"A-L-O-W-D," answered Chibi Duo.

"Heero, what are ya doin'?" asked Chibi Wufei as he pounded two boards together with his little hammer. "We need some help here."

"I'm makin' a sign for the fort," Heero answered as he finished writing. He held it up proudly for the others to see. "NO GURLS ALOWD" was written in large chibi-ish letters.

"You don't need to make that YET. We just started buildin'," Duo said impatiently.

"It's THE most 'portant part of the whole fort," Heero explained. "It'll keep Relena out."

"You're right," Duo agreed. "It IS 'portant."

The three chibis spent a busy afternoon happily hammering and sawing and making as much noise as possible because they liked the sound. And they could get away with it because Melody and Tegan had taken Relena shopping. Noise didn't bother John.

Chibi Heero pounded two nails through THE most 'portant part of the fort. He jumped out of the tree and stood with the others to admire the effect. The sign was slightly crooked, but they were satisfied. The fort was officially finished.

"Now Relena can't bug us," Wufei said.

"Yeah, an' if I don't sit by the door or window she can't sit an' watch me neither," said Heero with a happy little gleam in his eyes. "I hate when she does that."

Relena came into the back yard after having spent the day shopping at the Mall of America. She had plenty of news to tell the boys, who weren't the least bit interested in hearing it. She saw Wufei climb quickly into the tree fort, gathering the rope ladder up as fast as he could so Relena couldn't join them.

"How do you like my new dress?" she called, looking up at the boys. She twirled. "It's got a petticoat! An' look! I got a new hat an' shoes an' gloves too!"

"Like we care," Heero said cruelly. "Go 'way--can't you read the sign?"

"I'm tellin'!" Relena declared as she burst into tears and ran into the house.

After Melody talked with the boys, they decided that since they either had to share with Relena or dismantle the fort that they would rather have no fort than have one with Relena in it.

"Well, I guess we'd better take it 'part," moped Wufei, but he didn't move.

"Wish we didn't hafta," Heero scowled.

Duo ran out of the back door to the middle of the yard and knelt down by them.

"Guess what I got?" Duo whispered secretly, a devilish gleam in his eyes.

He opened the bag he had brought with him and produced a mobile suit self-detonation switch.

"Where'd ya get that?" asked Heero.

"The Five Finger Discount Store," Duo answered wickedly.

"You swiped it? From where?" Wufei asked incredulously.

"I found it in my pocket after Quatre gave me a tour of the Mog-a-nock's new underground base in the back yard."

"What's it for?" asked Wufei.

"It blows things up. I thought it'd be more fun to blow up the tree fort 'stead of just takin' it 'part."

"Aw, that's no good," said Heero. "Ya gotta have some 'splosives or it won't work."

"This stuff was with it," said Duo, producing a small pink brick. "Can you read it, Heero?"

"It says: C4," read Heero. "'Splosive com-pound. WARNING: This product is 'stremely dang'rous. Keep out of reach of children. Handle with care."

"How do ya use it?" Wufei was beginning to be interested.

"Ya use this," Duo said, reaching into the bag and pulling out an odd looking thing with several wires attached to it. "Ya just put the wires in that pink stuff an' then ya go REALLY FAR 'WAY an' press the button on that thing," he said, indicating the self-detonation switch.

"How do you know all that?" asked Wufei.

"I saw it on 'Weapons at War' on the Hist'ry Channel."

"You sure can learn some useful things watchin' TV," Heero remarked solemnly.

The three chibis climbed the tree in the far corner of the yard and prepared the tree fort for demolition.

"Ya know, this stuff is the only pink thing I ever saw that's COOL," Duo said admiringly.

They jumped down from the tree and ran to the back porch. They all sat down facing the important tree.

"I think this is far 'nough 'way. Now all we gotta do is push the button," Duo said, "Then BOOM!" Duo handed the switch to Heero. "Here, be my guest."

"No, let Wufei do it," said Heero, handing it to Wufei.

"Whoever pushes this button will get in the MOST trouble," observed Wufei, setting the detonator switch down on the porch floor in front of them.

They all stared at it.

"I think Heero should do it--he's always in trouble anyways," Wufei gave his opinion. "It won't hurt him none to be in a little more."

"Speak for yourself," said Heero.

"Well, SOMEBODY'S gotta do it," Duo declared.

They continued to stare at the dangerous, yet intriguing, object.

Relena walked through the kitchen door and sat down on the porch floor--next to Heero, of course.

"Heero, I forgive you for bein' so mean to me," Relena said solemnly. "Melody says you can keep the fort 'cause I told her that I don't care if you don't want me to be in the fort 'cause the fort makes you happy. An' I WANT you to be happy 'cause I love you."

Heero rolled his eyes. The other boys perked up.

"Hey, that's GREAT!" Duo exclaimed. "Thanks, Relena."

Relena picked up the dangerous-yet-intriguing object. "What's this button for?" she asked as she pressed it.