Disclaimer: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing is property of Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu. Peter Pan is property of J.M. Barrie, Disney & Universal.
Tinkerbell fought back the fear in her heart. She had never felt such fear, boiling anger and blinding jealousy she was accustomed to, but fear wasn't a normal part of a pixie's emotions. She just couldn't deal with it constantly nibbling away at the edges of her thoughts. Taking, stealing, sealing, choking, smothering-
Someone took her hand. "Angelina?" It was Wufei. "You don't have to answer, if you feel you can't."
Some of the nibbling drew back. He squeezed her hand and the fear retreated. It was like a window had been opened, allowing the fresh air to caress her mind. She looked up to Duo. "I can tell you, but you may not believe me."
Her host smiled, but she wasn't sure it was genuine. It was more like the mask he presented to the world. "That's alright. I just want to hear what you have to say, especially after what Wufei just told me. I know he's incapable of lying just for kicks." Just good ol' Duo Maxwell. You can trust me. Yeah, right.
"If you just want to know my real name, I used to be called Tinkerbell."
"Used to be?" asked Duo without sarcasm.
"Tinkerbell was the name I used in my homeland. She was a fool who could not control her anger. She was a fool who clung to empty dreams. Her mother was forced to send her away on a mission to find happiness and to escape sorrow. The day she found paradise Tinkerbell ceased to be and Angelina arose to enjoy her new home.
"But my new home was no paradise. I was captured and imprisioned and forced into servitude as first a laborer and then as a guard. It was at this duty that I met, Mr. Wufei."
"But you were a child when you met him. How is that?"
Tinkerbell took a deep breath. "This is my true form. This is the form of Tinkerbell, she who left her home to find happiness. When I was captured, I met a woman from my homeland. She took something precious from me and I was trapped in the body of a seven-year old-Angelina's form." At this point, Tinkerbell had her eyes pasted on the floor. She couldn't take Duo's pseudo-pleasant expression any longer and she did not want to see what was surely written on Wufei's face.
"That doesn't really explain anything."
"Enough, Maxwell," came Wufei's still calm voice. "I didn't bring her here for interrogation." Duo snapped his mouth shut and had the good taste to look surprised. "I brought her here because I trusted you not to act like Heero. It doesn't matter who she is. I'll take her somewhere else if it makes you feel better."
Tinkerbell felt her heart contract. Wufei was staying by her. She couldn't stop the tears.
"Na-ah-" Duo's voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Nah. You're right. I'm sorry. You can stay."
"Are you sure? I don't want to be afraid of loosing her if I have to leave this house."
She knew Wufei didn't mean it exactly the way it sounded, but her heart began to throb and the tears gushed forth with wanton abandon.
"Honest, Wufei. You are both welcome here. You can stay as long as you like. I won't bring this up again."
"Fine."
"Well, I've got stuff to do," she heard Duo stand up, "so, feel free to use the shower, bath, whatever and you know where the guestroom is. I'll make sure to pick up some new clothes for Angelina. Until then, just pick through my closet." He left the room.
It got really quiet after Duo left. The tears wouldn't cease and Tinkerbell was on the verge of sobbing when Wufei turned her face up to meet his eyes. There was real concern behind them.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know he was going to give you the third-degree. He's not usually like that. I didn't expect it out of him and I should have."
He was blaming himself for her tears. Tinkerbell shook her head.
Wufei took her other hand. "Why are you crying?"
No one ever cared that she cried before, except her mother and her mother had sent her away. "Why... why do you care?"
He looked shocked for a moment, then he looked down to his hands grasping hers. "I don't know," he said to their hands. "You were crying before in the park. There weren't any tears, but I could tell you had given up all hope. My sense of duty wouldn't have allowed me to leave you with that woman, but seeing that I didn't want to leave you with her, I couldn't stand to see you crying. I wanted you to come with me so I could make sure nothing ever made you cry again. But, now you're crying. How useless am I?"
"No," she managed through the tears. I'm not crying because I'm sad. She reached out for him.