By: Haley Dale

Duo and Hilde began walking away when a young woman with blond hair pulled back in a French twist wearing a wine colored suit stood in front of them.

"Who are you?" Hilde asked.

"Hilde Schbeiker?" the woman cocked her head.

"That's me."

"We spoke earlier," she reached behind her jacket and took out a badge and held out her other hand, "pleased to meet you, I'm Detective Julianne Foster."

"Same," She shook her hand. "This is Duo Maxwell."

"Hi," Duo shook her hand. "You saw Heero's suit?"

"Yes. And I think I may have some good news for you." She put her badge back into her breast pocket. "Could you come with me?" she turned around and began walking to a red mustang. "I just got a call from someone in outer space. They found your friend. He's alive."

"Heero's alive!" Duo shouted.

"Yes, but I'm afraid he's not awake yet." She got behind the wheel. "He's in a coma."

Duo got in the back as Hilde took the passenger seat, "but he's okay, isn't he?" Hilde asked.

"He's fine." She started up the engine. "I'll be coming with you to Earth and I'll stay until he wakes up. There's also some business on Earth I must take care of."

She took them to a small clinic where Heero was waiting. A nurse was checking his vital signs. "Detective Foster, good to see you."

"I brought his friends along. Hilde and Duo."

Duo walked right over to Heero's bedside. "I'll give anything just to hear him say 'Mission Accepted' just one more time."

Hilde took Heero's hand, "Heero, we're here to take you home."

Heero couldn't hear them. But there was a voice inside of his head talking to him, "You've got to stay alive. Don't fail. You've got to stay alive for the mission." Heero couldn’t remember the voice but it sure sounded familiar. It was a male voice, deep and emotionless. It sounded so familiar.

"Who found him?" Duo asked.

"Another detective," she replied, half-lying, "my partner."

"I'd like to meet your partner so I can thank him." Duo said and then he chuckled, "Or her?"

"Him. And I'm afraid you can't. He's on another assignment."

"Can you thank him for us?" Hilde asked.

"Yes I can." Julianne said with a nod, "I certainly can."

"Well, let's get this guy home, huh?" Duo looked at Heero. "Many people are waiting for him."

"Wait, there's something I must tell you," Julianne said, "when my partner found him, he was wearing a casual suit, as if he planned on dying in nice clothes. Do you know why he would want do to something like this?"

Duo shook his head, "No. I just want to get my buddy home."

"Okay, I see that this was very hard on you." Julianne said, "So, let's go, shall we?"

They went back to Duo's shuttle and began to leave. Hilde got on the radio, "hey, can anyone hear me?"

Trowa's voice came on the line, "yes? I hear you."

"We've found Heero. He's alive!" Hilde laughed into the microphone and didn't' wait for Trowa to comment.. "We're bringing him home. If it wasn't for Julianne and her partner, Heero would be gone."

"Who?"

"Hi," Julianne said in the microphone. Trowa's voice sounded familiar. She heard it before when she was a child. She was sure of it. It was a child's voice too. "My name's Julianne Foster. I was the witness to the explosion. Your friend is just fine."

"Thank you.. Over and out." Trowa tapped his hand on the counter. "That woman…I know her from somewhere." Trowa turned around in his chair. He went to find the others to tell them the good news.

Dorothy drove to the house and she had a feeling she should step on it. There was something waiting for her when she got there. She felt giddy and excited. "Heero," she whispered. "I can tell you're close."

"Heero's alive?" Relena cried, "I knew it! I knew he'd make it!" she threw her arms around Trowa and then around Quatre.

"It's great news," Quatre agreed, tightening his arms around her. "We'd better make him feel welcome."

"Yes, a welcome home party!" Relena shouted. "What do you think, guys?"

"Sounds great," Trowa said with a nod, "I'll get his room ready for him."

"I'll make a dinner," Wufei offered. "You weaklings don't know how to cook!"

"I don't believe it," Quatre laughed, "Wufei made a joke!"

Trowa went to Heero's room and began cleaning it up. He put a welcome mint on Heero's pillow. He even brought in the TV and some magazines. Wufei went straight to the kitchen and started to cook some steaks. Quatre and Relena put up decorations.

"Hey, what's going on?" Dorothy demanded when she got out of the car.

"Heero's alive and he's coming home!" Relena cried.

"He is?" Dorothy said with a gasp, "that's great!" She hugged Relena, "but I have something I should tell you."

"It can wait," Relena pressed, "help us set up."

"Sure, okay," Dorothy said, "want me to go to the store and get anything?"

"No, I'm sure we've got everything here." Quatre said, "but you can call Sally and make sure Wufei doesn't blow up the kitchen!"

"Okay, I'll call Catherine too."

"Hurry," Relena called, "we want everything perfect when Heero gets here!"

Everyone, especially Relena and Dorothy were happy to see Heero. As soon as Trowa saw Julianne Foster, he knew who she really was and she knew who he was. "Everyone, this is Julianne Foster." Hilde said. "She's the one who found Heero."

"I don't know how to thank you," Relena gushed, taking Julianne's hands. "This really means a lot to me. To all of us. Thank you so much."

Julianne smiled. "You're welcome. But it wasn't just me, it was my partner. He's in space right now on a separate assignment."

"I'd like to thank him," Relena said.

"I'll pass on the message." She looked at everyone crowded around Heero, "I think you all would want some time alone. I have to go get some things from the shuttle."

They placed in him in his room with the machines and Sally checked on him to see how he was doing. He was still in his coma, but he was breathing. But Sally made a terrifying discovery, if Heero did wake up, he may not be able to walk again.

"Are you sure, Sally?" Relena asked, squeezing Heero's hand.

"I just hope I'm wrong," she said glumly, "But remember, Heero's the only man who can do the impossible. If anyone can pull though, it's Heero." She smiled and touched her shoulder.

"Relena, there's something I want to tell you about," Dorothy said. "When I was on my drive, I got lost and went into a diner for some directions. These men were talking about Heero. They said…some cruel things."

"What exactly did they say?" Relena frowned.

"They said he was a fool to throw his life away. They didn’t even know Heero!"

"What?!" Relena cried. "How dare they!"

"I told them off." She reported. "I might have scared everyone in the process but I gave those two jerks a piece of my mind. Told them to watch what they say about people they don't even know."

"I'd probably would've done the same thing," Relena said with a nod, "thank you, Dorothy."

"Well, he's back and that's all that matters," Duo said. "But if anyone talks bad about my buddy, I'll break their bones!"

Trowa followed Julianne and grabbed her to turn her around, "What are you doing here, Julianne? Or should I say Midii Une?"

Julianne smiled and reached her hand to pull the barrette from her hair that held in the French twist. Her hair fell down to her shoulders, the same way it had always been, the way Trowa remembered it. "Good to see you again, No-Name."

"I'll ask again," he said firmly, "what are you doing here? Did you come again to ruin my life? You have another cross to give me?" He held her by the wrist and squeezed it.

"I have work to do," she turned to the shuttle but he whipped her around.

"I want answers, dammit!"

"I'm not here to cause any trouble," she said lightly, "I saved your friend, did I not?"

"Bull. What are you after? Who sent you?"

"Nothing," she said innocently, "No one you know I wouldn't want to hurt anybody."

"Yeah, but you'd do anything for your sick father and your little brothers would you?" he accused, "You wouldn't stop until you got what you wanted!"

"That's not true!" she snapped.

"Oh, it isn't?" he let go of her wrist, "you stay away from my friends, understand? I know you're after something."

"You're wrong."

"I don’t know what it is," he said, his green eyes full of anger, "You might be here to steal something from Relena or take over Quatre's fortune. Maybe to blow up all our gundams, I don't know, but I am going to find out," he stepped closer until his face was inches from hers, "one way or the other. Do you understand me?"

"You're so cruel."

"I’m a gundam pilot." He said simply. "I've always been a soldier, you know that."

"I see," she said, "but you know what? You once said we're the same, but we're not. I realized something. Yes, I did some awful things, but being a spy was what I was good at. I got used to it." She giggled, "I suddenly lost all emotion and didn't care. I began to like it. All of it. Pretending to be somebody I'm not, tricking people, it's become a game to me. I'm not guilty anymore."

Trowa blinked in surprise.

"Know why? It's nothing compared to what you do. You kill people directly, No-Name and that is worse than anything I did. I heard all about you and your gundam." She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, "from the time you came to Earth and met Quatre and the others and to the time you lost your memory. I know everything."

"How did you learn that?" Trowa gasped.

She smiled and stepped closer, "that my friend, is a secret." She ran her finger by his lips, winked and walked away.

Duo was playing chess with the unconscious Heero, "thought you could get away without playing with me, did you?" Duo said as he looked at the board. He was black and Heero was white.. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. Hmmm. No, let's see." He picked up his knight and moved it (I don't know how to play chess so use your imagination!). "Okay, your turn."

Heero breathed through his nose. Duo watched his chest rise and fall. Still asleep. Duo walked to the other side and moved his pawn. "Mission Accepted, Duo," Duo said, trying to mimic Heero's tone.

Duo went to the other side, "aww, gee, Heero. That wasn't a good move," he moved his own pawn and then took Heero's piece away. "I'm good at this game!"

"Hey, Duo," Quatre came in the room, "how is he?"

"Still out. But I'm beating him at chess!"

Quatre shook his head and smiled, "listen, Trowa wants to talk to us all about something. He say's it's important."

"Sure," he stood up, "your move, Heero!"

Quatre chuckled, "If Heero was awake, he'd beat you. You know that, right?"

Duo frowned, "hey, I let him win at 'Go Fish', gimmie a break!"

Trowa was waiting for the others in the lobby. Catherine was standing next to him.

"Hey, Trowa, what's up?" Duo asked.

"What do you know about Julianne Foster?" Trowa demanded with crossed arms.

"All I need to know. She saved Heero."

"Yeah," Hilde put in. "She said she was a detective."

"You're wrong," Trowa said simply, "Her name's not even Julianne Foster. It's Midii Une and she's a spy."

"Oh come on," Duo moaned, "she doesn't look like a spy to me."

"I met her before. She almost got me killed."

"When?" Catherine asked, raising an eyebrow. "How?"

"I met her when I was ten and I was part of a mercenary unit." Trowa informed, "she was just using me to get close to my unit. She got a lot of people killed."

"But Trowa, you've done the same," Hilde said, "you're a gundam pilot."

"She could have gotten me killed. She can't be trusted!"

"She was a ten year old spy?" Catherine mumbled, "What was she doing being a spy?"

"To get money."

"Okay, you're crazy, Trowa," Duo said, shaking his head. "Even if you are saying is true, what makes you think she's going to kill us? That was a long time ago."

"Yeah," Hilde agreed, "I trust her. She said that her partner found Heero."

"And who's her partner anyway?" Trowa added, "he's probably working on an ambush or something."

"She seems harmless to me," Quatre said honestly. "I don't think she'll try anything."

Shocked at what his best friend just said, Trowa turned his head to him. "You don't believe me, Quatre?" Trowa asked.

Quatre frowned, "Trowa, I just meant…."

"Doesn't anyone believe me?" Trowa looked at everyone all their faces.

Everyone was silent.

Trowa walked to Catherine, "you believe me, don’t you sis?"

Catherine sighed, "I-I guess so. You never lied to me before, but you're making this girl sound like she's a cold blooded killer." She rubbed her arms, "I don't think she meant for all those people to get killed."

"I agree with Catherine," Relena said, "accidents happen. But I guess we should keep an eye on her just incase something like that does happen."

"Oh-come-on!" Duo groaned, "why would she save Heero's life and then come to kill all of us? It doesn't make any sense!"

"Fine, believe what you want," Trowa put his hands up as in a form of surrender, "but right now, the bravest one of us all could be laying on his death bed. I'm just acting on my emotions like Heero told us to do." He sighed as he put his hands in his pockets, "you've been warned." He turned around and left who he thought were his best friends in the world.

Dorothy changed out of her blouse and skirt into a red halter top and blue cut-offs. She was barefoot and was sitting outside on the front porch. She wanted to see Heero, but he looked too weak laying in the hospital bed. She couldn’t bear to see him like that. Once a unstoppable man, once a war hero now lay unconscious in a deep sleep. And if he were to wake up, walking would be difficult for him. He wasn’t much of a soldier anymore.

"Hey," a voice said behind her, "don't you want to see Heero?"

"Maybe later."

Footsteps came up behind her. She didn’t need to turn around to see who it was. "Are you all right?"

"Yes."

"You're cold." She felt a hand.

"I'm fine. It's summer."

She heard some rustling and felt something thin around her shoulders. "Here."

"Now you'll get cold."

"Don't worry about me."

"Please leave," she begged.

"We have to talk."

"Quatre, please, just go."

"I’m not leaving you," he reached his hand to her hair. "I love you, Dorothy."

Dorothy swallowed, "I know, but I don't love you."

"I know you don't. But it won't change how I feel about you."

"I need time to think," she whispered, "you're making this hard."

Quatre bent down behind her and put his mouth to her ear, "no, you are. I'm trying to help you but you won't let me. Don't you know I'll do anything for you?"

"I know."

"Then why don't you let me help you?" he asked, "I always wanted to be with you but you keep pushing me away. Have I done something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

Dorothy turned her head to see Quatre's shimmering blue eyes. They looked so sincere. "You don't need me wrecking your life." She said, "I'll only hurt you more than I already have."

"Dorothy, listen," Quatre said, "I am worried about you. Since Heero…"

"Please don't say it. I don't like thinking about it."

"I want to be with you," he whispered into her ear. "I love you."

"Why don't you be with Relena?" she asked, "she loves you."

"Relena does hold a special place in my heart," he admitted, "but she loves Heero," he corrected, "hell, we all love him."

"I love him too," Dorothy murmured, "but I can't stand to see him laying there like that. He's not strong…anymore." Her voice trailed off as she rubbed her eyes with her forearm.

Quatre put his hands on her arms, "It's still Heero. He'll wake up soon and he'll walk again."

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"We need to talk about it," Quatre turned her around. She saw that he was wearing a white tank top. He actually looked strong like Heero. He had a tight chest. His biceps looked big, but not rippling. And she thought he was weak underneath. She saw the outline of four abdominal muscles in the tank top.

"I thought you didn't work out," she whispered. "I never thought you were…"

"Buff?" Quatre said with a shy smile, "well, Dorothy, I have 29 sisters, I got to protect them somehow. Besides, everyone in the Magunac Core are strong enough to twist metal!"

Dorothy looked down.

"It's a joke," Quatre sighed, "but they are a bunch of strong men. I just want to be like them. I look up to those guys."

"I never saw you in a tank top before," she mumbled, "you're always wearing preppy clothes." She smiled shyly. "Don't like the rugged style?"

Quatre blushed, "I got a bit hot."

Dorothy sighed, "Quatre, listen, I don't love you, but I'll always be grateful to you for what you did for me. Your kindness means a lot."

Quatre held her chin, "if you need anything more from me…"

"I'll ask," she said, "I know you'll be there."

"When I left Libra," he began, "I thought I'd never see you again. I wish I stayed to comfort you while you were crying."

"Oh, there was a place you needed to be," she whispered, "don’t worry about it." She stepped forward to erasure him with a little hug. The dark blue thin shirt fell from her shoulders.

This little hug didn't remain as a little hug for long. Quatre's wish to finally hold her in his arms came true and he tightened his arms around her and pulled her close to him. Dorothy was surprised at his reaction but kept her arms around his neck. It felt good to finally be held by someone. She really could have used this on Libra. The little hug became an long, intimate and comforting embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder, her lips brushing against his neck as Quatre laid his head on hers. Sighing, she found herself needing more and reached her hand to his thick blond hair. Loosing himself in the moment, Quatre pushed his hands against her bare back and began rubbing it. He almost began to untie the strings that held the halter top on, but forced himself not to. He remained holding her just like he always wanted to. He was greatly disappointed when they pulled apart.

"I love you," he whispered, "don’t forget that."

Dorothy nodded while Quatre kissed her hand and then he went back inside to leave Dorothy to her thoughts.

Relena went to check up on Heero. She smiled when she saw the chess board laying on the bed board. She picked it up and set it side then pulled the bed board around. Watching him closely, she sat on the edge and took his hand. "Hi," she began warmly. "I hope you can hear me."

Heero was able to breath on his own, but he still had a few machines connected to him. He didn't look much like a war hero now but a dying man. It was breaking her heart to see him like this. It was easier for her to see him in battle than laying on the bed helpless.

"Heero, I want you to get better." She said as she looked at the bandage around his head. "I don't care how, just do it. Be the tough guy you always were. You lived through self detonating once, you can do it again," she said encouragingly, "You're not called the perfect soldier for nothing. I need you Heero, we all need you." She paused to look at his wrist with the IV. She looked at the other machines. Stickers were on his bare chest and stomach. "Heero, can you hear me?"

Heero's chest rose and fell again. Rise and fall, rise and fall. Inhale, exhale.

"You can't, can you?" she looked down, "you never really listened to me anyway." She stood up and began to walk away, when she felt a weak tug on her hand. Heero's hand was still grasped around hers. She looked at him, "Heero?"

Heero's eyes began blinking as he tried to wake up.

"Come on, you can do it," she coached, "wake up, Heero." She sat next to him again and came up close, "Come on, come on." She felt happy tears roll down her eyes.

Heero's eyes felt heavy, but he managed to open them halfway. He looked around the room. He blinked a couple of times.

Relena let out a quick joyful laugh and fell upon his chest, ignoring all the stickers and wires. "You're awake!"

Heero's hands slowly reached up to her arms. He breathed in again and he cupped her chin. He smiled, "You're pretty…"

Relena smiled back. Probably the most honest compliment he ever gave her, "Oh, Heero…"

"What's your name?" he asked innocently.