Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Running Out Of Tomorrows ❯ Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Mine... mine... all mine!!!!!! *wakes up* Nani? It was just a dream!? NOOOO!!!!! *burst into tears*

WARNING: Angst (duh!), Heero-torture (duh again...), past 2xH, 2x1.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is what I do when I have two scripts due in less than a week. Baka me! *sighs* But Gundam Wing fics are MUCH more fun to write... SQUASH! *a big DEADLINE sign falls on her* *Naomi crawls from underneath the sign and goes to write her scripts* ;_;

ARGHHH!!!!! I WANT TO WRITE GUNDAM WING FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!

naomi@duoxheero.com

//flashback//

RUNNING OUT OF TOMORROWS

PART ONE

* * *

AC 204.

"Mommy is taking me to the fair next weekend. You wanna come with us?" A little childish voice filled the kitchen as a pot of stew rattled on the stove.

Duo Maxwell picked up a wooden spoon and hurried to uncover the pot, in order to stir the dish. His braid, now merely reaching down to his shoulder blades, was resting against his shoulder, so he pushed it back absentmindedly.

"She said they're gonna bring all these animals from Earth, and the guys from Jinx are gonna be there!"

Behind him, by the kitchen table, sat a little boy, about six or so, sitting with his feet dangling down the chair, swinging back and forth. The boy was busy arranging a pack of collector's cards on the small table, raising his hand up from time to time in order to push a few chestnut bangs out of his eyes.

"She said she might know someone who can help me get a backstage access! Maybe I can get Jinx's autograph, huh? Do you wanna come, daddy? Do ya? It'll be fun!"

Duo smiled, shaking his head. "As alluring as it might sound, little-man, I think I just might have to pass on that one."

The little boy pouted, looking up at his father with big blue puppy-eyes. "Just this once, daddy? Please?"

Duo sighed and looked sorrowfully at his son. "Solo, you know I would love to come, but..." He sighed, turning back to the stove, stirring the stew. "You also know that your mother and I don't get along so well."

"But you didn't have a fight the last time she came!" The little boy reminded him, his voice still hopeful.

Duo chuckled, running a hand through his long bangs. "That's because there were two lawyers present. I'm sorry, little-man, but no can do. It's better this way, and you know it."

Solo sighed and bowed his head sadly. "Yeah... I know..." He muttered, pushing a few cards back and forth. He sighed again and looked up at his father. "Maybe we can go together next time?"

Duo smiled and nodded his head. "Sure. Trowa told me that the circus is coming around here soon. Maybe I'll take you there, huh? What do you say?"

The little boy grinned, jumping up excitedly. "And uncle Trowa will let me into the lion's cage again?!"

Duo made a face, a very unpleased one, and turned back to his cooking. "Well, uh, I don't think he'll take you anywhere NEAR the lion's cage after that last time..."

Solo chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling. "You really gave him a scare there, daddy."

"Well, no one is turning MY son into 'Lion's meat'!" He called in mock-anger. "I wonder what Hilde will have to say about that..."

"You're such an idiot, daddy." The boy let out teasingly, shaking his head.

Duo smiled. "So she kept telling me." He leaned down to taste his stew and then nodded in satisfaction. He turned to his son. "Now go arrange the table or I'll be forced to coat you with this DELICIOUS stew and throw you into the lion's cage."

Solo rolled his eyes, but got up nonetheless. "Daddy, you really are an idiot..." He muttered, walking over to the cupboards to take out two sets of plates.

Duo smiled, watching his son walk out of the kitchen and to the dining room. His smile slowly faded and he turned to place the stew in a bowl. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes for a moment. "You're not the only one who used to say that..."

It's been seven years since the end of the war. So much had happened during this time, that sometimes Duo found it hard to believe that not even a decade had passed. It felt like he had lived a lifetime during those few years. He had gotten married, became a father, got a divorce and became a single parent in only a short amount of time. Not that he complained, of course. He had no regrets about anything he had done. Hilde and he had been happy for a while, but it just wasn't meant to happen. Hilde lost her interest quickly, seeking a more exciting life than being a housewife or having a desk job at their joint company. While they didn't finish on the best of terms, they had absolutely no regrets about ever being together. It was good while it lasted, and most of all, they created a life together. A child that they both loved and cherished.

Solo was about four when they got divorced. Since Duo was the one with a more stable lifestyle, he got custody of their son. He remained running the salvaging company he and Hilde had started together, and bought a nice little home, on the better side of the L2 cluster. It was a nice suburban home, and it fitted both of them just fine. Solo got to stay with his mother during the weekends and some holidays. Duo didn't mind, he didn't hate his ex-wife or anything, and he was just happy that his son could have both his mother and father around.

As for the people he knew during the war, Duo had more or less lost touch with them. He and Quatre spoke from time to time, but it's been YEARS since the two saw each other in person. Solo had only met Mr. Winner once, but he was too young to remember. Duo also saw Trowa a couple of times, taking Solo to a trip in the circus. Wufei and Sally were together on Earth, happily married and working as Preventers, so he didn't get to see them either, only by vid-phone. As for the last part of the group... that was a different matter.

During the first few years after the war, Duo and Heero did keep in touch. Duo was more than surprised to see that the ex-soldier was suddenly sending him emails on a more or less regular basis. But it was only for the first few years. The emails lessened in frequency when Hilde and he got married, and then got even more infrequent when Solo was born. In the last few years, Duo didn't receive one word from Heero. To make things worse was the fact that Duo never knew his exact whereabouts, so Heero was hard to track down through mere emails. He did know that the Japanese boy chose to stay up in the colonies, but anything more than that was still a mystery.

It was strange, ever since the divorce Duo found himself wondering more and more about Heero's whereabouts. Not once or twice did he catch himself thinking about him for a few long moments. He told himself that he was just worrying about him, because he didn't hear from him for so long, but deep inside, he knew that there must be another reason. The reason why he didn't mind so much when Hilde and he ended their marriage. The reason he woke up at night, panting and covered with cold sweat. The reason his smile had just faded, just because of a few words his son had so innocently muttered.

//"You're such a baka, Duo..."//

Duo sighed and picked up the stew, walking heavily towards the dinner table. He smiled at his son, serving him his meal, while on the inside he couldn't help but wonder if Heero was somewhere out there, doing the same thing... And for some reason, it made his heart ache, thinking of the possibility that the ex-Wing pilot went on with his life as well, leaving him completely behind.

* * *

"Mary-Jane said that if I'll give her my three Silver-Jinx cards, then she'd let me have the diamond one. But that's not fair, cuz three silvers are better than one diamond." Solo's cheerful voice spoke over the dining table, his laughing eyes dancing happily under the lights of the room.

Duo smiled at his son's reasoning, looking at him with eyes that shone with pride.

"So I dunno what to do, cuz I REALLY need the diamond one, but it took me three months to get the silver ones!" The little boy sighed, blowing out air to push a few long bangs out of his eyes. He looked up at his father, his blue eyes thoughtful. "What do you think I should do?"

"I think you should stop wasting your allowance on those damn cards."

"Daddy..." Solo droned, rolling his eyes.

Duo chuckled; unable to resist the look Solo was giving him. "Alright, alright." He mumbled, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I think that it would be best if you'll just te--"

The phone suddenly rang and Duo looked up, a little startled.

"I'll get it!" Solo chirped, already jumping out of his chair.

Duo smiled as he watched him run over to the nearest phone, which hung on the kitchen wall. He continued to watch as his son answered the call, his violet eyes shining with pride. Merely a few short years ago he was learning how to say his first words... Time sure flew by quickly.

"Daddy," Solo cut his string of thoughts, handing him the phone. "It's for you."

Duo nodded and got up. "Who is it?" He asked quietly as he took the phone form the boy.

Solo shrugged. "I dunno. Some lady." He mumbled, walking back to the dining table.

Duo watched him as he returned to his dinner, and then brought his attention back to the phone. "Hello?"

"Mr. Maxwell?" A woman's voice came from the other line, sounding sort of cold and detached.

"Yes. Speaking."

There was a sigh and then the woman spoke up again. "My name is Carry Nemek and I'm calling on behalf of the 'One Wish' organization."

Duo sighed, rolling his eyes. "Listen, lady, I'm not gonna buy anything." He looked up at his son, seeing him play with his food, waiting for his father to return and help him with his dilemma. He looked back down at the receiver. "So if you don't mind, I'm just gonna hang up and--"

"I assure you that I am not a telemarketing girl. Our organization works in correspondence with various hospitals. Our aim is to help people who are fatally ill by giving them their last wish."

"And what does this thing have to do with me?" Duo asked, still a little pissed at being interrupted like that, while his son needed him.

"Sir, I think it does have to do with you." The woman stopped him, her tone harsh.

Duo sighed. "And that is because of... what?"

"Mr. Maxwell, I am calling on behalf of Heero Yuy."

* * *

It was less than four hours later that Duo Maxwell was sitting on an express shuttle flight to the L7 cluster. He had packed Solo's bag, called Hilde, and with a rush of words explained to her that he had to go away for a while. He dropped his son at his mother's place and hurried to the nearest spaceport. Now sitting in an uncomfortable seat, in the cramp tourist class section of the shuttle, Duo fidgeted in his seat and sighed.

The details about Heero's condition were still unknown to him. The woman on the phone knew nothing about his condition. She was only instructed to fill Heero's last request- to inform Duo of his death. Whether Heero was dead or alive, Duo didn't know. No matter what he used in order to threat the woman and no matter how much he yelled at her, he didn't get an ounce of information out of her. All he did manage to do, was give Solo a scare. The boy's face paled dramatically as he watched his father yell at the phone in a fit of panic and hysteria.

The only thing the woman had to give him was the name of the hospital in which the request had come from. It took him about ten minutes of research to find out that the hospital was located at the far end of the 'Border Colonies'.

Most colonies centered around the Earth and its nearest surroundings. The hospital, however, was located on one of the 'Border Colonies', thousands of miles from the Earth itself. The notorious L7 cluster was a poorly-developed and deprived cluster. Barely any commerce came in and out of the cluster and communication between it and the other colonies was very infrequent due to the fact that the colonies there had little money to build the means of proper, modern age, communication.

Duo had no idea what Heero was doing in such a horrendous place, but he hoped that he will have the chance to ask him that question in person. He hoped that he was not too late.

It was a long flight and Duo found it very difficult to relax and sleep like the rest of the passengers. Every time he closed his eyes he pictured some horrific image or another. His mind spun in circles, conveying images Duo was not interested in seeing. So he tried to think about something else. He tried to think about the Heero Yuy he knew during the war. He tried to think about the boy he had met so long ago, in what felt like another lifetime. Closing his eyes, Duo tried to picture that raging blue fire that burned fiercely in the boy's midnight blue eyes.

He never claimed to be overly connected to Heero in any special way. Like the other Gundam pilots, he was a good friend and a comrade, and it never went beyond that. He didn't have any special feelings for the boy, but now, when he looked back, Duo could tell that he did care for him more than he cared for the others. Heero was important to him in some way, but he wasn't so sure how. It wasn't in a romantic way, in that he was sure. Though Duo never had a problem dating both boys and girls, he never had any thoughts of Heero in that manner. Sure, he had to admit to himself that the Japanese boy was very attractive, but at the time, he was really interested in someone else.

Or so he had thought. Soon after he and Hilde married, they discovered that it was not what they were looking for. A teenage crush and a bond between warriors was not meant to keep them together. They both lost interest quickly, seeking other partners, and thus divorced. Was it possible that he had lost interest because all that while, he was actually thinking about Heero?

Duo sighed and leaned his head against the shuttle's window. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

//"You called his name again!"

"I did not!"

"Ch! Don't give me that crap, Maxwell! I know very well what I hear! I'm sick of you calling his name! Not in my bed, you hear that?! Not while our SON is sleeping across the hall!"

"Hilde, honey, I didn't say his name. Why would I? I know I'm with you, honey... It's you I love..."

"Bullshit! Don't sell me this CRAP, cuz I ain't buying it no more! You can go sleep on the couch tonight, honey! Goodnight!"//

Did he really think about him so much, even when he slept with his wife? It's true that he thought about Heero from time to time. But he was just wondering where he was. If he was okay, and how did he live his life after the war... He didn't think about him in any other manner. He didn't care for him in that manner... did he?

//"Ne, Heero! Where are you off to?"

"I'm not so sure, Duo. Why?"

"Well, it's not everyday we win a war, now is it? I brought champagne!"

"Duo, I don't think it's a very good idea..."

"And look! Strawberries! Did you ever eat strawberries, Heero?"

"No..."

"They're nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get up in the colonies! Here, lets make a toast."

"A toast? What for?"

"For peace, what else? We can finally move on with our lives!"

". . . . . ."

"Here, have this big one. It goes great with the champagne!"

"Thank you."

"Ain't it great?! If I had to describe what life tastes like, this would be it! Strawberries and champagne! They rock!"

"Well, they are quite good. . . . . What are you planning to do now that the war is over?"

"I dunno. Probably go back to L2. Got someone waiting for me, ya know. Want some more?"

".....no thank you. I have to leave. My shuttle takes off soon."

"Huh? Where to? Where are you going?"

"I don't know yet. I'll contact you. Have a good life, Duo..."

"Hey! You didn't finish your drink! Heero! Heero! Heero, come back! Hey, c'mon! Heeeeroooo!!!!!"//

Duo sighed, turning to lay his head back against the seat.

Why was he so reluctant to let Heero go? Why did he get upset as he watched that shuttle leave Earth and disappear into the endless black void of outer space? Why did he feel like he had done something wrong? Why did he get that burning urge inside him to run after Heero as the boy walked away, living his drink and strawberries behind? Could it be that he knew that it was their finale goodbye? Did it matter that much?

Again Duo sighed sadly and turned to look out of the window, violet eyes staring at the pitch black of space.

He really didn't know, but he intended to find out.

Part 2.

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