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Born Again	By : Naomi Category: Gundam Wing/AC > General Views: 721 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing/AC, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Crying To The Walls

AUTHOR�S
NOTE: Look now towards the heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to number
them, so shall the pages of this chapter be... ^^;;;;

BORN
AGAIN

CHAPTER
SIX-

LIGHT
OF MY LIFE

*   *   *

Tall and endless mountain
ridges covered with snow were the only thing you could see from the top of
Hermon Mountain. Fir
trees loaded with snow covered the steep mountain surface, the landscape
glowing in pure and endless white, reflecting the soft rays of sunshine that
filtered through the clouds. At the top of the mountain was a huge ski
reservation, surrounded by old country style buildings, the largest of them
being a large and wealthy hotel. The architecture was clearly old 19^th
century design, the structure made of rich and thick wood, large windows
decorated for the holidays.

This hotel was well known for hosting society�s higher
class. Rich men and politicians were all regular visitors to this site. Many
VIPs- from movie actors to world leaders- were currently staying at the famous
Mt. Hermon Hotel. And so, it was a very peculiar sight when an old AC 189 Dodge
made its way up the twisting road that led to the hotel. The car stood out when
it parked next to all the fancy shmanzy vehicles around, but its owner didn�t
seem to mind much as he exited the car with a smile, closing his eyes and
inhaling the crisp mountain air.

Duo smiled to himself and opened his eyes. He stretched
his limbs a little, looking around with shining violet eyes. �Ain�t it great?
Just look at this place!� He called happily, still looking left and right.
�Sure worth a whole day of boring driving, eh, Heero?� He looked back towards
the car, and then frowned. �Heero?� He leaned down to look into the car, and
then frowned again. �Heero, why are you still in there? C�mon, get out. You
gotta check this place out!�

In the passenger seat, Heero sighed and bowed his head. He
was sitting with his hands on his lap, his shoulders slumped and his features
wary.

�Heero? What�s wrong?� Duo asked in concern, climbing back
into the car. He closed the door behind him and then turned to look at his
friend. �Is everything all right?� He asked worriedly, placing a gentle hand on
Heero�s shoulder. �Do you feel sick? I told you not to eat so many snacks...
and the road was all winding... are you okay?�

�...no.� Heero answered quietly, his head still bowed, his
blue eyes looking down at his fidgeting hands.

�No? Why? What�s wrong?� Duo hurried to ask, his face
paling and his eyes extremely worried. �Do you need anything? Should I call a
doctor? Wha-what�s wrong, Hee-chan?!�

Heero sighed and pulled away from Duo�s grasp on his
shoulder. He looked down at his hands for a few moments, before taking a deep
breath. �I want to go back home.� He mumbled, turning to look up at Duo, his
cobalt eyes shimmering with uncertainty. �I changed my mind. I don�t want to
come.�

Now realizing what this was all about, Duo relaxed and
sunk back into his seat. He looked up at Heero, his gaze compassionate. �Heero,
we discussed this five times already. You said that you wanted to come.�

�Yeah, but... but now I don�t.� The boy let out, turning
his gaze to look out the window.

Duo chuckled. �Heero, it�s a little too late for that,
don�t you think?�

font-family:Verdana'>Trowa, on his behalf, just ignored the laughing boy and
walked over to greet Heero with a handshake. It was fifteen minutes later when
Duo was finally capable to choke out an �hi Trowa!� and then keep
laughing.

Yet after that warm, but brief, introduction, all took
their seats around the table and the conversation began. That�s also when
everyone seemed to have forgotten about Heero�s existence. It took them about
three minutes of small talk before they launched into a full scale conversation
about the war, talking about what only they could understand. Private jokes and
codes only they knew the meaning of. They were completing each other�s
sentences, laughing before the punch line was even spoken. There was a glow in
their eyes unlike any glow Heero had ever seen before. Even though they were
talking about something as horrible as a war, it seemed like they were reliving
the best moments of their lives. Their excitement clearly showed in their
speech, and they were all talking so animatedly, their hands moving objects
only they could see.

Heero sighed and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had
given up on smiling at jokes he failed to comprehend and he had stopped
following the highway-of-a-conversation long ago. He busied himself with
separating the different foods he had in his dish, arranging them neatly around
the edges of his plate.

Next to him, Duo burst out laughing again, nearly falling
back with his chair.

�Oh gosh! I remember that! Man! You like came busting in
there with ten charges and the guy went like �Don�t put it here, we need it for
the--��

�Gundam destroyer!� Quatre finished the sentence and the
two boys burst out laughing.

Heero swallowed and bowed his head, raising his fork up in
order to squash a few veggies.

�That�s nothing.� Trowa began, leaning back in his seat
and crossing his arms over his chest. He looked up at Wufei. �Remember Gilo
One?�

Heero looked up at Wufei, seeing a small smile slowly
creep up his lips.

�How can I forget those assholes?� The Chinese man
snorted, smirking.

Trowa nodded, a sly smile on his face. �Don�t press that
button or I�ll make sure the---�

Trowa didn�t even complete the sentence, and Wufei was
already laughing so hard that he was out of breath. The rest were soon to join.

Heero sighed and turned to pick on his food, using two out
of his FOUR forks in order to shove some potatoes aside.

�Ha!� Duo choked out, nearly punching the table. �And who
was the genius who decided that floating lattés is a good distraction?!�

Heero returned to forcefully squash his food, his fork
descending down mercilessly.

Quatre chuckled, wiping a tear of laughter out the corner
of his eye. �I don�t remember, but I do remember how OZ freaked out when they
discovered all the supplies are floating around the space station!�

�Ha! I even had some time to shoot some hoops, with a
melon and an freaking-out OZ cadet!� Duo continued laughing. �Heck, they had so
many veggies flying around, you could think OZ opened a new market place!�

Trowa and Wufei chuckled and Heero squashed another
defenseless piece of food.

�Man! That was some GOOD thinking.� Duo now muttered,
scratching his head. �Who did that anyway?�

�Heero did.� Sally suddenly answered.

And silence fell around the dining table.

For a long time, they were all seated in a heavy and tense
atmosphere.

Heero squashed another piece of his meal and the silence
grew prolonged.

�Oh... Right.� Duo mumbled, now feeling a little
uncomfortable. Subdued, he turned his eyes Heero's way, eyes which soon
narrowed painfully as he caught sight of the boy�s blue orbs. The usually raging
blue oceans were now calm and quiet, their light gone and their color dark.
Heero was sitting with his shoulders slumped and his head bowed, playing
quietly with his food, a sure sign that he was upset.

Duo lowered his gaze sadly, turning his head away.

All the occupants around the table fell silent as well,
their heads bowed in shame. The awkward silence lasted until the end of the
meal, as each of the people seated by the table concentrated solely on their
meals, speaking quietly between themselves from time to time.

Duo took a long sip from his drink and Heero continued
sitting quietly, refusing to lift his gaze up from his meal as he played with
his food. He angrily squashed the various vegetables, deliberately ignoring
everyone around him.

�So, uh, I heard you had a little trouble on the way?�
Trowa spoke up after a while, breaking the heavy silence. �What happened? Did
you take the wrong turn?�

Duo took a deep breath and looked up. �Yeah, something
like that...�

They were all back to the �small-talk� conversation,
spending the rest of the meal in an awkward silence punctuated by short and
forced-out sentences.

Heero remind silent though, knowing that once again, he
was the reason the smiles disappeared from everybody�s faces.

*
*   *

Later that night, Duo walked heavily out of the bathroom,
after brushing his teeth. He was already in his pajamas, ready for bed, but
instead of walking over to the king size bed, he made his way out of the large
bedroom, padding towards Heero�s room. Taking a deep breath, he stood before
the closed door, raising his hand up in order to knock.

When they came back from the restaurant, Heero went
straight to bed. He didn�t mutter a single word the whole evening, and his
whole demeanor radiated misery and gloom. Duo cursed himself a thousand times
for leaving Heero out of the conversation. He was so happy to be sitting around
the same table with the WHOLE gang, that he got completely lost in his joy. It
was just like all time, the whole bunch of them sitting together, swopping
stories and fooling around. And just like old times, he was the one to dominate
the conversation, Quatre was the one to giggle, Wufei to snort and Trowa to
offer a few comments here and there. And just like old times, Heero would be
sitting next to him, completely silent and unsociable. For a moment, Duo could
have sworn that he was three years younger.

But it was NOT the same. Heero�s silence was not the same.
When once he could have regarded the boy�s silence to be a lack of interest or
even boredom, now it was there for a different reason. It�s not that Heero
didn�t want to talk. He just didn�t know how to fit in. The boy loved it when
someone paid attention to him and spoke to him. All you had to do was start the
conversation and already those big blue eyes would light up with joy.

Duo knew that despite the fear and doubt, Heero had looked
forward to meeting his ex-comrades. He was fascinated with everything that had
to do with his old self. He was probably looking forward to ask his questions
and fill in more blanks about the person he once had been.

But no one paid attention to him. They had rendered him
silent and continued laughing. Heero�s silence was not there because lack of
interest, it was there because they scared him off. They shoved him into his
own silent little corner and didn�t give him a chance to come out. Heero
probably thought that, once again, no one took interest in him. And like so
many other times, he probably blamed himself for it.

Duo closed his eyes sadlyllinlling his hands into fists.
Yet again, he had managed to hurt Heero. No matter what he did, he was never
good enough for the boy. Somehow, he always managed to do the wrong thing!

Sighing, Duo slowly knocked on Heero�s door.

There was no answer, and he wasn�t expecting one either.

Duo sighed again and reached down for the doorknob.
�Heero, I�m coming in.�

He found Heero lying silently in his bed, his back to the
door. Only pale lighlight illuminated his slim figure, reflecting off the white
sheets of his bed. The blanket was tossed carelessly aside, revealing the boy�s
body, for he was wearing only a pair of boxers and a sloppy tank top. Yoshi was
slumped somewhere next to Heero,
looking like he had been tossed aside.

Duo frowned when he notichat hat Heero was slowly rubbing
his upper arm, his movements slow and careful, as if it will hurt if he�ll
brush over it too hard. Now getting worried, Duo took a few more steps into the
room. �Hee-chan? Are you okay?�

He could hear the boy sigh, and then shift in his bed, sheets
rustling in the darkness of the room. He didn�t turn to face him though, and
only shifted a little so he was closer to the wall.

Duo sighed, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. He ran a
hesitant hand through his long bangs and turned to look down at the boy. He
took a deep breath, still searching for words that can explain his terrible
crime. The room was silent as he searched for the right thing to say, the
seconds slowly ticking by. On the bed, Heero remained motionless, his back
still facing Duo as he looked down at his hands.

Duo sighed, bowing his head sadly. �Hee--�

�These scars...�
Heero cut him off with a silent whisper, slowly lifting his hand up. He
rested his palm on his upper arm again, slowly brushing against a small mark
that scared the fair skin. �They�re on my body, but... but I don�t feel like
they�re mine...�

Duo's heart clenched painfully, his eyes shimmering sadly
in the darkess. He slowly reached down and placed a hand over Heero�s, looking
down at him compassionately. �Heero...�

Sighing, the boy pulled away from his touch, slowly
turning around so he could look up at Duo. His cobalt eyes were also
shimmering, tears glistering under pale moonlight. �I don�t... I don�t feel
like I�m me...� He whispered, closing his eyes sadly. His fist closed around
his slender arm, squeezing the scared flesh. �I don�t know... I don�t remember
how I got them...�

Duo swallowed, resisting the urge to whimper. He closed
his eyes tightly, trying to hold back the tears that insisted on flooding his
eyes. His fists clenched and he looked away for a moment, unable to meet those
hurt blue eyes.

�My body...� Heero continued sadly, curling into a small
ball as he looked down on his body. �It�s like it doesn�t belong to me...� He
sniffed, tracing a hand over another small scar, on his thigh. He slowly
caressed it, his long fingers trembling ever so slightly. His gaze was numb and
tearful, glazed over with bitterness and tears. �They were talking about a
different Heero Yuy today... I�m... I�m not him...�

Again, he nearly let out a choked whimper. It took him a
few long moments to pull himself together. Slowly, he turned around, facing
Heero again. The boy was loo dow down at his thigh, a lone tear running down
his pale cheek.

Taking a deep breath, Duo reached down to wipe that tears
away. �These scars...� He began, his voice soft and gentle. �You got them when
we first met.� He continued, now caressing Heero�s cheek, his hand slowly
trailing down to brush over the small scar on Heero�s upper arm. He looked down
at it for a moment, and then chuckled bitterly. �Actually, I shot you. Twice.�

Shocked, Heero jerked his head up, wide blue eyes looking
up at Duo. Tears were stihinihining in his eyes, but they ceased from coming.
He gaped at Duo in utter shock and surprise.

Duo smiled bitterly, just a little sad tug at his lips.
�Yeah... it wasn�t very nice of me, now was it?�
Heero swallowed, bowing his head down briefly. He looked
back at Duo, his blue eyes still stunned. �You sh-shot me!? Wh-why? Di-did I
try to kill you?�

Duo�s smile grew a little and he shook his head. �No...
but you were going to shoot someone else. I stopped you.� Again he chuckled,
his smile growing evore.ore. The light was slowly coming back to his violet
eyes, and he couldn�t help but chuckle again at the memory. He was looking up
ahead, lost in a sea of memories. �Ch! I shot you once, but you still went at
it. I shot you again and you just kept on coming.� He looked down at Heero with
a kind smile, and reached down to ruffle the boy�s messy hair. �You were always
one tough, stubborn, stone-headed sonofabitch. Ch. stilstill are.�

The tears now completely gone, Heero smiled shyly, bowing
his head in embarrassment.

�There�s no stopping you once you put your mind into
something.� Duo continued with a smile, stroking Heero�s hair as he spoke. He
sighed in amusement, looking down into Heero�s shining cobalt eyes. He smiled,
flicking the boy�s tender cheek with the tip of his finger. �I guess you�ll
never change...�

Heero�s lips lifted up in a small smile, his cheeks
slightly blushed. �Hontou ka..?� He mumbled, looking down at his fingers as
they played with the white sheets.

Duo sighed, shrugging a little. �Like I said, you�ll
always be one stubborn bastard.�

Sheets rustled as Heero shifted on the bed again, turning
so he lay on his back, looking up at Duo with his shimmering blue eyes. �Was I
the bad one?� He asked quietly, his voice uncertain and his eyes fearful. �Is
that why you had to shoot me?�

Duo laughed lightly, shaking his head. �Nah... as it
turned out, I ended up as the bad guy...� He sighed in amusement, looking down
at Heero with an apologetic gleam in his eyes. �Like always, ne?� He smiled
wistfully, and ruffled Heero�s hair again.

Heero cast his gaze down sadly. �Not always...�

Duo sighed, settling more comfortably on the bed. He sat
down so that Heero�s head was at the same level as his hips, and he leaned
against the wall. He smiled as Heero slowly came to rest his head in his lap,
his arms wrapping themselves around him. He bent down to kiss the boy�s
fead,ead, and then returned to simply stroke his hair gently.

�Heero, �he� is here. You�re here.�

Heero�s eyes widened in surprise.

�Heero, I�m just glad to be with you. It shouldn�t matter
if you don�t remember the war, and you have no idea which Gundam was which. I
still enjoy being with you. I�m happy when you�re with me. That�s all that
matters, Heero. You�re with me. Nothing else matters.�

Heero�s lips lifted up in a small smile. �Even if I don�t
always say smart things?�

Duo chuckled. �Like I�m a fucking brainiac!�

Heero�s smile broadened.

Duo chuckled n, ln, lifting Heero's hand up to press a
soft kiss on the warm palm, his own eyes shining with warmth and love. �Heero,
I don�t think that you�re stupid, and I don�t mind that you�ve changed. I just
want you to be with me, and I want you to have fun this weekend. Don�t let
things get you down. Fuck what everybody thinks! You�re gonna go there
tomorrow, and you�re gonna eat all the shmancy food they have there and I�ll
even let you drink wine!�

Heero chuckled and Duo took a deep breath, now looking
seriously at Heero. �Promise me you�ll have fun?�

Heero nodded. �Aa. Promise.� He smiled and then jumped up
to hug Duo tightly. �Arigatou, Duo-chan...�

Caught by surprise, Duo flinched for a second, but then
quickly brought his arms up and squeezed Heero tightly. He felt the boy rest
his head on his shoulder, and his hold on the boy tightened. He closed his eyes
in content, leaning his head on the top of Heero�s. Sighing pleasantly, he
carefully guided them both so they were lying down and prepared to go to sleep.

//Heero, as from tonight, I�m gonna forget that you�re so
different.. And maybe one day... one day, I�ll be able to tell you that I love
you...//

*
*   *

�Ne, Duo-chan! Look!� Heero called towards his friend,
waving his hands and gesturing down at a pile of snow at his feet. It was the
morning before the Anniversary Ball, and they were spending it outside, in the
snow. Sally and Chang were also there with their daughter, and the rest of the
ex-pilots (and one ex-pilot�s sister) also joined them. They were currently in
some small forest, surrounded by green fir trees that were covered with snow.
Duo and Quatre were sitting by a small picnic table, drinking coffee, while
Wufei and Sally were taking a walk with Meiran. Trowa and Cathy went to do some
skiing and were due back for lunch.

Duo smiled, looking up at Heero. �Wow, man, that�s a hell
of a lot snow. What are you gonna do with it?� He called with a smile.

Quatre chuckled. �Well, as long as you two won�t start
another snowball fight, I think it will be safe...�

Heero chuckled as well. �Baka! I�m not gonna throw
something THIS big at Duo-chan!� He snorted, rolling his eyes. �I�m making a
snowman!� He pointed at the large pile of snow, looking up at Duo. �You wanna
help me?�

Duo smiled and shook his head. �Maybe later, Hee-chan. I�m
just gonna finish my coffee, kay?�

�Okay.� Heero replied, shrugging. He turned back to make
his snowman, shaping the pile of snow into a large ball. Duo watched him as he
made another ball and another, each one smaller from the others. Heero was
looking like he was very focused on his job, his face a mask of concentration
and resolve. When Heero began placing the snowballs on top of each other, Duo
had to admit that he was impressed by how quickly and accurately the boy had
managed to put the snowman together.

But when he saw Heero take his sweater off and put it on
the snowman, he wasn�t so pleased. He hurried to put his coffee aside and ran
over to Heero.

The Japanese boy looked up, smiling at Duo as the other
approached him. �Is it good?� He asked, his eyes shining with hope and delight.

�Yeah, Hee-chan, it�s great, but I why did you take your
sweater off?� Duo answered, looking down at him worriedly. He bent to pick up
the sweater.

Heero frowned, looking at him in confusion. �To put it on
the snowman. So he won�t be cold.�

Duo chuckled, nudging the sweater towards Heero, signaling
him to put it on. �Hee-chan, a snowman can�t be cold.�

�Why?� Heero asked, raising his hands up so Duo could
slide the sweater over his head.

Duo sighed, arranging Heero�s sweater and the collar of
his shirt. �Well... it�s made of snow, right?�

Heero nodded, glancing at the snowman.

Duo smiled. �So if it�s made of snow, it can�t be cold,
right? But you�re not made of snow, so you can get a cold if you don�t wear a
sweater.� He explained with a smile, tapping lightly on Heero�s head.

Heero frowned again, looking a little confused. He glanced
at the snowman and then at Duo, and then back again. �Anou... but what if he
just looks like he�s cold on the outside, and he�s warm on the inside?
What if he just wants you to think that he isn�t?�

Duo just gaped at Heero, completely lost for words. �Well,
uh...�

�Maybe he just wants to pretend.� Heero continued, shrugging.
�And now he is cold, cuz he covered himself with snow.� He looked up at
Duo, cobalt eyes sparkling. He smiled. �So I�m gonna give him a sweater and
make him warmer, ne?�

�Uh. . .� Duo stuttered, still a little lost. �I think it
would be better if you keep it on.�

Heero pouted and looked away. �Oh.� He let out, sniffling.
�I�m sorry, Duo-chan. I said something stupid again, huh?� He bowed his head
down miserably, his fingers playing with the snow. �I�m sorry...�

Duo, who was still standing over him, looked at Heero with
a wretched expression on his face. His eyes shone with sympathy and regret. He
took a deep breath, and knelt down on the snow. He rested his hand on Heero�s
slumped shoulder, and smiled when the boy turned to look at him. �No, Hee-chan.
You didn�t say something stupid at all. It was actually quite thought
inspiring. Maybe the snowman is cold, I don�t� know, but to be honest, I just
want you to be warm.�

�Don�t you care about the snowman?� Heero pouted, looking
at Duo with big blue puppy-eyes.

Duo chuckled. �What am I gonna do with you, huh?� He spoke
in amusement, taking off his jacket, which he wore over his sweater, and gently
placed it around the snowman.

Heero smiled.

�Here, all done. He�ll be so hot- he�ll melt!� Duo turned
to Heero, smiling. �Ha��Aa.� The boy nodded, his eyes sparkling with joy.
�Arigatou, Duo-chan.�

�Anytime.� Duo grunted as he climbed up to his feet,
catching the sight of one giggling Quatre as he did. He rolled his eyes and
turned to look down at Heero. �I�m gonna finish my coffee now, kay? Make sure
to bring me back my jacket after sdudedude here is done melting, kay?�

Heero nodded, already ignoring Duo and turning back to his
work. �Maybe if he�ll melt you�ll get to see if really covered himself with
snow.�

Duo chuckled. �Maybe.� He shook his head at Heero
reasoning, and walked back to the picnic table.

Quatre giggled as Duo came back to drink his coffee.
�You�re fussing over him.�

Duo rolled his eyes, sipping his coffee. �I am not.�

Again Quatre chuckled. �Right.� He shook his head in
amusement, and turned to look at Heero�s direction, watching the boy as he
adjusted the snowman�s jacket. He sighed and turned to look at Duo. �How old is
he by now?�

�Huh?� Duo let out, turning to face his friend as well.
�What kinda question is that? He�s approaching twenty. Just like the rest of
us.�

Quatre sighed, shaking his head. �No... I mean mentally.�

�Oh...� Duo let out, his smile slowly fading. He took a
deep breath and sipped his coffee. He then looked up at Heero again, and
sighed. �Sally says that he must be around six or seven.� His solemn expression
suddenly turned angry and he whirled around, looking at Quatre sternly. �But if
you treat him like a six-year-old, I�m gonna punch you in the face!� He
growled, his violet eyes threatening.

Quatre nearly flinched. �Wow, Duo... relax...� He tried to
calm the boy, gesturing him to calm down. �I had no intention of doing so. I
was just wondering, that�s all.�

Duo sighed, looking away in shame. �I�m sorry Q-man...
it�s just that I hate seeing people treat him that way. And I know that Heero
hates it as well. He understands a lot, even if it doesn�t really show it. The
problem is that he is still very inexperienced. Not to mention naïve... I guess
that it just scares me sometimes...�

Quatre giggled silently. �Which explains why you fuss over
him like a mother hen.�

�Hey! I do not!�

�Right.� Quatre rolled his eyes, smiling teasingly. �Duo,
you should have seen yourself just a few moments ago! I wish I had a camera
with me!�

�I did NOT fuss! I was merely making sure that he
wouldn�t be cold.�

�You mean you were fussing.�

�Was NOT!�

�You just keep saying that, Duo...� Quatre finished with a
smile, waving the braided boy goodbye as he slowly walked away.

�Just be gentle with it, okay? Take it nice and easy so
you won�t cut yourself, okay?

Heero smiled broadly and hurried to nod his head. He took
the shaver in his hand and turned to the mirror. Duo watched him carefully as
he began to shave, his blue eyes narrowing in deep concentration.

Duo smiled in satisfaction and turned his attention back
to his hair. �I gotta hand it to you Hee-chan, you�ve really come a long way.�

Heero frowned, his cobalt eyes glancing at Duo�s
reflection in confusion. �Where did I go?�

Duo chuckled, shaking his head. �No, silly, I mean that
you�ve managed to learn a lot. In one short year, you�ve managed to achieve so
much.�

Heero made a face, as if not agreeing with Duo�s
statement. But he remained silent and continued his work. He washed the blade
in the water that filled the sink and then brought it back up to his right
cheek.

Still smiling, Duo put the drier aside and began to brush
his hair, looking down at his work, but his eyes shone with pride. �That�s why
I think that you�re being a little too harsh on yourself.� He continued,
lifting his hand up in order to untangle a knot of hairs.

Heero rolled his eyes and turned to shave his other cheek.

�I mean, the fact that you don�t remember all the stuff we
were talking about the other day, doesn�t make you less of a person. You are a
very capable person, Heero. Don�t let ANYONE tell you otherwise.� He put the
brush aside and gathered his lush hair in his hands, quickly braiding it. His
movements were automatic, and he looked up at Heero�s reflection. He then
turned to look at the boy himself, his violet eyes shining with the light of
his smile.

�I�m proud of you, Heero.�

Heero winced and quickly shifted the blade away from his
face. He scowled at himself, glaring at his own refection. He then sighed
heavily and turned to Duo, offering him the razor.

�I cut myself.�

�Hey Duo, hey Heero. Looking good.� Quatre greeted with a
smile, gesturing towards the two with his glass of orange juice.

�I�m surprised you weren�t half an hour late.� Wufei
muttered sarcastically, smirking at Duo.

Duo chuckled. �I figured you�ll say that so I�m not even
gonna bother with an answer.� He looked around and then back at the couple.
�Where�s Mei-chan?�

�In our room.� Sally answered with a wary smile. �The
hotel offered a baby-sitter... but I think I better go check on her...�

�Oh, c�mon, woman! She�s fine. Just try to enjoy yourself
for one night!�

�I can go see her.� Heero finally spoke, looking up at
Sally. By the look on his face, it was obvious that he was desperate to get out
of there.

Sally smiled kindly at him. �That�s sweet, Heero, but
Chang is right. Meiran will be fine.�

�I�ll just go check to make sure. I�ll be back soon. I can
run really fast.� Heero insisted, his blue eyes desperate. He turned to Duo,
his eyes shining with plea. �Ne, Duo-chan? I can run real quick and then come
back.�

�Heero, you just got here.� Duo reminded him, and then
reached for his hand again. He smiled at the boy, his face reassuring. �Just
relax, it�ll be fine!�

�You have nothing to fear, Heero.� Quatre spoke up after
finally finishing his drink. �You don�t have to talk to anyone if you don�t
want to.�

�I don�t?�

Sally chuckled. �Of course not! No one is here to force
you into anything. People are just glad to see you.�

It was then that a high-pitched voice suddenly cut through
the air, calling out towards the group:

�Heeeeeeeeeeeerooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!�

�Oh oh...� Duo let out, burying his face in his hand and
looking away.

Heero turned to look at him, confused. �Who�s she?�

He got no answer for the voice was back again, louder and
screechier than before:

�Heero! Heero! You�re here!�

Heero looked up in the speaker�s direction. He frowned as
he noticed that it was a young woman, about his age perhaps, running towards
him while waving her hands up in the air like an excited chicken. He wasn�t so
sure who she was, but he already thought that she was weird.

�Oh Heero! You�re really here! I can�t believe it!� The
girl let out in a rush of words, coming to stand in front of Heero, panting
from the effort of her run. She smiled broadly at the stunned boy, her large
blue eyes sparkling with joy. �I just couldn�t believe it when I contacted Duo
and he said that you�re back again, and I was so surprised that I nearly fell
off my chair then and I just couldn�t believe it! And now you�re here! This is
so great! There�s SOOOOOO much I want to tell you! C�mon!�

And before Heero could mutter a protest, or squeeze in any
word at all, the girl grabbed his arm and dragged him into the crowd.

�Hey!�

He could hear Duo call after them, and when he looked back
he could see the braided boy try to run after them, but someone who wanted to
have a word with him stopped him. Unable to refuse, Duoan tan talking to the
person, glancing up at Heero from once in a while, until he was out of sight.

Heero swallowed and slowly turned his head back to look at
the girl. She was still pulling him with her, chatting none stop about
something he didn�t quite follow. He looked back over his shoulder, his blue
eyes searching desperately for Duo to come and save him...

�... and then they said that if the ceremony would be
today then I won�t be able to... and she went like �oh no, that would kill the
goldfish!� so I had to... and maybe next year we�ll be going back to space in
order to settle that contract so I will have to...�

�Anou...� Heero tried to speak between the girl�s rush of
words, his face a little uncertain.

But the girl just kept chatting on, guiding him through
the crowd, not even bothering to look back at him as she dragged him along with
her. �I bet she can�t even SAY the word! I mean, really, who would listen to a
girl who�s spent half her life in...�

�Anou ne... ojousan...� Heero tried again, looking a
little desperate. �Who are you?�

The girl stopped, her face stunned. She slowly turned to
face Heero, her features pale from shock. She smiled at him, a faltering little
smile, as if not believing what he said. �Heero, it�s me. Don�t tell me that
you�ve forgotten all about me! That�s ridicules!�

Heero swallowed and bowed his head in shame. �I�m sorry,
ojousan, but I don�t remember a lot of things...� He looked up at her, smiling
apologetically. �I thought Duo-chan told you that...�

�Duo... chan?� The girl let out, baffled. Her eyes
suddenly widened and she let out a nervous laughter. �Oh! That�s right! He did
say something about amnesia! It�s so silly of me to have forgotten! I was just
soitedited when I heard that you were coming, that it completely slipped my
mind!� She chuckled again, and squeezed Heero�s hand tightly. �Heero, I�m
Relena Peacecraft. We�re friends.�

�Oh.� Heero let out, dumbfound. He examined the young
woman in front of him, and frowned. �I tried to shoot you, right?�

The girl grinned from ear to ear. �Yes! That�s right! See,
I knew you wouldn�t forget about me! There�s just no way that you can possibly
forget about us!�

�Us?� Heero mumbled in confusion, his frown deepening.

�Ch! I knew that punk was just trying to pull my chain! I
mean, I know he�s been, ya know... interested in what�s not his in the first
place... it�s quite disgusting if you think about it...� Relena was now back to
her full-force chatter, pulling poor Heero with her again.

The Japanese boy just frowned, not understanding what she
was trying to say. The girl just managed to confuse him with her none-stop
chatter.

�...when on Earth did he get the idea that he should be
the one for you, I don�t know! And that silly story about you not remembering
me! That was so far fetched I could have seen it a mile away!�

�Re-Relena...� Heero tried to gain her attention, sending
nervous glances over his shoulder, his blue eyes begging Duo to appear within
the crowd.

�To tell you the truth, this whole mess could have been
prevented if you would have taken my offer to stay here with me! It would have
saved everybody so much trouble!� Relena carried on with her chatter as she led
Heero towards a large and long dining table, which was meant for the guests of
honor.

Heero sighed and slumped his shoulders, giving up on the
struggle to break free of the girl. Whoever she was, she was probably someone
very important to the �Old Heero�. And if she was so happy to see him, the
least he could do was keep his mouth shut so she would not get upset. He knew
that if she found out how different he was, she would be all sad and that will
ruin her party. After all, she was the one to invite them there. He should at
least try to be nice to her...

*
*   *

�That took some nerve, Relena!� Duo growled the minute he
found the two. They were sitting by the large dinner table, Relena�s chair at
the middle of the long table. Heero was seated to her right, his head bowed and
his shoulders slumped. To Relena�s left, sat Zechs, who was currently busy
talking to Noin who was by his side. There were a few more �guests of honor� by
their side. To her right side, next to Heero�s chair, were four more chairs,
designated for each ex-Gundam pilot. Each seat had a small nametag on it. Duo�s
eyes narrowed in anger as he saw that the chairs next to Heero was for Trowa
and Catherine, the next for Quatre, the other two for Sally and Chang, and the
last one, the furthest one, was for him.

Duo snorted and came to sit by Heero�s side. No nametag is
gonna take him away from Heero. Trowa would just have to forgive him for
this one.

�Why, Duo! What a pleasure it is to see you again!� Relena
droned sweetly, a smug look on her face. �Having fun?�

Duo rolled his eyes. �Yeah, up until you showed
up...� He muttered under his breath. He then decided to ignore Relena
completely and turned to Heero. He reached a hand under the table in order to
hold Heero�s hand. �Are you okay, Hee-chan?�

Heero looked up slowly, sending a nervous glance to the
girl sitting next to him. He swallowed and looked back at Duo. �She talks a
lot...�

Duo chuckled. �Yeah, well, I�m sorry I couldn�t catch up
with you two. I became popular all of a sudden...� He reached for the small
menu resting on his fancy plate. �Did you order ye--�

�Heero, what looks better to you?� Relena suddenly cut
into their conversation, leaning closer to Heero and shoving a small menu in
front of his face. She pointed at one of the s. �s. �This one or this one? I
can�t decide...�

Heero swallowed, looking down uncertainly at the menu. He
looked up at Duo for help.

Duo sighed and shook his head. �Relena, would you leave
him alone already!?�

The girl turned her gaze up and glared at him. �I was
merely asking a simple question, Duo. Would you be kind enough to mind
your own business?!�

�Heero is my business!�

Feeling that he was the cause for all this mess, Heero
ducked his head between his shoulders and leaned back in his chair, doing his
best to disappear. Relena was still leaning VERY VERY close to him, so close
that he could feel her heat and smell her perfume, and it made him extremely
uncomfortable. He looked up in surprise when he recognized the scent of her
perfume as the same scent he found on the card in the treat basket. He frowned
to himself, a little confused.

Did Relena leave him a card? Under his favorite treat? How
did she know that he liked it so much? Did she know that the �Old Heero� liked
it a lot? Did she know him so well? Were they really good friends? Like he and
Duo-chan? Was she supposed to be important?

He didn�t know, he wasn�t so sure... He might not be very
smart, but he could still add one plus one so it will equal two. The �Old
Heero� and Relena must have been VERY close. He shouldn�t be so mean to her and
ignore her like he just did...

Relena ignored Duo�s intense glare and turned back to
Heero. �So, what do you think? Maitre D�Hotel with Beef Teriyaki, or Devilled
Kidneys?�

Heero frowned in confusion, having no ideat sat she had just
offered him. He swallowed and looked down at the menu. He took a deep breath,
slowly raising his hand to point at the menu. �I think... I think this one.� He
finally stuttered, his cheeks blushed from embarrassment. He had no idea what
he was pointing at and thus felt incredibly stupid. He could not read and there
were no pictures, but he figured that he should at least pretend that he was
smart so Relena wouldn�t be upset.

*
*   *

Heero looked down at his vegetarian lasagna (the one
Duo-chan ordered for him), studying it from all directions. He looked down at
the silverware resting by his three sets of plates, and frowned. There were
about four sets of forks and knifes at each side of his plate, and to be honest
he had no idea which one to choose, or why there were so many of them in the
first place. He glanced over at Duo�s plate, and frowned when he saw that the
braided boy was using just one fork, the one he had been using ever since the
first course was served. He looked to his left, at Relena�s side, and saw that
she had used up most of her forks and was now into the third one. He looked
back at his own cutlery, completely lost.

Deciding that it would be too embarrassing to ask what is
the right thing to do, Heero reached a hesitant hand to one of the forks.

It was then that Relena slowly got up and used a teaspoon
in order to tap on her glass of red wine.

Silence slowly fell over the room, the low rumble of words
slowly calming down. Heero turned to look up at Relena, watching her with
curious blue eyes. To his right, Duo sighed and rolled his eyes, leaning one
elbow on the table and resting his head on it. He looked up at na wna with bored
eyes.

Relena smiled sweetly at her audience and took a graceful
bow. �Good evening, everyone.� She spoke up in her honey-coated voice, her
smile never wavering. Heero watched her as she raised her glass of wine, and
turned to look at his own glass, a little frown forming on his features.

�I know that you are all anxious to dig into those meals,
so I�m going to make this short.� Relena continued and a few laughs were heard.

Heero looked up and saw that many people were now reaching
for their glasses as well. He looked to his right and saw that the rest of the
pilots, except of Duo-chan, were doing the same. He looked back at his glass,
deep in thought, and then decided to reach for it as well.

�I would like to propose a toast,� Relena carried on,
raising her glass even higher. The people in the room did the same. Relena
smiled. �For peace.�

�For peace!� The crowd echoed, and Heero could hear Duo
sigh. The sound of the clanking of glass rang loudly in the large hall. Heero
turned to look at Duo and saw him take a small sip of his wine, his violet eyes
bitter.

When silence returned, Relena smiled again, putting her
glass a. �A. �And also on this precious opportunity, I would like to invite
someone else to say a few words.�

Still drinking, Duo rolled his eyes.

Relena turned to look down at Heero, smiling at him
sweetly. Heero returned a faltering smile, wondering whom she was talking
about. Relena turned back to look at the crowd. �For the last three years he
was unable to come, but now I am glad to present him to you. The man who we owe
our lifetime of peace, the one who saved us all from the burning wreckage of
Libra...�

Duo�s eyes widened impossibly.

�Ladies and gentleman, I give you Heero Yuy.�

Duo choked on his drink, spitting it out into his glass in
an effort to keep breathing.

The sound of applauds filled the room.

And Heero Yuy�s face paled dramatically.

He looked up at Relena, blue eyes wide and fearful.
�Wa-watashi..?� He stuttered, completely taken by surprise.

�Relena, you must be kidding!� Duo growled, slamming his
glass down on the table.

The blonde girl merely shrugged, sitting down gracefully.
�It is the appropriate thing to do, don�t you agree? After all, Heero is the
reason we can all be here today.�

�But he ca---� Duo began to protest, but Relena ignored
him. She turned to Heero and rested a hand on his lap. She smiled kindly at
him.

�Heero, go on, say a few words.�

Still pale from shock, Heero could do nothing but gape at
Relena. �I... I don�t know what to say...� He stuttered, shaking his head and
pulling away from Relena�s grasp.

�Just stand up and say something. It�s not that hard,
Heero. You don�t have to be a GENIUS in order to do it!�

Heero winced at that remark, bowing his head.

�Heero,� Duo spoke up softly, resting his hand on the boy�s
shoulder. �You don�t have to do anything you don�t want to.�That did it. Duo�s face paled in horror and his mouth hung
wide open. �Wha.. what did you say..?� He whispered in a distressed voice, his
hands closing into fists.

�I�m saying that you�re treating a great war hero like
he�s a frigging baby!�

Again Heero winced, bowing his head down even more if
humanly possible.

Relena snorted and turned back to Heero. �Heero, come on,
just do it. I know you can. There�s no need to be shy.�

Heero sighed, feeling everyone�s expectant gazes on him.
He swallowed and took a deep breath. Slowly, hesitantly, he got up.

Duo�s eyes slowly looked up at him, numb and glazed over
with shock. �Hee.. Heero...�

The Japanese boy took a shaky breath and raised his head
up to look at the crowd. He sent Relena an uncertain look, but the girl just
smiled and nodded her head in encouragement, urging him to talk. Heero sighed
and looked back at the guests, who were breathlessly awaiting his speech.

�I... uh... Re...Relena said that I have to give a
speech...�

Light laughter filled the room, and Heero smiled faintly, mostly
out of embarrassment. He did not intent to make a joke.

Taking a deep breath, Heero braced himself and looked up,
still searching for words. He swallowed, looking down at Duo for support. The
braided boy was still looking at him with stunned eyes, his face pale from
shock. Heero sighed and looked back at the crowd.

�Uh... I don�t... I don�t know a lot about the war...� He
began slowly, his voice quiet and hesitant. He shifted his weight from one leg
to another, fidgeting in his spot. �I don�t really remember anything, but...�
He took a deep breath, sending a small glance towards Duo, his cobalt eye
shimmering with uncertainty. When he got no reaction from Duo, he sighed and
turned back to face the crowd. �But I know that war is bad... and it�s wrong, and
hard...� He took in a shaky breath, his lower lip trembling. �...So I think...
I think that we should be happy that there�s... that there�s peace now, and we
should... we should try to keep it, and...�

He could see everyone look at him like he had just grown
another head. All the gazes in the room were locked on him; stunned eyes and
mouths gaped in shock, all directed at him. He could actually hear someone
mutter, �Where the hell is Heero Yuy?!� as he leaned towards his spouse.

Heero�s hands began to tremble ae cle clenched them into
fists, trying to remain in control. But it didn�t work. His heart began to
pound faster and tears filled his eyes. He could feel his face grow hot as his
cheeks reddened in shame. He swallowed and cast his gaze down, taking a deep
breath before speaking again, his voice trembling:

�...and I hope that you will...� He managed to mumble
between fighting off the tears, doing his best to keep his voice level but
failing miserably. He took a deep breath, his fists closing tighter and his
gaze down at the floor. �IhopeThatYouWillHaveFunTonightThankYou!� And with that
so quickly said, Heero threw himself back into his chair and buried his head in
his hands, wishing with all his might that he was nothing but air.

A stunned silence fell over the large ballroom as some
guests blinked in confusion, staring at Heero in complete shock.

�Is this some kind of joke?� Someone mumbled and another
one laughed.

Even Relena was staring at Heero like she was seeing him
for the first time. Her eyes were wide and large with disbelief, her mouth wide
open.

Duo was looking down at Heero with tears in his eyes, his
heart going out to the boy. The other pilots were also looking at the miserable
Japanese boy with eyes that shone with sympathy.

It was after a long while of silence that Sally suddenly
began to applaud. Catherine was the second to join in. The rest of the pilots
soon followed, except for Duo who was only able to look at them with stunned
and tearful eyes. He had one of his hands around Heero�s shoulders, in an
effort to sooth the boy. He smiled and sniffled at his friends� gesture, and
turned to look down at Heero. But the boy would not lift his bowed head,
ignoring Duo�s light pat on his shoulder.

And then, another small set pplapplause followed the small
group�s clapping, and then another and another. Soon after and the whole crowd
of people were clapping their hands, filling the ballroom with the sound of
applause. Some people even got up to show their respect to the young man,
clapping their hands with a smile on their faces.

Duo smiled, wiping away his tears. He looked back at
Heero, and patted his back. �Can you hear that, Hee-chan?� He asked softly, a
smile on his lips. �They�re cheering you.�

The Japanese boy sniffled and then slowly straightened in
his seat. Tears of embarrassment shone in his dark blue eyes as he looked up at
the crowd. He watched them as they applauded him, but he felt empty inside.
It didn�t matter! Nothing
did! They were still looking at him like that! Like they were acting out of
pity towards him! Pity towards the poor ex-Gundam pilot who didn�t know
anything anymore!

Heero sniffled and bowed his head, balling his hands into
tight fists. His cheeks still burned with humiliation and his hands were still
shaking. His heart pounded strongly against his chest and he could hear it
loudly in his ears. He clenched his teeth, biting his lower lip that insisted
on trembling. He had been so stupid!

�It�s okay, Hee-chan...� Duo�s soothing voice whispered in
his ear, and he could feel Duo take his hand in his and squeeze it tightly.
�You did okay...�

Heero sniffled again and closed his eyes tightly,
squeezing out the tears. He shook his bowed head forcefully and a choked whimper
escaped his pursed lips. It didn�t matter what Duo said! The looks of the
people in the crowd said it all. He didn�t care what Duo had to say. It was all
a big lie. He didn�t want to listen anymore! He knew it wasn�t true! He didn�t
want to hear Duo�s soothing words or see his sympathetic gaze. He just wanted
to be out of there, away from all those people and away froe Ole Old Heero�s
image that sat so heavily on his shoulder.

He wanted to be smart again... He wanted to know what to
say. He wanted to know how to read. He wanted to remember what it�s like to be
in space and how tall a Gundam is. He wanted to... He wanted... He wanted to be
Heero Yuy again!

*
*   *

�I know what will make you feel better!� Relena spoke up
sweetly as the desserts were being served.

Heero raised his head up slowly, his blue eyes still
shining with tears. He looked up at Relena in a questioning look.

The girl smiled and got up of her chair. She offered her
hand to Heero. �A dance!�

Heero blinked and next to him, Duo snorted.

�Relena, I think you had your fun with him for the day.
Just let him eat his ice cream, okay?� He muttered, his violet eyes bitter.

Relena rolled her eyes and waved her hands in a dismissing
gesture. �Nonsense! Heero would LOVE to dance, won�t you Heero?�

As her gaze was directed back at him, Heero swallowed.
�Uh, I don�t know, Relena... I�m not very good at--�

�Oh, c�mon! I�ve seen you dance before, remember? Don�t be
silly, Heero, of course you can dance!�

�But I don�t reme--�

�C�mon, it will make you feel better!� Relena cheered,
taking his hand in hers. She pulled hp a p a little, and having not choice but
to comply, Heero sighed and got up.

�Don�t you want your ice cream, Heero?� Duo asked, his
voice sulky and resentful.

�He�ll eat it later, right Heero?� Relena answered for
him, but Duo ignored her. He was still looking up at Heero, awaiting the
answer. His eyes had the look that suggested that the answer he was waiting to
receive would determine the fate of mankind. Like it held the power to effect the
world as we know it.

Heero knew that look. It was the look that said that Duo
was VERY close to giving up and if you tell him to back off he will. Duo always
wore that look when they had a fight, and Heero knew that even if Duo backed
off, he would still be very upset and disappointed with him. He hated that
feeling. To know that he was allowed to get away with something, but at the
same time knowing that he will not be forgiven for it. He would do anything in
the world to avoid that feeling, but...

�C�mon, Heero, just one dance! It�s been AGES since our
last waltz!�

But on the other hand, he had to take in mind that Relena
was also there, and she also deserved his attention. She too was a friend. He
had to keep her happiness in mind as well. But was she more important than Duo?
Were they the same? They obviously didn�t like each other, but Heero couldn�t
see why. He didn�t know and he could not make himself understand. He was too
stupid for that after all.

Torn in this dilemma, Heero sighed and closed his eyes. He
took a deep breath and then slowly opened his eyes again. He looked
apologetically at Duo. �Just one dance.� He whispered, smiling sadly.

Duo shrugged and turned back to his dessert. �Fine.�

Relena grinned. �Great! C�mon! I�ll ask them to play a
waltz for us!�

And before Heero could squeeze any other word, he was
dragged off to the dance floor by an ecstatic Relena. He looked back over his
shoulder, seeing that Duo wasn�t even looking up at them. He was taking another
long sip from his wine and then leaning on the table with one elbow. He looked
very tired all of a sudden and Heero�s heart was taken over with guilt. He shouldn�t
have agreed... why couldn�t he do ANYTHING right?!

But it was too late now. Relena had guided him to the
middle of the dance floor, and was now turning around so they were face to
face. She smiled at him and he forced himself to smile back, though on the
inside he felt like crying. He tensed a little as she took both his hands in
hers and guided them around her waist.

Heero blushed and pulled away.

�Heero? What�s wrong?� Relena asked in mild concern,
holding his hand in front of her tightly.

Heero sighed sadly and bowed his head. �I... I don�t...�
He mumbled, turning to look up at her with a lost look in his eyes. He looked
down at their joint hands, and then back at Relena. �I don�t know how...�

Relena smiled gently, and adjusted her hold on Heero�s
frail palm. She entwined their fingers in one hand and then guided Heero�s
other hand to rest on her shoulder. �Don�t worry,� She began sweetly, wrapping
her hands around Heero�s slim waist. She looked up into his stunned blue eyes
and her smile grew. �I�ll lead for a while and then we�ll switch, okay?�

Heero took a deep breath and shifted a little in her hold.
He was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. �Uh. . .� He looked up in
Duo�s direction, looking for his approval or just a comforting gaze, but the
braided boy only offered him a displeased glare. Heero sighed and looked away. Duo-chan
was still mad at him for being nice to Relena.

He could feel her tighten her hold around his waist and
fidgeted uncomfortably. Seeing that there was no way that he could refuse her,
Heero offered a small smile and nodded his head. �Okay.�

Relena smiled broadly and slowly began to move. Heero
watched her feet as she took one step and then another, and slowly began to
follow suit. Soon he was able to dance without looking down at their feet, and
he looked up at her, smiling for he was able to learn so quickly. Relena smiled
back and nodded her head in approval.

For some time they took it nice and slow, dancing quietly,
just looking at each other. But then Relena�s movements began to change. She
inched closer to Heero, her hold on his slender waist tightening. Her hands
began to slowly and seductively brush over his lower back, and one hand slowly
climbed upward, her fingers beginning to tease the short hairs at the nape of
his neck.

Beginning to feel a little more awkward, Heero fidgeted
and tried to move his head from her grasp. But Relena only chuckled, as if
amused by his actions, and pressed her body closer to him. Heero gulped as he
felt his groin rub against her, and his cheeks were slowly colored in red.
Relena began to slowly rock her hips against his, using her arms to pull him
closer to her. He was so close that he could feel her breasts pressed against
his body, and he looked away, feeling his face grow hot from embarrassment.

Relena chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. She leaned
her head forward, nearly resting her chin on his shoulder as she turned to
whisper in his ear. �Do you like that, Hee~ro?�

He could feel a shudder run through his entire body as the
soft rush of air brushed over the sensitive flesh of his ear. He took in a
shaky breath, and somehow managed to weakly shake his head. �Re-Relena...�

The girl chuckled and pulled him even closer so there was
no more space left between them. Heero swallowed, his mouth dry, as he felt her
rub her hips against his groin, over and over again. Her movements were slow
and her body was warm, and it caused a feeling that he did not know to spread
all ohis his body, starting from his groin and moving upwards. His lips slowly
parted and his eyes were now half-lidded. Unknowingly, he began to lean more
heavily on her, coming closer to her teasing warmth and her sweet perfume. And
then, another feeling, both alien and disturbingly familiar to him. He felt
himself begin to harden.

A wicked smirk appeared on Relena�s face. She leaned her
head closer to him so she could whisper in his ear. �Are we getting a little
excited, Heero?� She droned, her voice dripping of smugness and seduction.

Heero blushed even more and bowed his head, concentrating
on looking down at his feet. �I... I... G-gomen, Re--Relena... I... I don�t...
It does it all on its own...�

�It�s okay, Heero.� She whispered in a sluty voice, her
hands trailing up and down his body. �I always knew that you would be so...
big.�

Heero blushed a few more shades of red. �I�m as bi--- uh,
I�m as old as you are, Re--Relena...� He sucked in a quick breath, doing his
best to distance himself from her.

Relena let out a playful chuckle, leaning down to flicker
his earlobe with her tongue. �That�s not what I mean, silly boy...�

�Oh.� Heero sniffled, looking away in embarrassment. �I...
I�m sorry, Relena. I�m not very smart sometimes...�

�That�s okay, Heero. I understand.� Relena assured him
with a smile. Her hands began to trail lower, her fingers turning in small
circles around his lower back. Heero tensed even more, beginning to look a
little distressed. Relena ignored his nervous cobalt eyes and allowed her hands
to descend even lower. �Just... try to enjoy yourself tonight...�

Heero forced himself to swallow and nodded his head
weakly. �A-aa.� He felt her hands come lower and lower, as she rubbed her hips
against his in slow and seductive motions. He sucked in a sharp breath as he
felt himself slowly harden. His eyes slowly closed and he was now looking at
her though half-lidded eyes, his trembling hands closing tighter around her
shoulders. He began to unconsciously move his hips to meet hers; his lips
slightly parted as his breath came in and out in short and slow gasps.

Suddenly, Relena grabbed his ass and Heero jumped up,
frightened.

His eyes flew wide-open, cobalt pools washed over with
fear and distress. His mind blacked out, like a short circuit, and the world
went black before his eyes. There was no sound nor feeling or movement, only
the knowledge of His Hands waiting somewhere in the Dark. He wanted to be
Inside him!

�DON�T TOUCH ME LIKE THAT!!!!!� Heero screamed in complete
panic, pushing Relena away with all his might.

The girl was thrown back forcefully, staggering from side
to side as she lost balance.

The orchestra stopped playing and all the dancers were now
staring at the couple in the middle of the dance floor. Heero was panting in
fear and exertion, his wild cobalt eyes giving him the look of a fear stricken
animal. Relena was standing a few steps away from him, looking at him in
complete shock, her features pale.

She was the first to register all the pair of eyes gawking
at them, and her features quickly turned from shock to humiliation, then anger.
She shifted her gaze back to Heero, her blue eyes burning with an angry fire.

�How dare you!� She spat, glaring at him. �YOU IDIOT! What
are you- STUPID?! Do you have any idea what you just did?! HOW DARE YOU!?!?!?�

Heero flinched, clearly hurt by her words.

In the back of the room, by the longest table, Duo slowly
got up, his glare dangerous and his face ominous.

�I... I don�t...� Heero stammered, finding it hard to
speak under all the harsh gazes directed at him. �I don�t want you to touch
me.� He breathed out, feeling very small and helpless under her harsh gaze. �I
don�t like it.�

A few gasps were heard from between the crowd of
spectators, and Relena�s eyes widened with insult and mortification. Her
shoulders tensed and her hands clenched into fists. She was clenching her teeth
as if restraining herself from either crying or shouting.

Heero looked down at her in dreadful anticipation, knowing
that he had humiliated her in front of everybody. His blue eyes shone in
apology and he offered her a faltering and weak little smile. �I�m sorry,
Rele---�

SMACK!

And even before he managed to finish his sentence, a loud
SMACK! echoed throughout the ballroom and suddenly his cheek was burning in
pain. Heero�s head was flung aside from the force of the slap, and he
immediately raised his hand up to shield his throbbing cheek.

Duo�s eyedenedened in anger. He pushed his chair aside and
strode towards the dance floor.

More stunned gasps filled the air as Relena retreated. She
took a stand in front of the stunned boy, glaring at him with all she was
worth. Her angry blue eyes were shooting lightning at him, mocking him and
glaring at him in contempt.

�You fucking bastard!� She growled, her fists still
clenched.

Heero was unable to respond. He merely stood there, in the
middle of the dance floor, holding his throbbing cheek. His eyes were wide and
glazed over with shock, and he was gaping numbly at Relena.

SMACK!

Another loud slap and everyone�s gazes were turned from
Heero, to Relena. They widened in surprise as they saw the tall braidoy
oy
standing by the princess, glaring at her with fierce violet eyes.

The tense moment stretched on and on for what seemed like
forever, and then, just like that, Heero whirled around and ran out of the
ballroom. He pushed his way forcefully through the crowd, still holding his
aching cheek as tears leaked out of his tearful blue eyes. The small droplets
were blown by the wind caused by his run and got caught in his unruly dark
hair.

Duo was nextnext to leave, storming out of the ballroom
with hatred in his eyes.

*
*   *

�Duo!� Quatre called as he ran towards Duo�s old car, a
worried look on his face. The braided boy was currently throwing his and
Heero�s bags into the trunk, a grim and solemn look on his face. Heero was
waiting inside the car, sitting on the passenger�s seat with his head bowed and
his hands in his lap. �Duo, wait!�

Duo slammed the trunk shut and stalked towards the
driver�s seat, pushing Quatre aside as the blond boy tried to approach him. He
opened the door.

�Duo!� Quatre begged, his voice desperate. �Duo, don�t
leave!�

Duo slammed the door shut and whirled around to glare at
Quatre. �It�s just a big joke to you all- isn�t it?!� He shouted, his bitter
violet eyes shining under the pale moonlight. �Lets invite everyone and have a
great party! Everything will be all nice and neat, won�t it!? Well guess what,
Q-man, everything ISN�T so nice and neat! It just isn�t!�

Heero sighed and closed his eyes sadly. He sniffled.
�Souka...�

Duo sighed as well, and turned to look back at Heero. He
reached for his hand and held it tightly. �We all killed people, Heero. That�s
war.�

�We killed to get peace?� Heero asked, his blue eyes
shimmering in the dark. �Is that why we killed?�

Duo did not answer and merely looked down at Heero with
haunted amethyst eyes.

Heero sniffled, squeezing Duo�s hand gently. �But we...
I... I only killed the bad guys, right? They were all bad, right?�

Duo sighed deeply and looked away. �They were the enemy,
yes.�

�But it doesn�t mean that they were bad.�

�No, it doesn�t.�

Again Heero sniffled, his face becoming distressed. �D-did
I... Did I kill a lot of people?�

� . . . . . .�

�Maybe... maybe that�s why I�m like this now? Because I
killed a lot?�

At that, Duo gasped and a choked whimper escaped his lips.
He whirled back to look at Heero, his tearful eyes compassionate. �No,
chanchan.� He whispered, his voice heavy from tears. �That�s not the reason.�

�B-but you... you get punished when you kill people.�
Heero insisted, wanting to make sense of everything that has happened to him.
He wanted to know. He wanted to understand. He wanted a reason for why he was
this stupid. �They said... on the news... someone went to jail use use he
killed someone.�

Duo sighed and reached down a hand to push Heero�s bangs
out of his eyes. �It�s different in a war. We don�t get punished for it... It�s...
it�s different.�

�But we still killed someone. Maybe I just killed too
much... ne?� Heero still insisted, certain that he had found the reason for his
condition.

More tears flooded Duo�s eyes and his fists clenched
around the sheets. He forced himself to look away from those pleading cobalt
eyes.

�Ne? Maybe I killed someone who was good, and I got
punished? Maybe I wasn�t supposed to be okay after the war? Ne, Duo-chan? Do
you think so?�

Duo closed his eyes, taking a few moments to compose
himself. He turned back to Heero, and petted his hair. �No, Heero, I don�t.�

�Oh.� The boy let out, looking away thoughtfully. His eyes
shimmered with unshed tears, and a few escaped his eyes and slid down his pale
cheeks. He sniffled and closed his eyes sadly. �I�m sorry, Duo-chan. I said
something stupid again, ne?� He turned to look at Duo, his tearful cobalt eyes
shimmering with sorrow. �I�m sorry...�

Duo sighed deeply and reached down to wipe Heero�s tears.
�No, Heero, that�s not it. You didn�t say anything stupid. It�s just that...�
He sighed, searching for words. �It�s just that no one deserves what that
bastard did to you, Hee-chan... You�re not a bad person, Heero. You never
were.�

�Then why did he make me so stupid?�

Duo�s heart clenched painfully and he sucked in a deep
breath. He looked down into Heero�s eyes, his own gaze fierce and determined.
�Heero, you are not stupid. Do you hear me? You. Are. NOT. Stupid. I don�t know
why he did it, and I can�t offer you any explanations, but I can tell you that
he did not make you stupid. Don�t you think for one moment that what happened
today was your fault. It wasn�t. It�s Relena who�s stupid, not you. It�s those
people at the ball who were wrong, not you. You never did anything wrong,
Heero. I want you to know that. You did nothing wrong.�

�But...� Heero tried to protest, so hung up on the belief
that he was the one at fault. �But the �Old Heero� would never...�

�Heero, there�s no �Old Heero� and �New Heero�. There�s
you. Just you. The one I love.�

Heero�s eyes widened and he gasped. �Lo... love?�

Duo smiled, happy to be finally able to get it out into
the open. �Yes, Heero, love. I�ve always loved you, and I still do. I love you
for everything that you are. You�re my light, remember? That will never change,
Heero. Do you understand?�

Heero smiled joyfully, his cobalt eyes dancing. �H-hai.�

Duo smiled back and petted the boy�s cheek, wiping the last
of his tears away. �Good.� He stated, lying down again. �So I don�t wanna hear
anymore of this �I�m stupid� crap, okay?�

Heero�s smile broadened and he hurried to nod his head.
�Hai.� He settled himself back into the covers, his heart beating fast and a
wide grin on his face.

Love... Duo-chan loved him... He didn�t care that he
wasn�t like the �Old He... ... He said that they were the same... He loved
him... he loved him...

Heero turned to look at Duo when he felt the bed move, as
the braided boy settled himself more comfortably into the covers. He smiled to
himself and turned to lie on his side, wrapping his arms around Duo. He
snuggled closer to him, nuzzling his face in the crook between Duo�s neck and
chest. He sighed in content as he felt Duo pull him into a tight embrace.

No... he wasn�t stupid... He wasn�t stupid at all. He
wasn�t stupid, because he knew love. He knew how to love and he knew love in
return. It was the greatest thing anyone could ever know [ii], and he knew it. He wasn�t stupid
at all.

Satisfied with this revelation, Heero closed his eyes and
prepared to go to sleep. He allowed himself to slowly be swept away into Duo�s
warmth, until all of a sudden, a realization struck him. He opened his eyes
widely and turned his head up to look at Duo.

The braided boy seemed to be already deep asleep.

�Ne. . . . Duo-chan?� Heero whispered, careful not to wake
Duo, though that was what he was trying to do.

�Mumm..?� Duo mumbled sleepily, tightening his hold on the
boy.

Heero smiled apologetically and bowed his head as if in
shame. �I forgot Yoshi in the car.�

Duo sighed and snuggled more closely to the Japanese boy.
�Heero, there�s a frigging blizzard outside.� He mumbled sleepily, burying his
face in Heero�s dark and sweet hair. �Tomorrow. . .�

Heero pouted, turning to look at Duo with big ol� puppy
eyes. �But it�s cold in the car...�

Duo sighed and opened his eyes. One look into those big
pleading pools of cobalt blue, and Duo sighed, throwing the blanket aside.
�Fine, fine... I�ll go get him.�

Heero smiled and Duo shook his head with a sigh, getting
up to put his shoes on. He grabbed his jacket and prepared to head into the
blizzard. �Ch. The things I do for you...� He muttered, opening the door. He
turned to look over his shoulder, seeing Heero already snuggling back into the
warm covers. He smiled. �Heero Yuy- the light of my life...�

Part 7.

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[i]
Gomen, Trowa-fans, but I just HAD to get rid of that IMPOSSIBLE hair style!

[ii]
I�ll give ya a nickel if you can tell where I took this quote from... It isn�t
mine... ;_;
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Born Again