Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Tears ❯ Departure ( Chapter 10 )

TITLE: Tears

CHAPTER: 10 - Departure

AUTHOR: Anastasia

PAIRINGS: 2x5/5x2, 1+2/2+1, 1x5/5x1, 3x4

WARNINGS: This might get a bit complicated (the fic, I mean), yaoi, language, perhaps angst later (but not to much), little bit of sap. Set after Endless Waltz.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Jack, Gundam Wing or anything else I happen to use in this fic.

NOTES: L . . . a. . . t. . . e. . . . . .. . n. . i.. . . g. . . h.. . . . t. . . . .s. . . ..

Anyway, enjoy. (e-mail)Beta wanted - (SEE, if I had a beta, they could've picked up on the fact that some of ages DO NOT WORK!)

Oh. . . I just realised that I have not been doing my maths when I did the timeline. IGNORE IT!! I am so out with the time in this story that I don't care. Just enjoy the story.

DEDICATION: Well, Now I am going to thank the people who deserve a bit of space with their names on it! I got onto my lazy butt, went through the reviews and now I shall thank you all by name! Gomen to anyone I forget.

Many, Many, MANY thanks to:

Fallen angel named Alan, Bunch-o-nuts, Kelp Soda, Skydancer1, utsubame, Jo, Ty, Summer, Lady SallyRose, Trowa's Tenshi, Honor, Reader-lurker, Brittany67, lil-hot-fudge-sundae, Akasha Ravensong, Kakashi no Hime, Xen, Viper, Angelicgirl, Crazy, Jadefire.

Love you all!! *hugs* . . . *Hugs again*

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Heero walked from Duo's room, fuming both with himself and Duo. He could see that he had made a serious mistake. Duo had never liked people making decisions for him. But he also couldn't see why Duo was making such significance on the fact that they had. It was almost as if Duo didn't want to get better.

Heero made his way into the most private room of the house, which was, surprisingly enough, the kitchen. The lounge room, or the room with a couch that was the closest to one, was very airy and carried sound easily to both Kassia's and Duo's room if the level of noise wasn't kept down reasonably low.

He stopped and sat at the table, which was kept stable by three phone books and a stack of old Christmas cards. Wufei joined him shortly after he sat and they shared a look. It was one of the silent communication looks, one that plainly said, `what have we done'.

Wufei laid his head on the tabletop, knowing that Heero had already seen his emotional state, but still trying to hide it. Heero moved his chair and laid his arm around Wufei's shoulders, trying vainly to comfort the hurt Chinese man. Wufei, to Heero's surprise, turned and laid his head on Heero's shoulder. His shoulder's shook slightly and Heero felt at a loss as to what to do. He placed his arms around Wufei's shoulders and a gently massaged near the smaller mans shoulder blades. Wufei seemed to relax slightly so Heero continued, placing a light kiss on the tightly restrained black hair.

Kassia emerged from her room and walked towards the kitchen. She had been saying goodbye to all of the belongings of hers that she would be leaving behind. After her emotional farewell to an irresponsive bed she had exited her room with her duffel bag. It was black, a present from Duo soon after they had found each other again.

She walked towards the kitchen, wanting to see if Heero and Wufei were ready. She approached quietly, wanting to surprise the pair with how quickly she had gathered her possessions. Her bare feet were silent on the threadbare carpet. She moved to the partially open door and peaked through the gap. Her mouth opened into a silent `o' shape, surprised at the tender moment that the two were sharing. They weren't in this relationship for comfort, that she could she. Heero's normally closed expression had been replaced with one of caring and love, while Wufei was obviously showing his weak side, his shoulders shaking with silent, unshed tears.

Kassia had learned a lot about how people interacted from her time on the streets alone, before Duo had found her again. She could see that the moment that the two were sharing was very rare, something that she could quite possibly be the first to view. She exited the hallway quietly, moving towards her father's room.

Duo was sitting up in his bed, a look of complete calm across his face. He had been meditating for only five minutes, but already he could feel his stress leaving him as he looked at the situation from alternate angles and considered everything that was positive. Kassia moved in quietly, but in Duo's heightened state on awareness he picked up on her entrance immediately. [1]

He let himself slowly ground from his meditation, which took a minute or two. Kassia sat patiently, not wanting to disrupt Duo before he had grounded completely. Once Duo had opened his eyes he noticed Kassia's flushed face and slightly frazzled appearance.

"What's up?" he asked the girl casually.

"Um. . . Nothing, really." She mumbled, unwilling to share what she had just seen. She could sense something else going on between Duo and the pair of Asian men and she wasn't entirely sure if telling Duo everything she had seen was a good thing.

"Come on, Babygirl! You've got to tell me. You know that I can't help you or function at my best without knowing everything." He coaxed.

"I don't want to say, okay? I don't know if this is a good thing or not."

Duo looked at her. "Just tell me, `kay? I promise that I will forget if it's not a good thing."

Kassia knew that her father never lied, so she shared what she had seen. She told Duo about the expressions and her impressions after her initial retelling. It was standard form for relaying information on the streets amongst the major gangs. Fact, conclusions and other aspects that held sway but were open to an individuals opinion, and finally the feelings gained or picked up on from the experience. It was a sure-fire way to ensure that mostly accurate information was passed on, especially if multiple agents were sent in without knowledge of each other. [2]

Duo sat quietly for a moment afterwards. He filed all that he now knew away to be considered at a later date. He now knew that Heero and Wufei were definently together and not just comforting each other through anything. Neither of his loves would be willing to share /that/ much of their emotions with someone they didn't care about deeply. He turned to Kassia.

"Thanks, babygirl. That's actually great news. I was hoping those two would find happiness. What makes it even better is that they found it in each other."

"Aren't they the men that made you lose. . ."

"Shh. . ." Duo cut Kassia off quickly. He had heard a shifting in the hallway and he didn't want anything revealed to either Heero or Wufei.

"Duo?" Wufei questioned quietly before he reached the doorway.

"Got everything?" Duo whispered to Kassia. At her nod he responded, "Yup, lets go!"

Duo had carefully placed his happiest face on. No one can see the way you feel when you have a hug smile on your face.

Heero moved into the room and looked at Kassia's arm in passing. He stopped once he saw it and knelt down.

"Have you been using this to lift anything? In any heavy work?" His concern was evident in his voice. Something had set back Kassia's healing.

"Um, just the other day when dad rolled out of bed. Oh, and before I had to readjust my room so I could check that I had everything special."

"Don't do any heavy lifting, okay? Just. . ." Heero placed his hands on Kassia's arm and pushed slightly. Kassia bit down on her lip as tears sprung to her eyes. "There. Don't do too much with it for a little while. I can plaster it once we are back on earth."

Kassia only nodded. While Heero was dealing with Kassia and her arm, Wufei had made his way to Duo.

"Do you need any help getting up? We're going to carry you there, but. . . if you feel up to it. . . you can walk out of your neighbourhood. Just. . . don't push yourself to hard, alright?"

Duo nodded tightly. There was no way that he wouldn't walk out of his own area. That would be the utmost shame amongst the gang members. He wouldn't be able to return if that happened.

Duo turned to Kassia, who looked pained but happy at the prospect of not having to carry her bag. Heero had lifted it to his shoulder while he made sure that Wufei was dealing with the situation alright.

"Hey, babygirl, can you do me a favour?"

Kassia turned to Duo, willingness written all over her face. "Sure, Father."

Duo smiled at her manner of addressing him. "Okay. Meet us at the entrance to the port. You have an hour to get this done and meet us there. Go to Sissy. Tell her that Grungy is second, she's first. Make sure that they are on opposite sides of the scope so that they don't clash. Sol is going to be head. Make sure that Sissy knows that and that she respects it. Get Bluey to back Sol. Tell Sol that I might come back, but that he'll be my backer, so he doesn't need to worry. Get Blade to oversee everything and then give her my old, separate duties - your ones. Take Jake off the picking section and put him under Blade. Get Will to take Black off the Westside team and give them the North South route. I think that should avoid further clashes until I can get back to set it straight."[3]

Kassia had a look of intense concentration on her face as she memorised everything Duo had told her. She nodded once then headed out at a sprint. Duo knew that she would be cutting it fine without any complications.

Heero looked at Duo, at Kassia's retreating back then back to Duo again. He thought he could understand some of what had passed. It looked as though Duo had been setting up his gang so that it wouldn't fall apart in his absence. He glanced at Wufei and noted that the entire conversation had gone entirely over his head. Wufei looked like Duo had just spoken to his daughter in badly accented Martian. [4]

Heero decided to explain to Wufei later. He coughed politely to regain Wufei's concentration on the task at hand.

Wufei jumped slightly, glared at Heero for a second and moved to Duo's side to aid him out of the bed. Duo ignored Wufei's help and made his own way out. He walked through the door of his bedroom, all the way through the house without faltering once. He was acting as though nothing was wrong. The only sign that Wufei and Heero could see that told of Duo's efforts at acting normal was a tightening of Duo's step and a tensing of the facial muscles keeping Duo's smile in place.

They made their way through Duo's neighbourhood. Duo was greeted everywhere by people. Not one person didn't seem to recognise the braided ex-pilot through the entire area surrounding Duo's abode. Everyone, from young children to the homeless people in rags, greeted Duo in some way. And Duo had a smile and a greeting for each of them. He knew almost all of them by name, it seemed.

He stopped Heero and Wufei at one point, motioning them off to one side while he walked up to some thugs in a side alley. He talked to them is hushed voices for a time, glaring at one of them in particular. The one subjected to the glare kept his head down, mumbling to Duo. Duo gave a quick look to one of the larger men and the man with his head bowed fell to the ground with the impact of a punch to the back of his head. The man that Duo had glanced at had punched his comrade without hesitation by order of Duo. The man now on the ground looked Duo in the eye and Duo nodded. They had reached an understanding. Duo helped the man up, dusted him off and patted him on the back. They then slung their arms about each other and disappeared into a door for a time. Duo walked out with a pack over his shoulder, the other man gone.

He walked up to Heero and Wufei and signalled for them to follow, muttering as he passed them, "Don't look back or to either side for two blocks."

The two Asian men followed Duo, not looking away from the braid that swung from Duo's head. Once they had walked for two blocks Duo's shoulders hunched. He smiled at a large man passing him by, who dropped a heavy purse into Duo's hand, almost without either of the two ex Gundam pilots noticing. Duo hefted it as he concealed it and called out behind him, "Keep it steady with Sissy, Joe!" Joe nodded and Duo turned, continuing on his way.

Heero and Wufei still had no idea what Duo was up to. It looked like he had just received a lot of money. If that was the case, why didn't he just buy proper medical treatment? That question plagued the two men for some time while they were walking.

Duo stopped by a building that looked like one of the oldest on L2. It was made of stone, a church by the looks of it. Duo made his way up the steps to a child that was sitting on the topmost one. Duo handed the child the money that he had received and the child looked to Duo.

"Really?" He asked, a slightly disbelieving tone to his voice.

"That was this weeks earnings. Make sure Timmy gets it, okay?"

The small boy nodded. Heero and Wufei didn't know what to make of anything that had taken place that afternoon. It looked like there was a lot about Duo that they didn't know anymore.

Duo walked down the stairs and lead the two other pilots towards where the shuttle would be a waiting them. Once they reached the entrance, Duo halted, turning on the spot to scan the alleys near the area. He relaxed after a moment and sat down on one of the seats near the doors.

Heero and Wufei sat either side of him, having reached a silent agreement earlier. Wufei would be doing the talking.

"What was all that exactly, Duo?" Wufei asked, straight to the point.

"Was what exactly?" Duo asked, still looking out in the direction of the alleys.

"The money exchange. . . and then giving it all to that child. If you had been receiving that then you could've helped yourself a long time ago. You are dishonouring your body by not giving it the respect it deserves when the resources are available."

Duo look at Wufei with a mix of shock and sorrow on his face. "I wasn't disrespecting myself in any way by not using that money. I head the Shi's for one reason only - all profits made by gambling and pick-pocketing go straight to an orphanage at the end of the week. Gambling is our main income source, but some of the young ones pick-pocket with supervision in case they get caught. Don't try and make me out to be the `dishonourable' one here, Wufei."

Duo's voice had taken a dangerous edge to it on the last sentence. Wufei decided not to insult Duo, or even insinuate anything, for a while. "Why didn't you look after yourself, Duo?" he asked quietly, totally at a loss.

"I didn't know that there was anything major wrong with me. And if I did die, which is VERY common - in fact, everyone dies at some point - Kassia knows enough to handle herself and the Shi's."

Kassia chose that moment to walk up, and, hearing that last comment regarding skills, flung herself bodily at Duo. Duo laughed and lifted her off him, giving the girl a quick kiss on her forehead. "Alright, get everything done? Who gave you the trouble?"

Heero wondered how Duo knew that someone had given Kassia trouble as she answered. "Everything is either being done, or someone is getting `taken care of' to ensure the smooth running of what needs to be done. Jake needed convincing to get off the picking and Blade wanted Jake to be overseeing her, but Kate stepped in and told Blade to quit being such a girl. I think that Kate and her have been fighting. Blade seems to think that Kate will walk out if she doesn't behave. But I don't think that Kate will ever leave Blade. . . they are prefect together, hey?"

The last little romantic comment showed Kassia's `girly' side, something which both Heero and Wufei could see was rare.

"Yeah, but Redge is going to try and get in on the action as well. I think they are fighting about bringing Redge into the relationship. But don't worry about that now, babygirl. We've got a shuttle to catch!"

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[1] Ok, I know that meditation doesn't have this effect normally. It actually cuts you off from all outside influences. BUT. . . this is DUO we are talking about. I figured that he wouldn't be able to meditate normally and would have to keep his alert-ness up while he relaxed. Hence the special meditation.

[2] Reading to much Robin Hobb. . . assassins, Fitz and the relaying of information to Chade and such.. . and the Fool. . . oh, my sweet Fool. . .

[3] Don't worry, I didn't know what I was saying here either. Although, I can work it out with a pen and paper and a lot of imagination. Don't worry, it holds no sway over the story and I don't think any of the characters mentioned will be featured. Although. . . you never know. I have changed the storyline HEAPS from what it was going to to initially. It was supposed to be about 10 chapters MAX!! lol.

[4] Blame that on me having just read the first series on Blackadder. Amazing series. Reading the scripts isn't as funny as watching Rowan Atkinson. Damn that guy is funny.

A.N. OMG, It's LONG compared to the others!! WOW!! Look, REVIEW!!! It works!! It makes my head large = more ideas = quicker chapters. Besides, I want them all FINISHED before my holidays finish.

Anastasia

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If you Review, I shall post much faster and write more!