Quatre wandered down the beach, barefoot and almost content. He looked out over the blue ocean and watched as the sun slowly began to sink over the horizon. It wasn't sunset yet, but it was very near. Quatre sighed to himself as a pang of loneliness hit him. He was thankful to see the group together again, yet with all his friends around, he still felt alone. Trowa seemed to have retracted farther into his shell than normal in the past few months and Quatre couldn't figure out why. So it was best to just leave him be and let him do battle with his inner demons. Duo was still the happy-go-lucky guy he's always been, which never made for good conversation. Then there was Wufei, who never spoke to anyone without having to point out the fact that they're weak, especially Quatre, who was "the weakest". And there was the ever-silent Heero, who spent most of his time with Arys. Oh, Arys. Quatre shook his head. He realized that the companionship he longed for he found in Arys. He had to admit to himself that it had hurt to see her fall in love with Heero. But if anyone was in need of a friend and love, it was Heero. Despite his broken heart, he had to concede Heero and Arys were perfect for each other. He found himself often wondering if he would ever find his true love.

he scolded himself.

He stopped and watched the sun dip lower in the sky. He had no excuse for feeling lonely. He had the pilots, of course, and his sister Iria, not to mention forty Maganacs. Still, there was a place in his heart that was empty. He looked up the beach and saw Dr. Hunt sitting on a rock that jutted out into the sea. She too was watching the sunset. Taking a chance, he walked over to her and quietly cleared his throat.

"Hello." she greeted, offering him a small smile.

"I hope I'm not intruding." he told her.

"Oh, not all. Would you care to join me?" she asked, moving over.

Quatre climbed up on the rock and settled down next to her.

"Do you always watch the sunset, Dr. Hunt?"

"Every night." she answered. "And please, call me Nari."

"Nari." Quatre repeated. "That's pretty. What does it mean?"

Nari looked down at the rock. "It's actually Japanese for thunder."

"Japanese?"

"I was..." she paused searching for the right word, "adopted. So where are you from?"

Quatre knew she was changing the subject on him, and allowed her to get away with it for now. "L-4 Colony Cluster." he answered. "When the stars come out, the L-4 Colony is right around there." he said, pointing up to the sky.

"You really miss it don't you?" she asked him.

"Yes, I do." he admitted.

"I'm sorry." she told him softly.

"For what?" he asked, turning to look at her. His eyes caught hers for a brief moment. He got the distinct impression that what she was apologizing for was more than just his homesickness. But she quickly turned her gaze away from him and returned it to the setting sun.

"Are you from the Sanc Kingdom?" Quatre asked.

"I don't know where I'm from." she answered honestly.

"Do you remember your childhood at all?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Now it's my turn to apologize."

"There's no need." she assured him, turning her gaze back to him. Quatre's own loneliness seemed a very distant thing now compared to the sadness in Nari's eyes. It was a similar look of regret he saw in Arys' eyes after she found out the fate of her parents. She was grieving for past actions.

"Why do you come out here every night?" he asked her.

"When you see some of the things that I've seen, you long for nothing more than pure, innocent beauty." she answered. Nari returned her gaze back to the fading colors of the sunset as night moved in. She found that she couldn't look in his eyes for too long. They were too innocent, and it reminded her too much of what she longed to be. Quatre noticed her slight unease, but he couldn't figure out if it was due to his presence or his question.

"I'm sorry if I'd offended you in any way." Quatre apologized.

"You have not offended me in even the slightest manner." Nari replied. "I did not realize that I gave you that impression."

"Well, if I may be so bold as to say I found myself in a self-pitying mood tonight." Quatre told her. "I am indebted to you for pulling me out of that mood. But my group is keeping the first watch tonight on the beach and I must go."

Nari nodded her head in understanding. "I am glad to be of service. If you ever need anything, there's a sunset every night and I always watch it."

Quatre jumped down off the rock and turned to help Nari down. He couldn't suppress a gasp when her ice-cold hand was laid in his. Even after Arys had been the subject of a toxin that took away all warmth from her body, Quatre had never felt such coldness before. It was almost like steel. Nari caught Quatre's concerned look and shoved her hands into her pockets.

"Are you all right?" he asked, worry written over his face.

"Yes." she shrugged. "I'm always cold. You better hurry so you're not late for your group."

Quatre nodded and started to walk away.

"Quatre." Nari called. He turned back around. "I just wanted to thank you for pulling me out of a dark mood as well."

"My pleasure." he answered her, before turning around and continuing down the beach. He found his earlier sense of loneliness had dissipated completely. If circumstances allowed, he would come back tomorrow and watch the sunset again.

______________________________________

Nari wandered into the Palace and went down to the lab. She felt as if a humongous weight had been lifted from her heart. She had found someone that she could share her burdens with, even if he didn't know what they were exactly. He cared. Nari stopped when that thought came to her mind. The look in his eyes came back to her memory and she held onto it for a moment. She had never seen a look like Quatre gave her from Inazuma or Javin. Quatre's gaze was a warm one that soothed her soul. It was a look of compassion that showed he really cared. Nari felt as if a small piece of her heart had melted.

"What are you smiling about?" Inazuma asked, breaking into Nari's pleasent thoughts.

"What?"

"Are you thinking about that blond?"

Nari looked away from Inazuma's piercing stare, not saying anything.

Inazuma let out a loud laugh which echoed throughout the lab. "When are you going to grow up?"

"I can't grow up." Nari stated quietly.

"Oh, Nari. You are one messed up girl." Inazuma said, getting her composure back.

"So are you." Javin said, addressing the blond as he stepped through the door to the lab.

"I know." Inazuma shrugged.

Javin ignored her chilling comment and turned to Nari.

"I've sent word to the refugees that something has come up and you won't be able to pick them up tonight."

"What's come up?" Nari asked.

"The pilots are patrolling the beach tonight. At least three of them are. I want you, Nari, to go down there and deal with them." Javin told her.

Nari remembered the conversation with Quatre earlier that evening. He was supposed to be in that group. A sudden sense of dread came over her. She did not want to do this.

"Nari?" Javin asked.

"Yes?" she immediately responded.

"You do understand what I want you to do?"

"Yes." she told him quietly.

"Good girl. They should be there soon. Report back to me when the job is done." Javin said.

Nari knew a dismissal when she heard one and quickly left the room.

Inazuma watched her go and then turned to Javin. "Why don't I get to go? I would love to hack up a Gundam pilot."

"Because this is a test for Nari." Javin answered. "I want to see if she has it in her to kill."

"She doesn't, I could tell you that."

"I want to make sure." Javin responded coldly. "I also want to see if she will follow orders still, since," Javin paused and turned an equally cold stare towards Inazuma, "I no longer have a tool of manipulation should I need one."

The cold gaze of Javin's which would normally cause someone's blood to run cold, left Inazuma untouched.

"Why don't you just let me kill her? She's completely useless." Inazuma said.

"And what makes you so important?" Javin asked.

Inazuma smiled back wickedly. "Because I do what you ask of me. Especially in the murder and mayhem department. You really don't believe that she's going to kill those three pilots? Especially the blond one?"

"What's the blond one got to do with anything?" Javin asked her.

"Everything. He's got his eye on our little Nari."

"Really?" Javin asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh believe me." Inazuma said, faking adoration. "That perfect hair, and those baby blue eyes that you could just drown in."

"And what are Nari's feelings about the hair and the eyes?"

"She's a dead body floating on the water." Inazuma answered. "So let me ask you again, do you really think that she's going to kill those guys?"

"I don't know. I want you to go down there later on tonight and make sure that the deed was done though."

"It would be my pleasure. What would you want me to do if she hasn't finished the job?" Inazuma asked, a dangerous glint to her eye.

"Finish it for her." Javin said icily. "Then finish her."

Inazuma let out a low, dangerous laugh that made Javin's blood run cold, which was something considering he already had ice water running through his veins.

_________________________

Nari walked slowly towards the beach. She could see the flames of a small fire that offered light and warmth to the group of three boys on look out. She lightly let her hand rest on the hilt of her sword. Javin knew how she despised killing, so why did he send her? Nari crept into the crevices of the rocks that were close where the trio sat around the fire. She looked down on the group and allowed her thoughts to drift. This beach had seen so much death and the sand had soaked up so much blood. It really wouldn't matter to Inazuma or Javin or the beach if these three boys died. But it mattered to her. Her gaze rested on Quatre as he stared blankly into the fire, his thoughts wandering just as Nari's were. She was struck with the realization of how young he looked. Nari rested her head against the rock next to her and closed her eyes. She could not do this thing. Quatre's innocent, warm eyes sprang to her memory. She had seen that look before. In the eyes of the two MacGregor children. Her mindset shifted from she could not do this act to she wasn't going to do this act. The group was here to stop the murders just as Nari wanted to see them stop. No doubt Javin knew she would most likely change her mind about her orders, and Inazuma would most likely show up soon. Nari had to get these people off the beach and into hiding. Pulling out her tranq gun, she fitted it with three darts and took careful aim. Within seconds, the three pilots slumped to the sand. Nari put the fire out by throwing handfuls of sand over the driftwood. She glanced up at the Palace and could see Inazuma on her way. Nari slung Trowa over her shoulder, since he was tallest. She carefully picked up Duo and Quatre in each arm. She walked in the surf to hide her footsteps and headed towards a cave that was hidden by the rocky coast. She carefully laid them down on the cold stone and waited for them to wake up. The rip tide beginning to come in which would provide a proper barrier. Nari stopped by Quatre's unconscious form and knelt down beside him. He looked even more innocent as he slept peacefully unaware of his current situation. She carefully brushed his bangs off his forehead, careful not to touch his skin with her hands. Ice cold hands made of steel didn't offer any kind of feeling and she was unable to tell how hard or soft her touch actual was and the last thing she wanted was to hurt Quatre. She didn't feel that such blood stained hands were worthy enough to touch someone as innocent as he. Slowly she stood to her feet and walked through the knee high water that had washed into the cave. Stealthily she climbed up the rocky wall and settled into a sitting position as she waited for her three captives to wake up.

_____________________________

Javin looked down at the pale face of the Japanese girl in the broken status tube. He gently brushed away some of the shards of glass that had fallen on her doll like face. The chill of death had already fallen over her, making her cold and clammy.

"I'm sorry, Adin." he whispered. "I tried to take care of her for you, brother. You did better with your charge. You would have been proud of him. I, on the other hand, have failed miserably." Javin addressed the body. He had to get rid of the body soon.

"What a waste. You really could have been something Nari."

"Javin, Nari double crossed us." Inazuma said, rushing into the lab.

"How?" Javin demanded.

"She took the pilots somewhere. She covered her steps well. I couldn't follow her."

"I thought she would do something like this, I just didn't expect her to be so good at it." Javin said thoughtfully. "I also didn't expect her to have the backbone to stand against us. Inazuma, take this body to the incinerator and do away with it."

"What about the other pilots?" she asked.

"Leave them be for now. The night is almost over and due to Nari's treachery, we have to go into hiding and plan our next move. I want everything in the lab taken."

"What about this?" Inazuma motioned to her body in the stasis tube.

"Leave it." Javin ordered emphatically. "It is to be a reminder to Nari that she will never again be what she so desires."

"At least it's useful for something." Inazuma mumbled as she carried the other dead body out of the room. After she left, Javin regarded the red-haired body in the stasis tube. Taking out a syringe, he injected something into the IV. If Nari ever found a way to be placed into this human body, she was in for a surprise.