04-Mar-2002
Title: Death & the Phoenix
Author: Ebonydove
Pairings: 1x2, 3+4
Warnings: Language, Duo-torture, sap, yaoi, some slight OOC, maybe some
spoilers.
Disclaimers: At this point I would love to keep them in my back pocket for
use at a whim, but I still don't own them. Drats.
Heero took a great shuttering breath and tucked the blanket a bit more snug around Duo's body. "Open your eyes love. I'm scared. Don't you dare leave yet. You promised. Please Duo, please stay." Heero lay down next to Duo on the cold metal floor and gently placed his hand over Duo's heart feeling the soft, steady thumping as it beat in his chest.
Trowa stepped into the cockpit to find Quatre concentrating hard on the shuttle's instrument panel and shaking in his seat. He lay a hand on Quatre's shoulder to reassure him that everything was going to be all right, even though he had no way of knowing if that was true.
Feeling Trowa's hand touch his shoulder was enough to break the carefully reigned in fear and sadness to let loose and Quatre sobbed silently as he rerouted the shuttle's heat back to where Duo and Heero were.
"Quatre, don't cry. We need to stay strong. Speed and strength will be our only advantage when we reach Peacemillion." Trowa ran his hand up and down Quatre's back as he sniffled.
"I know, Trowa. But did you see his face when the helmet came off. I thought he had died, he was pale and gaunt."
"He's a fighter, love." Trowa wrapped his arms around Quatre's shoulders and hugged him from behind, glancing over Quatre's shoulder to read the time estimate of meeting Howard's ship. "I think I should bring us in, you're still shaking and will need to pilot it manually for the landing in Peacemillion's bay."
"Okay. I'll go and check on Heero and Duo." Quatre slipped out of the pilot's chair and held the stick until Trowa had settled. "About three minutes and you'll need to power up the thrusters for a space landing. The coordinates are already programmed."
Trowa looked into the aqua eyes and gave him a small smile. Quatre looked worn out from worrying, his eyes were red and swollen from tears and his face showed the stains from where they had rolled down his cheeks. Trowa took his hand in his and squeezed. "Quatre, I love you. I know I've never told you that before, but I do."
Quatre smiled back warmly and kissed him softly before leaning away from him. "I know. The thought of ever losing you is as terrifying as the thought of losing peace." He let out an explosive sigh and turned away from the brilliant green eyes before him. "I feel so guilty that I'm glad this isn't happening to you or me. I can't help thinking that I'm a terrible person for being relieved. I feel so badly that I think that, but it's true."
"Quatre, you're not a bad person for thinking those things. Duo of all people understands suffering and loss. He'd never think badly of you for being relieved that you aren't dying, or me. Let it go, and be strong for him. Like you've always been for me." They kissed tenderly again, Trowa brushing away the last of Quatre's tears as they spilled from his eyes. Then Quatre smiled and left to check on Heero and Duo.
The scene in the cabin caused fresh tears to begin as he saw Heero cradling Duo against him as they lay on the floor wrapped in a blanket. "Heero?" He approached them slowly and watched as Heero gazed from the shuttle's window to Duo.
Heero's eyes met his, looking dull and brimming with unshed tears of his own. "I can feel him slipping away, Quatre. And I'm powerless to stop it. He told me that you know. That I couldn't keep this from happening to him."
Heero's voice was empty and distant as he spoke, and Quatre couldn't will any sound to come from his throat. He sat down next to Duo and took a hand in his, then grabbed one of Heero's in the other. He would try to be an anchor for them and refused to let any more tears come. He swallowed a few times and began praying in his own language, soft and strong.
"I'm gonna need a crash cart, two units of O negative, and a bag of saline, now!" Sally yelled as she scrambled about in Peacemillion's bay. The Sweepers did whatever they were told all too aware of who was coming that needed such urgent care from the rebel doctor.
Howard had already gotten a report from Wufei as he landed his Gundam with furious noise in the bay moments before. He was informed about how Quatre was bring Duo on his shuttle and also how Heero had dumped the second shuttle in space and boarded the one carrying Trowa and the Deathscythe pilot. "Crazy son a bitch owes me a new goddamned shuttle. Lucky he didn't bounce off the hull and gone floating out into space, crazy kamikaze lunatic."
"Heero may be crazy, but he does not have a death wish any more." Wufei stated plainly as he watched the Sweepers racing around and the general panic that had followed after giving them all the news about Duo and what he and Trowa may have found on the lab. Some of the men had argued with Howard about even letting Quatre's shuttle on board after hearing that they may be carrying a potentially harmful plague with them. Howard had punched the ringleader out, and threatened that if the other grumblers didn't stop acting like mind enslaved cattle, that he'd ask them all to leave. Wufei had almost laughed at the old man, aware that the only place for them to leave to was the dead of space.
Howard glanced to the Shenlong pilot who was leaning casually against the wall waiting for Quatre's shuttle to touch down. "He does too, to fall for that kid. But I do suppose Death and Destruction go hand in hand." He smirked as he saw Wufei's nod of agreement. "So what's your part in this. I thought you worked alone."
"I do. But even those who work alone know where their allies are. Mine are on the way." Wufei answered in a huff.
"Seems like he got to all of you then. He's got that gift, he gets under people's skin, ya know. And I'm not talking about his gift for the gab. Even though that certainly has been known to get under the skin as well." He laughed.
"Howard! You've got an incoming message on the secured line!" A Sweeper called out across the bay.
"Quatre?" Wufei asked Howard quietly.
"Must be. Not too many others know how to get a hold of me while I'm a board this floating monstrosity." Howard stalked to his office with Wufei in tow and closed the door. He had already figured that he could trust the Chinese youth, after all Duo obviously did, or the boy wouldn't have known what was going on to even be there.
He sat and met the dark eyes of someone he was certainly not expecting. His surprise and alarm registered instantly causing Wufei to tense where he stood and glare at the back of the monitor willing to see through it to who Howard was seeing.
"What the hell do you want?" Howard growled. Seeing Wufei about to come around and view the screen, he raised his hand in a signal to stop the pilot from being seen by the caller.
"I believe you have my pilot there, do you not? Is he still alive?"
"Actually I don't G."
Wufei's eyes narrowed and he let out an audible growl, but he held his ground.
"I don't believe you Howard. If he's not there, then he will be soon. I know that 01 is with him. He hasn't reported in to J in seventy-two hours. The only thing that causes him to neglect his duties to that degree, is that boy of mine." The professor smiled snugly as he addressed Howard's growing anger.
"He's not your boy." Howard snapped back.
"Oh, I'm afraid you're incorrect there, but now is not the time for that sort of debate. I have some information that is very important to get to 02."
"I don't think he's in any condition to go out on any missions at the moment G."
"So the boy has finally begun showing symptoms then?" G laughed causing both Howard and Wufei to frown fiercely.
"What the hell do you know about it, you sick son a bitch?!"
"Temper, temper Howard. To answer you, I know everything about the boy's illness, after all it was I who gave it to him."
"What?!" Wufei yelled, not able to keep his rage from escaping, as he rushed to stand behind Howard and glare at G.
"Ah, of course, 05. I knew you'd all show up sooner or later. Well no matter. I need to help the boy, he is my pilot and the war isn't done. He's still quite valuable to our efforts."
"Duo got his illness on L2, when he lived there as a boy. He did not get it from you." Wufei barked out.
"Yes, that's partially correct. But I was the one who developed the plague and the Antium 55 remedy for the Alliance leaders that ruled at the time, therefore I am the one who gave it to him, you see?"
"Then you are the one who will die for all the deaths on L2. Justice will be harsh and swift once I find you, demon." Wufei's voice had dropped in both volume and pitch, but the threat was not softened by his word or eyes as he glared at the professor.
"05, there are many things that happen in wars that cause harm and death, that was merely one of them. I didn't develop it to have it unleashed on the masses of L2. But certain things were beyond even my abilities to prevent it from happening. What I can prevent, is 02's death. If you are willing to reserve your judgement for later and listen to what I have to say."
"Go on, G." Howard cut off Wufei before he could go off.
Wufei took a deep breath and crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell us how to save him or I will hunt you down like the dog you are and make you suffer ten fold for the suffering that you have inflicted upon him."
G laughed. "I believe you would 05. I believe you would."
End Part 15
(:./ebony/death15)
