Author�s Note: I decided that since this one was so short, it would be fine on it�s own. And the award I received from pegasusacc was the Award of Tears,from pegasusacc.I am very proud of that, btw.

STAR�S GAZE

The remaining people at the river�s edge watched Quatre�s still body. It had been hours since they had first placed him in the river�s healing waters, yet he hadn�t moved an inch. All were beginning to finally give in to the inevitable and mourn for their lost comrade, who died so they could live. Each was taking it hard. They hadn�t realized how much Quatre was a part of them, had been for so long. Maybe it was because he was an empath of sorts even where they came from, maybe it was because he was just so friendly and caring. But for whatever the reason, he had made a place in each ones heart, a place that, once gone, could never be filled. All were consumed of thoughts of the past, how he was always there for each of them with something encouraging to say, or a smile and friendship when they needed it most, and how he always tried to keep the team together when they argued. Only now could they understand why he took their fights so hard, and why he hated death and fighting so. Duo wiped tears from his face.

�Damn those snakes,� he muttered wetly, angry and upset at the same time. More tears quickly fell to replace those he�d wiped away. �Of all of us, why him? Why him?� Heero was unable to speak, just pounded the ground with a fist as he wept. He�d been helpless to stop it, and knew it. But that didn�t make him feel any better.

�He was the nicest, gentlest one of us,� Trowa said softly, recalling how Quatre had tried his hardest to make friends when they�d first met. �Always there for all of us. And when he needs us, we couldn�t do a thing!�

�He wasn�t even able to fight for his life,� Wufei said hoarsely around the lump in his throat. �They just killed him outright.� Zatana and Relena just sobbed quietly beside each other, and Zechs just looked at the stars, tears in his eyes, as if asking silently, Are you there now, Quatre? Amongst the stars that you loved so much? I hope you are.

Duo looked at his buddy�s body, and suddenly blinked. He couldn�t be seeing what he thought he was seeing...could he? Nothing had moved anywhere in the area, but something was different. There was something on Quatre�s face. At first he thought it was water from their attempted healing, but he�d long since dried off. As he watched, it ran down his face to vanish into his hair. Could it be...a tear?

Duo sat perfectly still, watching. Heero punched the ground again, and soft sound coming from him. There! There it was again, just coming from Quatre�s eye. It was a tear! But dead people don�t cry. Hope began to raise up within him.

Zatana suddenly straightened up, looking startled. A second later, all felt a wash of warmth, of friendship, that they knew instantly. The pilots and Relena had felt that warmth for years. They all looked at Quatre, who still hadn�t moved. But now they all saw the tears running slowly down his face. That�s when Heero�s hawk eyes caught movement. Quatre was breathing. Heero didn�t dare move for fear that he was seeing things. Then Quatre�s mouth moved.

�Please don�t cry for me like that,� came his soft, kind voice in a whisper. �It breaks my heart when you�re all so upset.� The Gundam pilots, Zechs, Releena, and Zatana all smiled through their tears. Duo wiped away a few more tears that ran down his face, but these were tears of happiness.

�Well,� he said still a little wetly, but with a little more of his usual humor, �we can�t help it. You got to all of us, Poet, even though some of us never really knew it.�

�I knew,� he said softly, eyes still closed. �I always knew, in a way.� Then, his eyes opened. He looked around him, giving each that kind gaze of his.

�You here to stay?� Heero asked roughly.

�Yes. I couldn�t leave just yet.� That got smiles all around, especially as he finished, �I couldn�t leave my friends behind.� Duo put his hand on Quatre�s shoulder gently. So did Heero. Trowa and Wufei just smiled at him. Quatre recalled his earlier doubts about how much he meant to the team. He knew now that there was no reason to even have doubted. He wasn�t weak for his compassionate behavior, or a hindrance to the others. He was among friends, and always would be. As he looked up at the faces of his friends, he saw the stars shining behind them in the heavens. He smiled again, and to his friends it was as if the twinkle that had been gone was back again, that little sparkle like a star that fell and remained forever in his eyes. The Quatre they knew was back.

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Suddenly, a green glow came from the side. All looked over to see an oval of green light standing there. Trowa helped Quatre sit up, since he was a little stiff, as Heero looked the oval over.

�A portal,� Zatana said.

�A what?� Duo echoed. Zatana smiled.

�Looks like you all can go home now.�

�Huh?� Duo questioned. �Go home? But what about the fourth lesson?�

�I guess its been learned already.�

�It has,� said Zana as she appeared to one side of the clearing. �The fourth and final lesson had been learned.�

�Who�d was is?� Wufei asked. Zana smiled.

�I think he knows who he is, and what the lesson was.� The three looked at Trowa, who only shook his head, and--smiled! He actually smiled!

�It wasn�t mine.�

�It was mine,� Quatre said.

�You?� Duo echoed. �But what sort of lesson could you have to learn?�

�That my friends are my friends, and nothing can change that.� He gave each of them a meaningful look. �I was afraid to tell you about my ability, and then I began to think other thoughts, about how I' not as skillful in battle, or as strong, as the rest of you. But seeing how you all were worried about me, and especially what you said, Duo, about never giving up a friend willingly...well, all that, and other things, reminded me that I do have friends who care about me, through the good times and bad.�

�Now what would make you doubt that?� Duo asked him with a brotherly hair ruffle. �You�re the most friendly one of us. And without you, well, we just wouldn't be the team we are.�

�I guess I doubted myself first, because of what I am.�

�That empath thing, huh?� Wufei said. Quatre nodded.

�Yeah, about that,� Duo said. �You�re still gong to have to explain it to me, because even though I heard and felt it, it�s still about as clear as mud to me.� That got a laugh from Quatre.

�Sure thing.�

�And Trowa,� Duo said, �if you were the first one to learn a lesson, what on Earth was it?� Trowa just looked at them with the small smile, the first real smile they�d seen on him ever.

�I learned it from some of the kids soon after we got here: To be myself.� Quatre smiled. He could tell that the lessons learned were all for the better of them all.

�You all had better get back,� Zana said. �Your friends are looking for you right now.�

�As if they�d believe us when we tell them where we were,� Zechs said. �I�m here, and I still can hardly believe it.�

�I think I can help there,� Zatana said. She shouldered her diskman and stood up. �Are you coming or not?�

�You�re going with us?� Quatre asked as he was helped to stand.

�Of course.� She grinned. �They�ll have to believe you it one of the �aliens� you�ve been staying with comes along too. And I�ll be able to get back with my portal creator.� She patted her pocket.

�Well then,� Heero said, standing up. �Lets go.�

The eight stepped out of the portal just inches from where the Gundam pilots had fallen though

originally. It was early night, and they had noticed that someone had set up lights around the Gundams.

Probably Rashid and the Maguanacs, Quatre thought. No one was in sight, however.

�They�re probably looking for us,� Zechs said. �Or at least you five, since you were last seen here.�

�Hello!� Duo yelled. �Anyone here? We�re back!� Quatre had to chuckle. Leave it to Duo to sound as if they had just stepped out for a moment. There was no answer.

�Hmmmm,� Heero mumbled. �I wonder where everyone is? You�d think someone would�ve come looking for us by now.� Quatre searched with his ability, and caught the faintest trace of someone feeling concerned. He soon realized that it Rashid. And in another direction he got emotions from Noin, easily identifiable by how she was worried about Zechs and saying she was going to kill him at the same time.

�They�re looking for us, don�t worry,� he said. �They�re just out of hearing.�

�Well then,� Duo responded with his usual grin, �lets just let them know we�re back.� He hopped up onto the hatch of Deathscythe, went inside and activated it, then remove the suits scythe from its back and turned it on. It formed, glowing green in color.

�If that doesn�t get their attention,� Zatana giggled, �I don�t know what will.� It didn�t take long for the Maguanacs, Rashid, Noin, and Une to return. Upon seeing all of them standing there, all began speaking at once.

�Where were you?�

�What happened, Master Quatre?�

�Why�d you leave your Gundams like that?�

�Is everyone okay?�

�Who�s that with you?� Quatre was hit by a jumble of emotions as well, they were so strongly broadcasted. Relief, confusion, a little irritation, even a touch of curiosity. He had to smile and barely hid a chuckle.

�One question at a time,� he said at last. Even one quit talking long enough for Heero to get in,

�We�ll explain everything, but not here. I don�t want to repeat myself, and I don�t think everyone could hear if we discuss it out here.� Reluctantly they agreed, and began to get ready to hear to Preventer base. Rashid, however, wanted to private word with Quatre.

�Are you sure everything is okay, Master Quatre?�

�Yes, Rashid, everything is fine.� Quatre looked at his friends, who were all acting just like normally. Only now he could sense something different about them all. They had all learned something from their trip to K'Tal. Sure, they all still seemed the same as before they left, with the exception that Wufei and Duo were talking like friends again, but to a full-power empath named Quatre Reberba-Winner, the changes, both in his friends and in himself, were those that made all the difference in the world.

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Author's Post Note: Hehe, made everyone think it was Trowa for a while, huh?I hope so , as that's what I was going for.