Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Gundam X-Win ❯ 08 ( Chapter 8 )

Gundam X-Win

08

By Devon Masterson-Bond

 

Relena walked into Zero's chamber. Her eyes took on a greater look of concern as she saw how tired her friend looked as he concentrated on finding Duo. “You always told me that strong emotions can destroy focus,” she said lowly.

“So can talking,” he replied adjusting the controls. He could not find Duo's psychic signature anywhere. He could find just about anyone in the world, but he could not save the one that mattered to him most. Someone had to be blocking him, he refused consider the other option. Duo's death was not something he could accept…he would not accept it. He had to be alive and there was not amount of talking about feelings or hugging trees that would stop him from finding him. “I don't want to talk, Relena.”

“Then we won't talk,” she said into his mind.

“Go away,” he said firmly.

“I know you're hurting I can feel it. You don't know how to deal with a loss like this and you feel it's your fault. It's not. We were all blindsided by this attack and as your friends…”

A roll of duct tape flew from a cabinet and taped her mouth shut. Relena merely blinked in shock for a moment then turned to leave. “I see you're not ready to talk. I'll come back when you are.” She stepped into the elevator and rode it down to the residence floor in thought. She did not even realize that she still had her mouth duct taped shut until she walked into her room.

“I see the talk went well,” Trowa commented without looking up from his book.

Relena narrowed her eyes and threw a pillow at him with her mind then took off duct tape. “I'm going to see what the others have come up with,” she replied turning up her nose and leaving the room again.

Trowa chuckled for a moment then stopped. “You didn't have to be so cruel.”

“Tell her I'll make it up to her later. Right now I just want to find him,” Quatre sighed.

Trowa closed his book and stood. “I am going to do some poking around the Romafeller Foundation.”

“Thanks.” Quatre turned his concentration back to his search. “Where are you Duo?”

xxx

Duo sat up gingerly rubbing his jaw. It felt like he had been a couple rounds with a heavyweight. He then stretched. He was going to be sore for a few days, but he was going to live. Beatings were something he was accustomed to, at least one good thing came out of that hellish nightmare known as his childhood.

“Where am I?” he asked himself while looking around. He did not feel like he was in danger but the surroundings were unfamiliar. There was something about the place in the back of mind that he needed to remember. “Maybe, it wasn't a dream and I did see her or this is one of Treize's traps.” He would know soon enough. He touched the door knob and walked out of the room and down the hall. “Mama Lucy?” he called walking through the house. “Mama…no!” he quickly ran towards the kitchen then stopped as his fears were confirmed.

The older woman was sprawled on the floor next to a turned over bottle of spilled milk. He cradled her in his arms careful not to touch her skin. “Mama Lucy,” he called shaking her. When there was no response, he started to panic. He could not teleport them out of there if he didn't know where he was. There were no windows or a door and judging from the fact that Quatre hadn't turned up yet, the strong hold was built from some sort of psychic blocking material. “Mama Lucy, I need you to tell me where we are. Wake up!”

“The door…is…”

“I can't go outside without my modulator,” Duo said quickly.

“The door…opera house…can't get out…”

“What are you saying?” Duo asked shaking her again.

“Sorry…I…” her sentence trailed as she passed out again.

Duo sighed. He had to get her some help and the only one he could trust was Quatre. He had to think. When he passed out, he remembered feeling he was in void similar to when he teleported. Mama Lucy had to have teleported him there and his range was only 4 miles. There was only one option and he did not like it. A frown crossed his features as he stared at his broken modulator. “There's no hiding this time,” he thought as he held Lucretzia around the waist careful not too touch her skin. He always wondered why she said the touch of her skin was death and now he knew. “I guess I am about to find out just how much he loves me…”

“Let's go, Mama Lucy,” he said as he they disappeared in a stream of sulfur smoke. The world snapped away from them then popped back into view dropping them on the roof of a building. “Quatre, if you're out there listening I could use a ride. Not a clue where I am.” Fortune was on in his side this time, they were on a tall building and it was night. He was fairly familiar with the section of town. It was going to take more that a few transports to get back to the mansion. They were not too far from the apartment that he and Victoria used to share, but he did not dare go back there. Treize actually hired someone to kill him. Obviously it would be expected for him to go back there. First thing he needed to do was get to safety then Treize would feel his wrath.

Duo turned his head eastward as he heard the sound of aircraft overhead. He darted out of sight. Being this close to Oz, in his current state was suicide. He was still weak from his encounter with Mama Lucy and of course she was sick. She was trembling in his arms mumbling incoherently. She needed a doctor. “Quatre! Where the hell are you?”

Some distance away, azure eyes widened. “Duo?”

“Finally, I was starting to give up on you,” he smirked. “I am in the city. My modulator's broken and I have someone with me. Can you pick us up?”

“Who do you have with you?” Quatre asked.

“She's a friend and don't think about probing her mind…at least not yet. She needs help. How soon can you come get me?”

“I'm on way now. We should be there in about ten minutes. The black bird will be cloaked but you'll here us coming.”

Duo snickered. “Impressive. Expensive toy.”

“Of course,” Quatre smiled. He could feel his humor coming back to him as he started down the hall. Trowa and Relena joined him as he started for the launch bay. A forgiving hand gripped his shoulder in support.

“You're a brat you know that?” Duo teased. “Nothing but the best for you I assume.”

“Didn't you know?”

“I figured you to be the type to get whatever he wanted.”

“I do have a tendency to get my way,” Quatre admitted as he settled himself into the pilot's chair.

“You've had the easy life.”

Quatre shook his head. “I have had to work for some things. Anything worth having is worth working for.”

“Really now? Does that apply to relationships?” Duo asked.

“Especially in relationships.” Quatre could feel his face flushing slightly as they lifted off. It did not take a psychic to see where this conversation was going.

“Am I worth having?” Duo asked shyly. For the first time in awhile he was feeling insecure. He had been through so much the past could of years. Now it was time for some things to happen on his own terms.

“Yes,” he answered simply. “You are.”

“Are you coming on to me, Quatre?” Duo said suddenly lightening the serious mood.

“Yes, but you've been coming on to me ever since I met you physically. So I guess the question you should really ask yourself is after all you've been through am I worth it.” Duo paused. Quatre caught him off guard. He really did not know what to say. “We're here.” Quatre said sometime later.

Duo looked above him. He could feel the hot air flowing around him and hear the gentle hum of an engine but he could hardly see anything. A technical marvel this plane was…he couldn't wait to get under the hood of it. A slit formed seemingly in the middle of space and a smiling brunette head poked out. Duo could feel himself and his package being lifted into the air. It was odd feeling weightless. He was glad when he finally inside of the air craft. It wasn't until the door closed and he was sitting down on the floor that he realized that Relena was staring at him. He had forgotten that the modulator was not working. Amber eyes widened. “She's disgusted by me…”

“You're okay,” she sighed just before pouncing the blue skinned man. “I was worried and then Quatre was driving us all insane with his never ending searching.” She turned away from the surprised Duo. “You need to learn to take breaks.”

Trowa smirked as he watched his best friend sigh. Relena was going to enjoy mothering over Quatre and Duo that would give him the chance to look into the other day's incident. There was clearly a lot going on here. He would start with their would-be assassin. “We will be approaching the mansion in five minutes.” He turned his head towards Duo. “What happened to her?”

Duo pried himself away from Relena's embrace. It was kind of weird of her hanging all over him like that. It kind of reminded him of how things were between him and Victoria before the circus men became interested in her. “I don't know. I found her that way when I woke up.”

“Who is she?” Quatre asked.

“She looked after us a long time ago. I am sure you remember her,” Duo answered cryptically. Despite everything that had gone on the past couple of weeks, he still wanted some of the elements of his life to remain private. If not for the fact that Quatre invaded is mind weeks ago, even the blonde would not know all of the sorted details.

Quatre nodded. “Mama Lucy,” he said lowly. “Treize misinformed her when he sent her after you.”

“Well they always say you hurt the ones you love,” Trowa observed causing everyone to give him a dirty look.

“Really, Trowa,” Relena sighed. She stood to her feet once they landed.

“Help…”

“Did you hear that?” she asked.

Trowa and Duo shook their heads. “I heard it,” Quatre said looking at the unconscious woman in the back of the plane. He pulled himself into his chair and hover next to her.

“I'm sorry…it was an accident…”

Quatre closed his eyes. “Duo is okay, Lucy, you don't have to…”

“Get out of my mind!” Lucy yelled.

“Duo is fine,” Quatre said in a soothing voice. He probed deeper. “It's not your fault.”

“Get out.”

“No. You have to get through this and retreating inside yourself is not the way.” Quatre reasoned.

“She'll get you.”

“Who will get me?” he questioned. Now he was curious this was not a simple guilt trip after all.

“Go.”

“Who will get me?” he repeated.

“I can't control her any more.”

“Who?”

“Please, you're his friend. He would never forgive me.”

“Lucy, listen to me. Duo is fine and I am not in any danger. You're…”

A shadowy manifestation formed in front of his mind's eye. It started pushing him away and looking around anxiously. “It's not safe. If she gets out you'll be trapped too.”

Quatre allowed himself to be pushed out her mind. He opened his eyes and sighed before motioning for them to put Lucy on the stretcher. Duo and Trowa carefully laid her down making sure they did not come in contact with her bare skin. A look from Relena told him that she heard the mental conversation that between them. She was worried as well. They needed information from Lucy about Treize and naturally she was dear to Duo. From the looks of it, she seemed to be suffering from some sort of schizophrenic meltdown and who knew he would be able to pull her out of it. Why weren't things ever easy?

To be continued…

 

©2004 Devon Masterson-Bond

Hmm…I don't own these people, but the plot I do own. So enjoy these non-profit treats from my imagination.