Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Mistaken Words ❯ Unexpected Revelations ( Chapter 30 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Mistake Words

Thanks to Pious Knight!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing

Unexpected Revelations

Une lowered herself into a chair behind her desk, turning the leather chair towards the screen of her vid phone, a tiny blinking light told her a call was waiting. She hesitated however to accept it, because she didn't know if she would be able to lie to him. Of course, she didn't have any choice, he more than anyone couldn't know that Heero was alive, not unless she could be sure of his loyalties. It suddenly struck her how she had entered into a relationship with a man she couldn't possibly know everything about, who could very well have been fighting against the peace. Une banished those thoughts instantly, Dante had destroyed Zero, proving that he was a peaceful man, not out to take over the world. To be near him, to consider him a part of her life, Une knew she had to believe that no matter what.

Still it wasn't easy keeping things from him, though she was reluctant to let the relationship deepen, she found it increasingly difficult to say no to Dante when he asked something of her. This would not be easy to deal with, but putting it off would only make it harder. So drawing in what was supposed to be a calming breath, Une pressed the flashing button, and watched as the screen lit, revealing Dante's handsome features.

His face was grave, exposing nothing of what he was truly thinking. It was a mask much like her own, carefully constructed, and warn reluctantly before the one he loved. “How long?” the question was so open ended Une hardly knew where to begin, and she would have dearly liked to play dumb, but she knew, had spent enough time with Dante or just simply watching him. There was no mistaking what he was asking her.

“We had him in custody for five days before he died,” she told him evenly, not letting too much emotion show, but at the same time not being a soulless shell either

“So then when you called…” something flashed in Dante's eyes but it moved too quickly for Une to put her finger on.

“Yes, he was here.” Une fought not to look away, she was not going to show weakness to anyone, no matter how their actions pulled at the invisible strings of her heart. Something Dante had proved a master of.

“Where did you find him?” it was a logical question, and one Une felt comfortable in answer…if not truthfully. If Dante were to know it was his colony that would only prove to complicate matters further.

She sighed leaning back in her chair, “He slipped up, we discovered him taking refuge on a small satellite, near the edge of the L3 quadrant, he was already in bad shape Dante…” She left it at that, Une had already explained to the press what killed Heero, and if was far easier to lie to them than it was to Dante.

He shook his head slowly, “I just can't believe it…” his eyes showed a definite emotion then, a great regret, “Ash won't take this well.”

Ash, Une had learned a good deal about this man over the past months and not just from Dante, but Relena also. They both had different things to say about the man, but what Une knew for certain was that Ash cared a great deal for Heero, and had watched out for him. From what Dante had told her, they actually had Ash to thank for keeping Heero alive this long, not that they would be able to do that any time soon. She felt a pang or regret also, at having to leave this man in his pain, but nothing could be risked at this point, besides it was Heero's wish. That alone was the least they could do for him right now.

Not really sure what to offer to Dante, Une just spoke the first words that came to mind, “We did everything we could to keep him alive. It was so we could bring him to justice, but let Ash know all the same…”

“I will,” he blinked seeming to come back to himself a little, “Speaking of which, I'm sure he's heard the news, I should really check on him, see how he's doing.” It was clear Dante wasn't looking forward to the encounter, but at the same time there was an iron resolve, he would do what was necessary, and watch out for his friend. “My Lady, I hope we'll be able to speak again soon,” he told her rather formally, as he could often become, it had seemed a game at first, treating her almost as Treize did. Yet now it felt true, real, distant, and Une regretted all the more the wall of lies between them, invisible or not, she could see them.

“Goodbye…” she breathed the word softly, allowing herself a moment of honest feeling while facing strong and determined man, one who had managed to steal her heart, before she noticed the conquest.

Une took several moments to gather herself after, her eyes staring off but not really seeing. Her day had only just begun, and still there was so much to do, so many people to contend with, especially with the news of Heero's death. Une knew the announcement alone would not be the end. There would be endless calls from people trying to discover more. Sure they would not all be directed at her, but she was going to need to brief her staff on some of the finer details so the media would be sated, if only a little.

Pulling both hands down her face, Une turned herself back to the phone. There was still an important matter to be taken care of. Perhaps she should have dealt with it before hand, but it had not occurred to her until now. It bothered Une that she hadn't thought of this before. Her mind had been racing to catch up with all that had happened earlier, and now she wondered how she was too keep it secret. Now that she was given a moment to breathe, Une reached for her computer making a quick search through the database for the required number. Finding it almost immediately Une turned to the phone.

As though he had been waiting for this very phone call, Luc answered before the first ring had even completed. His expression was oddly calm. A little offended perhaps, but calm nonetheless. She could still see the remnants of the surprise he must have felt the minute he saw the announcement. “You didn't think I might want to know about this?” he asked, not bothering to even say hello. His superior tone irritated Une to no end, but she wasn't going to let it show. She could not cause him to become suspicious. He had to believe the lies she was about to tell him.

“He took a turn for the worst during the night,” she began, keeping her eyes on him the entire time. “It was very unexpected. I'm sorry that I couldn't reach you before the press conference.”

“What did him in?” Luc asked callously, Une was not surprised by his tone. Heero was after all nothing more than a traitor, who had tried to kill Relena the woman Luc had professed to love.

“A number of things I'm told.” In all honestly Une was truly shocked and grateful that Heero was not dead, considering how long he had been in this condition. “With the condition he was in it was no surprise, his body simply couldn't take any more. I'm told the official cause of death was infection, something his weakened immune system couldn't handle.” She hoped silently that would be accepted. Une knew there was nothing in her tone or posture to say otherwise, she was too proficient a lair for that.

“I see…” he mussed to himself, his eyes leaving Une's face. She thought she saw within them a roaring anger and hatred, but his emotions were brought immediately under control once more. “And what now?” he question with a disturbing calm.

“His body will be buried, and this matter put behind us. You may take a day or so leave and then return to your usual work” not entirely sure what he had been referring too, Une chose to cover all the bases.

Luc shook his head slowly. “I'd prefer to return now.”

“Suit yourself” she responded. Seeing their conversation was at an end, she cut the signal and sat back in her chair. Une remembered the first time she had laid eyes on Heero. It was a memory burned into her mind. It was something she had not been expecting. She could clearly see the switchblade knife sanding erect in Heero's hand. This caused her to pause as a question entered her mind. How had it come to be there? Process of elimination only took a moment to pin that crime squarely on Luc's shoulders. No one else would've, or could've. Thankfully, Luc had near endless hours alone with Heero to make him suffer for his crimes.

It seemed hard to believe that this doctor could do such a thing to an unarmed and helpless man. Luc had proven himself to be an intense, and at some points obsessive individual - especially where Relena was concerned. Une remembered learning of their short lived relationship, not being an expert in the subject she had withheld her judgment. Privately she had not liked the way Luc looked at Relena. Would Relena's former relationship with Heero be enough to drive Luc to such extremes? Une didn't doubt it. She had met men like Luc before and they were compulsive, and vicious. It struck Une then just what sort of man she was allowing into her agency.

Luc was a man not to be trusted; one who had committed and act of torture and perhaps more. She resolved herself to look into that and find out just exactly what he had done. Her stomach turned slight at her realisation, but there was no help for it. She could not bring Luc to justice without exposing more of what had happened with Heero, and she couldn't afford to do that. The world had to know that Heero had died and then forget, or else all Heero's work would be for nothing. These last three years of pain would go to waste. Une was not going to see that happen, there would be a time to deal with Luc and until then there was no choice but to welcome the devil in.

MWMWMWM

Relena woke slowly, her body rousing itself form the world of sleep at a leisurely pace, that was, until she remembered where she was and what had brought her to be there. Relena sat bolt upright in the bed she had been just moments before soundly asleep in. It took her a moment to register her surroundings, remembering that Wufei had given her the use of his room during the day, when she could no longer keep her eyes open. She had not wanted to leave Heero but had been forced to admit she could not stay sitting by his side either. Running tired fingers through her hair Relena offered herself a little more time to come fully awake.

The curtains had been drawn, but Relena could see that the sun was only just now beginning to set, casting a fiery light wherever it could manage to slip in. Her cloths from the day before lay on a chair near Wufei's large bed, he had also lent her one of his shirts so that she might sleep more comfortably. Relena's fingers found the collar bringing it closer to her nose, his scent was strong all around her, and it reminded her somewhat of Heero's, but it lacked that untamed quality. Slipping from the sheets Relena stretched her arms up over her head, and quickly glanced at a clock wanting to know what sort of time she had to visit with Heero.

A soft knock on the door caught Relena's attention and she saw Trowa's head peek around the edge. His eyes were as devoid as Relena ever remembered seeing them, but somehow it felt different, her guard felt more distant. Yet after yesterday she couldn't blame him, they were all still in shock. She smiled a greeting to him, and Trowa stepped fully into the room, he carried a bag with him, and when he came within reach offered it too her. “A change of clothes,” he told her simply before turning back the way had come.

“Thanks Trowa,” she called after him, somewhat unsettled by his behaviour. She knew that everything couldn't fall back to the way it had been three years ago, that it was going to be a long process to get them anywhere. However she was being to think now that these first few months were going to be far harder than any moment during the last three years. Made more so by the fact that Heero wasn't—at the moment at least—in a position to speak to them.

With a sigh, Relena walked into Wufei's bathroom, and got the water running nice and warm for a quick shower. In her mind she tried to envision speaking with Heero again, what they would say to one another, how they would bridge the gap that had formed. It was not an easy thing to try and picture, her mind kept hitting stumbling blocks that seemed impossible to get around. A fleeting image entered her mind then, of Heero softly kissing her, and she blushed sadly, they were a long way from that.

Stepping from the shower Relena dried and dressed quickly, happy with what Trowa had picked for her. A simple pare of jeans and a soft green sweater, two things he had commented thinking look really nice on her, but she had not been often able to wear due to the profession necessity of her station. She smiled to herself, she was perhaps the only woman in the world to have so many wonderful men looking out for her. They weren't the most common men, but that's what made them all so special to her. No matter where she was or which of them she was with Relena always felt safe and secure.

Unwilling to take any more time Relena quickly left Wufei's apartment behind and walked the short distance down to Heero's room. Her fingers hesitated only a moment over the keypad as she tried to remember what the numbers were, unlike John and Sally, she didn't have a key card which made for quicker access and would work even if the combination numbers were changed. The door unlocked and Relena quickly stepped inside, noticing the room was dimly lit, but enough so that she could make out Heero's sleeping form, and Wufei where he stood watching. The former pilot looked up at her entrance meeting her part way.

“Did you sleep alright?” he asked, looking down at her.

She smiled, “Yes,” Relena studied his face wondered when Wufei had let his hair fall loose around his shoulders, it suited him like that but so did having it pulled back. But then the same could be said for all the pilots. She came to Heero's bedside looking down on his gaunt face trying still with little success to convince herself that this was indeed Heero Yuy. “Has there been any change?” she whispered the question, a part of her concerned about waking the sleeping pilot though she doubted that would happen.

“No, we're just going to have to be patient,” he told her just as softly as he came to rest behind her left shoulder.

“I know…” she breathed her hand reaching out of its own accord to lightly stroke his face, moving his hair from his closed eyes. “I just want to be able tell him how sorry I am…”

“You can't tear yourself up over this Relena. Heero wouldn't want that,” Wufei's hand on her shoulder was a welcomed strength. She removed her hand for Heero's face but on impulse lowered it to his chest, just above where he heart beat steadily. The feel of it beating against her hand was more reassuring than anything else could ever hope to be. “Relena, we managed to cancel you appointments for today, but we won't be able to keep doing that, I know it's hard but”

“I know,” Relena cut in not taking her eyes from Heero. “I need to act like nothing's happened…” she withdrew her had from Heero's thin chest, and turned to look at Wufei. “There's something I need to look into, you'll call me if anything changes?”

“Of course.”

Relena stepped past Wufei reluctantly making her way towards the door. She didn't really want to leave Heero, but if everything was going to have to return to `normal' than she knew she had to make the best use of her time that she could. Since learning the truth, Relena had wanted to know what happened to Heero during the time she had been kept from him. Thoughts of it had ridden in the back of her mind, and she felt now was the only time that she might actually be able to find out.

“Where are you going?” Wufei's voice called her to a halt.

“Archives, I want to see what happened to him,” she told him, her voice already taking on a firm note, Relena knew Wufei wasn't going to improve.

As she had expected Wufei was already shaking her head, “Relena you really shouldn't, it'll only upset you.”

“I'm not asking your permission Wufei,” Relena answered simply managing to keep her voice low despite how she was feeling.

“You won't find those files in archives, we couldn't afford to have them found by anyone, so they've been encoded and hidden away.” His response sounded ever so slightly smug to Relena's ears, and if was an effort not to let her actual anger show.

“Don't you think I'm owed this Wufei?” she demanded “I was forced to wait in the dark! I want to know from what you were keeping me!” Despite her best efforts volume was beginning to enter her voice.

Wufei took a gentle hold of her arm and began walking towards the door, so they could finish the conversation in the hall. Relena willing followed, though she pulled her arm from Wufei's hand. Once out in the hall Wufei turned to Relena, “It won't solve anything if you watch that, you don't need to see it!”

“I don't want to solve anything! I just want to help him!”

“How could this help!” Wufei's emotions were beginning to show now, frustration mostly as he started deeply into her eyes, his own onyx ones burning.

Relena felt tears pricking at her eyes, she knew Heero had been tortured. Wufei had never gone into specifics and at the time she would not have wanted him to, but now she just felt the strong need to know, she didn't want to make any missteps when Heero finally did wake, perhaps she was just rationalising her morbid sense of curiosity. But Relena did know she was not going to be satisfied until she had seen those files. “I don't know Wufei, but just give me this one thing,” the fire had left her voice as she looked away from Wufei's intense gaze.

Silence was her only response for several minutes as Wufei really seemed to think this over, but he finally sighed in resignation. His hand once more took Relena's slender arm as he guided her towards the room right next to Heero's. Opening the door revealed an amazing monitoring room, obviously designed for the room right next door. The one Heero lay within, and information was constantly updating itself on the screens. Wufei sat himself in front of the computers and turned his attention to one of them in particular. His fingers flew over the keys as he searched for the concealed files. It only took him a few moments to find them, and he got up from the chair.

“I'll leave you with it, Trowa will come to get you to take you back to your house,” Wufei said with an sigh, it was clear he still wasn't happy with this.

“Thank you,” she whispered slowly, as he turned to look at the screen, seeing the room that Heero had been held with as he was brought into it for the first time. The image was frozen showing Sally waiting impassively by the table as Wufei holding Heero's form in his arms as he strode towards the table, Zechs, Trowa, and Duo around him. Relena blinked wondering how long she had just been staring at the image of Heero, he didn't look to be alive, blood was everywhere. Glancing up Relena found herself to be alone in the room, and she began the footage.

MWMWMWM

Trowa glanced at his watch as he passed through the halls of the agency. Wufei had called him several hours back asking him to come in and take Relena home at the end of the day. But that had left him with the vast majority of the late afternoon and early evening free to himself, so he had spent his time at the circus performing with Catharine. Raking one hand through his still damp hair Trowa entered the elevator that would take him to their private floor of the base. The ride felt eerie to him, as though the air became more oppressive the closer he came to his destination. Was this what it was going to be like from now on? Now that Heero was back with them?

It was too much to rethink the past years and suddenly forget, he didn't think any of them could, perhaps Relena and Wufei might have the easiest time of it. But for the rest of them, none of this was going to be easy. A part of Trowa wanted to be furious with Heero for having done this, that he would see fit to fool them all, and then come back to them taking everything they threw at him with silent acceptance. Trowa's fist clenched tightly at his side, it shouldn't be this way, but he couldn't help these emotions. They had plagued him ever since he had learned the truth, there was simply no avoiding it, he was going to have to face them sometime.

Stepping out onto the floor Trowa strode down the silent halls, pausing briefly at the door to Heero's room. He felt somewhat drawn to enter, but resisted, there was no way Heero would be awake, and if he wasn't what was the point? Nothing could be said or done at the present moment, so why stress over it? He tried desperately to convince himself of that but it was a futile effort. Moving on, Trowa came to the second door, the one behind which Relena waited, apparently watching the footage form the room Heero had been held in. The significance of such and act was lost on Trowa, that was until he stepped into the room, seeing with his eyes first hand what it actually meant.

“I trusted…you…enough…then…to…sur…render&# 8230;” the words hoarse almost to beyond recognition were painfully familiar to Trowa. “…trust…me…now?”

“No!” his own voice sounded strange to his ears hallow, lacking any form of life, and he wondered briefly if this was how he sounded to everyone.

His brief thoughts were broken however as Relena turned to look at him, tears tracked their way down her face, but there was almost no sadness in those crystal eyes, just a fiery light that grew in intensity when she lay them upon Trowa. “All he wanted was your trust…just to explain what really happened…” her words were low, but they cut Trowa as deeply as if they had been shouted so all the world could hear his failure.

“Do you think for one minute after what you've done that you deserve any sort of mercy from us?” As if to punctuate the moment Trowa's harsh words continued to ring out in the background, causing the pilot to flinch away from them. “Do you even realise what you've done to Relena? You nearly destroyed her life that day! The only thing you can do for us now is die, and end this chapter in all our lives.” He wanted to hang his head, but could not bring himself to show that sort of reaction. She was right there was no denying it, but still what he had known then, what Heero had lead him to believe...

No!

Trowa mentally shook himself. There was simply no justifying it not now or ever. Swallowing hard Trowa tried to gather his scattered thoughts, trying not to see the look in Relena's eyes while at the same time trying not to avoid her gaze either. “I need to take you home…” he told her, his voice more dead to his ears that the one he had heard in the recording. Relena brushed at her eyes appearing for a moment to be considering refusing, but did finally come to her feet. She crossed over to him, and pushed past without a word.

He felt a stab in his heart at her anger, and it was something he could only just understand, but the even greater pain was directed at what he had done to Heero. Any hope of every being able to mend the breech between them seemed all but gone now. A tremor ran through Trowa then as he followed Relena down the hall, past Heero's room, feeling as though he was leaving it for the last time. It didn't seem possible that he'd ever return, what could he hope to say? That Heero would be willing to accept after that?

MWMWMWW

John's steps felt considerably lighter as he walked towards Heero's new room. Everything had changed in a way that John had told himself wouldn't be possible. But it was, and Heero was where he should be, receiving the care that he should have had from the beginning. All that had allowed him to sleep soundly during the day, relaxing as he had not been able to do since first meeting the boy in that stark room. The news of Heero's death posted all over the news had caused a few question with Merrian, she had wanted to know if that way the patient he had been watching over. And though he deeply wanted to tell her the truth, John felt it was still a risk—he trusted his wife implicitly—accidents however could still happen. The fact that he was going into work that night was enough to put her questions to rest.

Stepping off the elevator, John was surprised to see someone standing outside Heero's room, hand posed over the keypad but remaining still. As John drew closer he saw it to be none other than the President of the Colonies Quatre Raberba Winner. The young man's soft blond hair fell over his eyes, shielding them from John's view. John thought the youth completely lost in thought but as he stepped closer he noted a distinct change in the Quatre's stance, he knew he wasn't alone. John felt an instant wave of protectiveness wash over him, but he pulled it up, wanting more to know why Quatre was just standing there.

“Mr President?” he started cautiously.

Quatre's head came up slowly, eyes looking to John, they looked as though they were concealing what the youth was really thinking, “Please, just Quatre.”

“Alright,” he responded easily eyes traveling to the closed door before Quatre. “How long have you been standing here?” he wanted to start the conversation but couldn't think of anything else to start with.

“I uh…” he glanced down at his watched and smiled sheepishly, “half an hour.”

John nodded in understanding, taking a careful step closer, “Any reason why you haven't gone in?”

“I don't think I can face him…” Quatre's head dropped in shame at that admission.

“You know he won't be awake?” John attempted to ease Quatre's first attempt at reconciliation, his early protectiveness for Heero's benefit dissolving in the face of this young man's obvious guilt. A part of him wanted to keep them away from Heero for what they had done, but what would that solve? Nothing it would only be hurting Heero, the boy's reaction to Duo was enough to prove that.

“I know…it's just…” he looked at a loss for words at the moment, and John felt for him just then.

“Is there somewhere where we can sit down and talk?” he would have suggested Heero's room if entering hadn't been the problem from the beginning.

Quatre nodded his head turning to head further down the hall, “Right this way,” he motioned for John to follow after. The old doctor strode along slowly behind him, watching the set of the young man closely. It really amazed him that someone so young had been given so much to carry on his shoulders. Quatre selected a door from all the rest seemingly at random, and punched in the door's code. They walked into the lounge together, and John was impressed by what his eyes saw.

The room was incredibly well furnished, and appeared to have every up to date electronic toy in the known world. What they could possibly need with all this was far beyond John, but then he wasn't here to gawk. Turning his attention fully on Quatre John took a seat across from him, in one of the plush chairs as the young President took the couch. Silence hung between them for several minutes as John waited for Quatre to begin, but longer it stretched on the more John thought he was the one who should begin. It took John a moment to think of what to say, nothing in this was easy, but he quickly decided to settle with what he knew to be true.

“He doesn't blame you,” John offered.

“How can you be so sure?” Quatre asked wringing his hands no longer looking at John. “After all we've done…everything we've said to him. How could he?”

“I heard it from his own mouth Quatre, he's never hated you,” he said it gently yet still managed to make it firm, he wanted to get this part of the conversation behind them.

Quatre's head cane up at that, his eyes looking just a little bit hopeful at those words but still there was doubt. It glowed almost seeming to flicker as though it didn't know whether or not to just give up. But a moment later Quatre was shaking his head adamantly, “There's just no way to recover from this. What can you say? I'm sorry? That's something you say when you forgot to call someone.” He pulled a hand down his face, “It certainly doesn't help most of the time. Now it'd just sounds ridiculous” Quatre was one his feet then, pacing across the room.

“We screwed up three years of our lives! I didn't even realise what he was telling me back on that day, he chose me!” his agitated steps halted as he turned to face John, his expression horrified, “He chose me! Knowing if any of us would understand what he meant I would! And I named him a traitor! Sorry! How can that possibly change anything!” his voice had risen to a shout.

“It's a start…” John offered softly not knowing what else to say. He couldn't deny what Quatre said but still everything had to start somewhere.

The anger and frustration within Quatre seemed to melt away at that and he sank back down to a sitting position with a sigh. “We were never given a chance to make the small mistakes…” he smiled sadly shaking his head. “Never given the opportunity to learn from them…all the small flaws were trained out of us.” He sighed again running a hand through his hair, “…so we were just left to make big mistakes and wonder where we went wrong…” the last was little more than a mumbled.

John felt his heart go out to the youth across from him, but at the same time curiosity rose up within him at what Quatre had said. “Trained?” the tone in which the word had been spoken sounded foreign to John's ears as he knew the context was not simple business school.

Quatre just nodded his head in silence, his eyes falling once more, “Yeah…trained,” the word sounded evil, like something one would rather not say. “To do what was needed…”

There was something here, something dark, deeply hidden, but wanted to come out. John could just feel it, the young President wanted to speak, but it was clearly as difficult a conversation as the one they had been having about Heero. “What was needed Quatre?”

The youth's head came up in surprise, he obviously didn't realise he had spoken that last part out loud. He sat there for several moments just considering John, eyes appearing to try and bore into the old doctor's head. John sat patiently under Quatre's gaze, assuming something was going to come from this. “We were needed not to be human,” he said a tremor running through him as his eyes grew distant for a brief moment. “They didn't for a moment considered the fact that we were all still children…most of us lacking any sort of family connections to give us safety and support.” Quatre's eyes came up revealing a deep sadness that went beyond words, “And for the rest of us, that family was ruthlessly stolen away…”

John started at this boy in shock, his mind unable to reconcile the young Presidents age, with the jaded way he spoke. It was clear he had been through a great deal during his short life, just as it had been clear for Heero, but what had been done to these boys? What exactly was it that Quatre was making reference too? His obvious confusion was not lost to the youth, as a sad smile took his features briefly before he questioned, “No one's told you yet have they?” It sounded—strangely enough—as though he expected that, but was still surprised by it.

“I'm finding out now, there's a lot I haven't been told,” John commented somewhat tiredly, rubbing at the side of his face.

Quatre offered him a faint smile, his eyes looked gratefully for the distraction from what they have been discussing earlier. “We, Relena's bodyguards and I were the Gundam Pilots,” it was a simple statement as Quatre clasped his hands together before him, but it left John speechless. All he could do was stare at this young boy, who couldn't possibly been any older than twenty. He was one of the brave warriors, the terrorist, the saviours, who had stood up against everyone despite what was said against them? It seemed too much to imagine, they had indeed only been children at that time, to John they were still little more than children. What place did they have fighting a war? To be the sole hope of all the colonies? What sort of pressure was that to put on a child? John was horrified and he knew it showed.

“We were all chosen for different reason, discovered among seemingly impossible odds. But all of us went willingly, whether that was because we didn't have anything left to lose, or it was the only thing we had ever known, we were all drawn into the war.” Quatre's eyes returned to his clasped hands, his shoulders hunched up as though he were trying to fold in on himself protect vulnerable areas from attacks that could not be seen. “I think out of all of us, at least where training is concerned Wufei and I had it the easiest.”

John felt stunned, as though he had been punched in the gut, and was still waiting for his breath to return to him. There was simply no easy way to digest all he had been told so far, and filter through all the questions that suddenly appeared. One thing however stood out clear in John's mind, he wanted to know about Heero, as much information as he could attain. That boy had struck John from the very first, pulling at every parental instinct he had nurtured over the long years with his wife and children. “What…” his voice failed him, as nerves took over, a part of him already knew this was something he'd probably rather not know, but that was not going to stop him now. “What do you know about Heero?”

Silence was his answer as Quatre flinched at the sound of Heero's name, he shook his head slowly. “Our pasts have never been something we willingly talk about…” he began slowly, his voice so soft John had to lean in to hear him. “Sally and Une know the most about each of us, but I've managed to piece together some things,” Quatre glanced up through the tops of his eyes staring at John an unsure light shinning, in those sea green eyes.

“Just tell me what you know,” the old doctor prompted gently wanting to know whatever he could, who knew what might help him in dealing with this boy.

Quatre swallowed hard, but nodded his head, “No records of a family, it's like he just appeared out of nowhere.” His head came up and John could see Quatre felt outrage at their collective pasts, “As I understand it Heero was raised by an assassin for a good deal of his young life. But at some point he was discovered by Dr J and then his real training began.”

“Real training?” John didn't like the sound of those words, the tone Quatre had used made them ominous.

“To be the Perfect Solider,” Quatre affirmed with a nod of his head, “That's what they tried to create, a creature with no emotions, and an unstoppable killing machine.”

John was beyond words starting long and hard at this youth, all he could do was picture one of his own children in that situation, having his humanity stripped from him like layers of protective clothing. It was no wonder there was such a defensive look within Heero's eyes, nor why his trust was so difficult to earn. “How old was he when this happened?” John found himself asking a tremor obvious within his voice.

“Ah…” Quatre's eyes turned ceiling ward clearly trying to think, “Near as I can tell from dates, probably around the time he was six to eight. Short of asking him there's really no way to know for sure.”

“Six?” he was shocked, a child of that age should know nothing of killing and death! Who in this world could ever be so heartless? As disgusted as he was to admit it, it wasn't unheard of, children had been used in many of the past wars. John tried not to picture it, he didn't want to dwell on it, however another question entered his head, one he was sure Quatre would be able to answer. “Did the training work?”

The President blinked his hands parting so he could rub at one eye, “To some extent, yes, I think it did.” Quatre began leaning back on the couch so both his hand rested outstretched on his knees. “Heero was willing to go to extreme lengths to complete a mission, once even self destructing…” his eyes suddenly fell at the realisation of his words. “I guess that hasn't changed much now…” he whispered.

Self destructed? Threw the news of the war John had become acutely away of just what that meant, as had the rest of the world. How had this boy survived that? That event though was long in the past, which told John that either it hadn't happened the way Quatre just implied, or Heero was something beyond human. It didn't seem possible, but the fact that Heero was here gave John some form of assurance that this boy was not going to falter now. He was going to make it to the end.

Quatre's expression lightened suddenly, “But he was never actually able to kill the way they wanted him too. If he had Relena would have been dead a long time ago,” a faded smile took his lips, “She's always loved him, and that's what's managed to pull him through for so long.”

John shook his head, trying to clear the fog from his mind that he might actually be able to speak. “I think he's going to need more than just that to see him through this,” John managed finally, knowing there inlay the first and largest problem for this former pilot seated before him. Whatever ease and relax Quatre might have gained through there conversation detour, was lost now, as the tension returned, and the boy seemed to close in on himself once more. On impulse John reached out to place his own old and gnarled hand on Quatre's, “All you can do right now is be there for him Quatre, just let him know he hasn't screwed things up beyond repair.”

“But isn't that what we did?” Quatre asked softly, not raising his eyes to meet John's.

“Not in his eyes, and how will you come to believe me if you don't see Heero, and let him tell you that himself?” John came to his feet then feeling that it was time Quatre put these fears behind him and actually went to see Heero. “C'mon you need to do this sometime, and I doubt with your schedule you have a lot of time to just stand here.”

The President hesitated, a sigh escaping his lips as he slowly followed straightening his suit unconsciously as he did. Together they left the room, though John could tell Quatre was still unsure. All too soon they were standing outside Heero's room, John reached out with his key card swiping it through the reader before Quatre could be given a chance to guilt himself once more. The door slid opened and John's eyes looking in on a still unconscious Heero, and a rather concerned looking Wufei.

“You're late,” he greeted in a low voice, stepping away from the edge of Heero's bed.

“Sorry, there was something I needed to take care of,” he apologised stepping into the room to reveal Quatre waiting behind him. Looking back at the President John motioned for him to come in, while he moved deeper into the room drawing Wufei with him, to give Quatre a little privacy. “Any change?”

“His temperature's been rising,” Wufei began crossing his arms, “But that's about it, I don't think the dose you gave him was enough, withdrawal is still setting in.”

“That's alright, I can give him a little more,” John eased glancing back to where Quatre sat near to Heero's bed, talking softly to the unconscious boy.

“How'd it go with Sally?” the Chinese man inquired drawing John's attention back.

“It's a start,” he stroked his chin with a sigh, “But it's still going to be a long time before she's going to be able to set foot in this room.”

“Well at least you got through to one of them,” Wufei comment nodding in Quatre's direction, “Like you said, it's a start.”

John offered the young man a smile, “Why don't you get some sleep, I can handle things from here.”

Wufei nodded his head making his way towards the door, he gave Quatre a soft greeting and the President rose to walk with him. John made his way back to the bed eyes watching the two pilots make their way to the door. Quatre turned back at the last moment, a gentle smile on his youthful face, “Thanks John, for everything. Just remember you now have some very powerful friends, we'll do whatever you need for Heero,” he left the room then John's own smile being his only response.

Thanks for Reading!

A Slow Step Forward:

John rinsed his cloth clean, in the warm bowel of water, his eyes looking across Heero's thin bare chest to Sally who had just started to do the same. They had been working in silence, for several moments, it felt like a triumph to John that she was even here. Still it would have been better if Sally were able to relax a little more. John sighed silently to himself and sat himself on the edge of the bed, “I'll hold him while you wash his back?” he made it a suggestion knowing already Sally would want it that way. But at the same time he didn't want to sound like he was forcing anything on her.

“Alright,” she responded her eyes not meeting his.

Lifting the boy's weightless body, John found it difficult with all his injuries, yet he still managed to raise Heero to him, and gently hold him there. One hand brushed lightly over the boy's back, as he situated himself a little better, and what it ran across caused John to look down in surprise. Heero's left shoulder blade had been scared deeply, “What's this?” he asked of Sally knowing she could lean in for a better look.

The fingers of one hand brushed lightly over the mark, as she stared at it intently, and John waited for some sort of answer. “It looks like a phoenix,” she breathed fingers still tracing the thick scare tissue, “And this looks recent.”

“He had himself branded with a phoenix?” he looked over the boy's should trying to see for himself.

Sally stepped away from the bed, “I don't understand; this isn't something he'd do.”

John caught himself before he said `three years can really change a person' he didn't feel that was the most tactful thing to say at the moment. “Are you sure Sally?” he questioned in stead, “There's really know way to know how much he's changed over the years.”

Despite his gentle tone Sally still winced at his words, he didn't regret them though, nothing good would come from side stepping the truth all the time. She up locking eyes with John if only briefly before her eyes returned to the brand, “He wouldn't have done something like this John, it doesn't fit with who he is.”

“But something like this, he'd have to have wanted it for it to be here,” John tried to reason again, unable to conceive of any other way for such a mark to make it onto Heero's body.

“Not unless it was done against his will…” she mused softly, one hand making it way to the back of her neck to rub at the muscles there.

John gave a small start at that, “Done against his will?” he questioned aloud, “Who would possibly do that? And for what reason?”

She shook her head, “I don't know…”

Morganeth Taren'drel