Disclaimer: *Smothers Disclaimer* Usual applies.

Because of some bad luck with a disc - that contained chapters 16 and 17 of "Starting Over" - that croaked on me, I've had to rewrite much of what I had planned. Now, though, this gives me a chance to write something a little better and actually stick with the storyline. I only hope the other things on that disc weren't that important - for the life of me, I can't remember what else was on it!

Anyways, thanks for reading and enjoy heartily!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Duo scuttled back through the now-familiar gate of Headquarters, holding one palm over his face to keep the rain from further muddying his view of the sidewalk he found himself on and using the other to drag along a small suitcase behind him. It had been a frustrating month for him, poor soul, trapped and nearly suffocated by bland sand-colored walls.

After that one appearance he never saw Mal Kash again. Although the visit was pleasant along Duo's terms, his irrational dislike of the man had melted to an uncaring indifference, and now he only wanted to be in a bed he had slept in before. Did it matter that his roommate was a basketcase? Absolutely not.

Pausing, he reached up to his jaw bone and scratched hastily. The rain only seemed to make the bite itch more - his temporary prison had provided a mosquitoe that had taken to him with unimagineable livelihood.

Up ahead came the sounds of rain gathering in puddles, completely normal and to be expected. He was just about to turn into the back entrance when he heard a different pitter-patter that was other than rain. The sound was heavy and came only at intervals. Turning, he blinked into
the space behind him, drops falling from his eyelashes and running down the sides of his face. It took him the longest time to distinguish that moving black moving shadow as a person whose footsteps made that alien sound on the soggy, rain dampened mud.

He watched as the shadow pivot cleanly and turn away from Duo; something glistened briefly when the sky let up enough for some moon to show and he found it to be bare skin. Duo shook his head, droplets flying from his coat, and set the luggage he carried into the nook of an entrance. He kicked it closer to the door.

Cupping his hands around his mouth, and wiping strands of soaked hair from his face, Duo yelled out to the stranger in the rain. At first, the sound of his voice must not have carried as far as he had hoped and he had to yell again. A flicker of movement and the shadow was stayed: he knew it was watching him, if with more ability than the now-near sighted Duo.

Duo waved, gesturing for whoever it was to come nearer. When the shadow did move toward him, since at first it hesitated, he let his arms fall and glanced at his watch. It was just afer midnight; he would have rather fallen asleep at the airport, but found himself wanting of a real bed.

Swinging his arms, Duo tapped his feet on the pavement, aware of his clothes now clinging to his body and his hair feeling like a warm, wet towel rung together and hooked to his head by velcro. He began humming but he could barely hear himself when he did. This was the type of downpour that, though drenching its inhabitants below and bloating sewers along the way, was rare one in ten. Still, it was difficult to reconcile with.

The figure came closer till it stood just five feet away; the looked at each other, wary and silent. Duo finally just gave a heaving sigh, looked as tired as he felt for the first time in two hours and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"What are you doing out here at midnight?" He began, his teeth grinding with a dry tone to his voice as he spoke. Heero seemed taken back momentarily before ringing out the sweater he used to have on.

"I didn't know it was midnight." He threw the sweater on top of Duo's luggage and his old companion gave another sigh, throwing a curt look over his shoulder at the sweater now soaking into his suitcase. The sigh was not the obvious kind, only the kind that came in the absence of grumbling. This meant they were to stand out for just a few minutes longer.

Heero kicked at the wall and mud splattered from his mud-caked sneakers. Duo realized they were indeed the ones he had last seen Heero wearing a month ago: it felt as though he had been running the entire time he had been gone, just carrying on for the last thirty or so days. He puffed his cheeks up while watching Heero give the wall another kick to free the mud: the boy looked up at Duo and quickly wiped his hands on his pants, successfully smearing them into an even messier state.

Strangely, he did not notice. In an effort to rid himself of the rainwater that still ran down his face he wiped the back of his hand along his forehead. A large stripe of brown appeared under the sagging bangs but he kept his eyes locked on Duo's scarlet ones.

"Why are you out here? You're a pretty sound sleeper last that I knew." Duo began.

Heero was, at times. One could tell because Duo usually heard him breath then instead of the muted stillness with which he kept watch over his vulnerable state during sleep.

Heero shrugged, using his forearm to now rub off the mud drying on his forehead.

"I couldn't sleep." Duo's eyebrow jerked at that.

Heero threw his head back, gave a large gasp, took in a deep breath of air that expanded his chest to the fullest and let his ribs stand out against the dark stain of green that was his shirt. Shoulders thrown back and arms rigidly at his side he inhaled once more before settling into the usual stance.

"Restless."

"Indeed." Nodding at the wet and dirt that clung to Heero's body he added, "Fall?"

Heero looked down at himself, spread his hands to glance at the palms and nodded reluctantly. His stare, though, landed on Duo with the intense focus he reserved for questions.

"Why are you back?"

"Now you ask." Duo scuffled his boot against the cement while responding. "I'm pretty sure I was caught by the...what do they call it now, NA?"

Heero's chin snapped up at that.

"Explain."

"You really didn't know? Didn't you even wonder when I didn't call?" Duo found it slightly frustrating that his friend would be so ignorant of things he kept on top of just to call a hobby. It was just the thing to do as a guest in someone's home, anway: notify them of ones' safe arrival.

Heero shrugged and tilted his head to the side.

"We never really contact each other these days, I didn't think to worry." Heero did not worry, he thought ahead. Duo found the extra bit of commentary interesting, though.

"What do you mean?" Heero's silenced made him advance in his guessing. "You mean about Trowa, Quatre?"

Heero nodded and Duo fell back on his heels, rocking once back and pitching forward slightly.

"Well, what's new?"

"The circus is gone."

"What?"

"Trowa works at a zoo now."

"Oh." After a moment he thought out loud, "Surprise, surprise." He flattened his lips against each other in a thin line at the period of silence once again. Heero had, though, found a way to wipe the mud of his face. He really did give off the air of someone restless - he must have been getting up at all sorts of hours these last few weeks.

"How of things been with you?" Heero stared at him, then the door behind him.

"Nothing. Lady Une had to talk to me." Duo backed up and picked up both sweater and suitcase, nodding while prodding the door open once he got passed the identification system. Heero followed after, flapping his shirt to loosen some of the water from it.

"Is she kicking you out for squatting or something?"

"No."

"Then what?" Duo glanced back at Duo pointedly. "Let's not forget detail, buddy."

Stopping, Heero suddenly bent over and shook out his hair. Dark, dark brown spilled over, rain droplets spraying the walls to either side. He had been out there a long time, but even so, he had gotten his wind back relatively quick. Straightening, his hair now in a wild and crazy state, he picked up after Duo.

"She asked me to take on one more assignment before leaving." Duo expressed his being puzzled through a quick twist and quirk of the mouth.

"It's to bring Relena back, in May." Duo turned around quickly and Heero halted.

"Before the school year ends?"

"Yes." Freezing for a moment, Duo could only give a wondering little raise of the shoulders before twisting back around and walking again. Behind him, the squelching that was Heero's shoes came after.

"Funny. Is something going to happen?"

"Nigeria is going to declare itself independent of the Earth Sphere United Nations and will refuse any means of aligning themselves with it. Somewhat based on fascism."

His feet jerked to a quick stop and the suitcase was lowered to the ground. Eyes pained and face squeezed together in reproach and pity, he rubbed cold, gummy hands together in an attempt not to feel as cold as he did then.

"That's disastrous."

"Maybe not as bad as you think."

Duo barely moved his head to the sound of Heero's indifferent voice.

"Relena will be really torn up about this-"

"She'll get passed it." Duo licked his lips, darting a look down the darkened hall in front of them.

"You have that much faith in her ability?"

"Of course." The reply was instantaneous. Duo couldn't help but give his friend a bewildered look of pain.

"How can you say that? She is going to come home to this and you won't even chance the thought of her being human?"

"She's strong, she can fight this." Clearing his throat, Heero decided to change the subject once he reminded Duo not to bring this up under any other form of company, which he agreed to. "Duo, there is something that requires your help."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Relena bobbed her head up and down, one hand to her forehead to keep it from falling to the wooden surface of her desk. She kept her hair from falling around her work by hanging onto it with her other hand. In this odd and inefficient position she read till an hour was up, at which point she did stretch. A cramp bounded up in her neck as though yelping "You found me!" and she gave few mumblings.

The shiver that could not be helped raced down her spine like a mouse with very cold little feet. Swallowing, she reached for the next report - or what she called the fact sheets sent to her daily now. Updates on the latest bit of need-to-know data that could be sent.

She and every member of the ESUN on her level of rank and above received these. Although they almost never had anything uplifting to them, the daily report was important and a necessity to the management of world affairs.

How ridiculous that sometimes sounded. World affairs, agendas - almost as silly as someone of official rank to be thought of as an equal in ornamental use as royalty. Royals barely had an effect on anything these days, one of the reasons she had refused to stay as Queen Relena Peacecraft. Another reason why she had taken on Darlian as her official last name instead of the one signifying her true heredity.

It was even worse when they were thought of as a celebrity. Political leaders, although an exception to tabloid articles, were not a must at chit-chat conversations as, say, the latest murder was. Relena was not a celebrity, although she was confused into the image of one through her former heritage.

Admittedly, she was a Peacecraft by blood and family ties, but to the world and to herself she was a Darlian. No one would ever call her "Princess" or "Queen" for the rest of her life and over her dead body - it was a title she did not need and more importantly, had no use of.

And to hear what she was hearing from all sources she had and held, to be given the information that she was given on what was happening, made her feel very small. She felt herself flush and thought of Cinq, thought of the Earth Sphere United Nations, thought of -

How could she accept any form of truce between them, her allies and herself, and the newly redone Nation of Africa? It was impossible. The army they were bringing together and the basic armaments and arsenals being rebuilt had her rebuke the last hope and effort she had had.

Someone had suggested appeasement. What could they give to the NA that would make them stop overstepping their given boundaries and the make wel the illegal overthrow of their ESUN membership? No one really knew anything about their purpose other than their not agreeing to any of Relena's views.

As though this alone did not disturb her. They, as though they were a well-to-do force to be reckoned with, had demanded a national convention in which she and some others would come to recognize the new country. In their surge of power and governmental responsibility they had grown much too sure of themselves.

Setting aside all she had read already Relena stood up on shaky legs. The resource Nigeria held, their easy access to the ocean, did give them an advantage. But it was the kind that gave them only a limited amount of safety and just a medium-sized advantage. Even with the expansion of territory what could they have to intimidate anyone into bending other than extreme sureness?

Relena, hand now gripping the back of the couch, steeled her eyes and picked herself up into a straighter position. No slouching, now. She stared at the back of the front door from where she stood in the living room and her upper lip lifted in a tiny, disdainful snarl.

She had never really felt this small or angry. Perhaps putting the two together was overexaggerated - she had only gotten the heap of information an hour and a half ago and most likely only felt the way she did because she could not vent any other way. Or rather, she did not feel to vent any other way.

"There will not be an appeasement." She said flatly. "No truce, no treaty, no being allies, no appeasements or suggestions made. This is the time of peace, and an army is a disruptive, callous move on peace. There will be no appeasement!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Was everything packed? Duo glanced over his one piece of luggage, already fitted, zipped close and locked. The bed he had slept in was bare but for the mattress on its wooden frame, a bundle of used sheets and covers set against the back of the door. He had taken what belonged to him from the bathroom - Heero would have to get his shaver - and checked under the bed. Nothing seemed left behind.

If he had, Heero would not bother sending it unless the supposed item was of some importance and then, only if he was aware of it. His own personal things consisted of what was tucked into the closet, lying on some spare shelves set up for a minimal amount of supplies. He had less necessities than was reassuring, but seemed to get along just fine with his few belongings.

Heero, meanwhile, lay on his bed. The room was meant to house three people, but the added space was unused by either him or Duo. Adjacent to the bedroom was a bathroom as small as Heero's own. With his arms under his head, lying on his back, Heero stared up at the ceiling, listening but not watching Duo's preparations of leaving.

"Do you know how long we've been gone altogether?" Duo asked over his shoulder, now dragging the full suitcase out of the way. "I wasn't even expecting the hold-up..."

He stood up, resting his hands on his hips and arching his back over backwards. Clucking to himself, he gave one more survey of the area before hefting himself onto Heero's bed next to the silent figure on it. Crossing his legs under himself Indian-style and clasping his bare toes in his hands, he rocked lightly back and forth.

"Are you coming with me?"

"No." Heero's voice was subdued; he did not feel up to giving his friend whole answers consisting of more than three words. Duo bobbed his head, more in tune to something in his mind than anything else.

"You're going to take that assignment for sure, then?"

"Yes." Duo stopped rocking.

"Then why won't you tell me what kind of a favor you need from me?" Heero's eyes remained on the ceiling.

"It's not asking a favor."

"Yes it is." Heero brought his up enough to give a short glare at Duo, his head craned at such an uncomfortable position that he only kept it up for another moment before letting it drop on the bed again - he never really used the pillow given to him.

"I need to know how to dance."

Duo wrinkled his face in confusion.

"You know how to dance better than I do, Heero."

"Not that kind of dance." Heero muttered. "The other kind."

At first, Duo's expression was blank and somehow preoccupied, but his slow grin was inevitable and he started rocking again. Heero shoved himself up on his elbows and stared evenly at him with a stony expression, mouth pressed into a strict line.

"You want to know how to boogey, you mean?" Duo asked in his sly tone.

"Not want, need."

"Need how?" Heero shook his head slightly, propping himself up a little
farther.

"Can't say."

"Hmm." Duo sadly looked over his friend, swinging one knee up to rest the crook of an arm on. "I don't think you have the ability to be that loose."

Sighing, Heero pushed himself up till his back rested against the wall. The beds did not have back boards, so he could lean his head up, neck bending back, his hair falling from his eyes.

"That doesn't matter."

For a moment, they stared at each other, Duo with his head turned, Heero from the strange angle of looking down at his friend with his shoulders hunched. Then, Duo slowly eased from his position and crouched over to Heero on all fours, staring at and into his eyes.

"You really want to know how to dance?" He asked quietly, thickly.

"Yes." The invasion of personal space went over Heero's head as Duo just inched closer.

"Then..." Duo swung an arm around Heero's head, bringing his forearm to jam into his friends' throat and making him give a hoarse cough. "Kiss me, boy!"

A strong, quick shove sent him back to the end of the bed. Stumbling, Duo fell over the edge and fell. With his back on the ground sprawling, legs still on the bed, arms eagle-spread around him, he gave a loud laugh.

"If you get a radio, I'll teach you how to boogey." He rolled over on his side and peeked over the edge of the mattress happily. "You're an exciting guy, Heero, can you blame me?"

"I'll mention it to Hilde next time." Heero said broodingly. This brought out another barking laugh from Duo, who raised his fingers to his forehead and dipped his head back to enjoy the precious moment.

"You could join her as one of my concubines!"

"In that case, you're getting the radio." Heero muttered lowly. Duo poked his nose over the mattress again.

"Don't abuse my sarcasm."

Heero glared before turning on his side and letting his body slip back down to the mattress. Closing his eyes, he kicked out Duo again.

"You might be needed somewhere else, so leave." Duo hefted himself up to his knees, standing up and dusting himself off from his late fall. With a musing glance at Heero he went to the door. His laughter had been quelled and he was a little more reserved at the moment.

"Meet my at noon in room twelve." He said before leaving.

"Yeah." Heero mumbled, ignorant of whether Duo could or could not hear him.

"Bring a radio, too."

"We'll see."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Stumper. Damn. Oh well, before this officially ends, everyone must, just once, listen to the song "White Reflection" because it is an experience.

I purr loudly at every review - all commentary is gladly accepted!