“Where is the girl?” Wufei yelled as he stormed through the doors.

Heero looked up from what he was reading and shrugged carelessly.

To the horror of Quatre’s staff the young Chinese man had spent the morning searching through the entire house and surrounding grounds. He marched through the halls scowling at everyone in sight and demanding to know where Mouse was; no one could answer his question.

Yuy’s nonchalant attitude vexed him; Chang still believed the brunette need to be under constant supervision. A call from the Preventers bureau earlier that day informed him that an attempt on Lady Une’s life had been made. If this organization had the power to try such a move it was possible they could find the girl. The threat on her life only seemed small at first but as the days went by everyone involved became more aware of the danger. As more information on the organization was revealed the boys began to understand a little more about Lady Une’s concerns. Mouse had still revealed nothing about her past; they still knew nothing about the girl they were assigned to protect.

A third party walked into the room and surveyed the scene before him; he wore a serious expression and spoke deliberately to the raven-haired man, “Quatre’s secretary is crying,” he glared even more ferociously at Chang, “What did you do, Wufei?”

“Nothing,” he answered and added, “I only asked her where Mouse was.”

“She’s probably somewhere with Relena, Why?” the American asked, “Are you upset because she didn’t invite you?”

Duo’s worry-about-it-when-it-happens philosophy was getting on Wufei’s nerves; “Do you take anything seriously?”

Maxwell retorted, “Do you ever let anyone have fun?”

Wufei scowled at the braided man. Duo shrugged his shoulders and spun around quickly, his braid whipping out behind him, only inches away from hitting Chang in the face.

Heero stood up and approached the infuriated Chinese man, a somewhat mocking smile on his face, “Trowa is with them.”

“They tried to kill Lady Une,” Wufei said.

Yuy said nothing. In his mind he went over all the information gathered, but the goal of this bold move evaded him.

Someone at the door interrupted his thoughts, the two young men ventured to the front corridor to see who had knocked. They saw the young woman enter and walk past the servant at the door. Her platinum blond hair was pulled over one shoulder; she jerked her head to the side pulling the long yellow tresses with it, allowing the strands to cascade down her back. With a coquettish smirk she turned to Wufei and asked, “Do you know where Quatre is?”

Quatre? He faltered under the scrutinization of the Dorothy’s cold gaze. Chang hadn’t even noticed the young Arabian was missing. In his search for Mouse he had stopped at the other mans office, where had he questioned Winner’s sister, a petite women who adored her brother and worked diligently as his secretary, but Wufei did not go in to see if Quatre was there.

She smiled again, excused herself and walked down the hall toward Quatre’s office. Wufei listed to the click of her pumps on the tile flooring grow quieter, when he heard the soft sound of a door closing he asked Heero, “What is she doing here?”

“Don’t know,” Heero answered and added, “Quatre’s not expecting her, yet.” Heero left Wufei there without any further explanation.

As the Chinese man glared in the direction in which the blond woman had retreated, he wondered what the motive behind this unexpected visit was. He couldn’t help thinking that Dorothy was up to something; she never did anything unintentionally. Wufei stepped outside; his feet fell upon the cobblestone garden paths as he walked. The cool breeze at any other time would have calmed him, but today his mind was somewhere else. Activities thousands of miles away troubled him; the assignment to protect the only person who might know what was happening plagued his thoughts. A mission to guard a girl who had mastered the art of disappearance, a mission to protect a girl who quickly made friends with the only other person he knew to have mastered that same art.

Preventer Chang contacted Wind nothing had changed; the group was still untraceable. He decided to take his frustration out on the punching bag. Wufei skillfully maneuvered his body, delivering blow after blow to the defenseless object. Beads of perspiration formed on his brow and chest as he intensified the workout. His legs swiftly cut through the air as he performed several powerful kicks. He stood there motionless for a few seconds debating on what to do next. The sound of clapping hit his ears, the muscles in his shoulder tensed and he turned around.

“Bravo.” Dorothy said, “Excellent display of skill and what a powerful technique.”

“What do you want?” Wufei merely grunted.

She smiled and flipped her hair; “It seems that everyone is back from their excursion.”

Dorothy and Wufei met everyone in the front of the house.

“Miss Catalonia,” Quatre beamed, only a little shocked that she was there.

“Hey guys!” Duo exclaimed as he joined the crowd outside, a plate of food in his hands. He looked from Trowa’s wet hair to the bare shoulders that were slightly red from exposure to the sun, and then he glanced at Quatre, whose hair was also wet. Duo double-checked, yes, the blond man was actually wearing shorts. Maxwell stood between the two women who had just returned, he looked at each of them in turn and with an injured expression said, “You went to the beach and didn’t ask me to come.”

Relena laughed, “You were sleeping.”

“Like a baby,” Mouse added as she watched Duo place a large bite of food in his mouth.

“You were even drooling,” the golden-haired girl announced.

“And snoring,” the brunette said.

He finished another mouthful and looked at Mouse, “Did you break into Heero’s wardrobe?” The former god of death laughed as she looked down at her clothes.

Relena covered her mouth, trying not to giggle.

Heero, who had just stepped out, heard the comment and was now glaring at Duo.

Trowa and Wufei both looked at the brunette, she was still in complete darkness as to what that remark meant. She was wearing a green bathing suit and black sweatpants, the waistband rolled over and the legs around her ankles were wet with sand clinging to the cloth. Quatre forced himself not to smile; somehow she did look like Heero.

“What?” she asked as they continued to stare.

“Don’t worry about it Mouse,” Relena offered.

“So who won?” Duo asked, changing the subject and gesturing to the volleyball Relena held resting on her hip.

“They did,” Trowa informed Duo as he pointed at the women.

“See, you should have taken me,” Maxwell handed his plate to Relena and smacked the ball away form her, “If I was there you would have won,” he told Trowa as he bumped the ball.

“Oh, really,” Mouse said taking the ball from him.

“Sure thing, Squeaker,” with that Duo pulled the crossing straps in the back of her bathing suit and let them go with a snap.

Relena passed the plate to Trowa and wrung her hair over the collar of Duo’s shirt. Several large drops of cold ocean water traced their way down his spine; he jumped forward and turned around. “Relena!”

The expression on his face made nearly everyone laugh; even Yuy smirked.

Dorothy cleared her throat and all heads turned to her.

Quatre sweetly smiled, “Mouse this is Miss Dorothy Catalonia.”

“Hi,” the brunette handed Relena the volleyball and waved to the blond woman, who acknowledged the greeting with a nod.

Barton handed Maxwell back his food and entered the house without saying a word.

“What is that?” Relena asked, pointing to Duo’s plate.

“Good,” Duo said with his mouth full of the yet to be identified substance.

“I can’t believe you’re eating that,” Dorothy said stepping forward and joining the group.

“It’s just chili and chips,” he said. “Want some?” The braided boy held the plate out, offering the blond a bite.

“No thank you.”

“How about you Relena,” he faced her and then turned to the other girl, “Mouse?”

Relena shook her head; Mouse held her hands in front of her, blocking Duo from getting the plate closer to her.

Wufei glared at Maxwell as the others started to go in.

“What’s wrong?” Relena whispered to Duo when Chang had also left the party.

“Don’t worry about him, Lena,” he said, slapping her on the bottom.

“Duo!” She gave his braid a tug and rushed into the house.

“Aren’t you going to run too?” he asked, giving Mouse an impish grin.

“Run from you,” she walked up to him with a coy smile; “I don’t think so.”

“You should.”

“Okay.” Mouse darted to the door, shut it behind her, and locked it.

“Hey, not fair,” Duo said as he turned the knob to open the giant wood doors.

Wufei’s hands moved steadily through the air, the toned muscles in his bare back contracting with the movement; he had returned to his exercises after leaving the others. His mind focused intently on the motions, every part of his body under his control, every aspect of this environment suited to his liking. It seemed nothing could distract him, no one disturb his solitude. He closed his ebony eyes, inhaling and exhaling with the motion of his fists; he jabbed at the air and took several steps forward, he stopped mid-punch.

“Why are you here, Mouse?” he grunted without opening his eyes.

“I distinctly recall not having much choice.” She folded her arms across her chest.

Chang opened his eyes to glare at her before returning to his activities.

“Are you just going to stand there and stare?” he asked when he saw she wasn’t going to leave.

The girl sighed, slipped off her shoes and stepped onto the mat. Side by side she matched each fluid motion with a near perfect synchronization, even their breathing harmonized. She waited for him to open the link to communication.

“What do you want?” he stopped and scowled at her.

“From you,” Mouse answered taking a new stance and closing her eyes, “nothing but an answer.”

“An answer to what?” he said allowing himself to watch her movements with a slight interest.

“What happened?” she asked turning her head to face him and still jabbing at the air in front of her body. Although she had not known him for long Mouse had learned to discern a few things; she knew something had happened.

“When?” he grabbed her fist in his hand and smirked, “You have to move faster.” He flung her hand away.

“Today, yesterday,” the brunette stopped and placed her hands on her hips, “I don’t know--that’s why I’m asking you.”

“Where?” he asked, picking up on his routine where he had left off.

She took the same place as before and followed his lead. “On my home colony,” Mouse said, kicking her leg high in the air.

Wufei was watching her out of the corner of his eye, as she swung her leg out yet again for another kick, he grabbed her ankle stopping her from completing the rotation, his actions were too quick for her to respond. He held her leg there inches from his face, “Your defense is weak.”

She shrugged, “What happened to the Preventers?”

The Chinese man pulled her leg causing her to fall to the mat landing with a thump. “Nothing,” he said and walked away.

“Interesting way to have a conversation,” Quatre grinned and helped Mouse to her feet; he hadn’t been there long but he had seen enough.

“Is he like that with everyone,” she smiled back, “or am I just lucky?”

He laughed, “Can I chose not to answer that?”

She picked up her shoes, “I guess it’s one of life’s great mysteries.”

“Like how Duo got locked outside.” He gave her with a knowing glance.

“I do wonder how that could have happened,” she said as they climbed the stairs.

“You shouldn’t take Wufei’s gruffness personally,” the young Arabian tried to apologize for his Chinese friend.

“It’s all right,” the brunette said and then whispered, “He has other things on his mind; we all do.”

They separated at the top of the stairs, each going to their respective rooms to shower and change.

That night all of Quatre’s guests ate at the same table, a large arrangement of foods placed before them, all the young people talking, eating, and joking as if their pasts made no difference. Five former gundam pilots, a once queen of the world, the granddaughter of a Romefeller leader, and a mysterious brunette all in the here and now, nothing else mattered. Admittedly, Duo did do a vast majority of the talking and a great deal more of the eating than the others but that only served to make the evening more enjoyable.

Dorothy placed her fork down after finishing her meal and asked, “Why do you call yourself ‘Mouse’?”

“I don’t.” The brown-eyed woman took a sip and added, “You do.”

Quatre looked up in disbelief. This can’t be happening,” he thought, an overwhelming urge to crawl under the table nagging at every fiber of his being. He recalled the night Mouse arrived; he then remembered the fight with Dorothy on Libra, his hand instinctively went to the scar from that duel.

The idea of what was to come either frightened or excited every person sitting there. Duo leaned forward in his seat to get a better view; he looked like a sports spectator ready to enjoy a good show, lacking only some popcorn to make the experience even more delightful. She could win an argument with Wufei but this was owed highly to the fact that she could keep her cool while his temper often went unchecked. Chang remembered her conversation behind the closed doors with Lady Une; even the composed head of the Preventers agency had difficulties keeping calm with this girl. Relena tried to make eye contact with either of the two women; pleading with her cerulean orbs that they not do this.

Undaunted by this less than desirable response Dorothy returned with her rebuttal, “You have another name but allow people to address you by Mouse?”

“I have been called many things,” the brunette answered with a smile on her face. “Some better, some worse.”

“Then why do you chose to be called this?”

Mouse stopped to think everyone looked at her, it was uncommon for the brunette not to have a response. Inside Heero secretly smirked, this was amusing; she had questioned his choice of keeping the name Yuy, now it was her turn to answer. She thought back to the first time she had been compared to the small animal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A small girl sat in her wheelchair, her slight frame shallow and pale but a smile adorned her face; her thin lips always curled upward no matter how much pain she was in. She

watched a younger girl, shorter than herself, her little legs carrying her body from place to place busily moving things searching for something. A look of deep thought filled her amber eyes, she longed to see the vibrant shining child her sister used to be; the waddling toddler full of energy, hope, light and life, ignorant to the cruelties of man, untouched by loss. Some of that remained in the child running about, but most of it had been worn away. The girl confined to the wheelchair started to laugh.

“Why are you laughing Midori?”

“The way you were darting around you remind me of a mouse.” She could see the puzzled expression on her little sister’s face.

In a way she envied the other girl; Midori lovingly studied the person standing in front of her, the girl’s hands placed on her hips waiting not so patiently for an explanation.

“You scamper like a little mouse,” Midori pulled the girl closer and ran her fingers through the glossy hair, “You even have brown hair and eyes like a little mouse.”

“Maybe I am a squirrel.”

“No, not a squirrel,” Midori shook her head. “Definitely a mouse.”

“You’re right,” the little girl responded. “If I was a squirrel I’d have to like nuts.”

They both laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mouse smiled at the fond recollection of her sister and that day. She tried harder to remember the reason; her sister was the first to call her that but other people did as well, without her asking them to. The brunette wondered if she choose the name, again a memory filled her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The shuttle was boarding its passengers; the final call would be announced at any moment. She stood there watching the tall man next to her. He smiled a boyish grin as he looked into her face; he was no more than eighteen or nineteen, about ten years older than the girl he was standing with.

“What are you thinking, Milady?” He put his hand on her head and ruffled her hair.

“I’m not thinking,” she answered and bowed her head, “I’m hoping.”

“You’ll be all right.” He watched her carefully, but she wasn’t convinced. “Hey, I got you something,” the man pulled a stuffed animal from a bag and handed it to her, his azure eyes shimmering.

She fingered the soft velvety pink lining in the ear of the mouse; she was about to say something when the announcement to board came over the speakers.

“Time to go, little Mouse.”

“Thank you,” she finally said, “but my name is...”

The man scooped her up before she could finish, he carried her at his side, his strong arm wrapped around her waist, her arms and legs dangling. He had never asked her for her name and she had never volunteered the information. “You’re just Mouse,” he said as he gently put her down. “You always will be.”

“Okay.” She hugged him and looked at the shuttle, “Good-bye.”

“Mouse, smile for me, please.” He shook his head as she tried to fulfill his request; “You are a strange child. We will both be all right, believe me,” his blue eyes held an unwavering faith in those words as he held her chin up to look straight into her brown eyes, “And I will see you smile for real. That’s a promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the long pause Mouse fixed her gaze steadily on Dorothy. “I didn’t choose. Of everything I’ve been called,” she continued, “it chose me.”

“But a mouse is a rodent,” Dorothy commented, “a common pest, a nuisance. And you still allow other people to use it as your name.”

Wufei mulled over Dorothy’s definition of a mouse and found it to be somewhat true, deciding now that there was nothing wrong with the girl using it.

“A name is nothing more than a word others use to identify people. It holds no significance.” Mouse smirked, “It is no more than a tag.”

“True.” Dorothy stood up and faced Quatre; “I must be going now. I had a pleasant evening.”

“I’m sorry that you couldn’t stay longer,” the blond responded.

“I’ll come again,” she said with a flick of her hair and a look that suggested her purpose in coming that day wasn’t to visit with Quatre.

The majority of the party escorted Dorothy out to say good night and chat a little more.

“You contradict yourself,” Trowa announced when Mouse and him were the only two left in the room.

“In what way?”

“You told Heero his name was a difficult name to live up to and now you say names hold no significance.”

“I didn’t think you would care about what people called themselves, Trowa Barton,” she said pointedly. “You too live with a borrowed name.”

He gazed into her eyes, “How do you know that?”

She avoided answering his question and instead replied to his first comment, “In a way I am a contradiction.”

Trowa stood there and watched her walk away, thinking of how a person could be a contradiction, wondering what was on her mind to make her reveal something like that to him. In admitting that she knew his name had belonged to another before him, was she saying that she trusted him? He knew her to be a careful person, nothing slipped; she was not a shrewd person, but she didn’t let people know what she didn’t want them to know.

*Nice place to stop, don’t you think? Well I guess we will see what happens in a week or two, I’m not very fast at this writing thing.

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