Disclaimer - I still don't own them and I'm doing this purely for entertainment.

Note - kudos and cookies to the incomparably awesome Snowdragonct and Kaeru Shisho, for comments, queries, for never failing to laugh at my jokes, and above all, for unflagging encouragement and morale support.

Many thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - I got 14 reviews which is my world record to date! - and many apologies for the nasty way it ended.

Dear Random Fan - thank you so much for writing in. If you'd like to drop me an email address, I'd be happy to reply.

Catching Up:

Wufei's 'phone rang at the perfect time.

He was standing in front of - an object of some sort, described in the catalogue as a 'Driftwood sculpture' and looking exactly like a log.

Zechs, who was rather good at this sort of thing, was at the other side of the exhibition hall, examining a splashy watercolour of prancing ponies with every appearance of delight. Wufei was trying to think of something vaguely complimentary to say.

'Very unusual,' he managed finally.

The young woman responsible for the - thing - looked up at Wufei expectantly, beaming at his praise and clearly waiting for more.

'And quite original.' That, thank the gods, was when Duo called his cellphone.

Not really a shock, because Wufei had known it was going to happen, and probably sooner rather than later, and he'd been an idiot ever to allow Duo even on the same continent as Yuy. Let alone sharing a house with him..

They'd already spoken earlier that morning; Wufei had called him as soon as he'd seen the breaking news on TV that Quatre Winner's car had been found, with three bodies inside; Quatre's fiancé e and two men who had been identified as his bodyguards. Duo had sounded distracted at the time and rung off after a couple of minutes.

'Duo. What is it?'

''Fei, I'm really sorry to bother you,' came the very quiet response.

'You're not 'bothering' me,' Wufei answered, moving off to a quiet corner, and opting for Zechs' favourite technique in Duo management; making him laugh. 'We're at an arts and crafts exhibition at the Sanque Academy for Young Ladies, and I've never been so bored in my entire life. The worst thing is, all the exhibits are being auctioned for charity, so we'll have to buy something and then contrive to lose or break it on the way home. I swear, if you hadn't called, I might well have garrotted someone with a macramé plant holder.'

Duo didn't laugh. So much for Zechs' ideas.

'How bad is it?'

There was no answer, which in itself was answer enough.

'Duo? Don't panic. We're on our way.'

'When?' One word only; one syllable that sounded like Duo's throat was lined with powdered glass. One word, from Duo who used words the way Zechs used colours.

Wufei glanced at his watch, working it out. Thirty minutes or so to drive to the airport; flight time to Florence was over three hours. There might be a flight due to take off; if not they would have to arrange private hire and that could end up taking even longer, by the time the 'plane was ready and they'd filed a flight plan. Their passports were at the Palace - someone would have to fetch them, and their luggage.

'Best case scenario? Five hours, more or less. I'm sorry. We'll be as quick as we can, I promise.'

They ended up getting the last two seats on a charter flight to Florence, a flight otherwise filled with families off to Italy for an early Spring break; over-excited children, stressed parents and crying babies. It would have been galling even in the best circumstances; for Wufei, who was desperately worried about Duo and furious with Zechs, it was a nightmare.

''Fei, please. At least, talk to me. I was only trying to help: Duo's my friend too.'

The only one real response to that was - but he was my friend first, and that would probably come out sounding somewhat childish.

'If you cared about him, you wouldn't be encouraging him to get back with Yuy,' Wufei snapped instead, clamping down hard on his temper before it soared to screaming point and beyond. Not that anyone would notice on this 'plane; one of the mothers would probably offer him chocolate or soda to placate him. Actually, come to think of it, a cup of hot tea would be quite acceptable.

'I didn't encourage him, my love. I've told you; I merely offered a tentative suggestion to Duo that if he does still have any feelings for Heero, and Heero seems to feel the same, it might be an idea for them to discuss that. And that maybe it's time for him to move on from what happened in the past. He's stronger than you think, love.'

Wufei sniffed. 'It's none of your business. Duo's far better off without Yuy; even Winner could see that.'

'I was trying to help,' Zechs murmured. 'I want him to be happy, you know.'

'Fine,' Wufei snapped. 'Duo's been perfectly happy for the last five years; he spends five days with that bastard and he's on the 'phone sounding like he did when they first broke up. There is no way I'm letting that happen to him again. End of discussion.'

He turned away from Zechs and flicked on the entertainment screen, finding a news channel just in time to watch the first bomb go off on L4.

There had been two more explosions by the time the 'plane finally landed; each destroying a building owned by WEI, but Wufei had paid only minimal attention, preferring to focus on reaching Duo. There would be time to consider events on L4 later.

They were collected from the Arrivals terminal by a uniformed Embassy chauffeur, who whisked them through the baggage claim and customs formalities, and drove them straight to Heero's address, 'phoning Duo en route. Wufei chose to stay in the car, only getting out to give Duo, who had presumably been waiting by the door, a quick hug, before the car pulled off, abandoning Zechs to deal with Heero and any necessary legal formalities.

Duohad beensilent for the short drive to the Embassy, staring fixedly out of the window, and had straightaway gone upstairs to change and shower.

An hour later, Wufei was ensconced in a leather wing chair in the Embassy library, flipping through the channels for any updates. It was generally believed that the attacks were linked to Quatre Winner's disappearance, especially since the discovery, earlier that day, of the car in which Mr. Winner had been travelling, containing the dead bodies of his fiancé e and two bodyguards. As a result, the search for Winner had been intensified, with extra Preventer agents being flown in from Earth and the other Colonies.

The only good news was that an anonymous evacuation warning had been issued in each case, and, since it was a Saturday, there had been no casualties, but the cost of rebuilding, however, would run to millions. No terrorist group had yet taken responsibility, but the L4 security forces claimed to be following several leads.

Otherwise, most networks were recycling the same footage over and over again, and after fifteen minutes of this, Wufei turned the TV off, preferring to wait for Duo in silence.

Wufei had ordered tea to be served in the library; a small, panelled room, which had an open fire and a more cosy atmosphere than any of the formal reception rooms.

Duo looked, when he finally came down, rather better that Wufei had expected. He had changed into his old faded jeans, which had acquired what looked like mud stains on the knee, and a baggy, tie-dyed t-shirt he'd bought in India with his still-damp hair in a loose braid.

'God, I've missed having a real fire.' Ignoring the room's comfortable chairs, Duo sat on the hearthrug, choosing a spot convenient to where afternoon tea had been laid out on a low table.

Wufei poured tea for them both, and watched Duo fill his plate with a selection of finger sandwiches, although he seemed in no particular hurry to eat them, subjecting each to a minute examination. 'You'd better enjoy it: that one log alone cost us a fortune. I'd been admiring the damn thing; and we had to buy something before rushing off.'

Duo actually managed a faint smile at that, but said nothing, picking up one sandwich and examining it carefully before electing to take a bite.

'It is remarkable,' Wufei commented casually, after a few minutes of this, 'that there are actually people who have nothing better to do than cut the crusts of bread, and there probably is a massive crust mountain somewhere in the universe.'

Duo's head shot up. 'Am I really that predictable?'

'Quite boringly so. Do you want to tell me what happened now?'

Duo nodded, arranging his sandwiches in a neat row.

'Quatre.. Trowa. Heero. Can I tell you about Quat first?'

'I watched the news channel on the flight here. The bombs.' Wufei took another sip of tea. 'And they found Winner's car this morning.'

'With the three dead bodies inside; still no update on that, is there? The thing is, Wu, you remember that night in India? When Heero told me I had to come here?'

'Of course I do! Duo, what has that to do with anything?'

'Zechs gave me a couple of numbers. Of some guys he knows in Florence. Old friends of his.'

Wufei gave a curt nod, not looking any too happy with that piece ofinformation.

'He was just trying to help, 'Fei. Really. Don't be mad at him.'

'I already am. He told me about your little chat last night.'

'Oh. Wu, that wasn't his fault. He didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I don't want you guys falling out over me,'

'That's not the issue right now,' Wufei's tone made it perfectly clear that this topic was not, currently, up for discussion, and Duo gave in. 'So what about those 'phone numbers, Duo? I suppose you did contact one of these people?'

'Yeah. I called one of them the first day I was here. A Theo Fichtner. Just to ask for some weapons and stuff.'

Wufei nodded again, guessing how very vulnerable his friend must have felt in such a situation, and understanding all too well Duo's need to have some form of protection to hand. He should never have let this happen, any of it, he reflected, assailed by a sharp needle of guilt.

'I see.. Duo, what has that to do with Winner?'

'I asked this Fichtner guy to arrange one other thing for me. On L4. Look, I was really confused, OK? I didn't know what Quat was going to do next.. To me or Trowa or any of us.'

'What did you ask him to do? Duo?' Wufei was trying very hard to keep his voice neutral; judging by Duo's reaction, he wasn't succeeding overly well.

'Just a surveillance job. Quat was acting so freaking insane and I couldn't work out why, so I asked Fichtner to set a tail on him. Wu, I just felt I needed to do something, you know? I guess it doesn't make a lot of sense.'

'Of course it makes sense. Intelligence gathering is always wise. As is knowledge of one's enemy.'

'Yeah. What's that saying - keep your enemies close and your friends closer?' Duo's mouth twisted into something that was very definitely not a smile. 'Anyway, Fichtner's called me a couple of times, with nothing much to report, and then he 'phoned this morning.. The guy he had assigned to tail Quat hadn't checked in for a while; Fichtner saw the news about Quat going AWOL and sent a couple of his buddies to look for his guy and he'd apparently vanished as well.'

'So I told him to call me back as soon as he had any news and he rang just before I called you. To say that his guy'd been found. He was dead, Wu. Professional shot, right bang between the eyes. Like the three in the car.'

'With the same weapon?'

Duo shrugged, flipping his braid over one shoulder and tugging it gently. The leaping flames coloured it to a richly glowing chestnut. 'Don't know yet. Preventers haven't released any information.'

'Duo, could Winner have done it?'

'If you mean, was he physically capable of doing it; then, yes. Probably. He's a pretty good shot and they definitely wouldn't have been expecting it. Would he do something like that? God, I don't think so. The guys were Maguanacs; why would he want to kill them? They'd do anything he told them to. And the girl - he'd known her since they were kids. She was a friend of his sisters.'

'If she - knew something about him? Something she threatened him with, tried to blackmail him?'

'She knew he was gay.' Duo picked up a sandwich, considering it. 'Trowa told me. I don't think she cared, sounded like she was quite happy to have a no-strings-attached marriage. And even if she changed her mind, well, if Quat truly wanted someone dead, I think he'd take very great care not to be implicated. It wasn't him, Wu. I can't prove it, but I know..'

'It had to be someone they knew,' Wufei mused. 'They wouldn't have pulled over to the side of the road for a stranger.'

'Mmm. And if there'd been a chase, if they'd sensed any kind of a threat, one of them would have had time to call for help, surely?'

'Does Winner carry a gun? And Duo, stop doing that. It's utterly revolting.'

Duo, who had been painstakingly removing diced cucumber from his sandwich, looked vaguely offended. 'Give me a break, Wu. I hate this stuff, and Heero's been making me eat revoltingly healthy food for days. Quat carry a gun? Not always. But if he thought there was maybe a threat, he would..'

'Then surely he would have increased his security detail?' Wufei suggested. 'If not for his own sake, then for the young woman's.'

'You'd think. There must have been at least two of them, don't you think? They'd have to take out two professional bodyguards and Quat's able to handle himself. I can see why they had to shoot the bodyguards. But the girl wouldn't have been a threat, surely?'

'If she'd seen them, they couldn't afford to let her live, in case she could ID them. Or it could have been a warning, perhaps, to show Quatre that they were serious. '

'They'd already shot his two bodyguards. I think he'd have an idea they meant business.. Wouldn't it make more sense to keep her with them, as a hostage to keep Quatre in line?'

'Perhaps she tried to run? No, then they could hardly have shot her between the eyes. Unless they brought her back and made her sit back down before killing her?'

'Don't see any point to that.' Duo shuddered at the idea, at the sheer cold-bloodedness of it. 'And Quat was there; he'd hardly have stood by and just watched. Even if they were holding a gun on him, he'd have tried to save her somehow.'

'Maybe they killed him. Maybe it was a kidnap attempt that went wrong; if he did try to intervene and they killed him.' Wfuei considered. 'Perhaps they thought they could still try to extract a ransom demand.'

'There still hasn't been any ransom mentioned in the media, not yet anyway.. But of course, they probably wouldn't be letting the media know.'

'Many kidnappers prefer not to issue demands until a period of time has passed.'

'If they shot him, there'd be blood in the car. The Preventers will find that.'

'It won't be proof of anything. He could just be wounded.'

'Doesn't make much sense, does it? OK, assume he's been abducted. Why?'

'Someone who wants a large sum of money.' Wufei mused. 'A business rival. Perhaps someone who's lost their livelihood due to the Winners. Someone who disapproves of Winner's politics or his sexuality. Someone who's bearing a grudge from the War.'

'That narrows it down,' Duo muttered. 'Most of the Universe then. If it is a kidnap, who'll pay the ransom? Quat's sisters? What if they don't want him found?'

Wufei considered the idea, then shook his head. 'No, Duo, I'm sure you're wrong. His sisters wouldn't do something like that. They're his family, after all.'

'Hmm.' Duo snorted, not having any real knowledge of families. 'If he were out of the way, they'd be in charge, wouldn't they? If they got him out of the way, wouldn't they end up controlling WEI? Or they could stage an abduction and get a massive ransom. Could be a temptation.. Come on Wu, it's not like any of them are actually all that close to Quat, so don't look at me like that. And he'd spent the night with one of his sisters, so she'd have known exactly when he was leaving her house, and his security arrangements.'

'I think under L4 law only males can inherit. Anyway, Quatre wasn't with his sisters that night. The party was at the house of a cousin. It was on GNN's latest broadcast.. Khaled Winner. Quatre's uncle's oldest son.'

'Was it now?' Duo frowned. 'So, if Quat did mysteriously vanish, does that mean it would be this Khaled guy who'd be in line to take over WEI. Isn't that interesting? Maybe he's the one the Preventers should be investigating, not Tro. But if it someone who wants to take over WEI, why would they blow up buildings the company owns? It doesn't make any sense, does it? None of this makes much sense, really.'

He chose another sandwich to dissect. 'Wu, when was the last time you talked to Quatre? Properly, I mean, not just a few words over the 'phone.'

Wufei frowned a little as he tried to remember the last time they'd met.. Duo had tried to arrange something for the previous Christmas, but Winner had begged off; Wufei couldn't remember now what excuse he'd given.

'New York,' he said finally. 'Remember? Quatre had some conference to attend, and the two of us flew down to meet him for a couple of days.'

'Shit.' Duo swore quietly. 'That was – what, a year and a half ago? I hadn't realised it was that long. We've seen him since then, surely?'

'You have, that time you flew over to London last summer; we tried to organise something after that, but he always seemed to be busy. I haven't seen him since New York.. I got there a few hours before you did, and Winner and I went for lunch. I'd had a row with Zechs, and he let me talk it over with him.'

'Oh, yeah, I remember. You were upset about that photograph.'

That photograph. It had been taken in Florence, ironically enough, He and Zechs had been standing on a bridge over the Arno at sunset, not really paying any attention to any of the other camera-toting tourists and Wufei had been appalled, the following morning, to see himself and Zechs splashed all over the celebrity gossip pages in the newspapers, and even featured on the morning TV broadcast 'Who's Hot?' as the latest celebrity couple .

It wasn't like their relationship had been a secret of course; nothing like that. They'd been dating for almost eighteen months at that point, and inevitably there had been some media attention, but any previous photographs been taken at various functions they had attended together, and each time Wufei had been able to pin on a deliberate smile and pose guardedly, carefully giving no hint of any deeper emotions.

The picture in Florence had been very different. The two of them were silhouetted against warm honey-coloured stone, striped in shadows and bathed in the soft Italian light of early evening. Not quite touching, but the shot had nonetheless been shockingly intimate, capturing that single moment just before the possibility of a kiss. Zechs bending slightly and Wufei tilting his head slightly; his heart evident in the smile on his lips and in his eyes.

Zechs had been charmed by the horrific invasion of privacy, had merely smiled and remarked that they'd have to get their own copy to keep. He'd seemed to think that a framed copy would make a delightful memento of their trip.

Wufei had left that morning, flying directly to New York to meet up with Duo and the others, undecided if he could actually continue in such a high profile relationship, constantly in the media spotlight, given that he and Zechs seemed to have such different perspectives on life and privacy.

'I spent that afternoon talking with Quatre. He was - very understanding, very kind. He was supposed to be working on figures for a presentation, but he insisted on taking the afternoon off to be with me. I actually found myself envying Trowa.'

'Seriously? I never knew you had a thing for Quat.' Duo grinned suddenly. ' Although I guess you do have a thing for blondes, right? It'd never work, you know; Q's seriously high maintenance.'

'It was not a 'thing' or anything of that sort,' Wufei snapped, furious at himself for getting flustered at Duo's teasing insinuations. He had never meant to say that last sentence aloud, or not without qualifying it slightly. 'I merely envied their relationship. They always seemed so – comfortable together.'

'Yeah.' Duo paused in constructing a pyramid of his unwanted cucumber. 'I used to envy them as well, sometimes. Guess we didn't really know what was going on, though. I don't get any of this, Wu. I mean, Quat was our friend and now he's turned into some stranger. There must be something going on with him.'

'I know.' Wufei replenished his tea cup. 'I think we need we need to discuss this with Trowa, don't you agree?'

'Yeah.' He had teased some strands of hair free and was twisting them around one finger. 'I think we're no longer an item, or however you want to put it. I punched him, 'Fei. Damn near broke his nose.'

'I presume you had a reason.' It wasn't a question.

'Oh.' Duo blushed slightly. 'It was - we were, um, making out and...he did something a bit - a bit sudden. Something I wasn't expecting.'

Wufei felt his own colour rising. Even after three years with Zechs - three years of glorious, miraculous sex with Zechs - he still felt awkward discussing certain things.

'He didn't - try to pressure you into something?'

'No! Nothing like that. We were kissing and.. and stuff, and well, I'd started it so I think he thought I wanted - wanted more. I just - I really thought I could do it, 'Fei..' He had fumbled a spare hair tie from around his wrist, and was twisting it around one finger. 'You know? Thought I could actually have sex with someone without being too drunk or stoned to know what I was doing?'

'Did you want to?' Wufei stared resolutely into his tea cup, very much not wanting to meet Duo's eye.

'I don't know. Sort of. It felt good at the start and I'd been...' He stopped and took a deep breath. 'There's this whole thing that happened with Heero, and I 'd been thinking about that, when I should have been thinking about Trowa, and I thought if I could, you know, if I could be with Tro like that, I'd make it better for both of us. But it just felt weird, like I was going through the motions or something and I whacked him by mistake and then I told him about Fichtner and the news came on the radio that they'd found Quat's car.'

'I see. But, Duo, it was an accident, your hitting him. He'll understand you were stressed about everything, won't he?'

'Probably. But I told him I didn't think it was going to work; the two of us. I mean, I really like him and all, but seriously, he's still hung up on Quat. He took it pretty well, I think I was just his rebound guy anyway. He was talking about getting on the next shuttle to L4. I don't think he has a lot of faith in Preventers right now.' Duo had been twisting a spare hair tie around his fingers; it suddenly snapped and ricocheted across the room, startling them both.

'I don't know, 'Fei. He is worried about Quat; he's blaming himself for not being there, but I think he maybe he just wants to get away from me for a bit. I really want us to stay friends but it was seriously awkward yesterday after…well, after I'd decked him. He was being so nice about it and I was just freaking out, and then he started talking about us sleeping together, with Heero in the room next door, and that was pretty much it.

'I see,' Wufei said again, nobly not saying anything along the lines of I told you so, and wondering which had disturbed Duo more; the idea of sex with Trowa or Heero's proximity. He'd known, really, that it wasn't going to work between the two of them, known that Trowa still had feelings for Winner, while Duo…

'You'd better tell me about what happened with Heero,' he said finally, surprised when Duo merely nodded.

'I was with Heero when Tro called last night. I didn't tell you that.. He took me out for dinner, this really nice little place, I forget the name, but it was up in the hills outside the city. Zechs said you guys have been there?'

'La Caravella?' Duo nodded. 'You do know that place is considered one of the most romantic places to dine in Europe?'

'No! I don't know stuff like that...I thought we were just going for a pizza or something...'

'And at exactly what point did you realise it was a date?'

'Oh, God.' Duo buried his head in his lap, the flames picking out the glints in his hair; amber and marigold and bronze. 'The waiter told me.'

'You,' Wufei said repressively, 'do not deserve to be let out alone. Ever. What happened?'

'Um, he said...OK, he didn't actually say anything but I think he would have, if Trowa hadn't called…'

'You don't actually know what he was going to say, though? Maybe he was just going to ask you to pass the salt.'

'I'm not that clueless, Wu! Anyway, we were having dessert,' Duo muttered. 'He was - this morning, shit, I can't believe it was only this morning - he said that we needed to talk. And then I sort of panicked and told him I was with Trowa.'

'So he never did actually say anything to you?' Wufei persisted, clinging to that fragile thread of hope. 'And maybe you were mistaken all along.'

'He did. Say something. This afternoon; I guess he came straight home after he heard about Quat's car being found and he, well, he made it pretty clear that he wants to try again. He didn't know I'd broken up with Tro at that point, so it was all a bit hypothetical but he did say he still cared about me. '

'Dear Gods.' Wufei offered a brief prayer of thankfulness to his ancestors that his lie was less complicated. 'This is sounding like one of those absurd soap operas you watch, Duo. And do you - do you still have feelings for him?' It came out fairly sounding fairly neutral, to Wufei's eternal credit and personal astonishment, given that his first reaction had been to grab the nearest sharp object and investigate Yuy's organs. But this was Duo, his best friend, and perhaps, just perhaps, some of what Zechs had said was true.

'If I say yes, will you promise not to lock me up for the rest of my life?'

'Absolutely not. Duo, if he does still - care - for you, why did he wait so long before he said anything?'

'He, um, thought we were together.'

Wufei wasn't sure what his expression looked like, but it made Duo laugh.

Sheesh, Wu, sorry if the idea of being with me is so repellent.'

'It's not that,' Wufei said hastily. 'Or it wouldn't be if I didn't know you.'

'Well, that's a nice compliment,' Duo huffed, but a smile was curling the corners of his mouth.

'But - you were dating other people when we lived together, and so was I and he has to know about me and Zechs, surely.'

'Yeah. He kind of thought we were all together.'

'He what? All three of us? Duo, I don't even know how...'

'OK, Wu, seriously, you have got to stop right there,' Duo snapped. 'Please. If you ever want the two of us to be able to make eye contact again.'

Wufei nodded curtly, snapping his jaw shut on any words that might have inadvertently escaped.

'So Heero thought you were .. involved elsewhere.' Wufei said delicately. It made sense in a way; if Yuy had truly thought Duo were happy, involved with someone else, his sense of honour would keep him away.

Duo nodded at this suggestion. 'Yeah. Stupid asshole. Wu, what am I going to do?'

'I don't know. But I do think it is a very dangerous thing, to give one's happiness into another's keeping.'

'You do know he is so freaking crazy about you that it's a wonder he can even function half the time, right?'

'We're not talking about me!' Wufei growled. 'We are discussing you and that - Heero. In your place, I do not think I could ever forgive what he's done, but, as Zechs has told me, I'm not you and I don't own you. My personal advice would be to forget him, but I can't tell you what to do. But if you decide to give him a second chance, which I do not consider he deserves, you need to be very sure about what precisely you expect from the relationship; perhaps even consider counselling for both of you.'

'Maybe.' Duo didn't sound too enthusiastic about the idea. 'He's different, 'Fei. Like he wanted to please me all the time, the way he was when we first got together. He even had a sunflower. In a vase on his kitchen table. He must have remembered that they're my favourite flower.'

'I thought orchids were your favourite flower.'

'Well, they're my other favourite. Honestly, you're as bad as he is! It just seemed - sort of sweet that he'd remembered, you know. And I think he has changed in some ways. I mean, he's still into his job and everything, but he has a dog and lots of plants, and we went to a really great park, and we went shopping together, and he picked out some really nice clothes for me, and he didn't try to kill this sales clerk who gave me his 'phone number. It was – it was the way I'd always imagined we'd be, you know? The way I wanted.'

'Right. And what did you say to him?'

'Nothing, really. I sort of freaked out, that on top of me breaking up with Tro and the whole Quatre thing and this trial. It was just one more fucking thing piled on to everything else in my life. I told him I just couldn't deal with that right now, and then I went off and rang you to come and rescue me.'

'I'm glad you did,' Wufei said sincerely, reaching out to give Duo's braid a tug. 'You do know that I'm here whatever you end up doing. I can't say I'll support you, precisely, but I'll try to be civil to Yuy and, if it does end badly, I'll help you to kill him. Fair enough?'

'Deal,' Duo agreed, holding out one hand. Wufei ignored it, pulling him into a hug. 'I couldn't do this without you, 'Fei. And I can't lose you, you know that. Whatever happens, I'm always going to need you. Um, is that way too much emotional stuff for you?'

'You lost me at the first sentence, Maxwell. You want to have dinner now?'

'Sure. Shit, we don't have to go to some fancy formal dinner, do we? I saw them setting up that big dining room down the corridor.'

Wufei grinned, evilly. 'The Ambassador is hosting a dinner for the Loyal Daughters of Sanque; they're fifty or so middle-aged ladies who have made their home in Italy since the War for various reasons. 'I told His Excellency that Prince Milliardo would be charmed to attend and make a speech after the meal; I gather there will be traditional folk music and dancing afterwards so he should have a splendid time.'

'You, Chang, are incredibly evil,' Duo sounded approving. 'What are we going to do?'

'I thought we could order pizza.'