Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 2 Reign ❯ Delirium ( Chapter 20 )
Chapter Twenty: Delirium
"What are you doing?" Miguel demanded of me in irritation.
I glanced up at him from the letters I was trying to organize. I'd had to open all seven of them up and look at the date's Duo had marked on them. He hadn't marked years, though, so it had taken a bit more thought than I'd anticipated. I had been about to start reading the first letter.
Miguel took the paper from me, blinking as he read the first paragraph-more than I had. I snatched it back from him.
"Those are mine," I snapped, moving the rest of the pile before he could touch them.
"Is that from Duo?" he demanded in shock.
"Yes, they are," I returned, brushing my hair back and studying the guy's eyes, "He wrote these to me over the last few years."
"And you still claim he's not in love with you?" His tone was nearly disgusted.
"He loves me," I replied, raising an eyebrow, "But I love him, so it's something…"
"What about me?" he snapped.
"What about you? You're my fiancé and I promised you forever…don't get all pissy because I have a chick's equivalent to a best friend you can tell all to."
He sneered at me a moment before leaving the room.
I rolled my eyes, looking back to the letters.
Sometimes I really wished Miguel would grow up.
-
"Duo?"
I looked up to my door, blinking at Wufei. He had a nervous look on his face, "Yeah?"
He moved into the room, closing the door quietly. He didn't speak again until he was sitting next to me on the couch, studying my eyes, "I read your letters."
I smiled slightly at him, "I don't even remember what I wrote."
He smiled slightly at that, thinking a long moment, "I'm sorry for getting angry with you," he added finally, "I…misunderstood what you were saying to Quatre. I thought you were trying to seduce him."
I smiled genuinely at that, laughing, "I wasn't exactly being very subtle."
He shrugged his own agreement before taking a breath and waiting for me.
"I…I'm sorry for being an asshole," I adlibbed, not sure what he wanted to hear. I pulled the ring off my finger and offered it to him.
"What are you two doing now?"
We both focused on Trowa and Wufei stood instantly, "Talking."
"Now you're making me think something is going on," Trowa said with a grin, meeting my eyes, "You're still coming for dinner tonight, aren't you? It's done."
I stared at him in amazement before looking to Wufei.
"I've got to go cook our dinner," Wufei reassured me, then darted passed Trowa.
"What are you doing?" Trowa asked, focusing on my still extended hand. His eyes went wide then and he blinked at me, "Oops."
"Oops is right," I snapped, shoving it back onto my finger and rising as I folded the newspaper I'd been reading.
"I'm sorry," he protested, "I just know that you two have been fighting. I thought it was more of the same."
I nodded, moving to follow him, "I understand."
-
"Trowa?"
I looked up to Miguel curiously as he entered my apartment. He had his hands shoved deep into his pocket and was watching me nervously, "Can you…help me?
"I'd imagine," I returned, smiling slightly at the guy and wondering at the fact that I was no longer happy to see him. I didn't even want to talk to him right now, but that wasn't fair to him. His and Duo's fight was none of my business, but it was all entangled around Wufei, so that made it a bit more difficult to be neutral.
"I was wondering…if you could…talk to Duo for me," he started.
"Whoa, wait a minute," I cut him off, gesturing at him, "Don't pull me into that one. I have nothing to do with the pair of you fighting like high-schoolers over some boy."
"Some boy?" he demanded wryly, "I thought you cared about Wufei."
"I do, but you two don't. This has moved beyond the realm of Wufei being anymore than a pawn, and I'm not touching it."
He frowned at me.
"I'm not asking you to like it, Miguel, I'm asking you to deal with it."
He narrowed his eyes at me, irritation plainly written on his face.
I smiled slightly, "Since I'm doubting Duo has said anything remotely helpful, I'd imagine Wufei has been telling you to deal."
"Since before he told me where the ring came from," Miguel spat, turning and starting from my apartment.
"Sorry, Miguel," I called before he shut the door, "But there are some things that should really stay between two people."
He slammed the door.
-
I nodded to the guard who had escorted me to Trowa's apartment, expecting him to leave. He did not, however, do that. He walked with me up the hall.
Nice, even the guards were tweaks.
I tapped on the door.
It only took a moment, but a dark haired woman opened the door-she was obviously pregnant. The low rise of her belly attested to this, she wasn't far along, either. Her face was somehow familiar and I could tell I'd seen her before. I couldn't say where I'd seen her before…
"Trowa!" she called in mild alarm, turning to look deeper into the room behind her.
"Hilary?" I offered tentatively, not sure if that was right or not.
"Mommy, I'm thirsty."
It took a moment for me to register that this was the voice of my daughter.
Trowa appeared then…and I met his eyes for the first time in three years.
"Hi, Trowa," I muttered, smiling charmingly at him.
"What are you doing here?" he snapped, not even pretending to be a gentleman.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Mommy?" Alexia asked again.
"Not now, Precious," the woman muttered, having moved back from the door.
"I…wanted…" I started, then realized something, "Why the hell is my daughter calling that woman `mom'?"
Trowa's face was completely emotionless.
"Where the hell do you get off…"
"Get over it," he snapped irritably, "What do you want? We're fine without you here."
I drew myself up.
"Besides," he added viciously, "My fiancé is more a mother to my daughter than you ever could be!"
My jaw dropped as this information joined with her being pregnant.
Alexia appeared then, her long black hair pulled into a ponytail as she frowned at me. She was slimmer than I remembered, and much taller.
"Fiancé?" I demanded, eyes glued to my child.
"Yeah," Trowa agreed almost sarcastically, "We've been engaged for nearly two years now…huh, funny," he pretended to think, "Longer than you even stayed with Alex."
I glared at him, summoning up my arguments.
"We should be married before next summer," he added quietly, his green eyes sparkling, "I don't think you're invited to the wedding, though, so don't get your hopes up."
I shook my head, ignoring that since I knew it would piss him off…then realized that my daughter was clinging to this usurper's leg. I started to step for her, but Trowa shifted his weight to cut me off.
I glanced up at him, then focused, "Mija, vhen." I offered my arms to her, "Come give your mother a hug."
Her expression darkened and she shook her head, clinging more to that woman.
"Lexia," the bitch started in a reassuring tone.
"I don't need your help," I spat at her, hatred boiling through my veins.
"Don't talk to her like that!" Trowa's voice rose a bit.
She was blinking at me.
"Vhen, Mija," I repeated, wanting her away from that woman.
She shook her head.
I focused on Trowa again in disbelief, "I told you that you were spoiling her!"
"I don't spoil her!" Trowa was outraged at the very suggestion-as normal, not that the oaku could afford to spoil her…
"Please," the woman muttered soothingly, gesturing between us.
"Kayate, Perra," I snapped.
Trowa drew himself up.
"You don't like that, do you?" I muttered, "Me talking down to your bitch…"
Now the woman's expression darkened.
"Alexia, now," I snapped my fingers, pointing in front of myself.
"Knock it off!" Trowa snapped, uncrossing his arms, "She hasn't seen you in almost three years, you can't just expect her to want to see you!"
"I'm her mother!" I shouted at him.
"No," he snarled, "Hilde is her mother now. She is my daughter…"
"I am her mother!" I repeated, disbelieving.
"Mommy," Alex muttered to that…to Hilde.
"Alexia Rosa," I snarled, "Don't call that woman that!"
She shrank away from me, still clinging to the other.
"Leave her alone!" Trowa shouted at me.
"Don't shout at me!" I shouted back.
Alex darted away and I could hear her wailing before a door slammed.
"Now you made her cry," I started, moving to follow her as Trowa impeded me again, "Get out of my way!"
"Leave her alone!" Trowa started again, his green eyes angry.
"Don't try to tell me what to do!" I shouted back again, catching his arm and trying to pull him out of my way before starting to pound on his chest.
Hilde disappeared down the hall.
"What's going on?" a new voice demanded.
I turned to look at a blond man, wondering what had happened to the guard.
"Oh, it's you," he seemed less than enthused.
"Fuck you," I spat at him, turning back to Trowa, "Let me see my daughter!"
"She doesn't want to see you!" Trowa shouted back.
It disintegrated from there, somehow…and Hilde reappeared. It took me a moment to realize that I was now in the apartment. Hilde was holding my daughter as she crossed the living room and started out the door.
"Hey, bitch!" I shouted, moving to follow her.
The blond, who I now recognized as Quatre Winner, got in my way, his hands up in a stop motion.
I turned back to Trowa.
-
Alex was heavy.
As soon as I realized that Quatre was stopping Leticia, I set her down, "Come on," I muttered, pulling her after me toward the royal suite, wishing again that Selena hadn't left.
Alex followed me with sniffles as the shouting behind us continued.
I was on the stairs to the upper floor before Heero appeared, his expression alarmed.
"Letti," I explained it all in one word, and he disappeared back up the stairs. A moment later, another door shut.
"What's going on?" Relena demanded, blinking at us before moving forward to pull Alex into her arms.
"The bitch is back," I spat, surprised at how angry I was. "She and Tro started shouting at each other. I figured I should get her away from the whore," I gestured at my daughter.
My daughter.
"Hilde," Relena reprimanded needlessly. I knew I had no right to judge Alex's mother with Alex right there.
"Well, really," I muttered half-heartedly.
Relena shook her head at me, leading Alex to the couches. Alex instantly climbed into my lap when I sat down.
"So now what?" Relena asked, listening to the muffled shouts.
"Now," I replied, "We wait."
-
I could hear the shouting as soon as I heard the tap on the door, I moved across my empty apartment to pull the door open, following Heero into the hall at his gesture. He moved across it to tap on Wufei's door as well.
"What's going on?" Miguel asked, glancing at me as Wufei and I exchanged a glance-he'd never have made it through training if he were asking questions instead of following orders.
Not that I'd expect anymore from the dumb ass.
"Come on," was all Heero said as we started down the hall.
"What's…" Miguel started, then probably realized that Fei and I hadn't said a word.
The source of the disturbance, it turned out, was from a little Mexican hottie-who'd caught Trowa's fancy and ended up a disaster. She was in Trowa's living room.
We moved in and stood next to Quatre, who was watching them with something like disinterest.
"Letti!" Miguel exclaimed, all excitement.
She turned to look at her brother before running across the room to him and throwing herself into his arms, complaining to him in Spanish.
Trowa chimed in at that point, and the rest of us exchanged glances as the argument carried on in Spanish.
"She's my daughter!" Trowa shouted finally, "And if she doesn't want to see the woman who abandoned her, then she doesn't have to see you! We have a family now, and she's happy that Hilde's her mother!"
This speech brought silence all around.
"That was uncalled for," Miguel informed him, looking us all over.
Letti had started crying.
"Wow, you really are a bitch," Wufei noted in amazement, staring at the woman.
"Wufei!" Miguel snarled.
"Tell me I'm wrong," he replied, glaring at the guy, "She came back after three years and expects a little girl to instantly want her? That's stupidity. Evidently that runs in your family."
"Fuck you!" Miguel erupted at him, shoving his sister aside.
Letti, meanwhile, turned on Wufei, "Who the fuck do you think you are?"
Wufei flashed his ring at her, "Nearly part of your family."
"Fuck you!" Miguel repeated, diving forward and yanking the thing from his finger, "Fuck you to hell!"
"Fuck you two times," I muttered happily.
He drew himself up, then focused on Wufei again, "We're done! I can't stand you and your…friends anymore!"
Wufei spat at him.
Letti was in obvious shock-Miguel grabbed her by the wrist and started yanking her after him.
We were on them in an instant, forming a guard. Heero was dictating our actions.
The siblings were speaking in their native tongue, and Letti was becoming more and more desperate.
"She made her choice!" Trowa shouted as we broke into the main corridor.
When guards approached us, Heero gestured them away irritably. They didn't actually fall back until I gestured, however, and even that was reluctant.
As we broke from the front doors of the palace, I was shocked to notice Miguel's Bronco parked there, the back of it was open.
"Were you even going to tell me?" Wufei demanded in sheer disgust.
"Yeah, when I was done packing," Miguel snapped back, slamming the rear gate down, "I'm done now. I'm leaving you, Wufei."
Wufei snorted.
"Fuck you."
"Just get out of here," Wufei snapped, "Take the bitch and leave us in peace. You're the worse thing that ever happened to me…thanks, Trowa." Wufei stormed back into the palace.
"Yeah," Trowa agreed pointedly to Letti, "I should have known better," the last was for Miguel.
"Fuck you!" Miguel shouted again as Trowa followed Wufei, focusing on me.
I was laughing, after all.
He moved at me quickly and punched me, so I downed him completely, kicking him in the side as Letti screamed. "I won, fucker," I purred at him, kneeling next to him and being sure he focused on the sapphire ring I was fondling and had belonged to Wufei.
"Burn in hell!" he spat, "You're fucking evil!"
I flashed him my most charming grin, rising to my feet and kicking him again, moving up to Leticia, who was fuming at me as I leaned into her face, "You're only good for one thing, bitch," I purred, grabbing her inner thigh near her crotch, "Get used to it." I kissed her as she gasped and started pounding on me, pulling her to me.
Miguel shouted something and I dropped his sister as the useless thing she was, moving back to him as he tried to rise…
"Duo, that's enough," Heero muttered levelly.
I snorted, looking from him to the downed man and blowing Miguel a kiss. I started up the stairs.
Various guards were staring at me.
I ignored that, moving through the palace doors with a grin.
-
I waited for Duo to be gone before turning back to Miguel, he'd regained his feet and was now looking between Quatre and I.
"Listen," I muttered, moving forward and extending a hand, "I appreciate all of your service."
"Yeah," he agreed.
"Call in your address and they'll cut you a check," I added, studying his eyes. I wasn't quite sure what I thought of him anymore.
"Don't you think I might come back for it?" he demanded.
"I don't think you will," I started, then paused, "Wait, I don't think you should. You will never be accepted by the group again."
He stared at me.
"I'm not sure what game you're trying to play," I added, "But the dealer just hit twenty-one and you're screwed." I studied him a moment longer, "You shouldn't have put all your chips on the table."
He looked lost a moment, frowning at me, "I should tell everyone what you're doing."
"Don't make me arrest you for high treason," I returned, not bothered by this, "That would not be pleasant."
He mouthed at me.
"You swore fealty to him," Quatre muttered quietly, as if jogging Miguel's memory, "Meaning that no matter where you go, you're still one of his subjects."
Miguel thought about that.
"Good day, Mr. Juerez," I muttered, starting up the stairs, "Have a nice trip."
-
"Just like that?" Miguel asked in shock, looking to me, "We're done just like that?"
I studied his eyes a long moment, glancing past him at his sister a moment before meeting his eyes again, "You made your choice."
He stared at me.
I shrugged at him, starting away backwards with my hands in my pockets, "You're sick of Wufei's friends," I reminded him, "So I won't bother with a friendly good bye. I wish you a safe journey only to save your mother the heartache."
He looked like this was not what he'd expected.
I waved cheerily at his sister, then turned and started up the stairs, meeting Jacob's eyes as he looked past me at the pair in the truck. I gestured at the guards who'd been hanging back, "Mr. Juerez is leaving, soldier, please see that he leaves the premise safely."
"Yes, Sir," the woman I was talking to saluted, waiting for me to be past her before starting down the stairs toward Miguel.
"Isn't this a little harsh?" Jacob asked warily.
I smiled at him as we moved back into the building and he waved, "Just don't piss my friends off, and you'll be fine."
He laughed, turning back to me in mild disbelief.
"You think I'm joking, but I'm extremely serious."
"They're waiting," Jacob muttered, pointing up the hall a ways.
My four brethren were standing together, watching me with interest.
"I asked the guards to see to it that Mr. Juerez left the premise safely."
Duo started laughing.