"Heero wait!" Trowa raced down the hallway and was barely able to catch up with Heero before he got outside the building. He grabbed his arm and spun Heero around and almost flinched at the expression on Heero's face. It was beyond grief stricken, beyond despair. "I tried to find you... to tell you... "
"How long?" Heero growled. Trowa frowned and pulled Heero out of the way of some office clerks you were staring at them nervously. Heero snatched his arm out of Trowa's hold. "I asked how fucking long did Quatre know he was alive?"
"Quatre has only known for a few days." Trowa frowned and he guessed Heero's train of thought and quickly cut him off. "He was in shock; barely able to come to terms with it himself. He didn't know how to tell you."
"So he let me walk into that room and see... him." Heero felt like someone had given him a physical blow at the sight of Duo and in the next moment it all hit him like a freight-train and he slumped to the floor. "Oh God Trowa, he's alive."
Trowa crouched next to Heero on the cool marble floor and glared at the young woman who was trying to make her way towards the elevators causing her to spontaneously change her direction and opt for the stair. "Heero... just breathe."
Heero gripped Trowa's arms and allowed himself to be pulled up as he took some deep slow breaths. "How?" He whispered.
"G." Heero swore viciously in Japanese and seemed to steady himself. "Are you all right?" Heero gave him a growl of annoyance and a brief look of disbelief at the question he had been asked. Trowa noticed and tried again. "I know you're not all right, but are you okay?"
"He's alive Trowa. I haven't lost him. I shouldn't have rushed out on him like that."
"Heero... I need to tell you that Duo... he's had some side effects from the treatment G gave him."
Heero felt the knot in his stomach twist painfully and waited for Trowa to continue; bracing himself for the worst. He had been aware of what the treatments could do to Duo. He didn't think even he could go through losing Duo twice if he hadn't made a full recovery. Trowa tried to gage how Heero was taking the information, but he had seemed to shut down and slipped into his most unbreakable shell as he leaned against the wall so he forged ahead. "Duo has amnesia... of a sort. He doesn't remember anything after leaving Howard the first day he had gotten the bad news from the University Medical Center."
Heero's eyes widened as he thought back over all the things that had passed between them after he had returned from Howard's. "N-nothing?" He stammered.
"I'm not really sure, but I don't think so." Heero wrapped his arms around his stomach and doubled over. "Heero... "
"Outside... now." Heero bit out and Trowa quickly helped him outside and watched as Heero got completely and thoroughly sick in the bushes outside the building's entrance.
Duo looked at Wufei who nodded solemnly at him. Quatre was practically in tears and barely got through telling him of the last few moments in the hospital. He himself couldn't remember what had happened between the time he left the hospital, and the time he woke in G's lab. He had an idea, but shook his head in frustration. "I'm sorry guys. I never meant it to all get so out of control. G neglected to tell me about all the personal shit that had gone down between Heero and I. No wonder he was so freaked."
"Well you are together now and that what matters." Wufei finally said.
Duo frowned and looked at Quatre with eyes bordering on panic. "Duo?"
"I... I don't what to say to that. I mean... I don't remember feeling that way about him. I've always respected him and I loved getting on his nerves and all, but... I mean...well shit."
"What do you mean you don't know how you feel about him?" Wufei snapped in disbelief.
"Duo stood explosively and fixed him with a glare. "Hey man... back off. I'm just as fucked up about all this as you guys are. I didn't know about all the shit that G conveniently left out of my damned brain!" He spun and balled his fists up tightly. "You can't just expect me to pick up where I left off ya know. I need some time to sort this out too. You can't expect me to feel things that I just... don't."
"Duo, I understand... I do." Quatre replied sympathetically and shot a glare of his own at Wufei who threw both his hands up in frustration. "Do you want to see him before we leave?"
Duo frowned and seemed to deliberate for a few long moments before turning to Wufei. "I... I think it would be better if I go before he gets back. I just need some time." Wufei shrugged and turned back to the window not trusting his own emotions. "I'm sorry for what it's worth."
Quatre hugged him soundly and was fighting back tears again. "Oh Duo, I can't believe you're really here. Forgive me for letting you leave that day, please? I didn't know they had found the cure. I would have never have let you go if I had known."
"Hush Quatre." Duo returned the hug if not somewhat awkwardly. "It's water under the bridge. I think it's time we all move forward, huh?" He didn't have the heart to tell him he couldn't remember that day any clearer than any of the other times they had told him about. He was desperately trying to ignore the overwhelming urge to run.
End Part 5
(:./ebony/red5)
