Ah! I find Duo very - very - difficult to write... But I decided to give it a try anyway. Hope it did not turn out too bad. Let me know if it did and I won't repeat that. Hehehe Hahaha

CHAPTER 11

Quatre watched quietly as Relena bottle fed Khadija, a lazy smile on her lips and a sparkle in her eyes as she sang My Boonie Lies Over the Ocean in soft melodic tones. Something had changed during her trip. She had a rosy tinge to her cheeks and a happy aura about her that completely contrasted with the apathetic way she had been before. Not to mention the cat… That had been a surprise. It was like she had had one of those near-death experiences and found a sudden new joy in life. He was envious, in a good way.

"How was your trip?" he repeated, in a whisper, the same question he had made Trowa and smiled, letting her elatedness contaminate him.

"It was great." She whispered back, careful not to snap the baby out of her milk induced stupor. The tiny green-blue eyes were blinking heavily in a way both blondes thought was quite adorable. Quatre wanted to squeeze her… It was a pity she was so fragile. Maybe he should get himself a cat too… Or maybe, if the puzzle pieces fit in quickly enough, he might have time to convince Heero to stay and squeeze him instead. He chuckled at the thought. Then turned back to Relena and wondered what her reaction would be if she knew what he was thinking. She'd probably laugh with him. Maybe she had already squeezed him herself… Probably. Or maybe not. Heero did have that 'don't-touch-me' air all about him after all…

"Quatre?"

"Uh, what?"

The young woman chuckled. "Where were you?"

"Ah… Hm… Nowhere really. We were talking about your trip? How's Catherine?" he stole another line from his earlier script.

At that Relena frowned, her nose wrinkling lightly as if in distaste. "Alright I should think. We were not really on the most amiable of terms…"

"I know what you mean." He smiled sympathetically. "She's a little possessive, isn't she?"

"A little?" she gave him a wide-eyed glare for good measure. "She's downright suffocating is what she is. I don't know how Trowa puts up with her."

Quatre chuckled. It seemed they had really hit it off. Hatred at first sight. "I think he's too good for his own good."

The young Foreign Minister turned back to Khadija who was nearly asleep at that time. She took the empty bottle off the little girl's mouth then adjusted her on her shoulder to burp. Her eyes roamed the carpet for a moment, thoughtfully, then she smiled. "He is amazing, isn't he?" Relena asked though it sounded more like a statement, merely requiring confirmation, not that his answer would make any difference. He could see her mind was already made up.

"Yes…" Quatre smiled brightly, knowingly. "He is."

This was good, he realised. No, it was more than good. Two of his dearest friends were already happy – however shadowy the circumstances for this turn of events – and now he saw a chance of happiness for another two. He was truly excited for them and it was hard to reign in his enthusiasm. Trowa and Relena would have to find their own way to each other though. Quatre could have locked them together in a room and watched them squirm until they realised their shared feelings, but that just would not be right… Tempting, yes, but not right.

Would it be right to tell Heero though? No, definitely not… Would the former pilot 01 feel betrayed like Trowa believed he would? Would he get angry? The thought of a truly angry Heero was outright scary. Yes, Quatre should just shut up. Listening and advising were okay, but he should not meddle in his friends' affairs even if he knew – or at least thought he knew – how to fix their mess.

"I think she's ready to turn in for the night." Relena said suddenly and he hurried to relieve her of her tiny burden.

"Thank you." He said, returning her smile. "I'm glad she seems to be feeling better. At least, she's stopped crying…"

"You're welcome, Quatre." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "She's so sweet… She makes me want to have kids."

"She's a handful… She makes me never want to have kids. Not again at least." He smiled down at the baby as he laid her in her crib.

"Will you raise her to call you dad or uncle?"

Quatre turned to his friend with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. It was something he had never considered before, after all it would be a long time before Khadija started talking. "I don't think I would be right to tell her I was her father…" he grimaced, the word reminding him of his own progenitor who had been so unlike himself in so many ways… "I'd feel awkward if she called me father, I guess… There's that too."

Relena seemed to find that amusing for she chuckled. "It's been all rather sudden, hasn't it? I mean, most people plan for a long time to become fathers."

"I had never thought I'd be one in the first place… Ever." He sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do when you're gone… She'll drive me crazy most likely."

"You'll need a babysitter… Aren't you going back to work?"

"I don't know." He confessed, remembering Heero's words. The impulse, the calling to just give it all up and move onto new unexplored territory – very attractive territory – was hard to ignore. It reminded him… "There's something I've been meaning to ask you… A favour of sorts."

Relena threw him a curious glance over her shoulder as they walked to the door. "A favour? What sort of favour?"

"Well… It has something to do with a cooking course…and Heero Yuy."

"Really? That sounds…interesting."

"You have no idea." He smirked devilishly and turned on the electronic babysitter as they made their way to the living room.

OxOxO

It was awfully late…and she missed him. Heero was fast asleep beside her, she could barely hear him breathe. Actually, she had to strain her ears in order to hear him which had been quite creepy back when they had started sleeping together. She had lost count of how many times she had shook him awake, believing him to be dead, only to find herself with her neck between his hands or a gun against her head… There was even a knife once. Against her throat, of course. It had taken some time and some getting used to each other's presence, but they had survived that phase. They had survived many a phase, in fact, and suddenly it seemed like a waste to break up with him… But then she remembered the look Trowa had given her and she realised that she did not care, that the past didn't matter.

"Something wrong?"

Relena nearly jumped out of her skin, her hand flew to her chest, trying to hold her heart as it attempted to escape, and in the silence of the night the blood pounded deafeningly in her ears. She wanted to yell at him and curse, but the mere thought of doing such a thing was mortifying. "I need a glass of water. Do you want anything?"

"No." he rolled over and she took that as her cue to leave.

The whole penthouse was eerily dark and quiet, and for some reason – perhaps it was the scare Heero had just given her – Relena had to fight the urge to run. She paused when she crossed the threshold, stepping into the living room. The lights were on upstairs, in the TV room, she could see the warm yellow glow touch the highest steps. He was awake too…

The door to the kitchen stared at her from her right side.

She wanted to see him…

The black void of the kitchen seemed to be emitting tentacles, ready to pull her in.

Did he miss her too? Heart pounding again, or still, she strode to the stairs.

She found him lying on the sofa – which he had not bothered to unfold into a bed – head against the armrest and Hope lying on his stomach as he held a book above his head. Green eyes flickered to her the moment she reached the top of the stairs and she watched with pleasure as he blushed and jerked up so suddenly he nearly sent the cat flying. His eyes ran over her and he seemed to realise they were alone. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Is everything alright?" he asked a different version of Heero's earlier question.

It was at that moment that Relena realised she would have to explain her presence to him. 'I missed you' did not sound like a proper justification given the circumstances. 'I wanted to see you' was also true, but just as improper. 'Heero doesn't love me anymore' was very, very bad. 'Have you seen my heart? I think I must have put it in your bag by mistake when we packed this morning…' would not work because she had not been anywhere near his bag at all.

"I was looking for Hope… I'm glad she's keeping you company." She smiled and the tabby – and as if to show how displeased she had been at the sudden jerking of her chosen bed – approached her and zig-zagged around her naked ankles. Relena remembered she had forgotten her robe in the bedroom… So that was why Trowa seemed so jumpy… She felt herself flush as she stood there trying to mentally will her nightgown to look longer. Why did he always make her feel so young and naïve?

"Oh, yeah…" Trowa's eyes fell on the cat and he seemed to snap out of his trance. "She's been here for a while."

"Maybe she doesn't like Heero?" she asked, feeling a little sad as she kneeled on the carpet to pet the feline.

"Oh, no. She likes him alright. We were in the terrace earlier and the moment I turned my back she was all over him." He was trying to placate her, his behaviour shifting immediately in accordance to her mood.

"You were smoking again." It was not a question. Relena gathered Hope in her arms, relishing in the furry warmth. She knew Trowa was hurting on the inside, had been for some time, and his body was taking the blunt of it… Why wouldn't he just open up to her?

"I'm sorry." He said, avoiding her gaze. She could tell he was genuinely ashamed and she didn't want to make things worse, didn't want to give him another reason to hate himself.

"It's okay." Relena shook her head, smiling gently. "I only wished you would talk to me instead… You know you can trust me with what's bothering you."

Trowa met her eyes then, as if about to say something major. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. She could see the longing, the ache and they tugged at her very soul. If only she had talked to Heero instead of distracting herself with Khadija and the dishes and Khadija and Hope and Khadija… All she wanted at that moment was to take him in her arms and squeeze the pain out of him.

"I know." He whispered and his voice came out almost apologetic.

Relena stood up, she wanted to tell him how she felt. The words he could not say were very clear in every facet of his being and she ached to tell him she reciprocated, that she wasn't Kate, that it was over now and he did not have to be alone anymore…but she couldn't. Not yet. Not before she had talked to Heero. Their love – if it could still be called that – had always been a strange one. It felt like the transition from friends to lovers had been forced, like they were looking at a donkey and trying to see a horse. Yes, she should definitely talk to him about it. Maybe he felt the same way?

"I should go." She informed him and squeezed Hope tightly before setting the tabby down.

He nodded and smiled. "See you later?"

It was past midnight. Relena smiled. "See you."

Feeling happy and warm, she barely even glanced at the annoying kitchen door as she braved the – no longer so scary – corridor back to her bedroom. She knew the sight of Heero would add a taste of guilt to her current mix of emotions, but she would not let it defeat her. She had done nothing wrong.

OxOxO

"They already know." Wufei commented casually as he sat on the bed, lacing his boots.

"Who knows?" Duo sat up, covers flying and braid dishevelled.

"Who?" the Chinese man snorted, thinking it obvious. "Everyone."

"Everyone? You mean every everyone?" he gapped, wide-eyed. But they had been so discreet… They had bickered and fought… Was it because he had told Quatre he was seeing someone? As Wufei did not seem willing to repeat himself, Duo took his silence as confirmation. "Shit, 'Fei… I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" the black haired man turned to him, his tone softer. He was frowning lightly in confusion an expression the braided man always thought was quite endearing.

"Surely it's because I told Quatre I was dating…"

"No, it's not." Wufei turned back to his boots with a tired sigh. "Remember that trip we took to L1?"

"When you forced be to wear a suit so we could go to that fancy restaurant?" Duo frowned at the memory and received a glare in exchange. "We could've had hot dogs at the park, ya' know…"

"I know, but I wanted to take you somewhere different. Can't you just let it go?"

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." He crawled over the bed so he could give the black haired man a hug. "It's just that I really hate suits." He whispered, as if it was a secret and Wufei had not already heard it a thousand times.

"I know." The Chinese man repeated exasperated, but could not help returning Duo's smile. It wasn't even 10 AM and they were already driving each other up the walls… Just the way they liked it, the long haired man realised. They must be masochists of something...

"What were you saying about the restaurant?" he remembered, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Yuy and his woman were there that night."

"They saw us." He gasped suddenly seeing the tragedy unfold before his very eyes.

"No. Yuy saw us, but I threatened him not to say anything."

"But he did." Duo finished in sympathetic anger. "The bastard!" he tried to sound angry, but could not really fool the other man. "What did you threaten him with?"

"Will you shut up and let me finish?"

"Fine, fine. My bad. Go on."

"Winner was getting suspicious, so he asked him and Yuy could not say 'no'. Barton and the Foreign Minister too figured it out by themselves. I've only talked to Yuy and Barton though. They…sort of cornered me."

"You want me to make a speech? Make it official or something?"

"No, I just…" Wufei waved his arms as if by doing that he could make Duo understand what he was thinking.

The braided man laughed. "That made a lot of sense, 'Fei."

"Shut up, Maxwell. Just…do your thing."

"I will, I will. Leave it to me."

"I'm sorry. This was my idea and now I'm dumping all this on you." The Chinese man sighed.

"Nah! I'll be fine. Now, you take care and don't let Une take advantage of you."

Wufei chuckled. "I will and I won't."

Duo have him a chaste kiss and saw him off. While he rebraided his hair, he wondered how he would breach the subject with Relena and Quatre. Should he go straight to the point? Or should he drop some obvious hints? But they already knew – or that's what Wufei had said – so maybe throwing hints would be just like calling them stupid. And why was he asking himself those questions at all? He wasn't the kind that made plans, no, not at all. If anything, he was a master of improvisation. He was the kind that got into things head on, without a second thought, and then just went with the flow.

"Yep! That's what I'm gonna do." He told his reflection before he headed out into the corridor. The smell coming from the kitchen made his mouth water and he wondered with the most devilish of smirks if Heero was cooking again. Duo had spent half his 30 minute long shower the night before coming up with new jabs about former pilot 01's cooking skills. The other half he had spent wondering how best to get back at Wufei – in bed, of course – for soiling his heavenly tresses…

"Good morning!" Relena greeted him, glancing briefly over her shoulder as she flipped an omelette in the fryer. "There's one for you on the isle. I guess you may eat Wufei's as well… He won't be coming back, will he? He seemed to be in a hurry."

"He received a call from HQ this morning. As usual they were very… vague. He'll be coming back if he can." He took a seat and made sure to slip the Chinese man's omelette into his plate. It looked surprisingly delicious. For some reason he had believed Relena would not know how to cook… Maybe it was because she had always been rich, raised like a princess, or maybe it was because she was with Heero who he had never imagine performing any kind of house chore. "Where's everyone?"

"Quatre's checking on Khadija, he should be back soon. That's his omelette over there." She pointed with the spatula as she made her way towards him and dumped one final omelette into the remaining empty plate. "Heero and Trowa went out for a walk."

"Don't they sleep?" Duo asked incredulously around mouthfuls.

The Foreign Minister chuckled as she took a seat. "Sometimes."

"I will hire them to babysit for me. They could work over night…" Quatre commented as he walked in and flopped into one of the remaining stools. "Babysitters that do not require sleep are quite rare. Is everything right for tonight, by the way?"

"Of course!" Relena agreed excitedly.

Curious, Duo lifted his gaze off his plate to look at his friends. "What's tonight?" he asked.

"Heero and I are taking a cooking course so Relena's babysitting for me."

His laugh turned into a snicker when the food in his mouth threatened to run for it. "You and…Heero? In a cooking course?" he asked when he had swallowed and burst out laughing. Funniest mental image ever. "Does he know? I mean… Did you tell him you were taking him to this thing?"

Quatre rolled his eyes, but Duo did not miss the curving of his lips. "Of course, I did." He said, trying to sound offended or outraged or both. The braided man did not buy it.

"And he said 'yes'?"

"Well…" the blonde man chewed on a forkful thoughtfully. "Not…really… No, he didn't. But he didn't say 'no' either."

"Ha! I want to be there when you tell him. Do you have a camera? My cell phone's camera just sucks. In fact, I think that thing hates me. I should get a new phone…"

"Duo." Quatre's tone hid an obvious warning.

He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Just kidding, just kidding. What prompted this… Whatever you call it anyway?"

"Remember when Heero complimented my food and asked me if I had ever considered becoming a chef? Well, I'm contemplating it. Seriously contemplating it. And since Heero was the one to suggest it, I decided I wanted to take him with me."

Duo smiled knowingly, receiving a wide-eyed glare. Relena looked distracted though so he saw no need to be overly cautious. Surely, after that chat they'd had the day he'd arrived, Quatre had to admit he must have other reasons to want Heero in that cooking thing. He might belong to the young woman sitting with them, but there was nothing wrong in dragging him along and showing him off. Maybe doing some close range ogling too…

"Ya' know, I think that subject's sorta grown old..." he commented, earning himself an awkward confused look from his audience. "There's something I want to tell you, guys. It's about my secret date."

"Should we guess?" Relena smiled quite confidently.

"Ha! Ha!" he laughed unamused. "So you really do know."

"Come on, Duo." Quatre smirked at him. "It's really quite obvious."

"How is it obvious? I don't understand… We've been acting exactly the same!"

"It's the little things, Duo." The young woman told him gently. "Because we know you so well."

Quatre nodded in agreement and he sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I feel stupid now for having tried to hide it when it was so obvious."

"Chang knew we would find out." Heero's sharp voice cut in as he appeared on the threshold. "He only hoped to avoid our questions."

Hope mewed in agreement and Duo realised that she was sitting beside his stool, staring up at him with pleading hungry eyes. "Do not even think about it, Maxwell." Trowa threatened, stepping in. "Cat food only."

"Sorry, pal." He told the feline with a sad shrug, then turned back to his human friends. "I know he wanted to avoid the questions… You, guys, are not going to take advantage of his absence to torture me, are you?" he laughed nervously. Heero and Trowa did look quite frightening standing there all serious, sorta like being interrogated by the mafia. The stoico brothers. (A.N.: Italian for stoic)

"It's embarrassing, isn't it? The story." Quatre asked him patiently.

"Eh, well… You see… Uh… Actually…"Duo scratched his head until it hurt. "It's not… I don't think it's embarrassing, but then 'Fei probably does, so… I should just shut up." He sighed not making much sense of anything he'd just said. His friends seemed to have understood his meaning though. They looked quite thoughtful, as if they were having a silent conference he was not privy to.

"I guess we all agree that, unless you are comfortable telling us, we are not going to pressure you." Their blonde host said finally and the others nodded. They kept staring at him though… Heero's and Trowa's glares he was used to, but Quatre's smiling stare and Relena's gentle one were quite creepy.

"Thanks, I guess…" He laughed nervously again. "So, now that it's all out in the open, 'Fei and I can start making out in front of you."

"Please, don't." there was a panicky edge to Trowa's voice.

Duo laughed. "Don't worry. We're not really into all that affectionate lovey-dovey stuff. The two of us, we… We fight and argue." He shrugged. It must seem awkward to an outsider, but it was quite refreshing. To be able to vent his frustrations and know for sure the other person would not take it personally, be offended and leave. Or cry. Crying was worse. Crying was horrible. "Yeah, that's what we do."

"You work out each other's frustrations." Relena synthetized.

"Exactly!" the braided man beamed. So there was someone who understood.

She seemed to find his enthusiasm amusing. "I know how that is." She confessed, trying to voice it low enough so Heero would not hear. He did though and frowned. Duo wasn't sure whether it was in confusion or annoyance. He wondered what she was talking about since he had never – ever – seen them fight or argue. If they did, he imagined it must be all very…restrained. No wonder she felt frustrated.

He turned back to the door to check on the development of Heero's reaction, but it was Trowa's look that caught his eye. It was a really strange look to find on his face and he was staring at Relena's back nonetheless. Duo turned to Quatre, a question hanging on the tip of his tongue, but the blonde shook his head as if saying 'not now'. Interesting… Interesting how much had changed in only 5 days.