Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 2 Reign ❯ Shadows of the Past ( Chapter 23 )

Chapter Twenty-Three: Shadows of the Past

 

“Wufei? Wufei? Are you all right?”

 

My mind was swimming as things came into focus, and all I knew is that someone was cradling my head, strong arms…

 

I blinked my eyes, trying to wake up.

 

“Are you all right? I…we…you…”

 

“I'm going to puke.”

 

“What?”

 

I rolled off the lap as my stomach heaved and somehow made it over the toilet—but there was nothing in my stomach…only water.

 

“Jesus…”

 

It took several minutes before my body gave up trying to get rid of something that wasn't there, and I took a moment to just lean against the counter.

 

“Wufei?”

 

I groaned, suddenly realizing where I was.

 

“Are you okay?” Jun's voice was all concern as he touched my shoulder.

 

I shrugged him off, nearly gagging as I tried to swallow, then started to stand.

 

“No…just wait.”

 

After a moment, a cup was raised to my lips and I hesitated to take it. I'd heard the water running, but I hadn't been watching—this was Jun…

 

“Fuck!” he shouted in frustration, throwing the cup hard at the tub so water sprayed everywhere and the cup bounced and rolled across the floor, “Jesus, Wufei…”

 

I didn't say anything, pulling myself to my feet and leaning against the counter again. I ran the water myself, rinsing out my mouth before focusing on Jun in the mirror.

 

He was standing by the door, this time wearing a pair of khaki pants and a plain t-shirt. His expression was of mild concern and large annoyance.

 

“What the hell happened?” he snapped in Chinese.

 

“What do you think happened, fucker?” I returned in English.

 

“I was coming to see if you'd eaten,” he snapped, “You were just laying here…”

 

“Your lovely little sedative has some side-effects,” I snapped, irritated.

 

“What?”

 

“I can't exactly fight the effects of tranquillizers. I don't know which one you used on me, but it's making me sick.”

 

Okay, not entirely true. I could fight off some tranqs, but not many. He didn't need to know that, though. If I could make him scared to even give me the shit…better for me.

 

He frowned, shaking his head, “The doctor…”

 

“Is my own personal doctor and could get ahold of my records…think about it, Jun. I work for the government. I live in the palace…with the Gundam pilots. Sorry, they aren't the type to let random hackers get into their files.”

 

“So the files we found…aren't really yours?”

 

“Probably not,” I spat, disgusted at how sincerely concerned he was, “Can you leave me alone please? I'd like to sleep this off.”

 

He sighed, massaging his temples as he thought.

 

I slid past him, not looking at him, moving to crawl into the bed. My head was sore, my body was…tense…I just wanted to lie down.

 

“This food is not drugged,” he muttered, following me, “And even if I would drug you, my doctor said that mixing kaseen with that sedative would be a very bad idea.”

 

I crawled under the blankets, not acknowledging this.

 

“I wish you would talk to me,” he muttered in irritation.

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” I shouted at him, irritated beyond my control, sitting up again.

 

He blinked at me in amazement.

 

“I turned you down, Jun, I told you I wasn't interested. I was nice about it…I even fuckin' flirted with you because it's not like I wouldn't have been your friend…and you just…” I was at a loss for words as I remembered how he'd changed over the months, “You…got clingy,” I added, studying his stricken eyes. “And you know, if you'd just been normal I would have agreed after a while, but you wanted everything now and that's not how things have ever worked…and then you put a price on me.”

 

“But I'm trying…” he started.

 

“To what?” I snapped, “I'm locked in some room of some building you own and you sedated me to get me here. You've threatened my life to fuck you, and…”

 

“I was high!” he shouted back, frustrated, “I'd smoked a little too much vrit…”

 

“I don't care,” I snapped, “It still happened!”

 

He look extremely frustrated for a moment before he turned on his heel and stormed from the room, slamming the door. The lock clicked almost pointedly and I dropped back on the bed.

 

I couldn't help my sigh of exasperation.

 

-

 

“What's going on?” I asked Trowa as Duo trailed behind me.

 

“Not much,” Trowa replied, looking between us, “No luck, I take it?”

 

I nodded once, not meeting his eyes.

 

He nodded as well, looking to Quatre, “I'd figured as much.”

 

“But we had to try,” I muttered, sinking into the chair and rubbing my temples, “So now we get to play.”

 

That brought a group sigh.

 

“What happens first?” Jacob asked, looking around at us all.

 

“We send the first detachment into Reality's area. They are a minimal threat and will be a good place to start.” I looked around the section of Deniel we were in. It was South of the airport, and that had no gang-life to speak of. It was considered sacred ground. Reality was to the East. “After that we'll go up and take Citadel.”

 

“What about First-Rite's bit of it? You know if we touch that the Newport faction will send up reinforcements,” Duo muttered.

 

“We line the border and don't cross it. We'll have to get all of Deniel before we can even attempt Newport.”

 

“Do we have enough men for that?” Quatre asked tiredly.

 

“Probably not. But we have at least enough to take on Jun.”

 

“Unless he calls in his treaties,” Duo amended, “He's got an agreement with End Game and Gray Day. He might even have something with Marionette.”

 

“No, Marionette stays neutral in order to keep the clubs open,” I countered.

 

“Not to mention we're going to take Marionette before we even touch Swathe,” Trowa reassured him, “We need those three as a base, and then we can sweep through Jaded. Jesse's dropping shit now, isn't he?”

 

“Yeah,” Duo agreed with a sigh, “By the time we get Reality and Citadel, he'll have his businesses minimized.”

 

“That's good,” Trowa noted, stirring his cup of coffee half-heartedly.

 

“Thank you,” I muttered to the waitress who set cups of coffee in front of both Duo and I.

 

“Thanks,” Duo agreed.

 

“No problem, your Majesty…” she muttered, flashing me a smile before disappearing.

 

“Great,” I noted, “There goes my anonymity.”

 

“You're the king of a country, moron,” Duo muttered.

 

“Shut-up.”

 

“Make me.”

 

“Get over here.”

 

“Make me.”

 

I reached over and hit him in the arm.

 

“Fucker!” he snapped as coffee spilled over his lap.

 

“That's what you get.”

 

He gave me a level look with narrowed eyes, “Whatever your Majesty says.”

 

“Knock it off!”

 

“Make me.”

 

“Would you two just grow the fuck up?” Quatre snapped at us both.

 

I snorted, focusing back on my cup and stirred some creamer in.

 

“Make me,” Duo informed Quatre petulantly.

 

Trowa started laughing and we all fell into silence, sipping at our cups.

 

“Sire,” a man muttered, moving through the door to the place and leaving the door to swing behind him. It was sort of loud outside, actually.

 

“Yeah?” I asked, studying the guy's face. He was one of the veterans and I hadn't decided what rank those would be since they were leading the detachments…

 

“We've got some of the troops settled into hotels, and the owners of the places are not putting up an argument.”

 

“Good…that's…” I blinked at Duo, forgetting what I was going to say. He had focused on the swinging door and looked very much like a cat who had heard something interesting.

 

“What's up?” Quatre asked curiously, looking out the window.

 

“Not a lot,” the man replied, mistaking the question as directed to him, “Things are going according to plan and your quarters are ready.”

 

“That's great to hear,” Quatre muttered.

 

The man bowed slightly and left us, not that we really noticed with the way Duo was focused on the door. He looked a bit disbelieving.

 

“Selena!” Trowa shouted suddenly, jumping out of his seat so fast that his chair fell over backwards and we all focused on the door.

 

“You are here!” Selena cried, running through the door with her blond hair flying behind her.

 

We stared at her in shock, though Duo hadn't moved at all.

 

“Oh my god, I missed you!” Selena crowed, clinging tightly to Trowa…who froze.

 

I followed both Duo's and Trowa's gaze to the door—and froze as well.

 

Time literally stopped.

 

Ace was standing there, staring at us in shock…

 

“Holy shit,” Quatre whispered, “I thought he was dead…”

 

“You fucked the sister of your dead-fiancé's killer?” Trowa demanded of Duo.

 

Duo laughed coldly, the sound still sounding mirthful in an evil kind of way.

 

“What?” Selena asked, pulling away from him and looking to us all before focusing on Duo.

 

Duo was still focused on Ace.

 

“Keith,” Selena asked, turning to look at him.

 

`I didn't kill your god-damn brother, Bitch…' I could picture the conference room we'd all been standing in when Selena made her first appearance…

 

“Holy shit,” I breathed.

 

“Uh…Tony, hi,” Ace muttered uncertainly, moving a bit away from the door.

 

Duo was on his feet the instant the guy moved.

 

Selena tensed and turned her head back to Duo—and I could see it in her eyes.

 

Fear.

 

“Duo, please,” she whispered, moving away from Trowa and placing her hand on Duo's chest.

 

Duo wasn't looking at her.

 

Standing as close to me as she was, I was finally placing what I'd thought was so familiar about her before. She and Ace had a strong family resemblance, even with Ace's gold-blond hair. Selena's hair looked a few shades darker because of the length—and they had the exact same eyes…the curve of her jaw and the set of her mouth…

 

Ace had huge eyes as he stood completely still, staring at Duo.

 

“Fucker!” Quatre shouted in a hoarse voice, vaulting over the table. Before anyone could react, the lunatic was bowled over by a vicious attack that not even I would have predicted. Quatre was snarling at him, but it was nothing I could understand.

 

“Stop him!” Selena squeaked, looking horrified, she moved forward, obviously not sure where to start…and then realized that none of us had moved.

 

“Heero, please!” Selena cried, hands covering her mouth as she met my eyes.

 

I blinked at her.

 

“Trowa?” she asked, grabbing his arm…

 

It didn't take her too long to realize that neither Trowa nor I were intending to move. She gave us both a hurt and disappointed look before darting forward herself and shoving at Quatre. Quatre actually hit her, but she wasn't put off. She managed to get below his center of gravity and shove him backwards as Ace jumped up from beneath both of them, dancing around behind his sister, looking to the rest of us expectantly.

 

He looked like he was expecting us all to attack him.

 

“Why isn't he dead?” Quatre snarled at Duo, wiping his bloodied lip.

 

“I'll remedy that now,” Duo replied, reaching for his gun.

 

Ace froze.

 

“Duo, please!” Selena wailed, moving between him and the guy.

 

“Why should your pleading mean anything to me?” he asked her coldly, finally looking at her.

 

“You are such an asshole!” Ace shouted, shoving his sister aside, “She comes to you…stays with you…and all she wants in return is a little understanding and some affection…and you run all over her! You sleep around on her!”

 

“Keith,” Selena was near tears as she fought to keep him behind herself.

 

I reached over and grabbed Duo's wrist, staring at the guy.

 

He pointed at me, “And you!”

 

I laughed, taking the gun from Duo's hand and aiming.

 

Selena was actually crying as she turned and wrapped her arms around her brother's head, pulling his face to her shoulder…

 

It would have been the perfect shot and she wouldn't even have gotten blood on her.

 

“Heero,” Trowa muttered, shoving my wrist up so the muzzle of the gun was pointing to the ceiling.

 

I realized suddenly that there were tears in my eyes, blinking at Trowa, “He killed Kayla.”

 

“I know, Heero,” Trowa muttered, shaking his head, “But not like this…not with her here.”

 

I focused on Selena, realizing that it would not be fair to her. She'd come to see us, even if it was ridiculous of her to bring the man who killed one of our own…

 

“He isn't dead because I thought he'd be smart enough to stay away from me,” Duo replied. His eyes were smoldering as he watched the man constantly.

 

“I'm sorry,” Ace muttered, finally shoving his sister off, “I made a mistake…and I'm sorry.”

 

I swallowed hard, focusing on Duo again…realizing that this was his call.

 

“What do you want?” Duo demanded of Selena finally, meeting her eyes as she moved up to him.

 

“I miss you,” she muttered quietly, her hands wringing together as she studied him sincerely, shaking her head, “I was mad at first…but…I missed you.”

 

Duo's face had a slightly haunted look to it now…as if something she was saying…

 

The way she was standing.

 

Kayla had done that on occasion, pleading for his attention without actually asking for it, completely submissive.

 

Selena dropped her head, focusing on her fingers, “I'm sorry I left like that…but you'd hurt my feelings…made me angry…”

 

Duo didn't reply.

 

She looked up to him finally, her eyes filled with tears—then blinked, straightening slightly.

 

Duo looked away from us all and I could see an actual tear on his cheek.

 

“Kayla is dead?” she asked me, focusing on me as the information registered in her mind.

 

I wiped my eyes and nodded at her, “Donovan Charles called your brother to do it.”

 

She turned her eyes back to Ace, “You didn't tell me!”

 

He swallowed as well, though he refused to look away from her, “When Tailor didn't say, I decided not to tell you. You wouldn't have helped me.”

 

“You set your sister to fuck your enemy?” Quatre demanded of him, disgust oozing from his very pores.

 

“No!” Ace shouted, focusing on him in sudden and frustrated anger, “I wanted her to distract him!”

 

Duo's laughter was chill, “She did that rather well.”

 

“Duo!” Selena's tone was actually reprimanding.

 

Duo laughed again.

 

Ace gave him a look of barely veiled hatred, “I wanted her to slip him some tranqs at first. I don't even know what happened.”

 

“I couldn't get to his cup,” Selena muttered, “I came on to him to get in closer, but…”

 

“I was at a club almost nightly and preached to by a bartender,” Duo reminded her.

 

“Where is Wufei, anyway?” she asked, looking around the room.

 

No one said a word.

 

“Twins,” Trowa noted suddenly, studying Ace again, “Duo, you fucked the twin of your fiancé's murderer?”

 

“Fucked up, isn't it?” Duo replied, though there was no heart in it, “But think about it, Tro. Who didn't I fuck?”

 

“Cold bastard,” Ace muttered, frowning at Duo, “You're unreal.”

 

“Keith, would you stop?” Selena snapped at him, “Jesus, if you didn't notice, there isn't a person in this room besides me who wouldn't kill you.”

 

“I have nothing left to lose, Lena,” he muttered, “You're all that's left to me.”

 

“What about Mom?” Selena snapped, turning on him instantly, “Or Jane?”

 

Ace focused on his sister, shaking his head at her.

 

“Hilde is starting to show,” Trowa informed her suddenly.

 

Selena blinked at him, then at the rest of us, then thought a second, “Why are you here?”

 

“Jun got Wufei,” Duo breathed, still eyeing Ace.

 

Selena's hand went back to her mouth.

 

“Chang?” Ace asked, looking slightly amused, “You fuckers let him…” whatever else he was going to say ended abruptly as Duo's hunting knife suddenly quivered in the wall next to his head.

 

Duo crossed the room to him in an instant, shoving him against the wall as he pulled the knife out and getting in Ace's face and running the blade lightly over the guy's skin, “Give me one good reason I shouldn't just slit your throat where you stand.”

 

Ace blinked and actually thought about it before, focusing on his sister, “Selena.”

 

Duo pressed the blade to his throat until Ace met his eyes, “I can do much more than kill you, pretty-boy. You know I can do much more than just kill you.”

 

Ace shifted slightly, though he had nowhere he could go. His eyes instantly sought out his sister.

 

Selena obviously didn't know what to do.

 

…but thankfully, our soldiers noticed the fact that one of their leaders had a knife at a man's throat.

 

“Sir,” Ramon looked startled as he moved into the room, looking between Duo and Ace a moment, “Shall I remove…them?” he'd noticed Selena.

 

“The girl can stay,” Duo said evenly, controlling himself and tucking his knife into his jeans, “Get this fucker out of my sight.”

 

“Wait, Tailor,” Ace started, jumping out of Ramon's reach and focusing on his sister, “Selena, come on! I…I don't want you alone with…with…him!” he gestured vaguely at Duo.

 

Selena mouthed, uncertain as to what to say or do as she looked from me to the others.

 

“Please, Sir,” Ramon muttered to…Keith, “Don't make this difficult.”

 

I smirked at Ace, “Just go. We like your sister.”

 

Ace's mouth dropped open and he redoubled his efforts against Ramon. Ramon's friend Stephan, however, had followed his friend after a moment and the pair of them pushed and shoved the guy from the room.

I laughed.

 

“Heero!” Selena muttered, turning back to me. She studied me a moment in anger before turning back to Duo, “Fuck you!”

 

“We've got the rooms for it,” Duo replied, giving her a look.

 

She frowned at him.

 

“If you want me to apologize, you're wasting your time. If you want me to be angry with you, you're playing games. If you really want to fuck me, then maybe you should join me now, because I'm going to sleep before I kill somebody.”

 

Before anyone could say a word, Duo started for the doors.

 

Selena looked at us a moment, then shook her head and darted after Duo.

 

Quatre had his face in his hands as he sat at the table and Jacob was rubbing his shoulders. He obviously didn't understand why Quatre had attacked Ace, and truth be told, he hadn't seemed too horribly close to Kayla while she was alive. I wasn't sure if Jacob realized that Kayla had been one of us, if he realized that she'd been my girlfriend-on-the-side while Relena and I were fighting…if he understood that I really had feelings for the girl and that the fact that Duo really loved her had made me happy…

 

Did he realize that he was one of us? Had Miguel realized that we'd have treated him as such?

 

“Do you suppose she's going to fuck him,” Trowa muttered, turning back to us, “Or going to talk to him?”

 

“You heard Duo,” I replied, dropping heavily into my own chair, “I think he meant what he said.”

 

“I think he missed her just as much as she missed him,” Trowa countered, “I think the fact that Selena just found out what had happened to Kayla may make things make sense for her. I think they'll talk.”

 

“That's good…wonderful, great,” I muttered, starting to think I needed some more sleep, “I'm sure we'll find Wufei today.”

 

Quatre stood up, the legs of his chair shrieking along the floor, drawing all our attention. He looked from Trowa to me, “I'll go ask around.”

 

“What?” Jacob asked, startled.

 

“I'm going to the clubbing district.”

 

“It's noon, Quatre,” Trowa countered, looking to his watch, “Who will be out at this time?”

 

“I'm thinking lackeys,” Quatre muttered, starting for the door. Jacob looked between Trowa and I a moment before giving chase. The doors shut behind them.

 

“Is everything well, Sir?” the waitress asked, coming back into the main room.

 

“Things are fine,” I muttered distantly to her, dropping cash onto the counter and starting for the door.

 

“Oh, um…you don't have to pay…” she started.

 

“It's a tip,” I muttered, then moved into the gloom-day sun. This is to say that it was not sunny outside, but grey and overcast. Trowa was on my heels as I blinked at the spot where the rental-car Duo and I had commandeered had been parked. I realized that if Quatre had just left…

 

“Come on,” Trowa muttered, starting around me and moving to another car with his keys out, “I think the first order of business is check-in at home. Then we should sleep until Duo or Quatre gets back to us.”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Heero?” Trowa asked, not looking at me as he paused beside the driver-side door.

 

“Yeah?” I asked, studying his face as best I could.

 

“What are we going to do…if Jun kills him?”

 

I closed my eyes as fear dripped through my veins like an icy I.V., “He won't kill him.”

 

“What if he rapes him?”

 

“We can't do anything about any of that—chances are he has already.” The idea nauseated me. “And come on, Tro,” I laughed slightly, finally meeting his eyes, “Duo's gonna kill him anyway.”

 

Trowa stared at me a long moment, but I didn't wait for him to decide on how he felt about that. I slid into the car and slammed the door. I wasn't even sure how I felt about the fact that Duo would kill Jun. It wasn't even a question in my mind, and I would do nothing to stop it.

 

“Swathe is fucked over, sideways, backwards and through,” I added, “They will never rise again.”

“It's kinda funny,” Trowa muttered, starting the engine, “We aren't even counting on Wufei to get out of it himself.”

 

“The Wufei we know is not the Wufei we knew. Besides, Jun will probably keep him pretty doped up. Jun isn't so stupid as to underestimate a Gundam pilot.”

 

“Yeah,” Trowa agreed, swallowing.

 

“He will not kill Wufei,” I muttered, suddenly understanding why Duo had insisted on this to Jesse.

 

I didn't know what I'd do if Wufei died.