Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Past Meets Present ❯ Chapter 29 ( Chapter 30 )

Wufei paced around the small office. It had been one week since he had split ways with his wife and child. Every second since he had regretted that decision. But, after a week, would Meiran let him into her and Xin Xin’s lives so easily again?

He stopped in front of the window of the office and looked outside. It was a rainy day, something somber. It matched his mood, he thought to himself.

Deciding that he needed to take a walk, he left the room. Walking to the stairwell, he ran into a few other Preventors. He nodded in recognition, but did not say a word. The stairwell was dark and dank. It seemed quite out of place in a Preventor building. With a frown, he told himself to bring that up with the Lady.

The Chinese man left through the front lobby, walking outside. The rain did not seem to bother him like it did most. On the outside, he looked like everyone else. On the inside, he was a swirling mass of emotions that were confused.

It is my duty to stay with them, he said. But, his mind pointed out, it is also your duty to keep them safe. If you stay, you put them in danger.

But, another part of his mind argued, if he stayed away then who would protect them?

The first side agreed with that but added, even if you had stayed, could you have protected them from everything?

No, he answered, shaking his head. But it would be easier.

And then his mind asked a question that shocked him. Was he just making excuses because he was afraid to commit? He may have a job but he had also had a freedom that most would never have. A wife and daughter, no matter how understanding they were, would tie him down.

So, was he just letting them leave because he wanted things to be the same as they were before? No, he told himself, remembering how much it hurt to leave Xin Xin behind. He did not want to leave her. But at the same time, he knew that it was better for her to have a stable home.

Another point that he brought up as he walked along the street sidewalk was would he have left his friends if Meiran or Xin Xin had asked him to stay? Yes, he automatically told himself. But neither had. Which left him confused and hurt. He was confused because he had thought that they just might have voiced the question. But, no one had asked him to stay, which left him hurt because it seemed like they did not want him.

“You have woman problems,” a man’s voice called out as the Chinese man walked by. Wufei stopped and looked at him.

The man was an elderly gentleman. His hair was a scraggly gray, his face lined with years. His eyes were a pale color, or so Wufei thought until he noticed the man’s blank eyes and found him blind.

“A woman close to you. A girlfriend perhaps?” The man suggested. Wufei frowned and started to walk away.

“Wait,” the man called out. Wufei stopped, something telling him to do as the man directed. “You know what you should do, young man. Don’t live your life full of regrets or you’ll end up here like me.”

Cocking his head to the side, Wufei decided to listen, curious as to what else this man would say. Before he could ask, the man launched into his story.

“I had a wife and two sons. My life revolved around those three. My Florence was an angel. My boys, Horace and Samuel, were two little demons as is to be expected of all young children. But my wife was killed in a firefight when the Alliance decided to crush the rebellion on our colony.”

He paused, as if collecting his thoughts. He picked up something from beside him, which the Chinese man instantly recognized as some type of alcohol.

“Horace, the older of my two boys, and the one who took after me physically, tried his hardest to hold the family together since I picked out this,” he picked up the bottle, “habit.

“But a young boy can not be expected to take care of an even younger boy. I couldn’t even bear to look at Samuel. The boy looked just like Florence, with the exception of his eyes. Those were mine.

There was one day that I was wasted beyond the edge of reason. Horace took his little brother and left. And every day since, I’ve wondered what would have happened if only I had been a better father. I doubt that those two are even alive now. So much tragedy,” the man said, shaking his head. “Here, it’s a picture of my boys,” he said, tossing a wallet to Wufei.

The Chinese man opened up the wallet and found the picture that the man must have been speaking about.

It featured two young boys, one about three, the other about six. The six year old had blond hair and light blue eyes. His younger brother, who was perched on his shoulders had light brown hair. His eyes were closed. But for some reason, the younger one looked familiar from somewhere.

Wufei handed back the wallet. He turned around, and started to walk away. “Remember,” the man called after him, “no regrets!”

Wufei just kept walking, his mind slowly working out what the man’s words had meant. “Live life with no regrets,” he said to himself, the five words rolling around his head. He closed his eyes, turning his face to the sky. Rain soaked it and him, well more so than he had been soaked.

He found himself, seemingly moments later in front of the vehicle he was currently driving around. It had been provided by the Preventors.

The Chinese man, barely a man at that, got inside his vehicle, not caring that he was dripping all over the upholstery and would most likely be charged for the damages. He pulled out onto the street, making sure that traffic was clear.

The light was red. As was the next and any other light in the town. All of them turned to red the second he reached them. He growled into the steering wheel, getting frustrated. His personal connection to the guys, Sally, and the Lady chirped.

Since he was pretty much stuck, the situation becoming a traffic jam, Wufei pulled out his line and waited.

“Wuffers, where are you at? Une’s calling for you,” Duo’s voice told him. He unconsciously frowned, Duo reminding him of something. Growling, the Chinese man fixed his name and scolded the man who was his friend with a braid.

“Don’t bother me, Maxwell. There’s something more important I need to do,” the Chinese man replied, cutting the connection.

“What? Wufei!” Duo yelled at the man from miles away. The group that was in the room with him turned to look at the man.

Their leader, a woman with brown hair, spoke. “Is he coming?”

“Nope. Said he had something more important to do,” the American man answered as he plopped down in a chair.

The traffic jam was making Wufei angry. He was ready to just walk away, get out of there on foot. Just as he was opening his door to do so, the situation alleviated itself. Driving almost twice the legal speed limit, he found the motel that they had left Meiran and Xin Xin at. Not seeing the car that they had left for Meiran and Xin Xin to use, he parked out front and went into the office.

“Hello sir, how can I be of help to you on this fine day?” The receptionist, a perky looking young woman with dark brown hair, asked.

“Yes, I’m looking for two people who were staying here. I want to know if they have checked out yet,” he replied.

“Oh, I’m sorry sir but we can’t give out information like that,” she answered, looking back to her computer.

Wufei pulled out his badge that he had been given when he joined the Preventors. “Now will you tell me?”

She looked up and at the badge. “Oh, well yes. Now I can tell you. Whom are you looking for?”

“A woman and a child, both Chinese. Surname Chang,” he answered with a military-like precision.

She typed the name Chang into the computer database. A few moments later, she pulled up a profile of two people. “Are these the two?” She asked, turning her computer screen. He nodded. She turned her screen back and typed something else in. “It appears that they checked out first thing this morning.”

“Can you find out where they went?” He requested. She shook her head. “Sorry sir, but no forwarding address was left,” she continued on.

Wufei left a few moments later. He got out to his car and just sat in it. “Now what do I do?” He asked himself, laying his head on top of the steering wheel.

A/N: I feel like crap you guys. I don’t know if I’ll get the next few chapters out for awhile. I am seriously dehydrated and I think I may have to go to the hospital. By the way, I only own Xin Xin.