worried eyes to Sally he voiced the concern on everyone's mind.

"Sally is she going to be all right?"

Authors note: I am sooo sorry I haven't updated, I am a horrible human being I hadn't even realized how long it had been……. I have been having a really hard time getting this to flow…. I mean two years and I only got seven pages…. I know how its gonna end but that doesn't really help me out now….. please be patient I promise I will work on it!

Hugs…. Angela!