Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Integration ❯ We Meet Again ( Chapter 18 )

Warnings and Disclaimer on page one, plus some of you will probably say, ah-ha, I knew it!

Integration

Bane's Desire

Part 18 - We Meet Again

The well-known public figure of Mr. Kai Ozuka arrived home from work an hour after his wife had left her downtown office. Relena had recently changed her schedule, going into work an hour later than usual and leaving for home an hour earlier. The change was a good one, he decided, for the both of them. It meant that he took his own car in to and back from work, giving him a bit of time to himself each weekday. A fleeting thought came to him that it was too bad she didn't know how to cook or clean a house so that the extra time home would be of some benefit to her also. During the years that his wife had been raised in the Darilan household, those daily mundane tasks had always been performed by hired help and Relena didn't see the need to change that way of living now that she was married.

He entered the front foyer and was met by their maid, Esperanza. The gray haired, middle-aged woman greeted him in the same polite manner she did every evening, asking if he'd had a good day and that his Mrs. was awaiting him in the family room.

Kai knew without asking that his wife was watching the news channel and that her legs would be curled up on the couch with a lap robe draped over them. Sometime his life was so predictable that he could pull his hair out with the frustration of it. There was some part of him that cried out for... something. He didn't know what exactly, but it was definitely something he didn't have and he craved it. Maybe he' settled down too young and this yearning he had was for a more carefree life of travel and fun, something he'd never really had. He'd been feeling this way for a long time now, though he couldn't quite pinpoint when it had begun. After he'd met Relena at the university, he thought that being with her would help sate that needy part of him; but it turned out that the former Queen of the World and all her money and high-class living still wasn't enough. She'd convinced him that he would feel more complete if they married, and promised that she would do whatever she could to make him happy. He had wanted to believe her and so he'd agreed to Relena's proposal and married her.

Maybe there were no true happy endings.

The sense of wholeness he'd hoped would come after the marriage had taken place, unfortunately, escaped him. He realized too late that he probably shouldn't have married his best friend, that he married too young and for the wrong reasons. Perhaps, if he'd finished college and traveled as a single man with his friends, he might feel more content as a husband and as a man. But such wishes were like feathers flitting about in the wind and just out of reach, he concluded. He couldn't exactly say he was happy, but then neither could he say he was unhappy. Relena knew this about him for they spoke often of personal things, and to her credit she was doing everything in her power to hold the two of them together.

Kai walked towards the room, hearing the sounds coming of the television streaming out of the family room as well as the fragrant smell of the food cooking that would be their dinner. He took in a deep breath to prepare himself for performing the task that was the nightly ritual required of him. Entering the room, made more comfortable for relaxing than any other place in this museum of a house, he found his wife sitting exactly where he knew she would be and with the familiar blanket on her lap as predicted.

"Kai!" She smiled warmly at him in greeting as he entered the room. "Come sit by me. There's an interesting news report tonight about a merger between Bechtel and Sund Corporations that could affect our stockholdings. They're also trying to dredge up some ancient battleships found in the Bermuda Triangle. I'm sure that's something that would interest you."

He was too young to be living like an old man, he thought. He nodded and dutifully went to sit in the spot next to his wife that she'd suggested with the mere pat of her hand on the sofa. He sat glumly during the news program as Relena leaned heavily against his shoulder and schooled his overwhelming feeling of boredom until Esperanza called for them to go to the dining room for their evening meal.

When at long last ten o'clock rolled around, bringing to Heero a sense of relief that the night was finally over, the two of them stood from their places on the sofa with the intent of retiring to their rooms. With Relena holding onto his arm, they made their way upstairs, turning the lights out and setting the security alarm as they went. Once up the stately staircase, he led his wife to the master bedroom.

"Will you sleep in my room tonight, Kai?" she asked, a hopeful look on her flawless face.

"Relena," he said her name with strained patience. "We've been over this hundreds of times. Please, don't push it."

She frowned. "I just wanted to cuddle" she replied, pouting. "I wasn't expecting anything else, although I can always hope."

Kai frowned as he huffed out a short breath of air. "You and I both know your hoping is a waste of time. You knew when you asked me to marry you that I was gay, Relena. Did you think that once we lived in a house together that I would miraculously turn straight?" he asked wearily. They'd had this conversation too many times to count.

"You're my best friend, Heero," she said sincerely. "I just thought that over time you'd grow used to the idea. That you'd give it a try."

"I think we both remember the time I did try and it was a disaster." He looked at her wearily and continued, "I've done my best to try and make you happy and to do whatever you've ever asked of me, Relena. Even though I've fallen short of your expectations, I've given you all I can. Can't you be happy with that?"

The petite woman with blonde hair that curled just above her shoulders put her arms around the handsome man who was her husband, who really did try his best to make her happy. "There's more to love than sex, Kai, and we both love each other, right? I've done everything I can to make you happy, too. I know you're not entirely content, but I won't give you up. I've sacrificed too many of my principles to let you go."

The dark-haired young man pulled away from his wife. "You've alluded to that sacrifice more than once, Relena. I'd like to know what the hell that means."

Relena looked startled for a moment, like she'd unwittingly placed herself in a trap. She smiled nervously at her questioning husband and answered, "I would appreciate it if you didn't curse, Kai, it's unbecoming. But to answer your question, I suppose I've sacrificed my idea of a happily ever after. I never envisioned we'd end up like this, married and living together, but only as friends, never to be lovers. But I'm committed to this relationship, and I think I've proved it, so don't ever doubt my devotion to you."

Kai knew he wasn't going to get the real answer to his questions from her. He'd learned early in their marriage that his wife could be diplomatically evasive when she didn't want to show all her cards. With a huff of disappointment, he decided it was time to call it a night. "I'll see you in the morning," he said, then kissed her cheek, turned, and walked towards his own room several doors away.

Stepping through the door to his bedroom, he felt a sense of weariness overtake him that was more than physical exhaustion. He flipped on the light and closed the door behind him, then turned and stopped short at the sight before him. Sitting in the bay window of his bedroom, one knee raised while the other leg casually draped over the edge, was another person, a young man who looked to be about the same age as himself with white hair that contrasted starkly with his all-black clothing. Large, stunningly-beautiful eyes on a pale, oval face turned to meet his own and his body immediately reacted to the other man in a way that was highly unusual and uncharacteristic of him.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked, his voice stern but low. In his mind, he was trying to decided if the handsome man in front of him was an apparition of his imagination or not.

The other man turned his body, set both of his feet onto the carpet and stood. Kai's eyes went up and down the dark-clad body, finding the slender build appealing as he watched with growing interest as the stranger walked slowly towards him, noting that his stride seemed graceful as well as damn sexy.

"Hello, Heero," the husky voice said, and Kai detected a bit of nervousness in its tone. As the mysterious person drew near, his eyes were drawn back to the handsome face where he could clearly see the man's emotions swirling in those incredibly expressive eyes.

"Who is Heero?" he asked, unable to take his eyes away from the approaching vision.

"You are."

"And who are you?" he asked, wary but intrigued.

"Someone who loves you."

The Japanese man instantly went on the defensive. "What do you want and how did you get in here?" he challenged.

"Heero," the other man whispering the unfamiliar name with such longing now stood only a foot from his face. He raised a slightly trembling hand towards his face, but in seeing the look of warning in his eyes, he hesitated and then dropped it. "I came in the back door this afternoon when the maid took out the garbage. I mean you no harm, and if you'll give me a few minutes, I'll explain what I can and then ask if you want your memory back."

"My memory?"

The white-haired man nodded. "Have you ever heard of the gundam pilots?" he asked.

"Of course," Kai answered impatiently, unsure of this strange, alluring visitor and of what he wanted. He wondered for a moment if Relena was safe, if it was possible that this man was a diversionary tactic to keep him from protecting her. But that train of thought was broken when the mysterious stranger spoke again.

"And do you know what happened to them?"

"Their memories were erased and they were Integrated here in Sanq and sent to live out their lives with new identities," he answered. "What does that have to do with you being in my bedroom?"

"You were one of them, Heero. You were the pilot of Wing and later Wing Zero. You saved the Earth from a total ecological disaster and saved millions if not billions of lives when you blasted a huge chunk of junk from the destroyed ship Libra as it fell into Earth's atmosphere."

The Japanese man frowned. "You're wrong. I grew up here in Sanq with my family and friends. I know who I am and I'm certainly not a gundam pilot," he replied hotly, clearly demonstrating his irritation at the suggestion.

"Those are your implanted memories, Heero. You were Integrated, along with the rest of us and Milliardo Peacecraft, formerly known as Zech Marquis. You have the mark behind your ear that proves it. Our memories weren't wiped out as we thought, just pushed back behind the new identities. The things you now recall from your childhood are like a movie script, it's all a fabricated tale of a life you've never had."

"You're lying," Kai growled angrily. "Why are you saying these things? What's the purpose of telling me such a story?"

"Because I was a gundam pilot, too," the other man said quietly, his eyes softening and imploring the other to believe him. "You and I were comrades during the war who became friends and then lovers. Together we fought for peace and freedom for the colonies and then for the right to be together after the war. When it looked like war might break out because Earth and the Colonies couldn't agree on what should be done with us, Relena came up with the idea of us being Integrated that seemed to make everyone happy. We made an agreement with the government to undergo the Integration process but only if they promised in return that in our new lives you and I would still be with each other. They agreed, Heero, but they lied." Kai watched as anger and sadness warred for dominance in the man's beautiful eyes. "Through mere chance, I broke through my Integration, twice. The first time I did I found out that Relena had instigated a change in our new identities. She bribed the doctors with her money and influence and put herself into your memories instead of me. She's always wanted you, Heero, even when you told her that you were gay and in love with me. She was upset by our being together and it made her angry. She managed to keep that from you, though I was usually the recipient of her scorn when your back was turned. With the Integration, she saw a way to separate us and make you her own, and she succeeded in doing that by bribing the doctors. That is, she did until I accidentally got my memory back."

Kai stood in place, pulled into the story the other man was telling him. He didn't know if it was the truth or a lie, but the sincere and earnest expression on the other man's face showed true emotion at the telling of his tale.

"I got my memory back and then I managed to get one of the doctors to bring yours back also. But Une, who was my guardian at that time, turned us in. We were separated again and this time they made sure we had distance separating us. My second Integrated life included a Preventer overseer in the form of an abusive lover. With the mental triggers set to cause me excruciating pain if I fought back or tried to leave, I was trapped with no way out. It was hell, Heero," the slender man said, the anguish in his eyes told Kai that he was telling the truth. "And again, by some miracle or fluke, I got my memories back. Since that moment all I've ever wanted was to come to you, to free you from your false life so we could be together like we were always meant to be."

Kai felt transfixed as a single tear coursed down the other man's smooth and soft-looking cheek. "So my life, as I remember it, is false?" he asked, feeling confused and overwhelmed by all the implications that came with the other's story.

"You are Heero Yuy," Duo choked out. "You came from colony L-1 in a gundam designed by Dr. J. Your life wasn't easy, Heero, and your training was harsh, but we were happy together. I guess what I need to ask you at this point is whether or not you want your true memories back. I've got the person who helped free me from my Integration coming into town in a few days and he can open your mind, if you want him to help you."

The dark-haired, blue-eyed man looked into the other's eyes, confusion churning in his own. "You're telling me that Relena instigated this, my marriage to her and your unfortunate circumstances?" He looked doubtful and felt conflicted between believing this man's story and his own memories as he stood before the other man, trying to reason everything out. Somehow, what he was hearing felt right and wrong at the same time. "You said she did this because she wanted me and the Integration procedure was the only way she could have me?"

"She did it for no other reason than she was infatuated with you and that she envied what we had," the white-haired man replied. "She wanted you from the first moment she laid eyes on you when we were fifteen and chased you all over the planet and even up into space, regardless that we were fighting a war. When she learned of your sexual orientation and that we were together, she changed tactics, saying she understood and just wanted to be your friend, but I could see she had other ideas. Yet you seemed to like her and I didn't want to look like I didn't trust you to make your own decisions about friendship. It was those feeling of trust and friendship that caused you to accept her invitation to stay with her as you recuperated from being injured during the Barton Incident, and later brought you to accept her suggestion of being Integrated. I didn't want to do it, Heero, but I also didn't want to live my life without you. You persuaded me it was for the best, for peace and the colonies, and that we'd still be together. It was probably the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life."

The two men stood still, looking at each other at only an arm's length away. Then the white-haired man spoke again, his eyes pleading. "It feels like the cruelest torture to be so close and not be able to touch you," he said softly, a look of longing on his face. "I followed you for a full week and watched you from afar, but now that I'm in arm's reach of you, it's almost unbearable not to hold you."

"Can you prove any of this?"

The man in black nodded and reached into the back pocket of his pants and took out a slightly bent photo of the two of them at a noticeably younger age. "I thank my luck y stars over and over that I was distrustful of the Integration procedure. Before they'd begun to suppress our memories, I stashed some of my more personal belongings in a safe-deposit box. Now, four years later, the few things I'd hidden away will serve their purpose." Kai noticed the other man's hand rose to his neck where his fingers delicately touched a cross that hung from a gold chain, hinting that it was one of the things that he'd left behind.

Looking back down at the picture that had been placed in his hand, he asked, "When was this taken?" Kai studied the photograph of the two teens standing close together and smiling. He could clearly see that it was himself and the other man standing in front of him in the photo, taken years before. He studied the person who was supposed to have been his lover. Though the long brown braid of hair that graced the other boy's head in the photo was gone and the color had been dramatically changed, his face was relatively the same and still undeniably handsome.

"In June, AC 197."

Slowly Kai raised his head and eyes to meet the other's. "I don't remember this being taken," he said, "or you."

"That's how the Integration works. The doctors block your past memories and replace them with false ones. The family that you remember never even existed. The memory of their loss was fabricated in order to explain their absence in your life."

Kai felt more than a little disturbed at the continuing answers to his questions. "It's illegal to aid an Integrated individual in regaining their memories," he stated.

The blond man laughed quietly, his eyes swimming with emotion. "It's pretty clear the Integration didn't get rid of your pragmatic and suspicious mind."

"So I was a gundam pilot and gay, even then?"

He could see his question gave the other man hope, and it was true that he was beginning to believe what he was being told when he asked such a question. "Yes," the other answered firmly.

"They can't erase being gay, can they?"

"Apparently not," the other shrugged. "Although one of our friends was in a relationship with another male during the war, he's now with a woman, which leads me to believe that he was bi before the Integration. I'm pretty sure Relena would have done her best to bribe the shrinks to try and rid you of that nasty habit."

"If she did, it didn't work," Kai replied with a derisive snort.

"Your marriage to Relena isn't all that she hoped for?"

Kai shook his head in answer to the question. "I told her when she proposed to me that I was gay, but it didn't deter her. I think she believed she could cure me."

"Heero," the black clad man's voice was low and husky as he took a half step closer to him, their eyes never leaving each other's. "Let me give you your memories back, then we can leave here and live our lives together, just as we always planned."

Kai's eyes lowered as the male siren spoke and focused on his lips. Having sees a desperate need in the other's face and knowing that the other man desired his touch and shared his orientation, he leaned forward and kissed him.

Oooooooooo

At first, Heero's lips were soft and responsive, but as Duo persisted in getting closer, bringing his arms up and around his lover's shoulders, holding onto him for dear life, Heero responded and opened his mouth to the questing tongue. Duo's heart was pounding so furiously that he thought it might work its way right out of his chest or cause him to faint. He was overwhelmed with the feel, taste and touch of the other man and the physical realization that this was his Heero whose mouth was interlocked with his own, and Heero's body that was pressed up closely against his after so long. He was overcome with the feeling that he'd finally come home.

A choked sob escaped his throat and Heero pulled back to study the tear-tracked face. Duo could actually see himself in the reflection of the deep blue eyes that he'd never get tired of gazing into, and in them he saw what Heero was seeing; his love blazing brightly from his face. But as he refocused his gaze, taking in all of Heero's face and his expression, he saw the predominant emotions of confusion and sympathy written in every line and crease of the caramel-colored skin.

"I'm sorry," he managed to say. "I know that right now I'm a stranger to you, but you have to believe me, Heero, that what I've told you is true. You told me that you loved me and only me. You whispered it in my ear every time we made love and every time we were forced apart by circumstances beyond our control. I've clung to those words since the moment I got my memory back, and once your Integration's broken, things will be as they should have been."

Not able to resist the need to touch the face that had haunted his dreams and waking moments for over half a year since he got his memories back, Duo brought his right hand up to gently run his fingers over his lover's bronze cheek, feeling the late-night stubble along Heero's jaw line. Through eyes still slightly blurred by tears, he took in the changes in the Japanese man from when they'd last been together, noting the boyish face that was forever locked into his memory had matured and formed into that of a devilishly handsome man. "I've missed you so much," he choked out, then tried unsuccessfully to reign in his exposed emotions.

Then suddenly Heero's mouth was on his again and the kiss they shared was passionate and consuming. Strong hands were touching him everywhere, exploring the contours of his back and roaming over his hips. He was overwhelmed by Heero, the taste and scent of him, his kisses and touch effectively short circuited his common sense and ability to think.

He wasn't aware, as their mouths and hands were busily engaged, that they had moved to the side of the bed until the backs of his thighs came up against the mattress. He stood numb and hungry for more kisses as his shirt was pulled out of the waistband of his pants and then as Heero's cool hands roamed over his heated skin.

He allowed the other man to lay him back on the bed, unable to refuse Heero anything. A faint whispering from his conscience warned him of Heero's intentions as deft fingers unfastened the front of his jeans. If the rational thought came to him that the man undressing him didn't have Heero's memory, it was taken over by the rising passion that roiled within him. For so long this was all he'd ever dreamed of.

Then suddenly Heero's mouth and the warmth of his body were gone. Opening his passion-clouded eyes, Duo scanned the room to seek his lover out. He found him standing at the side of the bed.

"Undress," Heero said softly. "I need to get something from the bathroom."

Duo nodded, unable to form a coherent reply as he watched Heero turn and move towards the door he knew from his earlier inspection was a private bathroom.

The whole situation seemed unreal to him as he moved in a daze to take off his shoes and socks, then slipped his pants off and folded them neatly. The simple action brought back thoughts of Quatre, how he would neatly fold his clothes before they fell happily into bed together, even if they were headed for the dirty-clothes hamper. He quickly turned his thoughts from the past to the present and fumbled with clumsy fingers to unbutton his shirt while listening to the sounds coming from the direction Heero had disappeared to moments before.

He knew that he was putting a lot of faith in someone who didn't know who he was, well, other than what he'd been told, but he needed this; he needed Heero. He'd seen the dark passion stirring in his lover's deep blue eyes and he had no defenses to fight against it.

Stripping off his jeans, shirt and the t-shirt he wore under it, he sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly feeling very vulnerable sitting with only his boxers on as he waited for the other man to return. That feeling lasted only until the bathroom door opened and Heero emerged completely naked, aroused and armed with lube and a condom.

Duo rose on unsteady legs to meet him, unable to look anywhere but at the beautifully sculptured body approaching him. Then Heero's lips were on his own again, taking command of his mind and body again. He was vaguely aware that his boxers were being lowered, and as they pooled around his ankles, he stepped out of them a moment before Heero nudged him back onto the bed.

He was being consumed, he thought, as Heero's lips explored his heated body, his hands making him desperate for their joining. He'd missed this. Heero could make him come apart so easily only to put him back together again, and it seemed to him that time, space and even a loss of memory hadn't diminished that ability.

Every thought that was rational or reasonable faded as fingers slick with gel began to prepare him for the long-awaited union. He was afraid that in his excitement that he'd come too soon if Heero didn't hurry. His slurred words urged his lover on and then he held his breath as the two of them eased into becoming one once more.

Once he was fully seated, Heero lowered his mouth to capture his lips and with the shifting of hips, their lovemaking began in earnest.

It ended much too soon for Duo, but their joining together after so many years had been as satisfying and memorable as he'd dreamed it would be. He whispered his lover's name and spoke of his undying love for him as his body began to calm and cool down. His heart was once again safely entrusted to the person he loved above all others.

The two men managed to clean up a bit with the tissues that were on the bedside table before Duo tucked his body up against Heero's side to luxuriate in the afterglow of their lovemaking. He fell asleep with a smile on his face for having the touch and scent of his lover following him into his dreams.

Ooooooo

A shake of his shoulder brought him out of his sleep, and with bleary eyes he looked to Heero who was sitting on the edge of his bed, dressed in boxers and a t-shirt. The small reading lamp set next to the bed was on, illuminating the darkened room with a soft golden glow. He couldn't stop the smile from growing on his face, realizing the events of only a few hours before hadn't been a dream. "What's up?" he asked, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes.

Heero smiled gently at him and brought a hand up to brush several strands of hair away from his eyes. "You're beautiful," he said in a reverent whisper. "Thank you for last night."

Duo returned the smile as he caught Heero's hand and placed a tender kiss on it. He was surprised when Heero gently pulled it away, out of his grasp.

"It's almost dawn. You should probably go before the housekeeping staff arrives."

Still a bit disoriented from waking up in a relatively unfamiliar room with Heero, Duo nodded, vaguely understanding that Heero didn't want him to be there when the staff and especially Relena woke up. He eased his body out of bed and began to put on his clothes.

As he tied off his shoes and came to his feet once again, he looked at Heero, now wrapped in a dark blue robe as had been moving about the room, tidying it while he dressed. "So when can we meet again?" he asked, careful to keep his voice low. "My friend comes into town in three days. I could give you directions to my hotel room and you could come there and we'll begin to get you back your memory."

"No."

Though the word was spoken softly, almost apologetically, it sent a cold shiver of dread up Duo's spine. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want my memories tampered with," Heero replied, turning to look at him with a look of determination in his deep blue eyes.

Duo's heart almost turned to stone in his chest. "Don't you believe me?" he asked, trying to sort out the situation in his head.

"I believe you," was the other's reply. "I've see the Integration mark."

"Then I don't understand. Why don't you want to remember your past, remember us?"

Heero reached up and massaged the bridge of his nose for a moment before answering. "Because of who I'm married to I'm well known and a fairly recognizable public figure. My picture has been in most newspapers, magazines and television all over Earth and the Colonies. If I tamper with the Integration and run to escape the consequences of breaking the law, we'd spend the rest of our lives running and hiding. That's not how I envision living my life."

"But we'd be together, Heero," Duo pleaded, his heart tripping wildly in his chest as the feeling of dread became overwhelming. "We'll disguise ourselves. Sure, it might get sticky at times, but we fought a war and made it past insurmountable odds. We can do it, Heero. We can do anything if we just stick together."

"I thought about it while you slept and I've made up my mind," Heero said, a tone of resolution in his voice. "Now will you please go before I'm forced to call the authorities."

Duo's face reflected the horror he felt. Not in all his dreams did he imagine Heero refusing him. "No, Heero. Please, don't do this," he begged, anguish in his whole demeanor. "You're everything to me. I don't know if I can go on without you."

The dark blue eyes studying him almost dispassionately throughout his pleading, softened at his obvious distress. "If you had come to me three months ago, I might have taken the chance. I'm strongly attracted to you and I don't doubt your word nor sincerity when you say we loved each other. But I can't. Things have changed."

Duo's mind raced as he tried to figure out a way to turn the situation around. "Are you happy with Relena? Do you love her?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer, if he could bear it.

Heero sighed and ran his right hand through his dark, short-cropped and messy hair. "I don't love her in the way a lover or even a husband should," he began. "But I care for her. As for being happy, I suppose I've grown comfortable if not a little bored with my life."

"You would choose those inferior feelings over true love?" Duo asked in disbelief and a choked voice. "'Cause that's what we had and could still have."

The other man shook his head and looked surprisingly regretful. "Relena's pregnant. We haven't told anyone yet, but she underwent the procedure of having my sperm inseminated into her eggs and implanted into her uterus. I'm choosing a future with my child over a life of running as a hunted criminal."

Duo's heartbreak was complete and devastating. How could he argue his case against an innocent baby? He buried his head in his hands and desperately fought to hold himself together, just until he could reach his hotel room.

"I'm sorry," Heero's voice was closer now, and Duo couldn't force himself to look up at him. "Will you be alright? Do you have somewhere to go? Do you need any money?"

The concern in Heero's voice sounded genuine, but it seemed to only cause more pain. Turning aside, Duo brushed off the hand that touched his shoulder. He was angry and sad as well as damn frustrated and hurt. He was shaken enough by Heero's rejection that he wasn't sure what to do with himself at that moment. Raising his grief-stricken eyes to meet Heero's apologetic ones, he realized that this was probably the last time they'd ever see one another.

"Don't worry about me, Heero. I've come up from the ashes before and somehow survived. I just want you to remember this moment in your life, one that you won't ever forget. If there was ever such a thing as soul mates, that's what we are. You had a choice and you let the greatest love of your life go. I hope you remember that as your years of being Relena's puppet crawl by. I hope you never forget that she's the one who manipulated you into this farce of a marriage and me into a life of pain and degradation. And even now, she's effectively caged you in and successfully separated us with her pregnancy. I can't wish a child any harm, but I can't wish you happiness either. Just remember, when your nights are long, cold and empty in your private bedroom where you sleep all alone, that you refused the greatest gift of all."

The words spoken in anger brought a pained look to Heero's face. "I disarmed the security system for you," he said in a tight whisper.

With one long, last look at the man who had owned his heart, and probably would always be a part of it no matter how much he'd hurt him that night, Duo turned and silently left the room and house of Kai and Relena Peacecraft-Ozuka.

Continued, and the fat lady sings at the end of the next chapter.