Peaceful Illusions:  Several months after the events of Trying Normal, the Gundam pilots decide to take a vacation at the lovely Emerald Sphere Resort, but a mysterious figure out for revenge could end up ruining everything. 

Disclaimer:  Gundam Wing doesn't belong to me; if it did I certainly wouldn't be here.  In no way, shape, or form am I being paid for this, it's merely for amusement.

Warning:  This story includes violence, swearing, and yaoi (also known as slash).  Pairings include an established 1X4 relationship, and others to come.  Don't like it?  Don't read it.

This story is for Caer, who, to put it simply, rules.

Chapter 1

Heero Yuy pushed open the heavy oak door and slipped quietly into the office.  He leaned unobtrusively to the side of the door, out of sight of the vid screen, cobalt eyes fixing unerringly on the blonde in the middle of a conference call. 

"I don't care what Mr. Konig thinks, we are not going that route."  Quatre Raberba Winner, heir to the Winner fortune, shook his head firmly.

"But Master Winner . . ."

"No John, we've already argued this issue half to death, there's nothing more to say.  My decision is final."

"Yes sir," the man on the monitor said resignedly.

"Now about these acquisition files . . ."

The office door smoothly opened again, and Duo Maxwell entered the room and copied Heero's casual pose, so that now they were both flanking the door.  The two ex-pilots watched the impeccably dressed blonde for several minutes.  Quatre did not turn away from his business to look at them, but both could tell by his posture that he was very much aware of their presence.

The braided pilot's violet eyes finally left off their careful study of the blonde.  "I think you're right, but it's hard to tell," he said quietly, so as not to interrupt the call.

Heero nodded.  "I know, I probably wouldn't have noticed if I didn't live with him."

Nothing else was said by either of them until the conversation was wrapped up.  As soon as the phone screen went blank Quatre turned and grinned at them both, the genuinely pleased 100-watt smile not quite eclipsing the exhaustion shadowing the aquamarine eyes.  "You guys are home early!  I wasn't expecting the mission to be finished until at least tomorrow night.  How did it go?"  He bounced over to them, grabbing Heero for an enthusiastic kiss and then moving over to Duo to give him a welcoming hug.  Heero's forbidding posture unbent enough to return the smooch and give a half-smile to his boyfriend.

"Piece of cake, the person who was sending those death threats to Representative Morris was just a little old lady with a lot of cats who didn't like his animal control policies," Duo said with a manic grin.

"You're kidding!"

"I wish he was," Heero said with an exasperated sigh, "it was a complete waste of our time."

"Oh I don't know, Heero, it was worth watching you try and explain to Mrs. Joh that we couldn't arrest her neighbor for the attempted murder of Sir William Marlow."

"Sir William Marlow?"

"One of her kitty-cats, her neighbor almost ran him over.  She has a hard time believing that they don't have the same rights as humans, apparently they she thinks that they're her adopted children.  The lady didn't get off our backs until I mentioned that we'd have to arrest her cats too because they were an accessory to the crime.  That made her quiet down real fast."

Quatre chuckled.  "My, Preventer business is certainly busy these days.  No wonder I haven't been called in for anything."

"Hey, after cleaning up Orth's mess, we deserve a little R and R."  Duo paused and then beamed a naughty-edged grin at his two friends.  "Of course, good things came out of that whole fiasco . . ."

Quatre returned the smile and shot a glance at Heero from under his lashes.   That had been a difficult time.  Sandrock's pilot had tried to attend school, but the news that Heero Yuy had resurfaced and was leading an anti-corporation terrorist group called Red Thorn had forced him to go to the Preventers.  Before he had even been cleared for active duty he had been kidnapped, and found out that Everett Orth, a CEO in his own company, was manufacturing illegal weapons and drugs.  A confrontation with the wayward company man had led to the knowledge that Lady Une had been injected with one of the drugs, and had allied with Orth under the resurgence of her other personality.  In a fight with the man, Quatre had also been injected, and his Zero personality had emerged.  Heero had coaxed him back from the brink, which had led to the only good to come out of the mess.  Quatre and Heero were now very much involved, and living together.

"Oh, and Q-man, speaking of a little R and R . . ."

The door opened as if on cue.  Quatre's secretary Carly walked in with a stack of files piled neatly in her arms.  She had been one of Orth's unwilling test subjects, and he had hired her shortly after rescuing her.  Carly had turned out to be the most efficient personal assistant he had ever had.  The blonde held his hands out for the papers automatically, but she walked right past him and set them on his desk instead.  His eyebrows rose as she grinned impishly at him and then handed him a thin brochure instead.  He turned and glanced at Duo questioningly.

"Q, you've been working awfully hard.  Hell, we all have.  We need a vacation."

Quatre blinked and then glanced down at the brochure.  The words Emerald Sphere Resort were printed in big glossy letters on the front.  Below them was the slogan:  'It's not earth, it's better.'

 "The Emerald Sphere?  That's that new space resort Winner Enterprises just completed, you want me to go there?"

"I've heard great things about it," Carly said.  "You'd all have a blast there."

"Sorry guys, but I really have a lot to do here.  I'm not going to shirk my duties at W.E. again."  He held out the brochure to Duo.

The braided ex-pilot snatched the offered paper and opened it up, turning it so that Quatre could see the shiny pictures.  "Look at this Q, speed boats, pear sailing, volleyball nets, an open bar, hula dancing competitions, and romantic artificial tropical pools."  He nudged the blonde with his elbow and winked, glancing at Heero meaningfully.  "Come on, I know you two could find a use for that."

"Now is just not a good time."

"Sir, you do have a responsibility to check this place out and make sure that it's up to W.E. standards."  Carly pointed out.

Quatre smiled and gently shook his head.  "Nice try, Carly."

"We don't want you to work yourself to the bone here," Duo said, his joking tone hiding the truth behind the statement.

"Really Duo, I'm fine, and I really do have a lot of work to do."

"Oh come on, Cat.  Trowa and Wufei agreed to go, it just wouldn't be the same if we weren't all there!"

"But we wouldn't all be there, Heero would probably rather stay and make sure he's available to the Preventers, right?"

The dark-haired boy met the blonde's eyes.  "Actually Quatre, I think its a good idea.  If they really needed us, the Preventers could get in touch with us.  I think it might be . . . fun."  His mouth shaped the word fun like it was a new and interesting food.

Quatre stared at his lover in astonishment.  He had been sure that Heero would refuse to even consider going.

"See?"  Duo said, practically bouncing on the tips of his toes.  "We'd all be there."

"I don't know . . ."

"Don't you think Heero deserves a vacation, he's never had one before, have you?"

"No, not really."  The stoic pilot replied calmly.

"Never?"  The blonde said, startled.

"When would I have had the time?  You know my history, Quatre."

"Oh."  The blonde reached over and took the brochure again, staring at it thoughtfully.  "How long would we be gone?"

Duo grinned, knowing that he had him.  "Ten fun-tastic days."

"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt, as long as I'm not away for too long.  That is, if Carly can help me get the company reports drawn up . . ."

"Already working on it."

Quatre blinked at the brown-haired woman, noticing that she was beginning to look rather smug.  "I'll have to call Iria . . ."

"I've already done that.  Your sister says to have fun at the resort."

"Okay."  Quatre glanced from his secretary, to his best friend, and then to his lover.  He had obviously just been neatly outmaneuvered.

"We leave tomorrow Q, make sure that you and Heero have all your bags all packed.  See you then!"  He stepped back and gestured gallantly towards the door, allowing Carly to precede him out.  She smiled, still looking self-satisfied, and did so.  As Duo left he glanced at Heero and mouthed 'mission accomplished.'

Heero just smirked. 

The door closed and Quatre and Heero were left alone in the office.  The blonde looked uncertainly at the other man.  "Are you sure you really want to go?  Not that you shouldn't," he added hastily, "it would do you good to have a rest.  You do so much . . ."

The other pilot moved so that he was directly in front of Quatre.  He slid one hand to his hipbone and the other to his face, using it as an anchor to pull him in close for a gentle kiss.  He disengaged their lips carefully, and stared intently into his lover's eyes.  The blonde had to fight the urge to blink.  The intent expression still startled him, even after months together; Heero regarded him with the same focus he used to reserve only for missions.  Finally he spoke.  "Do you really not want to go?"

"No, that's not it, it's just that I have responsibilities here."

The brunette frowned slightly.  "Getting away from W.E. for less than two weeks is not going to result in another disaster, Quatre."

"That's not . . ."

"I think it is.  You feel guilty for trying to get away before and live a normal life.  That's why you work fifteen-hour days.  You're trying to atone for what Everett Orth did with your company by working yourself to death.  Well I'm telling you now, Quatre, that's not a viable option.  Do you have any idea what you're doing to the people who care about you?  Everybody's worried, your sisters, Carly, Duo, your friends at the Preventers . . . and me.  What would we do if something happened to you?"

The blonde ducked his head, breaking their eye contact.  "I'm sorry.  I guess I didn't realize, but you don't need to worry about me, I won't do anything stupid.  You don't have to go through all this trouble . . ."

Heero kissed him again.  "Baka, didn't you ever think that I would enjoy spending time with you on this trip?"

A small smile began to bloom on Quatre pale features.  "Well, when you put it that way . . ."  He mirrored his lover's posture, though he had to tilt his chin up as Heero was about two inches taller, and enthusiastically kissed him back.  Both of the other pilot's arms came up and settled around the blonde, yanking him closer so that they were pressed flush against each other. 

Quatre purred into their joined mouths, fingers kneading the muscles of his boyfriend's back, like a particularly pleased cat.  Heero returned the sound, though his came out more like a growl.  His arms suddenly tightened, lifting the blonde up, and causing their bodies to slide against one another.  A breathless laugh was the response, as Quatre wound his legs around the Japanese boy's hips.  Maybe it was a leftover from a childhood where he had spent most of his time in the arms of one sister or another instead of on the ground, but the blonde absolutely loved being picked up.

Heero carried him over to the big oak desk and set him on top.  Quatre let out an indignant squawk, not a sound a lover usually wants to hear.  He pulled partially away, looking at the blonde quizzically.  "What?"

"You set me down on these reports.  They're not terribly comfortable."

He glanced down, and sure enough, white paper peaked out from beneath the blonde's butt.  "Hn."  Heero considered the situation briefly, and then rolled his lover off of them briefly, as he swept them to the floor.  The stack made a heavy thumping noise as it hit the floor.

Quatre winced at the sound and then grinned mischievously.  "Heero, what happens if Carly comes in to investigate the noise?  I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate walking in on us in a compromising position, considering it would be for a second time in a week!"

The other boy shrugged, frowning thoughtfully.  "She didn't really seem to mind last time.  In fact, I think we made her day."

The blonde laughed.

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

Quatre leaned over Heero so that he could look out the small oval of the shuttle window.  "We're passing by L4, now Heero, I can just barely make it out."

"I know," the other pilot said calmly, his eyes closed, feigning relaxation as a loud wail came to an ear-splitting crescendo from behind their seats.  Despite the relaxed façade, the blonde could almost hear the other man's teeth grinding their enamel to dust.

"Quatre," Wufei said from the seat on his other side, "why in the ancestor's name did you insist we fly commercial?  If that child's parents do not shut her up soon I won't be held responsible for my actions."

"If I'm going to take this vacation Wufei, I need to know how it is for the average customer.  No special treatment."

"Sounds like you're still working," the black-eyed young man said with an indelicate snort.  "I thought you weren't supposed to being doing that?  I distinctly remember Duo threatening to tie you to the poolside and pour those margaritas down your throat himself if you don't relax.  Besides, what's the point of owning things if you can't get special treatment?"

Quatre grinned and raised an eyebrow in amusement.  "It sounds like you've been talking to Duo."

"Sometimes, not often but sometimes, the baka has a good idea.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find a flight attendant.  I've been pressing this thrice-damned call button for the last five minutes.  No one should have to withstand conditions like this."  He jerked his head back, gesturing to the hollering child.

Wufei left his seat and headed down the aisle, in search of their erstwhile flight attendant.  Quatre would not wish to be their attendant when the angry pilot tracked him or her down.  He spared a minute to be glad that airport security had confiscated Chang's katana, though knowing him, he still had a weapon, or two, or five, hidden somewhere on his person.

Wufei had barely left his seat before Duo plopped himself down next to the blonde.  "That's Wufei's spot Duo, he won't be to happy that you took it."

The braided pilot just grinned.  "Oh, he'll get over it.  Especially since security took his sword.  Besides, he can take my seat next to Trowa."  The last sentence was said just a touch to casually.

Quatre cocked his head curiously, he knew Duo well, probably better than anyone.  Something was definitely going on.  "Duo, what, exactly, are you up to?"

"Me?  Up to something?  Why, what ever gave that idea?"  He turned big innocent eyes toward the blonde.  Quatre heard a snort beside him.  Heero's eyes were opened.  He looked at Duo, and then got up and pushed his way between the cramped seats, flashing them his ass as he squeezed through.

"I don't want to be in the line of fire when whatever he planned goes down.  Save my seat, don't let Chang steal it."

Duo smirked at Heero as he walked away, than turned back to the blonde.  "I obviously love you a lot Q-man, you have no idea how tempting that was.  Otherwise your boyfriend would have gotten a nice big pinch on his cute little behind."

Quatre wasn't fooled for a minute by the diversionary tactics.  "Spit it out Duo.  You obviously want to."

He grinned.  "Alright.  You know how miserable both Trowa and Wufei have been recently?"

The blonde blinked, confused, then glanced at the two boys in question, as Wufei had already taken the seat beside the green-eyed pilot; surprisingly, with no fuss toward the seat stealing.  "No, they seem fine."

"Ah, come on Q.  You work a lot, and you're all wrapped up with the perfect soldier of love.  Do you know that ever date those guys have had since the war ended has gone miserably?  That's when they even bother going out at all.  It's been hell convincing them to let me set them up."

"Duo, the dates you've set them up on are hardly a good measuring standard for future happiness." 

"Hey!  I really thought Wufei and Clide were going to work out."

"Duo, Clide was a biker with more metal in him then a gundam."

"While, they both liked sharp, poky things anyway.  But that's not the point!  Okay, so maybe I was a little misguided with some of the setups . . ."

"I'd hardly call sending Trowa on a date with Howard's twin a little misguided."

"But you see, none of those worked out because those guys and girls couldn't understand such complicated people.  It would take someone just like them to draw them out of their shells."

"Just like them?  Duo, please tell me you haven't found a clone of Wufei in some abandoned base somewhere."

"That's a scary thought, I so didn't need that idea in my head.  No, what they need Quatre, is someone who can really get all their varied narcosis's, and not run away screaming in terror.  They need another gundam pilot; we're the only ones who can really understand each other.  Just look at you and Heero, I mean you guys are really good together, if I can just throw them together enough, they'll see how much they like each other."

"Duo, I really don't know if it's a good idea to mess with your friends love-lives like that . . ."

"Oh come on Q, its brilliant.  They're perfect for each other.  Though I admit, the wedding would be a little quiet, considering they communicate through a series of winks and nods, but hey, otherwise it would be great."

Quatre peaked past Duo's shoulder at the people in question, hoping that Wufei hadn't heard the winks and nods comment.  There really wasn't enough room in the aisles for a chase with a sharp weapon.  Luckily, they seemed oblivious, and were discussing something quietly, heads bent close together.  The blonde saw Heero making his slow way back to his seat, forced to stop close by the two other pilots, as he waited with a scowl on his face for the flight attendant to move the beverage cart.  Quatre watched as he froze and suddenly turned to stare with a confounded expression on his face at Wufei and Trowa.  They, realizing they had been overheard, looked up and gestured him over, where now all three boys began to have an earnest conversation.

"Man Q, does that kid ever shut up?"  Quatre blinked, attention abruptly pulled back to his conversation with Duo.  The other man didn't seem to really expect an answer, as he leaned over the back of the seat and began making funny faces.  The blonde couldn't see the crying child, but he could hear the consistent sobbing start to become interspaced with hiccups, and then finally turn into delighted giggles.

Heero had finished his conversation with the others, and once again pushed his way between them to get to his window seat.  He looked over at Duo entertaining the now cooing child and shook his head.  "Where was he ten minutes ago?  He could have saved all our eardrums."  He noticed Quatre looking at him curiously.  "What?"

"What were you talking to Wufei and Trowa about?  I've never seen that particular expression on your face before, you looked like you had swallowed a lemon."

Heero glanced meaningfully at Duo, and then smirked.  "I'll tell you later."  He leaned over so that he could whisper into the blonde's ear.  "I promised I wouldn't tell Duo."

Quatre was even more curious now, but if Heero said he would tell him later, he would.  He leaned back into his seat with a sigh, hoping this wasn't another prank in the ongoing war to get revenge for all those that Duo pulled so successfully.

"We're here, Quatre."  The blonde looked out the window to be faced with his first view of the Emerald Sphere Resort.  He blinked, impressed despite himself.

It really was spherically shaped, with green and blue patterns shifting restlessly across the surface on the artificial atmosphere.  He had read up on it, and knew that the colors we're there purely for visual affect, as they in no way mirrored the simulated weather inside.  When they got closer the blonde was able to make out the metal entrance, the only thing on the planet not made to appeal to aesthetic taste, as it was built exclusively for function, not form.  The gaping jaws of the docking bay opened, swallowing the shuttle whole.  Quatre leaned back in his seat, watching the excited vacationers around him chatting happily and sitting with their faces glued to the windows.

They were finally here.