23-Nov-2003
Title: Meeting Beatrice
Author: Sol (archived as Zefyr on FF & MM)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Pairings: 1+R (past), 1+2, 3+4...
Rated: PG or PG-13 for mild cussing (maybe)
Warnings: Silliness and fun, mostly at the expense of two canon characters.
Archiving: Sure, just write me at zefyr@hereticstudios.com
Critiques: Always welcome, especially constructive.
Disclaimer: I just like to take them out and play with them. I promise to
put them back where I found them.
Spoilers: Takes place 3 years after EW, and may reference some events/past
history.
For those who're paying attention, you may note that Bill and I had a slight
parting of the ways this chapter...okay, so there weren't ICUs when he was
writing, and as far as I know a hurricane has never hit Great Britain, but
what's wrong with a little poetic license, eh?
"Director Une," the man said, reaching out his hand for a shake. "Mike Halliwell, District Supervisor."
"Supervisor Halliwell," Une replied, shaking his hand in a quick but firm grasp. "Call me Lady, please."
Mike's gruff expression didn't change, but Une thought he seemed a little less guarded. "Call me Mike," he told her. His lined face was creased with age and sun, from years of working on the water, first as Coast Guard, now as a Preventer. The man scrubbed at his cropped hair, more silver than brown, as he led the way into the building. "So... Lady," and he chuckled nervously, the first sign of anything less than a soldierly manner. "Glad you made it here in one piece."
Une eyed the tree down in the parking lot, and turned her attention to the building as they headed up the steps. Debris was scattered about the small coastal town, but crews were already out, cleaning up most of the wreckage. "Quite a lot of destruction, for only getting sideswiped," she observed.
"Not used to hurricanes?" He shrugged, and held the door open for her. "Beatrice is the second of the season. This is nothing. You should've been here two years ago, when Darryl slammed into us. Took out damn near half the houses on the beach." He shook his head. "Still don't understand why they let people build flat on the shoreline."
The comment reminded Une of the second reason for her visit, and she cleared her throat politely. "Yes, well... Mike, I understand you've retained several of my district's employees?"
Mike flushed slightly, and dropped his eyes as he led her towards the back of the building. They skirted desks in the open officers' area, several occupants waving to Mike before noticing the Director was with him. "Murray," he called. "You're coming with us."
A young man with bright red hair nodded and stood up. He said a few words to one of the other officers, and hurried to join Une and Halliwell. "Director Une," he said politely, by way of greeting.
"Officer Murray?" She adjusted her glasses, studying him out of the corner of her eye as they followed Mike towards the holding cells. "I understand you and two other officers were the reason for this detainment."
"Ah, yes'm," he drawled. "And we would've let them out, but with the hurricane and all... it was probably safer here, anyway." He shrugged, and muttered something under his breath. Une thought it sounded like he was saying the men were safer kept away from other people, as well. She decided to ignore it.
"Here," Mike announced, ushering them into a small interrogation room. The only window was barred, but Une could see crews in the parking lot outside, hauling away trash and broken street signs.
Halliwell nodded to a young woman in the hallway. The female officer returned shortly with Conrad and Bart, and Une frowned at them. Conrad's head was up, but Bart was jumpy, and wouldn't look her in the eye.
Murray started off the meeting. "My partners and I were at the house rented by Agent Winner," he told Une. "After most of the party had gone to sleep, we overheard these two men discussing a... " He searched for the right term. "A practical joke," he finally said. Conrad dropped his eyes, and Bart covered his face. Murray ignored them. "Apparently, their supervisor, a Dorothy Catalonia, had... finagled... a situation between Bart and a young woman---"
"Officer Schlosser," Halliwell cut in. "She's one of our best new agents, and I've already discussed the situation with her, and reprimanded her," he assured Une, who raised her eyebrows. Halliwell backed down, looking uncomfortable. "I'm convinced she was unaware of the situation."
"Believe me," Bart said anxiously into the pause. "I didn't know, either."
"Know what?" Une asked, letting her voice sharpen to a whip crack. The men jumped.
Conrad sighed and shook his head. "Boss... Agent Catalonia just wanted to play a prank on Agent Maxwell. Make him think Bart here was... Agent Yuy," he said, his voice dropping to an ashamed whisper under Une's glare. "And that girl looks like a lot like Miss Darlian... " His last words were a feeble whisper. "It was just supposed to be a joke."
"Stupidest fuckin' idea of a joke I've ever heard," Murray snapped.
"Sam!" Halliwell shot his officer a harsh look, and turned to the two men. "Do you two even have any idea of what you've done?"
Bart looked confused, and Conrad echoed the expression. They shook their heads, silently.
"Agents Maxwell and Yuy were supposed to be married yesterday," Une said quietly. "I wasn't able to get here until today, but I presume with the hurricane, there's been a delay."
Murray snorted. "More than a delay," he told her, angrily. "Maxwell pummeled Yuy for cheating on him, and the wedding was called off."
"No," Bart gasped. His eyes were wide, and his hair seemed to stand on end.
Conrad frowned, and then shook his head, trying to appear casual. "The hurricane, though... "
"Beatrice hit just after the wedding party dispersed," Halliwell explained. "And that's the second issue, gentlemen." He turned to Une, and sighed deeply, his short fingers tapping on the table as he contemplated his words. "Apparently, Agent Chang was escorting Miss Darlian back to the house, when the hurricane came onshore. The high winds picked up some deck furniture, and Agent Yuy saw the threat. He put himself between the heavy deck table and the couple, and... "
The room was silent.
"And?" Une waited, impatiently. A core of fear was forming in the pit of her stomach.
"According to Agents Winner and Barton, Yuy had been... " Murray trailed off, unable to finish.
"Yuy was distressed," Halliwell announced abruptly. "We're not sure how serious he might have been, or if he was just upset, but it's clear his actions... although protecting Chang and Darlian, may have had a second intention. We may never know."
The statement hung in the air. Une glanced at Bart, whose face was pale. Conrad's mouth was open, and his pupils had enlarged to black holes, shock written on his face.
"What... what happened?" Conrad finally asked.
"Agent Yuy is in the hospital, in a coma," Murray told him quietly. "The table slammed into the three of them. According to Miss Darlian, it seemed as though Yuy didn't mean to pull them out of the way... Instead, he jumped *in* the way... "
"He wanted... " Une couldn't finish the sentence. She swallowed hard, and shook her head as she stood. "I've heard enough. Where is Agent Catalonia now?"
"We received word this morning that she'd headed to a hotel and was evacuated with most of the towns people," Halliwell said.
"Good," Une said. "Find her, and bring her here. Bart, Conrad," she said, her eyes flickering over their drawn expressions. "You are both on extended, unpaid suspension until further notice. Gentlemen, you're coming with me." Une looked over at Murray. "You, too."
With that, they all rose, and Halliwell led the group out of the building. At the door, Une brought out the car keys for the rental car and turned to Halliwell. "Which way to the hospital?"
"Quatre, if you keep this up, you're going to collapse." Trowa watched, exhausted, as Quatre continued to pace in the waiting room. Finally the taller Preventer stood up, stepping in the way of Quatre's path. Taking the blond Preventer by the shoulders, Trowa shook him gently. "Sit. Down." He added, as an afterthought, "please."
"I can't take this," Quatre muttered, stumbling to a chair and sitting. Once Trowa had returned to the seat next to him, Quatre leaned over, putting his elbows on his knees and resting his forehead on his clasped hands. "I can't believe this... It's like, one minute it couldn't have been better, and now... "
"Yeah," Trowa said. He couldn't think of anything else to say. "Yeah," he repeated, feeling helpless.
"I swear," Quatre said, coming to his feet with a burst of energy. He began pacing again, his hands shoved into his jeans pockets. "I'm going to kill Duo for this. How could he? There's got to be an explanation! How could he just *assume*... It was dark! There were so many people there, and, and, and---"
"Quatre, please," Trowa remonstrated. "We can't solve anything right now."
"You didn't see him," Quatre muttered, turning to his partner with a stricken face. "You'd turned away. You didn't see the look on his face... "
Trowa sighed, closing his eyes. He'd heard this already, six or seven times, but Quatre was worrying at the memory. And until there was new information, he knew there was nothing he could do, other than let Quatre go over it one more time. Or six or seven more times, he thought, miserable.
"Heero didn't care," Quatre was murmuring. The man stared at his feet, his blue eyes hidden by the fall of golden-white hair that never behaved, not since they were teenagers. "He didn't push Wufei and Relena out of the way... he purposefully got in the way. I know, I know he did... Damn Duo... God *damn* him. Why?"
"Why what?"
Trowa and Quatre looked up at the new voice, to see Duo and Zechs standing in the hallway corridor. The two were dressed the same as yesterday, and looked no better for the wear. Duo's braid was unraveled, and there were a few leaves clinging to Zech's long mane. From the scratches and rips in their clothing and hands, Trowa guessed they'd been helping with the clean-up operations in the town. Duo looked curious, but his taunting smile didn't reach his eyes. Zechs stared at them both politely, but distantly. He looked exhausted.
"Duo, drop it," Zechs said quietly. "We've got to get moving."
"Fine, get moving," Quatre retorted, his fists clenched by his side. He wasn't blocking their way, but he certainly looked up for the challenge. Trowa, alarmed, stood up, moving to stand at Quatre's shoulder.
"Please, let's not fight about this," Zechs said. He didn't move, but his voice was placating.
"Of course not," Trowa replied, staring evenly into the older man's eyes. "Fighting isn't going to fix anything. If I thought it might, you'd both be in the hospital with the hurricane victims right now."
"Short trip," Duo observed. His right hand formed into a fist, and he braced himself.
"Go right ahead," Quatre warned. "I *will* take you down."
Duo paused, then smiled coldly, relaxing himself visibly. "Whatever you say, Quatre," he replied, with a nonchalant wave. "We've got to places to be."
"We heard Wufei was injured," Zechs explained.
"What?" Quatre was nearly vibrating with fury. "What about Heero? Don't you give a *damn*?"
Trowa was almost certain he flinched. Quatre rarely cussed, let alone several times in the space of two minutes. Guarded, the auburn-haired Preventer moved closer to Quatre. He wasn't sure whether he'd take on Duo first, or hold Quatre back, but he readied himself either way.
When no one replied, the shorter Preventer gave a small, harsh laugh. "He's in a coma, you... bastard," he hissed. "And it's your god-damn fault."
"Mine?" Duo raised his eyebrows, but a slight flush appeared on his cheeks. His deep blue eyes darted around the waiting room, empty but for the four of them.
"Yeah, yours, you bastard. You hold Heero's heart in your hands, and you crushed it without remorse. Now he's here, in a coma, and the doctors don't think he'll wake up." Quatre's voice went up several notches in volume. "What do you have to say to that?"
Duo frowned, his gaze measuring for several seconds. Then he shrugged. "I'm not Heero's keeper. What he does isn't up to me."
"You---"
Trowa's arms snaked out instantly, catching Quatre by the shoulder. "No," he whispered. "He's not worth it."
The blond Preventer snarled at his partner. "Let me go, Trowa."
"I'm sorry for all this," Zechs said, pulling Duo away. "But whatever Heero did to be injured was his own actions. And the accusations against Heero were nothing but the truth of what we three saw. Duo, my wife and I all witnessed Heero's infidelity."
Quatre could only scowl, shaking his head. Trowa glared over his partner's head at the two men, and tugged at Quatre's shoulders. "Come on," Trowa whispered. "There are other places we can wait." With that, he guided Quatre around the row of chairs, leading him from the ER's waiting room.
Zechs watched them go, puzzled and disturbed. He glanced down at Duo, whose mask was firmly in place. The younger man's expression had never wavered over the past twenty-four hours, and Zechs was beginning to be seriously worried. He'd heard rumors about Duo during the war, and he'd seen the Shinigami expression a few times during Preventer missions, but he'd never seen it turned on friends. Zechs sighed, looking over to see Wufei entering the waiting room from the ER's exit doors.
"Ah, there's the man we came to see," Zechs said, hoping to distract Duo.
"Wufei!" Duo said, waving as he strode across the room as though no altercation had just occurred. "We heard you were hurt! Are they letting you out so soon?" He pointed to the cast on Wufei's left wrist.
"You just missed a near-fight, too." Zechs kept his distance, noting that Wufei didn't respond to Duo's friendly embrace.
"I've heard poodles are fighting dogs," Duo said, grinning wickedly. "But I haven't seen it in action until Quatre puffed up and threatened to take me down."
Wufei ignored the statement and stared at Duo, his jaw set. "I doubt Quatre would pick a fight without good reason."
"Wufei?" Zechs frowned, noting Wufei's pallor, and the way his shoulders seemed to tremble. "Are you really okay?"
"Quatre's just making noise," Duo said, putting his arm around Wufei and drawing him back towards the exit. "Let's go get some lunch. Hungry?"
"Get your hand off me," Wufei ground out.
Duo frowned, and then slowly released Wufei, stepping back. "Uh-oh," he mocked. "Looks like the PMS is spreading."
"He does seem to be a little irritated," Zechs said in an undertone.
"I need to talk to you," Wufei said, staring straight at Duo. When the longhaired man nodded, Wufei seemed to relax.
"Are you going to lecture me, too?" Duo laughed.
Wufei growled, taking Duo by the shirt and spinning them both around. He threw Duo up against the wall, pressing his fists into Duo's chest as he held tightly to the other man's shirt. Duo blinked at the speed, and put his hands on Wufei's trying to push the Chinese Preventer away. Wufei narrowed his eyes, pulled Duo away from the wall a foot, and slammed the longhaired man up against the wall again.
"When my arm is healed," he announced in a low voice, "you and I are going to spar. And you will *not* be getting up when I am done."
"Whoa, whoa," Duo said, gasping slightly. "You're challenging me? What, are we going to duel?"
"If you try to joke your way out of it, I'll know you for a coward," came the icy response.
Zechs' eyebrows went up. He stepped closer to the two men, alarmed even more, but couldn't see a way to break the stalemate. And he wasn't certain he wanted to make any fast moves in their peripheral vision, knowing that both still had lethal instincts that could be turned on him accidentally in the heat of the argument. He settled for exhaling slowly, and trying to keep calm as he watched the two closely.
"Oh, I'll answer your challenge," Duo said, and Wufei released him. The longhaired Preventer straightened his shirt, and gave the other two men an easy grin. "We'll have a great time, won't we. It'll be just like when we were young."
"It's one kind of entertainment," Zechs observed dryly. He noted Wufei was still trembling slightly, but the man seemed to have calmed down a little, once Duo said he'd meet the challenge. Yes, Wufei, Zechs thought, you and I really are a great deal alike. A challenge, a fight, a duel: these will settle the score and defend honor. The older man sighed inwardly.
"Better than Hollywood," Duo agreed. "But better still if there's any way to work in a car chase and a bunch of explosions." His blue eyes glittered in the waiting room's overhead lights. "Everything's better with explosions."
"You always crack jokes," Wufei sighed. "I know what I saw, and I know what Relena saw. The hurricane picked up a table and threw it at us, and Heero came out of the house to protect us. But he didn't push us out of the way. He pushed, and stayed in the table's path. It threw him down, crushing his shoulder and slamming his head against the deck. He *chose* that, he *wanted* that, because of *you*." Wufei glared at Duo. "Get that through your thick head."
Zechs froze, watching Duo's face pale. No one had said it that bluntly. Or perhaps the real difference was in knowing that three of the Pilots stood against him, placing Duo squarely in the outsider's realm. Zechs wasn't sure. He remembered what he'd seen, and the reaction from Duo, and swore silently. Heero had cheated on his fiancé, with Relena. And yet Heero was devastated at being dumped, Zechs thought, mildly annoyed.
You can't have it both ways, he thought.
"Zechs," Wufei was saying, with a short bow. "I appreciate the friendship you extended to me. But I believe at this point my friendship with both of you has come to an end. Your second-in-command, Dorothy, has already left. I think I shall follow her example, but I will return when that idiot---" he glanced at Duo "---is ready to pay for hurting a friend so completely that he no longer gave a damn whether he lived or died."
Wufei sidestepped them both and strode off. The two remaining men were silent for several seconds, and Duo sighed.
"He's serious," the longhaired Preventer said quietly.
"I'm afraid so," Zechs agreed. He clapped a hand on Duo's shoulder. "Let's go find something to eat, and get back to work on the clean-up. That'll take your mind off these things."
"Okay," Duo said. "Thanks for... helping," he added softly.
"Gentlemen!"
Zechs blinked. "Une?" He turned to see Lady Une making her way down the hallway that linked the waiting room to the main hospital. Zechs vaguely recognized the redhead following her as one of the local Preventers from the pre-wedding party. Behind them were two more men, and Zechs frowned. Conrad and Bart were still wearing the same clothing from two nights ago, and looked rumpled and upset.
"Agent Merguise, Agent Maxwell," Une said. "I'm glad to have found you." She stepped to the side, waving Conrad forward. "I believe this man has something to say to you."
"Agent Maxwell," Conrad said, his voice subdued. Behind them, they could hear the nurses chattering at the station as an ambulance arrived, but the sound dulled in light of Conrad's serious tone. "I am truly, truly sorry... "
"What?" Duo looked confused, but his brows quickly dropped to the signs of beginning annoyance. He glanced at Une. "What's going on?"
"Conrad," she snapped. "You want to keep your job, you do this."
Duo's eyebrows shot up, and he stared at Conrad, curious.
"Agent Maxwell," Conrad began again. "Dorothy Catalonia... arranged a prank on you." He flinched, as though expecting a blow. When none came, he swallowed hard and continued. "Bart here was... seeing a local Preventer, named Louise. Bart, turn around."
Bart blinked, but did so.
"That's good enough." Conrad dropped his head. "Louise has long blonde hair, like... Miss Darlian. And if you notice, Bart's hair is dark brown, and needs a haircut, like... "
"Heero," Duo breathed.
Zechs looked sharply at the younger man. His eyes didn't seem to be focused on anything, and his face was white. Zechs stepped closer, amazed that Duo had the ability to stay on his feet with the sudden shock. For his own part, Zechs could feel his heart thudding in his chest with the sudden urge to clean Conrad's clock. He gritted his teeth and waited.
"Relena and Heero were down on the beach, talking, no more than two friends would do," Conrad said. "I know... I watched them. And Dorothy led you to see Bart and Louise, to make you think... " He stepped back again, and bowed his head. "I am truly... sorry. I don't have enough words to tell you how much I wish I could undo my role."
"Same goes for me," Bart added nervously. When Duo turned that vacant blue stare on him, the young man shuffled backwards. "I had no idea, honest I didn't, but if I had, I would never have... "
"Director Une," Duo said. His voice was flat, and his expression strangely blank. "You had better find Dorothy."
Halliwell broke in. "We're looking for---" He cut off his words at a single glance from Duo.
"Find her," Duo continued, as if there'd been no interruption. "Because if you don't, *I will*. And when I'm done with her, there won't be enough to put in a shoebox. And believe me, she'll be alive for a very long part of that process. I am still Shinigami, and I know as well as you, Director Une, the ways to make death come *very* slowly."
"So noted, Agent Maxwell." Une nodded, a careful and controlled move.
"Which one is he?" Quatre's voice came from behind them, an angry shout. The group, startled, moved apart, and Zechs could see Quatre and Trowa heading for them with long strides. An older man with short silver hair and worn visage was following in their wake, his Preventer uniform wrinkled and creased around his belly. Quatre's glance took in the entire group in a single sweep. "I want to know."
"I would guess you're talking about me," Conrad said. "I was the lookout for Dorothy, while... "
"You bastard," Quatre cried, and in one single move, he decked Conrad.
"Winner!" Une shouted. "Stop!"
Trowa grabbed Quatre and pulled him back. Conrad, meanwhile, straightened up, wiping the blood from his split lip.
"Yes, sir," Conrad said, his eyes down. "I willingly participated... Bart here didn't know. He didn't realize what Dorothy meant, when she encouraged him to spend time on the beach with the pretty girl with long blonde hair." Conrad sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I knew, and for that... "
"Yeah, I bet you're fucking sorry," Quatre snarled. "I'll show you the meaning of sorry!"
Trowa yanked Quatre back just in time, and Une held out her hand. Zechs raised an eyebrow at Une's guts, for thinking she could even hope to stop a Gundam pilot intent on murder. She must have caught his expression, because she dropped her hand with a sigh.
"If you're going to blame someone," Duo said, stepping between Quatre and Conrad, "blame me."
"You?" Trowa gaped openly.
"Yeah," Duo said, shrugging. "Because all of this hinged on one simple thing, didn't it." He didn't turn to face Conrad, but spoke over his shoulder. "You were counting on me not asking questions, but just assuming that Heero would cheat on me. You were counting on me just concluding right off that Heero would fall for Relena. And to my endless shame, I played right along." The longhaired man turned empty eyes on Quatre and Trowa. "So if there's someone who really carries the blame here, it's me. I didn't trust Heero enough to just go up and ask him. If I had, none of this would've happened. I'd be married right now, instead of... " He couldn't finish, but stared at Quatre steadily. "Blame me."
"Duo," Quatre breathed, and jerked his arms free of Trowa's hold. Clasping Duo's hand, he pressed his forehead against Duo's. "Duo... I need to tell you... Heero... "
The hallway fell silent. Zechs looked at Trowa, whose eyes were shuttered. Une looked puzzled, and Halliwell turned his face away.
"Heero," Quatre said again, after a pause. "The doctors had given him some sort of medication, to put him under. They said none of the rest worked, and the only kind that seemed to work... put him in a coma. They thought he'd come out of it when they let up on the pain medication... " Quatre's voice cracked. "But a bit ago in the ICU, his heart gave out. They brought him back once while we waited, but then his heart failed a second time... "
Zechs put out a hand, blindly, groping for the wall. He was amazed when Murray stepped into the breach, giving the taller Preventer a hand as Zechs struggled to catch his breath. He could see Duo's profile, the eyes opened wide and unseeing, the mouth twisted in a soundless cry as Duo's legs slowly gave out. Quatre and Trowa caught Duo, holding him on his feet as he swayed. The longhaired man made a small sound, but no tears fell. Zechs could hear the blood rushing in his own veins, and his fingers felt cold and clammy. Shock, he registered absently, but could only watch as Duo's mouth opened and closed, and no sound came out.
"There's just one other thing," Quatre said softly. "You're not going to be able to see Heero... not unless you make peace with Relena. She may not be armed, but she's still dangerous." He squeezed Duo's hands. "Even more than you and me, because she's in the right. You've got to get her forgiveness, first... and then you've got to get Heero's."
Duo mumbled something and nodded his head, his eyes slowly shutting. Pain flashed across his features, and Quatre nodded, stepping to the side to assist Duo. Trowa moved to the other side, and Zechs watched them go. When they rounded the hallway out of sight, Une turned to Halliwell.
"Supervisor Halliwell," she said crisply. "I appreciate your assistance with this, and I hope you'll let me know the instant your officers locate Miss Catalonia."
"Absolutely, ma'am," he said.
"Good," she replied. "Agent Merquise, if you'll come with me. I believe we have condolences to give, and you have a sister to talk to."
Zechs nodded, a little numb, and led Une towards the ICU waiting rooms.
End Part 9
(:./sol/meeting9)
