Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Blood Bonds ❯ The De-fogging and the Turning point ( Chapter 21 )

Blood Bonds

By Tygerlilee

Chapter Twenty-one

The De-Fogging and a Turning Point

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to Bandai, Sunrise, and Sotsu. I am making no profit whatsoever from this except personal enjoyment. Don't sue because all you'll get is a couple DBZ mangas, an assortment of Japanese CDs, and a blue and purple lava lamp (you might be able to get some of my book collection, but you'll have to fight me to the death for those!).

**Warning: You may wish to shoot me after this chapter-extremely evil cliffhanger ahead. There will also be evil and malicious cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter after this until the end of the story. Also, I am upping the rating to PG-13 for future violence (the crappy fight scene is coming up in the next couple chapters).

Heero woke up one morning suddenly realizing that it was March. He had practically slept through February, oblivious to everything, but now, for some reason, his mind was as clear as it had ever been. He could think and speak. The last month was a haze, but he could still remember some things such as the essay contest. Huy was being his cheerful, usual self, but Heero could tell he was still hurt by his tutor's lack of pride in him.

For the first time in months, Heero was able to push himself up out of bed painlessly. His chest no longer throbbed...the bruise had finally healed. Heaven only knew how his grades had dropped...hopefully he could redeem himself now that his brain was working properly again.

He could hear Huy humming merrily as he stepped into their dorm, hair dripping on the carpet.

First things first, Heero thought. He had to put things right with Huy.

"Good morning sunshine!" Huy chirped.

"Morning," Heero returned.

Huy stopped in his tracks and stared at his friend as if he had never seen anything like him. "What?" Heero asked blankly.

"Yo-you actually said something..." Huy said softly.

"Yah, I...Huy, I'm really sorry for that past month. I have been really...out of it. I can't really explain, but it's like February never really happened-a little like when something happened so long ago that you're not really sure if it was a dream or not. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I've cleared up...at least for now. I didn't mean to be rude or cruel, and I'm really very proud of you for the essay. I'm sorry I couldn't say so earlier...that's actually one of the few things that I can remember from last month." Heero stopped and looked down at his hands. Man, was this awkward. He didn't know how to be nice or apologize. He just didn't do stuff like that...

"Sorry," Heero mumbled again.

The two boys stood in silence for a seemingly endless ten seconds, looking intently at the floor.

"It's okay Heero..." Huy said softly.

"No it's not, I..."

"YES it is," Huy cut Heero off. Then both boys grinned identical grins and shrugged.

"Wow!!"

"What?" Heero wondered.

"You actually GRINNED!" Huy said in an elated awe.

"I did not..."

"Yes you did!"

"No I did not..."

"Did too!"

"Did not..."

"Did too!"

"Did not..."

"Will you two SHUT UP!! Have you any idea how incredibly ANNOYING that is!!" they could hear Culver yell irritably.

The boys looked at each other and then grinned...maliciously.

"DID TOO!"

"DID NOT..."

"DID TOO!"

"DID NOT.."

"ARRGGGGGG!!!" Culver screeched.

"Well, it's nice to see you back with the living Heero," Miss Kiloah whispered softly as she handed Heero the test for Billy Bud. Heero nodded numbly and began to write.

Everyone was giving him funny looks and one guy had asked him who his dealer was. Heero only hoped that he hadn't done anything too stupid.

"Ya know Heero, it's really lucky that you snapped out of it when you did," Huy told him during lunch as he chomped on his hamburger. "I think they were planning on dragging you in for a drug test."

"Well, they wouldn't have found anything because I'm not on anything."

"Then you need to see a doctor because you were just scary."

"I don't need a doct…"

Huy cut him off. "Don't need one!! For crying out loud!! Quit fooling yourself and quit acting like a child!!!" he yelled slamming his cup on the table splashing red drink everywhere. The entire room had gone silent and was staring at Huy. Huy suddenly realized that everyone was staring at him so he yelled "What're you lookin' at!!" and continued to glare at Heero.

"I don't know why you have such a stigma about doctors Heero, but if I see any more odd behavior, and I mean ANY, then I'm going to drag you by your ankles if need be! I won't let you collapse on me."

Well, then I just have to do a lot of acting, Heero thought.

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"MEEP, MEEP, MEEP!!"

"Wufei, can you get that out of the fax!" Sally yelled from the other room.

"Since when do I take orders from you!" Wufei yelled back and opened his inbox.

What in the…Wufei wondered as he scanned an e-mail.

"Wufei, don't be so stubborn!" Sally sighed out, exasperated.

"Sally, take a look at this and tell me what you think."

Sally sauntered over and peered over his shoulder at the message. "Wha?!?! Just delete it. I'm surprised more people don't try to hire you for erroneous jobs. Don't worry about out it," she shrugged as she pulled out a pile of paper from the fax.

"Then how did they get my e-mail address?"

"I don't know. They probably did a little research and made some guesses. Nataku@preventor.gov isn't that hard to come up with."

Wufei glared and clicked off his e-mail, but didn't erase the odd message.

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Jimbo snapped his gum loudly and flipped the page of his physics book. "Anyone understand this force normal crap?"

"Yah," Culver said stiffly.

Jimbo looked up expectantly, but when Culver didn't continue he snapped, "Well, aren't you going to tell me about it?"

Culver looked up innocently, "Oh, I didn't realize that you wanted my help when Heero is around and could do so much better. I'm sorry."

"Culver, can't you just grow up! And why don't you remove that pole from your crack while you're at it. Geesh, why in the heck are you so jealous! It's driving me nuts…Heero hasn't done anything to you. Why do you hate him so much?"

Culver stiffened and stomped out of the room.

"What is with him?" Kumen asked.

Neas and Jimbo shook their heads in disgust.

"Hey, what's with Culv. I just passed him stomping down the hall," Huy inquired as he entered the room.

"I told him to grow up when he got sarcastic about Heero again."

Huy rolled his eyes. "Well, that answers my question. I came to see if Heero was here."

"Can't you find him?" Jimbo asked.

"Nope."

"Come on, we better all look for him. After last month, the weight incident, collapsing, and God only knows what else, I don't think he should ever be alone. You said you never saw him taking anything-what the heck's going on?" Neas wondered.

"I don't know. I've pestered him. Something is just, just, WRONG. I don't get it. Can you help me find him? We can talk while we look."

"Yah, sure. Let's go." Kumen jumped up.

Heero sat quietly in the library flipping through a medical manual when the four boys sidled into the empty chairs around the table. "Heero, what cha' readin'?" Huy asked innocently.

"I'm doing a little research for a project," he lied, trying to hide the book. But Huy didn't give him the chance. He yanked to book out of his hand and scanned the page Heero had been on. The other boys gathered around him and read along to. Heero glared helplessly.

"I doubt that it's the flu since it's been going one for months now. Look for something chronic, like diabetes or somthin'," Neas whispered over Huy's shoulder.

"Yah, makes sense. Don't know why I didn't think of this before…" he said as he flipped through the pages. "Cataracts?"

Neas smack Huy on the side of the head. "Owe! What was that for?" Huy whispered loudly.

"Cataracts are in the eyes you doufus!!"

"Well, excu-u-use me!"

"What about diabetes? Look that up," Jimbo changed the subject.

"No, I don't think he has that. I was just saying it's probably something like that."

"Hey guys, where's Heero?" Kumen piped up.

All four stared at where Heero had been only to find an empty seat. "Crap!" they all four whispered.

"Will you guys quit following me around everywhere. I am fine. I do not need a babysitter!" Heero grunted as he sped walked down the icy sidewalk, hands deep in his pockets.

"Apparently you do after everything that you've pulled, and we are not leaving you alone until you see a doctor and are diagnosed and get medicine," Neas said flatly.

"But there is nothing wrong with me!"

"YES THERE IS!!" the four boys yelled and grabbed Heero by the arms, carrying him to the dorms.

Every morning for the following several weeks, the whole group got Heero up, forced him into the showers, fed him a nasty red liquid they called medicine that was supposed to cure aches and pains and dizziness, and then dragged him into the spring air to run four miles. They then forced him into the showers again, dragged him into breakfast where he ate eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice, and whatever else they could stuff down his throat. They went to classes, studied together after school and hung out together. He also had 'medicine' at lunch and dinner. The strange thing was, Heero was actually feeling better.

But why would the boys care so much what happened to him, Heero often wondered to himself. He was a murderer, an assassin…he wasn't human…at least not until recently. As much as he loathed admitting it to himself, he was feeling more and more human every day. Memories faded, which surprised Heero. Pictures as vivid as Mary and the little girl did not fade easily, yet, by some miraculous inexplicable way, they were…dissipating. A vapor, smoke, rising into the air, carried away by a gentle breeze. It was a little disturbing to Heero at first, but as he grew used to it, became relaxed and almost cheerful at times...key word being 'almost'.

The changing had actually begun a long while ago, and it happened so gradually that Heero hardly noticed. But finally Heero discarded ALL weapons, including some of the emotional barriers separating himself from others. It made him nervous, but now he was learning to trust. Huy made him see that people could be kind and could be trusted. All people were still weak in Heero's eyes, but now he saw that people could find strength within each other, between loved-ones.

Last night, when Heero had one of his now rare dreams and fell awake, he called to his friend for reassurance. And Huy was there, the same as always. That Huy constant company was a totally foreign idea and feeling for Heero-that there were people who wanted to help him, that he did not always have to be the one to give. After giving himself to the world, literally, it was nice for someone to try and give back to him, now that he could bring himself to accept the love and companionship. Next he had to allow himself to become close to Jimbo, Neas, Kumen, and Culver…well, maybe not Culver. Strangely enough, Heero understood Culver the most out of all the boys. He had seen enough unjustified hatred and jealously in his life time and he was not surprised at all to find it-that was just one more person to add to the list of the selfish and egotistical. It was Jimbo and Kumen's innocence and simplicity that confused Heero. They seemed so void of malice, just playful affectionate teasing. They were just little boys in Heero's eyes. However, he could semi-understand Neas. The dark Arabian was much more serious and less naïve-Heero could sense a strength about him, not like Huy's innate loving nature and kindness, but a strength nevertheless.

That made Heero remember Huy's family. It was easy to see where Huy's nature had been born and cultivated. The family was the strongest Heero had ever seen, but then that was not a good statement because the Iwasato family was really the only one he had ever seen. Certainly he had seen Relena and Zechs interact, but that did not really count considering the situation.

But he could not help smiling at the thought of Huy's family.

Yachi had started writing him, and her letters always made him happy, especially when Ai added a note to the end asking how he was and if Huy was really doing as well as he claimed to be. Once in a while, Toshi added something to the letter and Gina even said hi through an e-mail to Huy. Mr. Iwasato had never written, but Heero could see that he was not the letter writing type-he did not even write to Huy, his own son.

To be loved was a new feeling to him, rejuvenating and peaceful. He had in no way ever felt peace before. And Heero had never felt so good as he did at that moment, laying in his bed in the dark, listening to Huy toss in his sleep, the "moon-light" flowing through the window, dirty socks sprawled all over the floor, the blue plastic trash can overflowing with half-finished essays and notes. This was where he belonged. This was home.

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"This is crazy! You are all morons!! We are so going to get caught!! Never in a million years are we going to be able to pass ourselves as twenty-one!!" Culver whispered harshly.

"Oh, don't be such a weenie, Culv," Kumen smacked Culver on the back, half dragging him into the bar.

Neas and Huy were both grinning like mad idiots at Culver's reluctance as they took up seats in a little booth. Heero sat stoically down next to Jimbo, whose head stuck up above the back of the bench.

"I still say this is stupid," the English boy glared down as he crossed his arms self-righteously.

The six boys sat quietly talking amongst themselves, trying not to attract any attention. A waitress named Betty with excessively faded violet curly hair, candy-apple painted lips, electric blue eye-shadow, and a short cheerleader skirt appeared at their table, popping her gum loudly, her bespeckeld eyes trained on the little yellow pad in her hand. "Wut kin I geet you fellas?" she asked in her abnormally low, husky, smokers voice. She didn't seem to notice that half the boys sitting before her could not even shave yet.

Heero glanced around her hips to see four men sitting quietly with their drinks several tables over. They were all wearing coats and heavy boots. Heero narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing them. He barely heard Kumen order beer, Culver, timidly, a Bloody Mary, Jimbo a margarita, and Neas vodka.

After pausing to hack and cough for five minutes, she queried pointedly at Heero, "Wut'll you ha-ave?"

He imperceptibly jumped as she prodded him with her ink pen, the ends covered in teeth marks. "Orange juice."

"Weith wut?" she asked, writing quickly.

"Nothing, just orange juice."

She paused for a second and starred blankly, looking down at him through her hot pink point glassless glasses. "Kid, this ain't Mickey D's."

"I know," Heero said flatly.

She sighed and shook her head, "Awllraht…if that's wut you wa-ant." She looked over at Huy. "Wut 'bout you?"

Huy looked at an invisible spot above her head, as if in deep thought. He sighed as she tapped a foot impatiently. "I'll have the same as him," he said motioning to Heero.

Betty shook her head, snapped her gum, and disappeared through the clouds of cigarette smoke, wagging her middle-aged hips.

The boys looked at Heero and Huy, stunned, until Neas broke the tense silence.

"Man, that last game was awesome. That last point, Jimbo was amazing…"

Heero wasn't really listening as he focused on the men. They were talking normally and laughing, but Heero could've sworn he recognized one of them. He tried to shake it off and joined in his friend's conversation.

"The coach was being a total dickhead though," Jimbo was saying. "He's never happy. 'He off your case yet, Huy?"

"Nah, he just keeps going…'Huy, You're just not playing like you used to', 'Huy, you shouldn't have missed that basket', 'Huy, tie your shoe laces', 'Huy, wipe my butt.' He never shuts his trap!!"

Suddenly, Heero felt eyes on him. Someone was watching him-that strange sub-conscious sensation like someone is standing over your shoulder, and he knew exactly who it was.

"JUICE? ORANGE JUICE?!?!" the topic of conversation had changed abruptly during Heero's observations. "We sneak out of our dorms, risking suspension, to go to a bar-UNDERAGED-and you order ORANGE JUICE? BOTH OF YOU?!?!?" Culver screeched.

"Ya, what's your point?" Huy asked, apparently unaffected. "And keep your voice down-you're being louder than Kumen."

Heero abruptly stood up. "I have to go," he said simply and weaved his way through the tables to the back door. Kumen and Jimbo sat with their mouths open.

"Do you think he was offended?" Neas asked.

"No, Heero doesn't get insulted easily. Even if he is, he doesn't act like that," Huy told his companions. "I'm going after him. Something's up."

Huy got up and followed Heero's trail to the back door.

The night air was crisp and cool, the silence deafening. Huy looked up and down the deserted ally, but there was no sign of Heero. "Where did you go…" he muttered softly under his breath. As he started to turn, he bumped into someone who had been directly behind him. "Oh, sorry, didn't see ya there man…"

"I've been waiting for this opportunity to speak with you alone. Follow me--this ally is too public," the man said.

Huy raised an eyebrow and looked, once more, up and down the deserted and "public" ally, then at the vaguely familiar tall blond man…. "Listen, I may be young, but I'm not stupid…I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Then I suppose we'll just have our little discussion out here. How would you like to help us?"

"Help…listen, I don't know who you are or what you are talkin'…"

The man cut off Huy with a harsh, sarcastic laugh, then his head snapped forward to glare at Huy. "Quit lying boy, you know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No, I don…"

"Will, you help us? You must be bored amidst all the peace of Miss Peacecraft's ruling. You have no purpose out of battle, and she has ceased all battles…something none of us ever believed possible. Will you help us create meaning again?" the man asked.

"I told you, I haven't a CLUE who you are or WHAT you are talking about, so just leave me alone." Huy was about to very wisely walk away, when the man laughed again.

"I can see that you need a little persuasion. I can arrange that."

Huy suddenly felt very afraid and was about to run when a hand came down from behind and cracked him on the neck. Huy fell to the ground in a heap as four men who had recently been in the bar picked him up and walked away.

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A/N Wheew!! I have been so excited to write this chapter because this was the starting point of the story. The whole bar scene just walked into my head one day and then a figured out a story it could go into. Weird, huh? Um…I meant to warn you in the last chapter, but I forgot-when you all talked about the huge cliffhangers, I couldn't understand. It didn't think that anything I had written up to this point was any kind of cliffhanger, but from now on, there will be what I consider major cliffhangers. But don't worry, I will try my hardest to update every two weeks. I won't leave you hanging, I promise.

Um, if you can't understand some of the dialects that I wrote in this chapter and chapters to come, read it out loud and pronounce stuff as it is spelled. That may help-hehe, for Betty, I'm actually writing how I used to talk (I lost the accent when I switched schools, but I can still do a fair imitation). Anyway, enough rambling that you don't really care about, thanks for reading (and the box loves you ^_~)!!

Toodles for now, Tygerlilee =^,^=