by Anne
Author's notes: This ficlet is an out of order scene, continuing on from 'Jigsaw", from the fic 'Time and Tide'. It was written for SDQB 444 prompt # 16: because. It's also for prompt #56: breakfast, for crossovers100.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu Agency.The Tomorrow People belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV television. Highlander is the property of Panzer/Davis, Rysher/Gaumount Television. Alex belongs to Kevin and he's very possessive and overprotective so don't touch or even think about it. I promise to return the characters in one piece, more or less, when I'm finished, but hold no liability for any physical injury or psychological trauma sustained by them in my fiction.
Thanks to: Linda and Misanagi for beta reading.
Trowa paused at the kitchen door before entering. Old habits were difficult to ignore, especially in light of recent events. Stifling a yawn, he pushed open the door. Neither he nor Quatre had got much in the way of sleep the night before, and had woken early for another round of enthusiastic lovemaking. He wasn’t complaining but Quatre was still tender from last time, however much he tried to brush it off as not important. Losing control like that was not something Trowa did often, and he knew what he had felt through their empathic connection was only an echo of the intensity of what had driven Quatre's need courtesy of their hosts. This bond was something that needed to be investigated further, especially after what Quatre had told him; it mirrored their own a little too closely for comfort.
"Nice boxers." The young blonde woman sitting at the table looked Trowa up and down. Megabyte turned from the counter where he was talking to Kevin and glared at her. "I'm allowed to still look, Megabyte. It's not like I'm going to touch."
"Damn sure you're not," Megabyte muttered. A night's sleep had not done anything for his temperament. He hadn't been particularly polite when Trowa and Quatre had met him yesterday either. But, it was understandable. They were strangers, and he and the other Tomorrow People had a lot to hide.
"Your clothes should be finished going through the dryer shortly," Kevin said, apologetically. He seemed almost amused by the situation. "Jade, this is Trowa. Trowa, Jade."
"Megabyte's dad wants to talk to you," Jade said brightly. "We're here to take you when you've eaten." She sniffed the air. "Are you guys almost finished cooking? I’m starving."
"Hello, Jade." Trowa nodded politely, watching Megabyte's reaction carefully. Slipping into the vacant seat next to Jade, he couldn't help but smirk. "I apologise for my present attire but I wasn't expecting company."
Megabyte snorted. "Right." He placed a plate in front of Jade and gave Trowa a look. "That seat's already taken. You'll need to move down one. I'm sitting next to my wife."
"You could always move down one." Trowa shrugged and stretched, letting his t-shirt ride up deliberately.
Grinning, Jade patted the empty seat on her left. "There's another seat here, dear. I'm enjoying the view too much to ask Trowa to move." She lowered her voice, but not so much so that Megabyte couldn't hear her. "You'll have to excuse him. He's grumpy when he doesn't get his sleep. "
"Not my fault I didn't sleep." Megabyte took the seat she offered. "Wasn't me who decided to do that stuff last night."
"It was your idea," she reminded him, leaning over to give him a kiss. "And besides, I didn't see you complaining later."
Alex put down his cup with a thump, his face going bright red. "Tell me you didn't," he muttered under his breath. "You didn't, right?"
"I didn't," Jade said obediently. "Why would I waste time on you and Kevin? We already know you guys are at it like rabbits." She shrugged. "My darling husband wanted me to check out our visitors and being a dutiful wife and all that…"
"Jade!" Megabyte was turning an interesting shade of red. So was Kevin. This was becoming rather amusing. What had Megabyte asked her to do…exactly?
"I see," Trowa said, his lips curving into a smile. "That bacon smells delicious. I have quite the appetite this morning and I see others do too."
"It does smell good," Quatre agreed. "Sorry I’m late. I took a bit longer in the shower than usual." He walked over to Trowa, bending to kiss him before taking the seat opposite, next to Alex. Only a slight wince as Quatre sat hinted at the fact he was still feeling somewhat tender. Trowa smiled across the table, caressing him through their bond. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you had company. I'm Quatre. It's nice to meet you."
"Jade." Jade grinned at him. "That's okay. I can get used to spending breakfast with scantily dressed good looking guys." Megabyte growled, low in his throat.
"I'm wearing sweat pants," Quatre pointed out, blushing.
"Your boyfriend isn't," Jade said, ignoring Megabyte. "And you're cute when you blush. Has anyone told you that?" She picked up a piece of toast and chewed thoughtfully. "Sorry I didn't get to meet you yesterday. I wasn't feeling very well. Ami told me all about it though. I'm meeting her later. We're going shopping in London."
Kevin and Megabyte exchanged a glance. Megabyte shrugged. "Don't look at me, Kev. I stay clear of chick stuff. What they talk about is their business."
"What you don't know can't hurt you," Alex agreed. "At times like this I'm glad I'm gay." He helped himself to more toast.
"We need someone to help carry parcels," Jade said sweetly.
"I have an assignment to work on." Alex said. "Sorry. Or were you offering to help me with it first?"
"I've done my degree, thank you." Jade shook her head. "Maybe Trowa would like to help. He looks very capable and strong." She smiled at him.
"Maybe later," Trowa replied, having no intention of carrying parcels but returning the smile anyway. Quatre kicked him under the table. "After I'm dressed."
"You're a Tomorrow Person too?" Quatre asked, changing the subject not very subtly and giving Trowa a warning look.
"They know," Kevin said. "After what happened Quatre and I talked about a few things. We owe them our lives. We can trust them." He sat down next to Alex and began eating, definitely more composed than he had been the night before.
Megabyte was quiet for a moment. "Yeah. Trust your judgement, Kev. Just not taking any chances. Dad's worried, and Adam's in big brother mode. Not good signs."
"Adam's been in big brother mode as long as I've known him," Jade said, sighing. She squeezed Megabyte's hand. "Yes, I'm a Tomorrow Person. That's why I'm here. General Damon's in London and we need to teleport you."
"Your father is attached to the military?" Quatre chewed on his lip, a sure sign he was trying to figure things out. "That must be difficult for him."
"Yeah, got him into some trouble over the years," Megabyte confirmed. "Does what he can though." He and the others were quiet for a few moments; at least on any level Trowa was capable of hearing. General Damon had impressed him the night before with the way he had taken charge of the situation, but he was obviously a very worried man. "He's not so much military now. WorldEx is multi-national, science stuff but keeping the peace as well."
"Like Preventers," Quatre said slowly. The Tomorrow People stared at him blankly. "We work for them where we come from." He caressed Trowa through their connection.
"Where do you guys come from exactly?" Jade asked. "Kevin said that M…Adam Pierson seemed to think it was the future. How did you get here?"
"Might be some kind of alternative reality," Megabyte shrugged. "We know those exist. It only takes one thing to change stuff. Seen that before."
"Maybe you already have changed something." Kevin moved closer to Alex. "If you hadn't been here last night we would have died. Because…" His voice trailed off.
"Because of us, Galt is dead instead of you," Trowa finished. There was no way to tactfully put it, and that was Quatre's forte, not his. If this was the reason the ship had sent them, why were they still here? Was there even a way back?
Quatre glanced around the table. When he spoke it was very quietly. "I think we're here because of you." Again he caressed Trowa empathically, reaching for him, needing him. Trowa opened himself up completely to his lover, offering the calm he sought.
There were no Tomorrow People in their time. History had no record of them. Galt had been very determined in his task, but often when those like him failed, others merely rose from their ashes to take their place.
"Because of us?" Kevin echoed the words, frowning. He was shaking. Alex grabbed his lover's hand, and held it tightly. "Oh, God. This was just the beginning, wasn't it?"
"I don't know," Quatre admitted. "I'm sorry. The ship…" Did the ship even exist in this time?
Megabyte stood, pulled Jade's chair out, and placed himself in front of her. "The ship?" His eyes narrowed. "It's time to cut all this crap. Cards on the table or…"
"You can't, Megabyte, none of us can." Kevin said shaking his head. "We have to trust them. We don't have a choice anymore. Please."
"I'll find a way," Megabyte insisted. Jade stood and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I have to."
"No," Quatre shook his head. "I don't know what you are talking about exactly but I think that's why we are here. Because of you. Because you can't find a way. And because maybe we can."
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