Well, it's been awhile, ne? Over a yeah…hehe…-sweatdrop- I'm sorry about that, I really am. It's just…Well, lately I haven't really been wanting to write anything, feeling like it doesn't matter, yanno? But I'm finally making myself update this.

Rei walked out into the living room and froze. There was a strange man in there. He looked at her. She looked at him.

"Who are you?" They asked at the same time.

Rei looked the newcomer over. He had brown hair in one of the weirdest styles she had ever seen—and she had seen styles literally out of this world, so that was saying something. His hair was a soft brown, but it was combed over one eye, hanging like icicles. His one visible eye was a dark green, but she was sure that once he stopped narrowing his eye (or eyes, if he actually had another one beneath those bangs that could pass for a helmet) in suspicion of her. He was wearing simple clothes, just simple blue jeans and a brown sweater. There was a duffel bag on the floor next to the chair he was sitting in.

The girl blinked. Yes, he was sitting. Not slouching, not slumping. Sitting. Wow. It had been awhile since she'd seen that. And he looked natural doing it. Wufei tended to lean way back, Heero slumped forward, Duo was constantly shifting, and Quatre sat so straight it was like he had a yardstick stuck up his…

"I'm Hino Rei. A pleasure to meet you." Rei stuck out her hand to the man.

He took it and replied in a solemn voice. "Trowa Barton." And then he dropped her hand and studied her.

Rei felt uncomfortable under his one-eyed gaze. She heard a door open and close behind her and turned to watch Wufei come out. He stopped behind her and looked at the man.

"What are you doing here?" The Chinese pilot didn't seem too perturbed about his guest, which was unusual. Rei remembered when the UPS man had come and Wufei had just about gone psycho. That was not a pleasant memory, especially the part when the UPS man had insulted him and Wufei had…

Rei cringed and steered her mind away from finishing that thought. Wufei had taken a seat on the couch and was now mumbling something under his breath about stupid onnas and unexpected guests. Rei rolled her eyes and looked at Trowa. "Since you've brought a duffel bag, I'm guessing you would like a room?"

Trowa looked at her and nodded. That was it. Rei suddenly had a vision of a man quieter than Heero…but surely this man was just tired from a trip. Quieter than Heero…she just didn't think it was possible. "Hm…rooms…We only have one room available…oh shit! Hotaru!" With that, she bowed and speed walked out of the room.

Trowa raised an eyebrow. "New roommate?"

Wufei nodded. "Heero brought her home one day like a damn dog."

"….Hotaru?"

"Another onna Heero dragged in from a storm. Apparently they know each other."

"Heero and Hotaru?"

"The onnas."

"Ah."

And the room lapsed into comfortable silence.

nn

It was several hours later that Quatre returned, leading yet another guest into already cramped house.

"I appreciate you coming on such short notice."

"It was no problem, really."

"Right this way." Quatre lead his guest into the living room.

"Hello Wufei, Trowa." The guest said with a smile.

Both men looked at the intruder, and Wufei visibly paled. "Uhm…"

Quatre smiled broadly. "Trowa, I didn't know you were coming. You should have told us, we could have prepared a room."

"It's quite alright, Quatre. I didn't know I was coming either, but I had nowhere else to go."

Quatre saw the pain in his eyes and tactfully bit his tongue from asking about the circus. It could wait. Right now, there was a girl in need of a doctor in Rei's room. "I hope you don't mind me fetching another doctor from Rei-san's friend."

Wufei shook his head. "It's…It's quite alright. It's been awhile, Sally."

Sally nodded. "Indeed it has." The blonde-haired preventer turned away from Wufei, succeeding in stopping Wufei from addressing her. "Where is the patient?"

"In here." Quatre lead her to the room, emerging with Rei a few minutes later. Rei took a seat next to Wufei and Quatre sat down on the other side of her. Heero walked out of his room at the moment and he, Rei, and Wufei all stared each other in embarrassed silence for a minute before Heero took a seat in another recliner, breaking the eye contact. Duo strode in and sat down next to Trowa on the loveseat.

"Trowa. Welcome." Heero said with a nod.

The man nodded. "Thanks."

"So, Trowa, what are you doing here? I thought you were gonna stay with Catherine at the circus." Duo asked as he fiddled with his braid.

A flash of pain flickered in his eye and he looked away. "So did I."

Everyone noticed it, but they all knew not to ask at the moment. They all knew the wound was too raw.

"I'm going to help Sally." Duo stood. "Trowa, it's good to have you back." Trowa nodded.

"I'll come with you." Quatre got up and the two left.

For the next few hours, the small house was quiet. Rei was constantly glancing to the room where her pale friend laid. Her head would lower till she gazed into her hands as though she would learn the secrets of mitosis, so hard was she looking. Then, at the littlest sound that emitted from behind the closed door, she would snap her head up, tossing her hair everywhere, and tense as she imagined the door opening and letting her see what was behind it. Then all would be still, and she would drop her gaze to her hands once more.

Heero wondered how long it would be until she gave herself whiplash.

After the hundredth time of her cycle, he gave an exasperated, but silent, sigh, and spoke. "Rei." Her neck whipped to him. Heero winced internally, he was sure he had heard the joint pop that time.

"Yes, Heero?" Her voice was thick, obviously her tears were caught in her throat. He frowned.

"You should change."

Rei stared at him, uncomprehending for a moment. Then she looked down at her clothing, caked with dry mud, as well as still slightly damp. She reached up and touched her hair, with was tangled from the earlier soaking. With an air of disdain, she picked a leave off her shoe and stood. "Yes, I suppose I should." She stood shakily and walked into her room.

Rei shut the door behind her. "Stupid…stupid!" The girl quickly shed her garments, cursing herself for not thinking. I haven't been thinking for awhile now…She remembered letting Heero take control of Rei…I'm totally helpless…gah! Is a few weeks being a fallen senshi taking away my edge? No! Common sense…I thought I had at least common sense! With a sigh, she pulled on black, baggy jeans (something she would have never worn while a senshi, they were much too much of a liability) and a pale green tank top. Grabbing her brush, she perched on the edge of the bed and began the calming ritual of brushing her hair.

Ever since she could remember, having people play with her hair relaxed her. When she was little, her mother would brush her hair to get her to sleep. "That's my little Rei-chan…my singing voice would make you cry, but just brushing your hair is ten times better." Then she would laugh and sing anyways. But since she had died, Rei had to brush her own hair.

Then she met Usagi and the rest, and every time she went to their gigglish "sleepovers", Minako or Usagi would pounce her, demanding to play with her long hair. And at first she wouldn't let them. No one had touched her hair since her mother…but they wouldn't give up. Usagi confronted her about it one day, and on all the days, it was the anniversary of her mother's death. When Usagi wouldn't let the matter die, Rei had exploded, and Usagi had merely stood as she ranted, but when she collapsed on the floor and cried, the ditzy meatball head gathered her into her arms and cried with her. After that, Rei no longer put up a fuss about letting them toy with her hair.

The brush slid out of her hand and landed with a soft whoosh on the bed. Rei slid down beside the bed and curled up, letting her long hair cover her completely. I don't want to be alone…if my friends were here, then I wouldn't be alone. I…can't deal with this…alone…

And as her friend in the other room slowly drifted back into consciousness, Rei wept silently.

Well, here it is. It's been awhile, I'm sorry to say. I'm a random writer…I'm sorry for those of you who had to wait so long, and I thank you for sticking with me. Hopefully-knocks on wood- The next chapter won't take so long to get out and up on. I'm toying with different dividers, since the normal ones I use are no longer working. (darnit!) Oh, and I'm thinking about going back and editing theearlier chapters of this fic, since I've noticed severalmistakes. Anyways…

Lady of Lament Wallow no more! Here it is! Anything for you, mah lesbian loverer.

Talia Moon Well, she might…I'll never tell…at least not till it happens.

Pykel -turns blue from the strangling- It's ok about the grammar thing. Glad you like! –faints from lack of oxygen-

And for the rest of you who reviewed, thank you soooooo much! I love you guys!