Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Mistaken Words ❯ No Hold's Barred ( Chapter 62 )

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

Mistaken Words

AN: I want to apologies for how long it's taken me to post these two chapters. This summer has been a very difficult one for me, and although I don't like to make excuses there had been a lot of mitigating factors, which have kept me from writing. I do hope that at some point today I'll be able to post another two chapters, if not then in the next couple of days. I hope you'll continue to be patient with me and I thank you all so much for your reviews!

Thanks again to Morgansgirl Pious Knight and Featherbird!

Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam Wing

No Hold's Barred

Duo leaned back casually against the wall, all eyes on the center of the room where Heero and Wufei had begun their fight. Hardly a word had been said since Heero had unexpectedly walked into the common room, a look of utter determination in his eyes. Duo was relieved to see his friend back and well, but part of him wanted to be in the middle of the room beating some sense into their Japanese friend. It had been a relief for all of them when Wufei announced that he knew where Heero was staying and that he was doing fine, but none of them had truly rested easy until now. Duo wondered if that knowledge would have bothered Heero. It probably would have, but there wasn't much they could do about that.

Heero looked as sure on his feet as he had twelve days ago as he and Wufei traded blows on their blocks and searched for an opening. The fight had been going for about five minutes when Duo felt Trowa shift beside him, and he glanced over. “We've given them a head start,” he commented eyes not leaving the center of the room. “Do you want to call or should I?” His one visible emerald eye flickered over to Duo.

Duo chuckled dryly, reaching for his cell phone. “Let me, I have a wife and children, she can't kill me.” Trowa smirked at that looking back to the fight. Dialing Sally's number, Duo brought the cell to his ear and waited for her to pick up.

“Hello?”

“Hey Sal, just thought you might like to know he's back,” Duo said in cheerful tones, wishing he could see her face in that moment.

There was an instance of silence on the other end before Sally exploded. “When? Where is he?”

Duo cast a slightly pained look Trowa's way. “Not long ago, we're down in the training room.”

“Keep him there,” Sally said firmly.

“Don't think you need to worry about that Sal,” Duo chuckled, feeling a little sorry for Heero when Sally got there. Shutting the phone, he slipped it back into his pocket and folded his arms comfortably across his chest. “I'd give them what? Five more minutes?” he asked with a crooked smile.

“You're enjoying this far too much,” Trowa commented.

“Have to find something to pass the time.”

WMWMWMW

Heero sharply redirected a punch aimed for his midsection and quickly deflected a kick Wufei snapped out towards his knee. As was the case before, they were evenly matched, trading clashing blows more often than letting anything through. Within twelve days Heero had continued to recover and improve. He knew he still wasn't at his peek, but he was having no trouble keeping up with Wufei.

They had kept their street clothes on, merely kicking off their socks and shoes so as not to damage the special flooring. So far the fight was shaping up to be very much like their first, though Heero was sure he could sense a subtle difference in the way Wufei was handling himself. The Chinese man looked far more serious and determined than he had almost two weeks back. They broke apart briefly circling each other about the room. He wondered how this fight would end. Would they fight each other until exhaustion kicked in? Heero didn't intend to lose to his friend.

Wufei closed the distance between them in a flash and Heero ducked, sidestepping the oncoming attack. He caught Wufei's arm and took a firm hold of the shoulder, forcing the former pilot down into an arm bar. It was a hold Heero felt confident could hold most people but not Wufei, at least not for long. His leg shot out for Heero's unprotected side, which he fought to defend without releasing his hold. Wufei's knee glanced up over Heero's making solid contact with his side and sending white hot pain lancing through him.

Heero stumbled back from the force and inability to taking in air, his body connecting with the wall and one of the swords hung on display. His eyes narrowed as black spots swam in front of his eyes, but he wasn't about to give up yet. He wasn't going to let Wufei win after a move like that. He hardly had any time to think at all. Wufei was on top of him almost instantly, the frequency of his attacks keeping Heero to the wall. They didn't look into each others eyes, to busy focusing on watching for subtle movements, but Heero was sure Wufei was enjoying this.

He had managed to prove his point, why they had chosen to avoid striking his ribs. The pain of it nearly rendered Heero immobile. Still Heero had managed, and still was, to make his own point, as he continued to deflect Wufei's onslaught of attacks. Even in pain he wasn't giving up! The wall actually helped him, supporting his weight while he recovered. Finally managing to land a solid blow to Wufei's leg, Heero launched himself into a roll coming up back in the center of the room. His body still felt the need to hunch around his sore ribs but he fought to remain upright as Wufei came at him again.

Vaguely Heero was aware of someone walking into the room, but he kept most of his focus on Wufei as they danced about the room, fighting to create an opening. “Heero! Wufei!” a familiar feminine voice shouted seconds later. Had it not been so recognizable Heero doubted he would have paid the newcomer all that much thought, but he hadn't heard that tone in years, so it definitely caught his attention. Both he and Wufei came to a stop and turned to face a very disapproving female doctor. “What the hell do you think you're doing?” she demanded, and Heero immediately decided it was near impossible to tell what she was referring to. Whether it was the fight she had just interrupted or the fact that Heero had left and now come back. No matter, it looked to Heero as though Sally had finally remembered herself.

Heero's eyes left Sally and John who stood beside her to consider Duo and Trowa. “You made it here in record time…” he commented rather pointedly. Duo merely flashed him a toothy grin.

“Just when were you planning on contacting me,” she asked, folding her arms across her chest. He noted she had a bag slung over one shoulder; it had been a while since he had seen it.

“When I was finished here,” he responded calmly, eyes flickering to John who had settled back on one of the benches, his kindly old face hard to read as he watched the scene unfold.

“What the hell were you thinking, leaving like you did?” she demanded, then taking a step towards the center of the room.

“Making a point,” he thought that should have been obvious by now.

She nodded unimpressed, “And is that what you're doing now? Proving a point?” She looked at him critically. “If you're point was that your ribs are still tender, mission accomplished.”

Heero forced himself to straighten, eyes narrowing. He had taken the hit and had managed to come back from it, that was what mattered. He hadn't lost the fight. “I don't need to be protected,” he growled. He felt sure that Wufei understood that now, and the others as well. He could look after himself. He wasn't what he had been eight months ago; he never wanted to remember that again.

“Maybe not,” Sally conceded, “But your health is still my responsibility, you shouldn't have just left like that!” In the background Heero caught John nodding his head in agreement, his expression still a mystery.

“I'm fine,” he countered, there was nothing for any of them to worry about. He just wished that was enough to stop them.

“You're bleeding,” Sally pointed out her voice very calm, she was very much the woman he remembered her being.

Glancing down at his arm in surprise Heero saw the blood dripping off his hand to the floor. He hadn't even noticed it until now. Thinking back, Heero realized it must have happened back during the fight when he had hit the sword. He hadn't even felt it.

“Let me take a look at it,” she said, sliding the bag off her shoulder. None of them really knew what all she kept in there. They did know to be wary of whatever she took out of it.

“It's just a scratch. I'll take care of it,” he countered, wondering now how far he could actually push her. Would she back off if he pushed hard enough?

“Out of the question.” She shook her head, her eyes determined as they focused on Heero, “You want everything back to the way it was? Then that's what you get. Now come over here and take off your shirt.”

He considered her for a moment, now really interested. “No,” he said, wanting to see what she'd do.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment there, and a flash of the Sally he had been dealing with for the past half year entered her eyes. But she gave her head a brief shake and looked mutely to Wufei and then to Duo and Trowa. The silent command passed between all of them, and Heero readied himself-this was about to get interesting. Three on one. He had fought odds like that before, he could do it again. Straightening up a little more Heero shifted to a better position, not about to let himself be surrounded by his friends.

WMWMWMW

Sally backed off the mat, walking over to where John waited. She felt shaky from the confrontation. She had been looking forward to this day, but as much as she wanted to act like everything was as it used to be it wasn't entirely true. She had been pissed off when Heero chose to leave the agency, feeling he was taking unnecessary risks all because of pride. It was that emotion she had had to draw on in order to confront him as she did. But it had felt good, and she thought she had seen a look of pleasure in Heero's eyes.

“He's a stubborn boy,” John commented, eyes watching the scene unfold. Sally found herself wondering what John thought of all this. He had been strangely quiet about Heero's disappearance, but Sally didn't doubt he had been worried.

Sally turned back to the room, watching as the pilots tried to surround Heero and take him down. It was a game to them, a challenge. It was odd to watch four young men who had had their childhoods stolen from them play in their own special way.

“How long are you going to let this go on?” John asked briefly glancing her way.

“He's tired and sore. I'm sure it won't go on for too long.” Of course there was no way to say that definitively. They could always intervene if it went on for too long.

“I want to sit down and have a talk with that boy,” the old doctor said, folding his arms and settling back.

Sally nodded mutely, wondering how that would go, but before she gave Heero over to the old doctor she wanted to take a look at him. In the middle of the room Wufei, Duo and Trowa were working together to try and corner Heero, but the smaller Japanese man wasn't cooperating. His expression was seriously determined; he wasn't going to go down easily. She felt John shift beside her and sigh impatiently. Heero was going to drag this out.

WMWMWMW

It was a strenuous effort fighting off three attackers in the best of circumstances. Against three other pilots, tired as he was, it was becoming nearly impossible. Though he wasn't about to give up just yet. Giving up meant Sally would win. In the end that's probably what would happen. Knowing that however didn't mean he'd cave. B esides that he was having fun, if this fit into the definition of the word. And it was obvious the others felt the same.

With his attention almost completely focused on the task at hand, Heero wasn't really aware of what Sally and John were doing besides watching. The soft whistle of something flying towards his head caught Heero entirely off guard. Jumping back, his eyes focused on a paper airplane which John had sent sailing across the room. It caused the moment of distraction the others had been waiting for, and they lunged for him. Heero was taken to the ground and quickly pinned. Surprisingly they managed it without hurting him further.

For a moment they held him there and he could hear Duo laughing. “That was brilliant John,” he praised. Heero twisted under the hands that held him, trying to see around Trowa and Wufei.

“Alright, let him up,” Sally said, having come to the center of the room, and Heero was drawn to his feet between the two pilots. His cobalt eyes fell calmly on Sally as she lowered the bag she had been carrying to the ground and reached for the buttons of his shirt. “Was all this really necessary?” she asked, glancing up at him as she opened his shirt, moving to pull it off his shoulder and the arm she wanted to see too.

Heero tensed, not wanting her to remove his shirt completely and expose the brand on his back. Her movements stopped and she glanced at him. He knew his expression was dark, but if she continued he'd begin to struggle. Perhaps that was silly, maybe even childish, but he didn't want the brand exposed at all. “I'm going to take a look at this Heero, one way or another,” she said, her hands still holding the white material.

“Cut the sleeve off,” Heero suggested, feeling increasingly more uncomfortable held as he was, and fighting so as not to show it.

Sally considered him for a minute, her eyes studying his face before she nodded and pulled the shirt back onto his shoulder. “Shirt's ruined anyways.” She then knelt over her bag and began searching through it for a pair of scissors.

“Is this necessary?” he demanded, eyes looking first at Trowa then Wufei, as they towered over him on either side, holding him immobile. Their grips were rock solid at the moment, but Heero knew if he began to struggle he'd soon find himself unable to move.

“What?” Sally asked back, “My bandaging your wound? Or them holding you in place?” She smiled, already knowing exactly what he had been referring to. “You started this when you refused to cooperate, now you get to deal with the consequences,” she smiled at him as she began cutting away the sleeve.

Heero divided his attention between watching what Sally was doing and glancing at the other faces in the room. John had remained where he was across the room his expression still a mystery to Heero, which he didn't think was a good sign. The skin on his arm jumped as Sally disinfected the cut, and Heero looked back over. “This isn't so bad…” she said, more to herself as he continued to clean away the last of the blood.

“Then why are you so concerned with it?” Heero knew enough first aid that he would have been able to take care of this no problem.

“Because you up and left for twelve days, and if this bothers you it's no less than you deserve,” she flashed him a quick smile as she began to apply a thick liquid band aid to the cut, “I doubt you're going to relax for a few days. This'll hold up better than gauze but you have to let it dry.” Heero's muscles jumped in response to the substance but he gave no further reaction to the sting.

Duo walked around in front of him holding the paper airplane John had thrown. He laughed, bringing it up in front of Heero's face, “You should have seen the look on your face, it was priceless!”

“Glad you're enjoying yourself,” Heero said dryly.

“Ah, you can't fool me,” Duo laughed, “You're enjoying yourself too.”

Heero slowly shook his head. Sally had finished her work and Heero twisted his arms, waiting for Trowa and Wufei to let him go. But Sally seemed to have other ideas. “Hold on a minute,” she spoke to both Heero and the pilots holding him in place as she got up from putting away her supplies. Her eyes studied Heero critically as she moved aside the material of his still opened shirt. “You haven't been eating enough,” she accused. Just trying to bother him, he was sure.

“I've been eating just fine,” he returned, stepping back from her as much as he could, held as he was.

She shook her head, closing the distance again. “I want to know how much you weigh.”

“I'm sure that could wait.” She was pushing him, just as he had been pushing her. Tensing up in the pilots' hands, they finally released him and he immediately began buttoning his shirt at least enough to keep it closed.

“It can wait,” she agreed, “But only until tomorrow. It's getting late and Relena's meeting ought to be finished soon.” Sally lifted her bag off the floor, looking rather pointedly at Heero. “I'm sure she'll be excited to see you.” She turned quite suddenly, then walked over to where John was standing and watching.

Trowa and Wufei exchanged glances but said nothing as they stepped back giving him a little room. “That was a good fight,” Wufei commented folding his arms across his chest, “I just hope you realize your ribs are still a liability.”

Heero's eyes narrowed. It might have been the truth but that didn't mean he wanted, or needed, it pointed out to him. “I can defend myself,” he returned bluntly.

Wufei simply nodded and walked away, Trowa and Duo following shortly after. Shaking his head, Heero walked across the mat to where his shoes had been left against the wall, and sat down on the bench to pull them on. He sensed someone approach from his left and glanced up to see John standing over him. They watched each other in silence for several moments as Heero tied his shoes. He wondered what John was thinking, but he wasn't about to ask knowing John would most likely tell him shortly.

“C'mon, Sally's going to have some dinner sent up to us,” John said finally, turning towards the door.

Heero got to his feet glancing down at his watch, he was feeling tired but was determined to see Relena again before he went to sleep. Walking out into the hall Heero saw that it was just John and himself, he wasn't sure where the others had gone off too. They stepped into the elevator together and Heero leaned back against the wall dipping his head, and bringing up a hand to massage at his neck. The pain behind his eye was slowly beginning to return and he looked forward to the moment when he again became used to it, it was far easier to block out then.

“You really had me worried Heero,” John spoke into the silence, and Heero fought to repress a sigh.

“I can take care of myself,” he said, more sharply than he had intended. But this wasn't something he wanted to be hearing from everyone. He was a soldier, fully trained and completely recovered. How long was it going to take all of them to remember that?

John's hand reached out to take his shoulder as he made to step off the elevator. “This has nothing to do with that.” His tone sounded hurt, but Heero fought to ignore it. “I worry about you like I do any of my children.” He released Heero's shoulder and stepped out into the hall.

It wasn't the first time John had made reference to his children when speaking to Heero, and as always it left the former pilot puzzled. Maybe that was the point all a long, confuse him to the point where he didn't fight what was being said. Heero followed behind John into his room and strode right across to take a seat in one of the armchairs, still sort of feeling the need to put himself as far from the bed as possible.

“Here,” John caught his attention and handed him a warmer sweater than the ruined shirt he was wearing now. “So where were you all this time?” the old doctor asked, settling back on the couch.

Heero let out a frustrated sigh as he pulled the sweater over his head. “I should just make a recording you can pass around,” he muttered darkly. It was going to be the same bloody questions from everyone. No one was just going to let the matter drop and be happy with the fact that he was back.

“This isn't a joke,” John said angrily. It surprised Heero; he hadn't thought John would catch it.

“I'm not laughing,” he returned calmly. It was the same as with the apologies; it got tiring dealing with the same thing over and over again.

John sat on the edge of his seat looking seriously at the former pilots face. “Heero…”

But the Japanese man cut him off, “I don't want you worrying about me.”

“Do you remember Heero?” John asked with an audible sigh, “How close you came to dying?”

It was a vague time in his life. He knew he was missing long stretches of time, but Heero also knew he would definitely have preferred to forget it all if he could. “I'd rather not,” he replied, finally staring off into a space of the room that didn't have John.

“Well maybe if you did, you'd understand why the others have done what they have so far,” John commented, “I didn't know you before any of this so it's different for me. But from what I gather by the file Sally gave me, you were pretty untouchable during the war. You walked away from some accidents that would have, should have killed you,” Heero heard him shift on his seat and he glanced over. “To now see you as you were eight months ago,” John continued seriously, “That's had to have shaken them up. It's not easy to forget.”

“I'm not like that now,” he growled darkly. He didn't know how much further he could come from that weak dependant person he had been.

“I know that, and so do they,” John placated, “But you've been pushing yourself from day one.”

“Because I can handle it,” Heero cut in again.

“I never said you couldn't,” his tone still gentle wasn't calming for Heero anymore.

“Implied it then,” he retorted. How high did he have to climb to be accepted back by them?

It was John's turn to sigh. “Heero, there's a lot in this world you have no control over, how people come to feel about you is just one of them. You can tell me and the others that you don't want us worrying about you, but that won't mean it stops.” He massaged his forehead for a moment. “Take me for example, I'm a father and your doctor. Of course I'm going to be concerned about you, and for different reasons than Relena or the other pilots.”

Heero could see the point John was attempting to make, knew that he was speaking through experience. Relena had loved him from the first. Perhaps it had been little more than a childish crush, but he had had no control over it. “I don't want to be held back,” he breathed, trying to make his side of this a little sharper.

“They realized their mistake twelve days ago. I don't think you have to worry about that any more,” John assured.

“And all the questions?” Heero fired back. That's what had started this conversation in the first place.

“Curiosity as much as concern,” John conceded. “You were gone for twelve days, and I highly doubt you spent your time holed up in a hotel room.”

“No…” Heero sighed, leaning back in his chair and letting his head drop back. “I spent most of my time at a dojo in town.”

“Hmmm…” the old doctor mused softly but seemed content to let the matter rest. Their brief silence was broken by the soft knock on his door, “Looks like our dinner's here,” John commented, getting up. Heero didn't bother to raise his head until he heard John greet the newcomer. “Good evening Relena. I see you met Sally in the halls.”

“Yes she wanted me to bring this up to you,” Heero's head had come up and he watched Relena walk into the room carrying a plastic bag. “I haven't eaten either so I thought I'd join you.” She flashed Heero a brilliant smile as he pushed himself to his feet.

He wanted to go over there and hug her to him, but felt far more awkward that usual with John standing in the room. The old doctor was acting very nonchalant about it all, but Heero caught the way his eyes darted between the two of them. He was silently waiting to see what would happen. As though sensing his discomfort Relena moved to the coffee table and began laying out the boxes that had been in the bag, one for each of them, along with bottled water. Heero thought he caught a flash of disappointment in John's eyes at the continued distance between Relena and himself.

John slowly lowered himself back down to the couch, chuckling to himself as he did. “Look you two, you don't have to be shy on my account. I can even leave the room for a while if you like.”

Heero's expression darkened and Relena's cheeks brightened with a rosy blush, “It's not that, John,” she spoke up quickly, “Heero came to see me back at my house before coming here…”

“Oh I see…” John chuckled again looking at Heero was a knowing smile, which only increased the blush in Relena's face.

“I…it's nothing like that…” Relena stuttered, eyes searching Heero's face as she took a seat in the other armchair across from John.

“I know,” the old doctor smiled opening the meal in front of him, “But I can't resist poking a little fun in Heero's general direction.”

The former pilot took his seat with a shake of his head, accepting the dinner Relena passed too him, and quickly began eating. “I heard from Duo that you helped bring Heero down earlier,” Relena commented, watching John mostly, though her eyes did flicker to Heero, “With a paper airplane?”

“Heh…” John shook his head. “It was the first thing that came to mind. I don't know how long you could have kept that up,” he said, looking Heero's way. “But I wasn't willing to wait.”

WMWMWMW

Relena cast one last glance Heero's way, seeing him settling back onto his bed before leaving the room. John had left them shortly after finishing his dinner, offering them a little `alone' time, though they hadn't made much of it. Relena smiled, it had been a long day for Heero, and despite his want to deny it, she could tell he was tired. Sure, he didn't have to go to bed, he could push himself if he really wanted too. But she hadn't wanted him to do that. She was planning on coming in tomorrow to see him, so they both needed some sleep.

She looked down the hall towards Sally's room. Before she turned in for the night there was something she had to talk to both doctors about. John had mentioned he was going to see Sally when he left the room earlier. She just hoped he was still there. Walking down the hall, she poked her head first into the common room, wanting to let her bodyguards know what was happening.

“How's Heero?” Wufei asked, looking her way the minute the door opened.

“Fine, just a little tired. He was happy with how the fight went,” her eyes were drawn away from Wufei as he silently nodded, when she saw something sail through the air. Duo had tossed the paper airplane John had made to distract Heero, Trowa silently picked it up and tossed it back. “You're never going to get rid of that are you?”

“Are you kidding?” Duo laughed, his fingers carefully re-creasing the edges. “I'm going to frame it!”

“Are you ready to go home?” Trowa asked, walking towards her.

“No there's still something I need to speak with Sally and John about. I shouldn't be long.” She hadn't asked Heero if he had mentioned the headaches to John. The old doctor hadn't seemed concerned when she came in, perhaps they had been nothing to worry about all along. But she wanted to be sure. Besides that, she wasn't entirely convinced Heero was actually going to say anything. She wanted to trust him, but really couldn't see him saying anything to John, at least not right away.

Trowa leaned against the wall near where she stood. “Alright, we'll be waiting here for you.”

“Thanks,” she smiled, and backed out of the room laughing to herself as Duo threw the airplane again. Walking the short distance down the hall Relena knocked on Sally's door and waited for her to open it.

“Evening Relena,” Sally greeted, eyes darting down the hall, “Where's Heero?”

“I let him get some sleep.” She stepped into Sally's apartment, immediately seeing John seated in the living room with a steaming cup in his hand.

“Did you want some tea?” Sally asked, walking ahead of her.

“No, that's alright,” Relena replied, taking a seat.

“So what's on your mind?” Sally asked, taking a sip of her own tea.

Relena hesitated for the briefest moment. Part of her didn't want to ask either of them and find out Heero hadn't talked to them. It felt like she was showing him she didn't trust him, but this really did worry her too much to just forget. “I was wondering if Heero had mentioned to either of you the headaches he's been having…” she glanced between the two doctors, not seeing any light of recognition in their eyes. Quite the opposite actually.

“Headaches?” Sally questioned, looking to John to see his reaction, “This is the first I've heard about them. John?”

“He hasn't mentioned anything to me…” the old doctor commented.

She sighed lowering her head, “I made him promise he would…”

“When was that?” John asked putting aside his teacup.

“This afternoon. He sort of let it slip that he's been having them for eight months.” She felt guilty, but continued to tell herself she was doing the right thing.

“Since May?” Sally was incredulous. “How is it that we didn't discover this sooner?” That question was mostly directed towards John, who had been around Heero the most during the last eight months.

John shifted in his seat face a mix of concern and thoughtfulness, “He's been in a lot of pain since May, from a lot of different areas. It could be he just never really realized until now…”

“Ever willing to give the benefit of the doubt?” Sally returned, shaking her head. “I think he knew about them from the beginning, or at least I wouldn't put it past him.”

“I don't know how serious they are,” Relena continued quickly really beginning to wonder if she wasn't just making a mountain out of a mole hill. “I've just never heard him mention headaches before.”

The old doctor reached out to take her hand. “Unexplained headaches are always something to be concerned about.”

Sally nodded in agreement, leaning forward in her seat, “Did he tell you anything about them? Like if his eyes are light sensitive, or if he's nauseas?”

“No,” Relena shook her head, “I don't think he ever meant for me to know. Like I said it just sort of slipped out, he would have just shrugged it off if I hadn't pressed him.

“When did the pain leave?” John asked curiously.

Relena felt a blush rise to her cheeks, and she felt certain it wouldn't have if John hadn't said the things he had earlier. “While I was massaging his neck…” she replied softly, and felt the immediate need to explain. “His shoulder was stiff from a pulled punch…and it just seemed like the logical next step…” John chuckled, squeezing her hand, a kind smile on his aged face.

“What do you think John?” Sally's expression was deep in thought. “Stress, maybe?”

But John shook his head, “It's impossible to make a diagnoses with so little information.” His eyes narrowed a little. “I have half a mind to go in there right now and wake him up.”

“No, let's not do that.” Sally smiled a little. “I was already planning on going in to see him tomorrow anyways”

“You sound like you're actually looking forward to it.” John sounded both pleased and concerned about that.

Sally's smile widened. “I am.”

Relena fought the rush of guilt. What had she got Heero into? It was the right thing to do, she told herself again and again. Though she knew she wasn't about to feel better about it until Heero had forgiven her. She hoped he would quickly.

Thanks for Reading!

Be Careful what you Wish For:

That unfortunately wasn't to be Heero's luck, Sally took hold of his left wrist, his arm flexed but he did not pull back. Instead he looked directly at her only to see her eyes were focused on her wrist watch and not him, “I thought you looked kind of pale when I saw you on Sunday.”

Now he did pull his arm away, “You were seeing things,” he told her shifting down the bed to put a little distance between himself and the doctor.

“Oh was I?” she didn't sound the least bit convinced, “Well how are you feeling right now?”

“Would you even believe me if I said fine?” he asked critically.

Sally crossed her arms over her chest, “Have you ever honestly been, when you say it?” she fired right back.

“I am now.”

“Oh really?” she was doubtful at best, “Your ribs aren't bothering you?”

“There isn't anything you can do about them,” he wasn't going to be taking painkillers for them, it was just a matter of time to wait for the pain to fully leave.

“No headaches?” she asked then seemingly at random.

Damn, she did tell them Heero thought darkly but kept his face blank, “No headaches,” he confirmed.

Her eyes narrowed a fraction, "You're lying."

He almost wanted to ask her where the trust had gone, but considering he hadn't told her about the headaches he simply remained silent.

"Relena came in to see me last night," Sally began voice calm expression intense, "She's worried about you, seems you promised her you'd tell me or John about these headaches you've been having." She stepped in front of him again, "So why haven't you told me?"

Again he remained silent, there wasn't much he could say in his defence, she had given him the chance to tell her, and he had chosen not to take it.

"Nothing to say?" her eyebrows climbed in disbelief

"You seem to know it all already," he shook his head.

Morganeth Taren'drel