Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Lean On Me ❯ Alone In The Midst of Friends ( Chapter 10 )

Authors Note - Hey again! I'm not gonna have a long thing, I am just saying hi, so get on with the story. Latah!

Disclaimer: I don't own it..

Chapter Ten

Vienna winced as WuFei's body fell backwards over the bed and hit the floor. "That gotta hurt," she muttered as she ran over to him. "Someone help me lift him back onto the bed."

Trowa volunteered and together they lifted the unconscious Chinese boy onto the bed. He grunted, but did not wake up. Vienna rubbed the back of her neck before looking up at Meiran. "Hey, he's your husband, Meiran. Try to get him awake."

Meiran walked over but said, "He may be my husband, but he's also your brother."

Vienna sent her a murderous glare that could have frightened the bravest of men. "Meiran-" she growled.

Too late. Sally and Noin had heard, and were looking to Vienna for an answer. Meiran grimaced slightly, cursing her big mouth.

Heero came to their rescue just then. "I'll fill you in later, but now, we have business to do," he said to the two older women.

Midii and Cathrine made their way to the bed to join the other girls. Midii nudged Vienna in the side. "I never knew you had a brother."

Vienna smiled. "Yeah, but you know hardly anything about me."

Midii nodded. "Very true."

"He's waking up!" Cathrine announced.

Meiran put her attention to WuFei and shook his arm. "WuFei, wake up," she whispered.

"Come on, Wu-man, wakey, wakey," Duo chirped, pushing his way through the girls. "You can't sleep the day away."

WuFei moved and soon his eyes opened. He jerked up when he saw mostly women around him. He glared at them all. "What do you all want?" His eyes stopped on Vienna, but then went around to Meiran and froze. She smiled at him. He felt mixed emotions. He was glad she was back and alive, but yet, where had she been hiding in the past years? Had she been hiding from him? What had she been doing?

"Surprised to see me, huh?" Meiran asked. Vienna waited for her brother to answer and his reply surprised her.

"Where have you been?" he thundered. "If you've been alive for the past few years, you could have at least told me!"

Meiran frowned. "I couldn't, WuFei. I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" he shouted in her face. He shoved Vienna aside, knocking her to the ground, and stormed out of the room.

"WuFei!" Meiran called. He did not turn around or acknowledge that he had heard her. She sighed heavily and leaned against the bed for support. Cathrine wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"It's okay Meiran. He's just surprised, that's all." Cathrine smiled sympathetically.

Midii bent down to help Vienna up from the floor. "For a brother, he sure doesn't treat you well."

Vienna shook her head sadly. "He doesn't know I'm his sister."

Midii looked surprised. "Really? The way he looked at you for those few seconds seemed as if he knew you as his sister. But then, I may be wrong."

Meiran turned and nodded. "She's right."

Duo shrugged. "I dunno. But let me tell you, he will never let this down!" he cheered. "That faint is going down in history."

Trowa and Heero shook their heads. Quatre smiled, but said nothing about it.

Meiran suddenly brightened and turned to Noin. "Didn't you say there was someone else that you found in space with WuFei?"

Noin nodded. "Yes, I did. Would you like to see her?"

They all nodded, some more enthusiastic than others.

"Let's go then," Noin said.

"What about WuFei?" Quatre asked. "Shouldn't we try to find him?"

Sally smiled at the blonde. "WuFei won't get far. Even if he did try to get away from here, the guards wouldn't let him. He'll eventually cool down and return to his senses."

"You're right," Meiran consented. "He's thick headed, but not that thick."

Cathrine hurried ahead of everyone, excited about meeting this other person that just might be her long lost sister. Noin laughed and stopped at another door not far from the last one, which was also another infirmary, but smaller and more advanced than the last. "Now, she was in a worse condition than WuFei, so don't be surprised if she is still unconscious." She pushed the door open and entered. Her eyes widened in shock. "What the-"

Cathrine jumped inside and looked to the bed. The sheets were ruffled, revealing that they had been used, but it was empty.

WuFei slowed as he came upon the fourth hallway he had gone through since he had left the infirmary. He sighed and glared at the floor as he walked. What was she thinking? He thought. Why did she hide from me and keep the secret of Vienna from me. What kind of a wife hides important secrets from her husband? He sighed. There are so many questions, but no answers.

Suddenly, WuFei's wrist was grabbed and yanked into an open storage room. The door was slammed shut and locked. "Let go of me!" WuFei struggled against his attacker and managed to get his arm free. He tried to reach the door, but the mysterious person blocked it.

"WuFei, it's me," the person said.

WuFei hesitated at the sound of the person's voice. "Riley?" he called softly.

"Duh," the person replied sarcastically. The light was switched on, putting a light on things (a/n. ignore the pun). Standing before him was Riley, but she looked somewhat different. She was the same, but he could easily tell she was in pain. "Of course it's me, Wu-man. Who else?"

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Riley forced a small smile. "Yeah, I'm-argh!" WuFei had grabbed her upper arm in a vice-like grip, causing her to wince and cry out in pain. He released her arm and she sighed in relief, massaging her arm.

WuFei stared at her. "You aren't okay," he stated.

Riley glared at him. "What did you do that for?" she asked him.

"When it comes to acting, you can't fool me."

"Whatever," she grumbled. She shrugged. "I can't very well have you worrying over me."

WuFei snorted. "Me? Worrying over you? That was the last thing on my mind."

Riley scowled. "Thanks." A sharp pain caused her to wince again.

WuFei sighed. "Where else are you hurt?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"I was trying to be nice," he said.

"Well that's a new one, considering what you just did to your wife!"

WuFei glared at her, his fists clenched. "Keep her out of this."

"No," Riley said. "You sure did treat her like dirt. Did you ever think that there was a reason why she never revealed herself to you? No! Instead, you blame everything on her, and leave her in the dust to feel guilty."

"She deserves it. She should have told me she was alive to save me from all the pain!"

Riley raised an eyebrow. "The pain? Yeah, right, I'm so sure you missed her." Riley folded her arms across her chest and looked away from WuFei.

"You're wrong."

Riley's eyes looked his way without turning her head. He looked at her and then said, "Can you move? I'm getting out."

Riley reached behind her, unlocked the door, and opened it. He stepped past her into the hall. "You can't run from it," she told him, following him out.

He faced her. "Will you stop telling me what I can or can not do and what I am feeling? You're wrong the whole way, Riley. You don't know anything."

He started down the hall, but Riley said, "You're right, but I do now this: you don't know what Vienna has gone through. You don't know her feelings, her life, her past, you don't know anything about your own sister."

WuFei blinked and said nothing.

Riley continued. "She has wanted more than anything to tell you who she is. Every day, every night, you were on her mind. She and I both went through enough heartache because of secrets that we were forced to keep, WuFei. So many secrets were hid inside us that we grew to become bottled up, not showing our true emotions. You are her brother, her flesh and blood, and you can't see it. Whenever she looked at you, she was wanting more than anything to tell you."

"Stop it!" WuFei yelled angrily. He glared at her.

Riley looked sad. "She does love you ya know, as does Meiran. Meiran hid herself from you for a reason. Vienna never told you who she was because of a secret she was forced to keep because if she revealed it, she would cause you more pain than ever before."

WuFei stared at her for a moment. "And what about you?"

Riley's emerald green eyes looked to the floor. "This has nothing to do with me."

WuFei shook his head. "You're hiding something too. Come on, tell me then. Vienna is my sister, and Meiran is alive. That's two secrets revealed, now what is yours?"

Vienna gritted her teeth together as she dug her long fingernails into the palms of her hands. She jammed her eyes closed and then opened them again. How could the room be empty? All of her hopes and just washed down the drain.

"Where could she be?" Quatre asked.

Sally frowned. "She couldn't have gone far. She was badly injured on her right side, her midsection and left arm were rather beaten up, too."

"What did she look like?" Trowa asked. Vienna couldn't help noticing the tint of hopefulness in his voice.

Sally licked her lips. "She had long brown hair that, I think, would have come to about her waist. She may have been around 5'7 in height."

Vienna grinned. "That's all we needed to know." She looked at Trowa and Cathrine. Cathrine was beaming, causing Vienna's grin to widen all the more. "Come on, let's go find them." She turned and rushed out the door into the hall, just as she heard the faint sound of a door slamming shut. Heero stepped out just in time to see Vienna dashing around a corner. He quickly followed her.

Vienna followed the sound of voices: two very familiar voices. She came to another corner and looked around it. There, standing in the middle of the hall, was her brother and best friend. She smiled and hurried around the corner.

Riley looked up sharply at the sound of approaching feet. She smiled. "Vienna?"

Vienna smiled back, the happiness overflowing inside her. "Riley!" She ran to her best friend and gave her a hug. Riley hugged her in return, but she winced as Vienna gripped Riley's stomach too tightly. She gasped out in pain, but Vienna had not noticed; WuFei had though.

Vienna pulled back. "Where have you been, Riles?" she asked. "We all thought you were dead."

Riley shrugged. "It takes more than a cave-in to put down me."

Vienna smiled. "That's my buddy!"

"Vienna?" someone called.

The girls looked to were the voice had come from, and soon the whole group walked around the corner. Riley smiled at them. "Hey guys!" she called.

"Riley," Vienna whispered sharply. "They know."

Riley frowned at Vienna. "Who know what?"

"They all know who you are. At first, it was just Cathrine and Trowa that I had told, but soon it spread, and now everyone knows."

Riley's eyes widened in shock. "You told them who we were?"

Vienna nodded. "Yeah. Everyone except WuFei."

Riley coughed. "Um, well, actually, he knows who you are, but not me."

Vienna blinked. "He knows that I'm-"

Riley nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "He knows. I guess secrets can't be secrets forever."

Vienna nodded and glanced back at the quickly approaching group. "Well, let's enjoy this moment as best we can."

Riley grabbed Vienna's shoulder. "There's something you need to know. The reason Dr. J didn't want us to tell them was-"

"I already know, Riles."

"You do?"

Vienna nodded. "Heero and I figured I out on his computer. Well, actually he did."

Riley sighed. "Our lives are a mess."

Vienna smiled. "Let's put on a smile for our friends and family, okay, Riley? We can't show them how we feel."

Riley and Vienna bumped fists and a true smile lifted their faces for the first time in a while.

Cathrine reached Riley first and looked her over, tears flooding her eyes. "Is it really you?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Riley replied, "It's me."

Cathrine smiled happily and hugged Riley just as Vienna had before. Riley hugged harder, not wanting to let go. She had dreamt of this moment ever since she had been told who she was, and now, it was there, playing out as she had dreamed. But then, why did she feel so sad and alone?

Vienna walked slowly forward to WuFei, smiling at him. "Hey, WuFei," she greeted. "This is probably a bit new for you."

WuFei looked her over wearily. "I never knew I had a sister," he said.

Vienna's smile grew. "And I always wanted you to know." She took a deep breath. Man, she was nervous. She had wanted this forever, but now she had no idea what to do.

"Why don't you two hug each other?" Duo suggested, staring at them, tapping his foot against the floor. "After all, that's what family does."

Vienna and WuFei glared at him. "Shut up, Maxwell!" they exclaimed.

Duo held up his hands in defense. "Excuse me. I just meant that you should be thankful you have family."

Vienna softened. "You're right. I'm sorry, Duo. I forgot that you-"

Duo waved his hands at her. "Stop right there. Sympathy is the last thing I want right now, okay?"

Cathrine had pulled back by now, and Riley was watching Duo's reactions. He can't hide his emotions well, she thought. It was easy to see he was putting on an act for Vienna and WuFei's benefit, while trying to hide his feelings inside. She looked around. No one else seemed to have noticed Duo's change in attitude. An idea came to Riley's mind and she threw it into action. It was a simple gesture, but she knew it would brighten Duo's mood anyway. She took a deep breath and walked to him. He was looking away from her, so it was easy to grab him from behind. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. He jumped slightly, but only enough for Riley to feel it. "You have family, Duo," she said in his ear.

He looked back at her over his shoulder.

She smiled encouragingly. "Your friends are your family. Family isn't just by blood, but also by the people you keep."

Vienna folded her arms across her chest smiling and shaking her head. She sure has a way with boys, she thought, a slightly giggle escaping her. She quickly bit her lip to keep from giggling anymore.

"Thanks," Duo replied, smiling.

Riley released him, letting him turn around. She smiled. "Your welcome, Duo." She punched him in the arm in a fun way and turned around, only to be smothered in another hug from Midii.

Duo watched Riley greet her long time friend, thinking. What was that? Riley didn't have to do that, but yet, she did. A smile formed. Dang, she sure is something. That rang a bell. He straightened. What am I thinking? Hilde is the only girl in my life, so why is Riley suddenly invading my thoughts?

Vienna shuffled her feet before looking up at Meiran across the hall, standing next to Noin. Meiran smiled and nodded encouragingly at her. Vienna nodded and turned to WuFei. He looked at her and she looked back at him. "Well, here goes nothing," Vienna muttered, boosting up her courage. She smiled and rushed WuFei. She grabbed him and hugged him tightly. He looked down at her in surprise, but he soon eased up and smiled. "I'm glad I have a brother," she told him. "I always felt so alone. Riley was the only person I could call family, but now, I have you and Meiran." She looked back at Meiran and then back to WuFei. "Bro, you can't let her go."

WuFei looked past her to Meiran, and stared at her for a minute. He sighed and smiled at Vienna. Vienna smiled back.

Meanwhile, Midii was gushing on and on about how she had missed Riley and that she was glad she was back: "I'm so happy to see you!" she cried. "You have no idea how excited I am."

Riley laughed. "I can imagine."

Midii laughed with her. The girl hugged another time, and over Midii's shoulder, Riley saw Trowa, standing in the back of the group, his emotionless face the same, watching her with his emerald green eyes, duplicates of her own. She sighed. "Midii, I have something to do," she told her friend.

Midii let her go and nodded, knowing what she was referring to.

Riley patted her friend's arm and walked past everyone to Trowa. Quatre smiled at her and Heero gave a brisk nod, but none of them stopped her. Riley stopped before Trowa, who was leaning back against the wall, staring at her. His eyes showed pain and betrayal. To anyone else, that would have been all they would see, but a sister can see more than anyone, and right then, Riley saw more in those eyes. "I'm sorry, Trowa," she said sincerely. "I wanted to tell you, I really did, but Dr. J made Vienna and I promise not to reveal our identities to anyone. If it hadn't been for Vienna, you and Cathy would still be in the dark about everything, and I wouldn't be standing here before you."

Trowa said and did nothing for a moment. Riley waited for him to say something.

"Trowa, say something," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. Her pleading green eyes touched a nerve, and he couldn't hold back. Riley noticed the change in his eyes, and a small smile formed. "Can I have a hug at least?" she asked.

Just those words cause Trowa to do something he had forgotten to do many years ago, ever since the day of the fire: he smiled at her.

Riley's eyes lit up. "I knew you could still smile," she said defiantly. "I knew it!"

Trowa shook his head. "Squirt," he muttered.

Riley laughed at her old nickname. "That's me and don't forget it."

He pushed off the wall and gave her a bear hug. Riley felt a tear rise but she quickly blinked it away before anyone could notice.

That night, they all stayed at the Preventers base in dorm rooms near the offices. Each room fitted four people for each, and they all split up into the groups: Vienna, Riley, Midii, and Cathrine were in one room, Heero, Duo, Trowa, and Quatre were in another, and in the third was Meiran and WuFei. After much persuading, Vienna and Riley had talked them into sharing a room together. After all, they were legally husband and wife.

"Riley, are you awake?" Vienna called into the darkness of the dorm to her friend in the bunk above her late that night.

A shadow leaned over the side of the bunk to the bed under it. Long hair flowed down, reaching the bed covers of Vienna's lower bunk. "Yeah, what's wrong, V?" Riley asked her friend.

Vienna sighed. "I don't know. I just can't get to sleep."

Riley had an idea as to why Vienna could not sleep. "Is it because of what we were trained for?"

"Mostly Dr. J, but how did you know?"

Riley smiled softly. "Why do you think I'm awake?"

"Yeah. So what are we going to do, Riles? They know who we are, so now it makes life on us a ton harder."

"I know."

"And it's all my fault," Vienna replied. "I started the whole thing."

"No. I blabbed it to WuFei, and as Meiran said, she told Duo and Heero, so it would have gotten around anyway."

"At least Dr. J is dead, so he can't torment us anymore."

Riley rubbed her forehead. "That's where you're wrong, V. He isn't dead. The old man is still alive."

Vienna sat up. "What?" she whispered urgently. "He's alive? How did he survive?"

"The same way I did, I guess."

"How did you survive?" Vienna pressed.

Riley sighed. "Let's go talk outside. I don't want to chance on the others hearing."

"Okay." Vienna waited for Riley to climb down and then she stepped out from under the upper bunk. They walked across the floor to the door, where their coats were hung. Vienna and Riley shrugged their coats on and slipped their feet into slippers. Vienna had packed her own night clothing and slippers, but Riley was borrowing one of Noin's, which was long black flannel pants, and a white spaghetti strap shirt. Vienna loaned her the second pair of slippers she had brought, and they walked into the hall of the dorms. They wandered down the hall a ways and then dropped to the floor, leaning against the wall.

Vienna looked at her friend, who was staring across the hall. Her long brown hair was free around her shoulders, flowing over her shoulders and to her lap. Riley glanced at Vienna, a frowned fixed on her face. "I missed them," she said.

Vienna waited for her to continue, but when she did not, she said, "You missed whom?"

Riley looked away again. "Trowa and Cathy. I missed their laughter, smiles, hugs, and voices. All of it I missed."

Vienna nodded. "Yeah. At least you remember all that. All I can remember is Meiran's face and voice. I don't remember WuFei at all, or my mother and father."

Riley smiled at Vienna. "You have him now though."

Vienna nodded. "Yeah. We both got our wish."

Riley smiled. "I feel a bit better now. And now, I'm tired as ever. What about you?"

Vienna yawned, answering her friend's question. "Yes. Come on, let's go back to bed."

The girls stood and made their way back to the dorm.

The girls slept fitfully for another three hours, when suddenly, a slight noise woke Riley up. She sat up in bed, her eyes moving around the room. Everything was in order, so what had she heard.

Shh-clink!

Riley's ears twitched. There it was again. She frowned, her brow furrowed. She pushed aside the covers and with great agility, swung over the bed to the floor and landed without making any noise. She reached under her upper bunk, and shook Vienna. "V, wake up."

Vienna woke up easily and sat up. "What is it, Riley?"

"Listen."

Clink-ssh-thunk!

Vienna became alert. "What was that?"

Riley walked to the door, followed by Vienna.

"Let's get dressed and go check it out," Vienna suggested.

Riley nodded. Vienna quickly dressed into black pants and a black shirt, and Riley dressed into what she had been wearing the day before: black leather pants and white sleeveless top.

Vienna grabbed a flashlight and her gun from her suitcase, and Riley retrieved her pouch of daggers from a drawer in a dresser.

"All right, let's move."

Authors Note: So, what do you all think? Good? Well, I'll get to the next chapter so you can read on. Later ppl!