I had a passion for cooking. Perhaps an unhealthy obsession, but I loved it. It was one of the best ways to get everyone together for something they'd enjoy in an agreeable mood, always. A newspaper columnist once said I was the strangest millionaire he'd ever met. I asked him why and to this day, I remember his response:

"Because you have all this money, all these opportunities, all this fame, and you're the nicest, most level-headed guy I've ever met. You don't live in this gigantic mansion with maids and butlers, you cook for yourself, and you give your money away to people who actually need it. That is strange."

I laughed now, thinking of what he said as I mashed potatoes. Duo loved garlic and butter mashed potatoes. There was a knock at the door.

"Coming," I called out, wiping my hands on a dishtowel and headed towards the door. Despite all my lawyers' advice to get a bodyguard, I refused. I opened the door and smiled.

Hilde leaned up and kissed my cheek, giving me a small hug. Duo patted me on the back as he entered and Heero gave a small smile hello. I grinned wider and shut the door behind them.

"I can never get over how cool your house is, Quatre," Duo remarked, flopping down on the incredibly comfortable couch.

"It's technically an apartment," I said.

There was one thing I had allowed myself and that was a really beautiful penthouse apartment with a gorgeous view of the city. It was rather spacious for an apartment, but I figured if I was going to live in an apartment, I might as well have space enough for people to stay in if they needed to.

"Yeah, when your 'apartment' is this huge, it's not an apartment. It's a house," Duo commented as the door was knocked on again.

Trowa stepped in a moment later.

"Come on Quatre, I'll help you in the kitchen," Hilde offered.

I followed the petite, dark-haired woman into the kitchen. She had become like a sister to all of us. We'd all met her through Duo, we all liked her on our own accord. She'd quickly become an indispensable part of our group.

I know we'd all of us do whatever we could to protect her, whatever we had to. She was fiercely protected, and yet strangely, fiercely protective as well. We all of us, respected, protected, sheltered, soothed, admired, and loved her, some of us more in one area in the other, but she was definitely looked after.

"How's the shop?" I asked.

"Just got the sign up today," she remarked, grabbing the ingredients she needed for a salad. "Really nice. Duo bitched and whined the whole friggin time. I swear, I was about to pull a gun on him. But, what can you do? It's Duo."

"Speaking of which, don't put radishes in that. Remember last time?"

Hilde made a face and put the bag of radishes back into the crisper. She dumped laden arms onto the counter and began washing vegetables.

"What's for dinner?" she asked, sniffing the air. "Smells divine."

"Turkey. I felt turkey-ish today. Figured it wouldn't be too bad. Not many people hate turkey."

"I love turkey," Hilde crooned, melting onto the counter for a second and I laughed. "Turkey is so good. Did you make yams? With marshmallows on top?"

"In the oven as we speak."

She made a yummy sound and melted all over again.

"What the hell's going on in there?" Duo asked.

"I am currently having a food-gasm. Is there a problem?" Hilde asked, challenging.

There was a scuffle in the other room as Duo scrambled off the couch to meet the challenge and I heard Heero give a small sigh and flipped on the TV.

"Idiot," I heard him mutter.

Duo appeared in the doorway. "Yeah. There's a problem," he responded to Hilde, hands in pockets. Then he turned to me and asked in a completely different, conversational tone, "Hey, is there beer?"

"Fridge."

"What problem?" Hilde asked, slicing tomatoes.

"I want to know why – is that yams I smell?"

"Yes."

"Mm, ooh God," Duo said, melting and kneeling down before the oven and pawing at it with a lovesick face. "Oh baby, yes! YES! Yams, oh yes! Please tell me there is turkey where these yams came from."

I nodded with a smile.

"Oh!" Duo exclaimed, throwing his head back. "I think I've gone to heaven. I love you, Quatre, I really, really do."

We sat down to eat a few minutes later. Duo and Hilde tossed "insults" back and forth at each other across the table. Heero met my gaze and cocked an eyebrow. I hid a smile and lowered my head, intent on concentrating on my food.

"This is superb, Quatre, you really outdid yourself," Trowa commented.

"Right on," Duo cheered, lifting his beer in the air before taking a deep swig of it.

"Thank you," I responded.

"Actually, we were thanking you," Hilde responded. "I think the appropriate response would be, 'you're welcome.'"

Duo shrugged. "The lady's right."

"You're welcome," I corrected myself with a smile.