A/N: Hey everyone! I do not own any of the g-boys but I do have a few OC outside of them that were of my creation. Here's another idea that I came up with recently that I thought would be somewhat of a challenge to write. I am still pretty iffy on this one, so let me know what you think.

Summary: After Project Meteor, the G-boys went their separate ways. 7 years later, a new race has made an appearance. The movement is called the "Genesis" movement. The G-boys come together to help Preventers bring a halt to the illegal experiments that have been taking place. Eventual Duo/Heero get together fic. The story centralizes around the "Genesis" movement and the trials and tribulations the G-boys face in the process.

The Space Between Us

Chapter 4

Heero's POV

We arrived late to the venue, as expected thanks to Relena and her persistence of looking perfect. The Speech went on as planned with no issues thankfully. We then ended up accompanying Relena and Milliardo to a charity even that followed. By the time we finished up, it was 7 pm, my leg had made its presence known after how long I was standing on it, and I was exhausted. I pulled up to my apartment complex at a quarter to 9 and just sat in the parking deck with my head resting against my Wheel. My leg was protesting and I wasn't so sure I could get out and walk to the elevator without it giving on me. The shocks had been persistent thanks to my constant walkthrough at the charity event. When I finally had a moment to sit Relena was there and asking to accompanied while she spoke with the others attending. I don't think I had a chance to sit for longer than three minutes at a time and I was paying for it.

With a sigh I mustered up the strength to step out of my vehicle, resting my hand on the hood of my car and stretching out my leg, forcing it to cooperate. It took a few minutes before I was able to limp to the elevator to get to my floor. The whole ride up to the 4th floor I was doing my exercises to make sure it didn't bind up even more. I was able to walk to my door and to my couch before collapsing on the couch. I needed to remove it to shower and I wasn't looking forward to it, it always caused a shock wave up my right side when the plates were disconnected.

I readied myself and took a deep breath before bending down and releasing the plates, I grunted in pain as the shock rolled up my right side for a minute before receding. I let the breath out that I was holding and placed the prosthetic shakily against the end table. At that moment my phone decided to go off, causing me to jump since I wasn't expecting the sound to pierce the comfortable silence of my living room. Without looking at who was calling I put the phone to my ear.

"What," I was not in the mood to talk to anybody right now. All I wanted was to soak in the tub to loosen up the nerves in my legs and back and something edible that didn't have some french name.

"Hey...did I get you at a bad time?" It was Mikhail.

I ran my hand over my face and sighed, "No, sorry...It's been a rough day."

I could almost hear the concern through the line, "Leg been acting up again?"

"That's putting it lightly...I may have to take Wufei's advice and look into the newer model...It's supposed to have fewer glitches. The problem is they will probably have to put a new connection plate in my leg as well...I doubt these plates will work with the newer version.."

"I'm sorry Heero, I wish there was more I could do...Do you still have that cream? The one that numbs?"

I smile, "Yeah, it's right where you left it last time you were here...How are things on your side?"

"Hectic, stressful...listen Heero..." I didn't like the sound of his hesitation.

"Listen... I don't think I will be able to get away during break, they have me volunteering at the facility here in the bionics department to get some extra experience. With the way things are going it may be...quite a while before I will have free time to visit..."

I wasn't surprised, this wasn't the first time this has happened. Out of the four months together we've probably only had time to visit for the most of a month if you count up all the days. I was so stupid to think this time would be any different.

"Listen...I know the timing is bad to be dropping this all on you but...considering how things are going here, maybe we should take a break...It wouldn't be right of me to ask you to wait out the rest of my term. Look...I really like you but I'm not able to be there as much as I should. Maybe we should put this on hold until we can properly..."

I didn't hear the rest of what he was saying. This is how it always went with anything I tried to explore, It would last a few months and things would fall apart. I let out a shaky sigh and shut my eyes, "I understand, I get it. You don't need to explain Mikhail. I don't want to get in the way. You've worked so hard to get where you are and I don't want you feeling guilty about it."

"Heero..."

I let my head fall limp and my free hand to go lax between my slightly spread legs, "No...really it's okay. I wish you the best."

"...I'll be in touch Heero, I'm not saying we aren't going to work, the timing is just complicated. Are you going to be okay?" He honestly sounded concerned and guilty of voicing his concerns.

I leaned back on the couch and laid my head back on the cushions, "...Yeah, I'll be okay. Thank you for being honest."

He didn't sound convinced, "...Alright...I really am sorry Heero...Talk to you later?"

"...Yeah..." after a pause, I heard the phone go dead and the call was ended. I set the phone down on the couch beside me and just...stared at my ceiling. Why did I think this time would be any different? Any attempt at a relationship since Relena hasn't lasted longer than a few months before my job would get in the way or vise versa. To wrap up my last couple of years, it seemed to consist of booty calls instead of actual relationships, catching time when it was available, and attempting to make connections outside of sex.

I reached for the folded up wheelchair next to the couch and opened it. After I got it open I shifted to sit in it and wheeled myself to the bathroom. I locked the chair near the toilet and used it as leverage to stand and sit on the side of the tub. I turned on the water, felt the temperature, and proceeded to let it fill.

I glimpsed at myself in the mirror attached to the backside of my door, I looked ragged. My hair was coming out of the small ponytail I used to hold my sides out of my face during work. My hair hasn't changed much, it was a little longer but not enough to be drastically different, it was still dark brown and still didn't cooperate. It wasn't long enough to put it all up, only the sides seemed to be, hence the change in hairstyle. I still had lean muscle and if I were to judge my height, I would say I am just shy of 5'11. The only major changes over the last seven years was a small piercing in my left ear, the tattoo peeking from the collar of my shirt on the side of my neck, and the obvious missing right leg.

To be honest I was not as confident as others seemed to think. Sure I carried myself professionally, had a thing with order, and having a schedule, acted like my head was on straight like I knew what I wanted at the age of 24 but it was all a farce. If anybody had a chance to be inside my head for a day they would be surprised that I haven't eaten a bullet yet. I have major anxiety, OCD tendencies, slight depression, on top of PTSD, and screaming nightmares. I always second guess myself and my brain seems to misfire if it can't compute something that is going on, all thanks to my training. No amount of pills could make my issues disappear and make me believe in the confidence I project on a daily. I'm jumpy, I don't like surprises, and lapse back into my training when I don't completely understand something.

I shook my head and turned off the water. I stripped out of my clothes, let my hair down, and slowly sank myself into the steaming hot water. The relief was almost instant, the muscles in my leg and back began to relax once it came in contact with the hot water. I let out a sigh, laid my head against the back of the tub, and closed my eyes; just enjoying the instant relief the water gave my tightly wound body.

I don't know how long sat there, my mind blissfully numb for once, before I sank myself below the water and got on with washing my hair. By the time I was done washing my hair and rinsing off the water had turned lukewarm and the digital clock on the monitor stated half past 10. I let the water drain as I got out of the water and dried myself off perched on the toilet. My bathroom was not all that big but I was thankful for the tub. It was larger than most and wasn't so deep that it was a struggle to get out of.

I got back into the wheelchair and went to my room to find something decent to wear, I still needed to get something to eat and the only place open at this time of night would be the 24-hour Diner near the space dock. Thankfully I lived a short walk away otherwise I would have opted to order in. I put on a navy blue v-neck, half sleeve, silk shirt, and loose white sports shorts. I attempted to brush my hair into submission but it was a lost cause, I ended up just putting the sides back up in a small stubbed ponytail on the top of my head. I wasn't too concerned that it looked slightly messed due to it being so late, not many were near the bay at this time of night.

I reached for my temporary prosthetic, that was leaning against my side table, and slid it on. This one wasn't bionic and it wasn't anything fancy but it was more comfortable than trying to reconnect my other one, it was hollowed steel and pretty much dead weight but it would do for my purpose. I grabbed up the cane and stood from the chair. I hated having to use the thing but I wasn't going to get far without it. After I looked myself over one more time in the mirror above my dresser, I slid on my tennis shoes and headed out, locking the door behind me.

By the time I arrived at the Diner it was ten after and looked to be relatively dead. A few people were sitting inside that I could see from the curb and one loan figure leaning against the light post outside smoking and looking at something on a tablet. I reminded myself there was no threat nearby and let myself relax marginally and started to approach the entrance, that when I heard it. A familiar baritone voice, that same baritone that brought calm and ease. I stopped in my tracks and just stared. The voice had come from the tall man leaning against the light post outside the diner.

"Are you fucking kidding me Howard...No...They took off right after we landed...Probably at a bar somewhere...What! No, I didn't tell them that...Fuck!"

I stood listening to the one-sided conversation he was having over his phone, I was frozen. I hadn't heard that voice in over a year, what the hell was he doing here? He hadn't noticed me yet and I was a little grateful. With the sounds of the conversation, he was not in the best of moods.

"Are you serious!... I have to what? I've never heard of that bullshit, it's never been an issue before." At that moment he looked up and our eyes connected. The light glared off the lenses of his wire-frame glasses but I was able to see the slight raise of an eyebrow in irritation. "Whatever, I'll get the damn license tomorrow morning, nothing I can do about it right now...yeah...I'll keep you posted." He disconnected the line and turned his full attention to me. I doubt he recognized me at that moment, I had stopped right outside the lights of the diner.

"Hey buddy, you got a problem?" I didn't know what to say if I should say anything. It had been over a year since they last spoke and anytime they did they always did it over the satellite phone. I hadn't realized how much he had changed over the seven years...It was a nice surprise.

Duo dropped his cigarette and snubbed it out with his boot, "Yo, are ya def! What's your problem, don't cha' know its impolite to stare?"

I pulled myself out of the shock and answered, "...Duo?" My voice was not more than a whisper and it sounded shaky.

It was that moment he realized who he was looking at. Duo's eyes widened behind his glasses and his skin paled slightly, "FUCK!"

Not sure how to take that, I stepped under the lamp and just looked at him. The last seven hears have been good to him, He had to be at least 6"1 and filled out his clothes in all the right places. I noticed he was sizing me up as well with his eyes before they landed on my leg. If his face could get any paler he would be a sheet of paper.

"Heero?...what..." His face went from shock to anger.

"What the fuck happened to you!"

I couldn't believe he had the nerve to be pissed. There is no way he couldn't have known about the incident that took place, it was all over the news and I didn't appreciate him playing dumb.

I set my mouth in a stern line and glared, "Don't play dumb, Maxwell. You know full well what happened!"

He looked confused and taken back by my words, "Heero...what?"

For a second their I honestly believed he didn't know but I wasn't going to fall for it and I wasn't going to deal with the pity. "I don't need your pity! You didn't seem too concerned when it happened, you have no right to be concerned now." I said in a dead flat tone. This day was just turning out to be the worst day of the week, thankfully it was Friday and nothing else could slap me in the face.

"Whoa hold on there! I have no clue what you are going on about! Last I heard you and Relena were shacked up and planning to make babies! Nobody told me about this 'incident' and it looks to be more than just a small, not worth mentioning thing! What the hell happened, Yuy? Has everything just gone to shit in the last 4 years!"

I rested most of my weight on my cane and just glared at him. How could this be true I wondered, did he honestly not know what happened? I shook my head and walked up to him, stopping only a few inches from his face.

"You chose to stay uninformed. It was all over the news for weeks! I know the others have spoken to you since this shit happened. I can't believe they wouldn't mention this. It's been two fucking years, Maxwell and you want me to believe they didn't tell you?" my voice came out menacing and full of accusation.

Duo held his arms up in surrender, "Just take a step back 'Ro and think. Why would I lie about this? I've never lied to you so why would I start now?"

I worked my jaw a few times before stepping out of his personal space, he was right. I loosened the death grip I had on my cane and took a calming breath. "You're not joking are you..."

He rushed over and place his hand on my shoulders, there was honest concern and confusion in his eyes, "No 'Ro, I have no clue what has been going on. Any time the guys spoke with me it was short and nonsensical, honest. The last thing any of them told me was that you and Relena had gotten together and that you were working with Wu at preventers. Quatre never mentioned anything about...this..." He motioned to the prosthesis. "If he had I would have been there in a second, 'Ro. You gotta believe me!"

He shut his eyes and stepped back, dropping his hands to his sides. He looked defeated, "I know we haven't talked much in the past couple years but I still consider us friends ya' know?"

I swallowed the anger that had risen in my throat and backed down, "When was the last time you spoke with him?"

He reached his hand up and rubbed the back of his neck in thought, that is when I noticed his hair. The long braid was gone. I was completely shocked. Why would he go and cut his hair, I remember him telling me what it stood for back during the war. I was now just below his shoulder, half pulled up in a messy knot, held together with two chopsticks on his crown. I mean, it looked good but it was still unsettling.

"It's been a while..." He dropped his hand and shifted his stance. "Listen, I'm sorry I haven't been in contact. Howard is swamped, I'm usually out on runs more than I am in port. What's been going on?"

I dropped my gaze from his hair and sighed in exhaustion, "It's a long story and I'd rather not talk about it out here." I looked over at the diner. "Look, I was just about to get something to eat. How long are you planning to be landside."

He let out a sigh, "It's lookin' like my trip was extended. With all the new red tape, it's probably going to take me a couple of weeks to get the parts I need. The guys I came with will probably be taking off tomorrow with the supply run we needed but I'll have to stay landside." He looked frustrated with the new events.

"Do you have a place to stay?" I asked.

"I was gonna hit up a Motel but I don't have the funds to cover however many weeks it's going to take to have these forms approved and another ship down here to haul..."

I shifted to my good leg in thought, "I live a few blocks down from here and I have a spare room."

He shook his hands out in front of him, "Nah, I couldn't ask that especially with how shitty of a friend I've been lately."

I smirked, "You didn't ask, I offered."

He rubbed the back of his neck again and smirk, "Guess ya did. Thanks 'Ro. Think I'll take you upon it. Let me just message the guys and tell them the change in plans and grab my stuff. That gives ya time to get some grub."

I nodded, "Meet out here in an hour? That long enough?"

He put on his joker's face and nodded, "Sounds good." He turned on his heels and jogged back up the port waving behind him, "C'ya in a bit!"

A/N: Chapter four is completed. It took me a minute to figure out how they were going to run into each other, I don't know if I executed it well. Tell me what you think. Critique and comments welcome. Until next time :)