Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Burnout ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 5 )

Author's note: I'm glad everyone seems to like this story so far. Thanks to everyone who reviews! I've got the next chapter almost done as well, so that will be up soon. ^-^

I'm still looking for a beta, so if you're interested, please email me and let me know! I get nervous when I post something that hasn't been beta'd yet. I worry that it's not my best work.

Arigato,

Weissangel24

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Chapter four

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"It looks like this storm is passing." Sally said as the mid-morning sun tried to break through the dark clouds.

"There's another storm front heading this way." Hiiro said, typing in a security code, before unlocking the front door. "It should hit later this afternoon."

Sally sighed as she walked into the darkened house, "That's too bad."

Hiiro reached over and tried the lights, "Power's still out." He frowned.

"Then how does the security system work?"

The Japanese boy looked at her for a moment before answering, "Independent system with back up generators."

"Oh." Sally murmured, slightly impressed.

"Come on," The stoic boy said directing her towards the stairs, "O4's in his room."

"Do you really refer to yourselves as numbers, or is that because I'm here?"

"If they want you to know their names, they can tell you."

Sally raised an eyebrow. "They? Just how many are there of you here?"

Hiiro didn't answer for a moment, "We're all here, at the moment." He said slowly, pausing in front of Quatre's closed door.

"I'm placing a certain amount of trust in you, Sally." He warned, "Don't make me regret it."

"Hiiro, I admire you for what you are attempting to do. I am honored that you feel you could ask me for help, I just wish I could do more for you all." The woman replied, "I wouldn't betray your confidences."

Seemingly satisfied with her response, the Japanese boy gently rasped on the door. Moments later, it opened and a Chinese boy peered out, "Hiiro!" He addressed, some what surprised, "You got the doctor then?"

Hiiro nodded, pushing his way past Wu Fei, "How is he?"

"Not good." The dark haired boy said shaking his head.

"Well, I'll do my best to make him better."

Wu Fei's head whipped up, his ebony eyes wide with recognition, "S. . .Sally!?"

"Hello, Wu Fei."

"Wh. . .What are you doing here?"

"Hopefully, to help your comrade." She said, a hint of a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.

As she approached where the thin blonde boy lay in fevered sleep, Trowa eyed her suspiciously. "Hiiro, this is the physician?" Hiiro nodded. "And how do you know she can be trusted?"

"She's helped me before." Hiiro and Wu Fei said simultaneously.

"She's on our side." Wu Fei vouched, "Believe me."

The banged boy glared her, "Fine." He granted, stepping aside and giving her access to the sleeping Arabian.

"So tell me what his symptoms are. . ." Sally prompted, gently examining him under the lamp that Wu Fei held for her, as Trowa listed the blonde's ailments.

After several moments, Sally frowned slightly. Trowa, who had been keenly watching her every move noticed, "What's wrong?" He demanded.

"Well," She sighed, "I'm pretty positive that he has the beginnings of pneumonia, however, the reactions to touch are very unusual." She looked at the banged boy, "I don't know what to think about that."

"Don't worry about that." Trowa ordered, "Can you make him better?"

"I can give him some meds, and that should help. Honestly though, whether or not he gets better is up to him." Sally dug through the med kit that Hiiro had supplied, frowning when she did not find what she sought, "I need this drug." She said scribbling on a piece of paper, "It'll bring down his fever and prevent the illness from worsening." Sally handed the paper to the teenager, "You can get it from any drug store."

Trowa nodded, "How long until there is some improvement?"

"Depends." Sally replied standing and stretching slightly, "On how fast you get the medicine and how diligent you are about giving it to him."

Trowa nodded accepting the paper, "Wu Fei," He addressed to the boy that stood against the wall in the shadows cast by the burning candles, "Is 02 still. . . occupied?" The dark haired boy smirked and nodded. "Would you have him fill this order?" He held out the slip of paper.

Wu Fei frowned, "Why don't you do it? 04 isn't going anywhere and Sally won't do anything to him."

Trowa glared at the Chinese boy, "I don't plan on leaving this room until he wakes up." He said, a note of vehemence in his voice, "Now will you please ask 02 to retrieve this?"

The dark haired boy growled low in his throat as he snatched the paper away from the taller boy. "Fine." He snapped, storming out of the room and closing the door hard.

Sally raised an eyebrow, "Is he okay?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"He's fine." Trowa said turning his attention to back to the sleeping boy.

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Wu Fei took a deep breath, preparing himself to face his annoying captive. Slowly, he pulled out a key from his pocket and unlocked the closet door. Holding his candle up, he could make out the slumped and slightly defeated form of a tied and gagged Duo Maxwell.

Groggily, the braided boy looked up into the smug face hovering above him. His teeth gnawed at the gag as he began to scream and yell, muffled and non-understandably, at the Chinese boy, "-amn-uh-uh-eh!" Duo glared, trying to lunge at him. "-ul-ay-or-is!"

"Still fighting, Maxwell?" Wu Fei said patronizingly, "I thought after six hours, you might have become more docile."

"-ite-e!"

"If it were up to me, I'd leave you in there." Wu Fei said shrugging, "But as it turns out, Quatre's sick and Trowa wants you to fetch his medicine."

At the mention of his friend's poor health, Duo instantly calmed, "-ith-e-oie?"

"Sally thinks it might be pneumonia." Wu Fei frowned.

"-un-i-e." Duo demanded.

"Are you going to be civil?" Wu Fei ordered. Duo glared at him, before nodding curtly. With a hesitant sigh, the dark haired boy preceded to untie the braided boy. "Just to let you know, the only two Sally knows by name are me and Hiiro. The rest of you are being referred to by OZ's report designations.

"Great." Duo muttered, taking the prescription from the shorter boy, "I've been reduced to a number." He paused, "Sally that chick from New Edwards?" The Chinese boy nodded slightly. "Huh." The braided boy pondered over things in his head.

"I suggest you hurry." Wu Fei said, throwing him a rain coat, "Trowa's `bout ready to pitch a fit if Quatre doesn't start making an improvement."

Duo raised an eyebrow, "Really?" He asked. Wu Fei nodded. "That's interesting." He pondered that, a sly grin spreading across his face, "That's very good to know! Thanks Wu-man!" He said ducking out the door.

The braided boy grinned, quite please with himself, as the ranting protest of "MAXWELL!" could be heard from outside and halfway to the garage where the cars were being stored. No matter how many times Wu Fei and he butted heads, no matter what kind of `justice' Wu Fei unleashed upon him, Duo always got the last laugh, and it usually took nothing more than to call the Chinese boy by the hated nickname.

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The next two weeks were hard.

Quatre drifted in and out of consciousness. He seemed to frequent nightmares of disturbing content, more often then previously. The blonde boy appeared weak, and tired. He had developed a severe cough along with the fever. However, under Trowa and Sally's constant vigil, he began to make rapid improvement, though the dreams continued to plagued him no matter what they attempted.

Wu Fei was beginning to believe Trowa's theory about the blonde's Uchuu no Kokoro, and Quatre passing it on to others; as his own dreams seemed to mirror everyone else's to the point he was about to screw security and go to a hotel for a decent night sleep. He spent his time, trying to catch naps, meditating, practicing his martial arts and getting to know Sally better.

Sally had no where else to go, seeing how she really didn't want to return to the OZ prison. Besides, as long as Quatre was sick, Trowa wanted her to be on hand, so she stayed in one of the extra bedrooms down the hall. Hiiro and Wu Fei were already acquainted with her, and awarded her with a small degree of trust. The other three quickly came to share that trust, first by sharing their names, and then by allowing her to stay with minimum protesting.

Hiiro contacted Dr. J. on the hindrance to the mission he and Trowa were supposed to go on. After receiving further orders, the Japanese boy also emailed, Instructor H, Quatre's supervisor. Hiiro then spent his free time finishing the repairs on Wing Gundam. Soon the machine was in the perfect working order that it was, before he fought with OZ's Colonel Zechs, in Antarctica.

Trowa spent most of his time by the blonde's side, engaging in quiet conversation, or in his own room, sleeping. No mater what, though, he was never very far from the small Arabian, his eyes ever watching for any and all threats.

Duo. Duo was having the worst two weeks of his life. He was still pretty ripped about being locked in the closet for six hours. He kept his distance from the irate Chinese boy, all the while scheming the perfect prank for revenge. So far, what he had planned involved Shenlong, and a lot of toilet paper, and that, he found to be pretty lame. He spent most of his week shut in his room, pacing, trying to come up with something worthy of Shinigami.

At least, that's what they did until new orders arrived. When five laptops beeped simultaneously, each of the pilots dreaded what was to come.

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To be continued. . .