Heero stood in the graveyard in silence, gazing at one of the small monuments that dotted the area, at the yellow flowers he'd just set down by the grave of a young girl, who's name he never knew.
     After a long moment, he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."

     Supposedly, the wars had ended eight years ago. While the fighting may have ended, the memories remained to haunt those who had bloodied their hands in pursuit of revenge and peace. Most of those restless soldiers, conditioned to war, had settled comfortably into jobs with the Preventers, or settled down with a loved one...

     ... or had been killed. But it was over, left to history's keeping, right? Heero left the cemetery behind, lost in thought. Relena was safe enough now, with an entourage of bodyguards, she no longer needed his protection. His job with the Preventers generally kept him busy, but he had begun to question if that was all life held for him, seeking out and destroying terrorist factions.

     "Hey, welcome back, Heero!" Duo grinned when he spotted Heero returning to Preventer HQ.
     "Thanks." Heero replied flatly, glancing at his surroundings.

     He knew them all,  and they knew him, his reputation. 'The Perfect Soldier', he'd been branded. Always cool under fire, willing to go to any length to complete his mission. It had gotten old quickly, living under the weight of that title. At first, several of them had tried to befriend him, but he'd pushed them all away. It seemed to have worked, entirely too well. They'd come to accept his standoffish behavior, and let him be.
     Heero sighed and trudged to his quarters, having come recently to a decision. It was time for a fresh start,  time to leave everything behind. Maybe then he could put an end to the restlessness that had begun to plague him.

     Carefully, Heero packed his few possessions. Come nightfall, he would be gone. How would everyone else react to his disappearance? They'd probably be confused, and even a little sad,  but they'd move on, or think he'd return after awhile. He was known for taking off unannounced, but this time, he wouldn't be back. It was long overdue time to leave the Preventers behind, leave Relena behind. She was besotted with him, but he couldn't return her affection. It was time for her to find someone who could love her back, and didn't have such a dangerous reputation hanging overhead. 

     Creeping through the shadows, Heero tossed his stuff into the car he had commandeered for his disappearing act.
     "Hey, Heero, wait a second."
     Surprised, having thought he was alone, Heero spun around to find Duo standing a short distance away.
     "Where y'going?" The braided Gundam pilot inquired. His tone was low and unusually serious. Had he figured out what Heero was up to?
     "... I don't know." Heero admitted after a moment.
     "Not to sound like Relena, but you're runnin' away again, aren't you?" Duo glanced at the bag in the trunk of the car.
     "...Yeah." Heero raised an eyebrow at Duo.
     "Y'know, Heero, you don't have to go off all by yourself. You've got friends, whether you want to admit it or not." Duo bent over to pick something up off the ground. "Any idea what you intend to do?"
     "... No." Heero responded, wondering what Duo was getting at. "I can't stay here."
     Instead of asking why not, which is what he'd been expecting, Duo nodded slightly and instead replied, "So it's got to you, too,  then?"
     "What?" Heero blinked in confusion and looked over at Duo.
     "You're so completely sick of fighting and keeping up your little perfect soldier routine, aren't you?" Duo asked, meandering over to the car and flinging his own bag into the trunk, much to Heero's surprise. "Y'want out, right?"
     "... How'd you know?" Heero glared.
     "We're both still young, Heero. Let's face it, just because guys like Treize got offed in their twenties... the war's over, we've got years in front of us. And I, for one, am already so completely sick of hunting down terrorists and being the life of the party for everyone." Duo noted. "I'm tired of being the God of Death, just like I'm guessing you're tired of being the perfect soldier. Right?"
     "... I guess." Heero admitted after a long pause. Of all the pilots, Duo had been the only one persistent in trying to befriend him. At first, Heero had found the braided pilot's company annoying, but also a curiosity. Where the others had given up and left him alone, Duo had ignored the death threats, annoyed glares, and silent treatment, all with a smile.
     "So then, here we are, both tired with our current situations in life, and I'm the only one who knows y'plan to take off and not show back up. I don't exactly want everyone else bothering me with questions, since you know I'll be the first one everybody comes to ask." Duo grinned. 
     "What are you getting at?" Heero asked, managing to keep the curiosity out of his voice.
     "What I'm getting at, is that you and I take off. I've been saving my paychecks and snagged a nice little property on the California coast. Little place nobody would think to look." Duo shrugged. "I'm willing to share, if that's all right with you."
     Heero mulled over this new development. He had no destination in mind, no idea where he was going to go. Duo's offer was unexpected, but just maybe, it could work out.

     "Well? It's a long drive,  and we don't exactly have all night, y'know." Duo noted dryly. "We can run off, set up shop somewhere... Today's the first day of the rest of your life and all that."
     "'Set up shop'?" Heero raised an eyebrow, wondering just how long Duo had been planning this.
     "Yeah. Something completely unrelated to politics and terrorists and all that. The place I got is gorgeous. Maybe set up running a gallery or something."
     "..... I guess." Heero finally agreed. "We can try it."
     "Good. I got some more stuff up in my room, care to come gimme a hand getting it loaded?" Duo gestured over his shoulder at a small truck behind him.

     Heero pondered why he was going along with Duo. Sure, it was convenient for the both of them, but there was something else...
     "There... that's the last of it. Y'ready,  Heero?" Duo dusted his hands off and climbed into the cab.

     "... Yeah." Heero nodded and got into the truck as well. "Let's go."
     Duo started the vehicle and in minutes they were out on the open highway.
     ".... What do you suppose the others will think when they find us both missing in the morning?" Heero broke the silence.
     "Dunno. They'll probably be mad we didn't tell them first." Duo shrugged. "In any case, they can just wonder."

     "I suppose." Heero stared out the window.
     "Hey, don't worry about them." Duo grinned and patted Heero on the shoulder, earning a mildly surprised glare. "Starting today, it's just you and me. We can make new identities and get on with a real life together."

     "They can fight if they want to, but we're moving on,  so we might as well forget them."
     "Yeah."