06-Jun-2000
Hi hi! More of my confusing fic. This is my pet story,
very dear to me, so even if it's a flop I'll probably
post the whole dern thing ^_^ Anywho, I'm shutting up
now.
Hi hi! Thanks to the wonderful, beautiful people who
responded to the first two parts (I love you! Can I
keep you?)
Title: Breaking Predestination 3/?
Author: TB
Archive: yes please GW Addiction (hi!)
Catagory: AU, some yaoi
Pairing(s): R+1, 2x1, 5xSally and some other pairings
that are in there, but not necessarily the focus
Rating: R
Warnings: Confusing, and language
Spoilers: Yes
Notes: This takes place in AC 202. The series and EW
are canon for the fic.
Feedback: please, any suggestions welcome
Disclaimers: Wishing is not getting, so I don't own
Gundam Wing or the characters. Wishing is not getting,
so I don't profit by their use, which would be illegal
anyway, see line one.
For a moment, there was no response to that. Noin made the first move.
"Why?" she asked bluntly.
"For reasons we can't divulge," Hirde responded. Her expression became peculiarly closed; Maxwell merely looked diffident and blank. "We already told you, we have a duty to preserve the timeline as much as we can. Telling those two *anything* will cause irreparable damage."
Wufei was next. "What do they do that's so important?"
"I think we've said enough for right now," Maxwell interrupted. "You've got a lot to think about, and we want to contact our crew on the Reubena. I'd like to make sure that everyone who needed it received medical attention."
"There are very capable doctors on the satellite," Sally assured him.
Une said, "I will make a console open for your use, but I have to inform you that any transmissions you make will be monitored."
"That's fine, Lady."
She nodded. "Thank you everyone for coming, and thank you, Captain, Commander, for being so understanding about the limitations we're imposing on you. I'll let you know when I'd like to speak with you again." She nodded to everyone, and left. A few of the Preventers followed; Heero among them. Sally stayed to lead the two officers to the room in the infirmary containing the two beds designated for their rest.
As they walked down the halls, no doubt watched by vid-cameras the entire way, Maxwell was fairly quiet. It was only when they stood at the door to the medical annex of the building that he turned to the Preventer doctor and abruptly asked, "Why did you believe us?"
Sally raised an eyebrow. "Why? Because I trust my judgement and my skills. I took blood samples from a dozen different areas of your body. All of them were exactly the same, and identical to the Duo Maxwell I know, with the exception of the age difference. Science proved your story. What's not to believe?"
Maxwell relaxed. Some. "Thank you, Sally. Oh, and by the way--congratulations."
She opened her mouth to respond--and couldn't. "How did you know?" she demanded, dumbstruck.
The Captain grinned. "I've already been through it, remember?" And then he held the door for his Commander, and they entered the infirmary.
"You realise he's holding out on purpose," Wufei said.
Zechs shrugged. "I can't pretend that I was able to read him very closely," he admitted. "I never knew Duo Maxwell."
"Well, I did," Noin muttered. "He's changed. Greatly. I guess we have to accept that that man really is Duo; but all bets are off on understanding him. He was so--"
"Empty." This came from Heero.
The Preventers looked at him.
After a moment, when it became clear that nothing else was forthcoming, Zechs lifted his shoulders in a final elegant gesture of helplessness. "Why do you think Relena and Duo are two people they don't want contacted?"
"We won't know until he tells us." Wufei was pragmatic. "I think we ought to start picking up whatever possible information we can, as quickly as we can. One or two of us should get up to the Reubena and start talking to his crew. I think I heard Sally say that they're officially shut off from the rest of the satellite. They'll probably welcome a friendly face."
"I think I should go," Zechs murmured. "I'm the only one who doesn't know those two--so I won't be as useful here as I could be at the satellite. I'll grab a few things, and get going."
"Keep in touch," Wufei told him.
"Until you're sick of me," was the almost cheerful reply. Zechs levered his tall body up from where he leaned against the wall, and after a quick peck on Noin's cheek in an increasingly less rare expression of affection, he was gone, striding with energy and determination down the hall.
Noin was blushing. "Ahem," she muttered. "I'll--go see if Lady Une needs any help." She, too, left.
Wufei looked over at Heero, the only one left in the room. Finally, keeping his tone neutral and his expression carefully under control, the Chinese Preventer spoke.
"I know this is going to be hard for you," he said frankly.
Heero's glare was burning.
It didn't have much of an effect on Wufei, however--it never had. "I saw the way Captain Maxwell was looking at you. Obviously, whatever the future brings, it didn't patch things up between you... But no one is going to say anything. It's your business, and we will all respect that. What I'm trying to say, Heero, is that--if you ever want a break, just a chance to step back and not have to deal with him--I'll see that you get it."
Heero uncrossed his arms and walked the door. "That won't be necessary."
Wufei watched him go, and silently threw up his hands. *He's never going to change.*
Maxwell pressed hard against the bridge of his nose. "You ran a level two diagnostic?"
/"Yes, sir. Results were the same as the last time I ran a level two--we're stuck here. Angel isn't going to fly for at least two weeks, and if you want weapons, it's four--and if you want any kind of shielding, that's five."/
Weariness made him a little sharper than he meant to be. "Time was you could have done it all in three and spared me the anxiety, Winn."
The young man's expression became cold. /"Time was I had advanced tools and the correct parts on my hands,"/ was the equally biting reply. /"You're the one who jumped us back two fucking decades. If you think I'm going to use inferior patches on my ship you're damn wrong."/ As an afterthought, the boy added, /"Captain."/
He winced. "How long has it been since you've slept, Winn?"
/"You stick to your job and leave me the hell alone, sir. I'll fix the ship. You take care of things on Earth."/ For a moment, the young man hesitated. /"Uncle Duo?"/
He sighed. "Yeah, Shai?"
/"My dad... he's down there, isn't he."/
Maxwell tensed. "Yes," he replied slowly.
On the screen of the console, Shai Winner's expression never changed, but his eyes were begging.
Maxwell couldn't take it. He couldn't handle it, not right then. He let his gaze fall away from those painfully familiar eyes, and said, "Do whatever you need to do to get Angel running. Steal the parts if you have to and bang 'em with chair legs until they fit inside the engines. Just get her on her feet. Maxwell out."
/"Understood. Winner out."/ Shai's blonde head disappeared, replaced by a Preventer logo as Maxwell deactivated the console.
Hirde's hands came down on his shoulders, fingers digging deeply into sore muscles. "You should sleep. We've all been on our feet forever."
Maxwell relaxed into her massage, closing his eyes and leaning back against her lean body. "There's still so much to do."
"Not until they let us out of the clinic, there isn't. You got us here, Duo. Now, all we can do is wait."
He caught one of her wrists, and tugged on her arm until she came around the chair and settled in his lap. He held her tightly, his face pressed against the crook of her neck. "You know I love you," he whispered.
She knew. She knew what else he was doing--apologising for himself. Again. Sometimes she wondered if she hadn't lost him before she'd met him.
"I love you too," she replied, and then they were quiet.
End Part 3
(:./erin/break3)
