C&C is wanted very baddly so tell me what you think, no da?

<Part 1>
 

 Duo walked cautiously to the door of their current safe house. His gun was at the ready as he turned the knob. They weren't expecting anyone but then again, it could be Relena. She always managed to find them at the worst times.

 With that thought the only thing that kept him from firing the moment another being came into view (although shooting Relena would have felt very good), he swung open the door and pointed the gun out. No body was there! "Ok, if one of you guys are trying to play a trick on me. . .! That wasn't fun. . . ny?" A cooing interrupted his threat and he looked down to see a basket with a note pinned to the side. Inside of it was a. . . "A baby?!"

 The American pilot picked up the tiny infant carefully. It's hair was pulled back in a style like Wufei's. It didn't even seem old enough to be weaned! He smoothed it's silky black baby hair and smiled when it giggled at him. "Aww!" He lost his heart then and there. The baby was too cute for words! He nestled it in the crook of his arm and hummed a soft American tune as he picked up the basket and bag that had been left with it and shut the door.
 

 Off in the bushes. A ragged looking woman cried tears of relief. Her grandson  was safe. She might die, no matter which world she went to, but Anja's baby, her grandchild was safe now, and waiting for his mother to come home.
 

 "Mission accomplished." Trowa said a week later in his monotone voice as he entered the house.

 "Hn." Heero agreed.

 Quatre danced lightly around the three pilots that had just gotten home, making sure Trowa was safe and sound.

 Wufei ignored them all and went to his room to meditate.

 "Trowa!" Quatre grabbed the boy's arm, "You won't believe what Duo
found!"

 "A life?"

 The golden boy laughed and they continued talking as Heero walked away
into the room he shared with Duo. He sat down at his lap top and started filling out
the mission forms for their victory. The sound of splashing and Duo's surprised
yelp stopped him. He was on his feet with his gun in hand in an instant barging
into the bathroom. What he saw froze him in his tracks.

 Duo sat in the bathtub with a little baby boy, trying to rinse the child's hair.
His own hair was falling in a freshly washed sheet down his back. Unbound. Heero
had never seen it unbound before.

 "Oi! Heero man! Thank God! Come ‘er and help me would ya?"

 The perfect soldier walked to the bath tub, trying to ignore the fact the only
the chestnut cloud of hair floating around his partner kept him decent. I am a soldier. The perfect soldier. I do not care. I don't!

 "Heero." Duo called him out of his thoughts, "Earth to Heero." Can you hold
this little pooter butt while I rinse the suds off him?"

 "Pooter butt?" He asked.

 Duo shrugged and handed the baby to the stiff Wing pilot.

 Heero knelt by the tub and focused full attention on the baby as Duo shifted
and his smooth, firm rear came into view. When the baby was clean, the American
stood up and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist and took the baby from Heero's hands, wrapping him in a towel too. The perfect soldier could only stare at the sight and pray he didn't get a nosebleed. Duo in only a towel, holding the tiny baby. . . he couldn't explain the feeling in his gut, the hot protective urge he was experiencing, and because he couldn't explain it, he didn't like it. He also didn't like the fact that his body was hardening at the sight of his team mate unclothed. His ‘Male' team mate at that! He offered up a silent thank you to who ever was listening for the fact that he had worn jeans today and not his usual spandex shorts.

 "Isn't he cute Heero?"

 Duo's voice brought him out of his contemplation yet again and he looked
up, "Nani?"

 "Man what is wrong with you today? You act like you aren't all there." Duo
grinned widely, "Not that you ever are, but. . ."

 Heero's low growl stopped him, "Ok ok, sorry!" The American hastily
apologised. He laid the gurgling infant on the bed and carefully dressed it in the
onesy he had found in the diaper bag and tucked it in. It gave a soft little yawn and
snuggled up against his leg. The look on Duo's face caused Heero to hold his breath.
"He's so tiny!" Duo said softly, "I've never seen a human being so tiny before!" The
American smoothed his rough knuckles over the babies cheek, "I want to call him
Trio."

 "Was there a note?"

 "Yeah." Duo looked down at the kid, "It was for Wufei though so I didn't
open it."

 "Hn." Heero sat at the laptop and began to type again.

 "You like that name?" He asked the child. "Trio?"

 The baby was asleep.

 "Sleep tight." Duo whispered and kissed the child's cheek. Then he pulled on
his Pj's and with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and a huge grin on his face, he
pressed his lips to Heero's cheek as well, "You too."

 Heero froze and Duo was sure he had gone to far. He's gonna hit me, this is
gonna hurt.

 "Aa. . . baka." Was all Heero said before he resumed typing.

 Duo's eyes were wide, "You didn't hit me!"

 "You want me to?"

 "No No No, that's ok!" Duo assured him and snuggled down next to the
baby.

 Heero stopped typing after his partners breathing had evened out then
walked over to the bed. So beautiful, He thought, looking down on his partner's
sleeping form. I. . . there's no way he would ever want me. He's so alive and I. . . I am just
a soldier. A killing machine. He deserves better than that. The perfect soldier leaned
down and kissed the sleeping boy's cheek. "Sleep well Duo."
 
 

 The next morning Wufei came storming into the room, "Where is he?!"

 "Huh?" Duo asked sleepily.

 "The baby!"

 The American picked the child up and held it against his chest. "Here, why?"

 Wufei picked the child up in his arms and it opened it's huge eyes and
reached for his face, "Wu-Da." It squealed in glee and hugged the boy's neck.

 "Wu-Da?" Duo was wide awake now.

 "Come into the living room." Wufei told the two, "We need to talk." Then he
took the baby out of the room followed soon after by Duo and Heero. Quatre and
Trowa were already waiting for them when they got there.

 "Well?"

 "The note," Wufei said simply and picked it up and read it. . .
 
 

 Dearest Wufei,

 I know you do not know me yet. But I am this child's Grandmother, Your
child's Grandmother. All I can tell you is that some time in the future you will
travel to the past and meet my daughter by heart. She will have a child with three
fathers. The first is dead, the second is you and the third has turned against her and
me. I can tell you very little only that I am from the past, in a world you don't know.
The third father is waging war with my kingdom and my daughter has gone to kill
him. You are the only one I can turn to. I know this makes no sense but please try to
understand. I will not survive this war. I could be killed. The baby is not safe with me any longer. My daughter will come for the baby if she lives, if not one of her
brothers will hopefully survive. Until then you are the only man I could think of
who I know will take care of little Kuro. Please, trust that someone will come for
him. Even though you have yet to meet me I need to tell you I love you my son, so
does my daughter. Remember me when I am gone. And raise Kuro as well as you
can. We all trust in your strength.

         Love from your mother
           by heart,

                  Lady M
 

 "M?" Heero thought out loud, "Not much to go on."

 "Mookoowo ‘bassan!" The baby giggled and clapped.

 "Lady Mookoowo?" Duo looked confused.

 "Three fathers?" Quatre looked at the bundle of energy in Wufei's arms,
"And you are one of them?"

 "I don't understand either. I would certainly know if I had impregnated a woman.  but the letter said that this," He gestured, "is my child."

 "He does kind of look like you." Duo smiled at the baby.

 "What do you mean by that!"

 "In a good way Wu-man."

 "Don't call me Wu-Man! My name is Wufei."

 The baby giggle, "Ahhhhh! Wu-Da!"

 Duo and Quatre both started laughing.

 "What can we do with him?" Trowa brought them out of their merriment.

 "We could give him to an orphanage for safe keeping." Quatre suggested.

 "If he is my son?!" Wufei looked horrified, "You would have me give my child to strangers?! Where is your honor!?"

 "How do you know that lady wasn't full of bull?" Quatre asked.

 "How did she know where to find us then?" Trowa asked.

 "And how did she know Wufei would be here with us?"

 "She knew too much for this to be a lie. It is only just that I look after my
own son!" Wufei stated then looked at the baby.

 "Wu-Da?"

 "What is this. . . Da?" Quatre asked.

 Duo frowned, "It is American. A term for father used in the western states."

 "So we can guess the mother is an American." Trowa thought.

 "Hai." Duo nodded, "From the west."

 "Doo!" The baby gurgled and reached out to Duo.

 "Hey he said Duo!" He picked the child up and bounced him.

 The kid grabbed Duo's braid then Heero's hand and stuffed the braid into
the surprised boy's fist. "Baka!" He giggled and pulled Duo's bangs, "Doo ‘o
Baka!"

 Duo was shocked. Heero looked down at the braid in his fist and up just in
time to catch to child who had launched himself into the pilot's lap. "Eewo!"

 "Did he just say Heero?"

 "Wawe!" The child giggle, "pi ma oo wawe!"

 "What?" Quatre looked down at the little boy who was crawling to him.

 "I think he said ‘pick me up Quatre.'" Trowa grinned.

 "Wowa!" The boy laughed noticing the last person in the room. "Wowa!
Unny Wowa!"

 "Did he just say funny Trowa?" Duo laughed.

 Trowa held the child and quirked an eyebrow, "He seems to know all of us."

 "Wu-Da! Pa mee oo me Wu-Da!"

 Trowa handed him to Wufei, "I think he said ‘pass me to my Da.'

 Wufei stared at the little bundle who was currently sucking on his shirt and
starring up at him with big green blue gold and black kalidascope eyes. "I have a
child." He looked overwhelmed! "I h. . . have a child!"

 Heero almost looked disappointed. He had wanted Duo to be able to keep the baby. But now that he thought about it, it did look a lot like Wufei. He looked over at Duo and caught Shinigami's pilot staring at him with a weird look in his eyes. "I. . . um. . . I'm going to go now." He said. Duo was worried about the emotion he had caught in Heero's eyes.

 The others all watched him go with surprised faces.

<Part 2>
 

It had been half a year since the baby had come to them. The others listened in amusement as manic laughter issued not from Duo's cockpit alone, but from the
child in Wufei's.

 Kuro had grown fast. Very fast. In fact, it was abnormal! He had aged to the
size of a three year old since they had found him. Wufei had never left the child's
side. He took the role of father to heart and taught the boy everything he could
about justice and honor, and the boy taught them all a few things too. By the end of
the first half year, they had all been changed by the addition of the happy child.

 They had started taking him on missions which would be safe enough for
him. Wufei had built a child's seat into Nataku and the boy loved it. He seamed,
though, to have a lot of Duo's attitude because he loved to move and laugh and
basically bounce off the walls. The only time he was quiet was at sunset and when he slept at night.

 Sun set reminded the boy of his mother, she had always loved the sunsets. And when he was quiet then, each of the pilots wished he would start chattering again.
 

 That night when they got home. Kuro ran toward the trees the minuet the
touched down and climbed to the top of the highest one he could find to watch the
sun fade. His earlier smile was gone.

 "Kuro! Kuro get down from there!" Quatre cried, "You could fall!"

 The little boy slid to sit beneath the maple and sighed.

 "What is wrong?" Wufei asked softly.

 "I miss my kaasan." He said even softer.

 "Do you remember her?" Quatre was surprised.

 "Hai. She was really pretty, with copper hair and eyes like mine only green and brown. She always smiled too, like Duo."

 "What else do you remember?" Heero asked cautiously.

 "She wrapped me up in a blanket." he sniffled, "And put this around my
neck." He picked of the silver and red pendant he wore. "And handed me to
grandma. . . I can't remember her name.  She left to kill the bad man then. And
grandma brought me here to before my Wu-da came to Makai and met kassan. To
keep the bad man away from me."

 "Makai?"

 "Where grandma lived."

 Heero looked up at Wufei, "That is a Japanese word."

 "What does it mean?"

 The pilot shook his head, "It's meaning is long lost to me."

 Kuro was sobbing and Wufei picked him up and hugged him, "Da. . . I
wanna go home!" His sobs became full fledged tears then. "I wanna go home to my
kaasan!"

 "Shh." Wufei tried to sooth him. "You have us. . . and someone will come for you soon."

 "But you don't remember me!" He wailed, "You don't even know my whole
name! You are too young to be my Wu-Da!"

 Wufei looked crushed and Duo tried to calm the child down. When the
wailing was down to sniffles he whispered, "I am sorry Wu-Da, I didn't mean it. I
just miss Kaasan."

 "I know." The Chinese boy said gently, his eyes beginning to tear, "I know."

 They all walked to the latest safe house and went to their appointed rooms.
Each had a lot on their minds that night.
 
 

 After darkness had fallen a shadow leapt through the skylight of the building landing fluidly, without a sound. It crept into the room shared by Trowa and Quatre, then the room shared by Duo and Heero. Heero wasn't there though, only the American. The shadow took note of this then snuck toward Wufei's room. As the door was opened there was a gun pressed to it's slim, curving spine.

 "Don't move." Heero warned.

 The others were up in seconds and the lights were switched on. A very
bloodied, very ragged looking woman stood there, glaring at them. She had ears!
Fox like ears on top of her head and a long bushy tail! She looked as if she had gone
through a battle. Even with Heero's gun pressing into her back she still looked in control.

 "Who are you?!" He demanded.

 She growled low in her throat, "If you would remove your knife Heero Yuy, I
would be more than happy to explain my presence."

 "How did you know my na. . .arrr!" Heero was caught and hung from the
ceiling by a large plant!

 "How did you. . ." Duo looked up in wonder.

 Trowa moved to grab he but found his feet caught in place by mutated blades of grass, As were the others.

 Heero wriggled until his mouth was uncovered, "You're a. . ."

 "Youko." She finished turning bored but shining eyes upon him, "A fox
spirit."

 "Your eyes!" Duo gasped.

 She turned to him without expression, "Yes Duo?"

 "How do you know us?" Quatre asked.

 She glanced around and made the plants release them, "I met you in my past.
Your future. Your future selves live in my time now."

 Heero stood and reached for his gun but the Youko pulled a seed from her
hair, "briar whip!" She commanded and a long, thorned whip lashed out then curled at her feet. "My brother taught me that one." She smiled, "He uses a rose."

 Heero looked at his hand, the gun was gone!

 She swayed a little on her feet, obviously feeling her wounds. Blood had
gathered on the floor which meant she was still bleeding.

 "M. . . momma!" Wufei had come out of his room with Kuro and the boy
jerked away from his father running to the Youko.

 "Kuro wait!"

 The fox demon fell to her knees on the floor, crushing the child to her chest as tears ran out of her eyes, "Kuro! Ah my little Kuronue! I missed you so much!"

 "Kuronue?" The five boys asked.

 "Hai." She smiled, "His name is Kuronue." She grinned showing her fangs.

 "Kaasan I thought you were dead!" The little boy sobbed.

 "Ah Kuro, you know I wouldn't leave you." She smiled softly and smoothed
his hair lovingly, "You've grown so big!"

 "Hai kaasan, and I learned a lot!"

 "Oh Hai?"

 He nodded and she hugged him close again then staggered a little.

 "Kaasan?" He asked worried.

 She collapsed to the floor.

 "Momma!"

 Wufei picked the fox woman up and laid her on his bed carefully. "Get the
first aid kit!"

 "Momma?"

 "I. . . I'm all right my lovely." She smiled softly at him, but weakly, "The bad
man is gone. He can't hurt us any m. . ."

 "Kaasan! Momma! Wake up!"

 "Shh." Wufei calmed him, "She is only sleeping."

 "Kaasan." He sniffed.

 The boys all worked cleaning and dressing her wounds, then they dressed her
in some of Wufei's boxers and one of his T-shirts. She was still unconcious.

 "She will be ok. . . right Wu-Da?" Kuro asked worriedly.

 "We can only wait." Wufei frowned, "and pray."

 She tossed and turned in her sleep, "Kuronue!"

 Kuro climbed into bed beside his kaasan and cuddled up to her side, "I am
here kaasan." He promised, "Right here."

 "Wufei!"

 The Chinese boy did the same on her other side and she hugged them both to
her before she would rest easily.

 "Kaasan." Kuronue kissed her shoulder and sighed, "Please be better."

 Wufei silently prayed the same. He was intrigued by this Youko, and wanted
to know more about her.

 As the night aged on, in her dreams she fought her enemy all over again crying out as he fell. She had not vanquished an enemy that day, but had lost a piece of her soul. "Shura! What have I done! Please! Don't leave me! Kuronue don't go!"
Her thrashing awakened her little boy and Wufei sent him to sleep with Trowa and Quatre as he bathed the Fox woman's forehead and hot skin, trying to bring her fever down.
 
 "No! Stay back! Yomi!" She growled, "Kisama! You killed him! You hurt everyone I care about! Momma! Argh! No! Madre! Mis hermanos! Padre! No! No vos matein!"

 Trowa stood leaning on the door frame. "Spanish."
 
 "Huh?" Wufei looked up from where he had been patting down her fever heated skin.
 
 "That language she's switched to. It's Spanish."

 "So we were not right about the western states?"

 "We were right, south western states spoke Spanish and English around the twenty first century AD."

 "What is she?"

 "A puzzle." Trowa shrugged.

 Wufei nodded and went back to cooling her, "And I will marry her."
 
 "Look at her hand."
 
 The boy looked then glanced at his team mate. "What?"
 
 "Exactly. No ring. You didn't marry her."

 "I am not so without honor!" He frowned, "It is a cowardly thing to do!"

 Trowa shrugged again and turned to leave.

 Wufei looked down at the girl thrashing and moaning in his bed. In pain, not the pleasure she deserved. Where was I when this happened to you? He thought. Why couldn't I protect you?
 
 She jerked to the side and moaned, "Kuronue! No! Kuronue mi amor! Koi don't leave!"

 The Chinese boy sighed, "So he is named after the first of his three fathers."

 "Shura!" She broke down sobbing, "What have I done!?"
 

 Duo listened to the crying and pressed closer to Heero. He was amazed that
the other boy didn't pull away, instead he hugged him closer and they slept like that
all night. Drawing off of each other's strength to block out their fears and the sound of the Youko woman's pain.

<Part 3>
 

When she woke up the first thing she noticed was the pain. It shot through her body like lightning and she arched her back and growled in shock.

 "Shh." Someone pressed and damp cloth to her head and held her hand. "It's ok."

 "Wu-chan?" She said softly and fought to open her eyes to see him.

 "Hai."

 He smiled softly down at her and she raised one hand to trace his cheek. "You look the same." She smiled as far as her split lip allowed, "You still look the same."

 He searched her face and covered her hand with his over his cheek, "Who are
you woman?"

 "Anja." She lay back on the pillows, exhausted by even just talking, "Youko
Anja."

 "Momma?" Kuro ran into the room, "kaasan you're awake!" He jumped up
on the bed and a slight sound of pain escaped the woman's lips as the cushion bounced against her wounds.

 "Hai Kuronue. She breathed, "How are you?"

 "I am a big boy now!"

 She chuckled, "Hai. You have grown."

 "Momma?"

 "Hm?"

 "Why don't you heal yourself, like you heeled my booboos?"

 "Mommy can't heal herself little one. It doesn't work that way."

 "Can I heal you?"

 "You can try." She smiled, "Put your hands on me and consentraite.

   The boy did as he was instructed.

 "Now listen, do you hear a song in the air?"

 "H. . . hai!"

 "It is broken, ne?"

 "Hai kassan."

 "Try to make it whole again."

 The boy listened carefully. He pieced together the notes and slowed or sped
the tempo and worked with the song until it sounded more whole. "Kassan?"

 "Hai?"

 "I can see your life web, can I just mend it?"

 "If you can see it, you can try."

 He did, and Wufei watched in amazement as the injuries scabbed over and
healed and the scars faded a little. When the boy was through she sat up and
stretched then pulled her child into her arms. "Excellent Kuro! You are a born
healer."

 Kuronue smiled and glomped onto his mother, "Never leave me again!"

 She smiled and nodded, "I will try not to, my kit."

 The little one looked up warily, "Promise!" He demanded.

 "Cross my heart and hope to cry."

 She turned her golden tanned skinned face to Wufei and blinked, "I need to
regain my ki. May we stay for a little while longer?"

 "Hai." He nodded, he couldn't stop looking at her.

 "He looks at you just like back home!" Kuro giggled.

 Anja blushed and playfully pounced on her kit and the two of them tumble to
the ground tugging and tickling. Kuro was surrounded by a shimmery mist and
when it left, he had ears and a tail just like his mother, he was a little taller too, with
less baby fat and more muscle. The two foxes Wrestled around until Anja went into
a completely fox form. Her kit followed and Wufei yelled as the to yipped at each
other and raced over his lap and up his back.

 The team rushed in. "Wufei! What's wrong?" Trowa asked.

 The Chinese boy fished into his tunic and pulled out a fox pup by the scruff
of it's neck.

 The four boys stared as another fox, this one with multiple tails, leapt from behind Wufei and knocked the pup from the boy's hand landing in a mess of tails and fur.

 "What are those?" Duo asked.

 "And where is the Youko?" Quatre pointed to the bed.

 Heero picked the two foxes up and held them apart. "They are foxes, a
copper/gold and a silver/black and this. . ." He held the copper toned on out, "Is the
Youko."

 The girl transformed and yelped as Heero's grip on her scruff hurt her
human neck.

 The boys all blushed and turned around.

 "Wha. . ." She looked at her clothes laying across the room. "Oh!"

 Her kit fetched them for her and she sighed, "Ok, I'm decent."

 They turned and stared. This wasn't the fox lady but a human girl! She had
shimmering copper hair that fell past the small of her back, her breasts were larger
and her curves softer. Her eyes were the same though, a kalidoscope of greens and
browns. She wore a clawed ring on her middle finger left hand, and had a tattoo of a
bat curling around her right. Her ears were pierced countless times. Around her
neck she wore a tiny bat pendant, a claw necklace, and a choker with a dragon talon
shaped pendant falling into the hollow of her neck. Her left thumb sported two
wedding bands welded together.

 "You. . . you're human!"

 "Not really, not anymore, Inari blessed me." She gave a gracefully sweeping
bow. "Anja Nightwind at your service. I haven't got the ki to open the time gate
now, may I and my kit shelter here?"

 "Well duh!" Duo nodded, "You're Wufie's future bride right?"

 Anja grinned lopsidedly and held up her bare ring finger, "Actually, . . . we
aren't married."

     "Wu-Man! How could you!"

 Anja grinned wider, "It's hard to court a girl who's brothers are a Youko, a
fire demon/koorime, and reikai detectives. It doesn't make it any easier when her
mother by heart is a Makai warlord."

 "Makai." Trowa said, "That is the second time I have hear that, what is it?"

 Anja shrugged, "The demon world."

 Quatre fainted.

 "Well I see it still has the same affect on him. At least he didn't vomit this
time."

 "What?"

 "When you come to Makai in my time, he sees a fight, I behead a demon who
was going to use him for a snack, and he retches when I lick the blood off my sword.
Hn. Go figure, I think it tasted good."

 The others looked at her like she was insane.

 "What?"

 "Your American aren't you." Heero said.

 "Well Duh!"

 Everyone groaned.

 "Kaasan? Kaasan?"

 She knelt by her little boy, "Hai kuro-chan?"

 "I'm hungry."

 Anja smiled, "You guys want to go out to eat?"

 "Your money probably isn't good here." Quatre pointed out.

 Anja pulled a pouch from her hair, "I think Gold it accepted everywhere."
She grinned wider, "Yo quiero Taco Bell!"

 Her son whooped and they both started singing, "Make a run for the border!
Yo quiero Taco Bell!"

 The Gundam boys sweatdropped.

 Anja stopped and turned to the boys, "Well?"

 They all looked at her outfit then back at her face.

 "Oh! Can I borrow some clothes?"

 When she walked back into the room they all stared, she wore a pair of Duo's
skin tight black jeans and his extra black boots, and one of Quatre's ruffled shirts
first three buttons undone left it hanging open barely covering her chest. She wasn't
wearing a bra. Her hair was braided but some errant strands had escaped and swept
around her face, she had wrapped a black kerchief of Trowa's around her forehead
and one of Heero's sheathes hung loosely on her hips cradling a wicked looking
blade.

 "What, nothing of Wufei?" Duo snickered.

 Anja grinned wickedly, well. . ." She licked her lower lip slowly, "I needed
underwear didn't I? Thanks Wufei, I think I look better in the black ones than you
do."

 The poor Chinese boy suffered a massive nosebleed and Anja laughed and
picked up their son. "Que tu quieres?" She asked.

 "Taco bell!" He giggled and with a swing of tightly clad hips she walked out
the door.
 
 

 Relena never knew what to expect when she found Heero Yuy, but this was
too much! They five boys walk down the street with a girl who looked like a street
tramp who held a giggling child on her shoulders and chattered away a match even
for Duo's incessant talking.

 The queen of the world waited until they had entered the local Taco Bell then
straitened her outfit and followed.

 "What do ya want pooter butt?" Anja asked the giggling kit on her shoulders.

 "Beans and cheese! Nachos!"
 
 "Now see, that's why your a pooter butt, all those beans." She smiled at the drooling cashier, "A childs nacho and pintos and cheese without the sauce, and I would like. . . hello?" She waved a hand in front of his face, "Earth to cashier. . ." She quirked up her lips questioningly when he didn't answer her. "Yo Dude!!" She screamed.

 "Huh?!" The boy jumped.

 "Finally, we'll have beans and cheese without the sauce, a kids nacho, and a
nacho bell grande without any meat." She turned to the others, "What do you want?"

 They all ordered and then moved to find a seat.

 "Oi Heero!"

 "Oh no." Heero tried to dissapear behind Duo.

 "Who is that?" Anja asked.

 "Relena-sama." Quatre whispered, "She won't leave Heero alone, she's
obsessed."

 "So that is Relena."Anja looked up at the woman approaching them, her large eyes calculating.

 "Um, that comes too. . ." The man started.

 "I have it minna-san." Relena smiled putting the money on the counter, "You
can hardly afford to go out like this.

 That pissed Anja off. She had been poor most of her life, at least before
Kuronue had come to her, and she hated condescending rich bitches."

 "Were you given lessons on being an insensitive bitch?" She asked sweetly,
"Or is it just natural for you?"

 Relena gasped, "Do you have any idea who I am?!"

 "The way you act the Queen of the world."

 "As A matter of fact I am!"

 Anja gave a sad frown, "How sad that we've come to this."

 Relena was almost sputtering.

 "Hun, close your mouth before you catch a fly."

 Relena shrieked.

 Anja sauntered over to the counter and pained then shoved Relena's money
back into her pocket, pushing the girl down almost to her knees with her force and
glarring with cold eyes at the girl, "Thank's but don't bother." Then she stood strait
and turned to the pilots plucking Kuro from her shoulders and settling him on
Wufei's, "Well chibi-kuns shall we?" She picked up the two food trays one in each
hand and manuvered her way to the table.

 Relena ‘accidently' tripped her. "Oops." She grinned.

 The grin was short lived, Anja twisted on the way down and caught one tray
on her knee, the other on her free hand, "Whew! Close one!" She laughed. "I swear
your ditz-ness, you have BIG feat!"

 The queen of the world glared at her and Anja smiled, "Hey, I was only
joshin' ya." She chuckled, "Come on, join us."

 Heero looked at Anja and shook his head but Duo slid into the booth beside
the Wing pilot, effectively trapping him in. Quatre and Trowa sat beside the two
and Wufie slid in next, Anja sat beside him, the four year old on her lap. Relena
couldn't graciously say no so she ordered and slid in by the grinning girl.

 "What a. . . cute baby." Relena commented softly.

 "Isn't he?" Anja smiled and tickled her son.

 Relena snatched the child onto her lap, "Come to auntie Relena."

 Everyone found the rest of the meal very amusing. Obviously Relena didn't
understand the eating habits of a three year old child. Most of Kuro's meal ended up on her dress.

 Anja leaned against Wufei, took a nacho from his plate and fed it to him.

 Wufei looked surprised but smiled and scooped up one of Anja's nachos then
slipped it into her mouth. She pulled his fingers in with it and suckled the cheese
from them. Trowa and Quatre were behaving in a similar, loving manner as they
shared their drink.

 Duo looked longingly at Heero and the Japanese pilot flushed, What is
happening to me? He looked at the couples. I wish Duo and I were like that. . . No! I'm a
soldier! I don't need this!

 The American boy smiled a small smile and turned back to his own plate. I wish Heero and I were like that.

 Relena whimpered and picked the child up off of her lap looking at her
ruined dress then at Anja. "Look what that brat did!"

 Anja, who was now sitting on Wufei's lap feeding him playfully, turned to the
irrate woman and then looked at her dress. The annoyance on her face cracked and
she dissolved into a fit of laughter, "Ah! Relena you look ridiculous!"

 "Ohhh!!!" The queen of the world stood up and sneered down at them, "Who
is she?!"

 "Relena this is Anja." Heero introduced.

 "Wu-man's girl friend!" Duo added.

 Anja smiled broadly and kissed Wufei full on the lips before he could answer
to that.

 The blond woman glared at the child, "And who's is that thing?!"

 The Youko/human looked up then, very protective of her loved ones. "That
happens to be my son." She said with a dangerous fire in her eyes. "Not a thing."

 "The simpleton ruined my dress!"

 Anja'a claw was at the girls throat in a millisecond. "My son is not a
simpleton. If anyone deserves that title it is you. Never. . . Ever. . . insult my family
or I will introduce you to Hell first hand up close and personal and you wont ever
forget it do you understand me?"

 "Anja? Anja. That's our boss man!" Duo tried to get out from his place
between the other boys.

 "I said do you understand!"

 Relena's cheeks were wet with tears of fear, "Hai."

 Anja took her hand away and gathered up her child, "Apologize to him."

 "But I. . ."

 "NOW!!!"

 "I am sorry." Relena said quietly.

 "Kekko desu." Anja smiled, the rage replaced with the careless smile once
again. "Guy's I'm going to hightail it ok? Kuro needs some momma time. See ya."

 They all watched her back as she left the restraunt then turned to Relena,
"You were out of line." Trowa said simply.

 "Yeah man." Duo seconded, "I mean she didn't have to react like that, but
first basically calling us poor and then insulting the kid for only doing what kids
do. You took him from her in the first place."

 Relena bit her lip and looked at Heero who looked away with a, "Hn."

 "Oh." Relena turned to walk out but the moment she was out of sight, Anja
pounced. "What the. . ."

 The now Youko Anja blew a handful of pollen into the blond girls face then
placed her in the back of her car, "When you awake, you will know me naught." She
smiled then changed human again.

 "Why did you do that momma?"

 "We can't be messing with time now can we? It won't hurt her, she'll just,
forget."

 "A brain fart!" The child giggled copying one of her brother, Kuwabara,'s
phrases.

 "You remember that carrot top?!"

 "He's funny!"

 Anja laughed. "Hai, he is isn't he."

 Kuro nodded and she took his hand and led him back to the house.

<Past 4>
 

"Anja?" Wufei asked quietly as they stood together in the moonlight.

 "Nani Wu-chan?"

 "I. . . I mean. . . you. . ."

 "Shh." She grinned and covered his mouth with her hand, then slid on of the silver
and turquoise bands from her thumb. She slid it carefully onto Wufei's ring finger
then kissed his hand tenderly.

 "What is this?"

 "It was my father's and mother's. I put them together into one after they died."
She smiled and smoothed his sleek hair back from his face. She motioned to her
own hand. "Indian wedding bands."

 "Are you proposing to me?" Wufei chuckled.

 "Na, I'm just saying goodbye."

 "Wha. . ."

 Anja was gone before he could finish his word. Gone in a flurry of fluffy, fox tails
and glittering fog.

 "I hate it when she does that!"
 
 

 When they returned to the house from a mission the next day, Anja was back in
her fox form and packing up little Kuro's bag.

 "What are you doing?" Wufei asked, trying to keep his voice level. He knew what
she was doing, and her next words confirmed it.

 "My ki is up again. It has been for a while but I've been putting it off. We have to
go home." She looked up at them, her slit, foxy eyes calm and blank, "Kuro and I
have to see what is left of Shura's holdings, they are mine now since I killed him.
And we have to find out who is left. How many loved ones died this time."

 "Where is the squirt?" Duo asked, trying not to betray his hurt. He would miss the
other American.

 "I put him down for a nap in Wufei's room."

 The pilot nodded. His violet eyes seemed to plead with her, No more goodbyes.

 "Hey, you know we'll meet again Hai? Remember me and my family will save
your cute little butts when this war here ends and you fall into the time warp. "It
isn't like this is goodbye." She hugged the American and smiled, "It's just
goodnight. ok?"

 Duo nodded but then left the room before his smile could slip.

 Heero looked after him and then to Anja.

 Anja smiled, "You'll miss me, I know."

 Heero gave a half grin and followed Duo.

 Trowa shook her hand for his goodbye but Quatre threw his arms around her,
"We will all miss you."

 "Hai." She smiled, "I will miss you too, but when I go back home, you will be
there waiting for me."

 The two boys left and Anja turned to Wufei.

 "I do not want you to leave."

 "I know."

 "There is no justice." He frowned and ran his palm over her cheek, "I finally find
you and then you leave again."

 "But not for too long."

 "It will seem like eternity."

 She smiled and leaned into his chest, her hands flat against the sinewy muscle there. Her cheek rested upon his shoulder.

 WuFei wrapped her tight in his arms and then tighter still. He buried his face in
her soft hair and breathed in her wild scent. "Stay."

 She smiled softly, "And leave the future you all alone?"

 "I don't care."

 "You will when you become him."

 "I. . . I love you." He said in a whisper, "Has the future me ever told you that?"

 "Yes, and he will say it many more times too."

 "How are you so sure?"

 "Because he is you." Her smile turned sad and she reached into her hair and
pulled out an odd flower, like a large poppy.

 "Wha. . ."

 She blew the polen into his face and he collapsed in her arms. The Youko lay him
softly on the couch and kissed each closed eye. "You will not remember my child
or myself when you awaken."

 "Momma?" Kuro looked down at the sleeping boy.

 "He can't remember Kuro, it would change time." She walked into the other's
rooms and did the same to each of them then picked up her son's bag and walked
away. Out of that time and world.
 
 

 When she stepped into the Makai with her son, Wufei was slouched asleep in the
chair beside the time portal. Waiting for them no doubt. Anja walked up to him
and kissed his lips lightly. "Wake-y Wake-y, Rise and Shine."

 The boy opened his eyes reluctantly but hen he saw it was Anja, he almost
crushed her in his embrace.

 "I guess you missed me." She smiled impishly.

 "Aa." He agreed, bringing her mouth down upon his in a much deeper kiss. She
collapsed onto his lap and kissed back with gusto. Kuro's giggle broke them apart.

 "What?" Anja looked at him with a funny expression.

 "You looked like you were eating each other!" He giggled.

 From the shadows a light chuckle was heard and Mukuro and Hiei stepped
forward, "An apt description." The lady smiled.

 Anja just wiggled her eyebrows and pulled Wufei closer. "In the words of my
quite articulate brother. . . Mine!"

 Kurama laughed as he entered the room with the others following behind. "Up to
your tricks already Anja?"

 She nodded energetically then kissed him again. "Mmm! Missed you!"

 ". . ." Wulfei was slightly dazed.

 Yuusuke and Kuwabara laughed and the Chinese pilot glared at them.

 Anja bit his ear and he turned back to her, "Everyone ok?"

 "Hai." He slid her off of his lap and stood, holding her close. His hand moved to
his finger and he slipped a ring from it and placed it upon hers.

 Anja looked down, it was her mother's wedding ring! Wufei wore her fathers on
his own hand. ". . . how?"

 "You left them with me in the future." He looked down at her lovingly, "I never
knew who's they were or how I got them until it hit me just now. I remember now,
everything."

 "Wu-chan? My dragon?"

 "Wo ai ni, ah Anja." He said in a hushed tone, "I love you." then he kissed her,
and the rest of the world went away. All that mattered was them. They were
together again.
 
 

 Back on L4 Duo Eeped and ran through the house, dodging furniture and
screaming as a very angry Wufei chased him.

 "Maxwell! Stand still so I can kill you!"

 "Heero! Help!"

 "I will kill you for what you did to Nataku!"

 "Wu I swear I. . . EEP!" He ducked a punch and ran to hide behind th others. "I
swear man I didn't do it! I swear! Honest! Cripes!" He jumped and ran as Wufei
reached for him again.

 "Get back here!"

 "M~a~n!  He~erooooooo! Help!"

 The other pilots listen to the sudden silence with worry Duo's cry broke it.

 "Itaitaitaitaitai! Not the braid! Not the braid!"

 Heero charged over the hill that hid them from view, "No body pulls the braid but
me!"

 "But he. . . !"

 "I swear Wu! I didn't put that baby seat in Nataku!"
 

~Owari~