Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Desert Dreams ❯ Desert Dreams ( One-Shot )

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor pretend to own Gundam Wing.

Desert Dreams

Quatre stared out at the vast expanse of desert stretching before him. Heat danced on the dunes shimmering like starlight in the air. He sighed and closed his eyes letting the sweet breeze kiss his upturned face. Opening them again he smiled as he watched the lone figrue come toward him. He was no mirage, Quatre could make out the unruly brown hair and the defiant stride.

" Heero!" Quatre raised a hand in greeting running to meet his friend.

Heero and Quatre sat in silence in the kitchen of the small but spacious house in the little town. Quatre had bought the house a few months ago so he would have someplace all his own to go to when he visit the desert he loved so much.

They had all just about completely lost touch over time. All had gone their separate ways and were busy with new lives. Quatre felt the need to have them near grow and the emptiness reach up to swallow him again. They were his family, yet he did not know if they would accept him into their worlds once again. His brooding was broken by one of those he cared for most.

" How have you been?" Heero broke the silence looking up.

" All right I guess. You?"

" Good as I'm gonna get." He flashed Quatre a rare smile. Quatre smiled his broadest. Heero was really learning to live in this peaceful world of theirs. He began to feel better then he had in months.

" You've been working too hard."

" Miss Relena needs all the support she can get." Quatre smirked, " of course she always has yours."

" Hnn."

" We can't stop supporting this peace, not after finally achieving it." His eyes conveyed his passion for the subject.

" It is people like Relena and you that are holding this peace together."

" And yet we are still called to arms to protect that peace too often." He shook his head sadly then looked up at Heero to find his intense Purrsian blue eyes staring at him.

" Peace has to be protected, that is why we are still needed. To make sure other people are not hurt." Heero knew they both believed that with all their hearts.

" Thanks for reminding me."

" You have the influence, and the kindness of heart to help keep this peace."

As head of the Winner family, even at seventeen, he had become representative of the colonies. He had earned respect that far out weighed his families name, on earth and in space. He gave all his support to Vice Foreign Minister Darlain with her new weapons treaty. He would not relent in his course to help her which pushed him to his limits and exhausted him physically. Rashid, his ever loyal and trusted friend, had gone into father mode when he heard and forced him to take a vacation.

He looked over at the ever silent Heero wondering what had brought him out there after being missing for so long.

" What brings you out here?" Quatre looked questioningly at Heero.

" Heard you where in the area so I decided to drop by." Heeros monotone masked his concern. He glanced at Quatre knowing he knew risk he had taken supporting Relena in this.

" I'm glad. Are you going to stay awhile? I have pleanty of room, and to be honest I was getting pretty loney here."

" I thought some of the Maguanucs lived here too."

" They have their own lives to live and their own jobs and families. Not a lot of time for some kid." He laughed lightly.

" Now your being ridiculous." A voice came from the open door. The boys looked up, Rashid stood leaning on the door jam.

" Rashid!" Quatre ran giving the man a hug that was returned ten fold by the other man who was laughing lightly, obviously pleased to see the boy in his arms. He and Quatre broke the hug smiling at each other. Rashid looked up nodding to Heero. Heero nodded back in welcome. Rashid smiled at him. He had contacted Heero himself after suspicion had arose that Quatre was being stalked. He felt such a bond with the young arab pilot who had won his respect the first time they met five years ago, he would give his life for him. And who better to protect the boy then the other gundam pilots.

" What brings you here Rashid? I thought you were on vacation too." Quatre looked up at the taller man nearly having to crane his neck.

" I heard you had come back down to Earth and I wanted to see you."

" You see every other day of the year, I'm scared you'll get sick of me." They smiled at each other as they took their seats.

They three of the them talked into the night, reminiscing about the war and how there lives were going. A normal conversation for a normal night. Quatre was a little taken back by Heeros sudden openness as he chatted lightly and even occasionally smiled.

Heero lay in bed staring into space. He didn't know what had come over him today. He talked and smiled like he hadn't in years long forgotten, if they even existed. He had felt so good and finally free sitting there with his ..........friend. He turned the word in his mind looking at it from every angle possible. Yes, he fianlly agreed, Quatre was his friend. He had felt so lost the last few months, just wandering. Now... he didn't know what would happen now, but for the first time he felt some hope for his future. He let a faint smile paint itself on his face. There were others he could call friends too. He did not have to be alone any more. Whoever was stalking Quatre was going to find he had messed with the wrong people. Heero drifted off to sleep a smile still on his face.

Heero awoke to the smell of eggs and bacon frying. He pulled himself out of bed and got dressed then headed down the hall. In the kitchen he found Quatre flipping eggs in a skillet with ease and grace that seemed to follow his every move. Heero placed himself at the table and picked up the paper looking at the face that jumped out at him from the first page. The heading read:

Vice Foreign Minister pulling for new weapons treaty

Relena looked up at him from the page smiling for some unknown reason. Heero looked up to see Quatre looking at him with a peculiar look on his face and the beginings of a smile.

" What?"

" Nothin'." He turned back to their breakfast.

Later that day the boys strolled the sandy streets of the desert town in a companiable silence. People around them moved with ease in no hurry, just enjoying the day that shone bright with cloudless blue skies and a slight breeze. They looked curiously at the boys that walked almost as one. Most knew the light haired boy, he had earned all their his respect with kindness and generosity. The other boy was a stranger to them but he walked in perfect pace with the other boy like they were in tune somehow.

The boys walked to the market that was just beginning to come alive with movement. Quatre walked over to a stand holding large imported watermelons.

" I'll take one please." Ever polite he went about shopping. Heero walked beside him every now and then picking up something of his own.

" How long are you staying here?"

" Two more days, unless I get called back early. Your welcome to stay at the house as long as you want. It would make it easier to find you." He looked at Heero, his eyes laughing.

" Hnn." Heeros eyes let the humor race through for a second.

They walked back to the house carrying their packages inside and putting them away. Walking back into the kitchen they stopped short in surprise to find someone standing in front of them. In reflex Heero slipped his gun out of his pants and fixed it on the stranger. There was something about him he just did not trust.

" Who are you?" Quatre stepped up beside Heero. The man did not answer, he merely inspected the boys and his position.

" Answer him." Heeros voice had a dangerous edge to it. Finally he raised his eyes to meet Quatres..

" Just bringing a warning." His eyes swerved to meet Heeros challenging them. " I suggest that you do not attend the confrence this Monday. You will regret it." With that he turned and walked out the back door leaving the two boys standing confused in the kitchen.

" They won't scare me off that easily." Quatre turned and walked over to the cupboard to begin their lunch.

" Don't take it so lightly, I don't like the look of that man." Heero replied putting his gun back into its hidden place and reaching for the laptop on the shelf. He began typing furiously on the computer. He sent the letter to the Preventers telling them what had happened and a description of the man. In an afterthought he ended the letter asking them to send their best, knowing full well who that was.

Wufei leaned back in his chair closing his eyes. He was surveying a colony transtport that wasn't doing anything particulerly intersesting. His eyes flew open when heard the screen beeping. Hitting the answer button Lady Unes face appeared on the screen.

" Wufei, we have a new mission for you want it." She smiled breifly knowing sitting there was driving him crazy.

" What is it?" He wasn't letting her talk him in to anymore of these insignificant missions where his ablities were sorely out of place.

" A threat has been made on the life of Quatre Rababa Winner." His obsidian eyes glinted then narrowed in anger. He quickly nodded his head. " I'll send you the coordinates of where you are to meet your back up." A slight smile made its way across his face.

" Don't worry I'll find them." He turned off the screen and typed in the coordinates given him.

Lady Une paced in her office. The day had been trying enough as it was with the threat on Quatre Winner, now reports came in telling of crates of bio weapons on at least three differnent colonies. She sighed and went to the window pressing her forehead up to the cool glass. Normally the Gundam pilots would have been who she called in for this but they had their own problems now that one of them was being targeted.

Lady Une walked back to her desk sitting down with another sigh. She quickly began her message to Relena Darlain telling her of the recent threat. She knew Relena would want to know, he was after all her friend and the friend of the man she loved.

People moved around the large room talking quietly with each other. Some were already sitting in chairs waiting for the press conference to begin. The conference was being held for the people to ask questions about the new weapons treaty being voted for in the near future. Lately there had been problems on the some of the colonies with personal arms and the selling of weapons. The Vice Foreign Minister had been visiting the colonies and talking with representatives on what to do to regulate the problem of personal arms. They had come to an agreement to outlaw the selling of weapons on the colonies and regulate the personal ownership of weapons. With the support of the head of the Winner Foundation they had been able to achieve their goal. Though the treaty was not popular with all they belived this to be the best solution for the moment.

Security was high at the confrenceses since the protests had become a little out of hand on a colony and an officer was hurt. Though opposition was met everyone was suprised to find that over all it was a welcomed treaty. One group stood out among the few that opposed it, they were unkown for the most part. As not a lot was known about them and they had yet to make any harmful moves, the preventers had not been called in as of yet. Now they were begining to be suspious of the situation and quite.

A young preventer entered the room, his black hair was slicked back and palced in a small ponytail. He paused loking around the room at all the people. Finding what he was looking for he sat down in the front row placing himself in front of the microphones. Around the room four other boys placed themselves at each door waiting for the conference to begin.

He walked through the door behind the others following them into the conference room. As he took his seat his eye caught those of a Preventer in the first row. He looked around the room catching the eyes of three others placed around the room. They're all here. Heero must have alerted them. He released a strained sigh. They need to forget about me. We need to protect Miss Relena at all cost. She is the one important in this. Well, here goes nothing, just have to try to keep anything from happening. He snapped back to attention as Relena began the conference.

Heero watched Relena as she answered the peoples questions. She looked so beautiful to him, her long golden tresses hanging to he shoulders. She had ordered extra sucurity around the building. Lady Une had told all of them that no one but Quatre had been threatened, not even Relena. This made them belive it was a personal as well as political vendetta. The discription of the man had brought up nothing, giving them no lead. His eyes scanned the room. Nothing looked out of place, but something was bothering him.

"....thank you for your time." Relena smiled at sat back down.

Quatre stood up a walked over to the microphones to began answering questions. Cameras flashed and people began throwing questions at him all at once. He held up his hand trying to slow down the flow of questions. A shot rang out silencing everyone as men moved away from the walls guns now drawn.

" Everyone stay seated!" The panic that had nearly consumed the place was put down as the command was heeded immdeitly by all. Quatre remained standing where he was. He looked around for the others. Wufei had been pushed back in his seat and was now being gaurded. Duo and Trowa were being pushed to the front row too. Heero was pushed into a seat beside Wufei with a gun trained on him. They singled them out! Now what can we do?! There has to be something. Calming down he moved his eyes around the room looking for someway to distract them long enough to get Relena and the others out of there.

" Mr. Winner." Quatres eyes snapped back to the man in front of him. He was obviously the leader. " In front of me NOW." He fixed his gun on Quatres chest and cocked it.

Quatre moved around the microphones and down the front of the small stage to stand a few feet from the man.

" I know you." Quatres eyes widened as he recognized the man who had given him the warning a few nights before.

" I told you did I not. You should have listened to me. Now your life is mine." The mans eyes only held a gleam of sanity in there shallow depths. Quatre felt chills as he looked into them, his own deep blue eyes glowed with emotion.

" Not if we can help it!" Duo, braid flying, rushed the man holding a gun on him. All at once the other four moved, rushing the surprised men in front of them. People screamed around them and were quickly being brought under control by the remaining men.

Quatre rushed the leader knocking the gun up at the last moment as it went off, the bullet grazing his shoulder. Ignoring the pain he grappled with the larger man trying in vain to push him off balance. The man landed a well placed kick to Quatres side making him let go of him. Taking his chance he attacked. Quatre blocked the blows and kicked out. Somehow the man caught his foot and twisted sending Quatre to the ground. A knife was at his throat in an instant.

" Tell the others to stop fighting or you die now." The man smirked in Quatres face.

" No." Quatre defied him outright.

" No! We'll back off just don't kill him." Came Duos voice, desperation edging it.

The man pulled Quatre to his feet the knife still at his throat. The other four were sporting cuts, and numerous bursies were begining to show. They had taken down a lot of the men but had allowed themselves to be subdued to save Quatre. The rest of the people had been held at bay by other gunmen and were now ushered along with the representatives to the back of the room.

" What do you want?" Relena spoke up.

" Me?" The man mocked her. Tuning serious he said, " I want this treaty stopped, I want to have military rule back in place with me at the head, but most of all I want this boys life in my hands." He tightened the knife on Quatres neck drawing blood. Trowa moved forward angry, emotion flaring in his emerald eyes. A man on his left swung the butt of his gun into his stomach. Trowa dropped into Wufei's arms.

" No! Don't touch them!" Quatre tried to struggle, only succeding in tightening the grip on him.

" Stop struggling, it is useless."

" Who are you? You can at least tell us that." Heero faced the man holding Quatre sending him a icy glare.

" I suppose I can give you that out of respect. The name is Thalner."

" Yip, yip. Well what do you plan on doing with us Thalner." Duo peered through a slightly swollen eye.

" Line them up and guard them cautiously, we're dealing with Gundam pilots here." He sneered. Immdeitly they were pushed into a line in front of Thalner. He surveyed the men in front of him as well as the one in his grasp. He had watched them durring the war. They had become a strong team, facing there adversaries without flinching. For that he had come to respect them, albeit grudgingly. His grand plans for the war had been destroyed by one of them after all. That had brought down all his glories plans for fame and granduer. Now was his chance at that power again and the power of having that one person in his grasp.

" No matter what you do you will be stopped, Preventers are placed all around the building." Wufei looked squarly at the man breaking his quiet thought. We will not let him take you away from us.....brother. Wufei silently adressed Quatre in his mind as his eyes met his. Quatre chanced a smiled, seeming to understand the unspoken message in Wufei's eyes. As if seeming to catch their thoughts Thalner decided to use them.

" What does Winner mean to you?" He looked at each boy in turn meeting the stony stares. " Answer." He moved the knife to point at Quatres heart.

" He is our friend."

" You all feel this way?"

" Yes, and so does he. Stop playing these games, you will like nothing you find. We are stronger than you in every way. I am sure by now you know if you kill him we will kill you." Heeros glare was deadly, his eyes held nothing but truth in them.

" Too bad you feel that way." Thalners voice was icy.

" You can never have those things you want. You have already lost." Relena spoke up coming to stand beside Heero.

" Even if you kill us others will rise to fight you. No one will tolerate tyranny."

" You are wrong." Thalners eyes went wild. He was being back into a corner by these people he had viewed only as childern. He knew they were more, much more. He had control of the situation yet they made him feel scared. But he had one thing he craved and he would have his life forever. " He is still mine!" He lifted the knife ready to plunge it into Quatres chest.

" Weakling, you see nothing but hate. Why do you want Quatre so badly?" Wufei's eyes shot daggers at Thalner.

" He destroyed my life. Think hard Winner, remember what you did to me."

" Thalner..... you!" His eyes widened. " You brought that on yourself! You were making biological weapons on our resource satalite."

" You had to run to your father! I was ruined by a little brat! Now, now your life is mine." His last words were laced with hate.

" No, you never had me and you never will. even if you kill me. They have shared my joys and sorrows and they have my love so they will always have my life. Not you, never you. Even if you do end my life."

" AhhHHH!" He brought his hand down as a gunshot rang out. Quatre held back a scream of pain as the knife pireced his lower chest missing its mark by mere inches.

Heero and the others swung around attacking there captures. Relena rushed foward pushing the still from of Thalner off of Quatres body. Rashid appeared at her side smoking gun in hand, paling at the look of the boy in her arms. The knife had embedded itself in to the hilt when Thalner had fallen on him.

" Heero!" Relena looked up anxiously as she absent mindedly stroked Quatres pale face. Preventers had rushed in freeing the boys to go to their fallen comrade.

They knelt beside him, Heero gently taking Quatre from Relenas arms. Rashid grasped the hilt as Wufei and Trowa held Quatra down. In one swift motion he pulled the knife from Quatres chest the blood flowing freely. Duo placed his hands over the wound trying desperately to staunch the flow.

" Don't leave us! Shingami isn't ready for you yet." Tears made their way to his eyes as he looked at the blood that was a stunning crimson against Quatres pale face.

He opened his eyes to see Heeros face hovering above him. Anxiety was showing through his normal mask. Three other faces popped into view the same look in each of there eyes.

" Where is that women!" Wufeis voice betrayed his emotions as he scanned the room desperatly for Sally Po.

" Hold on Quat." Heeros voice floated to him as he sank into the comfort of space, the stars were shining so bright.

The stars sparkled all around him, twinkling like fairy dust in the darkness of space. Opening his eyes he blinked in surprise.

" Huh?" Wind ruffled his hair, gently pressed his cloths to his body.

"Wind? Space? Am I.... am I dead?"

Attempting to turn around he twisted his form finding it extremely hard to move. He jerked, grunting with the effort, and finally flipped around. Air swooshed around him as he began a freefall into the depths of space.

"Ahhhhhh!" He grabbed at empty air in an attempt to slow his descent. " Ouff."

A smack rang out as he finally hit solid ground. " Head injury, yeah, thats it! I just hit my head when that guy fell on me." Saying so he stood up firmly rubbing his rather sore rear end. Looking around at his he gasped once again in surprise. Visions of memories flashed before him.

A little boy, no more then seven, listened as two men talked behind a door in the hallway. Voices floated out to from out of the past.

walked away." Bio weapons have not been used nor manufactured for many years! What makes you think someone will suddenly take an interest in making them now?"

" How can you just over look this! They may be just rumors but we can not just wait around to find out. Thalner, you have the trust of the colonist and me. I need your backing in this motion to get them to rout out anyone who would dare try something so inhumane."

" Let me think about it Mr. Winner."

The door opened causing the boy in front of it to fall back. The tall man sneered down at the boy. Contempt written clearly on the mans features. Fear radiated from the boys small body.

" Well , well, the little prince spying?" The mans laugh could have cracked glass. " Remember boy, cuorisity killed the Quat." With that he walked around the still shaking child and walked away.

' I remember!'

The scene shifted before his eyes. He now stood in a courtyard outside a large house. The same young boy skipped in front of him oblivious of his presence. Oblivious of everything it appeared as he did not notice the cat till it was to late. Smack! The other boy could only shake his head at he sight.

" We must get the shipments out tonight. Then we get Winner out of the way And his brat."

Voices came around the corner causing the boy to look up through his tears. He picked up the stunned cat and ran to find his father.

The world swirled around the boy again as bright lite flashed before his eyes.

Blinking Quatre opened weary eyes. He felt like he had been sleeping way to long. The white walls of the hospital room reflected the bright light of the afternoon sun streaming through the open windows reminding him of a day not so long ago out in the desert......

" Your awake!!" Duos overly happy face appeared at his side.

" About time." Wufei appeared beside Duo. Trowa standing on the oppisite side gently lifted his hand. Heero, flashing a rare heartwarming smile, stood beside Trowa.

" We were getting worried you would never wake up." Trowa gently squeezed his hand.

" How long have I been out?"

" About twenty four hours." Came Heeros response. " You lost a lot of blood ."

" Yeah, a lot of it on my hands." Duos eyes clouded for a second before clearing to their normal cheerfulness.

" Thalner?"

" Missing. Escaped from the Preventer infermary." Duos cheery voice wavered.

" What happened?"

" Rashid snuck in the back way, got there just as Thalner brought the knife down. He got there just in time."

" Rashid? Where is he?"

" Right here." Rashids smile lit up the room as he entered. He walked over to the bed Duo moving so he could stand next to Quatre.

" Thank you." Quatres voice was solemn. Another attempt to destroy the peace they had built. He only wanted to help build a better world. Now this madman. Quatre promised himself he would stop him at all costs.

" Don't look so sad, peace won out this time again and it always will as long as there is someone willing to fight to keep it." Rashids words struck Quatres heart and a small smile reached his lips.

" You need to rest." Wufei spoke up. " We will be back later to take you home."

" Ahh, a nice cold shower would do me good." Duo stretched languidly. Leaning toward Wufei a smirk appeared on his face. " A shower would do you some good too Wufei." He dodged the blow aimed at his nose and made a dash for the door, Wufei on his tail.

" Maxwell!"

Heero stood before Lady Une in her office at Preventer headquaters on Earth. She looked at the serious yung man noting the change in behavior back to his normal stony self.

" Heero we're doing all we can to the man, just get some rest."

" No." Bright purssain blue eyes met hers determinece written indefinitely in them. " He needs to be found before he does anymore damage, he will only come after Quatre again."

Heero looked past Lady Une to the sunset that set the room ablaze with colors. His eyes seem to dance with the light from the sunset as its beauty struck him. He saw through everything else around him to look at the simple beauty before him. Things are changing so much. Why do I feel this way? Like I'm important to someone? .....I ...am. The empty chasam that had occupied his heart started to fill making Heero wonder at the feelings he was letting in for the first time.

"Heero?" Lady Une looked questioningly at him. He had an odd look on his face as he looked out the window. He had changed in the few months since the boys had last fought in their Gundams. He seemed actually happy when she had seen a few weeks ago outside a conference Relena was at. Lady Une smiled as she looked at Heeros face, a look of peace had glinted across it. She saw the resolve there, resolve not to let one man take away the family he had just found out he had had all along.

" You have my permission to work on this case. Be there for them."

Heero turned his head to look at her. The mask he always wore was back in place only this time there was a chink in it allowing his heart to shine through. To her complete surprise a smile flitted across his face.

" Ready to go buddy?" Heero turned around to face the owner of the voice. Duo stood a lopsided grin on his face. Beside him Quatre was propped up against the door smiling. Trowa and Wufei stood waiting behind him. They were back together once again.

Thalner fumed behind his desk. What he wanted most had slipped through his fingers again. He picked up a picture that was laying on his desk. He glared at the teenage boy in the picture. The boy was standing on a balcony the wind playing with long platinum gold bangs. A wide smile played on the youngs mans face. Thalner crumpled the picture in his hands. All other ambitions forgotten in his rage.

" You will be mine."

They sat around a table at an outside café conversing quietly.

" The only lead we have is some old woman's rambling about a warehouse with suspicious lights!" Wufei was irritated with how slow things had been going. They had only one lead and that from a woman who normally only talked to cats.

" Chill Wufei." Duo laughed rembering there little encounter with the old woman. Her cats had taken an instant liking to Wufei and had not let him be until they left.

" Hmmm." Wufei looked like he could have had steam pouring out his ears. He absently picked some more fur from his uniform.

" huhhh."

They all looked at Quatre his head bent in thought. Trowa placed a hand on his shoulder. Quatre looked up to see them all looking at him.

" We will stop him. No weakling who can't even begin to fathom peace and justice will beat those with true justice in their hearts." Wufeis voice carried a tone of finality to it.

" We'll check out this place tonight, we can not just write it off. Besides I have a feeling about this." Heero spoke up.

" Why is this guy so obsesed with you anyway Quatre?" Duo looked questioningly at Quatre. They all turned to look at Quatres serious face.

" He worked for my father a long time ago. He was a businessman with big plans. Father had lent him use of a facility on one satalite never suspecting his true intentions. I was visiting the satalite with Father and had wandered away from him. I walked accidentaly into Thalners research lab and discovered the bio weapons he was constructing in secret under the rouge of medical work. He caught me in there, threatened me, but I told Father. That resulted in the destruction of Thalners career and his bio weapons marketing. Until now I had completely forgotten about him, now..."

" The guy had it coming if that was what he was doing." Duo leaned back in his chair tipping it almost to the point of it falling over.

" The mans insane." Trowa spoke for the first time in an hour.

" That makes him even more dangerous." Heero looked toward Trowa. " He may be planning something with bio weapons. There have been reports that bio weapons were discovered in a few colonys. They were caught in time but their creator got away. We have no time to waste."

" Lets do it then."

" Mission commenced."

The warehouse was run down looking from the outside. Its steel walls were rusted and broken. Five boys dressed in Preventers uniforms, the black uniform blending them into their surroundings, snuck toward the front of the diplapatated building. No guard stood watch and no lights shined, the building appeared empty.

" Things don't feel right here." Quatre brought a hand to his chest placing it on his heart. " We have to go in."

Heero looked with worry in his eyes at Quatre. He still looked pale from his knife wound and now he had been acting odd ever since they had started out that night. They had talked about forcing him to stay behind but hearing that Quatre had nearly left them behind.

" Alright, Duo and Wufei, you two first. Just get through and give a signal." Nodding they moved out without making a sound.

Reaching the building they stopped, stooping under the windows on the door listening for any sound. When none came they stood u and in one swift movment together entered the building. The inside was dark and nothing was moving. Duo moved to the door and motioned the others it was clear. Swinging around, gun drawn at a thump behind him. Wufei lay spread egale on the floor flat on his face. Duo stiffled his laughter at the sight and the cat he had tripped over.

Together they moved side be side down the wide hall. The way was lit by moonlight to a door at the far end of the hall that was as wide as the hall itself. Warily peering through the windows into the darkness they opened the door and stepped through, Heero at the center.

The room was flooded with light as the doors slammed shut behind them. Thalner sat behind his desk a smirk making his face contort. The boys, guns drawn, faced the men that were surronding them. Thalner had moved around his desk to stand in front of Heero .

" Welcome to my humble home."

" You were expecting us." Trowas statement brought Thalners eyes over to him then past, pivoting back to Quatre who stood unwavering beside Heero.

" Yes, of course. Winner always walks in at the right moment."

" Well he does know how to make an entrance." Duo smirked back at Thalner.

" Do you know what this is?" Thalner held up a syringe contaning a orangeish luiqued.

" Your new poison." Quatre stated looking with contempt at the syringe.

" Right, and I am so glad you are here because I needed a test subject." An insane smile spread across Thalners already ugly features.

" Heh." Wufei looked Thalner in his eyes making the older man wince almost like in pain. " Do you really think we walked in here that unprepared?" His eyes glinted.

" Wha..!" Thalners eyes widened and he reached for a gun realizing his mistake to late. Heero slipped the small detonater out of his sleeve and hit the butten. Simultaneous explosions rocked the building throwing Thalners lackys off balance in surprise. Five blurs attacked knocking them off their feet and out cold in an instant.

Quatre went straight for Thalner knocking him backward onto the desk. He punched his hardest into the other mans face and abdomen but was thrown off balance himself with an unexpected explosion.

" What was that?" Duos voice rose above the din.

" A little surprise of my own." Thalner luaghed taking advantage of the distraction to throw Quatre off him and into the far wall. " You now have about two minutes of life left!" Thalners eyes were bloodshot and held no sanity. Another explosion rocked the building bringing some of the ceiling down into the room.

Coughing, they reached the door, bearly able to see in the thick dust. Fire had begun to lick at the beams above them sending sparks down around them.

" We have to get out of here!" Wufei screamed above more explosions.

" Quatre! Where are you?!" Heeros voice held an unusal tone of fear to it. The others realizing that Quatre was no where in sight whirled frantically trying to peer through the smoke and rubble.

" Go now! Leave me and get out! NOW!" Quatres voice peirced the sounds all around them.

" No!" Trowa began moving forward only to be pulled back by Duo.

" GET OUT OF HERE!" The room was caving in, the flames slowly starting to consume it. They had no time to think.

They turned running back through the collapsing building to the door. Rushing through to outside they looked back in horror at the building that was blazing. Nothing would be left of it.

Duo hit his knees tears pouring down his cheeks. Wufei was holding Trowa back the boy slowly sucombing to Wufeis will as they watched in horror.

Heero took a few steps foward, slowly at first then faster till he was running at full tilt back to the building up the steps and into the door. He dodged the falling fire and beams still at a run down the hall to the door at the far end of the hall. Bursting through he moved about to the far end of the room looking desperatly for the one thing that brought him back. Moving around a fallen beam he saw the gloden locks brushed back from a pale face. Pulling the boy from under the larger mans body he looped his arm around his waist half carrying him toward the door. He didn't know how but he knew he would not let his friend die in there.

They ran to the front of the building unbelieving that Heero had just run back into the blaze. Yet he was doing what each of them had wanted to do. They stared in fear at the fire that consumed the doorway except for a small passageway that was still clear.

" Come on.." A whisper escaped Duos lips.

Thier eyes went wide as their smiles as two figures silloeted by the fire moved toward them. Slowly out of the fire Heero and Quatre walked, side by side. Quatre leaned heavily on Heeros shoulder, seeing the exteamly happy faces of the three at the bottom of the steps he could not help but crack a smile. Heero supported his friend walking him down the steps. A smile crossed his face, it was over they had stopped Thalner. Somehow that did not seem as important to him as the feeling he felt inside at that moment, a feeling of being, finally, with his family.

Quatre stared at the endless expanse of desert stretching before him. Heat danced on the dunes, shimmering like starlight in the air. He sighed and closed his eyes letting the breeze kiss his upturned face. Opening them again he smiled at the four figures making there way toward him.