November 10, 2000
Rating: Mature audience only, please...
Pairings: 1+2+5, 3+4, 6+9, S+11, M+J
Warnings: Yaoi and MAJOR Sappiness. This is also my first songfic.
Feedback: C&C is always welcomed and adored.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu Agency and are only being used for non-profit entertainment purposes. "Arms Wide Open" belongs to Creed.
Notes: March 18, 204AC--Quatre Raberba Winner's 24th Birthday.
[Well I just heard, the news today,
It seems my life's, about to change]
They were gathered at the hospital, nervous, excited, scared out of their wits end. Forced to wait.
"You know, it's a really nice birthday present," the blonde young man was saying--when he wasn't worrying his lower lip. "I just wish it didn't take so long to unwrap," he tried to joke.
The *glare* shot in his direction convinced him he'd be better off just keeping his mouth shut. There was only the four of them in the room waiting. They hadn't told any of their friends that today was 'the day'--and so no one was there to share the burden of waiting with them.
They were alone. Locked away in this pitiful excuse for a waiting room with nothing to do but sit and wait and worry and wait and try not to kill each other and wait--
He'd already tried to find something interesting to watch on the small vidscreen. But the early-morning kid shows were terribly boring to him and the 'morning news' was just recycled news from the evening before. So he turned to studying the others.
The love of his life was leaning up against the pink-striped wall, looking like he didn't have a worry in the world. Quatre knew differently. The tall, graceful young man was as scared as the rest of them. The seemingly complete stillness of the slim limbs, the tightly corded muscles that contracted at varying intervals, the down-turned chin, the closed eyes--all spoke to the blond man, telling him of his lover's worries.
Quatre wanted to hold him, reassure him that everything was going to be all right. But he didn't know that for sure. None of them could be sure that it was going to 'be all right'.
Duo was sitting down in a chair a row across from him. His leg jumped and tapped repetitively, faster and faster. His fingers hammered out imaginary beats on his knee... He chewed on the end of his braid, used the corded length of hair as a drumstick, jumped up and paced, plummeted back down into the chair. And then repeated the entire process.
Heero was not far away from Duo, leaning back against the wall in a similar stance to Trowa's. But the Japanese man was facing the door to the waiting room. Whoever entered would immediately be faced with one Yuy-Glare-of-Death.
As Quatre watched, the Japanese man stiffened.
The door to the waiting room opened.
[I close my eyes, begin to pray,
Then tears of joy, stream down my face]
Doce Behr stepped through, closing the door behind her and leaning back against it. She spared a look for each of the young men, before focusing on the dark-haired man directly across from her.
"The baby's fine," she started, folding her arms around the clipboard in front of her.
"And Wufei?" Duo nearly jumped down her throat, every muscle in his lithe frame tense, his eyes pleading with her, his heart clenching tightly, fearing the worst.
Heero was like liquid mercury, moving to his lover's side, one hand brushing the small of Duo's back--but his steel-blue stare never left the face of the woman before him. It was a haunted look that hid in those cobalt depths. A haunted look that was steeling itself for the worst, praying for the best, begging for the truth.
Quatre was standing now, too, his marine eyes closed tight, begging Allah that his friend and lover was okay, alive and well. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up--
Into Trowa's loving green eyes. A shared look. A shared hope. They both turned in time to see the Cheshire-grin spread across the Latin doctor's face before she announced:
"Both baby *and* father are just fine. They're doing just fine," she repeated, though she couldn't be quite sure if they heard her.
Someone gave a bark of laughter. Someone joined in, until all four men were laughing and crying out their relief. Quatre wasn't sure who laughed first or who hugged who first. All he knew was that they were hugging and laughing and crying. Yes, crying. There were tears in all of their eyes. Relief and joy flooded the small waiting room.
[With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open...]
"Wufei's been moved to a private room," Doce said when they had calmed down enough for them to hear her. "A nurse is cleaning the baby right now and will bring her there just as soon as she's all cleaned up and made pretty."
They were beaming--the effect was contagious she found as she led them from the waiting room to the private room that had been reserved specifically for this day. The birthday of the first child of a gundam pilot. Hey! That didn't happen everyday! Doce laughed.
It took them less than five minutes to relocate to the private recovery room where an exhausted looking Wufei was laying on a medical bed. Brilliant spring morning sunshine poured in through the large window, spilling onto the bed and its sole occupant.
They swarmed around him, reaching out to touch him, to reconnect, to confirm for themselves that their fifth member was well and alive and all right. Still smiling and laughing and, yes, still crying, they showered kisses over the recovering dragon.
And then the door opened... drawing five pairs of eyes.
The elderly nurse beamed towards the five handsome young men gathered in the room who were watching her intently--or, rather, watching the precious, tiny bundle swaddled in pink she held in her arms.
"I think you have some people here who are anxious to see you, baby," she cooed, bee-lining it to the bed, leaning over to hand the baby to the young 'mother' on the bed.
But Wufei stopped her, shaking his dark head and looking instead to Heero. "You hold her first, Heero," the tired Chinese man whispered.
[Well I don't know, if I'm ready,
To be the man, I have to be]
Heero stared at the pink swaddling of baby blanket that symbolized a baby girl, shocked. A baby. Their baby. His baby. He swallowed down the fear that threatened to choke him, forcing air into his screaming lungs.
It was real. This was reality. They were parents. He was a father...
The nurse crossed the bed and was standing before Heero now, holding out the newborn in offering. She frown when the young man didn't immediately reach out and take the baby.
Duo pressed up closer to his immobile lover, form-fitting his body to Heero's side. "Go ahead," he encouraged. "Hold her, Hee-chan." His hands materialized at the Japanese man's waist.
Like anchors. They anchored him, grounded him, gave him strength. Heero reached up, reached out, his fingers brushing the soft baby blanket.
"I promise she won't break," the nurse reassured and she deposited the baby into the silent man's arms.
[I take a breath, take her by my side,
We stand in awe, we've created life]
He looked down into the tiny scrunched up baby-pink face, awe-struck. Tiny lips were pursed in a grimace; tiny fists were curled up around her face; tiny tuffs of silky black hair stuck up at angles; her tiny little eyes squeezed tight against the blinding sunlight.
"Will you look at that," Duo said softly. "She's already mastered your statement, Hee-chan!"
Heero managed to pull his eyes away from the tiny thing in his arms long enough to spear his braided lover with a glare--which only caused the others to laugh more--before looking back at his daughter.
"We're daddies now," Duo whispered in his ear, leaning up to rest his chin on his shoulder and look down on their daughter.
"Hai..."
"A real family," Duo added, carefully hugging Heero's waist as he stared down at their daughter.
Their daughter. Their child. Flesh of their Flesh, Blood of their Blood.
"Hai..."
[With arms wide open,
Under the sunlight,
Welcome to this place,
I'll show you everything]
"So, have you decided on a name?" Doce Behr asked.
Wufei looked away from the sight his two lovers made. "Yes," he replied, not bothering to try and remove the smile that beamed up from his tired face.
"Trinity."
"Duo looked up from one loving face to another, radiating. "A union of the three of us..."
"A chance at redemption," Heero added softly. "A chance at a life we never had the chance to know..." One large rough finger reached out to caress the baby-soft cheek and drool-covered lips.
"It's a beautiful name," Quatre sighed, his heart feeling like it was going to burst with love at any minute. He wanted to hug each of them as tightly as he could, hold them to him and never let them go. He settled instead for holding Wufei's hand in his as he sat precariously on the bed, watching the three men and the tiny baby.
"Hello, little Trinity," Trowa said softly, leaning over to kiss the tiny forehead.
The tiny baby made a sound, as if acknowledging the greeting, and the five men laughed. The laughter seemed to attract the baby's interest, and perfect, tiny, little black eyelashes blinked open--
And stared up into two daddies' faces. Two indigo eyes blinked, trying to focus and a look of... of... of wonderment overcame the infant's features.
"Will you look at that," Duo cooed. "I think she has our eyes, Hee-chan!" He squeezed his love's waist tighter.
"Ten toes and ten fingers, too, in case you were wondering," Doce added with a laugh.
Duo looked up at her, grinning wildly. "Of course she does! Didn't they tell you? She's perfect!" He winked. "She has to be. She's our baby."
[With arms wide open,
Now everything has changed,
I'll show you love,
I'll show you everything]
Quatre and Trowa left to notify everybody that the baby was born and both baby and father were doing fine. They had managed to keep the birth date a secret so it was no surprise when, nearly an hour later, the door to Wufei's private room burst open to admit a slew of excited people.
"You *sneaks*!" Mariemeia was the first to speak. "How could you go behind our backs like that! What if something had gone wrong? I wouldn't have been here to--"
"And you think there might have been something you could have done, woman, had you been here?" Wufei returned, little heat in his words, but much amusement.
"Oh, Wufei!" The redheaded teen rushed over to the bed and engulfed the Chinese man in a loving embrace. "I was so worried," she whispered, kissing his cheek, not bothering to hide the small trails of moisture that seeped from her blue eyes, ruining her mascara.
He held her tightly another moment before letting go. Tenderly he smeared away the inky moisture. "There was no need to worry, woman. I am fine, and so is she..." He looked over to where Duo sat, sprawled out over Heero's lap in a chair, holding their daughter.
"Oh! Let me see! Let me see--"
"Okay! Okay! Okay!" Duo laughed, standing up. "But be quiet, she just went back to sleep," Duo cautioned, handing over the little bundle of joy he'd just had the pleasure of feeding and burping. Still, he couldn't take his eyes off her as he found his way back to Heero's lap by touch only--mainly by Heero's arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him back down into his lap where he held the braided man tightly.
Jake drew up close behind the redhead, his hands holding her waist as he looked over her shoulder, down at the tiny little newborn.
"Isn't she just adorable?" Marie cooed, brushing the baby's velvety cheek.
"Yep, but you're cuter," the dark-haired youth replied, pecking her cheek. Marie just grinned, leaning back into the boy.
"Just don't go getting any ideas," Anne warned, sparing her daughter and her boyfriend a *look* before moving to congratulate the three new-fathers.
"Well, congratulations, Yuy," Zechs said, grinning as he held out his hand to the young Japanese man. "Now it's *your* turn for the two a.m. feedings and diaper changes and spit rags and laundry!"
"Hn. That's what Duo's for," Heero replied, smirking as he tugged on his lover's braid.
"Hn! That's what *you* think!" the braided-man replied--causing much laughter in the room.
"Oooh! Look, Mommy! Another baby jus' like Adweean!"
"Why, hello there, Miss Kataryna Peacecraft!" Trowa charmed, swooping the three-year-old up into his arms. "And how are you today?"
The child giggled in reply. He held her up high enough to look down at the baby in Mariemeia's arms. "That's my niece, Trinity," he said.
"Little..." the child cooed in awe, reaching out a hand to touch the baby. "She's little like Adweean was! Is she gonna get bigger like he did?"
Noin laughed, shifting the two-month-old Adrian Peacecraft in her arms. "Yes dear, she'll grow bigger just like your brother did."
"Wow..." she said, much to the amusement of the adults in the room.
"Well, congratulations," Sally said, beaming at the young men in the room. "You've just gotten yourself into a heap load of trouble!"
"Oh, Sally," Anne admonished, going over to her daughter's side to steal the baby away. "Look at her. Isn't she just the cutest thing you've ever seen?"
"Yep," Sally replied readily. "And if she's anything like her fathers," she grinned, spearing each of the three men in question with an amused look, "she's gonna be one hyper, indestructible, justice-loving bundle of cute."
[With arms wide open
Wide open...]
She rubbed her eyes, exhausted, as she leaned up against the wall. On the other side of the glass she could see the occupants as they came and went, greeting the new parents. It was late. She was tired. She'd been there since six a.m. that morning. She had promised him--all those months ago. And today, she had fulfilled that last promised.
"You want some coffee or tea?" the small blonde woman asked, coming up beside her and rubbing her back in soothing circles.
She smiled, looking down into the caring teal eyes that shined up at her. "Some coffee sounds good, thank you, Tina."
The blonde smiled. "How much longer you planning on staying, Shima?"
"Not too much longer now, I promise," the dark-haired woman replied, her dark eyes pleading with the blonde. Tina sighed, shaking her head as she went off in search of coffee.
The woman looked back up and through the window. One hand pressed to her chest, her heart, as she made a wish...
[If I had just one wish,
Only one demand,
I hope he's not like me,
I hope he understands,
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open]
She felt drawn to the window, but she resisted the urge. She knew she really couldn't stay that much longer. She knew every minute longer she risked the chance of exposure, and, really, after spending the last eight months living carefree and lively, she wasn't really sure if she was ready to become reacquainted with her past.
But she had made a promise eight months ago. And today, she had lived up to that promise. She had brought her granddaughter into the world this morning, just as Chang Wufei had asked her to do before she left him alone that night so many months ago.
Granddaughter.
She, Hiroshima Jackson, was a grandmother.
She caught her reflection in the window as something dark passed by it. 'Well, at least I'm still looking good,' she thought to herself with a smile.
And then another figure showed in the window and her smile faded. Her mouth went dry and her heart seemed to clench tightly.
"You have a chance to give that little baby something you never had, Heero," she whispered hoarsely, her eyes stinging. "I know you'll be a good daddy, a better parent than I ever was, or could hope to be." She swallowed. "Don't be afraid to love," she whispered, more hoarse than before. "Don't be like me..."
"Perhaps you should tell him that," a soft voice said from behind her.
She whirled, her long dark ponytail whipping out behind her. Stubbornly she scrubbed at the tears staining her cheek. "What--what are you doing here?" she asked.
The young Chinese man smirked. "They won't release me until tomorrow. What are you still doing here? I thought you would have left right after the surgery..."
"I..." She realized she had no answer. Why hadn't she left after she'd fulfilled her promise?
"Would you like to see her? To hold her?" he asked. His body shifted, and she realized that he wasn't looking directly at her, but behind her.
She whirled, her heart racing in her chest, staring at the two other young men before her now.
[With arm wide open
Under the sunlight,
Welcome to this place,
I'll show you everything]
"I--I--" Her mouth worked, but no sound came out. So instead she bit her lip, fighting back the tears that were more than willing to fall. "I don't know how," she said finally, her voice hoarse, her throat raw.
"It's really easy," Heero replied, equally as hoarse. "Here, let me show you... You just open your arms..."
Mother and son stood staring, five feet apart. The closest they'd ever come in over nine months. In over twenty years, really.
And then... he took a step.
One single step closer.
She hesitated, but followed, and her arms unfurled, and she held them out, wide open.
They brushed against one another as he transferred his daughter into her arms... and then he moved away, and, shockingly, she realized she was holding the tiny little thing. A tiny little baby. The fruits of her labor.
Her granddaughter.
She was holding her granddaughter.
She was shaking; she wasn't sure if she could stand on her own for very much longer. She swallowed, unaware of the tears that streamed down her face.
"She's so small," she managed to choke out, pulling the blanket away to reveal the tiny little face.
"Most newborns are," Heero replied wryly, a small smirk pulling at his lips as he watched the woman holding his daughter.
'The woman', he repeated. 'The woman' was his mother. His biological mother. His mother was holding his daughter.
He swallowed, hard. There was a pressure against either of his sides and it took him a moment to realize that both Duo and Wufei were there, standing beside him, watching his mother hold their daughter.
"You know," Duo was saying, arm wrapped firmly around Heero's waist as he leaned up against the Japanese man. "You're the only grandmother Trinity has. It's your God-given duty to spoil her rotten."
Hiroshima looked up from her granddaughter's tiny little face, surprise, shock, disbelief and a thousand other emotions painted across her face amongst the tears. "'Trinity'?" she repeated, her voice little more than a choked whisper.
Duo continued to grin at her, but it was Wufei who replied. "It was the logical conclusion."
"Do you... approve?" Heero questioned, then frowned, not knowing why he asked.
Her dark, liquidy eyes traveled his face, drinking in his features... and then she looked down at the tiny baby in her arms. "Oh, yes," she breathed. "I approve. Very much so."
She lifted the tiny baby to her lips and gently kissed her tiny little forehead. "Hello, my little Trinity," she whispered softly to the sleeping baby. "Welcome to this world. There are a lot of wonderful things here to discover and I can't wait to see you embrace them all!"
[With arms wide open,
Now everything has changed,
I'll show you love,
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open...]
********** End of "Oh Baby, Baby" Epilogue **********
Andrea Readwolf
Please send comments to: andrea_readwolf@hotmail.com