Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Dead Ground ❯ Love and Hate ( Chapter 13 )

A/N: Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter up. I've actually had it written for a while but with all that's been going on in my life I forgot to post it here. Ooops. I would just like to thank all of you who have taken the time to leave a review it really means a lot, and melaniehibiki @ yahoo . de  ,if you wouldn't have reviewed I don't know how long it would have been before I realized that I hadn't posted this chapter. Thanks.

 

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

 

Quatre huddled in the darkness and listened to the sound of the rain beating against the window. Occasionally the room would fill with light after a particularly loud clap of thunder. The room was cold and the blankets brought no relief from the chill. The temperature in the room, however, couldn't compare with the chill in Quatre's heart.

 

Only now was the blonde boy realizing how stupid and weak he was. His friends were in danger, and it could have been avoided if Quatre hadn't been so afraid. The small boy grabbed his head and squeezed his eyes shut in his emotional agony.

 

I knew there was something here… I knew… but I didn't want to face it… it was just too much… I should have told them… What was I thinking…?

 

Quatre felt trapped. Knowing was one thing… doing something about it was something different. The fear he felt was very real and the blonde boy knew whatever was residing in the cabin was also real, not just a figment of his imagination.

 

The Arabian glanced over at the blanket covering the mirror. Knowledge is power, but gaining that power could be dangerous. Did he dare try?

 

Quatre's thoughts were interrupted by footsteps and voices in the living room.

 

“What are you doing down here?” It was Trowa's voice.

 

“You already know.” Heero's voice.

 

More footsteps, then silence. Quatre sat up, pulled the covers up to his chin and waited. Soon the conversation continued.

 

“Get out of my way Barton.”

 

“No. Whatever you seem to believe is going on… whatever you're talking about… I don't know what it is… and I'm not apart of it. I won't be apart of it.” Trowa's voice said firmly.

 

Another moment of silence then, “You are right… in a way. You are not bound. You didn't…” Though Heero's voice was emotionless and flat, Quatre felt, amid a jumble of confusing emotions, a deep sadness coming from the Japanese boy… as if he too felt trapped. “He was foolish to think you could be controlled when you have such an attachment to…”

 

“I don't know what happened to you Yuy.” Trowa interrupted. “Hell… I don't really even know what happened to me... but… I'm not going to let you hurt the one I… the one I… love... even if he doesn't love me back.”

 

Quatre could feel hot tears running down his cheeks. Even after everything... Trowa still cared about him… loved him even… Quatre wanted to tell the tall boy that he did care for him, but the blonde boy didn't move. Caring wasn't enough. Something was wrong with Trowa… he wasn't stable… and this frightened Quatre even more than he was willing to admit.

 

“This is the way it has to be.” The Japanese pilot said shortly.

 

“Why? What's going on? What the hell is going on Yuy?” Trowa's voice sounded out, angry and confused.

 

“I'm not going to explain. Now move. I don't want to kill you if I don't have to.”

 

In the quiet pause that followed Quatre heard Trowa's unspoken answer. He wasn't going to move.

 

After a moment of heavy silence, Quatre heard the two boys on the other side of the door begin to fight one another. It didn't last long and Quatre could only hope that Heero's injuries weakened him enough that Trowa could have beaten him. The blonde boy felt a small stab of guilt at the fact that he was wishing for Heero to be injured, but there was no mistaking the reason the dark haired boy was out of his room.

 

Heavy footsteps sounded outside Quatre's door, then stopped. The pilot of Sandrock could feel his heart pound in his chest and his heavy breathing sounded loud in his ears as the bronze doorknob turned and the door opened.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Wufei brought his hand up to his forehead and groaned. He felt nauseous from the dream. His muscles ached. His head pounded. His hand throbbed… Wufei brought his hand down away from his head and stared at the large gash. The cut seemed to have quit bleeding, but the scab was so dry that it was in danger of opening with the wrong move.

 

If only I had something for this… Wufei thought, and a moment later a drop of water landed in his palm.

 

Blinking, Wufei peered closer at the drop of water then looked up at the sky. Wufei vaguely remembered dark clouds in the distance earlier… Another drop of water fell and hit the dark haired boy on the cheek.

 

Wufei got to his feet and looked around as the sprinkling rain became a downpour. The cabin wasn't too far from where he stood and he began to make his way toward the only shelter around. Keeping his destination in sight, Wufei didn't notice the fact that his reflection didn't show up in any of the puddles, and as the boy from L-5 passed one particular puddle, a reflection of Quatre made an appearance in the muddy water, walking the other way.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Quatre sat on the bed, unable to move as the boy who entered his room shut the door and turned to face him. With the light off and the storm outside blocking any moonlight Quatre couldn't make out who the other boy was until he had come half way to the bed. The other boy stopped and stared at the blonde boy for a moment before whispering, “You know why I'm here.”

 

Heero's soft voice was unmistakable. Quatre nodded, but said nothing. As the other boy continued walking slowly toward the bed, the Arabian boy thought he was going to be sick. Where Trowa had a vague aura of confusion and a touch of lunacy, Heero reeked of wrongness and insanity.

 

The Japanese teenager reached down and quickly stripped the blankets from Quatre's bed and the blonde boy felt cold and unprotected, even though the security of the covers hadn't been real to begin with. Heero knelt on the bed and pushed Quatre onto his back. When the other boy leaned over him, Quatre could see the madness in his comrade's eyes, and beyond that… nothing.

 

“Heero…” Quatre whispered. “What did you do to Trowa?”

 

The other boy gazed into Quatre's eyes for a moment, then said flatly, “He's dead.”

 

The blonde boy felt a feeling of grief and panic spread over him.

 

“I don't believe you.” Quatre whispered, his voice quivering.

 

His heart felt as if it was being squeezed and the Arabian couldn't keep the tears from coming.

 

“I don't believe you.” Quatre sobbed. “He's not dead. He's not.”

 

Suddenly Heero backhanded the crying boy, bringing him, at least half way, out of his hysteria.

 

“You'll be joining him soon enough.”

 

“Heero… why? How could you hurt Trowa… Why do you want to hurt me?” The natural peacemaker and negotiator tried to reason with the insane boy.

 

Heero climbed onto the bed and straddled the frightened boy's hips. Heero leaned over Quatre, grabbed the other boy's arms and pinned them beneath his knees. Quatre could feel scabs on the Asian boy's knees but didn't take the time to spare them a thought. The dark haired boy nuzzled his cheek against Quatre's and breathed in deeply.

 

“Even when you haven't showered for days you smell so sweet, so innocent. And your skin is so soft…” Heero whispered, bringing his hand up to caress Quatre's other cheek. Suddenly Heero pulled back and backhanded the other boy again. Quatre could feel blood begin to trickle from his nose.

 

“That's why.” Heero grated harshly, his voice rising a bit. “That's why I'll be only too happy to get rid of you. I can't stand being around you… always so fucking caring and compassionate.” More tears escaped Quatre's eyes and he gasped as Heero backhanded him again, this time on his other cheek. The trapped boy could feel intense anger coming from his captor, as he stared into the cobalt blue eyes. The extreme rage emanating from the Japanese boy began to give way to confusion and uncertainty, as if Heero was unsure of what he was doing and why. Then, suddenly, these emotions were gone, leaving fear and guilt in its place.

 

Heero leaned in near Quatre's face again and lightly kissed both of the boy's cheeks. When the pilot of Wing lifted his eyes, Quatre could see tears in them.

 

“I don't want to hurt you Quatre.” Heero whispered in a wounded voice. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt Trowa and I don't want to hurt Duo…”

 

As suddenly as the sanity had come, it was gone. Heero's eyes narrowed and as fast as a snake, Heero pressed his lips hard against Quatre's. When he pulled back, Quatre's lips were swollen and throbbing with pain.

 

“When you meet Barton in the after life you can tell him I got you first.” Heero said savagely and Quatre's breathing began to quicken as panic set in. The thought that Heero wouldn't swiftly kill him off, never entered the blonde boy's mind.

 

“Heero…” Quatre pleaded. “I know you don't really want to hurt me…”

 

Maniacal laugher came from the Japanese boy.

 

“I want you to suffer. I've suffered long enough. Now it's your turn.”

 

“How have…?” Quatre began, but he was cut off when Heero wrapped his hands around the blonde boy's throat.

 

“How have I suffered?” Heero asked between ragged breaths. “Everybody likes Quatre Winner, you mother fucker. Nobody likes Heero Yuy.”

 

When Quatre's body began its instinctive fight for air, Heero moved his knees to better keep the Arabian teenager's hands out of the way. Just when Quatre thought he was going to pass out, Heero let go of the other boy's neck and air rushed into Quatre's lungs.

 

“I hate you.” Heero whispered and Quatre cringed at the mix of jealousy and anger coming from his captor. The sound of flesh connecting with flesh sounded loud in the room as Heero backhanded the blonde boy a fourth time.

 

Suddenly Heero's hands were back around Quatre's neck. The pale boy's eyes widened when Heero moved his hips and a hard erection ground against his body. When Heero let go of Quatre's throat a second time, the blonde boy began coughing as the air fought its way into his lungs.

 

“Don't flatter yourself, bitch. I'm not going to fuck you. I'm saving that for Duo.”

 

When Quatre began to get his breathing under control he asked, “Do you hate me so much because people like me?”

 

Quatre immediately decided that was the wrong question to ask, because as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Heero's eyes became slits and the only emotions coming from Heero were fury and a deep pain.

 

The dark haired boy grabbed Quatre's neck again, this time harder than before, his finger nails digging into Quatre's neck and drawing blood. “They don't just like you, they love you! Everybody hates me! People are always trying to do nice things for you, but no one does shit for me! All they do is laugh at me or ignore me or use me!”

 

Tears dripped from Heero's eyes, un-noticed by either boy, onto Quatre's face as the boy from L-1 tightened his grip around Quatre's throat.

 

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 

Duo turned on the flashlight and headed down the stairs. With the rain lashing against the windows, combined with the thunder and lightning, Duo had a hard time keeping his heart from pounding heavily in his chest from fright.

 

The stairs creaked as the braided boy made his way down to the first floor. When he made it down the stairs, Duo turned and lifted the light. The beam shone past Wufei's open door and into his room. The American walked to the doorway, looked inside and frowned when the beam showed that the Chinese boy was drenched. Duo almost walked into the room to wake the other boy when he heard talking coming from Quatre's room.

 

The braided boy swung his flashlight around and stepped over to Quatre's door when he tripped and landed with a thud on something soft. It was only when Duo turned the flashlight around that he saw that he'd landed on Trowa.

 

Duo blanched when he saw how beat up the tall boy was. The biggest injury, that Duo could tell, was the large gash on the side of Trowa's head. At least he's breathing. Duo thought as he took off his shirt and tied it tightly around the injured boy's head. That will have to do for now…

 

It was only a second later that he heard screaming come from the Quatre's room. Duo untangled himself from the other boy, got to his feet and barged into the blonde boy's room. The braided boy slapped his hand against the wall, felt for the light switch, and flicked it on when he found it.

 

The light that shined from the bulb overhead momentarily blinded the American teenager, but when his eyes adjusted, the sight of Heero choking Quatre met his eyes. Quickly Duo raced to the bed and pulled Heero off the other boy.

 

“Are you alright?” Duo asked in urgent concern.

 

Quatre rolled over on the bed, gasping and coughing as he nodded.

 

Rounding on the Japanese boy, Duo exclaimed, “What do you think you're doing?”

 

Heero looked up at Duo with tears in his eyes. “I… I… I don't know…”

 

Duo watched as the dark haired boy dropped his head into his hands and started crying. Duo moved his gaze from the coughing boy, who was watching Heero with an uneasy expression, to Heero, who was sitting at the end of the bed sobbing.

 

“Shit…” Duo murmured. “Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on here?”

 

Without warning, Quatre snarled and began kicking Heero with all the effort he could muster. “That's for Trowa!” The blonde boy croaked, and Duo knew that if he could, Quatre would be yelling. Heero, instead of moving away from the other boy's legs, moved his hands over his head and let the furious blonde take his anger out on him.

 

“Stop it!” Duo yelled, moving to grab Quatre's legs.

 

“We're all going to die here!” Quatre tried to scream through his injured throat.

 

“No we're not. Just stop it.” Duo said, trying to calm the hysterical Arabian.

 

Suddenly, Quatre stopped and stared at the braided boy before saying quietly, “You think I'm crazy…” It wasn't a question. “You think that I must have done something to make Heero attack me…”

 

“No Qua…”

 

“You trust Heero… you… you love him…” The last was said in a horrified whisper.

 

Duo opened his mouth to respond but Quatre cut him off.

 

“Duo. Get out.”

 

“What?”

 

“Get out of this cabin… away from this place… I think you still have a chance. Go now!”

 

The American looked at the pale boy. He IS crazy… Duo thought.

 

Quatre seemed to have sensed what Duo was thinking because he raised his voice and said, “Duo get out now! Go! Get out of here!”

 

Duo let go of the blonde boy's legs and moved away as Quatre started trying to kick him. The braided boy grabbed Heero, who by this time was only sniffling. “Come on Heero, let's leave Quatre alone for a while.”

 

“NO!” Quatre tried hard to scream. “Don't take him with you! He's insane! He'll try to…”

 

“Quatre.” Duo said sternly as he led Heero toward the door, “We'll leave tomorrow, alright. Go to sleep and we'll leave tomorrow.”

 

Quatre got off the bed and walked a few paces toward the other two boys, “It will be too late for you tomorrow!”

 

“Goodnight Quatre…” Duo said. It was then that Heero, whose face was out of Duo's line of sight, looked at the blonde boy intently before wrapping an arm around Duo and pulling him closer.

 

Quatre screamed in rage and rushed forward when he saw a sly smile cross over the Japanese boy's face. Duo moved himself and Heero quickly out of the room and slammed the door shut.

 

Quatre tried to turn the handle but it wouldn't budge and the blonde boy suspected Duo was holding the door shut from the other side. The pale boy banged on the door. “Duo! Duo! Let me out Duo!”

 

Quatre banged his fist on the door again. Duo had to believe him. Heero was going to hurt him, maybe even kill him, like he had tried to do to Quatre… like… Trowa… Quatre's banging slowed, then stopped all together.

 

Trowa…

 

A broken sob escaped the abused boy. He can't be gone. He just can't…

 

Quatre raised his head. Though tears were running down his cheeks, the blonde boy had a furious look on his face.

 

The blonde boy felt so angry. He was angry that Duo wouldn't listen to him. He was angry that he couldn't help Heero or Wufei. He was angry that Trowa was dead. He was angry about being in this situation in the first place.

 

Quatre felt as though he had been tricked some how and he was angry about that too. Well… I'm not going to keep doing nothing… This is my fault! I shouldn't have been so weak! He thought angrily to himself.

 

Quatre turned toward the dresser feeling he had nothing to lose. He took a few steps forward and yanked the thin blanket off the mirror. Quatre became even angrier when he saw the condition he was in. His cheeks and throat were swollen and red. His hair was greasy and the rest of his skin that wasn't red and splotchy, was pale and sickly looking.

 

With tears rolling down his face, Quatre positioned himself in front of the mirror and stared at his reflection. Angrily, the Arabian boy slapped his hands against the smooth reflective glass and growled, “Tell me what's going on! Now!”

 

Quatre gritted his teeth, trying to remain angry and unafraid when his fingers sunk into the mirror and the fingers of a corpse emerged from the glass and clamped down on Quatre's hands. The blonde boy glared into the face of his reflection and his twin image stared intently back at him.

 

Quatre squeezed his hands and was revolted to feel something cold and squishy. “Tell me!” Quatre demanded again. Suddenly there was a popping sound from the bulb overhead.

 

Then darkness.