09-Feb-2001
Okay friends, here's the short version: I do not know why, but Laekin has ceased answering or even picking up her email on AOL. If anyone is in contact with her, please ask her to contact me.
This story was left unfinished at Part 7, back on Nov 26. The raw material for the rest of the story has been written for some time, and was only waiting to be cleaned up a bit.
What is being posted here was written by myself and Laekin together, just as everything else in the Companions of Fate series. The plot is hers, with a few small contributions by moi; she writes for Quatre, Trowa and Duo, and the villains. My contributions are confined to Wufei and Heero and some brainstorming.
Category: Action, Adventure, Romance, ANGST
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4x5 (Combinations there of)
Rating: R (Adult Situations)
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money being made or sought here.
Inside the room, not much had changed. Kuang stood just inside the door that led down that awful little hallway, the vidscreens on behind him. Quatre still stood by the silk screen.
Wufei walked over to the door behind Kuang and closed it. Still standing close to his cousin, he said quietly, "The tree was taller. Your memory is accurate."
Kuang smiled. A little smile, the smile of someone who spends too much time living in the past and knows a moment of joy when someone joins him there... even if it is just for a split second in time. "Yes. I thought that was what was missing. I'll tell the artist to correct the mistake. It shouldn't take much."
Quatre remained in his spot. He watched both men together, struck full in the face by their similarities. The aristocratic features, dark intelligent eyes, graceful poised bodies. Kuang was a little thicker with age, not as finely sculpted as Wufei and there was a hint of coarseness in Kuang's face that was missing in Wufei's. Still, no one would be able to doubt the family resemblance.
Behind Kuang, the vidscreens suddenly sprang to life, reeling off numbers almost like a computer with a program.
Quatre watched the numbers. His kept his face schooled very carefully neutral. He would not make any moves to disrupt Wufei or his cousin. He would not interfere.
Very softly, the little blond spoke. "The danger, with putting your opponent on his knees, is that unless you have him truly defeated, you expose your throat to him."
Wufei waited. Though not an expert in financial matters, he understood the duel that was being waged via the numbers on the screen. He'd wait until that duel was resolved before doing what had to be done.
And a duel it was. One of the toughest Quatre and WEI had faced. It was all the more difficult because it was now out of his control, unlike battles with Sandrock. Funny... that such a thing could be decided in the span of minutes now. Marylin Phipps was not known as the best for nothing.
As it finished, Kuang's dark eyes flashed pure hatred at the young Winner. He took a step towards him. "You destroying bastard. You dare to rip my clan apart a second time!"
Wufei placed his hand on Kuang's shoulder. "Don't fix the screen," he said. "Have a new one painted. Have the plum trees in full bloom this time and the roof of the temple freshly painted red, as it was when I was fourteen."
Kuang paused in his headlong rush. Quatre heard Wufei's words. Something in them... washed away all the hate and the anger he felt towards Wufei's cousin, leaving behind a certain sadness that he couldn't put a finger on. Turning, without a word, Quatre slipped out of the room. This was not his time to intrude upon.
Kuang's shoulder trembled, just a little. His eyes looking at the screen, not even paying attention to Quatre's exit. He smiled a little. "Do you remember when you almost fell of the roof? I almost had a heart attack that you'd break your neck."
"I remember... everything," Wufei said a second time. "I remember that once, our clan was the wisest, the strongest, but most of all, our honor was beyond reproach. It will be again, cousin, you have my promise."
Kuang stumbled a little away from Wufei, walking to the silk screen. He reached up, touching the slight imperfections as if memorizing what needed to be... done over. Then he shook his head, almost violently. "No. I promise. The clan will once again rise to the heights of greatness it knew. And I'll destroy everything that tore it asunder the first time."
Wufei stepped close to his cousin, placing a hand again on his shoulder. "Very well," he said. "You see to our greatness. I will see to our honor, and our justice." As he spoke, he slid a knife from its sheath in the waist of his pants and drove it into the back of the man before him, between the ribs on the left side.
Kuang made hardly a sound as the knife slipped past the barrier of his ribs and drove into his vulnerable heart. He took a stagger step, jerking automatically away from the initial pain. Turning he looked at Wufei with wide dark eyes, full of shock. His mouth opened but the words didn't come as he fell hard to his knees.
Dropping to his own knees beside his cousin, Wufei embraced him, whispering, "Tell our ancestors, I did decide what justice was, as Long Shirin instructed me to do."
Kuang fell back into Wufei's embrace, looking up at him in those last moments. He gave a little smile, perhaps more like the expression the child Wufei had known. Struggling for the last breath. "You... were meant to survive... for a purpose."
"Our spirit will always survive, cousin," Wufei said, holding the man. "Even when I am gone."
Kuang gave another, hard won little smile, then his breath left him in a surprisingly quiet exhale and the body went heavy in Wufei's arms.
Wufei held him for many minutes, ignoring the weight in his arms. Finally he let Kuang's body down onto the floor.
He walked to the desk and looked on it. Finding a comm, he opened it and said, "If there is a second in command of this place, they should appear at the office of Chang Kuang Long now."
There was a moment, then the comm answered back. "Wufei?" It was Noin's voice. "Zechs and I are staying here for the time being. Do you require our assistance?"
"Not unless you know who runs this place for my cousin," Wufei answered in a voice devoid of any emotion whatsoever. "This is Chang family property, therefore it now belongs to me."
"I'll see what I can find out for you Wufei. Noin out."
Too soon, after Noin disconnected, there was a knock on the heavy wooden doors.
"Enter!" Wufei called.
It was Dorothy who stepped through the door. Whatever it was she'd expected to find... Kuang dead on the ground was not part of it. Her cool features slipped for a moment into an expression of exasperation, then slid back into the icy mask so wore so perfectly.
"Now... this was unexpected."
"If that's true, then you haven't done anything close to your homework," Wufei said coldly. "Whatever services you performed for my family are now terminated and you are no longer needed. I commend you into the care of your own."
"I didn't expect Mr. Kuang to be so weak." Dorothy spoke almost to herself while Wufei spoke. She then looked up as his words penetrated her conscious mind. "Very well Mr. Wufei. Until we meet again." She spoke in calm, urbane tones. As Trowa had once said... nothing as sad as a woman who can't cry.
"Clearly you did not understand the nature of my family's strength," Wufei said softly. "Had my cousin been anything other than weak, he would have died an honorable death with the rest of the colony."
Her back to him, almost out the door, Dorothy smiled over her shoulder. "I'll keep this in mind. For the next time." Then she was gone. It was a few minutes of utter silence before the doorway filled with an older man.
The older gentleman's eyes were sad as he looked upon the still body on the ground. He made no startled exclamations, or cries of woe. He studied the dead man for a respectful moment, then turned his dark eyes to Wufei. Bowing, retainer to master. "Master Chang."
"You will cooperate completely with the Preventer agents who are here," Wufei said. "And Chang Kuang Long will be buried in space with full ceremony. You will send a full report of everything I need to know to my office at WEI. What is your name?"
The older man kept his eyes respectfully averted as he answered in a soft but strong voice. "Shi Gong Ren. Master Chang, I shall see to all your commands."
Wufei bowed his head slightly in dismissal.
Gong bowed once again and removed himself from the room.
Wufei waited until the man was gone. Then he sat down on the floor, next to his cousin's body, bowed his head into his arms, and wept.
Quatre had not felt it his right to disturb Wufei. He had gone back to the shuttle and checked on Trowa. Duo had settled the tall boy onto one of the shuttle's long couches and Trowa moved restlessly. Quatre had poured his attention into his green-eyed lover, getting a cool damp cloth and working it across Trowa's forehead and face. A second cloth had been used to wet Trowa's lips.
Between the two of them, Quatre and Duo checked Trowa for serious damage. They found the work of skillful torture experts. Injuries that caused almost mindless agony but that left the body healthy enough to withstand hours upon days of such treatment. Satisfied that Trowa was in no immediate physical danger, Quatre had continued to stroke his lover's face and neck, whispering soothing nonsense words through the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes.
He'd gotten the surprise of his life when, while turning to wash out the cloth, Trowa's strong fingers had wrapped around his arm. The green eyed boy held his arm in a vice like grip, painful almost.. as if Trowa couldn't feel how hard he was gripping him. Quatre turned quickly, meeting those burning emerald eyes. Trowa's lips moved, but only a whisper of breath escaped him.
Quatre bent closer to his love, trying to keep Trowa from straining himself. Trowa repeated. "Go...to him... bring him back... to us."
Quatre straightened, looking into Trowa's pale ravaged face. The older boy seemed to be holding onto his moment of lucidness with every ounce of his strength. Quatre nodded and soothed Trowa with gentle touches and a soft kiss to the side of his mouth.
"I will... rest."
Secure in the little blonde's promise, Trowa allowed himself to sink back down into the blissful escape of unconsciousness. This time.. he seemed to rest a little easier. Quatre freed his arm from Trowa's grip and stood. He dug Duo out of the pilot's seat, leaving the American with precise instructions, then he was out of the shuttle and heading back towards Wufei.
Once again, Quatre found himself in the hesitant position of approaching Wufei. It felt much like it had that night on the roof of his house back at Earth. As if he were intruding. As it had happened that night... he once again heard and felt the desperate push of Trowa's words. 'Go to him... bring him back to us.' As before, Quatre drew on his green-eyed lover's strength and silently approached the bent form of his wounded dragon.
Wufei was barely conscious of the door opening, of someone entering. His shoulders shook, and slowly he attempted to find something inside himself besides despair. Three visions played in his mind in succession, endlessly repeating. His colony exploding. Trowa in the room down the hall. His cousin on the floor, red stain spreading around him. Trowa...
Still sensitive to the bombardment from earlier, Quatre felt the maelstrom of emotions from Wufei, even if he could not discern their individual causes. He moved very respectfully up behind the kneeling young man, his legs close to Wufei's back but not quite touching, or crowding. He looked at the still, almost peaceful form of Kuang Chang. Though he had... known this was a possibility, his heart still twisted in pain for Wufei. For what his lover had been forced to do.
Reaching down, finding his own strength and more importantly, Trowa's within his heart, he gently laid one hand on Wufei's shoulder. The other reached up and tenderly caught a loose wisp of dark hair, drawing it back with a feather-light caress along Wufei's temple, ear, neck.
After a few moments, Wufei became still, almost as still as the figure beside him. He lifted his head, but it did not come all the way up, nor did his back straighten into the proud posture he normally maintained.
He couldn't quite bring himself to look at Quatre, nor could he find any words to say.
The time spent with Heero was not in vain. Quatre didn't try to fill the silence with words, nor did he expect any from Wufei. He left his hand, resting on Wufei's shoulder. Neither gripping nor moving. His other hand continued the very slow, gently strokes through dark silky hair. Except for the movement of that one hand, Quatre's entire body was completely still.
After a moment, Wufei reached up and caught Quatre's hand, stilling it.
He swallowed. "Why are you still here? Get Trowa to medical care." His voice was hoarse but controlled.
Quatre let his hand be perfectly receptive in Wufei's grip. He didn't try to grasp Wufei's hand in return, or link their fingers. Nothing invasive. His voice, when he spoke, was the sweet almost innocent whisper he'd spoken in when he'd first landed on Earth.
"He won't leave you. Neither will I."
Wufei shuddered, hard. Then he stood up. "Fine," he said. "Let's go."
Not since the morning after they had become lovers, had Quatre faced these walls. This time, he didn't know how to burrow beneath them, so he would stand patiently at the gate. Stepping back, he waited for Wufei to precede him.
Wufei started towards the door, then stopped. He turned and walked back to the painted screen. He looked at it for a moment, as if memorizing the pattern so carefully painted there. Then he reached out and lifted it off the floor and threw it across the length of the room.
The screen was heavy, its wood frame solid, keeping it stable, and his muscles corded as he tossed it, the impact causing the artifact to shatter and tear into pieces.
Panting slightly, Wufei stared at the wreckage for a moment and then looked at Quatre, holding out his hand.
Quatre didn't flinch when the heavy frame went crashing across the room, though it made a hell of a bang. One lone tear got loose in the corner of each eye, slipping down his cheeks and blurring his vision. He licked the salty liquid away from the corner of his lips fighting to focus on the extended hand.
Shaking himself out of his momentary stupor, he moved towards Wufei. Undeterred and unhesitant, even in the face of the powerful, wounded pain that was rolling off his dragon in waves that Quatre was surprised he couldn't see. Perhaps he was not as skilled as Trowa, at approaching a dangerous, wounded wild thing but he had enough of the green eyed boy's soul entwined with his own to still make the journey.
His small fingers closed around Wufei's extended hand.
Wufei clasped Quatre's hand and then turned and moved quickly out of the room, heading for the shuttle.
Quatre kept pace, a quiet presence at Wufei's side as they navigated the corridors and then out to the hanger. As they entered the shuttle, Duo looked up and being a surprisingly perceptive young man, he quickly retreated to the cockpit, closing the door behind him.
On the couch, Trowa shifted a little, agitated, as if feeling his lovers return. Emerald green eyes, perhaps a little bright from a fever, opened and searched desperately till they found Wufei's face.
Wufei went to Trowa's side, controlling his face, keeping it smooth, and burying the pain as deep as he could. He took Trowa's hand and said quietly, "Sleep, koi. It's all right."
Trowa had spent enough time screaming... he had held out as long as he could but even he had limits, that his voice was a wreak. He didn't seek to strain it again but he held onto Wufei's hand in the same hard, grip that he'd grasped Quatre's arm earlier. His eyes studied Wufei's face and the expression in them relaxed a hair.
Quatre stood, watching the two. He turned and began to seal up the shuttle door. On the couch, Trowa closed his eyes and with a long breath, slipped quietly back into sleep but his hand never released Wufei.
Heero joined the others in the shuttle, having cleared with Zechs and Noin that they had enough backup to handle whatever might occur there. He gave Duo the clear to get them out of there.
Duo wasted no time in getting the little shuttle spaceborn. He wanted to get the three in the cabin behind them back to someplace safe, as quickly as possible. His violet eyes were stony with impotent rage.
In the cabin, Quatre finally broke his self imposed silence. "You could stretch out with him, on the couch. It's wide enough."
Wufei shook his head absently. Then he took a breath and looked at Quatre. "I was terrified to see you. And very very grateful."
Quatre took a small breath and came closer to both his lovers. It took a little bit of wriggling but he managed to settle down on the couch. He took Trowa's head, settling it comfortably on the pillow on his lap, stroking his fingers through the matted auburn hair.
Sitting like this, he was also very close to Wufei without blundering into the Chinese boy's personal space.
"I... knew that you would not have approved. But, I couldn't leave you two out here, alone, in pain. I've turned all the information over the Sally Po. Her eyes only and... a bit edited. Zechs and Noin, I trust as I trust Sally, Heero... Duo. It was the best compromise I could find."
He had kept his eyes on Trowa's pale face while he spoke but as he ended his sentence, he looked up at Wufei.
"It's fine, Quatre... it's... good. You act as a Gundam pilot - I expect nothing less," Wufei said softly. "I would rejoice in your triumph over this enemy if I could do so." His eyes seemed to be on Trowa but in truth he was looking at something far away.
Quatre clenched his teeth to keep from being physically ill at Wufei's words. He breathed quick and shallow for a couple of heartbeats until he had his rebellious stomach back under control.
"There is nothing about this to rejoice in, koi." Quatre whispered, tightly. "There was no... victor. Yes, I acted like a Gundam Pilot. I survived. I wonder if the cost was worth it."
Wufei shrugged without looking up. "We didn't ask to be warriors," he said softly. "Perhaps we are not meant to count the cost."
Quatre lowered his eyes to Trowa's face. His fingers soothed out a restless wrinkle in his lover's forehead, encouraging Trowa back to deep REM sleep. "Counting the cost is my responsibility. That is one thing you can not take away from me."
Wufei shook his head absently. "I'll... take nothing away from anyone, ever again," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Quatre lapsed back into silence for a good hour. When he next spoke, his voice was quiet and gentle. "Where would you like me to take you?"
Wufei opened his eyes, which had closed a little bit before.
"Me? It doesn't matter. Trowa goes to medical care."
Quatre nodded. "There are good medical facilities on Earth, on quiet places on Earth. Also in space. Where would you like me to take you?"
Wufei shook his head. "Where ever is best for him."
Quatre sat silently for a few minutes. Then he reached up a free hand and toggled the intercom on between the cabin and the cockpit.
"Duo?"
"Yeah Q-man."
"Do we have enough fuel to get to the Rurabi base in Kenya?"
"Mmm.. hold on a second." There was a pause and some clicks as Duo checked the gauges. "Yep. That's an affirmative."
"Good. Set course for the Rurabi base. Use whatever weight you need to get clearance. Tell them we have a wounded man who needs immediate care."
"Right."
Quatre toggled off the intercom. "I think he'll like Kenya, when he's feeling better. There is a large wild animal sanctuary near the Rurabi base."
Wufei nodded slightly.
Being experienced pilots they could both feel the shuttle swing and alter course. Silence once again fell in the small cabin and this time Quatre made no move to break it.
Eventually Wufei's eyes closed again.
It was dark when the shuttle landed. The night was balmy and the soothing scents of trees, water and flowers carried on the air. As the shuttle taxied around, an ambulance sat on the tarmac, medical staff waiting. Quatre moved, setting Trowa's head gentle back down on the couch, then opening the shuttle door and releasing the steps. The medical staff, lead by Dr. Ashworn of all people slipped up into the cabin with a gurney.
Wufei moved aside when he had to, making way for the medical team. There was something a bit mechanical about his responses, though he kept Trowa in sight at all times.
The medical team was swift and competent. They loaded Trowa up on the gurney and Dr. Ashworn's influence could be felt in the way he made certain that Wufei was never forced to release Trowa's hand. Quatre stood aside, letting the gurney and medical staff, Dr. Ashworn and Wufei head down the steps towards the ambulance first. Then he followed. He left Duo and Heero to their own devices. They were welcome to come or use his shuttle to return to space, which ever they needed.
The ambulance ride was mercifully short. Quatre had not fibbed in saying that the bases medical facility was top notch. Trowa was settled on a bed, stripped and finally Dr. Ashworn gently took Wufei's elbow.
"You don't have to leave the room but I need to be able to get to him." The doctor's tones were soft and lilting, gentle of spirit as well as hand.
Wufei nodded and kissed Trowa's hand, then began disengaging his.
Trowa shifted restlessly as his hand was released. He was obviously fighting to wake back up but loosing the battle. Ashworn moved with swift competence as he checked the boy out from head to foot. He gave a couple quiet orders to the nurses. Followed these up with notes on his chart then he turned to Wufei and Quatre.
"He's severely dehydrated and feverish. I'm suspecting he's got an infection but there doesn't seem to be any internal injuries, or broken bones. I'm going to send samples to the lab but I suspect he's been electrocuted and he is probably fighting a rather wicked drug cocktail. We're going to start getting fluids into him and get him stable. Then we'll run some more detailed tests."
Quatre listened to Ashworn with a solemn expression on his slender features. He was used to being in Ashworn's care and there was not a doctor in the universe he trusted more. He gave tight little nods in response, his arms tucked up around his body.
Wufei listened closely and simply nodded once. He looked around and saw an area with chairs not far away, and pulled a couple of them as close as he could while still out of the way. Then he pushed Quatre into one.
Quatre obediently sat in the chair. Folding his hands into his lap, he looked at Trowa who after the first 10 minutes on the IV seemed to be resting much more comfortably. Quatre leaned forward, unable to help himself, and stroked his fingers lightly along Trowa's arm, careful not to jar the IV lines. He kept an eye on Wufei, and on Trowa.
Quatre kept his recriminations to himself. Oh he felt them. He'd agreed to let Trowa go. He felt responsible for the state his green-eyed lover was now in, despite how arrogant or foolish such a feeling might be. He didn't say the words. He didn't say them because he didn't want Wufei to tell him to stop it, or shut up. He sought no comfort from Wufei. Instead he fought internally to stay right where he was. To keep from running away from the fear that now assaulted him.
Wufei sat in the other chair, and after a while, took Quatre's hand. He held it loosely, and his eyes, when open, were far away, but the contact was there.
Quatre tentatively closed his fingers very gently around Wufei's hand. After awhile he sat forward, resting his head on his other arm against the bed, close to Trowa's fingers. His tears fell silently.
Wufei watched them both, eyes closing from time to time, unable to do anything more than wait.
Under direct orders from Ashworn, the nurses would tiptoe in and out quietly changing IV bags and checking on Trowa but careful not to disturb the two boys who sat with him. Quatre finally fell asleep where he rested next to Trowa's hand. A couple of hours went by like this and the light was just starting to pink the sky when a much more lucid Trowa woke up.
Testing sore eyes, Trowa took some time to orient himself. Light... that was the first thing that cued him in on the fact that he was safe. Light and warmth and comfort. Then he could hear the very soft breathing of a sleeping Arabian, and his eyes quickly went to the blond head resting next to his hip. He looked from Quatre to Wufei in the chair. Taking in the young dragon's appearance.
"Ouch." Trowa's voice was strained still.
Wufei's eyes opened at the sound and he looked over to see Trowa awake.
"How do you feel?" he asked, his voice not too clear either.
Trowa seemed to study the condition of his body and he took a slow careful breath. "Better. Thirsty."
Wufei got up, finding a pitcher of water nearby and poured some in a cup with a straw. He leaned over to place it at Trowa's lips.
Trowa wanted nothing more than to bolt the entire glass, but he knew better and was ever the calm young man. He took a couple small grateful sips, then leaned his head back on the pillows. His green eyes, less feverish then before, looked up at Wufei and he gave a little half smile.
"Things didn't go as planned, koi."
Wufei nodded. Then he said, very quietly, each word precisely controlled, "I'm sorry."
Trowa frowned a little, shaking his head uncomprehending. "Why?"
"For what happened to you," Wufei answered.
"Why should you be sorry for a mission failure?" Trowa strained to talk. He finally shook his head and laid back on the pillows. His eyes moved to the top of blond hair and he stretched his hand as far as he could to touch the silky strands but he was too far away.
"Hush," Wufei said. "I have my reasons. Don't worry about it, just rest and get better."
He set the cup down where Trowa could reach it and said softly, "I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back soon." He leaned over and dropped a soft kiss on Trowa's forehead.
Trowa didn't say anything but he frowned gently. He nodded to Wufei and rested back against the pillows. Trowa's eyes closed for a moment in response to the soft kiss, then they opened and went to their study of the small blonde hairs just out of reach.
Wufei slipped out, leaving the two of them alone together.
End Part 8b
Laekin
Please send comments to: seregill@aol.com or bonnejeanne@yahoo.com