Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Family Ties ❯ chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

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Chapter two

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A.C. 197 Preventer's HQ Earth

/"This is the ninth time in two weeks that this girl has broken into my offices and has stolen something!"/ Mr. Xio Li fumed on the other side of the Vid-phone line, pounding the desk to emphasize his point. /"You are Preventers, aren't you?"/

"Yes, sir. . ." Quatre began.

/"Then why aren't you preventing this from happening? Do you know how much money she is coasting me? Billions! That's how much!!!"/ The older man's face was so red it was almost purple, he was so angry, and the blonde's chest ached in response. /"Do you have any Idea how much money that is? Of course you don't!"/ He rushed on, not giving time for a response.

"Actually, Sir. . ." Quatre tried, but the old man wouldn't hear any of it.

/"I'm paying your organization good money so that this does not happen! Now I want results and I want them now!"/

"Yes, si-" Quatre sighed as he was interrupted by a blank screen and a dial tone.

"He hung up on you?" Duo frowned in disbelief, "I can't believe he hung up on you. . ."

"What an imbecile. . ." Wu Fei muttered from his spot in the shadows.

Quatre sighed warily, "He has a right to be upset, you guys." He said quietly, rubbing at his chest through his shirt and vest.

"You're actually siding with him, Quat?" Duo looked at him confused, "But he's a jerk. . ."

"Yes, he was rude. . ." the small blonde agreed, "But I can understand from where he's coming from. . ." He smiled at his friend, "When Winner Enterprises was the target of those robberies last month; my board of Directors was forced to make some serious cutbacks and sacrifices in order to make up for the loss. It was difficult to decide where to make cuts from. I didn't want to fire anybody, or take away their benefits. My employees had worked hard to earn them. . ."

"So what did you end up doing?" the braided boy asked.

"Well, I ended up combining deliveries. Instead of five small shipments a week, I made three larger shipments. We also moved the top two floors and spread them out in the new renovations that were completed before the robberies. By closing off the top two floors, it cut down the costs of electricity and such. The board and I have also agreed not to take paid vacations this year and maybe next year as well, among other things."

"Harsh. . ."

Quatre nodded, "But I was able to keep from firing anyone. . . I doubt though, that Mr. Xio Li will be willing to make such sacrifices. . . He, and as a result, Foxwood Shipping Industries care more about the money than they do for the people who work for them. It makes me ill, thinking about it. . ."

"Yeah, but what can you do?"

"Find the person responsible. . ." The blonde sighed warily, rubbing his eyes. "Unfortunately, we haven't any leads to go on. . ."

Wu Fei glanced at his watch, "About that. . ." He said, heading towards the door, "Sally said she might have found something, and is supposed to meet me in five minutes."

"Okay, see you later, Wu Fei. . ." Quatre spun his chair so that he could reach his file cabinet that was behind him.

Wu Fei paused and whispered something to Duo. The American looked shocked and shot glances between his Arabian and his Chinese friends. With a curt nod, Wu Fei left the room, closing the door behind him. The braided boy frowned at the blonde with concern, "Daijoubu Ka?"

"Hai, daijoubu. . . I'm just tired." Quatre sighed, leaning back into his chair. "Lady Une, has been exceptionally harsh on this assignment. . . and there's still a lot of work that needs to be done at WE in order to completely recover from the burglaries. . ."

"Sounds like you shouldn't have given up your vacation. . ." The braided boy said with a grin.

The blonde smiled ruefully, "Probably not. . . but thinking of the outcome, I'm glad I did."

"You didn't tell Trowa this, did you." Duo wasn't asking a question.

Quatre blushed, "Iie, I didn't. . ."

"Quat. . ."

"Duo! Don't say anything! Promise me?" the blonde looked up at him desperately, "Trowa worries about me more than enough, he doesn't need this too. Please?"

"Quat, you aren't taking very good care of yourself. Of course he's going to worry!"

"That's not true!" Quatre argued. "I take very good care of myself. . ."

Duo shrugged, "I'm not going to argue with you, Quat, but the next time you look in a mirror, check out the bags and dark circles under your eyes, how pale your skin has gotten and how much weight you've lost. Not to mention your blackouts and dizzy spells. . . Do I need to continue?"

The boy's face had paled and he shook his head mutely.

"I'm sorry, Quat. . ." Duo said, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "It's just. . . Trowa notices the little things, ya know. . . and when someone like Wu Fei notices?"

"I'm sorry, Duo. . ." He whispered. His face was filled with remorse and shame, "I shouldn't make you guys worry."

His friend offered a huge grin, "Oh, common, you don't need to look like that! I know! You want to go grab some lunch?"

"I'm not very hungry, and I have a lot of paperwork that I need to do. . ." Quatre denied, massaging his temples.

Duo sighed with exasperation, "Q, this is exactly what I'm talking about!" He latched onto the boy's arm, and pulled him from his seat, "Now common! The papers can wait half an hour while you eat!"

"Demo, Duo. . ."

"I know this place on the corner, they have the best pizza! You'll love it!"

Quatre smiled faintly, and whispered, "Arigato, Duo. . ."

"No problem, Quat."

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A.C. 185 Winner Estates L4

"Quatre, catch it!" One of his sisters yelled, throwing the Frisbee far.

"I got it, Rika!" The blonde boy shouted back, jumping for the toy. He agilely caught it.

"Nice one bro!" Ellyana called.

The five year old blushed under the attention his older sisters were granting him. Iria was back from Collage on break, and the entire family had gathered. The oldest of the siblings had to help in the house, but the younger ones got to play out in the gardens.

"You know what I heard?" Myia said, "I heard that Iria had met someone, and they. . ."

"Have you been listening to our phone conversations again!?" Ziira demanded.

Myia eeped and took off running, her twin chasing after her.

"Hey, there bro. . ." A coy voice whispered from behind him, causing him to jump startled. The voice giggled.

"That wasn't funny, Isis. . ." Quatre pouted.

"Sorry, little brother, but I couldn't help myself."

"What are you doing here?" Ellyana glared at her little sister, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, I thought father said that you were in the institution." Rika sneered.

Isis rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

"Anyways, you can't play with us!" Ziira frowned, momentarily forgetting her fight with her twin.

"Like I'd want to." The girl glared.

Quatre's bottom lip began to quiver. Slowly, he reached up and tugged on Isis' sleeve. She looked down at him, an odd look in her eye. "Common, Quatre. . . she said finally, let's get out of here."

"Where are we going?"

"Away from them!" She frowned, "They're so mean. . ."

"They're scared of you. . ."

Isis stopped walking, "Scared of me?" she frowned, "But they're bigger! Why would they be scared of me?"

"I dunno." The boy shrugged and started to walk again.

"Yes, Quatre, you do know, don't you." Isis glared.

"N-n-no. . ." The blonde shook his head, tears welling in his eyes.

His sister had a scary look on her young face. The seven year old was mad, "Tell me, Quatre, or I swear I'll hit you!"

"But I don't know!" the boy let out a hiccupping sob, "Honest. . ."

"YOU'RE LYING!"

"I am not!" He wailed.

"Isis!" an older voice shouted, "Leave him alone!"

The children turned and faced Iria. "Why can't you mind your own business!?" Isis screamed.

The eldest Winner child glared at her. Then she knelt and stretched out her arms towards the youngest Winner child. Quatre ran to her. "Come on now, Quatre." Iria soothed, "Father was looking for you."

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A.C. 197 The Heavenly Pizza Shop Earth

"Quatre. . ." A worried voice called. "Common, man, wake up!"

The blonde moaned, and slowly, his blue eyes cracked open. "D-Duo?" He whispered hoarsely.

"Don't move, Quat. . . the ambulance is on its way. . ." Duo heaved a sigh of relief, as did most of the crowd that had gathered.

Quatre's eyes flew open, "Ambulance?" He questioned, "Why? I'm fine. . ."

"You are not fine!" Duo's voice was a tad angry, "You suddenly passed out! I couldn't wake you up!"

The blonde groaned as he tried to sit, "I'm up now. . ."

"Quat, you were unconscious for half an hour." The braided boy said sharply, pushing him back down.

"WHAT!?" Quatre froze, "But that can't be. . ."

The sound of an ambulance coming down the street was deafening. "Bout time they got here. . ." the boy scowled.

"Duo. . . I don't need an ambulance!"

"Trowa didn't think so."

"You called Trowa. . ." Quatre paled, "Duo . . ."

The braided boy got out of the way as the medical personnel pushed their way through. "He's going to meet you at the hospital."

"Duo!" The boy pleaded, struggling against the Medic's restraining grasp, "Damn it, Duo!"

"You might want to sedate him until you get to the hospital, or he'll just hurt himself, or you. . . he doesn't much like doctors, or hospitals. . ." The braided boy said to one of the EMP's.

Quatre's eyes went wide, as he shook his head in refusal, "Duo, no. . . Y-You can't. . ."

"I'm sorry, Quat. . ." Duo apologized, turning from the blonde as a needle was driven into the boy's pale arm.

"Traitor. . ." Quatre whispered, his eyes slipping closed again.

Duo cringed against accusation, and could only watch as his friend was taken away.

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To be continued. . .

Author's notes:

How did you like it? Please let me know.

In the next couple of chapters, I'm going to use most of Quatre's sisters. If anyone has suggestions for names, please let me know? I'm not very good with names. The only ones I had no problem coming up with were Iria (because she was already created) and Isis (whose name has meaning for the story).

Arigato

^-^

Weissangel24