Author's Note: Story done! Another one bites the dust, so here we go the final wrap up bringing everything together. Now get some of my other ones done, I realize OLS needs to be getting done so blah to me to get it finished but I will try that's all I can promise. So enjoy loyal readers and I will see you on the flip side.

Epilogue

"We know what we are, but know not what we may be". – Hamlet (IV, v)

"Do we really have to go tonight?" Heero shot a look to his best friends across the bubbling hot tub. "Yes Quatre, it's Duo's big art show he won first place and they have put his artwork up in the gallery downtown." The blonde shrugged helpless, "Well I guess….who wants to see your ugly ass as a painting." Heero refused to dignify that comment with an answer. Moving from the hot tub to start guarding the swim team, his eyes only for the slim beautiful figure glancing his way coyly. Heero was glad for the towel wrapped firmly around his waist.

"How things going on your end?" Quatre asked joining him leaning against the rail, watching the swim team move gracefully through the water. "Good, one day at a time…it's been a month since those two weeks of hell." The blonde grinned widely pushing his wet hair out of his face. "That was a tough few weeks for you wasn't it? Get your ass handed to you…" Heero held up his hand, "It was a lucky kick, I did not loose a fight." He muttered mutinously glaring at no one in particular, shaking his head the other hid his smile behind the top of his flutter board. "Duo figure out about your tattoo yet?" Heero laughed at loud at that point, "Yes! It took a long time but he finally got it thought he was going to kill me before he figured it out."

Heero was the happiest he'd been in years, he was cuddling in a dosing state with the love of his life. He couldn't imagine things getting any better. "Heero who was it!" Duo's voice jarred him out of his tranquil revere. "Who was what Duo?" he asked mind still cloudy. Agitated his lover sat up staring at his wall, looking angry and hurt, "Who drew that for you Heero!" he asked pointing to the yellow and fading drawing of the tattoo that adorned Heero's body.

The shaggy headed teen closed his eyes several times, wondering if he heard right, "You don't remember?" he asked Duo looked at him sharply, "If I did would I have asked?" he snapped, "Its someone you love isn't it?" Heero nodded slowly never taking his eyes away from the flashing violets. "They meant a lot to you didn't they?" Heero nodded again, "More then me?" he whispered looking sad and upset.

Without a word he untracked the picture unfolding it and placing it in Duo's hands. The other stared at the drawing running soft fingers over the faded page slowly hesitantly, then with sure movements. "Me….it was me…" he whispered understanding finally dawning. "Yeah Duo, you gave it to me just before your mind was modified by the doctors. Laughing and sobbing at the same time he looked from Heero's inked body to the page, "I remember…the thorns for Trowa, the sword for Wufei, our numbers for Quatre, the cross for me…and the wings for you." He mumbled eyes taking on the misty faraway look that Heero was fast beginning to dread.

He smiled then, "You changed it a bit though…the characters on your back, what do they mean?" It was Heero's time to smile, "If we shadows have offended, think but this; and all is mended that you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear and this weak and idle theme no more yielding but a dream. Gentles--do not reprehend if you pardon, we will mend. And, as I am an honest Puck if we have unearned luck. Now to scape the serpents tongue. We will make amends ere long else the Puck a liar call. So--goodnight unto you all. Give me your hands if we be, friends. And Robin shall restore amends."

Duo looked at him sadly, "You have been restoring amends love, you really have."

"I felt a lot like Puck, looking after you four some days." Duo shook his head slightly, "You and Shakespeare, honestly who would have known, the perfect soldier…" Heero shook his head, "Not any more love, it's just me," Duo set the picture aside carefully, curling into his lovers arms, "That's all I want Heero."

Heero looked back to the pool where Duo was swimming close behind Trowa and Wufei, the three moving like poetry through the water. "Have you seen this picture yet?" Quatre asked genuinely curious as to what it actually was, Heero frowned in thought, now that he thought of it…"No actually I haven't….I just sort of assumed it was one of the ones I posed for in the art room." Quatre began to laugh, "I guess we will find out then won't we."

-#-#-#-

Quatre and Trowa stood next to Wufei, Damon, and Heero as the five made there way through the crowded room. "There are a ton of people here…" Damon commented, looking around at the groups of people in the small brightly lit room. "Duo's a big time artist now," Wufei joked, but still astounded by all the attention the art exhibition was getting.

"Heero!" they heard the call coming from their far right, the group of boys moved towards the familiar voice. The waving arm, the welcome smile, Heero thought Duo had never looked so happy and full of life. Blue eyes where so focused on Duo he didn't even remember to look at the painting until Quatre thumped him on the back, turning he growled at the blonde only to see him staring raptly at the wall beside Duo. He followed the direction of the gaze, looking at the painting for the first time. His jaw going slack, it was him…but it wasn't it.

He had assumed Duo had used one of the drawings from the school, it wasn't. The figure on the bed was battered and bruised, wrapped in gauze, bloody and torn. The man in the portrait looked lost and alone, he was seated semi sitting on the bed, head lulled to the side. As if in a trance Heero moved towards the painting recognizing himself, the tattoo his body…Duo had captured a lost soul. He wasn't sure if it was him now or him during the war it was like looking at two worlds at once. The figure was on what appeared to be a bed, the wall was black and dark, the figure darkly tanned, the bandages white by contrast. The blood red stood out. The one change however that Duo had made, that stood out more then anything, Heero had wings, as if his tattoo on his back had come to life, the dark black wings jutted from his back. The one folded neatly, the other at an odd angle, also wrapped in gauze, the ends trailing to the bed.

Heero studied the painting closely, every aspect of it. He could not just seem to connect himself with the fallen angel in the picture. Duo came up beside him kissing him softly of the cheek. "It's you, how I see you…" Heero could not tear his eyes away from it. The others crowded his back, also staring, closing ranks as a tight knit. They all stood in compatible silence, Heero still as a statue, Duo looked up at him blinking in surprise Heero stood tall and silent, yet tears ran unchecked from both his eyes. "Heero? You ok?" Duo asked worried, the taller teen shook his head, "I wasn't Duo…but I am now." He hugged his little love close, "What did you call it?" He asked softly not able to take his eyes off the painting. Duo smiled cuddling closer, "Memories," he said softly. Causing all of them to smile, secret smiles, it seemed fitting and right. Heero smiled through the tears, it was all coming full circle. "What no quote William?" Damon shot a look in his direction, Heero laughed, long and loud.

END