Disclaimer: If they WERE mine, I wouldn't put them through such torture. But since they aren't...

Coldness. Dimly, Dorothy felt the hilt of the saber slip out of her fingers, steel falling on steel and for a moment, she hung there, between air and ground. Her knees buckled, first one folded under her, then the other...She felt herself collapse on herself: kneecaps slamming onto the cold metal with a jarring thud. There was no pain yet, only the ice that ran down her veins in a cold river, seeping through fingers pressed tightly against her mid-drift.

She heard a hacking coughing. Was it her? It had to be her...no one else was hurt...not like this...She could feel the icy cold metal of the bullet lodged somewhere inside her, slowly warmed by the heat of blood flowing over it and she clenched her teeth, willing it to stop, willing the blood to stay inside her...an impossibility. There was a tickle at the back of her throat, like tiny fingers and she gagged, on hand clutching her collarbone. Suddenly nausea twisted through her gut and an answering wave of liquid rose in her gorge. She gagged and a river of blood spilled from her lips glistening on her lap, in her hair...Blood. There was so much blood. How much could a single body hold anyway? Nothing can be worse than this...

Or so she thought. Then the pain started. A prickle of discomfort that exploded in a furious bath of fire that clawed it's way up her back and she choked on an enraged scream. Oh GOD, this hurts!

"Dorothy!!" Quatre sprang to her side catching her before her shattered spine gave way as she slumped downwards. Her dead weight dragged them both down as she leaned heavily against him, her blue eyes wide with shock and agony as every moment sent more bone shreds tearing and twisting into unprotected muscle. "Heero!! Duo! Get a doctor! There has to be one somewhere around here!" Quatre's voice held a note of panic and suddenly, Dorothy felt wet droplets hitting her face. She blinked. Why is it raining? We're inside...

"Quatre?" She heard the sound of cloth tearing and looked upwards, dazed as she felt crude bandages being tightened across her midsection. Why is it raining?

"I told you to take care of yourself! Why can't you ever listen to me!?" Quatre yelled. Trowa gently wrapped the cloth around her, but even before he was half finished, blood had already seeped through the first layer of bandages to spread in a coppery pool around her. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, but he either didn't notice or didn't care as he clutched her limp hand in both of his.

"Really....Mr. Winner...are we going to...discuss my shortcomings...now?" She gasped, convulsing as wave after wave of pain pounded through her.

"Yes!" He retorted, desperately trying to keep her talking. If she was talking, she wouldn't die. Something told him this, it had to be true...

"Very well...but I...I don't regret it..." She choked, more blood running out of her mouth and she half arched in pain. Her eyes, usually blue with acerbic humor were slowly turning violet, then sable..."I don't..." A smile, ever sarcastic, touched her lips as she gazed defiantly up at Quatre even as her body relaxed with the coming of oblivion.

"But..." Quatre stared at her as she slowly closed her eyes, head cradled in his lap. The lines in her features eased and Quatre felt frantically for her pulse. It was there, faint, but there...

"Quatre, we have to leave." Trowa stood up, watching his friend through hooded eyes. "It's time to go." Quatre nodded carefully taking the bloody bundle in his arms as they sprinted out to the ship to be met with Heero, Duo and another man who took one look at Dorothy and ushered them all into the craft.

Dr. Park refused to allow them in the room, slamming and locking the door, forcing the pilots to wait outside in the receiving room. Quatre gazed down at his hands, a sparkling liquid crimson that slowly dripped from his hands...He sobbed once, clenching them into fists as his whole body shook with pain. No, why did this have to happen?

Trowa was talking quietly to Heero, gesturing to something he held in his hand, but Heero refused to touch it, shaking his head and nodding towards Quatre, who wasn't paying attention. Trowa hesitated, then nodded heading towards the Arabian with purposeful strides.

Suddenly, Quatre's fists were gently pried open and a shiny cylindrical device was slipped into his hands.

A cylinder...detonation device. He glanced up and met a face hooded by a shock of hair, but still...filled with compassion. Trowa touched his shoulder, squeezing reassuringly before he walked away, letting Quatre deal with his own demons. For a minute, Quatre just sat there, staring at the the detonation device in his hands. He didn't believe in fighting....didn't believe in more death, more suffering.

But... there was always a but. But Luir had virtually enslaved these people. But he had taken them all hostage. But...but he had hurt Dorothy...not merely hurt her, but almost killed her after an oath not to harm her...Quatre closed his eyes, face, once light with youth, clenched tightly as he sighed, a weary sigh of disillusionment.

Dorothy what should I do? An image flashed in his mind. What would you do?

I don't regret it. Dorothy smiled with cynical amusement. I don't. Would you?

Yes...no...I don't know. A flash of her tortured expression crossed her mind.

I don't regret it. Would you?

Quatre opened his eyes, staring once again at the detonator. Slowly, his thumb slipped across the surface to touch the small button.

***

Luir snickered, ever so slightly, leaning back in his chair with a cold smile. He had won. He had come away from this encounter unscathed except for the minor loss of a few assets. A pity really. That mining corporation had been the best he had. No matter. It was quite simple just to start over again, a new business, a new life...

A small device winked silently under his desk, an innocent green giving way to an furious red warning...

***

The Doctor walked slowly out the door, hands and the front of his chest covered entirely with blood. Quatre almost gagged, but looking down at himself, he found that he was in pretty much the same condition. "Is she okay? Will she be all right?" Quatre asked anxiously. She couldn't die...

The man sighed, eyes weary as he glanced back up at them. "I don't know. I stopped the bleeding and she's strong and she's fighting, but..."

"But?"

"The shot hit her spine, shattered several vertebrae and the shards sliced through several nerve endings as well. If she recovers, there's a good chance that she'll be paralyzed from the waist down." He hesitated then forged ahead, "That's only if she makes it-"

"She'll be fine!" Quatre whispered furiously, "She will. She has to be!"

Trowa put a warning hand on Quatre's shoulder, steady green eyes staring with unnerving calm at the doctor. "Is she awake?" At the man's confirmation, Trowa pushed Quatre forward into the room and quietly shut the door. Slow, shuddering breathing came from the bed, and there was a brief shift under the covers and a rasp of pain.

"Dorothy...I don't think you should move right now." Quatre sat by the bed, taking her hand and she laughed bitterly.

"Not move? Why not move when I'll be stuck in a goddamned wheelchair for the rest of my life?"

"You might not-"

"Quatre, don't try to hide these things from me!" Blue eyes shifted slightly to glare at him. "Death, I don't mind. That's one thing, but paralysis? Give me death instead!"

"You don't mean that!"

"Oh no? How am I to explore the galaxy when I won't be able to see what's outside my room alone? Having people wait hand and foot on me because I can not do what was once so simple!"

"You can learn, Dorothy. Physical therapy-"

Dorothy didn't answer, just shifted her eyes away from the concern she saw in Quatre's eyes. A sparkle of wetness touched her cheek briefly before she brushed it away, hissing slightly. "I never thought it could happen. So foolish..."

He didn't say anything, only held her hand. Held her hand until she fell back into a fitful sleep, unshed tears making his own eyes dark with sorrow.

***

 Releena ran out of the mansion as the aircraft gently set itself down, flinging herself into Heero's waiting arms. She hugged him tightly before stepping back, brushing the hair out of his eyes. "I missed you." Heero smiled wearily, still not letting go of her waist as he let the ice melt from his eyes. Not again. He wasn't doing this again...it was finished. "Heero." Suddenly Releena gasped, clutching at him as the Preventors carefully wheeled out Dorothy's form, but Dorothy only laughed at Releena's horrified expression.

"Oh dear me, did I shock you Miss Releena? Don't worry. Doctors say that I'll survive this trip easily." Dorothy's lips were curled in sardonic humor that didn't quite reach her eyes and Releena smiled tentatively back.

"Are you...feeling any pain, Dorothy?"

"Not much." Dorothy's newly made façade never wavered at the outright lie, "Drugs can do wonderful things to the nervous system, Miss Releena." She glanced at the determined look on an approaching Sally's face and grinned wryly. "I believe the mother hen approaches. I'll see you later. Count on it."

As Sally wheeled the table away, snapping questions and a healthy dose of scolding to go with it, Releena looked up at Heero, eyes wide. "What happened to her, Heero?"

Heero tucked Releena under his chin, cradling her close. "War." 

***

PEACECRAFT MANSION: ONE WEEK LATER

Quatre woke to a muffled crash and a well-rounded curse, sitting up in his bed. Releena had been kind enough to allow him to stay until Dorothy was better...or as well as she could be. He listened again and heard the Dorothy's unmistakeable voice as he tossed back the covers, half running to her room. "Dorothy" He knocked on the door quietly, "Are you all right?"

"Sh-what? Of course."

"Can I come in?"

There was a shuffle and then Dorothy replied, only a hint of pain in her voice, "No. I'm fine, Quatre. Please leave me alone."

Quatre hesitated, then pushed the door open cautiously anyway. "Dorothy! What are you doing!?" Quickly, he tossed the door open and picked her up from the floor, noticing the tear marks that streaked her face. Gently, he laid her back in the bed, sitting next to her as she turned her face away from him.

"Nothing."

"You were lying on the floor Dorothy! Sally said-"

"What does she know?!" Dorothy yelled, then glanced quickly to the door before wrapping her arms around herself. "I just wanted to get a drink of water. I didn't want to bother anyone so I decided to try getting it myself." A sob shook her shoulders. "But I couldn't walk. I couldn't walk, Quatre. I tried....really, but I just couldn't..." Quatre hesitantly put her arms around her and she buried her face into his chest, crying bitter tears.

"It's okay..."

"How can it be okay?" There was a hint of anger in her usually placid eyes. "Damn that Luir...when I find him..."

Quatre cleared his throat, "He's dead Dorothy. His shuttle exploded as he was reaching the L3a colony..."

"What? Who-" She broke of suddenly and stared at his guilty face, "You? You killed him?" He averted his face, not looking at her. "Quatre Rebaba Winner, why did you do that!? I thought-"

"Some things cannot be forgiven Dorothy," Quatre smiled sadly, "I just had to find that on my own..."

Dorothy laughed painfully and hugged his waist before letting him go, "You weren't supposed to get into this, Quatre. I told you, some of us still have to keep their innocence in this war."

"You haven't lost yours, you know..." He replied softly, watching her. "It's just more deeply hidden." Dorothy didn't say anything, just stared out the window at the coming dawn. "I'd..." He hesitated, then forged ahead, "I'd like to help you...if you would let me..." He held out a hand to her on the sheets. She didn't look at him, but slowly, uncertainly, her hand touched his and enfolded it in a tight almost desperate grip.

Quatre smiled, relief in his features as he hugged her to him. "It'll be all right Dorothy. It'll be all right."

***

10 YEARS LATER

"Are you sure you want to try this today?"

"Quatre, I have been sitting in this goddawful chair for the last past ten years. I think it would be an understatement to say that I am ready! " Quatre laughed as he helped his wife over to the parallel bars.

The sun beamed through the windows, sunny with promises of a new day, perhaps a new life. Dorothy smiled, as Duo cheered irrepressibly as if they were merely congregated to watch a football game.

"Go Dorothy! It's your birthday! It's your-hey!" Hilde swatted him on the head, laughing.

"Shut up Duo! Good luck Dorothy!"

"Be careful!" Releena called, and laughed at the glare that Dorothy tossed her way.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait another ten years?"

"Don't even think about it, Quatre!" Dorothy smiled, her eyes softening as she watched her friends assemble in the dueling room to watch her first steps. They had been very supportive, soothing her through bouts of temper and depression, making her take care of herself when she didn't care anymore. Slowly, she grasped the two bars, levering herself up. She sucked in a breathe, gazing into the pair of blue eyes that mattered most to her, that wouldn't let her fall no matter how hard she pushed him away. Slowly she put one step forward...

Author's note: I know, cruddy chapter! Grr....This sucks. But there were too many points of view to add and too little coherency to it! Darn! If I have time, I'll revise this! Stupid ending anyway...I might have to add an epilogue... Hope you liked it, and since this is the last chapter R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!???