Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ❯ Part Twenty-Eight ( Chapter 28 )

Part Twenty-Eight

Once more Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, and Duo were in the carriage. Quatre was the only one in complete defense of Heero. Duo was still hurting something terrible and was constantly trying to keep himself from breaking down. Wufei made snide remarks. Trowa was beside himself. He wanted to believe his lover, but he had never witness what Quatre was calling, one of Heero's "attacks".

It was safe to say they were all very quiet.

Quatre decided to start a friendly conversation for the sake of sanity.

"Isn't--"

The carriage stopped suddenly, along with the beginning of a conversation.

Duo sighed and opened the door.

"I'll see what's wrong," he growled, knowing it was his job since he was closest to the door, and filled himself with his Talent as he stepped out.

No matter how much pain Heero caused him, compassion swelled in his heart and he leaned down next to Heero and pet his back.

Heero lay on the ground, curled up in a little ball, hugging himself so tightly.... His eyes squeezed shut in pain....

Duo begged him to stop as his shoulders began to shudder violently.

Then his lips parted and Duo's skirts were speckled with crimson as Heero started to vomit his own blood.

The pain was excruciating. He felt as though someone was slicing his heart slowly into thing pieces with no concern for his pain. The only thing keeping him from drowning in the pain was Duo's gentle hands.

He stopped as tears began to pour down his cheeks. His throat was raw and bleeding and it hurt so much just to swallow....

"Dear Divine," Duo whispered. "What in the hell happened?"

Heero fainted in his arms.

~~~

When he came to again, Heero was staring at the top of the carriage.

He gave a small moan and nuzzled into the warmth in which his head rested. Careful, tender hands brushed his cheeks and he'd never felt so comfortable.

Except he still tasted the copper of his blood and it still hurt to swallow.

His eye lids slipped closed as he drifted back into sleep.

~~~

"I'm still hurt," Duo murmured as he ran his hand through Heero's soft hair while he slept, his head in his lap.

Quatre never mentioned Duo was the sex trap. All anyone knew was that Heero was heavily influenced into sex, not that the woman actually weaved an Illusion around herself so that she appeared to be Duo.

"He wasn't committed to you," Quatre mumbled.

"When the only thing you have comes crashing to the ground, it takes a while to pick yourself back up," was Duo's answer.

Quatre nodded slowly, understanding this to an extent.

He didn't know if he would be so easy to forgive, if it were Trowa.

"I don't want to say this in front of Wufei, or even Trowa, really, but I'm awfully scared for Heero...." Quatre whispered, though Wufei and Trowa were outside driving.

Duo looked at the resting boy and stroked his cheek.

"Oh?"

"I'm afraid that if we don't kill the Second Keeper, she'll kill him first...."

"But how do we find her?" Duo asked, becoming a little fearful himself.

"I-I don't know...."

Heero moaned lightly once more, and his eyes snapped open. Duo gave him a weak smile.

When Heero realized that his head was laying in Duo's lap, he immediately tried to jump up.

But Duo refrained him from hurting himself, shoving him down into his skirts.

"Hey, easy tough-guy," he warned with a smirk. "The amount of blood you just threw-up back their was atrocious and I don't really want a replay of what happened while were in the coach."

Heero did feel a little dizzy and welcomed the comfort of Duo's hands and lap.

"Where's Trowa and Wufei?" he asked softly.

"Outside driving. We're certainly not letting you drive any more!" Quatre cried. "Not until we find her and kill her...." He winced with his own words.

The idea of killing a woman, even a Keeper of Hell.... It just didn't feel right.

They were all uncomfortably silent.

"We should make it to a city...." Heero murmured softly.

Duo grew a little excited. He was growing very fond of cities and towns.

"Oh, but we won't have time to explore!" he whined.

Suddenly Heero lifted himself out of Duo's lap and leaned heavily against the other side of the carriage, panting from the exertion.

Duo grasped his shoulders, crying for him to stop that madness and lay back down.

"Get off," Heero growled and Duo backed away, hurt. "How can you touch me?"

Duo covered his face with a hand as he tried not to cry.

"What--?"

"Heero," Quatre whispered.

"You're one of my friends!" Duo answered, a few tears slipping down his cheeks.

He wasn't aware of it, none of them were, but he was suffering from severe depression. Uncontrollable depression. And Heero wasn't far behind. The smallest though or frustration could send him sliding quickly downhill.

How can you forgive me?" he stuttered.

"Because it wasn't *you*!" Duo replied, hugging Heero's shoulders. "You were influenced!"

"And even without that fact, it's your choice. It's just hard to accept we have our own choices now," Quatre said firmly. "We're so used to having our decisions made for us. We have to get used to this new way of life."

Heero wiped his eyes and tilted his head to face Duo, who's head was no on his shoulder, and his cheeks wet with tears.

Heero fondled his cheeks, brushing away the tears.

"Do you mean that?"

Duo nodded.

"I'm sorry I'm acting so stupid."

Duo barked a laugh at Heero.

"You think you're acting stupid.... We're all acting stupid. Stupid and selfish," Duo replied, just happy Heero wasn't mad.

"Maybe...maybe we'll be able to explore the town...." Heero whispered, pain aching at his body as he began to shiver violently.

"Heero?" Duo's brows knitted together as he hugged him tighter. "You should lay down.... You really should rest now, Heero...."

Heero allowed Duo to lay him down, and he curled up into a little ball, suddenly freezing cold.

"I'm cold...."

"Heero...?"

"So...c-cold...."

Duo stroked at his feverish forehead. "What the fuck did she do?" he growled.

Quatre shrugged. "I think we have to k-kill her."

"I will," he swore softly. "No one hurts Heero like this."

~Til Then~