13-Sep-2003
Title: Fame Part III
Author: Ebonydove
Pairings: 1+2/3+4
Warnings: sap, angst, slight OOC, dusty plot bunnies.
Rating: harmless
Spoilers: vague
Disclaimer: Don't own any of the G-Boys, wish I did, so don't look for anything 'cept disappointment in suing me.
Author's Notes: thanks again to all of you that have pushed for more of this. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated. Happy birthday Jen, and yes I know... I'm working on that part still. Patience... you know they aren't my strong suit.
Trowa watched as Quatre slowly opened his eyes and yawned hugely. "Hey."
"Hey." Quatre glanced around the ship's cabin before settling back against Trowa's chest. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"Not long. Wufei took over the controls for docking. We'll get ourselves settled and then start searching for Duo." Trowa grazed his fingers lightly against Quatre's arm as he leaned back against him and closed his eyes again. "Quatre?"
"Hmm?"
"I don't think that you should go with Wufei and I on this one."
He immediately felt his lover tense against him and braced himself for the look he knew he was about to get at the comment. Sure enough before the full impact of the request was made, Quatre turned around in Trowa's arms to fix him with a heated look.
Silencing him with a gently placed finger on his lips, he pressed on before Quatre could speak. "Quatre, you have been in the public spotlight for months now. You and Relena have been pushing for all kinds of new rules and regulations on commerce and free trade rights for L2 for months. We know there are people here out to do her harm, but you're not out of the woods yourself. I just don't think it would be wise for you to be walking around the streets of L2."
"Trowa... "
"Quatre. I've never asked you to do anything like this before, but I need... I want you to stay with the ship. Wufei and I can find Duo and we need someone here to monitor things and keep an ear out for Heero. You and I both know that as soon as Wufei tells him Duo's in trouble, he'll come. You need to be here to point him in the right direction and keep him focused."
Quatre took a slow steady breath and thought about the risks he'd be taking. If it was just him, it might be different, but he had to think of not only Heero and Duo, but the people that he and Relena were trying to help on the L2 colonies. He would do very little good to them if he wound up getting himself killed. "I can do that. I don't have to like it, mind you, but can do it."
Trowa smiled a soft smile and kissed him tenderly. "Thanks, love. It will ease my mind."
"There's one condition, Trowa." He smiled at Trowa's apprehensive look. "When you do find Duo, you have to kick him in his scrawny little ass for me for running off half cocked like this. I don't care what he thought he was doing, but... "
Trowa raised his hands up as if to surrender and chuckled fondly. "I got it, I got it. Kick Duo in the ass... I'm adding it to the mental list of deliverables I have for this trip."
"Kick Duo?" Wufei asked with a wry grin from his spot in the doorway that led to the shuttle's cockpit. "I propose we take turns when we find the derelict."
"I think you'll have your hands too full to be doing any scolding, Chang."
"And what do you mean by that Mr. Winner?"
"You're forgetting the other half of that dynamic duo. I'd be mindful of you r own ass." Quatre laughed.
"Ah, yes... I see your point." He frowned, all mirth suddenly disappearing as the seriousness of their task resettled itself with him. The other matter was going to have to be delicate as well. Despite the fact that it was well known in their own circles that Heero and Duo had forged a relationship, it wasn't something Heero liked dragged out and dissected in front of others. He was a very private person, despite Duo's best efforts of getting him to lighten up about it. This situation was sure to have Heero anything but pleased. "I'll go make that call. Quatre, I'm assuming is staying here?"
Quatre sighed and flopped back into the seat cushion behind him. "Like I have a choice."
Wufei could feel the tension there, and decided it was the perfect opportunity to excuse himself. He was not looking forward to Heero's anger over his failure to watch over Duo in his absence, but found himself with little choice as they were quickly approaching their docking space on the L2 port.
Trowa frowned at Quatre's huffed reply; almost reconsidering his request and was about to tell Quatre to come along when he got a light punch on the arm.
"I didn't mean it like that Tro, I get it. You love me. Nothing wrong with that overprotective streak in you." He lightly shoved Trowa out of his seat. "Go get this thing docked already. I feel like we've been on auto pilot for hours." Trowa gave him a small smile and a silent look that bled with love before stalking into the cockpit area.
"Duo? Are you awake yet?"
It was hard to tell exactly what was happening. He had an awful cottony taste in his mouth and the swirls of colors he had seen right before he passed out from the drugs had returned with a sick, slow spin along with them. His eyes felt sticky and heavy and he found a great deal of difficulty getting them to stay open for more than a few seconds at a time. So he tried to concentrate on the sound of the voice around him and pulled his fuzzy mind out of the blackness. "Huh?"
"Close enough." Chris tugged Duo's arm, hauling him out of the vehicle, and leaned him up against the concrete wall of a large building.
Duo was desperate to get some kind of bearing, but when he went to look up at the side of the building, he got so dizzy with the movement he felt as if he had been turned on his axis. In a scary way it wasn't an all-together unpleasant feeling. He was warm, and awake, though not quite under his own power, and he certainly felt relaxed given his very serious circumstances. It was also the first time in a long time that he had allowed someone other than Heero to have absolute control over him. He could feel this blood stir at the thought of it, but it was quickly forgotten as he began to slide down the side of the wall to the ground.
"Whoa there, man. Almost in." Chris braced Duo back up against the wall from where he was slumping down and quickly set about unlocking the door and moving them inside. Dawn was just about to break and he still had to stash the car and turn Duo over to the twins. "Now Duo, listen to me. Duo?" He gave him a light slap across the face and smiled at the hazy, but somewhat menacing glare it earned him. "When we get into the main part of the warehouse, I'm going to have to turn you over to some others. But don't worry, I won't be far, okay? You're going snap out of the funk in just a little bit, and I don't want you to panic when you wake up all the way. All right?"
"Got it. Don't panic." Duo slurred and tried to straighten himself up.
Chris quickly checked the tracking device that had been active since they had left the hotel and ripped it from the inside seam of Duo's jacket.
"Hey... what 'r doin'... ?" Duo growled as he tried to push Chris's hands away from it.
"The P's will still find you Duo, don't worry. But these guys I'm with, they're gonna search and strip you down anyway, so it's better that I keep it for now and that they don't find it on you." He watched as Duo's eyes grew wide at his mention of stripping and searching and tried to ignore the slight twinge of guilt he felt at the idea that Duo was most likely going to be manhandled and locked up for a while. But right now he had another appointment to keep and a whole other agenda to focus on. He'd be able to come back for Duo later, and was quite sure Duo could take care of himself for a little while. At least, once the drugs wore off completely. "Come on, it's this way."
"Understood." Heero simply hung up his cell with a soft click and turned to address Relena. She was sitting poised in her chair, bent over a pile of notes and papers, and sipping tea from a delicate china cup. She was going to be upset with his announcement, but there was no other choice for him.
"Who was that, Heero?"
"Wufei Chang."
She gently set down her cup and sat back in her leather chair, fixing all of her attention on him with a small crease of concern on her brow. "What's wrong?"
He nodded at her intuition. She knew quite well that a phone call from Wufei on his private cell could only mean trouble. He crossed from the window where he had been watching as the guards paced the gardens and walked the dogs up and down the gravel path that led to the estate. What he would give to have such a simple task to do sometime. When he turned to her the fear was plainly written on her face and it gave him pause. "There's been a situation and I'm needed."
"When?" She asked him quietly and cupped her hands in front of her to keep them from seeking something to twist.
"Immediately."
"For how long?"
He looked at her for several long moments until he realized that she was beginning to squirm under his steady, thoughtful gaze. "Not too long. But Relena... "
She gave him a soft smile and stood. "You don't need to try to make any excuses for my sake, Heero. Go do what you have to and come back as soon as you can. I'll be all right. I have Quatre's associates that I can call upon to help with the security for the speech and banquet."
He just nodded sharply, grateful for her understanding and schooled his features back into their quiet calm as he tried to keep himself from running from the room. "Duo... I'm coming."
End Part 3
(:./ebony/fame3)
