Part 9

Ami rolled over in the bed she was in, recognizing it as Heero's from the last time she had passed out and groaning. Clearly Heero hadn't wanted to take her to Quatre's crowded estate or her empty apartment, but she felt terrible taking his bed.

Every part of her body was aching, and it was still dark out, so she guessed he had laid her down only a couple of hours before. Her head pounding, she sat up slightly to check the time. 4 AM.

Ami needed water badly, her throat on fire from her coughing and wondering if she would be able to stand.

She tried to sit up fully, her stomach hurting severely when she did so and reminding her of the injury. She bit back a cry, resting her hands on the edge of the bed and pushing herself to her feet. Stumbling forwards, Ami clutched onto the dresser, her breaths louder than she would have imagined.

Using the walls in the hall as support, she headed down the hall, stopping when she noticed the bathroom. Heading inside, she quickly washed her face while gripping the sink, rinsing out her mouth and feeling a million times better.

Heading carefully into the kitchen, she opened a couple of cupboards before finding a glass. Gripping the sink, she opened the tap and filled the glass halfway, satiating the burning of her throat.

She wondered when Heero planned to be up or when the plans were made for her to go see her friends. Setting down her glass, she placed a hand to her head. It was pounding and she wondered where Heero kept his Tylenol.

Turning from the sink, Ami headed out of the kitchen, not realizing how faint she was feeling until she dropped by the door of the kitchen.

Placing her hands on the floor, she struggled to get back up, her stomach stopping her from moving too much.

"Ami." She jumped when hands encircled her arms, pulling her from the ground and to her feet.

Heero looked tired but alert as he helped her into the living room silently, catching her before her feet gave out on her by the couch and setting her on the couch.

"Sorry," she apologized, grimacing as she tried to sit up on the couch. Heero's hand pushed her shoulder down, shaking his head.

"Don't move if it hurts.....what are you sorry about?" He pushed her bangs from her eyes as he spoke, his hands brushing her forehead and noting that she was still feverish.

"Being a burden....you were right about my having the attack."

Heero's eyes flickered to hers. "In a way I was. Although.......you impressed me. While having an attack you managed to get your leader out, and judging by your wounds I'm guessing you were fighting."

Ami said nothing for a moment, surprised that anything she could do would impress Heero. Leaning her head, which felt heavy, back against the couch she spoke. "Thank you for helping me."

He nodded, glancing away a moment before looking back at her. "We have to be up at seven, to stop at Quatre's estate before heading into the office."

She frowned, and he explained about the Preventers investigation.

"You're still very sick and we have to be up in a few hours, so let me take you back to bed," he said, picking her and heading back to his room.

Ami tiredly leaned against the wall in the hall between she and Heero's apartment. Heero had woken her up about forty minutes before, and the two had quickly gotten dressed for work. Ami had showered and it had woken her up slightly, but she still felt a bit light headed and sick. She had selected a pair of black pants and a royal blue cardigan for the office, not too concerned with her appearance as she was just going in for questioning and perhaps a few hours of work. Not that she felt she could do much. All that she was anxious about was seeing her friends.

Heero locked his apartment door, glancing at her. "Ready?"

She nodded, the two heading downstairs and frowning as Heero stopped at the door in the lobby. "Quatre drove my car to his estate last night."

She stepped towards the door unsteadily, reaching into her purse. "Should I call a cab?"

"Duo's on his way, we can take my car to the office from Quatre's." The honking of a horn outside followed, and the two stepped out to find Duo seated tiredly in his black convertible.

He glanced up at them when they neared the car, smiling. Ami had forgotten about the bruising on his face, which had faded slightly, a fact she was sure Duo was happy about.

"Morning," he offered. "Ready to see your friends Ames?"

"Good morning Duo," she said politely, watching as Heero pushed the seat back to help her into the car. "...and yes, I am."

The three pulled up at Quatre's estate, Ami wondering if they were just a bit too early on her friends after the long night.

Duo pulled his car down the long driveway and into the back, Ami impatiently climbing from the car and enticing a laugh from the tired man.

"We'll see them now. I hope Quatre made us some coffee."

Wufei and Trowa's cars were already parked outside, and Heero wondered how long they had been there as he followed Ami to the back door. Ami knocked on the sliding door to the back hall, but Heero tapped her lightly and she stepped aside, watching as he let himself in. Duo ushered for her to follow Heero and she did so, following Heero around the corner and into the kitchen, where there was a lot of talking going on.

Ami rounded the corner excitedly despite how terrible she felt, spotting Rei by the coffee machine at the door.

Rei noticed her only a second later, meeting her gaze and breaking into a large smile as she closed the distance between them and gave her a big hug, her voice tired but happy. "It's so good to see you Ami," she offered genuinely, not breaking the hug until Minako and Makoto pounced on her as well. Hotaru jumped her next, warmly hugging her and wishing her well. Haruka ruffled her hair, smirking at her good naturedly, and Michiru hugged her and asked how she was feeling.

Ami nodded at Wufei and Trowa, who stood drinking coffee by the counter, and smiled at Quatre who was by the table.

"Hey, don't forget about me," Usagi's tired voice cut through their chatter, and Makoto stood warily next to Usagi as she stood from her chair and approached Ami, who crossed the room so she wouldn't have to walk far, wrapping her in a hug.

"Are you alright?" Ami questioned.

"Me?" Usagi seemed a bit weak still, but much improved, as she sat back down, the group clustering around the table. "I'm okay, Mina took care of me."

Minako smiled from where she stood, and Usagi continued. "It's you who took a beating. Agent Ryder was brutal while you were having that attack. I'm so proud that you were able to get us out."

Ami shook her head. "Actually Usagi, if you hadn't come to and thought to beg for water we both would have remained inside- I needed that distraction desperately."

Usagi shook her head. "I felt totally useless. It was your quick thinking with the knife that actually detained him long enough."

Makoto winced slightly, imagining that Ami probably had to stab that agent.

Heero listened to the story tensely. It sounded like too close a call and a feeling of worry welled up within him.

Makoto looked at Heero and Duo, nodding slightly. "Hi, I'm Makoto."

Ami frowned, realizing that the other three pilots were here while Duo and Heero had only met whichever Senshi they had run into the previous night.

"I'm Duo," Duo said brightly. "...and this is Heero." Heero nodded at the group, the two listening as everyone's names were listed.

Ami was pulled to the counter by Minako, who began to fuss over her some more.

"You sure you're okay? No one else saw what you looked like when we got to the car."

"I'm fine Mina," Ami assured. "I'm just glad we got all of you out."

"All but one, Usagi was bummed when she realized Mamoru was brainwashed and hadn't even been in the third building."

"Well now that we got you all out we can focus on taking down this enemy and getting Mamoru. Did Setsuna go home?"

Minako nodded. "Last night. She said she'd be back later on, when you all got back from work. Quatre already explained to us where you were working the last three weeks and why you have to go in now. He also filled us in on a few of the things we missed while in captivity. He said he's anxious to hear our stories as well."

Ami grabbed her friend's hand. "I'm positive he means to know the purpose of the enemy. Surely, you all had an awful three weeks."

Minako nodded. "I know; he's a good person. We can't all possibly inconvenience him and stay with him."

"I have an apartment, you can all come and stay there."

"Will your apartment fit all of them? Quatre has a lot more space."

Ami glanced over at Heero, who was pouring three mugs of coffee, most likely for himself, her and Duo.

"Yes, but having everyone here is just way too much," Ami objected. "I should take at least half of my friends. I have a guest room and the couch unfolds into a bed."

"Well then you could only take about four of your friends, and that's if you put two to a bed and one person sleeps alone. What about the other three?"

"Actually," Haruka's voice floated into the conversation. She was grabbing some more sugar from the counter as she spoke. "I already discussed it with Quatre, and he was generous enough to offer for everyone to stay. I figured that all of you inners might want to stay together, but I did agree for Hotaru, Michiru and myself to stay here. That way, we're in to different places if the enemy were to discover one of the houses as I'm sure they're hunting us down."

"That's actually perfect ," Minako agreed, Haruka smirking.

"That's why I thought of it Mina."

"Oh please," Michiru said with a roll of her eyes and a delicate laugh at Haruka's ego, snatching the sugar from her.

Makoto smirked from where she was talking to Trowa, turning back to her conversation. Wufei, Usagi, Rei, Hotaru, Quatre and Duo were all conversing currently as well.

The room felt so warm and full of life. Ami hadn't felt happy for a while and the relief of having her friends was unexplainable.

"Your coffee?"

Ami glanced up sharply at Heero's voice, stopping watch of her friends and glancing at the mug he had extended towards her.

"Oh, thank you," she said genuinely, seeing that he had already added milk into her coffee. Now just some sugar. She glanced around the counter for it, remembering that Haruka had taken it to the table.

"I already added the sugar. Two spoons."

Ami nodded, unsure of why Heero knowing exactly how she liked her coffee had suddenly hit her so hard. Heero watched her carefully, reading her like a book she was sure, before he turned and headed to the table to give Duo his coffee.

She felt Minako's gaze on her, and turned to glance at her warily, knowing her friend noticed everything.

"You met him at the office?" Minako inquired lightly, sipping her own coffee.

"No......actually he lives next door at my apartment. I met him the day before I realized he worked with me."

Minako nodded again, controlling the expressions on her face. "Well he's totally in love with you. He even just looks at you different than everyone else. You would have blushed scarlet had you been conscious in the car yesterday. He cares about you a lot."

Ami blushed. "Mina, don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. Oh my God, you're totally hot for him. Wow, I am behind. This is a work in progress, isn't it?"

"Minako, please. We'll talk later," Ami stressed as Quatre approached. Minako shrugged nonchalantly, taking another sip of her coffee and smiling at Quatre.

Ami escaped, going to sit at the table with the rest of her friends. Usagi spun around to face her suddenly.

"Ami, I almost forgot!"

"Hmmm?"

Usagi was suddenly on top of Ami, arms wrapped around her tightly, more strong than Ami could have imagined her to be in her weakened state.

"Usagi, what's wrong?" Ami questioned, trying to pry Usagi's steal grip off of her.

"Thank you."

Ami tipped her head at her princess, who pulled away and stared at her quite seriously. "You took a bullet for Mamoru. I know you didn't just do it for him, you did it for me and Rini and I just don't know how to thank you enough."

Ami opened her mouth to speak, blanking about what to say. Why was the room so quiet? Perhaps it was time for them to get to the office.

"You're welcome Usagi," she said finally. ".....I mean there was no thanks necessary, so you don't need to bring it up again."

Usagi gazed at her friends face, eyeing her faint blush and nodding. "You've got it."

"We should get going to the office," Quatre said from the counter. "I believe they'll interview us and then you Ami. Then you'll have to work at least a couple of hours- unless you don't feel well."

"I'm fine," Ami said, standing and taking her mug to the sink. She glanced back at her friends. "I'll be back in a few hours. Relax until then, so we can talk."

"I hope you mean talk action, because we have to take that group out now before they gain any more strength," Haruka commented, glancing up at her from where she was sitting.

"We do," Wufei supplied. "We just need the force to do it. We'll try to detain our offices from launching an investigation until we can figure things out amongst ourselves."

The pilots headed for the door, the girls waving goodbye, before Trowa paused at the door. He was a man of few words but he wanted to get something across.

"I don't mean to make you feel trapped, but I wouldn't go outside right now. For all we know they have agents searching for you now. We're all keeping a low profile when leaving the office too. You're safe inside as long as they don't figure out where you are, and if you want some fresh air then I`m sure you`ll be safe in the yard- it`s gated."

Everyone nodded, understanding perfectly and having no desire to be back in captivity.

"Thank you for coming in and seeing us Miss Mizuno, you still don't look well," the human resources representative began somewhat tensely.

Ami sat before the manager of their headquarters and the human resources representative, the last to be questioned after the pilots. This questioning, and that of the pilots, would hopefully delay any kind of Preventers investigation until they could get their own plan of action together.

There were issues to be discussed of course. After Kaden had shown up in the office, there had been an attack. The secretaries had probably been questioned and had told them about the suspicious man. Furthermore, their employees were injured on the clock and in the office, and Setsuna was not an employee and had been seen there.

"The other woman that was in the office: who was she and why was she there?"

Ami looked at the manager, speaking and relating her story to match that of the other pilots.

"I believe that she promised Mr. Yuy and the others a lead on the Dark Alliance."

"Have you seen this woman since then?"

"No, in fact I believe she refuses to speak to the preventers again after the attack."

The manager nodded, and spoke again.

"Did you know that man that came into the office and later attacked all of you?"

"Not personally."

"Do you have any affiliations with the Dark Alliance, past or present?"

"No."

"Thank you for your patience Miss Mizuno," the human resources representative cut in on the manager, needing to get to the more important legal issues in the matter. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better, thank you."

"May I ask if there is anything we can do for you? I'm sure you're well aware that, since the attack occurred on company property, we are responsible."

"I am, and there's nothing I need," Ami assured the woman.

The woman nodded. "Well if you need to leave early today, you're more than welcome to. This is my card." The woman passed it over. "Please contact me if there is anything you want to talk about."

Ami nodded, smiling. "Thank you. I'll get back to work now."

She headed back down to the floor she worked on, noticing that the pilots were clustered around the secretaries desks.

"Ami, how'd it go?" Stacey asked brightly.

"Fine, they were really just concerned about my welfare," Ami assured her, taking a seat at her desk tiredly.

"Still not feeling well, huh?" Layanna questioned from where she was conversing with Duo.

"I'm okay. They told me to feel free to leave if I didn't feel well later."

Heero nodded, having known that they would push for Ami to go home sick or leave early. After all, if she tried to sue, the company could say that they had accommodated for her as best as they could.

They left four hours later, at one, after the pilots tied up any left over work. The secretaries waved goodbye pleasantly, and Ami felt fear strike her for her newly made friends as she wondered if any agents would try to come back to the office.

Heero pulled his car up to the front, keeping watch that no one was following any of them to Quatre's estate.

Ami quickly got in, the group taking off towards Quatre's place. She wondered if her friends had been given enough of a chance to all freshen up and get ready.

They pulled into the back, all of them entering from the back door and finding the kitchen empty.

"Girls?" Ami called, wondering if they were still wrestling over the shower. Not that it would be a problem- she was sure Quatre's large estate would have made the process easy.

"Ami, you're back early," Michiru's soft and melodic voice floated into the room. Quatre headed into the living room, Ami following him through the formal double doors.

"Hello, you all look refreshed," Ami offered with a smile. Haruka and Michiru had showered and changed, the clothing probably having come from Quatre's sisters closets. It was very much to their taste, Michiru in a knee length skirt and button up pale blue blouse and Haruka had selected a pair of beige dress pants and a pinstriped button up green blouse. Hotaru sat with them, her hair slightly damp from the shower and wearing a fresh set of clothes as well, black leggings with an oversized apricot coloured sweatshirt. The three were having tea, looking like the image of collectedness, and Michiru stood and offered to bring all of them some.

Quatre chuckled, smiling.

"You three are going to be very easy house guests to have around," he said. "Is it me or did you clean up a bit too? The house looks amazing."

"Just tidied up a bit. It is important that we do our share," Haruka said, smiling down at Hotaru.

"Well, she means that me and Michiru do our share while she dictates," Hotaru corrected with a light laugh, Haruka smirking and ruffling Hotaru's hair.

"I'll grab the tea pot and some more glasses," Michiru said, heading into the kitchen while the pilots and Ami spread out amongst the remaining couches of the living room. Michiru brought the tea back, everyone having a mug and speaking about light topics while they waited on the remaining girls and for Setsuna to arrive.

"Where are the girls? It's taking a while," Ami muttered the last part, setting down her mug on the coaster in front of her and glancing at Heero, who was seated quietly next to her on the couch. He was observing Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru- not suspiciously but she realized that he was always trying to figure out people upon meeting them.

He shrugged at her words. "I'm sure they'll be down soon."

A loud thud and a shriek sounded from upstairs. Heero, Quatre, and Trowa stood up in alarm, Wufei and Duo glancing at each other.

Ami instead put her face in her hands, beginning to apologize. The sounds of Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru laughing also filled the room, and the pilots sat down confusedly.

"Quatre, I'm so sorry. I'll pay for whatever they broke," Ami promised, removing her face from her hands, embarrassed.

"Not to worry Ami," Quatre said, more than able to afford anything that the girls broke in the house.

"Ami! Are you here?"

Makoto's voice sounded from upstairs. Ami stood, approaching the stairs but not needing to go up as Makoto appeared at the top of the steps. She came down quickly, dressed in a pair of light washed low riding flair jeans and an emerald green off the shoulder sweatshirt.

"Ames! Usagi and Rei were arguing and-"

Makoto spun around to see that everyone else was seated in the living room and blushed lightly, before laughing sheepishly and placing her hand behind her head in embarrassment.

"Oh hello! I see you're all back, how was work?"

The pilots all voiced their hello's, Haruka stifling another laugh with a sip of tea. Hotaru looked like she was itching to jump from her seat and goof off with the other girls, but remained seated with her guardians all the same. Ami watched the girl carefully, having forgotten that she was already fourteen and in the age where she was bound to break from her shell.

Turning to look at Makoto, she smiled.

"I'll come up with you Mako. No need to be subtle by the way, everyone heard."

Duo laughed, watching as Ami headed up with her friend. Trowa stared after the pair, a thoughtful expression on his face, before turning to listen to Duo.

"Ami's friends are fun," he mused out loud. "Especially Rei."

"Well I'd be careful about how much you pester Rei," Haruka warned from where she sat. "Rei will burn you alive."

Hotaru and Michiru chuckled, Duo rolling his eyes at the light threat.

Wufei smirked. "You need a woman who will put you in your place, not faun over you like the onnas in the office," he said.

Ami came downstairs a couple of minutes later with Makoto once more. She sat next to Heero, Makoto taking the available seat next to Trowa, who nodded at her in greeting.

Everyone in the room was busy with their own conversations, so Heero spoke with Ami. "Are your friends almost ready?"

She nodded. "Yes, and they said they want to tell us all about the Dark Alliance base and their plans. I hope the Preventers hold off on their investigation for a little while, or else a lot more blood could be shed if troops were sent in first."

"Or cause the unsteady alliances formed between certain nations and colonies to deteriorate. Since the group has unknown origins it will become a game of who to blame and then someone stupid will call a plan of action launching us into another long war."

"It doesn't have to be like that. Why would the other nations or colonies call war on each other when the Preventers, who are under the Alliance, have been investigating this group for a while?"

"Ami, the war wasn't over that long ago. Bad people will wait for the right opportunity, something big enough to create a stir, like the power of this group. Then the propaganda will began, followed by the masses forces governments to take action, and then someone will mess up and we will be in a war."

Ami pursed her lips. "Even if the Preventers look into it, I don't think we'll have a problem unless they send some of their men in and get them killed. That's my worry."

"Ami, you're missing the bigger picture," Heero stated, shaking his head. "You're worrying about some Preventers troops being killed, but think about how much more chaos could be created from the situation at hand."

"No, you're missing the more important picture," Ami stated. "If we concerned ourselves with the lives of every individual Preventers agent investigating the Dark Alliance, if we were able to stop any more bloodshed on the part of the Dark Alliance and halt all of the damage they are doing kidnapping people, or stopped their random bloody attacks, we would be working for the greater good. Not the other way around."

Heero frowned, Ami's innocent mentality differing greatly from his own. "That's naive, Ami."

Ami glared at him. "Now caring about individual lives in naivety?"

Heero nodded. "In this case, yes."

"Every single human life has value," Ami responded.

They were aware of everyone else in the room watching them a moment later, Michiru's soft voice cutting in.

"I used to have Heero's opinion too Ami, until we were taught it didn't work."

Ami looked up at the woman, and around the room, seeing that this was the kind of room where several torn opinions about the topic laid.

"Michiru, no offense, but as far as I know you and Haruka are of that opinion," Makoto cut in unsurely. Hotaru looked down, knowing what they were talking about. Both cases specifically involved her.

Michiru touched her shoulder lightly, speaking. "Care to explain Haruka?"

Haruka nodded. "Michiru and I have been on differing sides of opinion with the inner Senshi from the moment we met them. Don't get me wrong; we always liked them as people. However we found them to be as you said Heero, naive or inexperienced in battle. Especially when it came to the idea of human life. The first enemy we faced with the inner Senshi, we had fragile alliances. Michiru and I were looking for the exact same thing out enemies were, a pure heart crystal that would save the world from our enemy, mistress nine. The enemy would extract it from people by force, and when they didn't have it, try to eliminate them. We would show up at the scene where the Senshi were fighting and check the crystals, and when they were found to be nothing we would return them to the owners. A person couldn't live without them. The issue was that the person carrying the pure heart crystal would have to die for us to be able to save the world. The Senshi all disagreed with our methods, particularly Usage. Then another complication arose, it being that Hotaru here," Haruka nodded at Hotaru. "Was our enemy. The evil we were fighting, Mistress 9, was within Hotaru. Hotaru's body was frail and her father was one of Mistress Nine's head workers, subjecting his daughter to the evil. When we found out the evil was in Hotaru, we tried to kill her a few times. One of the times, Ami wouldn't allow it and it caused a huge disagreement amongst the group. Usagi also wouldn't allow us to touch the girl, and Usagi ended up having the pure heart crystal we needed in the end. Had the inner Senshi not fought against us in our every turn, I hate to admit it, but the situation would most likely not have ended smoothly and Hotaru would be dead."

The pilots nodded at the complex story, sure that all of the Senshi's stories were this complex as they involved things outside the normal realm of fighting.

"Yes, that is how Hotaru came into our lives, but I'm afraid that situation didn't really change our methods for fighting for the greater good above individual lives. We....." Michiru paused, not sure if she wanted to tell the next story. Makoto nodded in support at her from across the room, Hotaru touching her hand. Michiru nodded. "We were fighting out last enemy, Galaxia and ultimately Chaos about six years ago. The....the battle got really bad. Chaos was going to destroy the world. Mamoru was dead, and unknown to us, had been dead an entire year when Usagi thought he was away at school. There were also other fighters we met, the starlights, and we were all facing down Galaxia. Chaos wasn't a force to be messed with. It was a combination of the evil in the heart of man, the strongest evil in the galaxy. When we were facing off with Galaxia, Ami, Makoto, Rei and Minako were killed defending the starlights. The event set us back. Everyone was upset and troubled, blaming each other, Haruka and I blaming the starlights, and we didn't know what to do. It was the end of the line, either we destroyed chaos or the world was history. We told Sailor Moon, who was completely in shock at the time, that us outer Senshi, myself, Haruka, Hotaru, and Setsuna, would go face Galaxia until she and the others were able. Galaxia had an easy way of killing everyone. She would take your star seed, one shot and you were dead. Haruka and I, once facing her, told her that we wanted to join her instead. Saturn and Pluto were shocked; they knew in their hearts that we had other intentions and were trying to figure it out. Galaxia gave us these wrist bands that allowed us some of her superior power and what she also thought would control our minds. Proving our allegiance to Galaxia, we...." she paused, but finished her sentence. "We killed Pluto and Saturn."

Silence set across the room, but Michiru continued, needing to get to the point. "Sailor moon and the starlights emerged to find Pluto and Saturn dead. We turned on Galaxia and tried to kill her the same way and take her star seed, but it turned out that, powered by Chaos, she didn't even have a star seed. Galaxia's star seed, all of the good in her and the good in man, was with us in the form of a child. When we turned on Galaxia, she killed us, surprised that her mind controlling wristbands didn't work...and we knew it was all for nothing. Our die hard methods had been taken so far that we had been willing to kill our best friends to save the rest of the world and destroy Chaos. We could only beg for Sailor Moon to forgive our tactics as we died. Eventually Sailor Moon and the others destroyed Galaxia and chaos and Sailor Moon brought all of us back- but we'll always have to live with how far we were willing to go for 'the greater good.'"

"That's- that's terrible," Duo said. "You're telling me that in every situation, Sailor Moon and the others were set on solving it without some kind of loss?"

Everyone nodded, Hotaru speaking up. "There are always other ways."

Seeing as Michiru and Haruka felt awkward at their admonition, Quatre spoke up.

"I made my share of mistakes in the war…..and then some. Mistakes that had much more serious repercussions….and I have to live with them. Thank you for sharing your mistakes with us, but I'm more than ashamed to admit mine." Quatre was referring to when the zero system had caused him to accidentally destroy a colony. It had taken him a long time to retrain on his Gundam after the incident and his friends had helped him.

Understanding passed through the group in the room, a comfortable atmosphere filling it once more.

Heero glanced down at Ami. He remembered from when Ami had first explained everything to them at the hotel a little about the battle with Galaxia, although she hadn't gone into this detail with him and the others. Also, she had mentioned dying and being brought back, but hearing it like this was a little more disturbing, as though their coming back to life was by chance, by the good fortune that everything was working out okay.

He tried to put himself in Michiru and Haruka's position, fighting Galaxia that day. They had been willing to kill their friends if it meant being able to kill Galaxia for the greater good of everyone else, of the entire Earth. They were horrified by their actions now, but if he had been there at the time- would he have agreed with them? He had killed so many people in the war and seen so many good people die that loss just seemed like a natural part of any kind of fight.

"Wow, this is a depressing conversation," Minako commented from the stairs she was descending. She was wearing a pair of dark navy jeans with a white long sleeved top. "Ladies," she nodded and smiled at all of the women in the room, "Gents." She winked at Quatre, and not missing a beat continued. "How many sisters do you have Quatre? There're so many clothes!"

Quatre chuckled, speaking but being nondescript. "A lot."

Duo snickered, quieting down when Rei and Usagi descended the stairs. Usagi's hair was in her usual style, in a pair of light khaki pants and a light purple sweater. Rei was clad in a pair of black jeans and white and res striped three quarter sleeved top.

Duo stared at her in wonder, Rei blowing him off and sitting next to Makoto. Minako sat between Quatre and Hotaru, tousling Hotaru's hair. Usagi looked for a spot in the full living room, smiling brightly as Ami moved closer to Heero to allow her a seat.

"Thank you!"

She bounded over, her condition a thousand times better than the morning as she sat next to Ami happily, having missed her. Ami didn't miss the glance that Usagi gave Heero, seated next to her. She mentally sighed. So Minako had briefed all of the girls about her and Heero after sharing her theories with Ami that morning.

"So Quatre filled us in on mostly everything we missed the last few weeks," Rei's voice cut through the room, bringing Ami back to reality.

"Then I suppose all we have left is to hear what happened with all of you."

Setsuna's voice sounded from the doorway. She was standing at the double glass doors from the living room, dressed in a lavender skirt that was high waisted stopped mid thigh and white button up blouse.

She smiled in greeting at everyone, entering the room and taking the last available seat, between Wufei and Duo.

Wufei nodded at her, Setsuna offering one of her typically mysterious smiles and turning to look at Usagi.

"I have two hours before I have to be back. Who would like to begin?"

Ami drank her second cup of tea for the day, wondering if she was becoming a caffeine addict as loud talking and laughter filled the room. It had taken the women about an hour to explain what had occurred at the base, and after the depressing conversation everyone had become rowdy and easily excited, needing to have some fun.

Ami was still troubled by their stories. The missing people on the Dark Alliance lists had not been kidnapped and held as prisoners. They had been used for their energy. It had been described as a gruesome process where they were drained dry, unlike how their other enemies drained energy and simply knocked the people out from it.

Also, the fourth building was a training quadrant for new recruits to the 'security agency.' Every new recruit was given a small vile to drink, a form of hazing as older recruits explained it to them. After drinking, the recruits would immediately become under the control of the agency. The sheer number of recruits was enough to scare Ami off, in about the hundreds, which meant they were innocent civilians that they would have to avoid harming. Plus, they had to get Mamoru out safely too. Also, there were about fifteen higher ranking agents like Kaden, a couple which they had run into when freeing her friends, but the Senshi had no idea exactly how many superiors those agents had. One commander, a few commanders? A few ranks above Kaden? It was all so confusing. The Senshi had also overheard plans for the group to take over the Earth first, using some unfriendly colonies as scapegoats initially until they could conquer the colonies too, hoping to as Heero had mentioned, create an upheaval of the current peace.

Worse yet, was the fact that they had no idea if the enemy had originated from this dimension, with years to build their power quietly during the war torn times, or were newly from the Senshi's dimension and had come here. Quatre had mentioned that the Garderville Security Agency was old, but it was possible that it had simply been infiltrated by the Dark Alliance.

Lastly, Ami was bothered by what her friends had been through. They would leave them in the dark for hours, and then put them in experimentation rooms and force them to use their powers. They would put them under different stresses to see how easily they could be conjured, and also tried to figure out if there was a way to actually take the powers from the Senshi and allow their own agents to train with them. Her friends had mentioned blacking out a lot, not remembering what had happened in the experimentation rooms when situations had become overly stressful on their bodies.

Every single Senshi had, disturbingly enough, remembered seeing one particular superior ranking agent guarding over them. When Ami and the others had explained the situation of them being promised to agents, a mutual disgust had passed through the room, especially because Hotaru, fourteen years old, had also been under watch.

Laughter filled the room once more, Hotaru and Duo goofing off, clicking instantly as friends. Setsuna had said she'd stay with everyone that last hour, before she had to head back and Ami took the inner Senshi to her apartment. She knew Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru wouldn't mind staying at Quatre's in the slightest, and wondered how long it would take them to actually beat this enemy. A few days or a week......perhaps a month? She knew a month was way too long, but perhaps she was wishing for it because she knew she would have to leave Heero.

Not that anything was going on between she and Heero. Or rather, it was but there was no label or title or anything at all because she was leaving soon. Anyways, she was sure he was forced to spend so much time with her because of the situation at hand. Plus, she was sick all the time and constantly relying on or inconveniencing him to take care of her. She was selfish. She glanced over at Heero, who was sitting silently as well, his head rested on his hand, elbow resting on the arm of the couch. Perhaps he was catching some sleep?

She moved to take another sip of her half empty tea, her hand suddenly shaking as a pang of pain shot through her waist and began spreading to her limbs quickly. Not now. Now, when she would worry all of her friends who were finally smiling.

Ami stood carefully, wanting to make it out of the room smoothly and not disturb everyone. Heero glanced up at Ami from where he sat, his eyes narrowing at her hand, clutching the mug of tea she had been given.

"Ami, where are you going?" Usagi questioned from where she sat talking with everyone.

"Just making some more tea," Ami offered smoothly, Usagi nodding and smiling as she turned back to her conversation. Ami continued towards the double glass doors that would lead her out of the living room and into the kitchen, where she would be alone.

Heero's eyes narrowed as the hand Ami held her mug in suddenly shook, the contents of the mug swishing around and a few droplets dripping down the side of the mug. If Ami was anything, it was coordinated.

She exited the room, shutting the glass doors behind her. He stood as well, a few people glancing up at him as well.

"Heero buddy, where are you going?" Duo asked. Scooping his empty mug off the table, he headed for the doors as well.

"Getting more tea," he said blandly, exiting the room and shutting the doors.

He entered the kitchen, setting his mug on the counter as it made a dull thud. Where was Ami? The kitchen was empty.

Walking towards the nook, his pace picked up as he saw her collapsed form hidden behind the table. He could hear as he neared her, her strained breaths and pained groans, and took in her white face and trembling form as he crouched besides her, touching her shoulder lightly. She flinched, her glassy eyes meeting his. He knew immediately that she was in a lot of pain, more than usual.

"I'm okay," she said immediately, trying without success to at least get to her knees, her breaths becoming more erratic. "You can go back, I'll be there soon."

He sighed, scooping her off the floor and sitting leaned against the wall holding her. "I know you're trying to spare your friends any more worry, but you should have at least told me you weren't feeling well."

Her strained breaths seemed worse now that he was holding her so closely, and she clutched her stomach tightly with one of her hands, her other hand unconsciously gripping his shirt as the pain worsened.

She tried to control her pained groans, knowing she was worrying him further with her every action. Her eyes became unfocused, and Heero frowned deeply, wishing he could do something for her.

"Why......are you always so nice to me?" Her strained words shook him from his thoughts, and he glanced down to see that her glassy eyes were watching him.

"If I remember correctly, I was sort of mean to you the first two weeks I knew you," he responded, wondering why she was asking.

A strained chuckle escaped her lips, her breathing worsening. She took a moment to try to calm it, speaking. "No.....I mean I'm always sick; always a bother. I always make you take care of me, always ruin your day.....I'm a constant burden."

Heero met her eyes, hating that she had that opinion of herself. "I never said you were a burden."

"I know," she replied. "You don't have to," she paused, her breaths quickening as she tried to get her words out. "You're here with me now while everyone else is having fun."

Her arm tightened on her stomach, the hand clutching his shirt going white at her knuckles from the force she was holding it. The shaking of her body worsened too, as did her pained sighs and groans.

He tightened his hold on her, wanting to help but virtually able to do nothing. "Ami, did it ever occur to you that I want to be here with you instead of with the others?"

Her eyes focused on his again, trying to forget about the pain. "Why?"

"Do I need to give you a reason?"

He was met with the sound of her pained breaths, so he continues speaking, sensing the distraction helped her forget about the pain. "Your view on human life- on the way to approach the Dark Alliance, it was drastically different than mine. I've never valued life that much when it came down to the greater good in the end. To me, life comes cheap, especially mine."

Her hand that was clutching her stomach suddenly grabbed his arm with more force than he expected, and he glanced at her face, meeting her eyes. "As I said before: every human life has value. That certainly includes yours."

His eyes kept a hold on hers, before he spoke. "You know, I've killed a lot of people. Maybe not all of them were deserving, but in the war I never hesitated to finish a mission. I also made a lot of mistakes. Is my life still worth something now?"

"Yes." He grew silent at her answer, spoken without hesitation, before speaking.

"As to your question about why I'd rather be here with you, that's your answer. You're actually too good a person for me, so when I start bothering you then feel free to tell me goodbye."

"I don't believe that." He closed his eyes at her response, leaning back against the wall.

"There it is again."

Review, I got it out quick! (and more action next chap. this chap just had to be here to tie stuff up ad set up stuff).