Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ How To Save A Life ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: StandingOnTheRooftops 
Beta-read by Foxxy. This is the charity party/ball/galla thing.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Shounen / Angst / Romance / Psychological / Hentai / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.14.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 163 | Status: Work In Progress
Beta-read by Foxxy. This is the charity party/ball/galla thing.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Shounen / Angst / Romance / Psychological / Hentai / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.14.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 163 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Eight
"Try to slip past his defense,
Without granting innocence."
Friday evening
The reserved hotel reception room was packed when Kaori arrived with Quatre, some two hours after the actual 'ball' had started. Releena had come a hour before them with Dr. Chang. The first thing Kaori noticed, as she walked with arm intertwined with Quatre's, was the exceptional number of people. The second thing she noticed was that in place of a more traditional string quartet or orchestra was a small stage complete with a keyboard, drums, and a bass and guitar in stands.
Usually, Kaori wouldn't have concerned herself with the chairpeople's choice of music, but she happened to catch sight of a dark head off to the side of the stage.
"Lu!" She exclaimed, coming closer. The head whipped around, and Kaori's eyes met with a pair of dark black ones.
"Kaori!" The woman smiled. Dropping Quatre's hand, Kaori rushed forward as fast as her dress would let her and threw her arms around her old friend. Lu, properly known as Lucrezia Noin, was only about a year Kaori's senior. Her hair was dark black and cropped very short. She was several inches taller than the other girl, and currently she was dressed in loose black pants and a sparkling silver top. A group of five or so people behind her were dressed the same.
Kaori smiled brightly, knowing that no one would ever get Lucrezia Noin into a dress, or skirt.
"Lu, it's been a while."
"Of course. We've all missed you. The theatrical department isn't the same without you, you know?"
"Lu. I couldn't afford the extra classes. And I really needed to focus on my major. I loved the band, but it came down between my love of music and becoming a nurse."
'Lu' smiled. "I know, girl. It's just... we've missed you so much."
"Kaori!"
She turned to find Quatre right behind her and Dr. Barton coming up from the other side. She put on a brilliant smile.
"Kaori," Quatre smiled back, "You should get up there and help them."
"Perfect idea!" Lu beamed. "It'd be just like old times."
"Lu, Quat. I don't do that anymore."
"You sing?" Trowa asked. He'd known she played. Violin, by her and Quatre's own admissions, and piano, he recalled briefly catching a glimpse of one in her apartment. But she sang as well?
"Not well," she admitted with a blush. "I... just liked to sing."
"Please, please," Quatre begged. "It's been so long since I've heard you sing! For me, please?"
Kaori felt her resolve slipping. She sighed, but smiled. She'd never been able to resist Quatre's 'puppy dog face'.
Quatre knew by the look on her face he'd won. "Hmmm... what do you want to sing?"
"You choose."
"Something upbeat," Lu grinned. "We did 'Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' last, so maybe something a little hoppier, but not quite the opposite, you know?"
"Oh! Just Communication!" Quatre squealed merrily. "Do that one!"
Lu shot Quatre a bemused look. "A japanese song, yeah. That'd work. And it's got close to the right beat."
Kaori laughed lightly. "Alright. Just Communication it is, then- but only if you sing the translation right after, Lu."
"Yes! Of course I will!" Lu chortled. "Just let me get the guys set up."
"Damien still on drums?"
Lu nodded. "Yeah. Come on, we'll get you ready."
Kaori flashed a bright smile back at Quatre and Trowa before Lu took her hand and drug her off. Quatre watched as a boy with dark red hair fairly light up with joy at seeing Kaori. The boy dropped his drumsticks before embracing Kaori in a bear hug. Quatre could tell by the look in his eyes that this boy really cared about Kaori. And he couldn't blame him one bit.
"She sings?" Trowa asked, tilting his head towards Quatre.
"Brilliantly," Quatre replied, still eyeing Kaori and Damien. "Well, her voice isn't star quality or anything, but it is lovely. She doesn't sing much anymore. She doesn't play that much anymore, either."
"Then I guess I'll have to enjoy this tonight, hmm?" Trowa said as he saw Lu and Kaori and the red haired boy make their way onto the stage with the band. He'd heard Quatre play, and it was beautiful. And if Kaori was half as good at singing as Quatre was at playing, this promised to be an interesting night.
The music qued, and Trowa was surprised to hear a slightly upbeat melody pour out from the amps around the room.
"Just wild beat communication..."
Trowa startled. He'd known that Kaori was Japanese... or at least half Japanese anyway. But she spoke with a normal southern accent, just like most of the people in that state. What he didn't know was that she could pull off such a realistic Japanese accent.
"Ame ni utare nagara
iroasenai atsui omoi
karada-juu de tsutaetai yo tonight!"
Quatre almost laughed at the shocked expression on Trowa's face.
"I told you she was good," he whispered into the taller man's ear while Kaori continued to sing.
"Nureta sono kata wo
atatameru you ni daita
furuete'ru yubisaki wa
nani wo motomesama you no?
"Togire togirete mo
tsutaete hoshii itami wo
ameta furi suru koto de
otona ni nante narenai..."
Lots of people started to dance to the song. Wufei whirled Releena along, and Trowa caught sight of Sally Po in the arms of Trant Nathans, a doctor from Vanderbilt. Many of Trowa's fellow co-workers were twirling around, all with smiles on their face.
"anata no manazashi mamoritai
kanashimi tsuyosa ni
kaeru ai wo shinjite...
"Just wild beat communication
Nanimo osorenaide
kanjiaeru tashika na ima
dare ni mo ubenai kara...
"Just wild beat communication
ame ni utare nagara
iroasenai atsui omoi
karada-juu de tsutaetai you tonight!"
Trowa was smiling as he stared in rapt attention at the young, vibrant girl on the stage. This was a different person. This wasn't the tortured girl Quatrehad told him about. This wasn't the depressed self-mutilating young woman he'd met with in that apartment. This wasn't the heart-broken sister weeping at her brother's bedside. This was someone else entirely. This was who she was meant to be. This was who she should have been. This was a beautiful young lady with a sweet voice.
Eventually, after many more versuses, the song left off, and the melody began again.
This time, the woman called Lu joined Kaori on stage and launched with a smokey, sultry voice into an english version of the song. Trowa doubted it was word-for-word, but it still held the same overall meaning.
"I held your
damp shoulders to warm you.
Your fingers tremble;
what are they seeking?
"Even if it's in broken speech,
I want you to tell me your pain.
Pretending that the pain's worn off,
doesn't make you an adult.
"I want to protect that look in your eyes...
Believe in the love
that can change sadness to strength.
"Just wild beat communication,
Don't be afraid of anything,
Because no one's going to take away,
our shared feelings of now.
"Just wild beat communication,
while being pounded by the rain,
I want to express this unfading passion,
with my entire body, tonight!"
Quatrewas pressed up against his side as the song went on, with Lu, and sometimes Kaori, singing about passion and tenderness, the one who is precious to you. Trowa felt his gaze slip from the pair on stage down to the petite blondbeside him. The bright lighting of the reception hall disguised the paleness of Quatre's skin, but Trowa knew that every day brought Quatre closer to the end. He'd already tried to talk to Quatre about surgery to remove the affected tissue. Quatre had refused politely, and only days later the biopsy results had come back.
Trowa's own heart had nearly broke at the news. The cancer was still confined to the heart. It hadn't spread to surrounding organs yet. But it was quickly eating away at Quatre's heart. There was no way they could remove all of the affected tissue.
Quatre was going to die with or without the surgery.
Trowa's eyes misted over as he thought about that, and he tried to fix his hearing back on the song that was still playing despite his inner turmoil.
".... don't surrender anything,
because when you have someone who understands you,
you can fight on.
"Just wild beat communication,
Don't let go of love,
Unleash all the complexities of your heart, and show me
your true self, overflowing and passionate, tonight!"
Trowa blinked, the whole world falling away again as those lyrics stuck in his mind, all repeating over and over and over again. As the rest of the lyrics came back to flood over him. In that instant, his mind was made up.
"Quatre..." he said, before the song ever finished.
"Hmm?" The blond smiled up at him.
"I need to talk to you..."
"Alright," he tilted his head a little, expectant.
"Not hear. This needs to be private."
Quatre smiled, but a flicker of unease passed through his eyes.
"Alright," he said again, allowing his doctor to lead him through the crowd. Away from the myriads of people. Away from Kaori.
Meanwhile....
Wine spritzers and Sally Po did not mix. That was a fact that Trant Nathans was finding out the hard way. The party hadn't been going on that long, and Sally had not had very many of the drinks... but the few she did have went straight to her head.
Dizzy and tipsy, Sally Po was quite different from her usual self. She was currently trying to sneak her hand into the waistband of Trant's pants, and he patiently pulled the hand away... for the fourth time.
He spotted Dr. Chang and his blond date from the corner of his eye, and thankful for maybe a little calvary, he drug the intoxicated Dean of Medicine towards the couple.
"Dr. Chang... a word," he waved as he drew near. Wufei looked up from his very interesting conversation on medical ethics with Releena. He took in one look at his boss and sighed.
This was going to be a very long night.
"Hiya, Wu-baby," Sally purred. Releena saw what had happened and giggled. Wufei merely rolled his eyes.
"Sally Po... you know you cannot hold your liquor. So why did you drink?"
"'Cause is fun, honey. Cum on, you know you want me!" Sally lurched for Wufei, only to be restrained by the ever patient Trant.
"Aw," the pig-tailed doctor pouted. "I never get't' have any fun! You'n Meilan always havin' the fun without me!"
Wufei went stock still at the name. His eyes darted to Releena to see confusion flicker across her face.
"Dr. Nathans," Wufei ground out. "I think it is time for Dr. Po to leave. I trust you can see that she gets home safely and to bed... alone?"
Trant had wondered about that moment Wufei froze, but then he smiled. "Of course. I like my women of sound mind when I bed them. And I'm sure there'll be another time for that."
Wufei nodded satisfied. He would have been worried if the other man had not made some joke about laying the militaristic Dean. Trant Nathans was a man known for quality, not quantity, in everything he did- weather it be surgeries, essays, or women- but he was also known for an outrageous sense of humor.
Wufei's eyes followed for a moment as Trant lead the Dean of Medicine away from the party. Then he turned to Releena.
"Meilan?" She questioned softly. It was more curious than anything, he decided. He just wasn't sure if he could tell her all about his dear Meilan.
"She... was.... my wife," he said, just as softly.
"So..." Quatre beamed up at Trowaas they walked down the deserted hall sideby side. They were heading outside, and Quatre could barely make out the still pinkish tint of the sky, where the sun had just set. "What did you want to say?"
Trowa took a deep breath, and decided the easiest way was the truth, plain and simple.
"Just that I love you."
"...." Quatre's mouth fell open as he stumbled to a stop. "Wha.... No. No, that can't happen. You can't fall in love with me."
Trowa frowned. There was no hate, detest, or repulsion in that voice, on that face. That was a good thing. It meant that maybe Quatre could possibly love him back.
"Why not?" Trowa asked.
"B... because... Trowa.... I'm dying! Don't you get it? You can't fall in love with me. I'm not going to be here much longer!"
Trowa stood shocked as tears began to form in those aqua eyes. So... did Quatre already return those feelings?
"Quatre... answer me honestly... don't lie... Do you love me?"
"I..." Quatre's whole body shook with the emotions waring within him. "It doesn't matter."
"Quatre... tell me!" Trowa gripped his arms to stop the shaking. "Do.... you.... love.... me?"
"I...." Quatre bent his head, a sob escaping from his throat. "I... I do...." he whispered.
Trowa sighed in relief, and gathered Quatre up in a tight hug, burying his face in the smaller man's hair.
"Then that's all that matters," the auburn haired doctor whispered in Quatre's ear. "Nothing else matters."
Quatre pulled back from the hug with tear filled eyes, even as he heard the music in the reception hall change, heard Lu take over the entire song.
Welcome to the planet....
"Quatre..." Trowa breathed, leaning down close. Leaning back just a bit, Quatre's breath caught as he looked into those dark emerald eyes. He knew what was coming... and he lifted to his toes, intent on meeting it halfway.
Welcome to existence....
Their lips met softly, tentatively. Just a mere brush of skin. And then Quatre moved, tilting his head. Trowa's tongue traced the outline of the blonde's lower lip, and those lips parted open on a sigh.
Everyone's here, Everyone's here...
Trowa pulled back just a little. Quatre's breath mingled with his own as they stared deep into the other's eyes. Then, like gravity, their lips met again. Lips parted, invitation given, accepted.
Everybody's watching you now...
They were lost in each other, in the moment. They didn't see another young couple start down the hall. They didn't see the soft looks on their faces as they turned around, not wanting to interrupt the tender moment.
Everybody wait's for you now...
Time lost all meaning. Place made no difference. Reality was an illusion. All that was left was them. Passion, kindness, tenderness. Quatre's arms wrapped around his doctor, and Trowa's hands sank into Quatre's hair, gently pulling the shorter one into the kiss. Tongues met and made acquaintance. Gentle caresses, soft nips. A slow, sweet war that neither wanted to win... and neither wanted to lose.
What happens next?
They broke apart, only to gravitate back together after much needed breath. The only thing that existed was that kiss, that meeting of lips. Hands caressed skin through the fabric of clothes, fingers plaited through strands of silken hair. The kiss stayed soft and gentle. Oh, passion was present. There was fire there. But both participants felt the need to be slow. There was no need to rush. When they were together like this... time didn't matter.
What happens next?
A figure started down into the hall, and froze as prussian blue eyes locked onto the scene playing out in front of her. Kaori stared blankly ahead for a moment. Her whole world centered on the two men in front of her. They didn't see her, they didn't hear her gasp of breath. She turned, fleeing, as a rush of things hit her mind all at once. She made her way back into the party, pale and shaking.
I dare you to move....
She ignored Releena's attempt to stop her. She ignored Lu's confused look from upon the stage, ignored the little tremble of drums as Damien almost lost the beat. She ignored her friends as she scrambled for the keys to her car. The cool air hit her like a wave as she stepped into the darkening twilight. She didn't pause to consider that Quatre had arrived with her. She didn't consider the fact that she'd only been here for a short time. Emotions whirled around in her head as she unlocked her car, nearly falling into the seat. She fought back tears as she tried to sort through the torrent of emotion swirling through her.
I dare you to move....
Shock was there. Of course. Maybe even a little surprise. She'd known that the two had become friends, much closer than usual patients and doctors, but she'd never guessed how much. Hurt. Quatre had known about her crush on Trowa. And Trowa had known about her love for Quatre. It seemed that they didn't even care about her. There was jealousy and envy. Pure and plain, but from a different source than she'd expected. As she thought, she realized she wasn't jealous of Quatre because of his relationship with her crush. And that was all it was, she told herself. A mere crush. Feelings that paled in comparison to her love for Quatre. No, she wasn't jealous of Quatre- never of him. She was jealous of Trowa.
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor...
How many times had she wished to be like that with Quatre? How many times when she was younger did she look up to Quatre and see everything she'd ever wanted? How long had she wanted Quatre to be hers... and for her to be his? How much of herself had she given to him... for him? How long and deeply had she loved him... only for this new man to move in and take the spot she'd wanted?
I dare you to move...
She growled at herself, shoving away the tears that threatened to fall. She threw the switch and cranked the car, trying to calm herself down as she pulled out and drove for home. She tried to still her mind and force these unpleasant feelings away. Under strict force, her thoughts became numb as she focused on the road. But that didn't keep the memories at bay.
I dare you to move...
*Flashback*
She smiled brightly up at him. She hadn't wanted to be here. And she hadn't wanted him to be out tonight, either. But it was all his idea. So, here she was in a aqua-blue dress and him in a black and white tux. There was a small, almost inconspicuous, dot of red on the collar of his tux where he hadn't been quick enough to halt that last nosebleed. And there was a rip in her knee-highs from where she'd caught it on a door jam. The music was old and boring, the lighting in the gymnasium dull, the chairs uncomfortable, and the dance floor slippery.
But all things considered, she thought as she smiled at him, she was glad. Glad that of all people, she could share this with him. They'd both needed the fun of a night out. The fun of her senior prom.
He smiled just as brightly at her, and seemingly without thinking pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.
Her smile faltered for a moment as unknown feelings flitted through her. She'd felt desire for him before. Both physical and emotional. She knew she loved him. And she'd thought she'd placed all of that aside and had accepted him as a brother. But sometimes, like now, those feelings just welled up inside her... and made her long for something she could never have.
*End Flashback*
Like today never happened...
*Flashback*
Kaori blinked through the tears, fought through the blinding pain.
"Quatre," she whispered.
"Shh," Iria comforted. Zechs was behind her. Releena was there, too.
"It hurts," she sobbed, though the pain made her breath catch.
"Shh," the doctor repeated. The needle made it's way down. Deep, burying through muscle and flesh, seeking the bone underneath it all.
Tears fell down her cheeks, trickled past her nose as Kaori squeezed Releena's hand.
She kept her mantra of Quatre's name going through her mind. That's why she was here. She wanted to do this. She needed to do this. For Quatre. To help him live.
Hours later she woke up. Quatre was there, on the other bed in the room.
"'Love you," she managed.
His eyes blinked open, met hers. There was unreadable emotion in those aqua eyes.
"Love you, too."
As darkness encroached once again, she smiled weakly.
Because he was alive.
For now.
*End Flashback.*
Today never happened before....
Duo pulled into his driveway crookedly, not even noticing the familiar silver mercury parked there. His eyes were blinded by tears as he made his way to the front door, fighting to find the right key. He almost had it when the door swung open and he looked at the woman standing there.
Some forty-odd years old, with auburn hair and warm amber eyes. Short, but slim legs encased in dirty old jeans, T-shirt just a little smudged with oil and engine grease. She wasn't quite skinny, but no one would dare call her fat or even pudgy.
Cecilia Jones, wife of Howard Jones, stood in the door, taking in the figure before her.
Violet eyes dark and muddled, shirt torn and hanging off his shoulders. Hair sticking out this way and that from the usually immaculate braid. Pants wrinkled and dirty. And cheeks streaked with tear tracks.
"Oh, dear God!" She whispered, taking in the sight before her. "Duo!"
Duo only had time to register the warm arms wrapping around him, the familiar scent of gardenias and engine grease filling his nose. And he finally gave into body-wrenching sobs as Cecilia clutched at him, pulling him forward into the house.
"Duo? Duo?"
Cecilia's voice was worried. Duo looked up to meet her eyes, and managed a half grin that was completely fake.
"Hi, Mom."
For there, sitting in her living room, was her brother. He was disheveled and looked used and worse for wear. His eyes were blank and looked dull, almost glazed over. Her nurturing side took over, all thoughts of envy and hurt and Quatre and Trowa all fleeing her mind, and she rushed forward with a small cry.
And that was when she saw it.
The open bottle of anti-depressants sitting beside him.
tbc....
Songs for this chapter were Dare You to Move by Switchfoot, and of course it was 'Just Communication'- Gundam Wing's theme song- at the beginning. The translation is not literal, or word for word, but it is still pretty close.
Not much happened this chapter, but it provides the set up for the next one, in which alot happens.
Chapter nine will pick up where seven and eight left off. We will see what happens between Kaori and Heero, we will discover what happens between 'Leena and Wufei, and we find out what happened to Quatre and Trowa. *grins* I get to write another lemon. Yay.
I promised Cltc Mistress fluff, but this story is just not wanting to do fluffy. I know I bugged the heck out of her to add some 'happy' to her story, but now I think I know how hard she had it. I mean, how the hell can you add 'happy' into a story where one character is a tortured therapist, the other is a suicidal ex-soldier, the other is a self-mutilating Hooter's girl, the other is a dying violinist with.... less than two months, now.... left to live, and everyone else has just a much baggage? Hmm?
Oh, and yeah. Chances of a half-Japanese girl being a perfect marrow match to a part Arab are pretty much slim to none. It's just another one of the artistic liberties I've taken to make the story how I want it. Kaori would probably be a better match for Heero, if medical statistics were to be followed. But, well... I already told you that I'm making most of this up as I go.
Thanks to my Beta, Foxxy, for being so wonderful and amazing. You're the best!
And PS: Cecilia will end up being significant in the story, and she is an OC. But she won't be as important or as prominent as Kaori.
I'm shutting up now, so TTFN!
"Try to slip past his defense,
Without granting innocence."
Friday evening
The reserved hotel reception room was packed when Kaori arrived with Quatre, some two hours after the actual 'ball' had started. Releena had come a hour before them with Dr. Chang. The first thing Kaori noticed, as she walked with arm intertwined with Quatre's, was the exceptional number of people. The second thing she noticed was that in place of a more traditional string quartet or orchestra was a small stage complete with a keyboard, drums, and a bass and guitar in stands.
Usually, Kaori wouldn't have concerned herself with the chairpeople's choice of music, but she happened to catch sight of a dark head off to the side of the stage.
"Lu!" She exclaimed, coming closer. The head whipped around, and Kaori's eyes met with a pair of dark black ones.
"Kaori!" The woman smiled. Dropping Quatre's hand, Kaori rushed forward as fast as her dress would let her and threw her arms around her old friend. Lu, properly known as Lucrezia Noin, was only about a year Kaori's senior. Her hair was dark black and cropped very short. She was several inches taller than the other girl, and currently she was dressed in loose black pants and a sparkling silver top. A group of five or so people behind her were dressed the same.
Kaori smiled brightly, knowing that no one would ever get Lucrezia Noin into a dress, or skirt.
"Lu, it's been a while."
"Of course. We've all missed you. The theatrical department isn't the same without you, you know?"
"Lu. I couldn't afford the extra classes. And I really needed to focus on my major. I loved the band, but it came down between my love of music and becoming a nurse."
'Lu' smiled. "I know, girl. It's just... we've missed you so much."
"Kaori!"
She turned to find Quatre right behind her and Dr. Barton coming up from the other side. She put on a brilliant smile.
"Kaori," Quatre smiled back, "You should get up there and help them."
"Perfect idea!" Lu beamed. "It'd be just like old times."
"Lu, Quat. I don't do that anymore."
"You sing?" Trowa asked. He'd known she played. Violin, by her and Quatre's own admissions, and piano, he recalled briefly catching a glimpse of one in her apartment. But she sang as well?
"Not well," she admitted with a blush. "I... just liked to sing."
"Please, please," Quatre begged. "It's been so long since I've heard you sing! For me, please?"
Kaori felt her resolve slipping. She sighed, but smiled. She'd never been able to resist Quatre's 'puppy dog face'.
Quatre knew by the look on her face he'd won. "Hmmm... what do you want to sing?"
"You choose."
"Something upbeat," Lu grinned. "We did 'Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' last, so maybe something a little hoppier, but not quite the opposite, you know?"
"Oh! Just Communication!" Quatre squealed merrily. "Do that one!"
Lu shot Quatre a bemused look. "A japanese song, yeah. That'd work. And it's got close to the right beat."
Kaori laughed lightly. "Alright. Just Communication it is, then- but only if you sing the translation right after, Lu."
"Yes! Of course I will!" Lu chortled. "Just let me get the guys set up."
"Damien still on drums?"
Lu nodded. "Yeah. Come on, we'll get you ready."
Kaori flashed a bright smile back at Quatre and Trowa before Lu took her hand and drug her off. Quatre watched as a boy with dark red hair fairly light up with joy at seeing Kaori. The boy dropped his drumsticks before embracing Kaori in a bear hug. Quatre could tell by the look in his eyes that this boy really cared about Kaori. And he couldn't blame him one bit.
"She sings?" Trowa asked, tilting his head towards Quatre.
"Brilliantly," Quatre replied, still eyeing Kaori and Damien. "Well, her voice isn't star quality or anything, but it is lovely. She doesn't sing much anymore. She doesn't play that much anymore, either."
"Then I guess I'll have to enjoy this tonight, hmm?" Trowa said as he saw Lu and Kaori and the red haired boy make their way onto the stage with the band. He'd heard Quatre play, and it was beautiful. And if Kaori was half as good at singing as Quatre was at playing, this promised to be an interesting night.
The music qued, and Trowa was surprised to hear a slightly upbeat melody pour out from the amps around the room.
"Just wild beat communication..."
Trowa startled. He'd known that Kaori was Japanese... or at least half Japanese anyway. But she spoke with a normal southern accent, just like most of the people in that state. What he didn't know was that she could pull off such a realistic Japanese accent.
"Ame ni utare nagara
iroasenai atsui omoi
karada-juu de tsutaetai yo tonight!"
Quatre almost laughed at the shocked expression on Trowa's face.
"I told you she was good," he whispered into the taller man's ear while Kaori continued to sing.
"Nureta sono kata wo
atatameru you ni daita
furuete'ru yubisaki wa
nani wo motomesama you no?
"Togire togirete mo
tsutaete hoshii itami wo
ameta furi suru koto de
otona ni nante narenai..."
Lots of people started to dance to the song. Wufei whirled Releena along, and Trowa caught sight of Sally Po in the arms of Trant Nathans, a doctor from Vanderbilt. Many of Trowa's fellow co-workers were twirling around, all with smiles on their face.
"anata no manazashi mamoritai
kanashimi tsuyosa ni
kaeru ai wo shinjite...
"Just wild beat communication
Nanimo osorenaide
kanjiaeru tashika na ima
dare ni mo ubenai kara...
"Just wild beat communication
ame ni utare nagara
iroasenai atsui omoi
karada-juu de tsutaetai you tonight!"
Trowa was smiling as he stared in rapt attention at the young, vibrant girl on the stage. This was a different person. This wasn't the tortured girl Quatrehad told him about. This wasn't the depressed self-mutilating young woman he'd met with in that apartment. This wasn't the heart-broken sister weeping at her brother's bedside. This was someone else entirely. This was who she was meant to be. This was who she should have been. This was a beautiful young lady with a sweet voice.
Eventually, after many more versuses, the song left off, and the melody began again.
This time, the woman called Lu joined Kaori on stage and launched with a smokey, sultry voice into an english version of the song. Trowa doubted it was word-for-word, but it still held the same overall meaning.
"I held your
damp shoulders to warm you.
Your fingers tremble;
what are they seeking?
"Even if it's in broken speech,
I want you to tell me your pain.
Pretending that the pain's worn off,
doesn't make you an adult.
"I want to protect that look in your eyes...
Believe in the love
that can change sadness to strength.
"Just wild beat communication,
Don't be afraid of anything,
Because no one's going to take away,
our shared feelings of now.
"Just wild beat communication,
while being pounded by the rain,
I want to express this unfading passion,
with my entire body, tonight!"
Quatrewas pressed up against his side as the song went on, with Lu, and sometimes Kaori, singing about passion and tenderness, the one who is precious to you. Trowa felt his gaze slip from the pair on stage down to the petite blondbeside him. The bright lighting of the reception hall disguised the paleness of Quatre's skin, but Trowa knew that every day brought Quatre closer to the end. He'd already tried to talk to Quatre about surgery to remove the affected tissue. Quatre had refused politely, and only days later the biopsy results had come back.
Trowa's own heart had nearly broke at the news. The cancer was still confined to the heart. It hadn't spread to surrounding organs yet. But it was quickly eating away at Quatre's heart. There was no way they could remove all of the affected tissue.
Quatre was going to die with or without the surgery.
Trowa's eyes misted over as he thought about that, and he tried to fix his hearing back on the song that was still playing despite his inner turmoil.
".... don't surrender anything,
because when you have someone who understands you,
you can fight on.
"Just wild beat communication,
Don't let go of love,
Unleash all the complexities of your heart, and show me
your true self, overflowing and passionate, tonight!"
Trowa blinked, the whole world falling away again as those lyrics stuck in his mind, all repeating over and over and over again. As the rest of the lyrics came back to flood over him. In that instant, his mind was made up.
"Quatre..." he said, before the song ever finished.
"Hmm?" The blond smiled up at him.
"I need to talk to you..."
"Alright," he tilted his head a little, expectant.
"Not hear. This needs to be private."
Quatre smiled, but a flicker of unease passed through his eyes.
"Alright," he said again, allowing his doctor to lead him through the crowd. Away from the myriads of people. Away from Kaori.
Meanwhile....
Wine spritzers and Sally Po did not mix. That was a fact that Trant Nathans was finding out the hard way. The party hadn't been going on that long, and Sally had not had very many of the drinks... but the few she did have went straight to her head.
Dizzy and tipsy, Sally Po was quite different from her usual self. She was currently trying to sneak her hand into the waistband of Trant's pants, and he patiently pulled the hand away... for the fourth time.
He spotted Dr. Chang and his blond date from the corner of his eye, and thankful for maybe a little calvary, he drug the intoxicated Dean of Medicine towards the couple.
"Dr. Chang... a word," he waved as he drew near. Wufei looked up from his very interesting conversation on medical ethics with Releena. He took in one look at his boss and sighed.
This was going to be a very long night.
"Hiya, Wu-baby," Sally purred. Releena saw what had happened and giggled. Wufei merely rolled his eyes.
"Sally Po... you know you cannot hold your liquor. So why did you drink?"
"'Cause is fun, honey. Cum on, you know you want me!" Sally lurched for Wufei, only to be restrained by the ever patient Trant.
"Aw," the pig-tailed doctor pouted. "I never get't' have any fun! You'n Meilan always havin' the fun without me!"
Wufei went stock still at the name. His eyes darted to Releena to see confusion flicker across her face.
"Dr. Nathans," Wufei ground out. "I think it is time for Dr. Po to leave. I trust you can see that she gets home safely and to bed... alone?"
Trant had wondered about that moment Wufei froze, but then he smiled. "Of course. I like my women of sound mind when I bed them. And I'm sure there'll be another time for that."
Wufei nodded satisfied. He would have been worried if the other man had not made some joke about laying the militaristic Dean. Trant Nathans was a man known for quality, not quantity, in everything he did- weather it be surgeries, essays, or women- but he was also known for an outrageous sense of humor.
Wufei's eyes followed for a moment as Trant lead the Dean of Medicine away from the party. Then he turned to Releena.
"Meilan?" She questioned softly. It was more curious than anything, he decided. He just wasn't sure if he could tell her all about his dear Meilan.
"She... was.... my wife," he said, just as softly.
"So..." Quatre beamed up at Trowaas they walked down the deserted hall sideby side. They were heading outside, and Quatre could barely make out the still pinkish tint of the sky, where the sun had just set. "What did you want to say?"
Trowa took a deep breath, and decided the easiest way was the truth, plain and simple.
"Just that I love you."
"...." Quatre's mouth fell open as he stumbled to a stop. "Wha.... No. No, that can't happen. You can't fall in love with me."
Trowa frowned. There was no hate, detest, or repulsion in that voice, on that face. That was a good thing. It meant that maybe Quatre could possibly love him back.
"Why not?" Trowa asked.
"B... because... Trowa.... I'm dying! Don't you get it? You can't fall in love with me. I'm not going to be here much longer!"
Trowa stood shocked as tears began to form in those aqua eyes. So... did Quatre already return those feelings?
"Quatre... answer me honestly... don't lie... Do you love me?"
"I..." Quatre's whole body shook with the emotions waring within him. "It doesn't matter."
"Quatre... tell me!" Trowa gripped his arms to stop the shaking. "Do.... you.... love.... me?"
"I...." Quatre bent his head, a sob escaping from his throat. "I... I do...." he whispered.
Trowa sighed in relief, and gathered Quatre up in a tight hug, burying his face in the smaller man's hair.
"Then that's all that matters," the auburn haired doctor whispered in Quatre's ear. "Nothing else matters."
Quatre pulled back from the hug with tear filled eyes, even as he heard the music in the reception hall change, heard Lu take over the entire song.
Welcome to the planet....
"Quatre..." Trowa breathed, leaning down close. Leaning back just a bit, Quatre's breath caught as he looked into those dark emerald eyes. He knew what was coming... and he lifted to his toes, intent on meeting it halfway.
Welcome to existence....
Their lips met softly, tentatively. Just a mere brush of skin. And then Quatre moved, tilting his head. Trowa's tongue traced the outline of the blonde's lower lip, and those lips parted open on a sigh.
Everyone's here, Everyone's here...
Trowa pulled back just a little. Quatre's breath mingled with his own as they stared deep into the other's eyes. Then, like gravity, their lips met again. Lips parted, invitation given, accepted.
Everybody's watching you now...
They were lost in each other, in the moment. They didn't see another young couple start down the hall. They didn't see the soft looks on their faces as they turned around, not wanting to interrupt the tender moment.
Everybody wait's for you now...
Time lost all meaning. Place made no difference. Reality was an illusion. All that was left was them. Passion, kindness, tenderness. Quatre's arms wrapped around his doctor, and Trowa's hands sank into Quatre's hair, gently pulling the shorter one into the kiss. Tongues met and made acquaintance. Gentle caresses, soft nips. A slow, sweet war that neither wanted to win... and neither wanted to lose.
What happens next?
They broke apart, only to gravitate back together after much needed breath. The only thing that existed was that kiss, that meeting of lips. Hands caressed skin through the fabric of clothes, fingers plaited through strands of silken hair. The kiss stayed soft and gentle. Oh, passion was present. There was fire there. But both participants felt the need to be slow. There was no need to rush. When they were together like this... time didn't matter.
What happens next?
A figure started down into the hall, and froze as prussian blue eyes locked onto the scene playing out in front of her. Kaori stared blankly ahead for a moment. Her whole world centered on the two men in front of her. They didn't see her, they didn't hear her gasp of breath. She turned, fleeing, as a rush of things hit her mind all at once. She made her way back into the party, pale and shaking.
I dare you to move....
She ignored Releena's attempt to stop her. She ignored Lu's confused look from upon the stage, ignored the little tremble of drums as Damien almost lost the beat. She ignored her friends as she scrambled for the keys to her car. The cool air hit her like a wave as she stepped into the darkening twilight. She didn't pause to consider that Quatre had arrived with her. She didn't consider the fact that she'd only been here for a short time. Emotions whirled around in her head as she unlocked her car, nearly falling into the seat. She fought back tears as she tried to sort through the torrent of emotion swirling through her.
I dare you to move....
Shock was there. Of course. Maybe even a little surprise. She'd known that the two had become friends, much closer than usual patients and doctors, but she'd never guessed how much. Hurt. Quatre had known about her crush on Trowa. And Trowa had known about her love for Quatre. It seemed that they didn't even care about her. There was jealousy and envy. Pure and plain, but from a different source than she'd expected. As she thought, she realized she wasn't jealous of Quatre because of his relationship with her crush. And that was all it was, she told herself. A mere crush. Feelings that paled in comparison to her love for Quatre. No, she wasn't jealous of Quatre- never of him. She was jealous of Trowa.
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor...
How many times had she wished to be like that with Quatre? How many times when she was younger did she look up to Quatre and see everything she'd ever wanted? How long had she wanted Quatre to be hers... and for her to be his? How much of herself had she given to him... for him? How long and deeply had she loved him... only for this new man to move in and take the spot she'd wanted?
I dare you to move...
She growled at herself, shoving away the tears that threatened to fall. She threw the switch and cranked the car, trying to calm herself down as she pulled out and drove for home. She tried to still her mind and force these unpleasant feelings away. Under strict force, her thoughts became numb as she focused on the road. But that didn't keep the memories at bay.
I dare you to move...
*Flashback*
She smiled brightly up at him. She hadn't wanted to be here. And she hadn't wanted him to be out tonight, either. But it was all his idea. So, here she was in a aqua-blue dress and him in a black and white tux. There was a small, almost inconspicuous, dot of red on the collar of his tux where he hadn't been quick enough to halt that last nosebleed. And there was a rip in her knee-highs from where she'd caught it on a door jam. The music was old and boring, the lighting in the gymnasium dull, the chairs uncomfortable, and the dance floor slippery.
But all things considered, she thought as she smiled at him, she was glad. Glad that of all people, she could share this with him. They'd both needed the fun of a night out. The fun of her senior prom.
He smiled just as brightly at her, and seemingly without thinking pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.
Her smile faltered for a moment as unknown feelings flitted through her. She'd felt desire for him before. Both physical and emotional. She knew she loved him. And she'd thought she'd placed all of that aside and had accepted him as a brother. But sometimes, like now, those feelings just welled up inside her... and made her long for something she could never have.
*End Flashback*
Like today never happened...
*Flashback*
Kaori blinked through the tears, fought through the blinding pain.
"Quatre," she whispered.
"Shh," Iria comforted. Zechs was behind her. Releena was there, too.
"It hurts," she sobbed, though the pain made her breath catch.
"Shh," the doctor repeated. The needle made it's way down. Deep, burying through muscle and flesh, seeking the bone underneath it all.
Tears fell down her cheeks, trickled past her nose as Kaori squeezed Releena's hand.
She kept her mantra of Quatre's name going through her mind. That's why she was here. She wanted to do this. She needed to do this. For Quatre. To help him live.
Hours later she woke up. Quatre was there, on the other bed in the room.
"'Love you," she managed.
His eyes blinked open, met hers. There was unreadable emotion in those aqua eyes.
"Love you, too."
As darkness encroached once again, she smiled weakly.
Because he was alive.
For now.
*End Flashback.*
Today never happened before....
Duo pulled into his driveway crookedly, not even noticing the familiar silver mercury parked there. His eyes were blinded by tears as he made his way to the front door, fighting to find the right key. He almost had it when the door swung open and he looked at the woman standing there.
Some forty-odd years old, with auburn hair and warm amber eyes. Short, but slim legs encased in dirty old jeans, T-shirt just a little smudged with oil and engine grease. She wasn't quite skinny, but no one would dare call her fat or even pudgy.
Cecilia Jones, wife of Howard Jones, stood in the door, taking in the figure before her.
Violet eyes dark and muddled, shirt torn and hanging off his shoulders. Hair sticking out this way and that from the usually immaculate braid. Pants wrinkled and dirty. And cheeks streaked with tear tracks.
"Oh, dear God!" She whispered, taking in the sight before her. "Duo!"
Duo only had time to register the warm arms wrapping around him, the familiar scent of gardenias and engine grease filling his nose. And he finally gave into body-wrenching sobs as Cecilia clutched at him, pulling him forward into the house.
"Duo? Duo?"
Cecilia's voice was worried. Duo looked up to meet her eyes, and managed a half grin that was completely fake.
"Hi, Mom."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kaori was still numb when she walked into her apartment. It took her a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dimmed lighting, and when they did, she gasped out loud.For there, sitting in her living room, was her brother. He was disheveled and looked used and worse for wear. His eyes were blank and looked dull, almost glazed over. Her nurturing side took over, all thoughts of envy and hurt and Quatre and Trowa all fleeing her mind, and she rushed forward with a small cry.
And that was when she saw it.
The open bottle of anti-depressants sitting beside him.
tbc....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Notes:Songs for this chapter were Dare You to Move by Switchfoot, and of course it was 'Just Communication'- Gundam Wing's theme song- at the beginning. The translation is not literal, or word for word, but it is still pretty close.
Not much happened this chapter, but it provides the set up for the next one, in which alot happens.
Chapter nine will pick up where seven and eight left off. We will see what happens between Kaori and Heero, we will discover what happens between 'Leena and Wufei, and we find out what happened to Quatre and Trowa. *grins* I get to write another lemon. Yay.
I promised Cltc Mistress fluff, but this story is just not wanting to do fluffy. I know I bugged the heck out of her to add some 'happy' to her story, but now I think I know how hard she had it. I mean, how the hell can you add 'happy' into a story where one character is a tortured therapist, the other is a suicidal ex-soldier, the other is a self-mutilating Hooter's girl, the other is a dying violinist with.... less than two months, now.... left to live, and everyone else has just a much baggage? Hmm?
Oh, and yeah. Chances of a half-Japanese girl being a perfect marrow match to a part Arab are pretty much slim to none. It's just another one of the artistic liberties I've taken to make the story how I want it. Kaori would probably be a better match for Heero, if medical statistics were to be followed. But, well... I already told you that I'm making most of this up as I go.
Thanks to my Beta, Foxxy, for being so wonderful and amazing. You're the best!
And PS: Cecilia will end up being significant in the story, and she is an OC. But she won't be as important or as prominent as Kaori.
I'm shutting up now, so TTFN!