28-Mar-2000
"Where is he?!" Relene Peacecraft, soon to be Relena Peacecraft-Yuy wondered aloud, her voice growing irritable. They'd waited and waited - the time had passed fairly quickly, there had been so much else to discuss and plan, so much to delightfully anticipate - but finally she had glanced at her diamond studded watch, and realized that it had been one whole hour and Duo Maxwell was still obviously, conspicuously absent!
"I'll check," Heero stated, moving gracefully away from Relena's gaggle of female friends. His footsteps echoed hollowly as he stepped down the aisle, leaving the church in search of some silence and privacy. He was annoyed with Duo too, though the impassive facade betrayed no emotion. Still, he couldn't help wondering...
Duo had rather haphazard time management skills in his personal life, but he was conscientious enough about time when it infringed on others. Now was one of those times... it wasn't like Duo to be late for anything, and especially not for something as important as the wedding rehearsal.
Granted, the braided young man had seemed rather shocked when Heero had first broken the news of his impending marriage to Relena and had asked his best friend to be his best man. However, once the initial shock passed, Duo seemed to be even more enthusiastic about the prospect than -he- was.
Somehow, Duo's whole-hearted support of his marriage to Relena had -hurt- in some unfathomable way... residing in his recesses of his mind like a splinter lodged in an aching wound. But like the Perfect Soldier he claimed to be, Heero ignored the ache stoically and deliberately avoided examining it in any detail whatsoever.
He took the cell phone out of his pocket and hit the first speed dail button, listening idly as the phone on the other end rang on and on, interminably, mocking his waiting silence. Just as he was about to hang up, the phone was snatched up and a sharp, terse voice barked, "Yes?"
Heero's eyes narrowed. Not Duo, though the number he had called was Duo's cell phone number. "Wufei?"
There was a long pause, the silence tense and heavy. "Ancestors, Heero. The wedding rehearsal. I'm sorry; I should have called but I completely forgot about it."
"What hap-"
"I'm sorry," Wufei repeated, sounding simultaneously wired and exhausted. He did not even seem to realize that he had rudely interrupted Heero's question. "It's been a nightmare. I haven't dared leave his side, and I haven't been able to think of much else."
Leave his side... Heero felt a cold fist close about his heart, icy tendrils snaking their way into the very core of his being. A shiver ran down the length of his spine. Fear... intangible, yet no less real... "Duo?" How could his voice be so steady when every fiber of his soul seemed to tremble in terror of what he might hear...
Wufei sighed heavily, "I'm sorry, Heero, but there was an accident two days ago, and Duo..." his voice caught slightly. "Duo's in a coma and he's losing ground every day... "
End Part 1
(:./danyale/reclaim1)
