Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Above You ❯ Chapter 14

Fourteen

"I know you didn't just go into a full-blown colony," Noin noted through the vid to Quatre with an amused look in her eyes, "send three pilots after the forty-seven prisoners...and get out alive, Quatre Winner. I know that did not, in fact, just happen."

"No?" Quatre returned, grinning slightly. "So what did happen, then?"

"We're working it out," Noin reassured him. "Sally's running some scenarios that include a running loop of you pilots...the only problem is that Yuy would have to show up in all of those, and there's no visual confirmation that he was present at all."

"Ah, huh," Quatre muttered happily, looking around the cockpit a moment. "I couldn't tell you...I have been in this tub for nearly an hour now," he added, looking back to her. "I seem to need docking clearance to offload my passengers."

"A pleasure cruise, Mr. Winner?" Noin asked sweetly.

"I think Yuy's having one in the bathroom," Quatre noted with a smirk.

"What?" Heero asked from where he was sitting in the front row with Matty in his lap.

Noin guffawed. "What?"

Duo, who'd been standing off to the side, shifted forward to grin at the camera. "You didn't really think we came to play because we're just good Samaritans, right?"

"I suppose not," she agreed dryly. "Who, may I ask, inspired the siege of Troy?"

"That doesn't work, sweetie," Quatre muttered thoughtfully.

"This sweet little nineteen year old," Duo noted, grinning slightly.

Not only was Matty the youngest on the flight, but there were no females near his age at all.

"What?" Noin repeated in sheer disbelief.

"Stop gossiping!" Sally called from the background. "Winner, you're in some shit now..."

"Really?" Quatre asked. "You have to mark the vigilante check-box? You can't like...find...some special circumstance to put us under?"

"You are a special circumstance," Noin muttered dryly, sitting back and looking around with a sigh. "We got the clearance for the dumbasses don't we, Poe?"

"They just saved forty-seven civilians and are on a ship that's running out of fuel. What do you think?"

"I think they have enough to get to 29, but not to the L-4 cluster," Noin retorted. "They have the oxygen for that though. I'm sure the nice L-4ians will let them dock."

Quatre smirked at her.

"Just bring the shuttle in," Sally suggested, ducking down to look at Quatre properly. "Be ready for the storm, Winner. Une herself is on her way here. Your shenanigans didn't get on the news, at least."

"But we tried so hard," Duo protested in amusement.

"Maxwell," Sally retorted in a playfully acerbic tone, "we're all going to thank you guys properly...but you did just pull some vigilante bullshit, so we have to put on the no-no face for any men who might start thinking of their own heroics."

"Heroism is overrated," Duo reassured her. "People start expecting you to have morals and all sorts of nonsense like that. I've never understood it."

She grinned back at him and turned away from the screen.

"Bring'em on home, boys," Noin muttered, starting to click buttons above her head. "See you in fifteen...oh, and by the way?" she met their eyes. "Don't hurt the people with guns."

She ended the call.

"She's a maddening woman," Duo noted, turning away from the vid screen and looking back at Wufei, who was sitting on the opposite side of the isle from Heero and Matty. "You think she's lost that prince yet?"

"I don't think you rate princely hotness to her," Wufei muttered back tiredly.

"She didn't notice my hair," Duo noted, focusing down on Quatre. "How did she not notice my hair?"

"Maxwell!" Trowa called from where he was toward the back of the ship, talking to passengers. "Come play stewardess for the nice people!"

"Yeah, yeah," Duo retorted, turning to move into the little storage area between the cockpit and the passenger seating. "If I have to."

- -

"Did she just say people with guns?" Matty asked, shifting out of the way when Duo moved down the isle with a ridiculously frilly apron on and a handful of drinks.

It made some of the passengers snigger, and he looked around proudly, asking after their thoughts on the thing in a way that made it obvious he didn't expect to be taken seriously.

"Yeah, she did," Heero agreed, eyes closed. "We had like...no clearance to do all that."

"Clearance?" Matty echoed, studying the various bruises and gashes on his face.

"Yeah," Heero agreed. "We haven't been in the military for two years."

"So you're going to get in trouble?" Matty demanded, sitting up straighter.

"Oh, probably," Heero agreed. "I can't bring myself to care, though." He hissed, jerking away from Matty's fingers, blinking at the boy.

"That was a bruise?" Matty asked, blinking at him. "Sorry."

Heero snorted at him, raising a hand to touch the sore spot—actually, his face hurt...and his knuckles, and his arms.

"Sorry," Matty muttered, blinking at him a moment, then tilted his head and dug into his pocket.

"It's all right," Heero reassured him, then blinked at the white tube. It had a prescription label on it, but not much else. "What is that?"

"Anal...ge...sic, I think he said," Matty returned, testing the word slowly as it came from his mouth.

"Anal huh?" Heero demanded skeptically.

Matty started giggling and smacked him in the chest.

"Ow," Heero returned, shoving his hands away. "You're abusive...give me that."

"I am not!" Matty protested, though he did surrender the tube.

"Analgesic cream," Heero noted, giving the boy a skeptical look. "I didn't know it was possible to butcher the word that bad."

"Oh, shut up," Matty muttered, blushing some and snatching the thing back. "You allergic?"

"Nope," Heero returned, sitting back again and relaxing. "Cream me up, baby..."

Matty started giggling again, glancing toward Quatre, who was close enough to hear them, then down at Duo, who was busily amusing the masses. "We could...the bathroom's right there," Matty muttered.

Heero snorted. "My entire face is throbbing, and you're probably going to be examined. I somehow doubt your plan."

Matty snickered leaning forward to kiss him slightly.

"Quit it," Quatre muttered from the cabin. "If you don't, you'll start marking each other and that'll be a harder to explain in the exam room."

Matty started snickering more, pulling away to meet Heero's eyes.

"Did you just say you have analgesic cream?" Quatre added, moving into the little hall and looking at them. "You'll let me use some? My hands are throbbing," he showed them his slightly swollen knuckles.

"Go fly the ship," Heero retorted.

Quatre grinned at them, turning back.

"It's cold," Matty warned, having squeezed some of the cream onto his fingers. "Just to warn you." Heero focused on him to ask him 'what?', but the cold cream on his face cut that off as he jumped slightly. "Ooh, sorry," Matty muttered, stopping.

"Sorry, startled me anyway," Heero returned, relaxing again. "Go ahead."

"And don't take your time," Quatre suggested. "I get to start docking procedure in about ten seconds and you need to be in your seat."

"Why?" Matty retorted, turning to look at him blankly.

"Because armed men might come onto the ship," Quatre retorted, giving him a look. "You on his lap might give the hostage look another go."

"Oh," Matty hesitated a moment, then focused on his task.

Docking proved a very minor challenge for Quatre. He could fly all sorts of military transports, but the passenger ship was very slightly different—he was kinda glad no one was paying attention to what he was doing.

He spun around in his chair again, though, to watch as Trowa finished up his sermon—for some reason, Trowa had taken point with the prisoners...Wufei would have been able to do it just as well, but there was no chance Heero could have with his face a mass of bruises and Matty in his lap. Duo had been playing co-pilot for a while, but Quatre hadn't really needed the assistance.

"So we're going to have a seat," Trowa added to everyone. "I know some of you have bags in here," he tapped the compartments that lined the roofs. "But the priority right now is to get you to safety. We don't want any confusion, so please don't just run out of the ship. Move in a nice orderly fashion. I'm sure there will be people here to meet you." He moved up and looked down at Matty, who was sitting directly beside Heero.

"What?" Matty asked uncertainly.

"I can't block you," Trowa explained.

"I'm gonna sit pretty here," Duo muttered, moving back into focus behind Trowa. "Thanks for flying air-rescue, we hope you choose us for all your rescue needs!"

That got the same subdued sort of laughter—genuine, but not overly loud.

He flopped down on the far side of Wufei.

"I get to take your bullet?" Wufei asked him acidly.

"Of course, you're a good friend," Duo agreed, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks," Wufei muttered dryly.

"So...our pilot here will open the door in a moment," Trowa noted, dropping onto his knees in the end seat of the front row. "And you'll be free to go."

"I have to go out?" Matty demanded, focusing back on Heero.

"You need to," Heero agreed, grabbing his hand. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Matty sighed, leaning over to kiss him.

Quatre hit the button to open the doors.

It took a long time, but not that long at the same time. The various passengers moved up the aisle and out...all but Matty, who wouldn't stand.

"You have to go," Heero whispered, trying to shove him away.

It took a moment...or three...but finally, the teen did turn and move out the door.

"Matty!" the hoarse cry came from outside the ship, and Heero focused on the door in amazement...but it was silent.

"Any time now," Duo muttered, drumming his fingers on the chair.

"We should re-launch," Quatre muttered, "get some suits on, and go in the emergency entrance."

"It's just a button away," Wufei agreed.

"Well, shit," Heero muttered, rising slowly to his feet. "Maybe let's not do it the long way and face the fire."

"I don't like fire," Duo retorted. "It melts my hair."

That got him a brief grin, and the expression looked like it should have hurt.

"Fine," Wufei sighed resignedly, sitting forward. "Fine...let's go out there."

Quatre sighed as well, pushing himself out of his chair to follow.

There were soldiers surrounding the gate—and people. The former prisoners were grouped across the area the soldiers were guarding with family or friends. The lady Une herself was standing with crossed arms a ways away from the door, flanked by Noin and Sally, an impatient expression on her face.

Heero looked to them uncertainly as he noted the lack of weapons pointed in their direction.

...then applause.

"Yes!" Matty muttered to his father. "He came and found me."

Quatre was the last from the ship, looking around...as the clapping got louder.

Une looked cross, but not overly angry...and the soldiers definitely were not pointing weapons at them.

Sally scratched briefly at her cheek.

"Well?" Trowa asked Une curiously.

"You did well," Une returned, not uncrossing her arms. "You'll be reprimanded, of course, but you did well."

"So we are getting taken in?" Wufei asked curiously.

"I'm assuming you'll follow me to the van, yes," Une agreed almost pointedly.

So...they weren't being arrested.

That was a start.

Matty was looking around, considering the situation a moment, then moved hesitantly across the open area, looking up to Heero, since the exit platform was higher than the main walk.

Heero smiled slightly at the guy.

"Mr...Yuy," Matty's father, Taofa, muttered, moving forward, his eyes considerate.

"Yeah?" Heero asked, focusing down on him.

The man stared back at him.

"I told him," Matty noted, hopping up to move into Heero's arms. "I told him that you told me."

"So...are you coming with me," Une muttered, "or do I have to arrest you?"

Heero focused on her in amusement as Matty leaned into him.

She blinked at them.

"We aren't good Samaritans," Duo noted, tilted his head at the pair. "You might also notice the state of Yuy's face and then look at us...to compare damages, I mean."

"Oh my god!" Noin gasped, stepping forward as she stared at him. "Your hair!"

Duo beamed at her.

"You get in a fight with yard loppers and lose?" Sally asked blankly, moving forward.

Duo flashed them both grins, then looked to Wufei. "Is Sally too old for me?"

Wufei considered the skeptical woman's face a long moment, then focused back on Duo and shook his head. "No, no I don't think she is."

Duo beamed at him.

Sally started laughing.

"You're not...really...with him, are you?" Une demanded, blinking at Matty.

"Yes, I really am," Heero retorted, frowning slightly at her—his face was nice and numb, and the expressions felt strange. He assumed it was the pain breaking through the numbness.

"And that's why you stormed 27?" Une hissed in a fierce whisper as she moved closer to them.

"I'm sure you could have handled the colony bullshit just fine without our interference," Heero agreed darkly. "I was just pissed."

"So, of course," Une muttered, looking the teen over, "they chose you as their poster-boy, and damn Rabid let loose his hound." She rolled her eyes a moment, then focused on Heero pointedly.

"What?" Heero asked, looking around somewhat. "What?"

"He was telling you that the guy's name was Ranger," Une noted, quirking an eyebrow. "And telling you the guy speaking was called Pan and that Rabid was really in charge...wasn't he?"

"How did you know it was Rabid?" Heero asked blankly, thinking back. He had only known initially because of Matty's phone.

"He was in the hostage room and ordering everyone around," Une shrugged. "Everyone deferred to him...and then we figured out that Rab came from Rabid. Good job, kid," she added, ruffling Matty's hair affectionately.

Matty blinked back at her.

"All right," she added, shoving Heero so he stepped down as she went up. "Can I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen!"

Everyone in the room fell quiet.

"I need our forty-seven," she gestured at Matty, "to come with us to the local office. We'll need you there for a while, I'm afraid, but we can work out the details there."

That got a mutter that wasn't quite a groan.

"We have a bus waiting out front," Une added. "Please...this way."

"Why can't we ride the bus?" Quatre muttered, glancing around nervously.

"Because I'm going to tear you a new asshole and don't want little ears to hear it," Une snapped back at him. "Do you have any idea what a nightmare this has been? And our agent on 27 reported that you nearly blew up that entire damn colony!"

"It was a few cars," Duo retorted, giving her an offended look.

Une rounded on him, her eyes flashing...and Matty shied slightly away.

She brought herself up short and took a long slow breath. "There was an oxygen tank, Brigadier Maxwell. And beside this oxygen tank was a fuel-tanker. That fuel tanker caught on fire...because of a few cars," the last was in a very level and pointed tone.

Duo sniggered, trying to decide why she'd called him by the rank he'd had before they left. "Oh, shit..."

She gave him a very long look, glanced at the boy, then turned and started away.

Heero followed instantly, then blinked and looked back as Matty caught his hand and scampered to keep up.

"Matt!" Taofa protested.

"I'm fine, Dad," Matty protested, trying to link his hand with Heero's.

"Matty," Heero reprimanded quietly, "you were just held hostage over night...and she doesn't want anyone hearing what she's going to say to us anyway."

"You just stormed a colony to save me," Matty retorted to that, intertwining their fingers.

"I don't understand," the guy protested, moving closer. "Don't you want to see Wren or Li?"

"I have to go to the offices," Matty muttered back, giving him a confused look. "I'll be a few hours anyway..."

"But...they're at the buses," the man muttered.

Matty stopped and looked back to him.

"Who's Lee?" Heero muttered blankly. The name alarmed him, and he wasn't sure why.

"Li?" Matty repeated, meeting his eyes. "My little sister..."

"Lee?" Heero asked again, not understanding that.

"Lifon," Taofa explained, grinning very slightly. "And Wren is my brother."

"Go with them," Heero muttered as the group swept through the halls. "I'm sure she'll have us do one-on-ones, and I'll go find you when it's not my turn."

"But...you said you were getting in trouble," Matty protested.

"I am, but not as bad as I thought," Heero leaned forward and kissed him—then realized the man's father was right there. He pulled away and smiled at the boy, shaking his head.

"Yuy!" Une snapped over her shoulder at him.

"The mistress calls," Heero noted dryly, pecking Matty's lips again.

"Mr. Yuy..." Taofa muttered quickly, stepping forward with an extended hand.

Heero shook it...and was pulled in a hug.

"Thank you...and I mean it. I really do."

Heero nodded as Une rounded on him.

"Go," the man suggested with a brief grin.

Heero spun, and jogged to catch up with the others before the dragon-lady blew fire and incinerated him.

That was a very weird mental image...he'd need to figure out where he got it from. He glanced back at Matty, smiled at the pout, then focused on keeping up with his group.

It wouldn't do to piss Une off anymore; she'd had enough of that for one day.

End

- -

E/N: All right, there's Above You. I do have a sequel started, but I hit a block and have to work through the plot. Hopefuly it won't be long before it's up: Attempted Bystanding. I hope you enjoyed this story...have a good one! -Kye