Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Laila Bli Cohav (a night without a star) ❯ Chapter 4

LAILA BLI COHAV

(A NIGHT WITHOUT A STAR)

PART FOUR

* * *

A few hours after Heero had fallen asleep, Duo had to go out to his nightshift. He was reluctant to leave his friend, but Quatre assured him that if anything will happen, they'd call for him. So, with a worried glance at his best friend, Duo left the house and jogged over to the small grove, taking over Trowa's shift.

He slumped down to the moist ground, lying down on his stomach, hiding behind a few bushes. The surveillance monitors were right in front of him, over-looking that base. A strong wind played with the treetops, making a soft noise as leafs and branches struggled against the strong currents. The tension before a thunderstorm was in the air, dark and thick clouds gathering up in the night sky. Every now and then a fat and warm drop of rain fell down, and a low thunder rumbled from a far.

Sighing, Duo picked up his night goggles, cursing silently at the damn weather. Spring was nice, but hot and dusty summer storms, were NOT that nice. Especially when you had to spend the whole night outside, getting soaked with yucky dusty and hot rain.

Looking through his goggles, Duo gazed down at the small base, zooming in a little to get a better view. Not much had happened the last time he was on shift, and he hoped that at least today, SOMETHING would happen and ease his boredom. And help to keep him awake. He hadn't slept well for the last two days, worrying over Heero all the time, while trying to escape his nightmares.

Again Duo sighed, looking down at the small date that flashed at the corner of the night vision screen. It was the fifth of the month. Two more days to the horrible date. Two more days for Heero to live...

"Damn it!" Duo cursed himself, shaking his head violently. "Stop thinking about it!" He told himself, and forced his mind to concentrate on the current mission.

But it did little good. His mind kept wandering back to the boy who lay sick in his bed, fighting for every breath of air.

Heero's condition was getting worse by the minute. His fever was so high, it was a wonder his brain still functioned. He was so hot to the touch; Duo could swear that one could fry an egg on his forehead. And all that shit he mumbled about... seeing someone? Talking to someone? He was getting delusional, and that was NOT good.

Solo got delusional as well, but he didn't talk or claim to see anyone. He didn't act crazy. Not like Heero did, anyway. He was too weak to act that way. He just lay there quietly, in their small shelter, behind an old scrap yard, and fought silently for each breath. Once in a while he mumbled something, but it never made much sense.

Duo sighed and closed his eyes heavily. The only time that Solo was coherent enough to speak, was when he died, muttering those last few words to him... saying he wished that they could spend some more time together. But they never had the chance. Solo died just then, right in front of his young eyes.

He had promised his friend then, that they would be together always. Holding on to Solo's lifeless body, he had given himself the name Duo. Never alone, always two. Never alone.

He wanted to die just then, having no reason or will to live, but his life was spared from the plague. He never understood why, but in his heart, he hoped that it was Solo, watching over him. Never alone.

He had to live. He had to keep on living for the two of them. And he had gone through life, living each moment to the fullest, trying to live for two people. And looking. Always looking. Always searching for that one person... that one person he could finally be with... to share everything with... to be together. Never alone...

With all his searching and seeking, he became blind. Blind to see that the person he was looking for, that one person he longed for, was there all along. He was there in a form of a boy with a stern face, and deep blue eyes that always betrayed his cold exterior. The comfort he was seeking, could be found so easily, if only he would have looked closer. But now... now it was too late... There would be no shoulder to cry on. He was going to loose that shoulder just when he found out that it was there. It will be gone soon, leaving him behind like everyone else did. Alone.

Always alone.

Duo sniffled, wiping the tears away before they had a chance to pour out of his eyes. He took a deep breath, and looked up at the base again. There was no point dwelling on it now. He had a mission to do. Besides, maybe if he thought less about it, it will hurt less when Heero dies. He shouldn't get too attached now, right at the end. It was too late anyway, so it shouldn't really matter. Just a comrade dying, nothing else.

"Just a comrade..." Duo muttered sadly, picking up his goggles, looking down at the base. "Just a comrade."

* * *

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Sighing, Heero stirred in his bed, sheets rustling in the dark.

Tap. Tap. Tap...

He opened his eyes slowly, and blinked a few times. The room was dark, the candle long extinguished, but the door was slightly open, letting in some light from the hall. Sighing deeply, Heero turned to face the door, his eyes searching for the familiar ball.

He showed no particular response as he saw it roll down the hallway, passing by his bedroom door, and stopping right there. He looked up calmly as the door was slightly pushed open, held by a small hand. When the little girl peeked into the room, Heero merely blinked, and returned her gaze calmly.

The little girl smiled at him, waving a small hello.

Heero's lips lifted up slightly in response, and he pushed himself up a little, propping himself on one elbow. He watched silently as the little girl disappeared behind the door, away from his line of sight. He bent forward a little, trying to look for her, but it did little good. Coughing silently, Heero tilted his body at the door's direction, but he still couldn't see her.

The ball began moving down the hallway.

Frowning, Heero waited for the girl to follow it, but as the seconds ticked by, he didn't see her. He frowned to himself, a little confused, watching the door for a while longer. He could hear the ball roll down the corridor, scrapping silently against the rough wooden floor.

Then, he could hear it drop down the stairs, making a soft noise as it bounced down each step.

Curious, Heero threw the covers aside, and brought two shaky legs down to the floor. Hissing softly at the cool touch of the floor against his feet, Heero slowly got up, trying to steady himself on his feet. Coughing, he took a few deep breaths, and then looked up at the door again.

The ball was still bouncing down the stairs, the sound echoing in the darkness.

A little dizzy, Heero walked slowly towards the door, leaning heavily against the doorframe when he finally got there. Catching his breath, he peeked into the hallway, looking left and right.

The girl was nowhere to be seen.

Sighing, Heero turned to look in the direction of the stairs, eyes narrowing in the darkness of the hall. Only one candle was burning, its small flame struggling against the darkness of the hall. It gave little light, and more shadows, but it was enough to see.

Taking another deep breath, Heero pushed himself off the doorframe, taking a small step into the hall. He padded silently down the hallway, his bare feet making no sound as they stepped over the carpet. He was leaning against the wall for support, his breath labored as he walked.

Finally, he reached the staircase, and took a moment to catch his breath. Listened well, he could hear the ball make its way down, tapping against wooden steps as it fell.

Panting, Heero blinked a few times, wiping the sweat off his brow and fighting to keep awake. It looked like a long way down, but he just had to do it. He wanted to know.

Slowly, carefully, he walked down the stairs, holding onto the thick wooden banister as for dear life. By the time he got down to the ground floor, the ball was silent again. He guessed that it rolled onwards, without waiting for him (how rude!), and now he had to look for it.

Unfortunately for him, the ground floor was completely dark. Well, that shouldn't be hard to fix.

Looking left and right, his breath still a bit shaky, Heero reached up a hand and felt around the walls. He smiled slightly to himself as his fingers encountered what he sought, and without thought, Heero flipped the switch on.

The whole floor lit up in a bright display of lights.

Heero nodded in satisfaction, pleased that he had found such an easy solution to his problem, and began searching for the ball.

* * *

"Boring... boring... boring..." Duo mumbled silently to himself, scanning the base through his night goggles. "Still there... hm hmm... definitely still there... Yep! The base haven't moved an inch!" He sighed heavily to himself, his tired eyes watching the regular change of shifts down in the base. New guards replaced sleepy guards, and that was the only thing that had happened in HOURS.

Yawning as loud as he can, Duo shifted position again, for his body was becoming numb. He was still laying on the ground, which was now moist with rain, his clothes damp and itchy. He blinked a few times, trying to keep awake, something that was easier to do when the rain was falling.

He glanced at the small display on the side of his night vision, and saw that he was only three hours into his shift.

How very boring.

He looked up quickly as he spotted movement down by the gate, leading into the base. A small vehicle was just parking in front of the gate.

Zooming in a little, Duo could see that it was a motorcycle. He lifted himself up a little, leaning closer as if it would matter, and watched carefully as the biker got off the bike and headed towards the gate. He was carrying something in his hands. Duo's eyes narrowed and he zoomed in even more, but he could not tell what the package was.

Two guards came to greet the man, looking quite casual and cool. They exchange a few words as one of the guards examined the package.

Duo leaned down even further, anxious to see what he was on to. He held his breath in anticipation as he saw the guard slowly open the package.

"Got you now..." He whispered with a sly smile, shifting the goggles so he had a better view of the box. Now he could see that the box contained...

Pizza.

"A pizza box!?" Duo whined, throwing his goggles aside. "Oh come on!" He snorted, rolling his eyes. Cursing the whole situation, he flipped over to lie on his back, two hands behind his head. "Pizza!" He exclaimed, unable to get over it.

He sighed heavily, and closed his eyes. "Well, it's good to know that I'm not wasting my time here..." He muttered sarcastically. "When I could be doing something as useless as sleeping..." He yawned, opening his eyes again. He looked up sleepily at the house up ahead, and suddenly, his eyes widened.

The lights on the first floor were on.

"Oh shit!" Duo cursed, jumping up to his feet.

He began running towards the house.

* * *

"Hello?" Heero called out hoarsely, peeking behind the couch. There was no one there, and Heero looked up again, disappointed. He scanned the large living room, trying to think where he didn't search yet.

"Little girl?" He called again, taking a few steps towards the center of the living room. "Where are you?" He asked, and then coughed silently, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle the sound. "Hello?" He looked around, his gaze confused. He was sure that he heard the ball fall down here! Where was it?

The bright light was beginning to hurt his eyes, and Heero lifted a hand up to shield them from the light, panting at the strain he was putting his body through. Sweat trickled down his temples, and his bangs were sticking to his face again. He took a shaky step forward, looking around desperately.

Eventually, he spotted the ball lying by the door.

Sighing in relief, Heero slowly began to walk to it, holding onto the couch for a moment as dizziness assaulted him. He took a few deep breaths, struggling for balance, unable to even walk in a straight line as he made his way to the door. He was panting hard, a hand still over his forehead, eyes closed in pain as he fought to keep walking. He waddled from side to side, his hand searching for something to hold onto. And just before he was about to make it to the door, merely two feet from the ball, the dizziness was too much, and Heero's body toppled forward.

Just then, the door opened and Duo walked in.

"Heero!" He called out in surprise, catching the boy just before he fell. "Oh God! Heero!"

Coughing loudly, Heero tried to push himself away from the boy, but his trembling arms had little strength left in them.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Duo demanded harshly, kicked the door shut with his foot, while hoisting Heero up and helping him stand.

"Ba...ll..." Heero rasped, his shaking hand reaching down for the ball.

"Huh?!" Duo let out, looking down at Heero's hand. He frowned as he saw that Heero was reaching for a stupid little ball that stood by the door. "Is THIS why you came down here!? Jesus, Heero! Really!"

"What's going on?!" Wufei's voice came from the stairs, as the rest of the pilots came running down.

"Oh God! Who turned the lights on!?" Quatre exclaimed, looking around worriedly.

"Heero did." Duo let out with a sigh, while Trowa turned off the lights.

Darkness fell over the house once again, and only Heero's panting could be heard in the dark.

"Heero? You came down here by yourself?" Quatre asked, astonished. "How did he manage that?"

Heero didn't answer, and just kept looking down at the ball. He was leaning heavily on Duo, his chin resting on Duo's shoulder, and if Duo's hands weren't around his waist, he wouldn't have been able to keep standing up.

"I don't know." Duo answered solemnly, looking down at Heero's dark head. "But I saw the lights were on so I came right up here."

"What were you looking for?" Trowa's voice was finally heard. He was holding a candle now, brining some weak light into the house.

Heero remained silent, still struggling to catch his breath.

"C'mon, lets put you back to bed." Duo spoke with a sigh, pulling Heero up a little, for the boy kept sliding down.

Blinking, Heero turned his gaze up from the ball. He looked up silently at the rest of the pilots, standing by the staircase, illuminated by Trowa's candle. His glazed eyes looked at each of them numbly, and then he could feel Duo carefully scoop him off his feet. Unable to resist, he let Duo cradle him in his arms, his head coming to rest on Duo's shoulder. He was unable to look at the pilots anymore, too weak to move his head, and so he just gazed numbly up ahead, at the large window in the living room.

Lightning cut through the dark skies, and Heero's eyes widened. He tensed in Duo's embrace, his head jerking up, looking intently at the window.

Another flash of bright blue light, and Heero's mouth open in silent surprise.

The strong winds were causing the planes of tall grass to look like giant waves in a raging ocean. The trees were threatening to cave under the strong winds, struggling against the storm. And in the middle of all that, stood the little girl, looking up at Heero with her big hazel eyes.

Heero gasped and looked away, suddenly frightened by the sight.

"Calm down, Heero, it's just a storm." Duo's voice soothed, and the braided boy began walking towards the stairs.

Another lightning and Heero looked up, seeing the girl in the brief flash of light. She was waiting for him to come.

"N-no..." Heero protested weakly, trying to free himself from Duo's hold.

"Heero, it's just me, Duo. It's okay."

"No!" Heero called, louder this time, trying to push Duo away, pressing two trembling hands against his chest. "I have to... to go outside... I have to..."

"Heero, there's nothing but a storm outside." Wufei's voice came to his ears, but he ignored it, trying to free himself.

Another jolt of electricity cut through the night sky, and Heero could see the girl looking at him anxiously.

"I have to go! She's waiting!" He called desperately, hands reaching towards the window.

"Heero, no one is waiting!" Duo shouted, now having difficulties to walk with Heero struggling in his arms.

"No! No! She's there! She's there! Let me go!" Heero screamed, nearly crying. He was panting hard now, his fevered body shaking under the effort.

"Heero, please calm down." Trowa asked quietly, coming over to help Duo to contain the delusional pilot. "There's no one here but us."

"No... I have to..." Heero whispered tiredly, unable to shout or fight anymore. He sank into Duo's embrace, leaning heavily against his shoulder. His glazed blue eyes kept looking out the window, his mouth slightly open as his lungs fought to breathe. "She's waiting for me to come..."

Looking up worriedly at Trowa, Duo fixed his hold on the boy's burning body. He turned to look at the window, just as lightning hit, but he saw nothing there. He felt Quatre's hand touch his shoulder carefully and forced himself to look away.

"Come on, Duo, let's get him to bed."

* * *

"It's getting worse." Trowa's voice stated the obvious, watching Duo as he tucked their Japanese friend to bed.

"What can we do?" Wufei asked helplessly, also looking down at the boy on the bed.

Heero's features were haggard and sweaty, his mouth slightly open as he fought to breathe. His chest rose slowly up and down, his limbs lying lifelessly on the small bed, twitching in pain from time to time.

"There's nothing we can do but wait." Trowa answered quietly, turning his gaze to look up at Duo. The braided boy was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Heero's hand in his, looking silently down at the boy. He frowned, and then sighed. "I can cover for you if you want."

"Thanks." Duo answered without looking up.

Trowa nodded and left the room.

Quatre watched him leave, and then turned back to face the two boys on the bed. "We should wake him up." He said quietly, one clutched hand over his heart. "With such a high fever, it would be better to keep him awake."

Duo nodded slowly, still not lifting his gaze off Heero's sleeping features.

"Make sure he drinks something." Wufei added, turning to the door.

Duo showed no response, and Quatre sighed. He felt Wufei place a hand on his shoulder and looked up to meet the Chinese pilot's eyes. He saw Wufei gesture at the door with his head, and nodded. The two left the room, closing the door silently behind them.

At the sound of the door closing, Duo looked up, a bit startled. Sighing, he let his gaze down again, looking down at his friend with pained amethyst eyes. He reached down carefully, pushing a few damp bangs out of Heero's eyes. He watched Heero for a while as the soft flickering of flames danced over his damp features, small drops of perspiration glistering under the soft candlelight. His fingers lingered on to the heated skin for a bit longer, slowly caressing Heero's flushed features.

He smiled sadly at the boy as Heero moaned silently, leaning into the cool touch. He turned to take the cloth off the nightstand, and dipped it into some water. Wringing the cloth gently, he turned back to Heero, and slowly began to wash his fevered face.

Again Heero moaned at the cool touch, taking a deep breath as he turned his head in Duo's direction. His eyes slowly fluttered open, and Duo couldn't help but to smile down at those swirling blue oceans.

"Hey." He whispered, refusing to break the pleasant silence with a loud voice.

Heero blinked a few times, looking up at Duo in a confused expression.

"Here," Duo whispered again, handing Heero a glass of water. "Drink this."

He helped Heero up, supporting his head, and slowly served the glass to his lips. He watched carefully as Heero drank, his eyes narrowing painfully as he saw some of the liquid escape Heero's mouth and slide down his chin and onto the bed. He was so weak, he could barely swallow.

Smiling kindly down at the boy, Duo reached down a hand and gently wiped the water off Heero's chin. Heero sent him a baffled look then, surprised by his kind action, but he let him do it.

After making sure Heero had had enough to drink, Duo gently lowered him down to the pillow, and put the glass away. He saw Heero prepare to go back to sleep, and then remembered Quatre's words to him. He reached down and nudged the boy slightly.

"Heero, you can't go back to sleep." He whispered to him, shaking him gently. "You have to keep awake."

"...tired." Heero whispered, his eyes still closed.

"I know, but it's not good to fall asleep now. You're fever's too high."

Heero didn't answer, nor did he open his eyes, so Duo nudged him again. "Heero, c'mon, buddy. Wake up."

Coughing weakly, Heero opened his eyes, tired pools of cobalt staring numbly up at Duo. "D-Duo?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper. "You're here?"

Baffled, Duo could do nothing but try to soothe him. He reached down a hand to push Heero's bangs aside, and smiled kindly at him. "Yes, Heero. I'm here."

"N-na-no good..." Heero mumbled, struggling to keep his eyes open. "Quatre said... get... sick..."

Duo sighed sadly, and gently caressed Heero's burning forehead. "Don't worry about it, Heero. I'll be fine."

He was surprised to see Heero smile slightly in return. "A-ari...ga...tou..."

Duo forced himself to smile back. "Anytime, Hee-buddy."

Heero nodded, and closed his eyes again. But he did not allow himself to go back to sleep.

Shifting uncomfortably in his spot on the bed, Duo tried to think of a way to keep Heero awake. Eventually, he resorted to the one thing he knew best: talking.

"Ya know, Heero, all this time we've been together, and I think that I barely know you."

Cobalt blue eyes slowly blinked at Duo in confusion.

Duo forced out a small chuckle, shrugging helplessly. "Well, it's true. You never talk." He frowned, looking down at his friend. "Why is that?"

Heero sighed, looking away. "I have... nothing... to say..."

Duo rolled his eyes, settling more comfortably in the bed. "Sure you do! Why all you have to do is try. Just like we do, sit around and talk. Hell, even TROWA does it. But you... you never join in..."

Again Heero sighed, closing his eyes and looking away. "You're having fun, I don't want to interrupt."

"It's not interrupting, it's interACTING. Just join in and talk!"

"What should I say?" Heero asked hoarsely, turning his head to face Duo, cobalt eyes shining in the candlelight.

Duo frowned, thinking. "Well, you can talk about yourself, so we'll get to know you better."

Heero snorted softly, turning his head away once again. "There's nothing to know."

This time, Duo had to take a few moments to think of a proper response. He bit his lower lip, thinking, until his eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. He bounced up in the bed happily, and turned to take Heero's hand in his. He looked down at the boy in the eyes, smiling to himself at the sight of Heero's stunned expression.

"We can start with the facts." He finally said, earning another baffled look from his friend.

"Facts?" Heero croaked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you're good with those, right?"

Heero just blinked in confusion.

Duo smiled. "Here, I'll start." He took a deep breath, still holding Heero's hand, and looked the boy straight in the eyes, his own eyes warm and gentle. "I'm Duo Maxwell, and I'm fifteen years old."

Again Heero blinked, gaping at Duo. He felt Duo take the cloth from the bowl and place it gently on his burning forehead. The braided boy then smiled kindly at him, waiting for him to speak. After a few moments, he managed to gather his wits, and blinked in confusion. "Uh... I-I'm Heero Yuy and I'm fifteen years old."

Duo's smile broadened, happy that Heero was playing along. He took another deep breath, and then continued. "I'm Duo Maxwell, and I'm fifteen years old. Duo isn't my real name."

Eyes widening briefly, Heero gaped at Duo for a few more moments, before realizing his little game. "I'm... Heero Yuy and I'm fifteen years old." He coughed weakly, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Heero isn't my real name either."

Duo nodded, his smile slowly fading. He looked away for a second, before turning back to Heero, his violet eyes losing some of their light. "I'm Duo Maxwell, and I'm fifteen years old. Duo isn't my real name. I named myself."

Stunned, Heero could do nothing but stare at Duo for a few long moments. Duo just shrugged and smiled sadly at him. He squeezed his hand gently, looking kindly at him. "Your turn."

Body numb, Heero barely managed to nod his head. He took a deep breath, coughing before finally speaking. "I'm Heero Yuy and I'm fifteen years old. Heero isn't my real name either. J gave it to me because I needed a name for the war."

Feeling his heart clench painfully, Duo nodded in understanding, again looking away before turning back to Heero.

"I named myself after the people that I loved and cared for."

Wincing silently, Heero swallowed the lump in his throat, closing his eyes sadly. "I... I too had people I lo--loved and... ca-- …..cared for." He whispered sadly, unable to look up at Duo. He felt the braided boy squeeze his hand softly. He looked up at Duo, and was stunned as he found himself looking straight into a pair of shining violet eyes. Duo's eyes were glistering with tears, shining under the dim candlelight. But despite of the tears, Duo was smiling down at him, his smile warm and compassionate.

Heero gasped as he felt Duo's cool fingers slowly brush a few bangs out of his eyes, and he blinked, confused by Duo's actions.

"Solo used to take care of me on the streets... Father Maxwell and Sister Helen took care of me when I was in the church."

Heero found that he had lost the ability to speak under that warn violet gaze. "I... My... my mother took care of me when I was little... after that, I had Odin."

Duo looked down at Heero lengthily, before he nodded in silent understanding. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes sadly. "Solo died from the plague. Father Maxwell and Sister Helen were killed." He kept his eyes closed after that, in a useless effort to stop the tears. He couldn't believe that he had just told Heero about it. It was something he didn't say out loud. Not ever. Not to anyone. But... but he felt like he could tell it to Heero.

Suddenly, he felt Heero tighten his grip around his palm, and he turned to look down at the ill pilot.

Heero smiled sadly at him, coughing weakly. He took a few deep breaths, before his hoarse voice spoke up again. "My mother died because Odin killed her." He let out, his voice sounding more or less detached. But then another small smile appeared on Heero's moist features, his blue eyes suddenly sparkling. "Odin used to tell me stories when I was sick."

Duo smiled weakly, some light returning to his violet eyes. "Sister Helen used to read me from the bible when I was sick. That would make ANYONE wish to get better in NO time!" He chuckled at his own small joke, and then smiled as he saw Heero was smiling as well. It was just this weak and sad little smile, but it was worth the world just to see it play over Heero's pale lips.

He tightened his hold on Heero's warm hand, smiling down at him. "See? It's not so hard."

Heero nodded his head, slightly blushing as he felt the pad of Duo's thumb caress the palm of his hand.

"So," Duo began in a more cheerful tone of voice. "Shall we give it another go?"

Thinking it over for a few seconds, Heero finally nodded.

Duo smiled and held his hand tighter. For the rest of the night, he allowed himself to forget about Heero's fatal condition, and just stayed by his side, talking. He did not allow himself to think about the uselessness of the conversation, about how silly it was to be getting to know Heero when the boy was at his deathbed. He just wanted to enjoy those last precious hours, maybe even make Heero feel a little better. But most of all, it's what he wanted to feel. He wanted to be with Heero. He wanted to stay and speak with him. He wanted to feel what he had only recently realized. He wanted to feel what it's like to once again, have a best friend. Someone he could speak with about ANYTHING. Someone to share his joy and sadness. His tears and his laughter. His dark memories of the past and his hopes for a brighter future. Someone who would listen and understand.

Someone like Heero.

* * *

The next morning, Duo came downstairs, yawning and stretching his hands up in the air. He waddled sleepily into the kitchen, sending a tired smile of 'hello' to Quatre, who was sitting in the kitchen. Wufei was out on his shift, and Trowa was probably sleeping after covering for Duo last night.

Yawning loudly, Duo poured himself some strong coffee.

Quatre chuckled. "You should get some more sleep, Duo. It's not even noon yet. Did you sleep at all?"

Shrugging, Duo threw himself into a chair across of Quatre. "A little." He yawned again.

The blond pilot shook his head, smiling in amusement. "I heard Heero and you speak all night long. Are you feeling any better?"

Still in the middle of a yawn, Duo nodded his head. He turned to sip his coffee, shrugging. "A little. Nothing I can say for Heero, thought. He began vomiting each time I gave him a drink. He can't keep anything down."

Having nothing to say about that, Quatre just bowed his head sadly.

The kitchen fell silent, and Duo returned to sipping his coffee. He arched an eyebrow as he saw that Quatre was reading through a bunch of thick old papers. He put his mug down, and reached for one of the papers. "What's this? Mission reports?"

"Huh? Oh, no." Quatre answered, looking up. "It's just some old articles I found on the net."

"Articles?" Duo asked, scanning the paper he was holding. After reading a few lines, he looked up at Quatre in confusion. "You're reading about murder cases? I never knew you were into mystery novels and stuff..."

Quatre chuckled. "I'm not, but this thing caught my eye. I just had to do some research."

"Research?" Duo let out, taking another paper off the large pile that lay on the table. His eyes widened as he spotted a picture in one of the articles. "About this house?" He showed his friend the picture he had discovered, an old photo of the large farmhouse they were currently living in.

Quatre's eyes widened and he reached for the paper. "Oh! I was looking for that! I thought I dropped it..." He muttered, taking the paper from Duo and quickly reading it over.

"Quatre, why are you so interested in that murder?" Duo asked, still very much confused. "There's been about a billion of them in this region. Why this one?"

"Oh, it's not the murder I'm curious about. It's the fact that they never found one of the bodies." Quatre explained solemnly. He looked up at his friend, smiling slightly. "Besides, there's nothing better to do."

Duo forced on a smile. "Yeah, yer right. Waiting is kinda boring..." He picked up a few papers, and took another sip of his coffee. "So, you're trying to figure out where the body is?"

Quatre blushed slightly. "It's silly, isn't it? I thought I'll practice my detective skills a bit..."

Duo chuckled. "Hm, Quatre Sherlock Winner... sounds pretty cool." He sent a quick glance over his shoulder, and then turned back to face the blond. "So, did you try any of the closets?"

Quatre chuckled and shook his head. He returned to reading over his paper.

Duo smiled bitterly. He leaned back in his chair, putting two arms behind his head. He looked up at the ceiling, at Heero's floor, and sighed heavily to himself. I guess that this is a good time as any to take some skeletons out of the closet... Ne, Heero?

* * *

Strong rays of high noon sunshine filtered through the pink drapes of Heero's room. The said boy was lying on his small bed, curled into himself, lying on his side, facing the window. His eyes were closed, his breath even, deep asleep. The bright rays of sunshine washed over his pale features, making his hair look as if it was shining under the white light.

BANG!

Heero's eyes snapped open and he gasped. He immediately closed his eyes as the bright light assaulted him straight in the face, and he moaned miserably at his aching body.

BANG!

Again that loud sound, and Heero sighed heavily. He pushed himself up, turning over to lay on his other side, facing away from the window.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The angry sound continued, ringing loudly in Heero's ears. He flinched at the noise, rubbing his eyes to clear his vision. When he finally opened them, he was faced with one unhappy, and angry looking, girl.

BANG!

She was throwing the ball forcefully at the floor, her hazel eyes glaring angrily at Heero.

Blinking, Heero looked up at he, baffled.

BANG!

The ball crashed forcefully on the floor, along with the girl's foot as she stomped it down as well. Her eyes kept glaring accusingly.

Groaning, Heero pushed himself up, leaning down on his pillows. He wiped some sweat off his forehead, and turned to look back at the girl.

BANG!

Heero sighed and shook his head. "That's quite an attention getter." He told her in a cracking voice, gesturing down at the ball. "What's wrong?"

BANG!

Heero rolled his eyes and sighed again. "Are you angry with me?"

BANG!

"You are, huh?" Heero concluded, scratching his head helplessly. "Is it something I did?"

This time, the girl caught the ball, keeping it in her hold, and still glaring at Heero.

"Is it because I didn't come out?"

The hazel eyes kept glaring.

Heero sighed and bowed his head sorrowfully. "I'm sorry. You waited for me, huh?"

Suddenly, the ball was thrown his way.

Surprised, Heero caught it, and looked down at her, puzzled. If she was angry, why did she still want to play?

The girl sighed sadly, and then gestured at him to throw her the ball.

Although tired of that game, Heero complied. He threw her the ball, and, as usual, it went straight through her.

Heero sighed and looked away.

The girl stomped over to the ball, and picked it up. She glared at Heero for a few moments, and then forcefully, angrily, threw him the ball.

Again Heero caught it, and looked up at her, desperate. "There's no use, you can't catch it." He let out dejectedly, raising the ball up to his face. He examined it for a while, and then looked back at the girl. She was still looking angrily at him, her hand on her hips, waiting for him to throw her the ball. But what was the point of this game?! She couldn't catch it! Why was she insisting on playing with him?! Why won't she go away? What kind of a hallucination was she, anyway?!

Heero gasped and his eyes widened. He looked up at the girl, the ball held up in his hands.

The girl looked up at him, her features softening once she saw the stunned look on his face.

And then, slowly, numbly, Heero's hands worked as if on their own accord, and he threw her the ball.

The girl's head shot up, looking up at the ball in anticipation.

"You're not an illusion."

The ball fell right into the girl's hands, and she caught it.

She smiled, looking happily up at Heero. She shook her head, throwing him the ball.

Heero caught it, still a little confused. He looked down at the ball, and then at the girl. Frowning, he threw it back to her.

"Are you a ghost?"

Again the ball slid into the girl's hands, and she bounced up in the air, clapping her hands happily.

Heero smiled weakly, his confusion growing by a tenfold. "Did I kill you?" He asked, voice quiet and uncertain.

The girl shook her head.

Heero sighed in relief, and then looked up at her again, his cobalt eyes shimmering in compassion. "Did you die here? In this house?"

The girl bowed her head sadly, and then slowly shook it.

Heero made a face, unpleased with the confusing answer. He looked up at the girl again, noticing her sudden sad demeanor. "Why can't I hear you?"

The girl just shrugged.

Biting his lip in thought, Heero looked around the room, as if searching for answers. He turned to look at the girl again, and his eyes narrowed. "What do you want from me?"

The girl's head jerked up, and her big hazel eyes suddenly glimmered with hope. She smiled sadly at him, and then opened her mouth to speak.

Heero concentrated, trying to read her lips. The girl's lips began to move, but then the door suddenly flew open and Duo walked straight through the girl.

Heero flinched, startled by the sight, his wide blue eyes darting up to look at the intruder.

Duo flashed him a smile, walking towards the bed, a tray of food in his hands.

"Morning Hee-chan! Got some food for ya!"

Heero rolled his eyes at the baka, and leaned aside a little, trying to peek behind Duo and see the girl. But Duo kept standing in the way, moving aside just as Heero leaned down. Heero snorted and rolled his eyes. Why won't the baka move?!

Duo was leaning over the small table by Heero's bed, placing a tray with some soup and bread on it. When he straightened up, he was surprised to see Heero doing the same, like he was leaning aside to look for something. Duo frowned and sent a look over his shoulder. As usual, there was no one there.

He rolled his eyes and sighed quietly to himself. He then picked up the bowl of soup and went to sit on Heero's bed. The Japanese boy was still looking at something, staring in concentration at the door's direction.

"Hey, Heero." Duo spoke to get his attention. Heero slowly turned to look at him. Duo smiled, handing a spoon up to his mouth. "Quatre says you gotta try to eat something. Think yer up to it?"

Sighing heavily, Heero nodded. He sent a glance over to the door, seeing the girl slump her shoulders sadly.

"Here, I brought ya some bread too." Duo announced with pride, handing a piece of bread to Heero's mouth.

Heero glared at him. He hated being fed!

"Oh! You're right! Better soak it with some soup!" Duo called as he spotted that glare, though he knew it was not the reason. He dipped the bread into the chicken soup, humming to himself.

Heero rolled his eyes and coughed.

"There ya go! All mushy and ready to be eaten!" He said, handing Heero the bread, which was dripping down soup and looking like a very unpleasant thing to chew on.

Heero sighed and took the small piece of bread. He brought it up to him mouth, just as another cough slipped out of his lungs.

"Wow, careful there, Hee-chan! You dunwanna choke on it now do ya?" Duo teased, sending Heero a small wink.

But Heero did not respond. Instead, he coughed again, his eyes suddenly widening in distress.

"Heero?" Duo called, worried. "Heero, what's wrong?"

Again the boy coughed, but it came out all muffled and choked.

Duo's eyes widened as he realized that Heero was not breathing. "Heero!" He called, panicked, jumping up on the bed. "Oh God! Heero!"

Again the Japanese boy tried to cough, to clear his airways, but it was doing him little good. He brought one hand up to his throat, signaling Duo that he was suffocating. His face was turning red, his skin breaking sweat as he tried to force his lungs to breathe. He punched his chest a few times, desperate for oxygen, but the lump in his throat would not budge.

"Oh God! Oh God!" Duo was panicking as he hurried over to Heero, patting him forcefully on the back, trying to help his breathe. He positioned himself behind Heero, wrapped his hands quickly around the boy's chest and did the Heimlich maneuver.

Coughing, Heero spat out the chunk of bread, gulping for large amounts of air. He slumped back into Duo's body, panting heavily.

Duo breathed in relief.

And then Heero started coughing again. So loud and deep, that it sounded like he was suffocating again. Duo's eyes widened as he felt Heero's body quake in his hold, and the Japanese boy's loud gasping filled the room.

"Heero?"

"D-D--ah--ek!!!" Heero choked out, raising his hand up in the air as a call for help. He could feel his lungs burn, begging for oxygen intake, but he could do nothing but cough out air, struggling to inhale, but unable to. His chest felt heavy, and it refused to move, burning with heated white pain.

A gasp and then a cough. His body burned in pain in lack of oxygen. Another short gasp, and ten more coughs. It was getting harder and harder to even try to breathe. His mouth hung wide open, wide blue eyes looking up at the ceiling in shock.

"Heero! Oh God! Shit! QUATRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Tears began to fill Heero's unblinking eyes, and he took short and shallow gasps for air, feeling the darkness sipping into the edges of his mind.

"HEERO!"

Duo voice sounded like an echo from a far, as Heero's life began to slowly slip away. His body had given up on the struggle, his lungs empty of air and refusing to work.

He could hear his own heartbeat, loud and overpowering the silence that suddenly surrounded him.

He felt himself fall down, lower and lower into a dark abyss, as his body crashed down onto the bed.

Duo was hovering somewhere above him, wide amethyst eyes panicked.

And somewhere, in the distance, he could hear the girl's voice.

"Come to me..."

Part 5.

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