Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Promises ❯ Promises Kept? ( Chapter 5 )

Just a couple comments in response to the reviews I have received.
1. I have no idea how these scenes were caught, Duo hasn't told me. All I know is this is the way that I was told to write them, although Heero's was very hard to write.
2. Solo is not in these scenes as he is off somewhere else on L2 trying to find food or whatever for the rest of the gang. From everything I've ever read, thieves do not work in pairs during the daylight hours, especially in a market, and Duo was a thief not a pickpocket.

blah blah blah is for thoughts.

Lady Une rose from her seat with the envelopes in her hand. She leaned over the table and handed each of the four men sitting there one.

"These have not been opened. It is up to you whether you share the contents with one another. I have done as I was requested. You are all free to leave." With that statement she resumed her seat, waiting for the young men to leave so she could return to her office and the pile of paperwork waiting there for her.

"I guess we don't need to ask about Duo's whereabouts for this meeting again," commented Quatre as he rose to leave. "I'm going back to my office to read this."

Wufei and Trowa also rose from their seats. Without another word all three left the conference room, without looking back or at each other.

Heero opened his envelope and read the contents. After reading his note a second time he turned to Lady Une, who raised an eyebrow in question. Still without saying a word Heero opened the folder in front of him, extracted two pieces of paper and passed them across the table. He then put the envelope and its note in the folder and closed it once more, resting his hands on it while waiting for Lady Une's response to what he had handed her.

"A transfer to the L2 division?" queried Lady Une. "And a three week vacation? What is going on Heero?"

"If you will note," Heero replied, "the vacation request is dated to begin tomorrow and continue for the next three weeks. The effective date of transfer to L2 is the day after the last day of vacation. I would appreciate it if you would agree to both or I will have to go back to my desk and type up my resignation."

"Why are you requesting these now?" Lady Une asked.

"There's someone on L2 that needs me, and I need him. I intend to make our relationship permanent" Heero replied with just a hint of a smile.

"Duo?" Une queried. "Permanent, as in marriage?"

"Yes" Heero answered, then elaborated when she raised an eyebrow in question. "Hilde is getting married next week and moving into a new home. That will leave Duo by himself. We've been dating for over a year and a half now and I've decided that I want to be with him every day, not just when either of us can get leave to visit the other. I finally decided to ask him to marry me. I talked to Hilde and she agreed to a double wedding if Duo says yes."

"Will you invite the other pilots?"

"They have already turned down Hilde's invitation" he replied. "They each have something else to do that day. If they can't make it to her wedding, then I don't see them making it to ours. We will just have to plan a party later to celebrate with them."

"I'll approve the vacation now" Lady Une said "and make the transfer request contingent upon receiving an invitation to your wedding. Will this do?"

"Yes" Heero replied as he stood up, preparing to leave. Picking up his folder, he turned to leave and said "Thank you."

As she watched him walk away the only thing that crossed Lady Une's mind was I hope it goes the way you want it to Heero. I wish you luck.

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Three weeks later Quatre, Trowa and Wufei were called to Lady Une's office. They were rather surprised that Heero was not there.

"Sit down gentlemen" Lady Une said in a business tone of voice. "I have something that I think you will be interested in seeing."

"Oh?" queried Quatre as the three took their seats in front of her desk. "Shouldn't Heero be here? He was included in the last meeting we had with you."

"Heero is now working on L2" Lady Une replied.

"L2?" questioned Wufei. "Is he on a mission? We haven't seen him for three weeks now."

"No, he's not on a mission" Lady Une commented with a knowing smirk. "At least, not that I'm aware of, unless it's a personal one."

"Personal mission?" asked a rather confused Quatre. Trowa and Wufei didn't look any less confused but they weren't speaking.

"Yes. I think these might explain what I'm talking about." she said while handing Quatre what appeared to be a couple of photo albums. "Why don't you three go to one of your office's and look through them? I need to return them to their owners in a couple of days so if you could … ?"

"Sure" Quatre replied as the three of them stood. "We'll go back to my office. There's a table there big enough for all three of us."

I can't wait to find out their reactions to what is in that one album, Lady Une thought, holding back laughter as the three men left the room. It was a beautiful wedding. It's a shame they had other things to do that day. We all had fun. I'm glad Mariemaia and I were able to attend.

Gathered around the table in Quatre's office a few minutes later the three ex-pilots opened the top photo album. The first page had individual shots of Duo and Heero with the words 'If you really need me I'll be there' surrounding them. Quatre, who was in charge of the album, started turning the pages. They noticed a distinct pattern. The left hand side of the photo album appeared to be situations in Duo's life where he needed someone, and the right hand side was the answer to that situation.

The first picture they saw on the left was a hand-drawn picture of a very young Duo on the streets, barely surviving. Its accompanying right hand picture was a hand-drawn picture of a person a few years older than Duo with a caption that read Solo.

The next set of pictures was also hand-drawn. The left one, a picture of Duo holding Solo with an image of what could be a soul leaving Solo's body. The right one, a picture of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen outside Maxwell Church.

The third set were camera shots, one of Maxwell Church burning, the other of Professor G and the Sweepers.

And so the pictures went. Something bad happening to Duo and what Heero considered to be his I'll-be-there answer. Pictures of scenes during the war, including Heero's self-destruct, followed by pictures from after the five went their separate ways. The final set of pictures in the first book were a picture of Hilde showing off her engagement ring to Duo and Heero proposing to Duo.

Quatre closed that album and replaced it with the second one. Upon opening the album, the three just stared in shock at the words printed on the first page: Our wedding. They started flipping pages. They saw pictures of Hilde getting ready, Duo escorting her down the aisle, Heero and Hilde's fiancé standing at the front of the chapel. Pictures of the two couples exchanging vows followed. Then finally, pictures from what appeared to be the reception, including a group shot that included the two couples, Noin, Zechs, Lady Une, Mariemaia, Dorothy and Relena.

Closing the album Quatre let out a sigh before saying "Why didn't they invite us? We're their friends too."

"You all replied to Hilde's invitation that you had other things to do that day" came an unexpected but welcome voice from the doorway. "When you told Hilde you couldn't get out of what you were doing to attend her wedding we figured that it wouldn't be polite to ask you to drop it for ours."

"Heero!" Quatre cried, turning towards the doorway. "And Duo! What are you guys doing here?"

"We came to invite you to a party we are going to be having" Duo replied after hugging an ecstatic Quatre and shaking hands with both Trowa and Wufei, receiving their congratulations at the same time.

"Where are you planning on having this party?" queried Trowa.

"When are you planning on having this party?" questioned Wufei at the same time.

"Can I do anything to help?" asked Quatre right afterwards.

"Actually Quatre, we were going to ask you to coordinate the whole thing for us. Our only stipulations are that it be held on L2 and the guest list include these people," Duo answered, handing Quatre a piece of paper. "If you're finished with the albums, would you mind if we took them with us? We have a shuttle to catch and we need to get going."

"Sure. Here" Quatre answered with a smile while handing both albums to Duo. "I'll be in touch about the party."

"See you guys later" Duo said as he and Heero left Quatre's office.

Quatre moved over to his desk and sat down. He frowned for a minute and then began typing something on the computer with a smile.

"What are you up to Winner?" asked Wufei.

"I just figured out how to keep my promise to Duo" Quatre replied. "Where to have the party, and what type of party it will be."

"Oh? How?" queried Trowa.

"Yes" answered Quatre. "I shall buy them a house on L2 and throw them a House Warming party. I just need to add a couple names to their list though."

"Hmm. Will this house have a fenced-in yard?" asked Trowa.

"Yes" answered Quatre.

"Then I know how to keep my promise to Duo as well. I need to start shopping to get everything I need so I'll see you tomorrow" commented Trowa.

"And I know what to do as well" stated Wufei as he and Trowa left Quatre's office.

My thanks to Oli, Suzi and Suzi's friends -- my betas. Especially Oli, without whom the next chapter of this story would not have been possible -- she gave me a great couple of paragraphs as a suggestion that I took and ran with. So, ... how soon should I post it?