Disclaimer: I don't own any of the G-boyz, but I am Fei-chan's mom.

Warnings: AU, mild angst, some WAFF and sap.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wufei stared blankly at the wall, looking at nothing and talking to no one. He'd been the same way for nearly two months, ever since he and Heero had 'mutually' split up. But Duo had to wonder... if it was so mutual, why had Wufei's mask slipped neatly back into place, and why had he rebuilt the walls around himself twice as thick?

Glancing over at his friend, Duo heaved a frustrated sigh before turning his attention back to the mission plan.

he thought bitterly.

"We're going to have to strike fast," Heero continued as if he hadn't noticed Duo's waning attention. "Duo, Wufei, your job is to distract the Mobile Dolls. The rest of us will slip in and get the files downloaded. We'll need at least fifteen minutes to get in, get the files, and get out again."

"No problem," Wufei said, voice completely emotionless. Duo shot a pained look at the boy, then pasted on a brilliant smile.

"Nothin' we can't handle, Hee-kun!" he said cheerfully. "Me and Fei can handle anything OZ throws at us, ne?"

Heero gave both teens an appraising look before nodding and turning back to Trowa and Quatre to go over the finer details of the mission. He had not missed Wufei's behavior as late, nor did he miss the barely suppressed anger in the braided pilot's eyes.

he reasoned with himself.

Once the plans had been finalized, the five pilots set out for the base. Wufei and Duo were in their Gundams, of course, and the other three teens took Heero's jeep. Once the two suits distracted the OZ forces, their allies could easily get in and complete their half of the mission. It was perfectly routine.

But not for long.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"FUCK!" Duo screamed, hitting the afterburners and tearing into the Virgo Mobile Dolls viciously. "They were onto us!"

Wufei wasn't in much better spirits. He was swearing a blue streak in Cantonese even as he used both Dragon Fists and his Thermal Trident to strike out at the Dolls. This was supposed to be a simple, routine mission, and it had all gone to hell in less than three seconds.

"That's what it looks like," he replied as he struck out again, decapitating two Dolls at once. "Let's hope the others are having better luck." he prayed silently.

Inside the base, their fellow pilots were in almost as much trouble. Trowa returned fire, managing to keep the soldiers at bay while Heero and Quatre finished copying the data from OZ's database. Nearly a minute later, Heero unhooked the CD burner and placed it back in his bag.

"We're finished here," he said, handing the pack to Quatre and drawing his own gun. "Let's move out."

The two stoic pilots lay cover fire to allow Quatre time to escape down the hall before backpedaling after him, still shooting at their enemies. Thinking that they were safe, Trowa and Heero turned for a split second to hop into the jeep.

That second was all it took.

Pain tore through Heero's lower back, a sharp cry wrenching itself from his throat as he fell. Quatre cried out as the Japanese pilot collapsed; Trowa moved forward and caught his fallen ally. The second both boys were in the jeep, Quatre hit the gas pedal. The furious blond was swearing under his breath as he pressed down harder on the accelerator.

"How's he doing?" he called back to Trowa. The French teen looked up through his bangs, worry lingering in his gaze.

"He's losing a lot of blood, angel," he said softly, biting back his anger at OZ. "We have to get him to a doctor *fast*."

As the jeep tore away from the base, Deathscythe and Altron were taking off as well. Both Gundams were heavily damaged, but they had managed to take out all of the Dolls on the base. Duo hit his intercom button and opened a direct link to Quatre. "Hey, you guys okay down there?"

"Trowa and I are all right, but Heero got shot on the way out," Quatre replied in a wavering voice. "We'll meet up with you two at Sally's."

"I don't think he's going to--" was all they heard from Trowa before the com link was severed.

Wufei swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, gripping the control panel so hard that his knuckles were white. he whimpered mentally in denial.

Duo's voice broke through his mantra. "C'mon, Fei, let's get to Sal's place. There's not a whole lot we can do from here." he added silently.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Wufei... where...."

"Hush, now," Trowa said gently. "You need to be still. You've been shot, Heero."

"Where... Wufei... Duo..."

"They haven't arrived yet. Just lie still."

"The bullet went right *through* him," Sally remarked softly, a frown creasing her brow.

"Heero, please, lie still!"

"Have to..." Heero managed to gasp out, "to tell him..."

"Lie still," Quatre murmured, brushing the other boy's hair away from his face. "Sally can't tend to the bullet wound if you're moving around."

"... there's nothing I can do. It went through his lower back and abdomen. All we can do is make sure he's comfortable." The young doctor's shoulders drooped in defeat. She'd never expected that it would end like this.

"Oh, no..." Quatre said softly, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Trowa drew his small lover into a comforting embrace. His own eyes were beginning to sting.

Heero said mentally as his eyes fluttered shut, fighting to remain conscious.

"... always love you wufei..." he barely managed to whisper.

Wufei and Duo staggered through the door of the clinic, leaning heavily against each other. The battle had worn them out completely, and the Chinese boy had a distant look in his eyes. Duo'd had to drag him out of Altron to get him inside.

"Hey, guys. How's Heero?" Duo asked in a low voice. The silence he received in reply was answer enough. "Oh gods... when...?"

"About five minutes ago," Sally said softly, eyes focused on the Chinese boy. He looked like he was about to collapse, and he was so pale.... "Wufei."

Wufei looked up, blinking back tears. "Hai, Sally?"

"You don't look well at all. I'd like to check you over just to make sure you're physically all right." She paused, wondering if the pilots had caught her meaning. The raven-haired teen remained still for a moment, then nodded and followed her slowly out of the room.

The minute they were gone, Duo turned to Trowa and Quatre. "He didn't make it," he mumbled in an awed, sad tone. "I can't believe it...."

"I can't either," Quatre said softly, clinging to Trowa. "He kept slipping in and out of consciousness, and he kept asking where you and Wufei were right up until the end."

A sad smile flitted over Duo's face. "Heh, whaddaya know, the perfect soldier was more concerned about Fei than he was about himself," he mused as a tear slipped from behind his lashes. "Guess he cared after all."

"He still loved him," Trowa said as he hugged Quatre a little tighter and closed his eyes. "His last words were 'always love you, Wufei'."

Duo thought, confusion taking up residence in his mind.

The three pilots fell silent, each mourning their friend and comrade in his own way. Nearly an hour later, Sally returned with Wufei. The Chinese pilot still looked pale and drawn, but his mask was back in place. Duo, Quatre, and Trowa said nothing; if this was how Wufei wanted to work through his grief, then so be it.

"Hey, Sally," Duo said in a soft voice, offering a sad smile. "What's the prognosis?"

"Well, everything *looks* all right, but I won't have all the results until sometime later in the week," she said, her voice reflecting her feelings over Heero's death. "I'll be in contact as soon as they come in."

"Can we just go?" Wufei said in a harsh tone, arms crossed over his chest. Duo wanted to snap at him for being brusque before realizing--

he thought, blinking wide violet eyes at the other boy. Out loud he said, "Yeah, I really just want to go home myself."

The ride home had been silent for the most part. The only sound from anyone was Quatre's muffled sob as he swiped at another tear. Wufei never made a sound. And the second they stopped the jeep, he had jumped out and stalked into the safe house.

Three hours later, Duo stood outside Wufei's room, biting his lip in indecision. Part of him said keep walking, let him deal with this his own way; the other half wanted to go in and comfort the boy, hold him tight and soothe away the tears. Duo stood quietly for another minute, then the decision made itself for him as the door opened a crack and the Chinese boy peered out.

"Hello, Duo," he said softly; he was still fighting back tears. "Did you want to come in?"

"... uh... I s'pose," Duo replied after a moment. He slipped quietly past Wufei, then waited until the door was closed and they were both seated on the bed to speak again. "I just wanted to check up on ya... see how you're holding up and all...."

Wufei blinked. "I... I'm... I..." he said, unable to think of anything to say. Duo wasn't pressing him in any way... he was just being a friend... just like always.

The realization broke his fragile control, and he found himself in Duo's arms, sobbing almost violently. The braided bishounen hugged Wufei tightly to him, stroking his hair soothingly.

"Go ahead, Fei-kun... it's okay to cry... I know you loved him," Duo whispered to the boy weeping in his arms, barely holding back his own tears. "I know it hurts... but I'm here for ya if ya need me...."

"Why? Why di-did he have to d-d-die?" Wufei sobbed bitterly, clinging to his friend. "I n-ne-never got to ask him w-why he left... S-sally... she said... said he l-loved me, always, but... but why'd he leave? If he cared, w-why'd he leave m-me?"

Duo closed his eyes and rubbed the smaller teen's back, drawing some comfort from the gesture. "I don't know, Fei," he murmured. "I just don't know."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A week passed quietly. Wufei hadn't been able to reconstruct his mask, and spent every moment with Duo. The braided youth was more than willing to spend his time with the object of his unspoken affections, even if all they did most of the time was sit quietly in the living room. Quatre and Trowa went about their normal daily routine, but never failed to join their fellow pilots in the evening.

It was strange not to have the silence broken by the steady clacking of computer keys, almost sad. They hadn't yet decided what to do with the Wing Zero; it almost seemed to be mourning Heero's loss as well. Although they had yet to discuss it, Duo's vote was to keep the mobile suit hidden, and he was certain Wufei's thoughts leaned the same way. If nothing else, Zero was a way to keep part of Heero with them.

They had no idea that everything was about to change even more.

Duo opened the door and flashed a brilliant smile. "Hiya, Sal!" he greeted cheerfully. He was determined to be cheerful despite the numbness he still felt every time he walked past Heero's room. Duo Maxwell had always been the light of the team, and he wasn't about to falter now. Wufei didn't need the only lifeline he had left falling apart on him.

Sally smiled slightly in response; she was looking a bit weary and... hesitant?

"Hello, Duo. Is Wufei here?" she said. Even her tone was a bit shaky. Something was definitely up where the Chinese boy was concerned.

"Yeah, he's in the living room with Q-chan and Tro-chan," Duo replied, brow creased with worry. "Did you find something? Is it serious?"

About this time, he'd ushered the doctor into the living room. The other three teens looked up, varying expressions of concern flicking over their faces. Sally glanced around at the group and realized instantly that it would be impossible to say this more than once.

"Okay, Sally, spill," Duo said once she was seated (and he was hovering protectively by Wufei's spot on the couch). "What did you find?"

"Well... this is a bit... bizarre, to say the least," she said slowly, taking a moment to look at each teen carefully. Quatre looked a bit paler than usual, and he hadn't seemed to be sleeping well judging from the circles under his eyes. Trowa seemed to be even quieter, if that was possible, and moved as if in a trance. Duo was still a bundle of caffeinated energy, but there was a lingering sadness in his violet gaze... a gaze that fell upon Wufei quite often. Wufei himself seemed to have been hit the hardest. His mask was cracked beyond repair, leaving this silent sad-eyed boy in place of the proud warrior. Sally felt almost guilty to be telling them this news so soon, but if she didn't...

Well, it would have been obvious before too long.

"Go on, Sally," Quatre said, casting a concerned glance at Wufei, who seemed to pale slightly. "What is it?"

She turned her focus to Wufei. "Last week, you told me that you hadn't been feeling well for a couple weeks. How are you now?"

The Chinese pilot blinked, somehow managing to ignore the stunned gazes thrown at him from three directions. "Much better physically," he answered in a low tone. "I'm just tired all the time."

"That's what I expected you to say," she sighed. "I need you four to promise that you won't interrupt until I'm finished. Please," she added as Duo opened his mouth to demand why, "I have a reason."

A long moment passed before all four nodded silently.

"Apparently, the last time you were captured, OZ managed to slip something to you that was capable of altering your DNA slightly. Not enough for an outward physical mutation or anything to that effect, but changing certain variables of your chemistry. And while it hasn't done any harm, it has caused a slight complication..." she trailed off, uncertain of how exactly to phrase this.

"Hey, Sal... wha--"

Sally sighed, looked Wufei straight in the eye, and took the plunge:

"You're pregnant."

For almost a full minute, the only reaction she got was four blank stares.

Then all hell broke loose.

"..."

*THUMP*

"NANI?! But... how could... I mean... he's a... what... how... when... it's not... but..."

"Anou... Sally, would you care for a drink?" Quatre said after a moment of listening to Trowa stammer. "Some tea? With plenty of alcohol in it?"

Sally shook her head and shifted her gaze to Wufei. He was still staring straight ahead, a stunned expression on his face. His eyes were so wide that they were almost chibi-like. It wasn't a look that she was used to seeing on the boy; it seemed more of a Duo-esque reaction. Unfortunately, that particular pilot was currently unconscious on the floor.

"I know this isn't exactly the type of news you get every day, and it's a bit of a shock--"

"A *bit*?!" Trowa screeched, finally able to complete a thought. "You sit here and tell us OZ fucked with Wufei's genetic makeup, and as an end result he's pregnant, and it's just a *bit* of a shock?! Exactly what the hell were you smoking before you came over?!"

Quatre returned with the doctored drinks and offered one to Sally. She took it with a nod and shot a look at Trowa. "You're not helping," she said in an even tone before turning her attention back to Wufei.

The raven-haired teen finally managed to blink. "Are... are you absolutely sure?" he asked in a tiny voice.

"Positive. I ran the test three times and it came out the same every time."

Wufei nodded his head slightly and shifted his gaze to the floor, where Duo was finally beginning to stir. He wasn't sure he wanted to know... but... he just had to ask.

"How far along am I?"

Duo hauled himself into a seated position and fixed wide violet eyes on his friend. Wufei had drawn his knees up to his chest and was staring blankly at the floor. It was obvious he was in shock. Hell, they all were. First Heero, now this....

"Ten weeks," the doctor replied, leaning forward in her chair a bit. She knew that this would probably cause a second wave of shock to pass through the group.

Quatre was the first to complete the math: "Two and a half months?! But... but we destroyed the base where they were keeping Wufei nearly six months ago!"

"I know."

"... oh gods..."

Duo, Trowa, Sally, and Quatre turned their gazes to Wufei. He had one hand practically clamped over his mouth, eyes even wider than they had been before, and a few tears were starting to form. He was breathing hard, desperately struggling to maintain control.

Duo frowned, worry creasing his brow. Then he realized the same thing Wufei just had. His own eyes flew wide, and he shifted closer to the couch in order to place his hand on his friend's in a silent show of comfort.

"Wufei?" Trowa asked, quirking an eyebrow. "What's--"

"Two and a half months... ten weeks... that was really the last time..." Wufei trailed off, a slight blush working its way across his face even as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Quatre's eyes widened a bit as realization set in. "Heero..."

Nothing more needed to be said. Wufei was pregnant... with Heero's child.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two months passed quickly under a flurry of activity from the four remaining pilots, and there was still so much that needed to be taken care of. Wufei had agreed to have Sally run a sonogram and an ultrasound to make sure the baby was healthy. From the moment they realized that it was Heero's child, the Chinese boy's decision was made--he was keeping the baby, and fuck the scientists if they didn't like it.

All the teens agreed that it would be best to remain in one place, and had found a safe house that was hidden away in the woods but still accessible to Sally should she be needed. At the moment, Quatre and Trowa were busy trying to set up a nursery... and not really agreeing on *how* to decorate it.

"What's wrong with pink?"

"It could be a boy."

"Like I said... what's wrong with pink?"

"I still think we should paint it black!"

"Duo..."

The braided American snickered once more at Quatre's stern tone and flashed a victory sign. "Just a suggestion!"

Wufei looked up from the book he was reading in a rather large, cozy armchair and quirked an eyebrow. "The day we paint the nursery black is the day you chop off that braid," he said in an almost serious tone. The raven-haired teen's moods were so unpredictable anymore... one minute he was cheerful and throwing himself headfirst into getting things together, the next he was crying his eyes out at the injustice of it all, and the next he was snapping at everyone for no apparent reason.

None of this shook Duo at all--he just rolled with the punches.

It was easy since he was head over heels in love with the boy anyway, and falling a little deeper every day.

"Well, since that day ain't coming for a long time, I suppose we'll have to pick another color, ne, Fei-chan?" he said brightly.

Wufei merely rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his book. "Whatever, it's not like you three have given me any say in this whatsoever..."

"Damn straight!" Duo declared, bouncing across the room to perch on the arm of the chair. "If you had your way, everything would be white!"

"To paraphrase Quatre, what's wrong with white?" he asked with a tiny smile, then his eyes widened slightly.

The other three pilots immediately snapped to attention, forgetting their argument over nursery colors for a moment. "Wufei, what's wrong?" Quatre asked. "Should we call Sally?"

The Chinese pilot blinked, then flashed a small smile and shook his head. "No, I was just a little surprised," he replied in a slightly awed tone. "The baby just kicked me."

"He did? Sugoi!" Duo exclaimed.

"*She*," Trowa corrected.

"Don't you two start again," Quatre scolded, a smile quirking his lips. "Sally hasn't confirmed anything yet."

Duo giggled. "Maybe it's twins..." Wufei's almost horrified expression caused another laugh to escape him. "Kidding, Fei, kidding."

"That's not funny, Duo," Wufei replied, then he sighed and closed his book. "Speaking of Sally, we should get going."

"Oh, that's right!" Duo said as he hopped off the arm of the chair and helped Wufei to his feet. "'nother checkup. And when we get back, you'll *see* that it's a boy, Tro-chan!"

"It's a girl," the French teen argued.

"Boy."

"Girl."

"Quatre, maybe you should take me in..."

Wufei blinked at Sally, not quite sure he'd heard the words right. "Excuse me?"

"I couldn't tell from the first sonogram because of the angle," Sally said, glancing towards the room where Duo was patiently waiting, "but I'm positive now."

"Oh, great, I can hear Trowa now," the Chinese boy moaned. Sally patted him on the arm sympathetically before starting towards the other room.

"Don't worry about anything," she said in a reassuring tone. "I'll be here whenever you need me, Wu-otouto, and so are the guys... once Trowa gets over the initial shock, that is."

A small smile flitted across Wufei's lips before he turned to get dressed, and Sally closed the door silently behind her. She sighed and shook her head, still trying to come to terms with the situation. She had meant every word; she would stand by these young men and help them in any way she could.

Duo hopped up out of his chair the second the doctor walked in the room, a brilliant smile on his face. "Hey, Sal! Everything okay?"

"Hai, Wufei's doing all right," she replied. Duo noted her hesitation and frowned.

"Sal... what are you not telling me?"

She heaved a sigh and motioned for Duo to sit back down. Once the boy was seated again, Sally took a deep breath and forged ahead: "I told you that I might be able to tell if the baby was a boy or a girl after this sonogram. Well, I have confirmed the sex of the child."

"Sugoi!" Duo chirped, eyes sparkling brightly. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Yes."

For a moment, Duo stared blankly at Sally in much the same manner that he had when the doctor had announced Wufei's pregnancy two months before. Then realization hit him and his eyes widened.

"You're kidding... right?" he nearly squeaked.

"No, she's not," Wufei said as he joined them in the room. "I'm having twins. So, I suppose neither you nor Trowa wins the bet, ne?" he added with a sardonic grin.

The braided youth blinked at his friend before a genuine smile quirked his lips. "Hey, that's great!" he said. "We're gonna have two little ones to take care of!"

Wufei's expression was a mixture of shock and barely suppressed hope. "You think so?"

"Of course! I love kids!" Duo said, flashing another brilliant smile. He mentally added "And between the four of us, I'm *sure* we can handle raising two!"

A small smile brightened Wufei's face. "Arigatou, Duo-kun," he said softly; Duo's heart nearly skipped a beat at the use of the endearment with his name. "I suppose we should head back to the house and break the news to the others, hm?"

"Yeah, I guess we gotta," the American conceded, then another grin crossed his features. "Wonder what Trowa's gonna say?"

"NANI?! One I know we could hide, but how the hell are we supposed to hide TWO?! Damn it, what the hell were you two EATING that week?!"

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT, KISAMA!" Wufei screeched in response. Duo merely stayed out of the line of fire, keeping Quatre back as well; when the Chinese boy's moods swung this radically, it was best to keep the hell out of his way.

"You're the one who got knocked up in the first place!!"

*WHACK*

Duo and Quatre's eyes widened in surprise as Trowa staggered backwards. Wufei had never, *ever* hit any of them before, let alone nail one of his friends this way. The Chinese boy stood frozen for a moment, as if shocked beyond rational thought at his own actions, then burst into tears and fled the room.

Silence reined for several minutes before Quatre spoke up: "Anou... you deserved that, Tro-chan."

"... I know," the French teen said in a low voice, looking rather sheepish as he brushed his fingers lightly over the already-bruising skin near his eye. "I shouldn't have snapped at him."

"You'll have to tell him that later," Duo remarked, heading for the door. "I doubt he's going to want to talk to you right now."

The American didn't stick around much longer, although he did hear Quatre start to lecture his taller lover on the value of tact. Duo shook his head and headed off in search of Wufei. It wasn't that hard to find the boy; as usual, he'd fled to the relative safety of his bedroom. Wufei was right where Duo expected to find him, curled up in the center of his bed silently crying. The same ever-present book was lying opened nearby. Duo briefly wondered what was in that book that had so enraptured his love, then pushed it aside to focus on the matter at hand.

"Oi, Wufei, are you okay?" he asked softly as he sat down carefully next to the other teen. Wet onyx eyes blinked up at him after a moment, then Wufei pulled himself up into a seated position and swiped at the tears on his face.

"H-hai, I'm all right," he said in a very soft voice. "I expected that reaction, but I didn't think it would hurt like it did."

"Trowa had no right to snap at you," Duo agreed, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy in a companionable embrace. "I'm sure he's sorry for saying what he did, Fei."

Wufei relaxed into the embrace. For some reason, he felt torn. Torn between the love he still felt towards Heero and the feelings bubbling within him now. Every time Duo was near, he felt as if he wasn't so alone. And Duo loved children, so it was a safe bet that the boy would be stick by him through this. Wufei wasn't sure what he was feeling, but it couldn't be love. Love took you hard and fast and didn't give you an opportunity to even think about it. This, however...

It was nothing like he'd ever experienced. It was sweet, and gentle, and comforting. There was no way it could be love.

"I know," he finally replied in a soft voice, curling a little closer to his friend. "I'll talk to him later and apologize for decking him."

"Eh, he deserved it, and he knows it. I think the most you did was hurt his pride a little." Duo smiled slightly at the soft laugh that bubbled from the boy he held so close and closed his eyes. he thought wistfully.

They sat like that for a long time before Wufei drifted off to sleep. Duo gently lowered the boy back onto the bed and draped the covers over him, smiling tenderly at the sleeping bishounen. Before he could stop himself, Duo bent down and dropped a soft kiss to one caramel cheek.

"Ai shiteru, Chang Wufei," he whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair away from the boy's face. "Sweet dreams."

His gaze fell onto the book again, and he picked it up to place it on the nightstand. The familiar handwriting on one of the pages drew his attention, and he frowned slightly. Opening it to a random page, Duo began to read softly out loud:

"'I still can't figure out what it is I did to deserve the warmth of this boy's love, and I don't think I ever will. Wufei is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. He completes me. What would I do without him? I love him, heart and soul, for all time...'"

Shaking a bit, Duo placed the book on the nightstand. he thought as he made his way to the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wufei didn't know what to think, or do, or say. His hands shook as he carefully closed the journal and placed it on the nightstand before settling back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. Ever since Sally had ordered him on bed rest for the remainder of his pregnancy (after he nearly collapsed a few times during the fifth month), he'd had plenty of time to finish reading his former lover's most private thoughts.

He closed his eyes with a sigh and went over the final entry in his mind once more:

'I can't bear to see him hurting so much. I knew when I left that it would hurt, but I didn't realize he would lock his heart away. Damn it, he still can't see what I did over six months ago when we rescued him from that OZ base. I noticed it immediately... I've *never* seen Duo Maxwell as angry as he was when we attacked that base. It was as if his heart and soul were put into getting Wufei out of there....

'I suppose that's when I started to realize... *this* is the kind of love that he deserves. Unconditional, unwavering, never-ending... and the more I watched, the more obvious it became to me. Duo's in love with Wufei. So I let him go. I walked away, and pretended that it didn't hurt me as much as it hurt him.

'And Duo *still* hasn't said a thing. I don't know if it's because he still feels some respect for me, even after what I did....

'I have to tell him. After we finish up this mission, I'll take Wufei aside and tell him everything. Tell him that I can't give him the kind of love he deserves, but Duo can, and I'm sure he's more than willing. Maybe a little push is all they need. I don't know, but this is the only thing I can do for him.

'I'll always love him... even if the only way I can show him how much is to let him go.'

Wufei thought as a single tear slid down his face.

His eyes flew open as he completed the thought: <--and loving, devoted, affectionate... oh my gods... he... Heero wasn't imagining it. Duo *does* love me. And... and... I think...>

Even though he couldn't complete the thought, he knew it was the truth. He'd fallen in love again.

As he drifted off into a restless slumber, only one thought crossed his mind:

It was nearly 10:30 at night before Duo finally returned to the safe house. He, Trowa, and Quatre had been covering Wufei's missions over the past couple of months; Quatre was out on one now, and Trowa had been heading towards the hangar when the braided teen walked in the door. Since it was rather late (and Wufei had been sleeping a lot), Duo decided he'd look in on the Chinese boy and then go off to bed himself.

Slipping quietly into the room, a small wistful smile flitted across his face. Wufei appeared to be dead to the world, his face turned slightly towards the door, his breath coming in soft even measures. One hand rested palm-up on the pillow by his head while the other was draped in a protective manner across his ample stomach. The thought that the boy was too kawaii for words when he was sleeping crossed Duo's mind as he bent down to brush a stray lock of raven hair away from his face. He pressed a gentle kiss to the smaller boy's forehead and began towards the door once more.

"Duo?"

The American froze; he'd been absolutely positive that Wufei was sleeping! He took a deep breath and turned back to his friend, grinning sheepishly. "Hiya, Fei-chan. I didn't mean to wake you up or anything..."

"S'okay," Wufei murmured lazily. "I was only about half 'sleep anyways. I was trying to wait up so I could ask you to do something for me."

Duo's heart nearly skipped a beat. "Oh?" he said casually. "Sure, no prob at all, Fei-chan! What'cha need me to do?"

The Chinese boy tilted his head towards the journal lying on the table. "That was Heero's," he said in a soft voice, letting his eyes drift shut again. He *was* tired most of the time now, and he was barely able to stay awake. "I just finished reading it this afternoon. When I read the last entry, I knew it might interest you." He opened one eye and looked up at Duo. he begged mentally even as he said, "I would like you to read it. Onegai?"

Duo blinked wide violet eyes at Wufei, trying to figure out exactly *what* the Chinese teen was up to. After a minute, he picked up the journal and sat down on the edge of the bed to read the entry Wufei'd indicated.

His eyes widened as he read Heero's words. He swallowed hard, staring almost blankly at the page before his eyes fell upon the date. The last entry was written the night Heero had died.

Another thought filled Duo's mind, and he dropped the journal to the floor as it echoed in his head:

Duo nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his arm, and whipped his head around to find Wufei gazing up at him. He looked so uncertain, as if he was... afraid? But what could Wufei possibly have to be afraid of?

Wufei's voice was barely a whisper when he spoke: "Is it true?"

Duo was sure his heart stopped completely. He stared wide-eyed at the boy he loved, peering into those velvet orbs that always captivated him. After a moment, he found his voice.

"Nani? Is what true?"

"That you... um... you..." Wufei couldn't figure out why he was stuttering. He stopped, took a breath, and spoke in one breath: "Thatyouloveme."

The braided bishounen couldn't speak. He tilted his head to one side and regarded Wufei silently. There was *something* in his eyes... a little fear, mingled with hope?

"Hai, Fei-chan," Duo said softly. "Ai shiteru. I have for a long time."

For a moment, neither one moved or said anything. Then, Wufei's eyes brightened and a smile flitted across his lips.

"I'm glad," he said in a low voice. "Because I love you, too."

"H-honto?" Duo whispered, wanting so desperately to embrace the boy but afraid that he would melt or shatter. "You love me too?"

At Wufei's tired nod, he gave into the urge to pull the other boy tightly to him. The raven-haired bishounen sighed contentedly and nestled against the taller youth, wrapping his arms around Duo's waist. The braided boy nearly shivered at the surge of emotion released by that simple action. He wanted to hold Wufei forever, hold him, kiss him, caress him, love him....

Duo stroked Wufei's hair gently, marveling at the silken texture of it and smiling slightly as the other teen drifted off to sleep. He really was so delicate right now--Sally was worried that there could be some complications because of Wufei's carrying twins, and frankly Duo shared those fears.

"Ai shiteru, Fei-chan," he whispered into one shell-like ear. "Always. I'll never leave you."

Duo gently lowered the smaller teen back onto the bed and stood to leave. He paused, tilting his head, then lie down on the bed next to Wufei. He wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him tightly against his body, and nuzzled the slender caramel-toned neck. Wufei murmured something in his sleep and nestled closer, causing a smile to flit over Duo's lips once again. He remained awake for a long time, reveling in the feel of the teen lying in his arms and the soft sound of his breathing before finally falling asleep as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Trowa watched almost impassively as Duo began another circuit around the room. He was, quite frankly, shocked that the boy hadn't already worn a hole in the carpet. Quatre slipped back into the room with a couple cups of coffee, one of which the banged teen gratefully accepted before returning his attention to Duo.

"Duo-kun, why don't you sit down for a few minutes?" he said after Duo finished his twentieth lap and was starting on yet another. "Pacing isn't doing anything to help Sally or Iria."

"Fuck that!" Duo cried, whirling around so fast that his braid slapped against his back. "How can I relax when I know Wufei's goin' under the knife?! And he's not due for another six weeks!"

"Please, Duo," Quatre said, taking a sip of his own coffee. "Twins usually are born a little early. I'm sure everything's all right."

The braided teen began to pace again, muttering, "Maybe so, but I'm not gonna rest until I know Fei-chan's okay."

Another hour passed before Sally entered the room. By this time, Duo had paced the room ninety-seven times, Quatre had gotten another cup of coffee, and Trowa was standing on his head in the corner out of sheer boredom. All three snapped to attention.

"Well?!" Duo said, violet eyes pleading. Mentally he was begging

Sally's small smile assuaged his fears before she even spoke. "Everything's fine, Duo, don't worry. Iria's examining the twins--a beautiful boy and an absolutely darling girl--to make sure they're perfectly all right. Wufei's still a little groggy from the sedatives, but you can go in and see him if you want." The words were barely out of her mouth when Duo practically leaped through the door. Trowa laughed softly.

"I take that as a 'yes'," he said, amusement sparkling in his one visible eye.

Wufei was tired, but it was a good kind of tired. After all, it wasn't every day he gave birth. True it was via C-section, but there hadn't really been any other option for him. He closed his eyes and heaved a low sigh. Iria had slipped back in with the twins a minute or two ago, and he was alone with his children for the moment.

His children. *There* was an odd thought. He would never have thought that he'd have even one child at age fifteen, let alone give birth to two.

He heard the door open, then silence, as if whoever was in the doorway couldn't decide whether to come in or leave. Opening one eye slightly, Wufei couldn't help but grin.

"What are you waiting for, an engraved invitation?" he said weakly. "Get your ass in here, Duo." >p>Duo barely suppressed a giggle and slipped into the room, closing it quietly behind him before moving towards the bed. Once by his love's side, he pulled the boy into a tight hug and let out a sigh of relief.

"Gods, I was so worried 'bout you," he murmured into silken raven-black hair. Wufei returned the embrace fiercely, his eyes sliding closed. Even after nearly two months, he was still amazed at the love he received from Duo.

"I told you everything was going to be all right," he said softly. Duo hugged him tighter for a moment before loosening his grip and lifting his head to gaze into velvet black eyes.

"Hai, you did," he said, pressing a soft kiss to the other boy's lips. "Now let's get a look at these kids, ne?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!"

"Heero's awake. Again."

Wufei was out of his chair the second the wail began, passing Mei-chan to Duo as he headed towards the nursery. Duo blinked after his love, then turned his attention to the darling little Asian girl in his arms. Although only three months old, she already had silky black hair much like Wufei's own. She had the same cat-like eyes as well, only they were cobalt instead of onyx. Meiran giggled and grabbed Duo's braid, chewing on the end of it happily as the teen smiled down at her.

"You're something else, Mei-mei, y'know that?" he said as he tickled the little girl. This elicited another giggle from her as she tugged lightly on the chestnut braid in her tiny hands.

"She got hold of your braid again, hm?" Wufei asked as he returned with a now-mollified Heero. The boy looked very much like his namesake, his brown hair already unruly despite his age. Cat-like onyx eyes that were nearly identical to Wufei's blinked sleepily as he regarded Duo before he yawned and buried his face against his 'mother's' neck.

"Yeah, I swear she chews on it more than I *ever* did!" the braided bishounen replied cheerfully as he tickled Meiran again. Wufei snickered softly and shoo0k his head. Duo was good with the kids; no matter how many times Meiran yanked on his braid or Heero threw toys at him (which wasn't really an insult, since he threw his toys at *everyone*), he never lost his patience or his good cheer.

Wufei thought as Heero drifted back to sleep in spite of all the noise his sister was making.

"No one could chew on the end of your braid more than you, Du-chan," he said, shifting the child in his arms before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to his love's mouth. Duo returned the kiss just as gently before pulling back and smiling sweetly.

"What was that for?" he purred. Wufei shrugged and offered a tiny smile.

"Just because I love you."

"I love you, too, Fei-chan."

Wufei sighed and leaned his head against Duo's shoulder, cradling his son carefully even as his lover tickled Meiran. He smiled himself, listening to his daughter's laughter and his son's even breathing, truly happy and at peace with his life. It was obvious to anyone that the four of them were a family.

Duo thought, glancing at Wufei out of the corner of his eye.

"Fei...?"

"Hmm?" Onyx eyes blinked up at him sleepily; Wufei seemed ready to fall asleep himself.

"We have to end this war," Duo said softly--Meiran was starting to doze off herself, braid still clutched in one tiny fist. "We have to end it for them. And once we do end it, I'm marrying you and then we're going to give the little ones the kind of life we should have had instead of giving up our childhoods."

Wufei lifted his head and looked Duo right in the eye. "Is that a proposal?"

Duo nodded. "I know it isn't a very good one, but--"

"It's perfect," Wufei interrupted, "because my answer is yes. I love you, and you're so good with the children, and all I could ever ask for is to spend the rest of my life with you. So my answer is yes, Duo."

The American smiled brightly and kissed his lover tenderly, infusing all of his love into the kiss. They had all the time in the world together now.

They had a lifetime.

OWARI