Gravitation Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Resurrection of the Shattered Soul ❯ Resurrection 1/1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

When Duo decides that Quatre deserves a second chance Tohma Seguchi, a man who will one day rock the world of music to its foundations is born. Tohma/Ryuichi (Very slight yaoi content)

Anime/Manga: Gravitation Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Mecha / / Angst / Drama | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 07.20.2006 | Pages: 18 | Words: 15.7K | Visits: 958 | Status: Completed

AN This is something I've been working on for ages but didn't want to post until it was done. It's a crossover between Gundam Wing and Gravitation. Mainly due to the incredible resemblance between Quatre and Tohma. I do know, by the way, that Gravitation isn't set in the After Colony timeline but for the purpose of this story it is.

Summary - When Duo decides that Quatre deserves a second chance Tohma Seguchi, a man who will one day rock the world of music to its foundations is born. Tohma/Ryuichi (Very slight yaoi content)

Disclaimer - I don't own either of these shows, in fact I hardly own anything, but these shows in particular belong to their creators, shockingly enough.

Rating - PG-13 to be safe, there's nothing too bad in here.

The Resurrection of the Shattered Soul

Scene 1

Duo Maxwell stood in the doorway watching the blonde pilot with something akin to awe on his face.

Quatre Winner was sprawled on the floor, countless pieces of music paper with numerable scribbling on the surrounding him. There was a laptop open in front of him and he was rapidly transferring the data from the form of musical notes to information the computer program he was using could understand.

“If you're going to come in Duo please do so but shut the door, you're letting in a draft.” Quatre spoke quietly without turning round, it was obvious his attention wasn't on the braided teenager behind him.

Duo eased his way into the room and shut the door quietly, not wanting to disturb the young musician; he carefully sidestepped and danced round the pages and pages of the artist's work, not wanting to destroy any.

“So you've found your calling then,” he murmured, half talking to himself. “You know where you're going to be after the war.”

Quatre looked up at him, absently blowing blonde strands out of his eyes as he turned to regard the unusually solemn pilot curiously. “What? Don't be silly Duo, there's no way any of these songs will ever get heard, if I even survive the war I'll end up running my family's company, you know that.”

“Seems a shame to waste this.” Duo swept up a piece of paper emblazoned with the, to him, indecipherable markings, “What is it anyway?”

Quatre blushed and snatched the paper back off him as politely as he could. “It's nothing, just scribblings, stupid ideas that's all. A waste of time.”

“Play it for me.”

Quatre looked up, surprise evident in his face. “There's no piano.”

“No, but I bet it's on there isn't it.” Duo pointed and Quatre's gaze went, almost involuntarily, to the laptop seated so innocently in the center of the floor.

“Yes… it is but…”

“Stick it on then, come on Q, I'm not going to laugh if that's what you're worried about.”

“No…”

“Wonderful then, come on,” Duo turned to look at him, violet eyes pleading prettily, “don't make me beg Quatre.”

Quatre sighed, he knew when he was beaten, if his own innocent eyes and face were a weapon such as a mobile suit then Duo's were the gundam equivalent.

Leaning across he searched through the files hurriedly and pulled one up, a split-second later what would one day become known as `Sleepless Beauty' filtered through the speakers.

Scene 2

Quatre stood with the others and watched as mobile suits entered the compound, being catalogued and registered before being systematically destroyed.

“I know this is what we worked for…” Wufei started quietly, “but I feel extremely empty.” Four nods met his statement.

“So, plans?” Duo asked softly, the short statement a sharp contrast to his usual rambling drawl.

Heero shrugged, as did Wufei.

“Circus.” Was Trowa's one word answer and it didn't take a genius to reinterpret it to mean `Cathy'.

“WEI.” Quatre sighed deeply, his legacy weighing on his shoulders even more heavily now he could see that it was going to happen. Abruptly he realised that during the war he'd been hanging onto the idea that he may not survive to take the reigns of his family's company.

Twistedly that had been preferable to becoming CEO.

Duo watched him sadly as the only one of them with a definite future regretted being alive to live it.

Scene 3

Quatre had finally reduced the size of the pile of paperwork on his desk, unfortunately with that stack out of the way he could now see the three stacks that had been hiding behind it.

“Have you been home at all this week?” The question caught him by surprise and his head shot up to allow the Shinigami pilot into his line of sight.

Duo pulled himself upright from where he'd been leaning on the wall, there was a file in his hands, Quatre noticed belatedly.

“How did you…? Security…” He stopped, amused with his own train of thought, realising the ridiculousness of his questions.

“You didn't answer my question, have you been home this week?” Duo enunciated each word so there could be no room for misinterpretation by the other.

“No.” Quatre's head was back down and he was staring at the files in front of him incomprehensibly.

“You're going to kill yourself if you carry on like this Q, I don't need to be an empath to know that.” Duo placed his hand on Quatre's chest as he spoke and slowly moved it up till it rested under the blonde's chin. Tilting Quatre's head slightly Duo hissed as he caught his first real glimpse of the dark shadows under the eyes and the gaunt, hollow features.

As subtly as he could Quatre removed Duo's hand and pushed his chair away from the American slightly.

“Look Duo, I appreciate the visit, really, but I am incredibly, incredibly busy right now, maybe we could meet for coffee, soon, we could catch up properly then.”

“I though you drank tea,” Duo said with fake cheerfulness.

Quatre didn't even look at him let alone crack a smile at the, admittedly, poor excuse for a joke. He just turned back to his work, leaving the American to show himself out.

Duo's eyes hardened, “alright Q, I'll play along this time but don't forget,” casually he tossed the file he was carrying onto the desk where it skidded to a stop under the blonde's nose, “you can still have this. I'm no genius Quatre but it doesn't take one to know this is good.”

Quatre watched silently as the American left the room before moving to return to the report he was working on curiosity overcame him though and he opened the file Duo had brought in with him.

Pages and pages of music spilled out onto his desk, Quatre stared at them.

Scene 4

They had never met for coffee, war had broken out before they'd had the chance.

He and Duo were alone outside, Heero, Wufei, Zechs and Mariemaia were under Sally's care, Trowa had been looking for a working payphone to call Cathy for the better part of an hour now, Relena and Dorothy were giving statements to the press and Une was still trying to sort out the problems that had come along with yesterday's Mariemaia rebellion.

“It's typical you know,” as Duo's laughing voice broke into his thoughts. Quatre frowned.

“What's typical.”

“That it took a war to get you outta that office block.”

Quatre didn't answer him, Duo studied him.

“There's still time to live the dream you know.” Quatre turned.

“I can't Duo.”

“Why not?”

“WEI.”

“Q, you have twenty-nine completely competent and willing sisters there to take over.”

“The press will…”

“In case you haven't noticed Quatre you haven't left the WEI building for weeks, no one has a real idea of what you look like, you are officially a recluse and people are questioning if you're even doing anything anyway or if you're just there as a figurehead. The press doesn't know you were a pilot after all; in their eyes you're just an ordinary sixteen year old. Just be a figurehead, go somewhere else and start a new life, we can always get in touch if we really need to after all.

“Well…” Quatre hesitated, “I'd need new ID.”

“S'done,” Duo promptly removed a small, plastic-wrapped box from his pocket. “Passport, licenses, money, cards, cell-phone, new life story… everything you need is in here.”

Quatre took the passport with hands that were shaking slightly, opening it he looked through the crisp pages slowly before looking up at Duo, “Daisuki Asakura?”

“Yeah, well, I don't actually know where that name came from but is there something wrong with it?”

“No,” Quatre grinned suddenly, flushed slightly with excitement, “at the risk of being cliché, it sounds like freedom… Duo what's the closest colony to here.”

Duo found himself grinning along with the blonde, “L2. If you want one there should be a shuttle leaving from the terminal in about fifteen minutes and as luck would have it, you're already booked on it, you'll have to run though.”

Quatre took off silently before skidding to a halt and turning back.

“What?” Duo looked at him in surprise, “what's wrong.”

He didn't jump as he was hugged tightly but did when the blonde kissed him quickly.

“Arigato Duo-kun.”

“Heh, no probs Q, no go, before you miss your ticket outta here.”

Duo watched the blonde sprint across the tarmac ground and felt his heart grow lighter, maybe one of them would get a second chance after all.

Scene 5

Quatre had thrown himself into his new life recklessly, sex, alcohol and rock and roll, no drugs though, god knows how long spent in OZ labs had been enough to turn him off narcotics no matter how much he wished to leave his old life behind. The other three though…

His life was a cocktail of alcohol, partying and casual sex, male, female, it didn't matter, nothing mattered because all the time he knew that Quatre Winner was dead.

The sensation that came from knowing that he wasn't going to be recognised was addictive, as was the knowledge that he was just another teenager and that if he got drunk or got caught shagging some whore in an alleyway it wasn't going to be sphere-wide news in an hour's time. It was an unquenchable craving but one that Quatre attempted to satisfy as often as he could.

Nothing could stop him now, nothing.

Not even the American who'd given him a chance in the first place

He'd been in one of the worst joints on L2 when Duo had found him, a cheap tart in one hand, a drink in the other.

Rolling his eyes the American had pulled him away from the girl, not that she protested much; she just turned to the guy on the other side of her smirking seductively.

“Hey,” Quatre protested half-heartedly as he was pulled into the alley behind the club. “I was about to score there.”

Duo shot him a look of disgust, “get real, she'd shag a dog if it came onto her.”

The few couples in the dark street were in various stages of undress and didn't even pause at the interruption, then Duo had pulled a gun and cocked the trigger and all had frozen, on L2 everyone knew what a gun sounded like.

After the few seconds that were spent by each admiring the boy's body, meeting the braided teen's eyes cautiously was enough to send even the bravest scrambling out of the alley.

Turning back to the, still pouting, blonde Duo holstered the gun and snatched his chin, staring at his eyes intently.

Recognising the gesture for what it was Quatre moodily pulled out of reach, “I'm not high ok? I'm pissed, that's all, drugs really aren't my thing.”

Relief shone in the violet eyes, “I thought Muslims didn't drink.”

Quatre shot him a look, “I though Catholics didn't kill,” he commented icily.

“Touché,” Duo looked at the rapidly sobering blonde until the other's patience broke.

“*What*?”

“Nothing,” turning abruptly the American left his friend squinting in the morning light, he couldn't talk to him now, Quatre wouldn't listen, he'd let him have a bit more fun, keep a closer eye on him this time and try to talk to him later.

Scene 6

“What?!”

“Do you remember a girl called Ariana Tazaki?” Duo snorted in repulsion at the blonde's uncomprehending expression. “Christ, tell me you at least knew her name.” Still silence. “Well, this must have come as a bit of a shock then, she had a baby, three fifteen this morning, she went into labour two months early. She died a few minutes before the baby was born, looks like he's going to be fine though, we've got Sally looking after him.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Quatre interrupted.

Duo glared at him, “Are you being deliberately stupid or did the booze kill what few remaining brain cells you had left? The kid's yours Q.”

“What?”

“We'd been keeping an eye on you, you know, why the hell did you think you weren't in jail? We wanted to give you a chance. When we found out she was pregnant we stole the hospital records and matched the test results from the foetus' with yours, everything matched, blood group, DNA samples… we took care of her from then on. We were as surprised as anyone though when she appeared in the reception area of this Colony's Preventer HQ screaming that her waters had broken.”

“And she's dead?”

“Yeah.”

Try as he might Quatre could come up with no memory of the female, the small, entirely forgettable pang of grief was not for a missed one but for a senseless death.

“We contacted your Father's sister, your Aunt Alia,” Duo continued, “as you'll know she and her husband can't have kids. They want to raise it as their child, with their name. Everyone just though you ought to know, thought maybe this would knock some sense into ya.”

Abruptly the pilot moved much faster than Quatre's, still alcohol fogged, brain could register and the blonde found himself a foot off the floor, being held to the cold brick wall by Duo's hands round his throat.

“Some people don't get a first chance Q,” He hissed harshly, “Not many get a second and it is very, very few who get a third, that's what were giving you, we've arranged for a shuttle to get you off this colony soon and we've got a new name for you. Don't screw it up this time.”

The words were violently spat and Quatre felt as though that if Duo didn't like him, or hadn't liked him once anyway he would actually have spat in his face. The American hadn't finished though and the words this time as he allowed the blonde to drop to the ground roughly, were more about information that berating him.

“Just go to HQ when you wanna get out of here but make no mistake Q, it had better be within 24 hours or I'll be after you again.” He turned to leave, the blonde still crumpled on the ground behind him.

Scene 7

“You came then,” Duo was watching him with disdain on his face, “I was beginning to wonder if I would honestly have to go looking for you

“Can I see him,” the blonde looked smaller than Duo had ever seen him and there was regret plain on his face, in the pale morning light it was clear that Quatre was waking up to some of the thing's he'd done too. “Can I see the baby?”

Duo's gaze softened, “yeah, they want you to see him, want you to be a part of his life. I talked to your aunt yesterday, she says he's going to know you're his father, though probably not the circumstances under which he was conceived, she also said that if you wanted to name him…”

“She'd do that?” Quatre couldn't believe it, there had to be a catch.

“Yeah,” Duo shrugged, “he's your son after all. Congrats by the way, I don't think I said that. Any ideas on what you're going to call him?”

Quatre was silent for a few minutes as he thought about the question, before a slow, lazy smile spread across his face.

“Well…” Duo prompted.

“Suguru.”

Duo's eyebrows arched, “after…”

“Yes,” Quatre nodded in answer, “after my father.”

Scene 8

Standing in front of the class, half of whom were watching with interest the rest with bored disdain, Quatre felt surprisingly at home.

The set-up was not unfamiliar from the situation he had found himself in numerous times during the war, he would pick a name, register himself and hide in the school for a few weeks or months sometimes, however long he could stay in one place before OZ began to get suspicious. This time he wasn't planning on leaving though.

Some part of his brain registering that the teacher had called upon him to introduce himself and he bowed in the Japanese custom.

“My name is Tohma Seguchi, it's a pleasure.” The disarming grin he sent round the class won most of them over immediately and he was still smiling when the teacher urged him to take a seat at the back.

Sliding elegantly into a spare seat the blonde found himself next to a dark-blonde teenager who was scribbling frantically on a piece of paper, a pink rabbit was sitting on the edge of his desk, Quatre blinked.

Abruptly the boy looked up and flashed him the happiest, most innocent grin Quatre could remember ever seeing.

“Hi,” the boy chirruped happily, “My name's Ryuichi Sakuma, you can call me Ryu though.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Quatre smiled again, “I'm Tohma Seguchi.” The boy grinned back at him for a second before his face fell.

“You didn't say hello to Kumagoro!” He wailed.

Kuma-what? Quatre looked round him, his gaze resting first on the girl on Ryuichi's other side, who was now watching him carefully, cautiously, then it landed on the pink rabbit on the edge of the desk. Something was telling him that this was who the boy was wailing about and Quatre had never been one to doubt his instincts, no matter how ridiculous they may seem.

He bowed deeply to the rabbit, “My deepest and sincerest apologies for overlooking you Kumagoro-san, it is wonderful to meet you.”

Instantly the boy stopped wailing and picked the rabbit up, placing it to his ear carefully he held it there for a minute, his face a picture of the utmost seriousness before lowering it.

“Kumagoro says it's wonderful to meet you too.” The grin was back and this time it wasn't just from Ryuichi, the girl on the other side was now smiling too, a tad surprisedly, but sincerely.

Quatre now recognised her previous expression for what it had been, she had been expecting and waiting for ridicule of her friend, ridicule Quatre hadn't delivered, now she was a bit stuck for what to do. Unsure she went for the classic.

“Hi, I'm Noriko,” holding out her hand over Ryuichi's desk Quatre caught it and kissed it gently on the knuckles, thrown again she blinked.

“I'm Tohma,” flashing her a patented Winner smile he wasn't the slightest bit surprised when she blushed red.

Ryuichi was though it seemed, “Oh lookie, Nori's *blushing*, Nori-chan's pretty when she blushes.”

“Hn,” Quatre agreed, “she certainly is.”

She blushed again and his grin widened maybe he could make this work after all.

“Ah-hem.” The cough came from behind them and Quatre turned round to look at the woman who would one day be his wife.

“It seems that Ryu forgot to introduce me but I'm Mika, it's great to meet you Tohma.”

Scene 9

He'd never done gym before. During the war excuses had always been at the ready for all of them hiding themselves in a school, the chance of getting hurt before a mission was not one they were allowed to take. He knew Heero and Duo had taken part occasionally but that was only to be expected after all.

Before now, it seemed that, Duo had given him a temporary, six month, reprieve from the class that so many hated. Why Duo had decided on the break Quatre didn't know, but he suspected it was something to do with the American's *ridiculous* assertion that he was nearly dead from exhaustion after the wars and running WEI, apparently L2 hadn't been enough of a break, so Duo had decided to give him one here. He wasn't going to question the other's motives, he was too grateful for, yet another, chance, especially as he knew that Duo hadn't got one himself, the braided teenager was now working free-lance for the Preventers, having discovered, through trial and error, that civilian life wasn't for him.

Quatre continued chatting to Ryuichi as he changed for his first gym class unashamedly. Training with the Maguanacs and then H, living with the four other pilots, being stripped God knows how many times for OZ scientists and then his little stint on L2 had quickly banished any bashfulness he may have felt about his body.

He wasn't prepared for the rapid intake of breath as he removed his shirt though.

Ryuichi's chatter stopped abruptly and Quatre pulled the clothing off over his head so he could look at the other teen. Ryuichi was staring at his chest in shock and Quatre looked down.

“What… oh.” Scattered across his chest were the innumerable scars he had received during the war. Knife wounds, bullet wounds, even one sword wound care of a Miss Dorothy Catalonia, the marks stood out in stark relief on his skin. Some were older, whitened and, now, barely visibly except under the harsh white light of the locker rooms. Some were recent, well, fairly recent anyway, those were darker, harsher, more painful looking.

Ryuichi had to be the only one who had seen, his back was to the wall and there was no one else paying even the remotest piece of attention to them.

Quickly he pulled his gym shirt over his head and stalked out of the changing rooms.

Ryuichi ran after him.

“To-chan ok?” He asked anxiously as he hurried after the young teen.

Turning furiously he caught sight of the scared expression on Ryuichi's face and sighed, his expression altering instantly to something soothing and reassuring.

“I'm fine Ryu, these scars are old, they don't hurt anymore.”

“They did once though.” Quatre's nod was needless, Ryuichi's face was darkening in anger, “Who hurt you? Who hurt *my* To-chan?”

“Hey!” Both boys turned to see Noriko and Mika looking out of the girls' locker room worriedly, “We heard yelling, what's wrong?”

“Nothing!”

Ryuichi rolled his eyes, looking more serious than Quatre had ever seen him, he knew the boy had a serious side, in fact Ryuichi reminded him of Duo in many ways but this was different.

“Like hell it's nothing. Explain *now*!”

“I can't now, later, go to my flat after you finish, I'll see you then.

Scene 10

It certainly wasn't the first time she'd been here, but as Noriko looked up at the tall apartment building that her friend lived in, it looked more foreboding now than it had ever looked, not that that stopped Ryuichi.

The youth fairly bounded up to the front door, squealing in delight as the door was opened for him by a uniformed footman who bowed to the three of them, recognising them instantly. He had been ordered to treat them as though they were Seguchi-san himself, and he wasn't planning on arguing with someone who's tips alone were paying for his family's next holiday.

Mika had hung back, walking next to her. Noriko nodded absently to the young man as she passed him and then stepped into the private elevator for apartment number four, the penthouse, Tohma's apartment, she got the feeling they and Ryuichi were about to find out some things she wasn't entirely sure they were ready to know.

Abruptly Tohma's face appeared on the screen inside the elevator, “the door's unlocked, just come straight in.

She bit her lip and gritted her teeth, it looked like Ryuichi's `now' and Tohma's `later' had finally come

Scene 11

“So you were Quatre Raberba Winner.”

“You were one of the scary gundam guys?” Ryuichi asked, moving behind the couch as he did so.

Quatre nodded, looking devastated at his friend backing away from him.

“And not *only* are you a gundam pilot you're *Quatre Raberba Winner*.” Noriko repeated in disbelief, “the rumoured missing, reclusive CEO Quatre Raberba Winner, the *richest teenager in the solar system* Quatre Raberba Winner… Anything else you want to tell us while we're on the subject of past lives.”

Quatre hesitated but quickly decided in for a penny in for a pound, “I also have a six month old son.” Mika inhaled sharply having been silent up till now.

“But that's all?” Ryuichi quickly asked, “I mean no dead bodies in the garage, no gundams you might have forgotten to give back under the bed or something?”

Quatre laughed slightly, “No, no bodies, no gundams, just a life I regret a lot. After the war I tried to work myself to death, I was nearly there too, then Mariemaia decided to try and take over the world, don't hold that against her though, she's really a very sweet girl.” Noriko, Mika and Ryuichi exchanged glances. “I think Duo honestly though I was going to kill myself, he arranged for a new life for me, gave me a new passport, new id, new life, everything.

“I went to L2, and I went completely mad, I'd never had freedom, never had to not worry about what was coming, before I'd always had to worry, how would my actions affect my family, then it was my friends and the war, now I didn't have to worry and I went a bit overboard,” he laughed suddenly, “yes, I went a `bit overboard' like Antarctica's a bit nippy. I was drinking, partying, sleeping around. Duo found me to tell me I had a son about eight months after I landed, he really reamed me out, I didn't know she was pregnant, hell,” he snorted suddenly, “I didn't even know her name.

“I got another chance then, as Tohma Seguchi, the Preventers took the liberty of using some of my money to buy a home and enrol me in a school, shuttle tickets, everything was taken care of. Anyway,” he shrugged, “six months on from arriving here I am, I'm sorry for not telling you but it wasn't just my secret and I did have to be sure that…”

He trailed off, “that you could trust us,” Ryuichi finished. “So, how did you get those scars?”

“Most of them are from battles, sneaking outta bases and hand-to-hand, the whip marks are from when an OZ officer went too far in trying to make me confess, when the other's bust me out they took a few minutes to make sure that his last few were agony and I got a personal apology from Treize…”

“Khushrenada?” Noriko's voice was disbelieving.

“Yes,” he laughed, “Treize Khushrenada, he wasn't too bad to be honest, I had nothing against him personally, he was a very honourable man, the same goes for Zechs of course, erm, that's Milliardo Peacecraft by the way, though I really didn't really know him very well, Heero knew him much better than I did by the end.”

“Heero, that's 01.”

“Yep, 01, the perfect soldier, the one who blew himself up to stop OZ getting his gundam, the one who threw himself out of a fiftieth storey window and down a cliff, the one who totally grossed Duo out by setting his own broken bones, the only one, other than Trowa, to have hurt Duo's baby and lived.”

“His baby? Like your baby?” Ryuichi's eyes were back to innocent and Quatre was glad.

“No, we used to call Duo's gundam his baby, baby Deathscythe.” He chuckled.

“But you said you had a baby right?” Ryuichi persisted, Quatre nodded, “can we see him, pretty please.”

Quatre's smile became rather forced all of a sudden, “he doesn't live with me, he lived with my father's sister, Alia, she and her husband are raising him, all I did was donate the sperm and the name.”

Ryuichi bounded back over to him and gave him a tight hug, stroking his hair soothingly, Quatre smiled even as he tried not to concentrate on just how nice this feeling was.

“Poor Tohma, poor Tohma.”

“It's ok, he's better off there than here.”

“How about a picture,” Noriko suggested watching the two men with a speculative gleam in her eyes, “you must have a picture round here somewhere.”

“Yeah, just give me a minute,” the blonde disappeared and was back a few seconds later with a picture of him looking shell-shocked and holding a tiny bundle. “He was early, two months, that's why he's so tiny.”

His voice was far away now, it was clear to all three that he missed him.

“There, there To-chan.” Ryuichi tried to cheer his friend up in the best way he knew how, hugging him. Quatre buried his face in his friend's shoulder and inhaled, trying to be subtle.

“What do we call you?” Both reluctantly turned to look at Mika, “I mean, is it Tohma or Quatre or what?”

“Tohma's fine, that's who I am now.”

Scene 12

“You never told us why, you know?” Noriko said, looking up from her physics paper.

Tohma looked up from the newspaper, even when he stopped having to worry about it he'd never been able to break the habit of checking the stock figures every day. “Huh?”

“You never told us why you were the one who was given another chance.”

He blushed, “it's stupid really, Duo caught me composing some music in a safehouse during the war, he made me play it and for some reason after that he seemed determined to give me a second chance, to let me try and have a life other than the one the scientists and my father had chosen.”

“Music, huh? *Why* did you never mention this?” She hit him and then yelled across the room to Ryuichi who was in Tohma's kitchen.

“You never asked, it's rubbish really but I wasn't going to lie it you asked me.”

She shot him a glare, “I'll decide it it's rubbish or not, you must have some instruments in this flat somewhere.”

“I do but it's all on computer anyway.”

“Well get a computer then,” she glared at him again and called for Ryuichi a second time, “Ryu, come and listen to this.”

In his typical style the other teen positively bounded into the room.

Jumping in the air as he arrived next to them, landing, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed.

Tohma bit his lip and then pressed a few keys on the laptop in front of him, “alright, but I'm telling you it's rubbish.

Scene 13

“I can't believe we're doing this, I cannot *believe* you're making me do this.” Tohma was muttering under his breath, Noriko shot him a look.

“It's not that bad surely.”

“Not that bad,” blue eyes met hers incredulously, “I'd rather be anywhere but here, in battle, in a staring contest with Heero Yuy, in a board meeting, in a cell with a sugar-high Duo Maxwell, on a shopping trip with my twenty-nine sisters, in…”

“You're serious?” Ryuichi looked at him curiously.

“Yes! Well… maybe not about the shopping trip.” He ducked expertly as Noriko moved to hit him.

“It's not like it's the first time you've ever done this.”

“This is the first time for judges, and these are new songs and new instruments and new outfits,” he plucked at the garment, “whose idea were these anyway?”

“Mine.” Was interjected icily from behind him. If looks could kill Mika's glare would have rendered Tohma a small pile of ash on the floor

“And what a wonderful idea they were,” he finished smoothly.

“Tohma relax,” Ryuichi was next to him suddenly and the exquisite sensation of having his shoulders massaged quickly drowned out the voices of panic in his mind as he calmed down. “You'll be fine, you get like this before every show and you're always fine.”

“I've just got the feeling that something…” Ryuichi put his finger to Tohma's lips suddenly.

“Hold that thought cos I think we're on.”

Scene 14

Duo and Trowa watched their friend silently, both leaning against the wall, hidden in the shadows.

“He did it.”

“Hn.”

“Knew he would.”

“Hn.”

“I mean Q's a smart kid, he wasn't going to mess it up more than once, was he?”

“Hn.”

Duo turned to glare at his friend suddenly, “what you been taking the `Yuy language course' again?”

“Hn.”

“Arrrggghhh.” Duo's yell of frustration was quiet but heartfelt. “He's done well though,” He changed the subject back to the original topic, “he was the only one of us who really had a chance in getting back to normal, civilian society really wasn't he? I mean,” Duo snorted suddenly, “can you picture Heero in a place like this?”

“No, but then again up until a few hours ago I couldn't imagine me in a place like this.” Duo rolled his eyes at Trowa's response.

“You really need to lighten up Tro-man.” There was silence for a few seconds between them, before Duo broke it again. “You think we should go over and say hi?”

Trowa studied the blonde across the room, surrounded by a crowd of congratulating, chattering teens, three especially close, a girl with purple hair, another girl, this time with brown hair and a boy. He squinted suddenly, was it just him or was Quatre leaning into him?

“Tro…?”

“No, I don't, he got out, he doesn't need us showing up like this, phone calls are ok but we can't show up here. This is his world now and we don't belong in this part of it.”

“Yeah… you're right. Let's go.”

As the two exited the club Duo's voice lasted for a few seconds before it was swallowed up by the music. “Was it me or was Q totally crushing on the blonde guy?”

Scene 15

Sobbing was the first thing that greeted his ears when he flipped on the vidscreen that allowed him to both see and hear what was happening outside his door.

Jumping to his feet he rushed towards his door and flung it open.

Mika looked up at him, brown eyes filled with sad tears.

“I don't want to Tohma, I honestly don't want to, don't let them make me, please don't… don't let them, please.”

Catching the crying young woman, Tohma froze for a second before coming to his senses and scooping her into his arms and carrying her back into the house.”

Depositing both of them on the couch he started to rock her as she latched onto him and continued weeping in earnest.

“Mika, Mika, Mika, listen to me angel, no one will make you do anything you don't want to while I'm alive, I promise, ok?”

Reddened eyes, looked at him almost fearfully before she nodded.

“Now, what on Earth is wrong.”

“I don't want to.”

“You don't have to, just… what is it?”

“I don't want to get married.”

“Huh?”

“My father, I have to marry, for my family, he's got my husband picked out and everything, I hate him, I can't do it, I can't.”

“You don't have to, I'll think of something I promise, we'll think of something, no one but no one will make you get married if you don't want to.”

“I have to though, I have to I don't have a choice.”

“Yes you do, you always have a choice.”

“Not this time.”

Tohma studied her silently, he knew what was happening with her family, he also knew she wasn't going to be left alone till she was married. “Mika,” he started slowly, “does it matter who you marry?”

Scene 16

Tohma paced up and down the room worriedly. Mika watched him with a raised eyebrow.

Eventually she spoke, “you cannot honestly be telling me that you haven't been in scarier situations than meeting my family.” Tohma slowed as he thought about it and then shook his head.

“I haven't, I mean, sure the war was scary but… I knew what to do, I had a mission objective and I knew how to go about achieving it.” He sighed, “no matter how many people had to die to get there.”

Mika sighed and then, “04!” she barked suddenly and Tohma halted before he even realised what he was doing. “Get a grip,” she ordered, “be yourself and my family will love you, everybody loves you.”

Suddenly she was on her feet, moving towards the door. “Eiri!” Tohma spun to see the delicate looking blonde in the doorway, a phone in his hand. He smiled tentatively at the young boy who was watching him searchingly.

“Mom and Dad are on the phone,” he waved it as evidence. “They say they're going to be a bit late, they're stuck in traffic. Dad wants to talk to you Mika.” He threw the phone to his sister.

She glanced worriedly between the two males and then hurried out of the room, shooting meaningful glances at her brother. “Be nice!”

Eiri smiled reluctantly and Tohma grinned, holding out a hand to introduce himself. “Tohma Seguichi.”

The younger blonde shook it consideringly. “Eiri, you hurt my sister and I'll kill you.”

Tohma hesitated. “I hurt Mika and I'll let you.” He said eventually.

A vaguely approving expression came over Eiri's face.

As they both sat down on the couch and started to talk, stilted at first but growing surer as the conversation flowed at the back of Tohma's mind he started making plans.

Something about Eiri just reminded him of himself… well, his younger, far more idealistic self. Eiri's dreams of being a writer only seemed to tally with his own dreams of being a musician and, if that wasn't enough, Mika clearly adored her younger brother and he was willing to do anything to make her happy. She deserved it.

Silently he swore to protect the young blonde with his life. He'd do for Eiri what Duo had done for him; he'd give him the chance and see if he could make his dreams come true.

Scene 17

It was a beautiful ceremony, everyone said so, both bride and groom swearing respect, honour, friendship and to help the other in every aspect of their lives. The words were said with such conviction that very few noticed the slight sadness in their eyes or the fact that neither swore fidelity or even love. Or the way that the groom refused to meet the eyes of either his blushing bride or his best man, while she avoided even glancing at her parents.

Those who did notice we the last to arrive and the first to leave and they refrained from commenting on it until they were being transported back to the shuttleport in one of Tomah's limousines.

“So,” Duo broke the silence, “why do you think he's really marrying her?”

The other pilots exchanged glances.

“I did some research,” Heero offered finally. “Her father's been pushing her to get married, maybe Quatre just offered himself up.”

“Yeah maybe,” Duo remarked slowly. “Sounds like something he'd do doesn't it?” He turned back to look out the window where the `port was coming into view

“Okay?” The soft whisper came from his lover who was sitting next to him on the leather interior of the luxurious car.

“Yeah, fine, just… this is it isn't it? Today Quatre Raberba Winner dies.”

Silence from the young man but the green eye lowered in sorrow and Duo had his confirmation.

“He got out,” Wufei proclaimed, “we should be happy, we all know he'll still come and help us if we ever need it.”

Silence from the remaining occupants because no one really wanted to think seriously about the implications of that statement.

Duo grinned ruefully and turned back to the window, his smile steadily becoming realer as he saw out of the corner of his eye Zechs cover Heero's hand with his own, Sally pull Wufei into a kiss and felt Trowa gently rest a hand on his knee.

Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.

Scene 18

“It's okay, it's okay…” Tohma held the shaking blonde to him. “It's alright, you'll be okay, I've got you…”

“I killed them,” the young boy stuttered, “I killed them, oh God. I'm evil and I'm going to jail. I'm…”

“No, no, no.” Tohma soothed. “It's going to be okay Eiri.”

`I'm sorry, I'm sorry I let this happen,' he apologised silently.

“What am I going to do?” Eiri's words were disguised by the choking, hysterical sobs but Tohma still understood them perfectly.

He took a deep breath, rubbing the boys back, trying to regulate the gulps of air that Eiri was sucking in. “You're not going to do anything.” He murmured quietly, “except calm down. I'll deal with it Eiri, everything is going to be okay.”

Eventually the boy cried himself to sleep and Tohma gently placed him on the couch. When he got up to leave though Eiri whimpered at clutched at his arm tightly. He held the pale hand as he fished the phone out of is pocket and punched in a number he'd half hoped he'd never have to call again.

The sound of the rain beating off the windows provided the back drop to the occasional shuddering sob and he found himself wondering at the perfect metaphor of the weather. Maybe someone was watching this after all.

Putting in the phone's headset as he heard it start to ring he used the, now free, hand to gently stroke the silky hair of the innocent boy who, despite his best efforts had been tainted. Just like Quatre.

After a few seconds a tired voice answered. “Maxwell.” A grumpy tone coloured the words and Tohma felt familiarity was over him. How often had he heard that very same tone after waking Duo up for a mission or even for breakfast?

He smiled weakly. “Hello Duo, I need a favour.”

Scene 19

Mika sat up as Tohma entered the hotel suite, trying to be quiet but failing miserably.

His face was glowing and his eyes were sparkling, classics signs of a successful show. Even if she hadn't watched it though, she'd know there was something more this time.

She turned on the bedside lamp and looked at him.

“Good show?” His grin widened as he prepared to answer, “but…” she cut him off as she continued. “I already knew that but I wonder… was it the show that has you looking like all your Christmases have come at once… or is it Ryuichi?”

He froze. “Mika…”

She shook her head. “I'm not mad Tohma but the show ended hours ago, were you at the party or were you finishing what you started on stage?”

His blush, as well as the dreamy look in his eyes, answered that question for her and she nodded.

“Tohma, I think you should know that I'm extremely hurt.” He looked stricken and she worked to hide the grin that was threatening. “Extremely hurt that you aren't telling me all the details.

“What?!” He sounded disbelieving and incredulous.

“Come on,” she waved a hand dismissively. “You've had the hots for each other for ages, I want to know everything.”

“But…”

“Please.” She pouted jokingly, “you know that Ryu's telling Noriko everything.”

He shook his head in disbelief then flushed deeper and threw himself on the bed. “It was incredible Mika, I didn't know…” He shook his head. “It's like the entire world is different now, something has clicked into place.”

She smiled as he carried on, his voice filled with delight, excitement and awe. Right up until he crashed.

Pulling the covers over him and kissed her sleeping husband on the forehead. “I'm sorry I tied you down like this Tohma… We'll divorce one day and you'll be able to love him in public properly, not a snatched kiss on stage blamed on the adrenaline rush of the music… I promise.”

Scene 20

It was three in the morning when Mika walked through the living room, planning on getting a glass of water and came across her husband in the living room, still working.

“Tohma,” she murmured in confusion.

“Heya Mika,” he mumbled. Not looking at her, eyes focussed on the laptop in front of him.

She came up behind him and rested her arms on his shoulders, he titled his neck to accommodate her and she dropped a kiss on his cheek.

“You work too hard,” she scolded and he laughed.

“I've always worked too hard.”

She shook her head minutely. “Not like this, before you used to work too hard but you loved it. You gave your life to Nittle Grasper but you were happy. Now you just seem…” she paused, “beaten. All the time.”

“I'm just tired Mika, trying to get Bad Luck off the ground is taking a lot of work. There's too many bands like them in Japan already.” Something in her words stuck though and he filed it away for further consideration.

“You must have seen something in them.” She insisted, whispering the words into his ear. “Or you wouldn't have agreed to sign them.”

He sighed and dropped his head. “There's something alright but… I don't know.”

He turned to look at his wife worriedly. “What's wrong with me Mika? I always know, always used to know.” She dropped a reassuring kiss on his head.

“You'll get it,” she promises, watching the PowerPoint Presentation he was staring at. “There's only two of them,” she remarked in surprise as the band's profile appeared on the screen.

“Yeah.” Tohma pinched the bridge of his nose and she began to massage his shoulders lightly.

“What do they need?”

“A keyboardist.”

She pulled back slightly and decided to take the risk. “Tohma..”

“Hmmm…” He moaned lightly, tilting his head back as he dug her fingers into his bunched up neck muscles.

“What about Suguru? Apparently he's quite the keyboardist and…”

He held up a hand, “You're right. I mean I've talked to him and gone to see him but maybe I've been putting something more permanent off long enough. He glanced at a clock on the wall and worked out that it was about breakfast time on L4. Mika handed him the phone and he punched in the number without even looking at the keypad.

Scene 21

An attempted assassination of the Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian, former Queen and World leader was today thwarted by the tireless efforts of her bodyguard team…

He changed the channel.

“…Preventer Agent Captain Duo Maxwell declined to be interviewed but confirmed…”

He clicked again.

“…Will be making a statement later…”

“To-chan?” The call broke him out of his reverie and he turned the television off.

“Yes?”

“Someone's in another world.” Noriko remarked amusedly.

“Yeah, sorry, I was just wondering…” He looked at the set again and down at the newspaper in front of him.

One of the photographs showed Duo hurrying away from the camera, Relena tucked safely under his arm. Another insert showed Heero marching the would-be assassin down the steps of the embassy building. The prisoner's arm was twisted behind his back harshly and he looked as though he was in pain. Heero just looked plain faced as he led the prisoner to the car where Wufei was waiting.

“Just wondering about a future that could have been,” he finished finally and she rolled her eyes.

“Well unless you get a grip *this*,” she tapped the file in front of her, “is going to be the `future that could have been'.”

He smiled, “Sorry.”

“That's okay,” she appeared mollified.

Behind her, Ryuichi had his arms crossed over his chest and was tutting, shaking his head in a disapproving manner. The perfect mockery of disappointment.

Tohma stuck his tongue out at him and he huffed in pretend offence.

Mika leaned back, giggling and Noriko sighed. “They're like a couple of three year olds,” she mumbled. Glaring at them as Ryuichi dropped into the seat besides Tohma.

“And you wouldn't have it any other way.” Mika reminded her and Noriko nodded, accepting the truth. Tohma smothered another grin as he attempted to get down to the matter at hand.

“Right then.” He coughed. “For our reunion tour I was thinking…” he broke off, Mika was grinning at him. “What?”

She nodded, inclining her head and he realised that he had tangled his fingers with Ryuichi's without even realising it. He flushed and defensively tightened his grip on the blonde's hand. Ryuichi beamed at him.

“*Anyway*,” he continued pointedly as Mika and Noriko laughed. “For our reunion tour… I was thinking…”

Finish