Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Some Way Back ❯ Lunchtime Interlude ( Chapter 15 )

Ok well here it is… the next installment I can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel…not too sure how many more chapters it will take me to get to the last three that I already have done… but hey…the point is I will get there. I just want to thank all those people who have reviewed, those who have reviewed here and those who have sent me reviews par email. It makes writing a hell of a lot easier knowing that there are people out there who actually want to read what I am writing. Again thanks and *hugs*

I tried to make this chapter a little less…well dark… the story has been pretty heavy going so far and there is only so much writing about the darker side of Duo that I can take lol.

Anyway hope you enjoy, if you wish to archive this story please email me arithkenshin@yahoo.co.uk and reviews are always welcome.

#*# = scene change

~ words in direct thought to oneself

~~**~~ end of chapter

Some Way Back: Lunchtime Interlude

#SMASH#

The four of the room's occupants jumped in their seats while the fifth neatly jumped out of the way of yet another keyboard that he had managed to smash in half. Duo was getting frustrated with the way things were going. It had been almost a year since he had started working on this crap…almost a year…or 11 monthish to be exact. Thinking about how many keyboards he had managed to annihilate the longhaired boy couldn't help but grin.

"Well… guess I need another one…again… hey guys?"

Violet eyes sparkled at the others, full of fun, and allowed the other occupants to actually relax a little bit. "Awww come on guys, I don't bite…much…" Zechs managed to blush at Duo's last statement, a fact that was ignored by the loud-mouthed American.

"Hungry, hungry I am hungry. Hungry, hungry, I am hungry…Hungry…"

"Maxwell … shut up…we get the picture."

Duo just grinned at Wufei.

Quatre smiled…his friend seemed to be getting better…at least he hoped he was. He wasn't sensing amazing amounts of distress from him when he was near him anymore. For which Quatre was amazingly thankful. Being an empath wasn't something that he would wish on anyone. A lot of feelings could get mixed up…and if you were too closely involved with the person you were trying to read then it could get very messy and you could end up judging too much on what you actually felt. He tried not to read his friends as a general rule…and only occasionally tried to read Duo lately because he was worried about his friend. But all he got was a lump of confusion from him…though it didn't seem to be a bad kind of confusion. He looked up startled when Duo poked him.

Having tried to get his shorter friends attention for a while, Duo finally gave in and poked him. "Hey Cat! I said…Lets go get something to eat!"

Quatre looked up at his friend in surprise… "You mean you actually want to leave the room to go and get some food? Actually leave the room to go and do something?" Despite his usual ability to accept all of Duo's actions, his voice sounded incredulous.

Duo managed to look mildly offended. "Hey… its not like I've turned into a hermit or anything guys…"

He found his friends giving him strange looks.

Wufei…again knowing he was going to have to be the one…sighed and then spoke. "Actually Maxwell…you have barely come out of these rooms here since…well since you started living here, except to go on missions. Even when you've been injured you wont go to a hospital, instead you insist on attending to your wounds here and making as if everything is ok. We haven't been out to eat in months…and well…your skin has become so pale I can almost see through you." He crossed his arms and glared at his braided friend.

Duo just laughed and put his hands on his hips. "Oh come off it Wufei…guys…he's exaggerating…"

Quatre shook his head, as did Trowa and Zechs before the shorthaired blonde decided to speak.

"Actually Duo, he is right…you have kinda turned into a hermit you know. You don't come out at all anymore; you don't drag us out either. Its like we have an antisocial Duo on our hands…it's kinda scary." Quatre attempted to lighten the situation with a little humour and held his breath until he knew whether or not it had worked.

Duo grinned. "Hey…everyone used to tell me that my ideas were crazy and that I talk too much." He looked slyly at his friends. "You guys aren't actually telling me that you miss that are you?"

Quatre smiled, Trowa looked like he wanted to hide, Wufei was trying not to panic at the thought of crazy Maxwell reemerging after such a long absence and Zechs just tried to stop from laughing out loud.

Duo just stood grinning at his friends. "Because if that is the case then I am sure I can arrange something. There are so many things that we could go and do, that we haven't done in a long time."

Trowa had at this stage successfully hid himself behind his much shorter lover, apparently he felt it offered him some degree of protection, but not enough. He ended up pulling the Chinese man in front of him as well.

Duo decided to take mercy on his friends. "Hey…lets just go and get something to eat ne? I mean I am starving after all, and I think my keyboard needs time to heal and get used to its new surroundings."

They all smiled in relief as Duo continued to speak to them. "Besides…we can talk about the things we can do while we eat."

Groans escaped the three ex-gundam pilots mouths as they all left the room, leaving Zechs to wonder what it was that Duo did that was just so bad.

# *#

After an extremely filling lunch the pilots were making their way back to the headquarters. Duo was bouncing like a beach ball and Quatre was giggling like a school girl. Trowa looked like he wanted to put his head in his hands, Zechs was simply highly amused, and Wufei…looked like he wanted to kill somebody…probably somebody with very long chestnut hair. He finally succumbed to his frustrations.

"I told you not to let them order alcohol Trowa."

Trowa had the decency to pale a little. "Well how was I supposed to know that they'd get this bad…" Trowa could never actually resist the aquamarine eyes when Quatre turned that puppy dog look on him. Besides Trowa was pretty sure that it had just been an excuse for them both to let loose a little. HE knew how little alcohol affected Duo, due to his metabolism and well, Quatre hadn't actually drank that much. "He said he just wanted one drink…"

"Yes but that turned into more than one…" Wufei's eyes traveled to the two young men gallivanting up ahead of them. Duo was bouncing, tugging on his braid, while Quatre was clutching his sides in laughter at something Duo had obviously said. He sighed and admitted to himself that it had been way too long since the two best friends had actually had any time or taken the time even to act like they were now. Perhaps it was actually just that Duo had been incapable of it for the last year. Wufei frowned…the last year…shit…that meant…

"Shit… it's Maxwell's birthday soon!"

A pair of ice blue and one pair of deep green eyes turned to stare at onyx ones. The look was at first startled and then thoughtful, and Wufei felt the need to defend himself against those looks.

"Hey … I cant help it… it is almost his birthday…because its almost been a year since…the incident." He knew Duo had this amazing super sonic hearing when it came to speaking Heero's name out loud.

Trowa looked thoughtful. "I wonder…Quatre never not knows these things…he probably has something either planned or an idea up his sleeve."

Wufei just nodded… looking at his watch he smiled a rare soft smile. "You know… I still want to know what possessed Maxwell to chose the birthday he did…"

A snort emerged from Trowa. "This is Duo that we are talking about… do you really think logic had anything at all to do with it?"

"I never said logic did… I said I wished I knew what had possessed him to pick it…"

"I am sure he would be delighted to tell you…"

Wufei groaned, knowing that Trowa was indeed right.

The three of them followed the other two at a distance, pretending they didn't really know them at all. And just kept an eye out incase something came up that two slightly tipsy ex-gundam pilots couldn't handle.

Finally they arrived back at headquarters and Wufei sighed.

"You do realize they aren't going to do anything constructive, don't you?"

Trowa nodded and looked at his lover, winking. "Yeah, but on the bright side, you know how Quatre gets when we're alone and he's um… tipsy…"

A slightly devilish smile spread across Wufei's face. "Oh… yes… I remember very well..."

#*#

In the systems room, Duo was having a giggling fit…pointing at everything and everyone and laughing. Quatre wasn't much better, although it should be noted that his laughter was a few decibels quieter.

The other three went about their tasks, amused smiles on their faces, while Duo and Quatre continued to unwind.

"You're so pretty little bro…"

Quatre gave Duo a mock scowl. "I am not pretty… I am handsome…"

"Pretty!"

"Handsome"

"Pretty"

"Handsome"

"Pretty!!!"

"Hey… this coming from someone with knee length hair…"

"Pfft… I am stunning…there is a difference!" Duo struck a pose.

Quatre let out a gale of laughter that ended up with him rolling on the floor.

The other three occupants of the room, needed to regain their composure before they continued their work. The afternoon proceeded on very similar notes, until it was obvious that the two boisterous, and at that point in time non-contributing, members of the group were getting tired. Because they started a yawning contest.

"Mine was WIDER!" Duo stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at his smaller friend.

"Was so not! Besides…mine was the first and that is always better… you just copied."

"You can't copy a yawn! Each yawn is unique and individual…mine was better"

"If each is unique and individual then it can't be better, because that would imply it isn't unique…"

Duo looked at his friend…starting to giggle… "Cat… that didn't make any sense!"

Quatre started laughing as well…tired tears streaming down his cheeks.

Trowa stood up and stretched. "Ok ok… I am taking Cat home before you befuddle his mind even more Duo."

Duo grinned good-naturedly. "Pfft, fine, be a spoil sport."

Wufei smiled as he followed his lovers out the door. "Oh sport is a good plan Maxwell…" HE winked over his shoulder.

A cry of Buh bye Duo echoed back from the escorted Quatre.

Duo leant against the door frame as Zechs made to exit the door, and he smiled at the platinum blond.

"Be ok Duo?"

Duo studied the sculpted face in front of him, reaching out a hand to caress the soft cheek, a sad smile crossing his lips. "Yeah Zechs…thank you for caring…I don't deserve it after how I've treated you."

Zechs flinched and Duo's eyes narrowed. "You do deserve it, Duo…I do care."

Duo seemed to relax a little, suspicions quelled for the time being. "I am sorry I cant be what you would want from me…I cant be what I want to be anymore…" His face took on bitter overtones as memories and faded possibilities flickered through his mind.

This time Zechs reached out a hand…to comfort; to show support. "I know…and its honestly alright…as long as you know, I am here if you need me to be what you need, ok?"

Violet eyes fixed on ice blue, studying them, weighing them and a small smile crossed his lips. "Ok…thank you…"

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Duo closed the door behind the man he had never thought he would call friend, and let himself fall into bed.

#*#

Having gone to sleep so early the night before, Duo woke up very early the next day. Feeling almost at peace for the first time in almost a year he took a quick, hair-washing shower and emerged, towel drying it thoughtfully. He had enjoyed the previous day immensely…it was something he had missed…something he hadn't done for almost a year.

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Duo permitted himself a smile. "A year…almost a year…" he sat down and started running a few searches on the tracing machines. His thoughts wandered…but he didn't let the pain set it. He pushed it away, twisting the rings on his fingers, as if he could create a barrier by doing so, and lost himself in his thoughts.

He remembered Heero's smell; the way it made him want to rip his clothes off. He remembered Heero's smile; that smile that no one else got to see because the only person that Heero had let his barriers fully down with, was Duo. He remembered Heero's eyes; the way they shone just for him, full of life and love. And he remembered the way it felt to touch Heero's skin; the electrifying feel that accompanied every touch; the burning sensation of their intimate caresses; the way he had never felt, and knew never would feel, with anyone else.

Duo sighed. He was no longer angry…he was weary, too tired to be depressed and too emotionally drained to give way to the tears anymore. His entire body felt empty, vacant. His thoughts felt old and used; his emotions tattered and abused. In short, Duo just felt like giving up. The only reasons he didn't, were that he was too stubborn not to finish what he had started out, and to be perfectly honest; he didn't want to hurt his friends… not more than he had already hurt them anyway.

Idle thoughts helped him while away the time and he forgot to do his hair, he forgot to finish getting dressed and his coffee got a little cold, when the alert beep on one of the tracers sounded. Almost dropping his coffee cup Duo leapt out of his seat and began to scan the information.

A grin spread across his face, a genuine crafty grin. "No way… No fucking way!" Grabbing for the phone, his eyes never left the screen as his fingers pressed in a number he had come to know by heart.

He didn't wait for the yawn that greeted him to utter a greeting, instead he barreled right on. " Cat…grab Trow and `fei and get here 5 minutes ago. We've got him." He hung up the phone and started delving deeper into the correlations.

#*#

Quatre stared at the phone in his hand as it beeped at him, a look of bewilderment crossing his still yawning face before it dawned on him that he should probably hang it up and go and wake the others.

Glancing at his watch as he did so, he wondered what the hell his best friend was doing up at half past 5 in the morning. Of course his train of thought hadn't actually caught up to his brain yet, and the brain had figured out that since Duo didn't have windows that let in daylight in that room, he probably hadn't even noticed the time…probably.

Suddenly Quatre felt completely awake. Taking a small run up he skillfully bomb dived the bed that his two lovers were still sleeping in. Sometimes the smaller blond hated being the only light sleeper.

"CAT!!!"

"WINNER!"

Quatre cringed at the last one… he had just successfully pissed Wufei off. The Chinese boy never used his last name anymore, unless he was pissed off. So Quatre took refuge behind Trowa, hands held out in a defensive position.

"Hey…don't blame me… Duo just called…we need to get ready and go in five minutes ago."

"I don't think so… I want another 45 minutes sleep…" Wufei wasn't in the best mood. He rarely woke up in a good mood.

"But `fei… we've got him."

Immediately Wufei's demeanor changed. "Why didn't you say so!" And he was out of bed and into the shower before Quatre could successfully blink. Of course, unobserved by his two lovers, Trowa had decided to curl back up and go to sleep. Quatre literally had to haul the green-eyed boy out of bed.

#*#

Three quarters of an hour later a slightly tossled Quatre, a somewhat eager Wufei and a partially sleep walking Trowa entered the systems room to find a bare-chested Duo running between 5 machines, hair flowing freely behind him. And for the first time in a long time, his eyes were shining.

Duo swirled around to face his friends and smiled. "Zechs coming too …soon… look!" He was pointing at the tracers, face lit up. "We got him…we got him!"

Quatre laughed to see his friend so happy. "So Duo… elaborate… its not like you to be tongue tied."

Trowa yawned. "Spill Duo."

Wufei just never let his eyes leave Duo's face.

Just then Zechs walked through the door, and Duo's face lit up. "Now I can go ahead and tell you all together… you know how I hate repeating myself…well I don't really hate it, but I think you know what I mean." Seeing the exasperated looks on the faces of his friends he hurried to continue. "We've got Habito… and fuck was he hard to find. I ran the most obscure trace I could think of…oh for cryin' out loud guys… sit down."

His friends did as they were told while Duo continued to pace the floor.

"See… there was nothing coming up on or in any of the systems that we have been crashing; nothing coming up through all the infiltrations, all the hacks… absolutely nothing. Which for some obscure reason this morning, led me to think that well… maybe the information pertaining to Habito, isn't actually stored on the computers…for very obvious reasons."

Wufei looked thoughtful. "That's a good point Maxwell. A very obvious good point we should probably have realized sooner."

"Told you we're too dependent on technology these days." Trowa huffed.

Duo smiled. "Exactly! You see, the only way that he keeps in contact with the subsidiaries and the main body is by those old floppy disks through the mail. Now the people are probably under strict instructions only to look at the disks on the computer…not to download the information to their mainframes and to remove the disks once they are finished, so that no one hacking could actually access the disks through their computers. Now you see… I ran a trace on postal services…and it gave me a regular list of packages to all the addresses of the subsidiaries and of GHD main quarters. All of these packages correlate with the appropriate size and weight of a computer disk. These are delivered once ever two weeks to each destination…or at least they were until we started putting a few of them out of commission. Anyway I digress again." A few smiles crossed the others faces as they watched Duo in his element. "Yes so you see, I managed to set up a trace that found one computer and trust me it was amazingly hard to find one… but it worked through it… oh by one I mean a computer that hadn't taken the disk out. This was an older disk in a computer that someone had obviously forgotten about. Anyway each disk has Habito's movements within the organization listed as well as his agendas for each meeting that is being arranged for him to attend." Duo looked at his friends expectantly.

Quatre stood up…"You mean… that we have him… with that sort of information we can go and get him now cant we?"

Duo shook his head, but the light never left his eyes. "No…the information I found is 6 weeks old. What we have to do is another stealth operation…to gain access to the newest disks. I will also need to set up an interception for the disks, so that we can gain a copy of them before they reach their destination. But if all of my findings are correct, the newest should be arriving this afternoon. Meaning we need to strike tonight to get the newest, after that we can simply intercept them. We need to go ambush the stone bitches…I suppose they'll want to know why I am nicking off with one of their stealth jets." He winked at his friends.

Zechs groaned. "Its like its only the beginning of all of this… its going to take forever."

Duo laughed. "Nope Zechs…this is the beginning of the end."

For some reason the way Duo said that, made shivers run down all of his friend's backs.

#*#

Once again the group of five approached Lady Une's office…lead by the Duracell bouncing bunny, never mind the one with the toy drum, Duo. Yet again he bounded into her office unannounced, noting her startled face as she sat in front of her vid phone behind her desk. She sprang to her feet, shock painted on her face as she hadn't expected anyone that early in the morning.

"Duo!"

The vid phone link broke.

Duo just continued to grin. "Aww did I interrupt something did I Une-baby?" He didn't wait for her to answer he just barreled straight ahead in true Duo fashion. "Well don't worry about us now… I mean all we good little soldier boys have come to tell you is that we have a lead that we need to follow and an infiltration to complete tonight. It's at one of the subsidiaries that actually have amazingly decent security, so its going to be a little more difficult that the other ones we have done. But I am sure that I have your complete cooperation with what we will undertake ne? We will be requiring more equipment than we have been using for the previous missions as well."

Une just stood and looked at Duo.

Wufei crossed his arms and did his best imitation Heero glare, while Trowa just looked out of his one free eye, Zechs was looking out of the window thereby giving silent support to the braided man, and Quatre…well… he had been serious when he had spoken to her all those months ago. Quatre Raberba Winner was one of the loveliest people you could ever meet in your life…however…he was a very very bad person to get on the wrong side of. He wouldn't yell at you, he wouldn't try to hurt you…at least not in conventional means. But if you had ever had those loving caring eyes turned your way in friendship… to take away that feeling that a person achieved by being his friend, hurt more than anything else ever could. The scorn that radiated from the young blond man was palatable. He no longer liked Une…she had lost his trust, which was not an easy feat to accomplish.

"What do you need Duo?" She knew that this was important…she knew this all needed to come to an end and she knew that Duo needed to rest. He had been slender before but now he was almost skeleton like. She sighed unconsciously.

Duo jumped up to sit on her desk, pulling one knee up to his chest and locking his arms around it he let the other one swing and smiled. "Well ya see Une-baby… I don't know just yet… but I will be sure to leave you a list of what we've taken. That is acceptable isn't it?"

Une sighed and nodded. "Yes Duo…that will be fine…I'll figure something out on this end of it…"

"Great babe!" He jumped up off the desk and stretched…before sauntering out the door, motioning for his friends to follow. Zechs avoided Une's gaze as he followed the others out. Turning once at the door to face Une again, Duo winked. "See Une-baby… I knew I could count on you…" A mocking laugh could be heard as Duo bounced down the halls to his systems room to make the final calculations and preparations.

~~**~~

Well there we go, how was it? Was it ok to read, was it too boring…have I stuffed anything up royally yet?

~Arithkenshin