Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Angel in the Flames ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Title: "Angel in the Flames"

Author: Desdomonda (Blackmoon2101@Aol.com)

Archive: Currently Not Anywhere

Category: Yaoi/ Shonen-Ai, Angst, Lemon

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, 5+S, OCS x 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, Bandai does.

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Yaoi, Lemon, Violence, Angst, NCS, OC

Spoilers: Not really

Notes: Duo is abducted by a gang. NCS, Angst, and confusion ensues. Will Heero rescue Duo in time?

Feedback: Of course!!!

Chapter 7

Duo opened his eyes. Cor had come again, to treat his wounds. He let his head drop, he no longer had the strength to hold it up. He felt Cor squeeze the infection from the wounds on his back and pour disinfectant over them. He didn't so much as whimper. He didn't even resist when Cor cleaned his opening, the many wounds festering. When was the last time Cor had visited? He couldn't tell, he had been in and out of consciousness since his first visitor. It could have been weeks, or days. He no longer cared. Cor lifted his face and cleaned the scratches, gashes and bruises.

Cor felt fear for his friend inch through him. This was the first time when Duo made no effort at all, and his eyes were dead, lacking the spark of life they held from the start. He settled down and sighed.

"Duo, do you feel up to talking today?"

Duo only stared straight ahead, past Cor, to someplace only he could see. Cor slumped, Duo was gone from him, following the others. The boy left Duo to his dreams.

?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero sighed, there was something eating at him from inside. He rolled over and looked at the light blue ceiling above Duo's bed. Heero felt guilty for constantly ignoring his friend, but that wasn't what was getting to him, it was something that was unfamiliar to him. It lurked deep within him, an ache that seemed to chew on his soul. Heero shifted uncomfortably. `Duo, what the hell is wrong with me?' Heero caressed the photo in his hand admiring the way Duo knew exactly what they needed. The Gundams would always be missed, but friendship between them was just so much more important.

Heero frowned; he had never thanked Duo for that trip had he? Had he ever told his friend that riding the roller coasters had helped with his loss? Now Duo was gone, maybe forever and he may never know that his friend would be rather lost without him. Heero felt the building of tears behind his eyes, such a rare feeling. He had never let Duo know that all his caring meant so much to him. `

I've never felt like this before. I feel…lost."

Heero felt like knocking his head through a wall, tearing the entire city apart. There was a war raging inside him, a war with unknown allies and even more strange enemies. He lifted a hand to his eyes, and it came away sparkling with a crystal tear. `When was the last time this happened to me? I can't remember.' He breathed the scent of Duo's pillow, it was lavender, and a deep scent of life, but it was fading. He never wanted that scent to fade away, he wanted it with him, always.

?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quatre stepped from the ship onto a large field. Nearby a circus churned with vibrant color. His eyes darted from tent to tent, eyeing the trailers parked in strict rows in the back. His insides jumped with nervousness and his hands found their way to the zipper of his vest and drew it up and down letting the sound, steady and reassuring calm his jangled nerves. Quatre nearly yelped when Rashid placed a hand on his shoulder. The young man stiffened and nodded solemnly at his constant companion.

Rashid's footsteps were steady and even, a stark contrast to the rhythmic sound Quatre felt pounding in his head. With each step he took the pounding grew faster and more erratic. Quatre's drifting eyes fell on a long lanky figure sprawled on a hammock in front of a beaten trailer. The figure's piercing green eyes were fixed on his own. Quatre's breath caught and for a moment the intense pounding in his head skipped. Rashid's hand pushing gently in the small of his back was what kept his feet from skipping their own beat.

The figure stood and it seemed taller, if possible than the last time they had met, or perhaps just more imposing. Quatre's hands stuffed themselves deep into his pockets and they clenched themselves nervously into fists. Until the figure smiled, it was a weak, lopsided smile, more a smirk than a smile. The figure's eyes glowed with green fire and deep within them a river of fast paced emotions overflowed its banks and flooded the mind. Quatre smiled, the ice freezing his lips melted by the warm glow he felt deep in his chest.

"Trowa, I've missed you." The figure's eyes glimmered and blinked.

"So you said." Quatre's brain nearly exploded, he wanted to fling himself on Trowa, he wanted to turn tail and run back to his ship, he wanted to feel the electric jolt of Trowa's arms encircling him.

"Are you ready?" Trowa nodded deeply, hefting a small duffel onto his shoulders with a movement of pure sinuous grace. The taller man fell into place beside his smaller friend and his bodyguard. Quatre paused and turned to Trowa, an inquiry in his eyes.

"What about Catherine?"

Trowa smiled a tiny smile. "We said goodbye last night, she had a show this morning." Quatre seemed momentarily appeased before turning to him once again.

"What about you? Don't you perform too?" Trowa smirked and laid a hand gently on his smaller friend's shoulder.

"I withdrew myself last night. Don't worry about my career Quatre, it isn't necessary." Quatre said no more, reveling in the electricity running through his bones and playing up his spine.

?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei was not happy; Heero had gone out to do some of his own searching and left Wufei to some well-needed rest. The urgent ringing of the doorbell had interrupted a wonderful dream, one about that hot waitress and something about Marshmallows. The steady ringing continued. He stumbled down the stairs, cursing as he twisted an ankle. Crashing through the kitchen, he grabbed the coffee pot, ready to slam it over the head of whoever was at the door. After violently wrestling with the key, He threw open the door. Glass shattered and sprayed over slippered feet. There was a flash of color and Wufei found a shorter blonde figure wrapped around him.

"Wufei! I missed you! It's been what? Three years now?" Wufei blinked the sleep from his eyes, baffled. Staring over Quatre's head, he found the sidewalk before his house strewn with forty uniformed men, some wearing a fez, some bickering with a friend. Leaning against a street lamp was Trowa, mouth in a firm line, but with eyes betraying the happiness he felt inside. Quatre laughed at Wufei's sleep-deprived expression and motioned for the nearest manganac to clean up the shattered glass pot. He turned and marched Wufei into the kitchen where he pulled a spare coffee pot from the closet.

Wufei's expression seemed to wither more, as Manganacs began to file through the door. Quatre didn't seem daunted in the least. He put on some coffee and sat across from his bleary friend. Somehow, all the Manganacs fit into the living room and kitchen, sitting or leaning where they could still argue softly with friends. Trowa leaned against Quatre's chair, content to wait for Wufei's intelligence to return. The Chinese man sipped his coffee, staring at the bickering Arabs that had invaded his house. Quatre leaned forward and waved a hand in front of his friend's face.

"Where's Heero?"

WuFei yawned and attempted to compose himself. "He went out to look for more info." WuFei looked around and turned to Quatre. "They can't stay here."

Quatre giggled. "Don't worry Wufei, we've got rooms at a hotel nearby."

Trowa turned to Wufei and muttered, little more than a whisper really, but Wufei caught it nonetheless. "What have you found out?"

WuFei clutched his head in his hands. "Nothing, really. We would have known if he left the city, but we've got nothing."

Quatre nodded. "Have Heero call us when he gets back ok?"

WuFei Nodded and watched all the invaders shuffle through his door. He locked the door behind them and collapsed on the couch.

?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trowa's eyes scanned the room. Leave it up to Quatre to find the nicest hotel within short distance of their friend's apartment. The room was simply gaudy, in an appealing way. The plush beds were covered in colorful quilts and fluffy pillows. The view was of some park, children running around like crazies and teenagers happily strolling arm in arm. Quatre lounged on the bed closest the bathroom, a contented smile on his face. Trowa sat stiffly on the one closer the window.

"Quatre, what about your space heart?"

Quatre sighed, his smile letting go a little. "I learned to control it… I…I don't want to pry…" Trowa frowned.

"It could help. You could probably tell how close he is, and what he's feeling, if he's in pain."

Quatre closed his eyes, his forehead creased. "I don't want to, Trowa, I know he's in pain, I can feel it through the controls I learned." Trowa turned from looking out the window.

"You could figure out where he is Quatre…I know you can."

Quatre hung his head, breathing deeply. "Trowa, you'll stay here, right? You won't leave?" Trowa nodded deeply, meeting the blonde's eyes. Quatre shuddered and lay back on the bed, letting everything go, everything just flow away, releasing the wall. The hard lines dissipated from his face and he let himself fall.

Trowa watched as his friend seemed to relax. He turned to the window, watching the swans swim on the lake. A strangled scream caused him to turn from the window. Quatre was seized up around his chest, tears squeezing their way from between his eyelids. Trowa's eyes widened in shock. It took only a few strides of his long legs to reach the bed that supported Quatre's body, wracked with pain. He drew the smaller man's body up to him, supporting his head that lolled weakly.

"Quatre! Hey!" Trowa's voice shook with fear, his arms holding the shaking body to him. Tears slipped unbidden from Trowa's eyes, flowing down slender cheeks to rest on Quatre's chest.

Quatre's eyes flew open and his breathing slowed from ragged gasps to steady heaves. Trowa sighed, relief showing, shining from his eyes.

"Quatre, are you alright?" The blonde sobbed quietly, pulling Trowa against him, anchoring himself in the stability that Trowa held around him.

"Trowa, oh, he's in so much pain, He's given up. Heero, he's hurting too, but he doesn't understand! Trowa, it hurts so much…it hurts Trowa, it hurts." Trowa held Quatre against him, relieved to have his friend back.

"Shhhh…it's ok, it's ok…" Quatre leaned back and noticed a glimmer, a slight sparkle on Trowa's cheek. Enthralled, he reached out and touched the tiny crystal.

"Trowa…" The taller boy's breathing heightened, his eyes rimmed with red, he clutched Quatre to him, scared of loosing him again. Quatre stared at the tear that he held on his finger, gently pushing himself from Trowa's chest.

"Trowa, you were…crying." The taller boy met Quatre's eyes and nodded slowly. Quatre's breath caught in his throat and he felt tears of his own push behind his eyes once more. Slowly, he drew himself up until he was mere inches away from Trowa's face, he could feel the other man shivering beneath his touch. He reached and traced the tear's path down Trowa's cheek, delicately brushing the skin. Trowa's heart beat madly, pounding against his ribs. Quatre's eyes were searching, piercing his soul.

His lips were drawing closer, and Trowa could do nothing, he didn't want to do anything. His lips were touching, a delicate, hesitant touch, full of pain and sadness, and hope. Trowa let his eyes flicker closed, delighting in the feel of silky soft lips moving softly, slowly, over his own. He drew a breath and allowed tears to flow from shut eyes. Quatre leaned his forehead against Trowa's and kissed the tears away, gently, softly, so he barley felt the pressure. And through his head it was echoing, reverberating; `This is what was missing.' Quatre was kissing his lips, gently running a velvet tongue across his lips.

Trowa parted his lips slightly, and allowed Quatre to slip his searching tongue inside his mouth. His own reached out, and writhed against the blonde's in a gentle, hesitant, meeting between the two. They released the battle with some hesitating sighs and Trowa held the smaller man to his chest where he sobbed weakly into his shirt. Trowa ran his fingers through Quatre's hair, delighting in the silky feel of it. The small blonde pilot whimpered and wrapped himself around the anchor that Trowa provided. Exhausted and aching he sobbed until the darkness enveloped him, and he slept.

?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero and Wufei stared at each other, each drowning in deep, despairing inner thoughts. Wufei twirled his coffee, thinking about how he had let Duo slip through, how just a little more appreciation could have prevented this whole thing.

"Heero…I think it might be time to give up." The Japanese boy's eyes flashed anger, boring holes into Wufei. His teeth ground together and WuFei cringed.

"Not Yet." The door banged open and the two ex pilots jumped in unison. Heero reached for a gun that wasn't there and Wufei knocked over the cup of coffee he had been playing with. Trowa and Quatre were looming ominously in their doorway, the manganacs ready for action on the sidewalk.

Wufei rushed to take care of the coffee spill and Heero scowled at the two foremost invaders. Trowa supported Quatre lightly, with an arm drawn protectively around his shoulders, lest some inner force draw him away again. Quatre smiled weakly at Heero, unable to hold his gaze. The blonde pilot felt ashamed, he had looked into Heero's heart and faced what lay there.

He understood what Heero could not and he felt like a traitor to his friend. Trowa pulled out a map and spread it on the table, which Wufei had successfully cleared of coffee. Quatre collapsed into a chair and pointed to a small area on the map, nearly not part of the city, a slum, not much more than a collection of shells of what once were houses.

"Here."

Heero eyed him suspiciously. "What is?"

Quatre looked away, into the mug of coffee that WuFei had poured for him.

In a voice barley perceptible, a hardly audible whisper he said, "Duo."

Heero jumped in his seat and grabbed for the map. The small blonde pilot cringed like a beaten dog, holding his chest and allowing tears to seep through his eyelashes and dribble down his cheeks. Trowa gently laid a hand on the smaller man's shoulder, lending support and comfort. Quatre leaned into the hand and longed for more than just a reassuring touch. Heero assessed the map with intense scrutiny.

"Duo, he's alive isn't he?" Quatre refused to look his way, but nodded solemnly.

"I can't go with."

Wufei looked at the Arabian pilot with scorn. Quatre looked at the ground and sighed heavily.

"It's too strong, it hurts so much." Wufei nodded, hard scorn turning to sympathy in his eyes. Quatre stood, leaning heavily against Trowa.

"While you go, I'll have a squad of ambulances sent to the area. And I'll get a hold of Sally." Wufei perked up as no coffee could ever do.

"Sally?" Quatre smiled weakly and nodded. It had been ages since the Chinese pilot had seen his Preventers partner. After leaving the Preventers because of personal difficulties, the two had seen little of each other.

The small group moved to the sidewalk to discuss strategy with the Manganacs. The Manganacs prepared vehicles and weaponry and the ex-pilots pulled out weapons stashed in case of need. Quatre settled himself between the three other young men preparing for battle.

"Don't move him" Three faces looked up, startled out of reverie. "Wait for the EMT's. Don't move anyone." Quatre ordered.

Trowa, WuFei and Heero stared at him but nodded, absorbing the information. Quatre Drew Heero away from the bustle of activity to talk privately. They stood apart, each willing the other to speak first. Quatre shifted.

"He's dying Heero, it may be too late." Heero closed his eyes and sighed deeply, trying to expel the pain that was eating away at him from the inside. Quatre looked away, unable to bear the pain he was feeling, deep inside his friend's heart.

"You care for him, Heero." Heero opened his eyes and cocked his head, a deep prevailing sadness echoing in his eyes.

"He is…my friend."

Quatre shook his head sadly, tears flowing from his eyes. "You have to go now. I can't say how much longer he can last." Heero nodded and laid a hand on Quatre's shoulder.

"I will do everything I can, please believe me."

Quatre smiled up at the Japanese man. "I know Heero, you will do everything you can, and more." In a roar of engines the vans sped towards the site in which Quatre had indicated.