Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Mistaken Words ❯ The Breaking Point ( Chapter 33 )

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

Mistaken Words

Thanks to morgansgirl for editing these chapters!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing

The Breaking Point

He threaded his way through the halls and open spaces of the agency like a wraith, moving quickly trying to avoid notice. He had a goal clear in mind, and was not about to let anything distract him from it. It had taken Luc over two weeks to confirm as clearly as he could that Heero had indeed not died. After that it hadn't taken him long to decide where they'd be keeping him, the only problem was finding a safe time to pay the traitor a visit. It had been a long and hard two weeks for the doctor, as he played the part needed to stay within the agency and not raise any eyebrows. There was a reason Une had been convinced to tell the world Heero had died, therefore he had to remain non-threatening else she might feel the need to take drastic measures to protect the traitor.

What lies had Heero spread to John to make this happen, and what had the old fool done to help? Luc felt his frustrations rise but carefully forced them back down, it would end today. It was getting on to evening so the pace of the agency had shifted as less staff members crowded the halls. Luc had been off work for several hours, and had left to buy himself a few drinks toasting his victory to come. A hand absently reached to pat the narrow lump in his front pocket and for a moment his mind was awash with the images of what he planned.

It had been a great effort to focus his mind on the usual business of the day, tending to numerous patients as an assistant to Sally who had been quieter than usual these past few weeks. But that was the only sign that anything was different with her, and it was something so subtle no one other than Luc really would have noticed. He was not about to question her on it knowing it would make his position vulnerable, and expose him in ways he couldn't afford. So he moved on as had the rest of the world, pretending as though he had never laid eyes on Heero Yuy, yet Heero Yuy was all he could think of. It certainly didn't help, that the news media had yet to get tired of the story, feeling the need to cover every facet in mind numbing detail, despite the less than adequate knowledge they had.

Reaching the elevator which would bring him to his destination, Luc let loose a sigh, feeling as though the first hurdle had been passed. It had been John—that hated man—who had confirmed for Luc the truth of Heero's presence. Had Heero been dead as announced there would have been no need for John to come in every night as he had while Heero still `lived.' With the world not being privy to the knowledge of who had been taking care of Heero before his death, it was no wonder that the old doctor's presence didn't raise any eyebrows, but it stood out like a red flag to Luc. Stepping onto the elevator, Luc chose the floor and waited impatiently for it to take him there. He found himself fidgeting and tried to stop, but his hands trembled despite himself. Whether it was nerves or the drinks the doctor couldn't tell or care, he was on the road to his own victory, nothing would stop him.

Releasing and unconsciously held breath upon seeing the hall was empty and his presence still unknown, Luc stepped off the elevator and made his way down the hall. His eyes locked immediately upon the room Heero was being kept in, it was all to easy for him to enter it, what with the key card he had been given months back when Relena had been rescued. But he pulled himself back, he needed to retrieve something from the storage room across the hall first. No doubt Heero possessed a means to call the others too him, and Luc did not want to risk having them come in before he was finished having his fun.

Swiping the card through the reader Luc quickly stepped inside feeling adrenaline flow through his veins more so now than when he had first arrived. This was the moment, it was really happening, he would take his revenge, without interference. He scanned the shelves quickly searching for his desired item. It had struck him as odd the first time he had come in here along with Sally only to find a tranq gun resting on one of the many selves. He remember asking Sally what possible purpose that could serve, and she had laughed saying if he didn't know yet, there would come a time when he would.

Taking the gun from its odd place among medical equipment Luc studied it feeling its weight in his hands. He had not yet had occasion to use it, but once had asense with Wufei several years back, and with Relena's other bodyguards on lesser occasions. It was enough for him to see why such an instrument might be of use. These men were sosurprisingly stubborn and incredibly strong that it took a great deal to bring them down, and the same went for Heero. The fact that he was still alive after everything was proof enough of that. Luc took the gun firmly in his left hand and along with a small bottle of the antidote he left the room behind him, and crossed over to Heero's.

His hand shook visibly as he reached out to slide his card down the reader, not even a second passed before the door unlocked and he was pushing it open, gun raised and ready. The traitor's head turned in surprise at his approach, and there was a brief flash of shock and anger before the dart was fired and his eyes fell closed. Luc placed the gun down on the countertop near the door, and withdrew the tiny bottle of antidote that he had dropped in his pocket. It was hard for him to not simply cross over to the traitor's unconscious form and end it all, but he wanted Heero to be awake for this. Removing a syringe from a drawer, Luc began preparing it, measuring out a dose of the drug that would be just enough to wake, but should leave Heero immobile.

WMWMWMW

Heero felt a jolt in his brain, like a hook catching into his flesh, and dragging him from some unknown darkness. Pain was registered first, but Heero simply forced it aside pain was something he often woke too, it wasn't important. His mind struggled to remember what had happened, there was a feeling of suddenness and shock, but he was having trouble recalling what it had been linked too. As the seconds silently ticked past, Heero became aware of a heavy weight resting on his hips, clearly one source of the new pain, as the gash along his pelvis had yet to fully heal. Panic began to set in shortly after and Heero fought against it refusing to loose to such an emotion.

Who was in his room resting atop him? A flash of memory raced across Heero's eyes then, a face he recognised all too well. The gears in his mind threatened to come to a grinding halt, but Heero knew he couldn't let that happen, he had to fight against the panic and shame that washed over him. No matter what he wouldn't let it show, opening his eyes slowly—eyes burning with a cold fire—Heero looked at the man straddling his body. Luc's face was contorted with a sadistic smile and he played with something in his hands, but managed to keep it shielded from Heero's view.

Despite the fact that he was awake, his eyes open, and mind processing, Heero still felt drugged as though it had not all left his system. He blinked trying to remove the feeling, he was at too much of a disadvantage as it was. Luc chuckled suddenly, “It wouldn't do you any good,” he sneered with pleasure “You should be feeling like that for an hour or more…if I let you live that long.” Heero glared up at the man, wanting to do something, but being completely unable too, he certainly wasn't going to give Luc any sort of satisfaction.

“I knew it couldn't be true…” he continued the item in his hands becoming visible to Heero's eyes, he was not surprised to see a switchblade. Luc leaned in close then, flicking the blade out as he did, “What sort of lies did you tell them?” Heero could smell liquor on his breath, it was not over powering, but unmistakable nonetheless.

“It was John wasn't? Only he could have convinced Sally,” he looked away bitterly, that stabbed at Heero, the fact that Luc felt confident enough to take his eyes off Heero, just drove the truth home all that much harder. “That old bastard,” Luc hissed angrily before returning his gaze. The man's mood changed suddenly though, Heero wouldn't have said he was happy, not by far, but a manic look entered his eyes. He studied Heero carefully one corner of his mouth turning up slowly as he did. “You used to be like them didn't you? I remember seeing you among their numbers guarding her.”

Luc shook his head slowly “I know what the other's are like, you're nothing like them now,” he sounded delighted by that. The knife was raised so the lights of the rooms reflected off the blade, there was nothing Heero could do but watch, and feel his anger boil over his inability. Luc reached out taking hold of Heero's right hand, the former pilot felt the pull on his still healing wounds, and the stress placed upon the broken bones. Still he did nothing more than stare at Luc without feeling, that appeared to enrage the man even more, though he did seem to be trying to keep some sort of hold over himself.

The doctor placed the hilt of the knife into Heero's limp hand, and forced the fingers to grip around it. “How simple it would be to just kill you right now,” he gloated, Luc shook his head slowly, “But that would be too good for you wouldn't it?” Luc kept a firm hold on Heero's hand which was holding the knife, and raised the limb up over Heero's torso, which the Japanese man noted was uncovered. That fact had escaped him until this moment, and that realisation only fuelled the frustration and anger he was feeling. The doctor seemed to choose and arbitrary spot on Heero's chest to press in the tip of the blade. Heero refused to take his eyes off Luc's face as the knife was slowly pulled down his torso, cutting the flesh and leaving a trail of blood behind.

At the end of his stroke Luc raised the knife studying the blood dripping of the tip, internally Heero's body jerked to respond, but there was nothing he could do, no way for him to gain the upper hand. Once more Luc pierced the skin and dragged the tip down the length of Heero upper body, he did not choose a straight path as he split the skin. Heero found himself biting the inside of his cheek, not out of pain, but raging frustration and hatred, the latter equally directed at both himself and Luc. Heero could feel rivulets of blood dripping down his sides to the once white sheets below. Luc's face contorted into a harsh glare, and gripping Heero's hand tighter he drew it away from the fresh wound, and suddenly stabbed down viciously. The tip of the blade connected with one of Heero's damaged ribs sending a wave of pain through his entire body. Despite himself a gasp of pain escaped him, as blackness swam before his eyes, and through it he could see Luc smile.

This wasn't going to end, Heero realised as the knife point pierced his flesh again. Either Luc would get bored, and end it here and now, or one of the pilots, would come into the room. The second option didn't seem all that likely at least not before the first would come true. They seemed to try and give him as much time alone as possible coming in only when necessary, roughly every three hours. He knew the last visit had not been too long ago. Heero's entire body itched to reach out and kill Luc, but it was beyond him utterly and completely. He was helpless at the hands of this man toofar gone on drink and a crazed desire.

Heero's focus turned suddenly to his left hand, still thickly wrapped in bandages from the knife wound Luc had inflicted weeks before. Placed near to one of his exposed fingertips was a call buzzer, something he had been told would alert both John and the other pilots if he ever needed anything. It wasn't something Heero had liked the idea of using, and even now he didn't. He wanted very much to be able to handle Luc on his own, to prove to himself that he could, that he wasn't helpless. To his shame and bitter rage he knew he couldn't, this device was his only way out, the only question now was could he move his finger enough to press the switch?

WMWMWMW

Wufei and Duo lounged in the common room of their floor, Relena had not been feeling well that morning and had cancelled her few meetings to take the day off. Leaving both pilots with little to do but relax. Wufei continued the task of checking in on Heero and trying to get him to eat, but the Japanese man was beginning to become more stubborn and impatient with each passing day. Duo had come in ready for work before he was informed the day had been cancelled, but he had decided to remain at the agency for a time before returning home to Hilde and his young son. They had been sitting together for a time now, the conversation having died off a little while back.

Duo had yet to bring himself to see Heero, and despite Wufei's promptings to do so, the Chinese man felt it would still be awhile before Duo was able too. He was not at all surprised by this, Duo had been closest to Heero before this whole mess began. A part of him had thought Duo would be the first to walkthrough that door to speak with Heero, he wasn't about to force the American at gunpoint into the room, no matter how much he wanted to see some results.

A foreign sound broke the silence between them, Duo and Wufei both, reached into their pockets to retrieve the beeping object. Wufei was on his feet in a heartbeat exchanging concerned glances with Duo. It was a call from Heero, but what for? There had been more than one time already where Heero should have used the call button, but had refused. What could be so bad as to make him change his mind now? Dropping the small item back into his pocket Wufei made for the door, Duo not even a full step behind. For the moment at least his concern for his friend outweighed the guilt he had been feeling earlier.

It took them all of ten seconds to make it to Heero's door and unlock it, the sight on the other side stopped Wufei's thoughts. Luc sat on Heero's waist gripping Heero's right hand, that was holding a bloodied knife, and appeared to be half way to stabbing the Japanese man. Wufei's gun was out in an instant, and though the corner of his eye he saw Duo do likewise. Luc turned to look at them, his face alight with anger at having been interrupted. Wufei was beyond words as he stared at the doctor seated on his bloody friend gun trained steadily upon him.

“Get away from him Luc,” he warned.

“Son of a Bitch,” Duo hissed venomously.

The man seemed to hesitate for a moment as though at a loss as to what to do, meanwhile his grip upon Heero's hand subtly shifted. His eyes flashed briefly before he made his last move, without thought to the two guns trained on him Luc made to plunge the blade into Heero's throat. Before he could get the chance his body was sent sprawling across the upper edge of the bed and Heero's body, two bullets piercing his head nearly at the same mark. The knife dropped from Heero's limp hand, falling harmlessly to the side, and came to a stop on the bloody sheets.

Wufei was first to move, re-holstering his gun, and crossing the short distance to Heero's bed side, his eyes locked onto Heero's face even as he hands reached for Luc's body. The Japanese man's eyes were hardly open, and his breathing was coming in shallow gasps, a result of Luc's weight upon his damaged chest. “Heero?” Wufei asked, wanting some sort of acknowledgement from the injured man, to know he was alright. Heero's eyes opened a little wider, and he cobalt eyes turned up to regard the Chinese man, Wufei could see pain in those eyes but a fire also, but it was enough for the moment.

“Duo, help me with this,” he motioned for Duo to take Luc's body from the other side, but as he did, his cell phone rang. His first thought was to ignore it Heero needed his attention more so than that, but it occurred to him, that John had been given the same buzzer they had, and could be in a panic right now. Reaching for the small cell in his pocket he switched it on, and held it to his ear with his shoulder, “Wufei here.”

“Wufei, it's John, what's happen?” as expected the doctor's voice sounded extremely concerned.

“Luc,” he said the name with a grunt as he helped Duo heave the body from Heero's bed and move to place it on the floor.

“What? How? When?” the doctor asked near frantic.

“I don't know,” Wufei ground out bitterly, “We just got in here.”

“How bad is it?” John was quick to ask.

“Luc's dead,” Wufei straightened looking Heero over carefully now that Luc wasn't in the way. With all the blood it was hard to see what damage had been done, “Looks like he's cut him up pretty bad.” Wufei stepped up beside Heero, and taking hold of a clean part of the blanket attempted to dab away some of the blood, “Nothing looks life threatening, but either you or Sally's going to need to take a look at this.”

“I can be there in five minutes, I was on my way when I got the call, if you think it's necessary get Sally.”

“I should be able to handle it until you arrive,” Wufei assured, looking again to Heero's face, he didn't like what he was seeing in the former pilot's eyes, and quickly thought better of bringing an already uncomfortable Sally into the volatile situation. He didn't waste times with goodbyes but shut the cell off and tuckedit away. Duo stood over Luc's body, eyes trained on it and not Heero, it was clear he was uncomfortable, and Wufei couldn't blame him. He too was feeling a great deal of guilt, they had let this happen, Heero had been tortured just a few rooms down from where they had been relaxing. Wufei stopped himself, he couldn't give into those sorts of thoughts not now, not when Heero needed help.

“Duo,” he called his friend's name waiting for him to make eye contact, “Can you take care of the body?”

The American looked up, his eyes appearing grateful for the suggestion, and he set to work grabbing the blankets from Heero's bed to wrap Luc in. No longer concerned with Duo, Wufei turned his full attention to Heero. Gathering a few cloths, Wufei wetted them with warm water from the sink, and began washing away some of the blood from Heero's thin chest. “Get out,” the words had been spoken so softly Wufei had almost missed them at first, he took his eyes off what he had been doing to look Heero in the face.

“What?”

“Get out!” it was said more forcefully now, Heero's eyes flashing with his anger and frustration. Wufei exchanged a brief glance with Duo, who had stopped what he was doing, to study Heero uncomfortably.

“Heero I can't leave you like this, you're bleeding, I've got to get it under control,” he spoke firmly, as he started working again, now beginning to see the damage done. He could feel Heero's anger, and could not imagine what this must have felt like to Heero.

“I don't need you in here!” Heero growled, his eyes showing clearly his emotions, it was a rare moment, to see so much in those eyes, and none of it good. Anger was at the forefront but Wufei could see beyond that, to the frustration, and shame, he also thought there might have been a hint of fear, something he had never expected.

“We can't just walk away Heero,” Duo spoke up, eyes unwilling to look directly at Heero, “Not after we did once…”

Wufei looked to Heero, and it was like a switch had been flipped, there was nothing in those eyes now, they were completely devoid. Something in what Duo had said clearly struck Heero, but Wufei couldn't for the life of him think of what it might be. They both turned back to the tasks at hand, even less comfortable than they had been before. It was the door opening suddenly behind them that broke the heavy silence, and caused Wufei to breathe a sigh of relief.

WMWMWMW

John barely gave the card reader time to accept his card before he was pushing his way though the door, having no idea what he was going to see on the other side. Blood, was the first thing John's eyes registered a large spray of it coated the wall behind Heero's bed. John had never been made to feel sick at the sight of blood, yet he felt something now, more for how all this blood had come to be spilt, than the fact that it had been. His attention swept passed the two pilots in the room to rest directly on Heero's face, the boy's eyes were open, but there was nothing in them. John had seen that look before, and he didn't like it, he didn't like Heero to distance himself from the world, especially after something like this.

The atmosphere in the room felt uncomfortable more than he would have expected it too. Neither Duo nor Wufei looked at ease being here, not that John could blame them, he could imagine what thoughts were going through their heads at this moment. This had happened while they sat so close by, John felt immediately overwhelmed by the sheer gravity of the situation, but he forced it aside. Now was the time to just act, leave the emotions behind to deal with later, as hard as that might be. Wufei stepped away from the bed still holding a bloodied cloth in his hand, taking up the knife he looked to John briefly their eyes locking before he passed tossing the cloth in a bin.

“If you need anything just call,” he told John softly as he came to a stop by Duo who was preparing to lift Luc's body and carry it from the room. The older doctor looked down at the sheet wrapped bundle, blood stained the white cloth, and he wasn't entirely sure it was all Luc's. He didn't know how to feel looking down on such a sight, he had never liked Luc, had actually despised him for the things he had done to Heero. But was this the right end to it all?

John shook his head, this was not the time to be thinking about it, his focus had to be entirely on Heero. Stepping deeper into the room John came to a stop at the edge of Heero's bed, and leaned down so he could better see the boy's face. “Heero?” he called the name softly wanting some sort of acknowledgement, he didn't like it when the boy shut himself down. “Say something Heero, let me know you're alright,” he pleaded, as his eyes looked over the damaged more closely.

“Get out,” the words held no weight, they were barely even whispered.

“Heero?” John was more than a little puzzled by this. By this point they were alone in the room both Wufei and Duo had left, presumably to take care of Luc's body, John didn't even want to begin to consider that.

“I said get out!” the words were more forceful now, but tightly controlled, as though Heero didn't want to loose control just yet, but was balanced on the edge.

“I can't do that Heero,” John soothed, “These injuries need to be looked after.”

The boy's eyes opened wider then, and the fire of his anger was clearly seen, “I don't want your help!”

John gave a start at this sudden burst of emotions, it was lacking in the logical thought that Heero usually possessed. It seemed much more like that of a teenager, John could clearly remember his children acting in a similar way when he was young. That thought really struck John shaking him roughly, forcing him to see Heero as though for the first time. The boy was just barely an adult, not even, by John's standards, it was not unreasonable to expect such behaviour from him. “I can't leave this Heero,” John tried for a firmer tone, suspecting gentleness, and kind understanding were too things the Japanese boy didn't want at the moment. “You've already lost a fair deal of blood, you can't afford to lose any more. What if infection sets in?” he added the last as an afterthought, not wanting to even think about the possibility himself.

Heero turned his head away, frustration clearly playing across his features, it amazed John, the control this youth had, he was battling to remain in this state of half calm. And for the moment at least he was winning, thought John was of the opinion that that was not a good thing. Heero couldn't insist on keeping everything bottled up inside, it was going to end up being as bad for him as the bleeding he was doing right now. “Do you realise that it could kill you?” he chose his words carefully keeping his tone firm, trying to light the short fuse that was keeping Heero's anger in check.

“I don't care!” the former pilot suddenly flared, his eyes locking onto John's face, and the old doctor could see, Heero didn't know where to direct his anger there was just so much of it. “At least dead I'd be in control!” John was left speechless by this, could he really feel that bad? Was that the only out he could see? How long had he been feeling this way? These were questions none of which John was able to get out as he stared down at the boy, who's head slowly turned away, “I'd be in control…” his words were barely audible, as those intense eyes fell closed and he turned his head away from John. “What ever you need to do…do it…I don't care…”

John was left stunned that this had not been the extent of Heero's anger, he had still managed to keep it back at least most of it. But John wasn't about to push for more, that's not what the boy needed at the moment. He movedquickly to gather the supplies he would need to clean and close those gashes. When his hands touched upon Heero's torso for the moment he was shocked at the tension built up there, he very much wanted to boy to relax. As the tense moments dragged on John found himself humming a soothing tune, something he had been known to do with his younger patients as a way to reassure them. Silence could be frightening, but there was difficulty also in trying to hold a conversation with one so young. It shocked John the moment he felt Heero's body slowly relax beneath his fingertips. He had not allowed himself to hope that it would actually work on someone such as Heero.

WMWMWMW

Wufei grunted at the effort it took to carry Luc's heavy body, as he and Duo walked out into the hall, leaving Heero's room behind. The Chinese man hoped John had more luck with Heero than they had, knowing thatnothing was going to make this easier. Wufei felt the familiar feeling of wanting to go back and change what had happened, stop it from ever having transpired. Knowing it was useless to dwell on something he had no power over Wufei pushed it aside and focused his thoughts on the task at hand. How were they going to dispose of the body without attracting dangerous attention? That wasn't an easy question to answer, any sort of attention on this was going to be bad attention, everything right now led back to Heero, something they couldn't let happen.

Wufei's steps halted immediately drawing Duo's eyes to him, “We can't go down to the morgue like this,” he said, and watched as the light of realisation entered his friend's large eyes.

“There's no way we can explain this…” Duo mused aloud, it was clear his mind had not been thinking all that coherently up to this point. Slowly he lowered the blanket wrapped body to the ground, eyes looking to Wufei for a suggestion.

His mind turned the problem over quickly searching for the simplest most believable answer, only one solution played out in his mind, and Wufei reached for the knife he had added to the blankets, he took a moment to wipe it clean before handing it hilt first to Duo, “Stab me,” he told him simply.

Duo's dark eyes flew wide, and he looked about ready to object when it seemed to hit him, and he realised where Wufei might have been going with this. “You can't think of anything better than that?” his hand had yet to move from his side.

“Nothing that isn't going to be more complicated, and the more complicated we get, the more loop holes there may be.” Wufei reached across to Duo placing the knife in his hand by force, but kept his eyes on the other pilot's face. “Luc was jealous of Heero, because she still loved him, it's not so much of a stretch to say Luc was jealous of me, for all the time I spend with her. I never liked him to begin with, and that had never been hidden.”

“So then the story is, he came at you with this knife, and we shot him…” his eyes were on the knife now as he switched his grip on it. He didn't look at all pleased about this, but it didn't take much to see that it was their only option. They stepped away from Luc's body together moving more towards the center of the hallway, watching each other in silence Wufei motioned for his left arm. “Ready?” Duo asked eyes flickering down to the knife, his voice sounded hollow as though he had distanced himself from this. Wufei didn't blame him, he didn't like putting Duo in this situation at all.

With on crisp nod of his head, Duo lunged into motion, knife leading the way. Wufei moved at the same time forward and off to the side, wincing only slightly as the steel bit into his skin and pulled down his arm raggedly, then it was done. Duo jumped back, immediately taking note of the wound but only for a second. The Chinese man looked over to his bleeding arm, griping the long gash with his right hand, blood quickly seeped between his tanned fingers and began dripping to the floor. His arm burned sharply but it was a pain simple meditation had taught him to ignore, it was no longer a part of him if he didn't want it to be. Duo wasted no time in tearing several strips of cloth from the blankets and coming to Wufei's side.

“That's going to need stitches…” he said softly tying the first strip like a tourniquet, and the others slightly looser down the rest of the gash.

“I'll deal with it later, clean your prints and mine from the blade, and put it in Luc's hand,” he knew it wasn't really necessary to explain that to Duo, but he didn't want his friend to start dwelling on what he had been forced to do.

It only took a minute to clean the knife, and plant the prints, then they were moving to lift Luc's body again. It became a little more difficult for Wufei now that his left arm was not willing to support the weight but they managed.

WMWMWMW

Une was just sitting back to a nice cup of red wine, glad to have another long day behind her, when the phone on the table beside her rang. She resisted the urge to sigh heavily, despite the fact there was no one present to hear, and simply reached for the receiver instead. “Une,” she said crisply, her voice one of command, she didn't appreciate being called after hours unless it was important.

“It's Wufei,” his familiar voice greeted into her ear, “There's been an incident.”

“What kind of incident?” Une put aside her wine glass sitting straighter in her chair, she didn't like the tone in his voice.

“We found Luc in Heero's room.”

Une resisted the urge to swear violently at that, that was the last thing any of them needed right now. There was no need for her to ask what happened, as Wufei started to tell her, “He was torturing him. Heero called us, we came, Luc's dead.”

She would have liked a few more details, but it appeared those would have to come later, “And what have you done now?”

“John's with Heero, he was already on his way in when he got the call. And Luc's been taken to the morgue.”

“What did you tell them?” Une demanded, she didn't doubt Wufei's abilities in any situation, but this was a particularly difficult one.

“That he came at me with a knife and tried to kill me, he was jealous of the time I spent with Relena,” Wufei told her simply and to the point.

Une knew that could be taken for fact but what proof was there, “Will it be believed?” she had to ask.

“The coroner did,” there was a pause, “The stitches should prove it enough to anyone else…”

“What stitches?” she asked urgently.

“We had to make it real, I just had Duo use Luc's knife, it's nothing major,” Wufei said seeming to try and brush the matter aside. But Une was hardly convinced she had watched these pilots since they were fifteen, she knew what sort of pain they could deal with.

“Wufei,” she made his name a warning, in the background she caught another voice, one she recognised to be Duo's.

“Best to get that stitched now, before the material fuses to your skin.”

“I just wanted to give you a heads up, his families going to need to be notified,” Wufei continued his voice sounding pained for a moment, perhaps while Duo checked the bandages. Une wanted a vid-phone at that moment, to see how bad it really was.

She nodded to herself not caring that they couldn't see, her quiet evening was forgotten, there were now important things to do. “Alright leave it to me, I want a full report on your condition tomorrow.

“Understood,” he ended the conversation after that, shutting off his cell.

Une sat there for a moment gathering her thoughts, before she climbed from her seat, the next few calls she was going to have to make would be best done with her vid-phone. She did sigh then, why did this situation have to keep making itself more difficult?

WMWMWMW

Wufei slipped his cell phone back into his pocket as he and Duo stepped back out onto their floor, his onyx eyes saw the splatters of blood on the white tiles of the floor, as they strode down the hall back to Heero's room. “Wouldn't it be better to get Sally?” Duo asked his expression becoming obviously uncomfortable as he stood outside the door.

“I'd rather deal with her anger after it's stitched not while she's stitching it,” Wufei said with a brief sake of his head, besides that he wanted to be sure Heero was alright, that things were better than they were when he had left the room.

Punching in the code Wufei's eyes looked to John standing over Heero's side as the door slid opened. The older doctor looked up as they entered, but Heero didn't move. Wufei's eyes swept the room, noting John's supplies still on the counter bloodied and waiting to be cleaned. Among them was a small bottle, it was too small for Wufei to read but he suspected it was some form of sedation. Heero's chest rose and fell in an even way, signalling a deep—hopefully—restful sleep. “How is he?” Wufei asked stepping in so Duo could follow in behind.

John sighed turning towards them, “His wounds will heal…” there was an obvious catch in his voice, as one hand reached out to rest on Heero's forehead. “He's not going to be easy to be around, but you can't avoid him because of that,” John stepped away from the bed then and began cleaning up the mess on the countertop. “Where's Luc's body now? Probably the morgue?” the last wasn't really a question, just quiet musing to ones self, but something clearly occurred to John then. “Good Lord what did you tell them?” he spun, the mess forgotten.

“That he came at Wufei with a knife,” Duo broke in forcefully turning his friend, so his previously concealed left side was visible to the old doctor. John gasped taking hold of Wufei's arm and slowly moving the bandages aside to better see what lay beneath.

“We had to make it believable,” Wufei explained wincing as fresh scabs tore when the cloth was pulled aside.

John just shook his head, “You know I read your files that Sally gave me, but I honestly thought she was exaggerating about some of it.”

“Guess we proved you wrong…” Wufei found himself being guided to a chair and gently pressed down into it. His eyes sought out Duo and found him standing near by his lavender eyes jumping between watching what John was doing and staring at Heero. Wufei's attention was pulled back to his arm when he heard John suck in a breath.

“Did you have to make it so deep?” he asked looking between the two of them.

Wufei shrugged his good arm, “It had to be done, I've informed Une she's covering the rest.”

“Alright,” John sighed standing, “Let me get something to freeze the wound then I'll stitch you up.”

“Don't worry about that, just stitch it,” Wufei bade, already prepared to drop himself into a state of mediation where he would feel none of it.

John was shaking his head when Duo dropped a hand onto his shoulder, “It's okay, he can handle it.” The older doctor look less than pleased about all this, and still appeared ready to put up a fight, but in the end he just nodded his head, perhaps remembering something he had read in the files Sally gave him.

“Help him get his shirt off,” John told Duo as he moved across the room to retrieve more supplies.

Wufei shuffled forward in the chair so it would be easier, and began unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing. Duo helped him slide the now ruined shirt off his wounded arm and then stepped back giving John the room he would need. The doctor halted on his way back over for a brief moment.His eyes studying Wufei's right side, and the elaborate black tattoo which twisted its way up his arm, and spread out across his shoulder blade. It was a Chinese dragon Wufei had had done several years back. It watched his back for him and held within one clawed foot, a single fragile flower. A subtle tribute to his dead wife. “That's beautiful…” John said as he walked around to Wufei's left side kneeling once more on the hard floor.

Unsure what to say Wufei just nodded, he had never made a point of showing it off to people, it was something he had wanted to do to remember where he had come from, who it was who had helped make him strong. Wufei dropped his consciousness back as John began cutting away the makeshift bandage, he could see what was going on around him, and even hear to some extent but the pain was all but gone. John worked quickly to clean out the wound, and with Duo handing him the needed material proceeded to stitch it up. Wufei watched it all seeing tiny details he may well have missed had he been feeling the pain he knew to be there just beyond the borderof his mental block. The job was done quickly and efficiently and soon John was working to cover the now stitched wound with thick gauze to protect it.

Wufei allowed himself to come back fully knowing the pain he had felt before would be greater now that the gash had been aggravated by closing it. He opened his eyes a little wider and pulled his arm back to his side when John had finished with it. The older doctor rose slowly to his feet, using the arm of the chair to pull himself up, “Duo will you lend me a hand cleaning Heero, and changing the sheets?” he asked softly, stripping the disposable gloves from his hands he had wornwhile stitching the gash.

Duo looked very uncomfortable at the thought, eyes looking away almost longingly for the door. Wufei stood then, taking hold of his ruined shirt as he did, “I'll help,” he offered, not as comfortable being in here as he had been, but still better off thanDuo.

“No you won't,” John rounded quickly face stern, “I didn't just stitch that arm to have you tear them all out again. Go get some rest, I'll bring some medication by later for the pain.”

Wufei opened his mouth to object, not appreciating being ordered around, when Duo stepped forward successfully cutting him off. “It's alright,” he stepped closer to Wufei, “I can't just keep avoiding him…nothing's going to make this easier.” His eyes were down cast, but there was determination in his voice even if it was buried deep. Wufei nodded slowly in acceptance of this, and casting one last glance Heero's way to assure himself his friend still breathed, walked from the room. He didn't feel tired enough to sleep at the moment, but he figured he could at least spread the word to the few people who needed to know, that Une would not have a chance to speak with.

His arm throbbed painfully with each beat of his heart, but he doubted he'd bother taking anything John might bring to him. He wondered though if he'd find himself taking it despite his resolve. John was a tricky man, not in the way Sally might drug their drinks or food, but rather he somehow managed to get Heero to agree, and allow things to happen, that he wouldn't for anyone else. Wufei wished he could be there to see exactly what it was, but then again in a few hours he might just see it first hand.

Thanks for Reading!

The Road to What You Really Want:

What Relena could see of Heero's eyes in that moment changed drastically, it was as if a switch had suddenly been hit, he was closing himself off from her. “What's wrong?” she asked worry dripping from her voice. She didn't like how quickly everything had changed, it felt to Relena as though every fortification Heero possessed was dropping into place blocking out the world around him. “Don't shut down on me,” she pleaded to no avail. Desperation drove her actions, as she stood from her seat and leaned over Heero's prone form, pressing her lips to his in a quick kiss.

It was a contact she had dreamed of, longed for, and wished to lose herself in. But she didn't deserve to, and it was that unwanted truth that drew her back from Heero with tears standing out in her eyes, “I want to be back where we were, back there…” despite everything the guilt and pain between them, that kiss had felt so go…so right.

Heero's eyes were wide with surprise now, having been caught completely off guard by that kiss. Relena was relieved to see that he didn't look angry about it, “You sacrificed so much Heero…” Relena said cautiously touching his hand with one finger, “Don't you think you deserve a little happiness?” Whether she would ever be able to make it up to him, and be worthy of that happiness also Relena didn't know, nor did she really want to think about it.

Morganeth Taren'drel