{If we don't take action now} A slow beeping slowly resounded in his ears. He didn't remember shutting his eyes in the first place but he opened them now. His eyes at first met with pure white. His first thought was that he'd somehow made it to heaven. Second, heaven would never make that annoying beep. "What the hell…?" He muttered. "Looks like you have a body left, after all." Someone mused coldly. Duo turned his head and saw Heero sitting down a few feet from him, and the rest of the world slowly came into picture. "Heero…?" He breathed slowly. "I'm not dead?" "One would think so…after what you've been through." How would he know that? Duo thought. "You haven't any idea…" Duo groaned and lay back on his pillow. "Uh…Heero…mind filling me in on what the hell has happened in the last day?" Heero grunted, and Duo accepted this as a Yes. "Quatre wouldn't shut up about me leaving you behind when I had more fuel than he." "You came back cause Quatre asked you to?" Heero said nothing for a moment. "I guess I had a few internal conflicts on leaving you behind…you are a fellow Gundam pilot, after all." "Well put, Heero." Duo said sarcastically. "Can't you talk like an actual human once in a while? You're not the frikken super computer from hell, stop acting like it." {We'll settle for nothing later} Duo could almost hear Heero grin. "Fine then. Quatre didn't want you dead and neither did I." Heero rephrased carefully. "Happy?" "Ecstatic." Duo said shortly, staring up at his ceiling. Was it all a dream? Some freaky chemical overflow? "What are you thinking?" Heero broke his reverie. "Why does it matter?" Duo asked coldly, still bewildered and on his last nerve. "Because it's quieter than a damn tomb in here and when you're not running your stupid mouth, something must be up." Heero said this all totally calmly, and Duo burst out in laughter. "I'm thinking about What If." "Explain." "What if we weren't what we are…had names and all that. Families…" Duo admitted softly. "Hn," Heero grunted, "That's a waste of time and you know it." Duo moved his head a little and looked at Heero. "You've never thought of it? Not once?" "I told you, it's a waste of time." Heero said impatiently. "Did you ever have anything close to a family?" Heero eyed him coldly. "Yes," he said lowly, "once…I guess as close to one as I'd get." "Really?" Heero nodded. "A father figure, though I'd hardly call him that. Before Dr. J. You?" Duo sighed. "Just at the Maxwell Church, and my friend Solo, I guess…" And apparently this Kara and Scott….she said I'd be able to remember…why can't I?? Duo thought grimly. {We settle for nothing now} Kara wanted my protection…that had to be Heero! That means it worked, but what about Scott wanting my memories… Then he got angry. Why am I doing this to myself?? It was a dream. Heero came because he and Quatre didn't want me to die. Well…what are you trying to remember? Anything! Well think about it…you were four. How much could you possibly remember from that age? Both sides of his conscious raged out against him until he was breaking out in sweat. Heero got up from his chair. "Should I call the nurse?" "No," Duo said quietly, "I'll be okay…sit down." Heero surveyed him for a moment before nodding and sitting back down. "Why are you staying in here?" Duo asked. Heero shrugged. "Your injuries are serious…I thought it was best. Until the doctor comes back with your result analysis I'm staying here." Duo blinked and shrugged. You have your protection… A voice echoed. Are you ready for your memory? {And we'll settle for nothing later} Duo shut his eyes…and he felt a strange warmth fill his body. In his minds' eye, he could see the familiar indigo violet of Kara's eyes. The soft blood red of her hair…. Swirled together with a mix of other colors, that of Scott's, he saw other things. Occasionally someone smiling…he could hear laughter…the feeling of being hugged and kissed by his parents could actually be felt on his skin. But was this enough? {If we don't take action now} Is that it? He scoffed. That's nothing. It's everything…The voice argued. How is it everything?! You have That Feeling, now. You know it. The feeling every child has… Slowly…other things will come. I want it now!! Duo raged. I'm sick of being alone!! Everything I ever get, every person I've ever known always leaves me in the end. They were the first. You were never alone. They've been watching you, taking care of you…making sure you survived, that's all they could give you. They should have let me die when it comes to that, Duo thought bitterly. You’re not alone anymore…you have friends now. They won't be taken from you…not this time. {We settle for nothing later} Duo looked back over to Heero again, who continued to watch him with a stoic face, his eyes not leaving Duo for a moment. Duo looked away. That was kinda creepy… Soon, Duo. Soon you'll remember other things, and you'll take comfort in them. Accept these for now. Again the feeling of Kara hugging him, her hair tickling his cheek came over him and he sighed. {We'll settle for nothing now} Duo gently stroked his braid. His hair was from his father, his eyes from his mother… His attitude….apparently from his mother. He smirked. He again turned to Heero. "Not even gonna ask me why I did it?" He asked. Heero blinked. "It doesn't matter. You acted on your emotions, which I would do, myself. You wanted to fight, therefore you fought." Duo was silent for another moment or two. "Heero…" He started again. "What is it?" Heero asked flatly. "Have you ever heard of Damon K?" Duo asked, shutting his eyes. "A few times. They were a small rebel organization against the Federation. Unfortunately they didn't hold out and eventually the Federation erased the memory of Damon K from everyone. You won't even find it in history books anymore." "You know how it happened?" Heero regarded him for a moment. "The leaders were assassinated a few years into the rebellion. They might have done it, too. Managed to overthrow the grip the Federation had on L2…but nothing came of it." Duo grinned coldly. "Well then," He said under his breath, "this is for you, Mom. I'll finish what you couldn't. "I swear." {And we'll settle for nothing later}