"Omae o korosu." Heero growled before hitting the braided pilot as hard as he could before turning andwalking away.

Having lost his ability to cry long ago Duo clutched the side of his face as he watched Heero walk away. Anguish ripped through him, tearing at his soul. He picked himself up off the ground and turned away.

'serves me right,' he thought. 'I should have learned my lesson when the Maxwell Church was destroyed. I am not worthy of happiness and love.'

The future was looking very grim.

***************

Heero cursed himself, 'I am so stupid!' He knew he shouldn't have hit the braided baka. He loved Duo with all his being, he was only angry that the Deathsythe pilot could wreck all his barriers and destroy all histraining with four words.

"I have got to tell him. I have to apologize!" He turned and ran back into the room where Duo had confessed his love, but it was empty. Feeling a bit frantic he ran toward Duo's room, only to find it completely bare, all the pilots belongings were gone. He was about to run out of the room when a voice from across the hall caught his attention.

"Looking for Duo aren't you?"

Heero turned to see WuFei staring at him with amixture of pity and anger.

"Where is he WuFei?"

"He left, you really hurt him Heero. He told me to tell everyone he was sorry for leaving so abruptly and ruining our last weekend together."

"I have to find him."

"Yuy, you won't find him unless he wants to be found. He is good at what he does."

"I have to try." Heero sped past the Chinese pilot to find his laptop. Once he booted it up he would be ableto start running searches.

'Please, let me find him.'

****************

4 years after the Marimaya War

"Quatra!"

Quatra Winner turned at the sound of his sister Aya'svoice.

"Quatra, we have everything ready for your 20th Birthday! We managed to find Heero Yuy and WuFei Chang for you, but no sign of Duo Maxwell. I am sorry, I know you and Trowa were looking forward to seeing themall again."

He smiled reassuringly, "It's okay Aya, Duo has been missing for four years. We have all looked for him and not even we gundum pilots could find him."

"I'm sorry Qu. Oh! You know that new singer from L2 Donna has been trying to secure for three months? Well, we got him! Apparently when he found out who wanted him to perform he called Donna and told her himself he would be honored to perform for the head ofthe Winner family."

Quatra shook his head, "What was this guys nameagain?"

Aya rolled her eyes at him, "I keep forgetting you hate rock. He is Aden Churchill, the biggest singing sensation on L2 or the entire galaxy for that matter."

"Thank you for going through so much trouble for me."

Aya waved it off, "Your our baby brother, we have to do something special for your 20th birthday."

Quatra laughed, "Baby brother, Aya, your only a yearolder than I am."

"Don't get technical. You and Trowa just show up andhave fun."

As she walked away Quatra's smile turned sad. He felt a hand touch his shoulder and knew immediately it wasthe touch of his lover.

"Your thinking about Duo again."

Quatra sighed, "Yes. Trowa do you think he's okay?"

Trowa put his arms around the petite blond, "He's Shinigami remember? Death cannot die."

He snuggled into Trowa's chest, "But who knows how much suffering he can go through, especially whilethinking Heero hates him."

Trowa kissed the top of his head, "We'll find him one day angel. We haven't stopped looking in four years,were not going to stop now."

"Thank you Trowa."

*****************

Duo Maxwell took a sip of the drink he was nursing, "So Quatra is having a 20th huh? I guess that will be a good a time as any to come back. I have gotten over Heero, I won't be affected when I see him. I don'tlove him anymore."

He tried to ignore that little voice inside him thatwas whispering, 'liar.'

*******************

Aya stepped onto the stage of the ballroom in which Quatra was celebrating his birthday to address thecrowd.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, in honor of Quatra's birthday my sisters and I have arranged a treat. We, with a little help from god, managed to secure Aden Churchill as our musical guest! So here he is, singing his newsong, Friendship."

She stepped off the stage and the room went dark with the exception of two spotlights. A figure stepped on stage, his back to the lights so his face could not be seen. The music started, a slow melody that calmed the audience and soothed the soul.

Love comes
And love goes
But friendship never dies

The lights turned on once more and four gasps peeledthrough the air.

Through the sands of time
Over the wasted land

We'll be together til the end

When you have need of me
Just call my name

Cause love comes
And love goes
But friendship never dies
hrough the sands of time
Over wasted land
We'll be together til the end

The memories come back
We could never claim to be a child
Suffering brought us together
Victory closer still
And even when you can't see me
Im watching over you

Cause love comes
And love goes
But friendship never dies
hrough the sands of time
Over wasted land
We'll be together til the end

Cause love comes
And love goesBut friendship�never�.dies

As the last strains of the melody faded, applause filled the air and four boys made their way to thestage.

"Duo!" Was shouted simultaneously as they jumped up to join him. Quatra hugged him tightly as WuFei clapped his back. With a puzzled looks on their faces the audience watches the scene. Aya comes up to inspect.

"Qu, what's going on?"

Quatra laughed, tears falling down his face, "Aya,this is Duo Maxwell."

Her eyes widened and the audience winced at her shrill exclamation, "Aden Churchill is your old war buddy Duo Maxwell, the one we couldn't find?!" She turned and left, looking slightly dazed and muttering something about "under our noses the whole time!" and "No wonder he jumped at the chance."

Heero stepped forward and grabbed Duo's hand, "Duo, wegotta talk."

Duo gulped, but consented. After promising to come back in a few minutes he left with Heero.

**************

'He's back!' Heero's mind screamed at him, 'but has his feelings changed? Will he forgive me?'

"It's been a while Heero." 'God that voice,' Heero thought. 'It's been so long since I last heard it.'

"I guess now I know why I couldn't find you." He said calmly and watched as Duo's eyes widened in shock. 'Could he be anymore beautiful? His violet eyes, will they ever shine for me again?'

"You looked for me? Why?" Duo looked genuinelypuzzled.

"Because I am an idiot. I threw away the most beautiful gift I was ever offered when I wanted itmore than I wanted to breath."

"Heero?"

'It's now or never Heero. Just tell him now what youtold yourself then.' "I love you Duo, always have, always will. I hit you that day because I was angry. Not at you really, but at myself. That was the day I realized I could never be the perfect soldier, not when all my training and defenses we shot all to hell with only four words. 'I love you Heero.' That�s all it took for my emotions to break their bonds and come to the surface."

He cupped Duo's chin, "I love you Duo, please forgive me, say this didn't come to late."

******************

For the first time in 15 years, Duo Maxwell cried. He watched as fear and helplessness overcame the one heloved so much.

"Duo I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please don't cry, illleave if you want me to."

Duo choked out a laugh, "You leave me again and illshoot you."

Relief filled the cobalt eyes staring at him, "I didn't leave the first time, that was your doing."

"Yeah well�"

Heero swept Duo into his arms and stared down at him, "Tell me you love me Duo, say the words."

Duo cupped his love's face and lightly kissed him, "Ilove you Spandex Boy."

"And I you Shinigami."

"Well it's about time!"

The two lovers turned to see their three friends standing in the doorway smiling at them. WuFei took astep forward.

Everyone laughed before returning to the party, but this time something was different. The people laughed more easily, smiled more often, and the spirits seemed higher somehow. Perhaps love affects more than just two people. Maybe it radiates, creating waves of happiness which anyone and everyone can feel. What doyou think?

Setsuna- So what did you think? Please! I needFeedback! It helps me to survive!