Disclaimer: As per usual I own nothing.

Little Miss Fixit

The silence was deafening and Duo was exhausted. He hadn't got any sleep last night so excited was he at the prospect of winning Ami back through this romantic luncheon. And she had fought him the whole way, from the minute he tapped on her bedroom door to the minute he ad pulled out her chair to sit her down. Duo was starting to wonder if indeed he would be able to win her back. Right now, it didn't look too promising. At this moment in time, Ami was quietly stirring her soup, preoccupied, while Duo was trying to engage her in conversation but failing quite miserably.
"So Ami, what do you like to do during the day? This is a huge palace, they must have heaps of neat things to do," Duo asked, genuinely interested and Ami looked up from her soup.
"Reading by myself," she responded bluntly, turning her eyes back to her soup and Duo had had just about enough of this.
If she wasn't going to try, then neither was he and he wasn't going to just sit here and be ignored either. Duo threw down his spoon in annoyance startling Ami from her thoughts.
"You know what Ami? I'm done, be the Ice Queen forever lonely if you want to, I'm not gonna stand around waiting for you," Duo said angrily getting up and striding from the table leaving Ami by herself.
As soon as he left a lone tear rolled down Ami's cheek. Ami had dreamt last night, she had dreamt of her past, of her childhood and of Duo. She saw herself as a child, being taught her lessons, ever the perfect princess. She didn't have any friends, for she was always busy studying. She saw herself then as a young lady, sixteen year of age, fresh at court on the Moon. She saw herself diligently studying and training by herself and the other ladies of court teasing her and laughing at her, calling her the Ice Queen. Then she had watched as Duo bounded into her life, so bright and full of warmth, so unaware of her reputation. The first time they met was imprinted on her mind. The library, she had been studying as normal when a scrunched up piece of paper was tossed onto her head. Looking around she couldn't see anyone and so continued her studies. Then it happened again and again until she stood and demanded that they cease, thinking it was the ladies at court. Duo had slunk out from behind the bookcase a mischievous smile on his face, and Ami had disliked him straight away. And ye wherever she want, there he was, it was impossible to escape him no matter how hard she tried. The others, Rei, Minako, Makoto and even Serenity had given Duo their blessing to court Ami without her knowing and made sure he knew her whereabouts. It got to the point that suddenly her seeing Duo every day became a normal occurrence until Ami felt she no longer had to escape him, until she longed to see him. When Ami awoke she realised that Duo had saved her from herself, and she realised with sadness that she had been making Duo work to be with her all over again. It was then she decided that he didn't deserve to go through that again. Her sweet Duo. Didn't he know she was only trying to protect him? She didn't know how to be in a normal relationship, and she was so scared, of surrendering to him and letting him know her.
"Oh Duo, why do you have to be so wonderful?" Ami said softly, more tears streaming down her face.

Jedite buried his face in his hands in shame. Heavens knew what the Princess of Pluto would think of him, going and kissing Rei and then getting his butt kicked by Heero. Those weren't exactly the first impressions he wanted the Princess of Pluto to have of him. There he was lying on the grass with Rei kneeling beside him, what a pathetic picture he must be making.
"Rei I am going to kill you, this is humiliating," Jedite muttered to her and Rei just smiled broadly as Setsuna came upon them, carrying a huge chunk of frozen steak in her hand.
"Hey Setsuna, that was quick," Rei said referring to the steak in her hand and Setsuna flushed prettily and shrugged kneeling on Jedite's other side.
"I was in the kitchen, the head Chef was teaching me how to make fillet mignon when I saw what happened, and I thought you might need some assistance," Setsuna said sweetly and Jedite looked up at her with one eye and sighed deeply, she was so thoughtful and perfect and incredibly beautiful. Just as he remembered.
"We greatly appreciate it Sets, this is Lord Jedite," Rei said introducing the pair and Setsuna smiled gently at him before placing the chunk of steak on his eye that was becoming blacker by the second.
"Yes I remember you briefly from the Silver Millennium," Setsuna said thoughtfully not meaning to sound so dismissive, but Jedite winced inwardly.
He was practically forgettable to her, and that stung. His dreams of a future with her were slowly slipping away. Rei could practically feel the dejectedness coming from Jedite and it nearly made her want to throw herself off the nearest cliff, she needed to make him see there was hope, and soon.
"Setsuna, Lord Jedite is very interested in cooking, perhaps the two of you could take lessons together?" Rei suggested and Setsuna raised an eyebrow at Jedite, impressed.
"Is this true Lord Jedite?" Setsuna asked in surprise absolutely delighted by the claim and Jedite smiled through his confusion and what Rei was trying to accomplish.
"Well yes I have always been very interested in the culinary arts," Jedite said charmingly, but in truth, he had never before considered the possibility. However Jedite would do anything if it meant impressing her and winning her heart.
"Well, we could start right now the head Chef is waiting for me to get back, I'm sure she won't mind another apprentice," Setsuna said excitedly getting to her feet, but then she thought of something and looked sheepishly at Rei and added shyly, "unless of course you two would like to be alone"
Rei burst out laughing and Jedite began to chuckle much to Setsuna's confusion, and when they did not stop she folded her arms across her chest, fearing that they were making fun of her.
"What's so funny?" Setsuna demanded with a little fire behind her words and Rei got to her feet brushing away her tears of laughter.
"That was just a plan that backfired, Jedite and I thought if Heero saw us kiss, that Heero would get jealous and come claim me for his own, unfortunately, all that came of it was Jedite's black eye and a kiss from Heero that confused me even more than I already am," Rei explained shrugging her shoulders helplessly and Setsuna shook her head, wondering how they thought a silly plan like that could actually work in the first place.
"So you aren't in love?" Setsuna asked slowly and Jedite shook his head getting to his feet.
"Not with each other," he assured her sincerely and Setsuna seemed to brighten, although she blushed a little when Jedite looked at her.
"Well then, Lord Jedite if you would follow me we can start our cooking lesson," Setsuna said leading the way and throwing Rei a thankful smile Jedite ran after her.
"Please Lady Setsuna, you must call me Jedite," Rei heard Jedite say to the Plutonian Princess and she could almost sense Setsuna smiling a little shyly.
"Well then you must call me Setsuna," Rei heard Setsuna say graciously and then Jedite's voice again before they faded from hearing range.
"It would be my pleasure."

Rei watched them go with a smile on her face. One couple were on their way to happiness, two including Hotaru and Quatre, and now Rei wanted to go find her happiness as well. And that meant finding Heero. Picking up her skirts Rei hurried inside the palace at full steam only to bump into Duo who was skulking by the doorway and he looked completely heartbroken. Rei hated to ask, but she couldn't leave him looking so forlorn.
"What's wrong Duo"
"Its Ami, I'm trying so hard to make her like me, but she just pushes me away, maybe the others were right, just because we were together once upon a time, doesn't mean we will be together now," Duo said downhearted, on the brink of giving up. Rei had two options. She could try to console Duo and tell him how great he was and to keep trying, or she could slap some sense into him. Rei chose the latter option because she didn't have much time. Duo was not expecting the slap that came nor the furious glare and the roll of eyes.
"Duo honestly you are the thickest man in the world," Rei stated, dramatically rolling her eyes again in a performance Minako would have been proud of as she continued, "Can't you tell that she is scared? She's scared of being happy, she always has been. She's scared that if she lets you into her heart, you will both be separated and she will lose you again. She's scared of so many things, all she needs you to do is be there to stand by her and show her that you will never leave her"
Finished with her speech, Duo frowned at her a little cocking his head to one side.
"Don't you think you could have told me all that without slapping me in the face?" Duo asked rubbing his now red cheek and Rei shrugged.
"Probably, but this was more fun," she assured him grinning wickedly and Duo face broke into a puppy dog pout as he whined.
"You're so mean Rei"
"I know, but its for your own good, now go get her," Rei encouraged him and Duo took a deep breath nodding. Rei was right. He was going to get Ami back if it took forever. Duo leaned over and kissed her on the cheek then ran off back in the direction he came. Satisfied that her work was done here, Rei picked up her skirts and entered the palace craning her neck for signs of Heero. There was no sign of him anywhere. Rei closed her eyes and concentrated her powers, searching for Heero and she suddenly got an instinctive feeling that he had taken the left corridor. Opening her eyes Rei determinedly began making her way down the corridor.

Meanwhile, further down that same left corridor Quatre and Hotaru were on a tour of the Crystal Palace hand in hand, when coming towards them they saw Michiru and Haruka who both smiled when they saw that their Hotaru was back.
"Taru!" Haruka called waving, but she did not expect the glower that Hotaru gave her and slowly Haruka recognised exactly who the young man was that stood beside her.
"Ruka, its Prince Quatre," Michiru whispered unnecessarily for Haruka had remembered his face from her dreams of the Silver Millennium. The look on his face when they had dragged Hotaru away had haunted Haruka's dreams for she could only imagine what it would be like if someone had forced her to part with Michiru.
"So Firefly, Prince Quatre, you found each other again," Haruka commented unnecessarily and Hotaru folded her arms across her chest angrily.
"No thanks to you two, and Setsuna," she snapped at the both of them and Michiru wore a pained expression. It hurt that their little Hotaru could talk to them this way.
"Hotaru, that's not fair, we were doing our duty," Michiru protested sadly, adding, "We're sorry that you got hurt, but it was what we had to do"
"You're sorry? I went through an eternity of loneliness, sorry can not make up for that, you had no right do what you did, no right!" Hotaru said furiously and loudly, her small voice echoing through the corridor and Quatre reached out a hand to calm her while glaring furiously at the two women before him. Hotaru calmed slightly with his calming presence, as she breathed in deeply suppressing the rest of her anger.
"Prince Quatre, you understand what we did and why we did so?" Haruka now addressed Quatre who considered what she had asked.
"Yes I understand," he said finally after a few moments of thought, "But that does not mean I can so easily forgive the wrong you have done against us. I died knowing that I would never know if she was safe, I died knowing that I had not protected her like I should have, I died knowing I had failed in my duty, you cannot know the pain that this has caused me."
Quatre bit his lip to stop himself from saying more. Reliving those feelings would only cause him more pain and all he wanted now was happiness with Hotaru. A tear of pity ran down Michiru's face and she wiped it away quickly. Haruka turned her back on the pair so that she would not cry in front of them.
"I feel ashamed for what I did to you Quatre, but it was the right thing to do, if everything had not happened the way it did, we would not all be here today," Haruka said not turning to face them and the others were silent, considering her words.
"Don't tell me you four are fighting as well?" Rei asked incredulously as she came upon the four in the corridor. When none of them spoke, their silence answered her question for them.
Oh Great, Rei thought, another fight to resolve.
"Hotaru, Quatre, Haruka and Michiru, all of you are my dear friends, let me tell you what I believe, for I have been hurt by many in the Silver Millennium, and I too have hurt many, forgiveness is the key to overcoming your hate, everything happens for a reason, everything," Rei impressed upon them all looking pointedly at Hotaru who seemed to be holding most of the grudge and she opened her mouth to protest.
"How can I forgive what they did Rei? They tore me away from Quatre without even letting me say goodbye," Hotaru said furiously and Rei looked patronisingly down at Hotaru. "If you had been in their position wouldn't you have done the same thing," Rei stated and when Hotaru said nothing, Rei persisted, "Well"
"Rei has a fair point love, if it had been our duty we would have done the same thing," Quatre spoke up now, seeing where Rei was heading with this. They could not blame Michiru and Haruka for things they would have done themselves if it had been their duty.
"Accept our deepest apologies Quatre and Hotaru," Haruka said humbly bowing her head and Michiru did the same and Hotaru and Quatre both bowed their heads as well.
"And I hope that you accept ours," Hotaru said a little sheepishly and Haruka smiled pulling Hotaru and Quatre in for a crushing hug, while Michiru smiled indulgently at the three of them.
"Of course," Haruka said gruffly feeling all was well in the world. Satisfied that she had done another great miracle, Rei's mind drifted back to the task at hand. Heero.
"Well now glad that's all settled have any of you seen Heero?" Rei asked curiously and Quatre frowned thinking.
"Yeah he came through here a couple of minutes ago," he replied and Rei grinned to herself.
"Thanks, bye guys, get along!" Rei called out as she disappeared down the corridor leaving the quartet standing in the corridor.
"Well then, who wants ice-cream? My treat," Haruka asked and her offer was followed by an enthusiastic round of 'Yeah!'.

Wufei was coming out of his room, dressed in some nice clothes the maids had left for him when he spied his sister running by.
"Hey sis," Wufei called out to her and Rei stopped and dropped her head in defeat. Was the whole world trying to stop her from getting to Heero?
"What is it Wufei? I'm in the middle of hunting down Heero," Rei snapped a little unkindly, but he didn't mind her brash tone. They were siblings, and even if she was annoyed, Rei would do anything she could to help him out.
"I was just wondering if you had seen….if you knew where…if you happened to see…" Wufei stuttered a little and Rei rolled her eyes.
"Makoto?" she suggested impatiently and Wufei nodded hurriedly to confirm she was right.
"Yes, the onna," Rei pinched his arm for talking so derogatory about Makoto and Wufei hastened to correct himself, "I mean Makoto"
"Last I saw she and Minako were having a picnic in the gardens, why?" Rei asked, suddenly interested and Wufei swallowed hard backing away from her curious stare.
"No reason," he said dismissively but he should have known Rei wouldn't let it go. She just had to goad him.
"Don't tell me you are swallowing your pride," Rei teased him, but both he and she knew she was secretly delighted with this little development.
"Heero swallowed his first," Wufei defended himself and Rei's eyes widened in surprise.
"You saw?" she asked in disbelief wondering who else had seen the little exchange. It was starting to become quite an interesting day.
"Yup, and it got me thinking that if Heero can show emotion, then I can swallow my pride," Wufei said proudly and Rei leaned over to kiss his cheek affectionately.
"Well good luck, you will have a load of explaining to do," Rei warned him, and Wufei smirked. Like he didn't already know that.
"After hundreds of Millennia, I think I'm finally ready," Wufei told her and Rei slapped him on the back so proud of him.
"That's my boy!"
"Good luck with Heero, he really loves you, I think deep down he knows you and he belong together, just as I belong with Makoto and Trowa belongs with Minako," Wufei said turning a little corny and Rei smiled at him.
"I hope so," she said softly and Wufei gave her a quick hug.
"Well get going, don't let him get away little sister," Wufei advised and Re winked at him.
"Don't let her get away either big brother"
Rei continued on her way as Wufei went in the opposite direction towards the garden. This certainly was turning out to be a very good day.

By now, Rei had figured out that Heero had gone to his room. She hoped he hadn't gone to pack, she didn't know what she would do if he up and left. Suddenly the door to her right opened and Trowa came out. Before he could even speak Rei was shouting as she ran past him, "She is in the garden with Makoto"
Trowa watched her race away, shaking his head in disbelief before turning and heading in the direction of the garden and Minako.

Finally, Rei thought, as she reached Heero's room and she swung the door wide open only to be grabbed and pulled inside his room, with the door slamming shut behind her. Next thing she knew she was pressed against the door, Heero's warm body pressed against her, his hands bruising her arms as he held her in place, but all she could see were his piercing blue eyes.
"I hate you," Heero said softly, his voice laced with fury.