Heero stood on the other side of a large window, looking in on the Preventer scientists as they tested the blue liquid that he and Duo had found at the warehouse. He watched them move against the stark white of the room, their coats the same color white. He clutched Relena's robe in his hands while he watched, trying to piece together what was happening.

"Hey man, come take a break," Duo said, joining him at the window. He handed Heero a cup of coffee in a paper cup. Heero took it without a word and sipped. It was black and bitter, just the way he liked it. "Une wants us to stay in top shape. None of the other guys can make it back here to help us."

"I'm fine."

"Are you?"

Heero glanced at Duo.

"I'm worried, alright? But that shouldn't be a surprise," Heero blurted out, covering his outburst with a deep gulp of coffee. It scalded over his tongue and burned the roof of his mouth. He winced.

"It's not a surprise, no," Duo said, rubbing his hand against the stubble on his cheek. "It's just that… well, you've been away for so long…"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Duo said nothing. Heero turned his body toward Duo and gave him a pointed stare. "Don't make me repeat my question."

Duo sighed and matched Heero's glare.

"If you had just stayed here, this may not have happened," Duo spat. Heero jerked his head back as if he'd been slapped. Where was this anger coming from? Duo was never angry.

"I don't-"

"No, you don't. I'm sick of watching Relena suffer while you work out whatever brand of crazy you've got going on in that head of yours. Geez, just go to therapy." Heero's mouth moved to speak, but nothing came out. Duo had never spit such vitriol at him before.

Heero wanted to retort, but he couldn't. Duo was right.

And Heero hated when Duo was right.

Heero drew in a breath and released it slowly. Duo stared at him, waiting for some kind of response.

"You're right."

Duo blinked and took a step back.

"Can you say that louder for the people in the back?"

"You're right, okay?" Heero muttered.

"This is a first," Duo said. "Heero admitted defeat."

"Any other long-harbored feelings you wish to share?" Heero asked with sarcasm.

"Other than being in love with you, no," Duo said, then let out a laugh that rocked his shoulders.

"Shut up."

Duo slapped Heero on the shoulder, causing a bit of Heero's coffee to spill over the edge and land on the floor.

"I'm kidding. But I feel better putting you in your place. Now you just need to promise to quit that pointless job of yours and come back to Brussels."

"We'll see."

"Better than nothing, I suppose."

One of the scientists approached the door to the lab and pushed it open. He removed his safety glasses and pulled the gloves off his hands, disposing them in a waste bin beside the door. Heero and Duo took a step closer.

"Well, it's nothing like I've ever seen before," the scientist said. "And honestly, I'm still not sure I have a handle on what it is."

"Did you find out anything?" Heero asked.

"Not yet. This is going to take a while to crack."

Heero and Duo released collective sighs. Back to the drawing board.

"Let Une know the second you have any idea of what it is," Heero instructed. The man nodded, lowered his safety glasses, and disappeared back into the lab.

"Now what?" Duo asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Let's go to Relena's house. Maybe there are some clues there," Heero said. Duo nodded, and they left the HQ.

Relena stared at the gaping maw that was the cockpit of the Animus mobile suit. A shiver ran down her shoulders and back, causing goosebumps to break out over her skin. Clara waited patiently while Relena stared at the suit.

"Don't make me shock you again," Clara warned, holding the rod closer to Relena, who flinched away.

"Alright," Relena conceded. She took a tentative step toward the cockpit, clenching her fists. The blue liquid coursing through her veins propelled her forward, despite her resistance to enter the cockpit. She stepped over the threshold and turned, sitting down in the seat. It seemed to mold to her body perfectly. When she reached her hands out to grip the controls, they were the perfect distance away from her body. Even the helmet, as it lowered onto her head, fit perfectly.

How could they know everything would be perfect without her being in the suit?

She was about to ask Clara when the cockpit door closed. Clara's voice rang through the cockpit.

"You're going to destroy the ESUN tower," Clara commanded.

A zap from the helmet zinged through Relena's brain. Yes. She would destroy the ESUN tower. Her fingers closed around the controls, feeling the smooth curves press against her skin. She flipped the switch to bring the mobile suit to life, and it purred under her control. A large hangar door opened, and Relena pushed the suit forward as if she had been piloting the Animus for years. Everything felt smooth and just… right.

As Animus stepped out into the sunlight, Relena inhaled a deep breath that smelled like leather, metal, and oil.

"You know which direction to go," Clara's voice spoke into Relena's mind.

"Yes," she answered automatically.

The large mobile suit lurched forward, taking step after step toward the hangar doors. With each step, Relena felt more in tune with Animus. She could feel Animus's wants and needs, and right now, she needed to destroy that tower.

Once the mobile suit made it outside, Relena angled the cameras up to the sky. It was a clear, cloudless day. She had no idea where she was, and just as she had that thought, a map appeared on the screen in front of her, showing that she was in Denmark near the ocean. She wasn't sure how she ended up so far from Brussels, but that thought disappeared as quickly as it came. Relena turned Animus inland until her back faced the ocean. Gripping the controls tightly, she closed her eyes. Animus's engines flared to life, and when Relena opened her eyes again, she pushed forward on the thrusters. Animus took off into the sky, the thrusters from her shoulders and feet keeping her level and steady in the air. The ground beneath them faded away.

Clara's voice came over the speaker in Animus's cockpit.

"After you destroy the tower, come back here," Clara instructed.

"Yes, ma'am," Relena said.

Relena pushed the Animus faster, and when she looked down, she saw that her veins were glowing blue again. Moving the Animus took all of Relena's extra effort. She knew she wouldn't be able to control the suit if it weren't for whatever Clara had injected into Relena's body. And as Relena grew accustomed to her new strength, she liked it more and more.

Before long, Brussels came into view. The edge of the city appeared below her, and as she grew closer to the city center, bigger and taller buildings emerged up into the sky. That's when she saw the shining blue tower of the ESUN.