1 week later…

Heero sat at Duo's bedside. Quatre dozed lightly beside him. The blonde arab had been almost as insistent as Heero had that he wouldn't be leaving Duo's side till the latter was in stable condition.

Thanks to the conditioning they'd all received from the mad 5, there wasn't a sedative in the galaxy that could keep any of them out for more than a few hours. At Sally's insistence, Heero'd finally acquiesced to the induced coma Duo now lay in. It'll help him heal. She'd promised. Heero wasn't so sure.

It was ripping him apart inside to see Duo laying there like that; pale, unmoving, so tiny and fragile looking against the stark hospital sheets. He reached out for what must have been the hundredth time to brush a finger against Duo's unmoving hand. His eyes lit when the former Deathscythe pilot's hand twitched at the contact, but Duo remained unconscious. The beep of the heart monitor continued it's mostly metronomic pace, though the occasional off-beat staccato would still set ice in Heero's stomach.

The bomb they'd learned, had been in the back of Duo's chair, a small explosion intended to kill the pilot without doing excessive damage to the ship itself. Only the devils luck had kept the shrapnel from slicing through Duo's spinal cord. But both his kidneys had taken damage and the second and third degree burns up and down his back had sent him into shock. Heero smiled grimly and reached up to run his fingers over Duo's braid. Again, only the devil's luck had seen the braid draped over the front of Duo's shoulder, sparing it from the searing heat that had almost stolen its wearers life.

Heero sighed and sat back in his chair. Beside him, Quatre continued to doze. Wufei slipped in several minutes later, taking the empty chair on the far side of Quatre.

"You should go home and rest Yuy."

"I'll leave when Duo does."

"That'll be at least another 2 weeks."

"Then I'll leave in 2 weeks."

"Spare me." Wufei snorted, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "You'll smell awful by then."

Heero smiled grimly,

"If you won't leave," the Chinese man pounced "then would you care to tell me how you managed to come back from the grave after 3 years."

"I was never IN the grave. Une made that up. I was unaware."

"I understand, but 3 years Yuy… you never contacted any of us. Not him," he inclined his head towards Duo, "not her…" he let his voice trail off.

Heero's scowl deepened and he sank further into his chair.

"She's heard the rumors, all unconfirmed of course, none of us is talking and she knows better than to push us too far with Duo in his current… condition. But, she's been asking after you."

Heero sighed and let his head drop to his hands. He wasn't equipped to deal with her right now. Not right now. And she'd be the hardest to explain things to. Duo was a soldier, he'd understand, but Relena… she'd feel hurt and betrayed, and after 3 years of silence, 3 years of thinking he was dead… What was he supposed to say to her?

Wufei cut in on his thoughts "You can't avoid her forever you know."

"I'm not avoiding." Heero snapped "I'm just... not confronting."

Wufei snorted "That sounds like something Maxwell would say."

They both fell into silence. Between them, Quatre continued to softly snore.

1 week later…

Heero stood in the lobby, freshly showered, shaved and for the first time in days, wearing clean clothes. Relena bustled in, her pink shoes clicking on the tiled floor. Just lunch he'd finally agreed. Just lunch. Tears sprang to her eyes when she saw him, but she maintained her composure and didn't sprint across the room to greet him, though she did throw her arms around him the instant he was in reach.

"Heero…" she breathed, her face buried in his chest

"Relena."

"I'd heard rumors… but… you're back. You're alive…" she was crying now, not blubbering, but the tears still rolled down her cheeks, smudging her make-up. "Duo was right." She sniffed, "How is he? May I see him?"

Heero nodded once, and disentangled himself from the girl, leading her towards Duo's room. He stopped in front of the door, staring through the window, blocking Relena's view. Suddenly, he didn't want her in there. Duo wouldn't like having her see him in that condition.

"The nurse is with him right now. We shouldn't bother them." Heero said stiffly, turning to grab Relena's arm and steer her gently back the way they had come.

Lunch went quietly, Relena wept through most of it. Heero felt guilty, and found himself promising things perhaps he shouldn't have. Though he adamantly refused to leave the Hospital grounds while Duo remained. Eventually, Relena gave up on trying to convince him to take a breather at the palace, it was only a 20 minute drive from the hospital, and the beds were more comfortable, but the perfect soldiers blue eyes were steely, and his mind was set. She sighed in a mix of sympathy and frustration.

Duo's mind was fuzzy and everything hurt with a dull stinging. Like he was lying on a bed of needles. His eyes slowly blinked open, it was hard, they were all crusted, and his mouth felt like he'd been sucking on cotton balls for months. Quatre was beside him reading a business magazine. Duo coughed lightly, the blonde sprang to his feet.

"Duo!" he seemed startled "You were supposed to be asleep for another week!"

Duo tried to respond, but found his throat too dry, Quatre quickly offered him his bottle of water. After a few grateful gulps Duo's voice returned.

"What do you mean 'supposed to be asleep for another week'?" he growled

"They said… after they induced the coma that…."

"Induced…. coma?" Duo swallowed hard, feeling his self control break down as anxiety started to swamp him. Quatre felt it immediately, his arms flew around Duo's neck, cradling the injured pilot against his chest.

"It was just to help you heal. Sally's been in charge of your care the entire time. We knew you wouldn't want anyone else."

Sally's name soothed him slightly, but he continued to tremble

"Where's… where's Heero?" he asked finally

Quatre brightened, "He went to lunch with Relena. She's been asking after him since the two of you got back." Quatre trembled slightly with the pain that suddenly rolled off Duo "Duo!? Are you alright!?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine." Duo forced a grin and pulled himself away from Quatre, the empath felt far too much when they were in contact.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon." Quatre said lamely

"It's fine dude. She missed him more than anyone." Duo grinned again

"I wonder about that." Quatre said quietly, glancing towards the door. Duo wanted to be alone and he knew it. "Would you like me to smuggle you in some real food?" he asked, looking for a graceful way to give Duo his space.

"Yeah, thanks Q-man."

"Any preferences?"

"Anything fried." Duo grinned, Quatre nodded and scurried from the room.

Relena remained firmly clamped on Heero's arm as he re-entered the hospital. He met Quatre on the way out.

"Duo's awake." Quatre chirped as he scurried towards the door.

Relena scrambled after him but lost him around a corner and in a frustrated huff hurried back to the front entrance to hunt down Quatre.

Heero dashed down the hallways, flying into Duo's room.

"Duo!" he shouted as he slammed through the door. Duo glanced up guiltily from where he was testing the lock on the window.

"Mornin' 'Ro…" he smiled sheepishly, sliding carefully back towards the pillows

Heero's grin sparkled, making Duo's breath hitch, he masked it by sniffing.

"What'cha' got there?" he grinned towards the Styrofoam takeout box in Heero's hand.

"Onion rings…." Heero admitted shyly, "I know they're your favorite… err a- at least they used to be…"

"Still are! They still are!" Duo's arms stretched for the box being held just beyond his reach.

"Brought them back for you… just in case."

"Yeah, Quatre said I'm a week early."

Heero shrugged and smiled as he handed over the box "You never were good at taking it easy."

"Speak for yourself 'Ro." He grinned and made a show of enjoying his onion rings. "Still warm and everything! You're the best man! Only don't tell Quatre, I sent him after something fried too."

"It's alright." Quatre said from the doorway, "I was curtailed by someone needing an escort."

Relena flounced into the room.