Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Darkness Will Live On ❯ Chapter One- Long Held Secrets ( Chapter 1 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Duskie 
Their is somthing that Duo forgot to tell everyone and they are about to find out.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Supernatural / Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.16.2003 | Updated On: 04.08.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.8K | Visits: 1.0K | Status: Work In Progress
Their is somthing that Duo forgot to tell everyone and they are about to find out.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Supernatural / Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.16.2003 | Updated On: 04.08.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.8K | Visits: 1.0K | Status: Work In Progress
Will be 1x2x1, 2x1x2 our most beloved and specially cute couple. It might just take time to get anywhere… other than confusing. But trust me it will stop confusing you if it does confuse you to start with. It may have other pairings eventually but not yet. All original charactered are mine right down to the last hair on there toes!!!
Um, ok so amazingly enough I don’t own Gundam Wing it belongs to Sunrise, Shotsu Agency, Bandai, and other corporations on my DVD box, I assume, and has been used without permission, purely for entertainment purposes. I am being payed in pleasure.
Might go up in rating eventually, who knows!
Chapter One- Long Held Secrets
`~`~`~`~`
Duo was almost recovered. He hated being injured- it meant that he was told to stay still, not to do anything active and most of all, not to talk. Last week he had finally been allowed out of bed, but he still wasn't allowed to do anything real.
But what Duo hated most of all was that usually when people were almost blown to death, they were taken to hospital. Not to a hut in the middle of the woods. However, the place that they were at this time was actually rather comfy. It had a sign over the door that said "House of Good", with the second O hanging by one hinge, which made it say "House of God" Duo thought that this was ironic seeing as how he was staying here. Heero was also with Duo- he was the only pilot that wasn't on a mission when Duo got hurt. The doctors (although they wouldn't admit it) would rather almost anything than end up babysitting Duo when there was nothing that he could do, other than talk. Of course they all knew that he was a priceless pilot, but he had a mouth on him that could send them all to hell by just smiling let alone talking.
Duo was down in the kitchen eating the breakfast that Heero had left out. Heero was on the other side of the kitchen typing on his computer. Duo just couldn't think of anything that Heero would be doing on a computer when they definitely had no missions and they had been told that there was no way they would be moving for at least a week.
"Hey Heero?” he waited “Yo. MAN?" Heero just kept typing as usual. "Hey, what're you doing there anyway?"
Duo was getting up to go have a peek over Heero's shoulder when he started to feel dizzy again. This had been happening to him a lot since the accident. So far Duo had been able to get out of sight and sound. This was much worse than usual. Duo instantly turned toward the door but it was just too late, stumbling Duo dropped the bowl with a sharp crack. Heero turned around quickly.
"Duo, what the HELL do-" Heero was startled.
Duo was groaning loudly. He was kneeling on the floor with his hands on his head, shaking all over. He looked like he could barely stay sitting up. Then Duo started shrieking.
********
My breath is scratching my throat. I just don't know what's happening. I feel so detached, like I'm not part of my body. Then the images start again. They're more vivid than the other times - there are people, lots of people. An image will come and then another will replace it. I can still consciously feel the outside world. It's just like being able to watch two TV's at once, I can’t concentrate or focus, not in control, feels like I should be able to comprehend more. One has arms carrying me, heading towards my room. They're Heero's arms, but why is he carrying me? It isn't like him to even flinch if another is in pain.
The images are invading me again. There are people, all different types of people- it's almost like I know them. I don't, not now.
In between each flash there's a wooden handled scythe with the blazing silver blade, although the blade itself is like a light bulb that is trying to light up. Then the flashing of people and places slows and finally it's just the scythe and I left alone in this shadowy purple land of darkness. Finally the scythe lights up and then my own manic grin stares back at me. I remember. I know now, vaguely in the back of my mind I can feel me. But- but I don't mind. I'm still me! I. I guess. "SHINAGAMI IS BACK!!! Talk about refreshing, yow!!!" I recognise the people and I tell you they are staring at me strange. Like they've seen a ghost, such a pity that Shinagami don't die to easily.
********
"WHAT did you say to me-DUO" Dr. J was screaming at me, he even used my name.
But hell, Doctor J was always screaming at me. "Look, man. Doctor J, I'm sorry but I need a day off, Okay?"
No, of course it wasn't okay, but I had an urgent visit to make. I hadn't seen them since Christmas. I was on the right colony, so Doctor J could go get stuffed! Probably needed it.
"Boy! It is NOT okay. You are not doing anything today except for what I say, DO YOU HEAR ME?" Oh, yeah. Of course I could bloody hear him- so could the rest of the street. People were looking at me funny. I didn't think that the speakers on public phones could go this loud.
"Look, J, I'm seventeen and I've been doing this for how many years now? One day less of training won't hurt. I'm leaving tomorrow. BYE". Man'o'man, was I in for shit or what? I really, really doubt that anyone who wasn't already about to be put to death has ever talked to the J-man like that before. Hanging up the phone I could still hear the screaming on the other end. Ouch.
*******
"Hey Q-Man, see you in a few days when this is over." Great, now I have three days in some lousy posh school and an excruciatingly important mission.
" I guess this is where I leave you! Duo, don't do any thing stupid this time. Please." What, me do something stupid? On purpose? No, I wouldn't even dream of it.
"Come on, Cat, this is me we're talking about and I never ever make mistakes, don’t get dead Cat." I grinned reassuringly.
"Sure thing Duo, see you later," Quatre sighed.
Why does he have to worry? "Look, Quatre, I'll be careful." Good god, how does he keep getting these reassurances out of me?
Once upon a time, I suspect, I didn't even smile. But then again, I didn't know that smiling intimidated people then.
********
Day three of the mission duo had received an email that had highly distressed him he had flown from the classroom with the teacher yelling after him. Down the corridor and out the front entrance of the school, past the front guard and on down the street. He stopped at an apartment complex he had never been to before.
Three floors up in room 12 sat a telephone and nothing more. It was for emergencies and extractions. Could be used only once and had been programmed into the pilots ‘active’ phones so that they would register the incoming call. It also went to there handlers but he so wasn’t taking this to them.
‘Shit’ duo thought ‘shit, shit, shit I better not need anything else for this mission.’
The mission would be at its pinnacle the following night and duo knew he couldn’t safely speed up the time line. There was no way he could consider dropping out at this point.
There was no other option it was call a friend or have them left in a major city public hanger. But who to call. Howard would be best, but it was more likely to leak. Duo knew that Trowa had an assignment that may not have finished yet in the area but if it hadn’t finished he didn’t get a second call. He’d call Hilde but she would have to take public transport and would never make it from earth to L2 on time either.
That left Quatre, he should be about a half a days flight away but he shouldn’t be too tangled up, could get there and Duo sometimes worried that he’d let Quatre to far into his trust because he did trusted him. So duo called Quatre.
That day, my mail gave me the worst message. I couldn't believe it. This just wasn't happening! I couldn't make it in time. I ran out of the IT class with the teacher yelling after me. I knew that the mission wouldn't be over by then. This mission was just too important. If they developed anything like a Gundam, then we would be obsolete and all chaos would ensue. And although that wouldn't be all that bad for me, there was still that part of me that was nothing but a poor little mortal boy who was scared of change. But more importantly, there were people I cared about! It would affect them. So I couldn't leave the mission. I ran out the school gates and down the street with the gate guard looking at me strange. I ran all the way to the apartment which I had secured a phone line in. Dialling, I could have almost prayed, but that would have just been twisted.
Duo was unreasonably relived when Quatre answered the phone. He’d been contemplating prayer, but hadn’t yet decided if it would be more detrimental to the situation than helpful. He’d long since decided that swearing would be to the benefit of the situation and had there been sailors and nuns present there would have been blushing and scolding.
"Please answer, please, please, please!" The phone was answered, and if I wasn't me I may have been able to say that it was one of the most relieving moments in my life. But obviously, I am me.
"Hello? Hello?"
On the other end of the line Quatre blushed. “Duo Maxwell!” came a stern voice across the line. ”When I next see you, I may very well wash your mouth out with soap. Good grief!” Interrupted Duo.
Without stoping for breath between the profanity and the next sentence duo babbled. “Cat, oh man, am I glad to hear you, I need you to do something for me, It’s really quite far from you, I think, but I can’t get away, L2, I need you to pick up some people for me on L2, your not on a mission are you, I need to get back to mine but as soon as possible I need you to go to L2, they can’t be left there on there own they’ll get harassed, picked up or hurt, holly Hanna Cat, I have to go I need to be back by in 20 and I might have to get a detention when I renter the school for leaving the grounds in school hours. They’ll recognise you. I don’t know what time they’ll be there maybe tonight. Look shit, I hate to do this to you.” Duo proceeded to pin in a few verification codes to Quatre that indicated that he wasn’t doing this under duress.
It took almost a minute for Quatre’s brain to scramble and piece together what he thought Duo was asking.
"Hi, cat.” I enquired nervously. I wasn’t sure about this but I didn’t think I had much choice.
“Duo?”
“I need you to go and pick someone up for me from L2 they’ll recognise you and I wouldn’t be asking you to do this but I have too or else things are going to go wrong. You know I can’t leave this mission, please I know that you are way, way away but I can’t go there and as far as I know you aren’t on a mission and I know that it would be out of the way but I’d really appreciate it and, and, and, and." At this point, Duo language turned to something Quatre didn’t even know, he’d barely been following the English to begin with. Quatre blinked at the sudden onslaught of words.
"Duo? Duo, slow down, and speak slowly, I can barely hear you. Hey, why aren't you in class?"
“Holly Hanna yourself Duo, you need to calm down, I take it this is urgent, I’m actually quite near L2 I can make it there by there evening. I’ll need more of an explanation than this but later you need to concentrate on that mission our anonymity as pilots depends on it.”
”I gotta scram Cat, I’m appreciative man, I’ll call you as soon as I’m out of this shit hole and I have my phone I’ll call and we’ll make arrangements, I really gotta make flames. It’s Docking Z5, you might se some similarities.”
Quatre heard a light beeping of a watch alarm going of through the phone. “Go duo we’ll head to L2 now, Docking Z5. Good luck.”
Quatre hang up the phone, duo was horrified to register that Quatre had said ‘we’ll’ as in more than one person. But he didn’t have time to contemplate it let alone find a remedy to this little tizzy of a problem. This time duo did slip a prayer that it was only Trowa with Quatre, as well as more profanity, this time specifically towards nuns.
There was truly no time thought so duo figuratively flew up the rest of the stairs of the building to the roof and ran the next five blocks along the roof to the destination he needed to be at. We was just in the nick of time jumping from the roof he was on to catch the door an old deaf cleaner entered by everyday just before it closed.
He was in and so began the next step of his mission.
"Oh. Um. Look, Quatre, I really am in a hurry. I'm missing a class, not really that bad for my cover did say delinquent, but I really need you to pick something up from L2, and I know it's a long way, but I'm on a this mission and you know-"
"Duo. Duo. DUO!" Quatre interrupted hastily.
"Um, yeah, Q-Man?"
"I was going there anyway."
"You ARE?" Duo yelped.
"Yes. I have to pick up some artillery from there."
"Oh, thanks. Okay. Now, I need you to pick them up at the main L2 spaceport. You will really recognize one of them but let them find you or they’ll probably panic. Ten tomorrow night, docking bay Z5."
"Um, Duo? Can you be a little more specific and explain this to me? How am I meant to recognize any of them and who they are?"
"Quatre, I really need you to do this for me I will explain it all to you after my mission. We can meet the day after the mission at the safe house on L2, if you don't mind. Um, if I get of the mission early I'll contact you and I'll get it myself."
"Okay, Duo, we'll do it, but you explain it to me afterwards. Gotta go about to be intercepted by a routine patrol in the area, bye."
And with that he hung up and to my horror he had said WE will do it, meaning that more than one of them would be there. And this phone could only be used once so people couldn't use it to retrace calls. Once one of the people using it hung up, all the wiring inside would melt down. I didn't have any other safe house- this mission had been too much of an emergency, we really didn’t need rebel groups acquiring Gundam specs, and Quatre's phone only accepts registered ‘safe’ phone calls. I was doomed! Nothing more to it, just doomed! So with nothing more to do I headed back to class. I knew that the school wouldn't be pleased, but I couldn't just leave them there. The nun had said she'd hand them over to the authorities if I didn't pick them up by mid-night. So I was stuck.
********
Duo ran away from the school without looking back. He had terminated the eleven people assigned to him and disposed of all the evidence and blown the hard copies. While this had been happening, Heero had already swiped all the data on the project that wasn't on the base grounds, erasing it from data on consoles, he hadn't needed to be there to do it.
Duo was a day early he had only meant to get in to attach a device so Heero could access the computers and lay the explosives for the following day. It was easier to hide a thimble sized explosive for a day than it was to lay them on the day and hide eleven bodies well enough to have time to lay them. It was with great surprise that Duo looked through a grate he had intended to slip through to see ten of the people he was here for sitting at a table. With papers and tapes set out in front of them. Duo even knew where the eleventh was at that moment, seeing as how he was Duo’s IT teacher.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth duo slid back the way he came re-layed a bunch of his explosive checked the fanatics were all still there and left out of the front door of the building. Three blocks down he pressed a button on his key ring. He heard a low rumble and could see the whole building crash down floor by floor.
The Rebellion funded by the Calaiara religious fanatics ended there, they would never have Gundams now. How did one turn an entire town into religious fanatics anyway? Duo had been contemplating for days whether or not he should be eating the local food or drinking there water.
All that was left was the teacher, he was important cause he was the one who had hacked the data base that had the gundam blue prints. Mr. Myes unfortunately didn’t go down as easily it seemed that he had been improbably sitting in front of his television when the first report came on just seconds before duo rounded the corner to his office. He had been waiting but it was done now.
Duo strode through the streets as fast as he felt was reasonable not to catch attention got in his boring white car and left the city. Duo didn’t bother writing a mission report he headed straight to where he had his transport stashed and was headed towards L2 within the hour. He tried numerous times to contact Quatre or any of the other pilots, but they all seemed to be out of range. Maybe they were already on L2.
Duo realized that he was just going to have to give up and ring one of the girls.
********
Quatre always found it hard walking anywhere with all the pilots when Duo wasn't there. It felt awkward because no one ever talked, unless it was really necessary.
"Quatre," That was Wufei "Why are we here again?"
"We're here to pick someone up for Duo at docking bay Z5. He said they would be familiar, They should recognise us, he didn’t have time for a lot of information, seemed panicky, keep your eyes open." Quatre sighed. Man, his friends could be exhausting sometimes. It was just a favour. Unless the person was ex-Oz or something, what could go wrong?
Heero was death-glaring at the surveillance cameras that seemed to be following them past docking bay Z3 when Quatre, who was in the lead, stopped and stared. This just had to be some kind of joke. Walking past them towards Z5 was a nun with five little girls following her like ducklings except the last and smallest she was everywhere looking at everything. The smallest was familiar. This just couldn't be happening. Why the hell would Duo want them to pick up a little girl unless- Quatre's train of thought was diverted by a shout.
"DON'T MOVE, STEP INTO THE CENTER OF THE ROOM!" Quatre mentally sighed If guards were going to point guns and shout at them, they could at least make up their minds what they wanted them to do.
This did tell them a few things about the fools with guns though- They probably knew who we were, they weren't very well trained, they were just using cheesy lines and that they were stupid. "WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE!" ‘No, really’? Quatre thought sarcastically ‘I thought that you were just pointing a gun at me for the fun of it, or maybe because I was walking on the wrong coloured carpet. Naughty me.’
"Could you please stop using that microphone? We're only ten meters away. You are scaring people." Quatre’s ears were hurting, he was well aware that he was asking them to lower the volume when they were being threatened. Quatre was pretty sure they could talk their way out of this, so long as no one did anything stupid or rash. Like insulting Wufei’s honour or threatening Heero.
“No funny business or we’ll shoot you.” Directly Pursued Quatre’s thought. ‘Okie dokie’ Quatre thought ‘here goes Heero’s negotiation skills’.
Right on cue, Heero grabbed one of the children out of the crowed and had a gun against her head. The others still hadn't noticed the child that looked just like Duo.
There was a gasp of horror.
"We're leaving." World, meet Heero, the negotiator.
"PUT HER DOWN, NOW!" Standing with a gun in her hand was the littlest girl. We could see by how she held it that she knew how to use it, which was really rather amazing seeing as how she looked about three.
"Raphael Shara Maxwell, put that gun down and come back here, right now. Let the adults deal with this!" the nun's voice was shaking.
"Maxwell!" the four said in unison, varying degrees of disbelief. Finally the others took in the little girl. She was dressed in all black with white collars on top of that was a black hat with a white cross on it and two long braids hanging behind both shoulders. The only difference between her and Duo was the lack of a cross and a pair of sunglasses.
Heero and the little girl were still glaring at each other when a phone rang. It rang three times and then a voice mechanism kicked in and spoke clearly into the silence.
"This call is from ‘daddy’."
Slowly and without lowering the gun, the little girl moved her hand and reached in to her pocket to pull out the phone.
"Hi, dad." ‘This was too much.’ Quatre thought ‘Not only does she have a gun pointed at us, but this thing that was just like Duo was having an ordinary conversation on the phone in a fight. Just like duo would. This was too much.’ "This really isn't a good time." ‘Well, I suppose at least she didn't ask how the guy was doing, which I could see Duo doing.’ "What do you mean you won't be here to pick us up?" ‘Oh, great.’ "Dad, I'd write it down, but I'm a bit busy right now. Okay. I'll remember it. Um, dad, there's four guys here. One of them with a gun to Katie-Sam’s head, so I really can't… Um, yeah. One of them IS wearing spandex. How did you know that?” She cocked her heard cutely, eyes still on Heero. ”Um. okay." She looked at us strangely and then asked, "Is one of you 04?" Okay, now Quatre was worried.
None of the pilots were amused, none of them liked this feeling of not being sure what was going on." Pardon?" ‘Great answer’ Quatre thought to himself.
"04."
"Yeah, I heard you, but who wants to know?"
"My dad!” She threw the phone at Quatre. He was in such a state of shock that he just automatically caught it, He looked at it dumbly for a second and then put it to his ear.
"Hello..."
"What the HELL do you think you are DOING? I ask you to go and pick them up and you have a GUN to one of my, my…”There was a growling sound over the phone.” 04, if anything happens to her you tell 01 I will KILL him! As in, 'OMAE WO KOROSU'!"
"Hi, 02." ‘Great’ Quatre thought . ‘Now this is really getting confusing.’ "Um, I think he can hear you already."
"I asked you to pick them UP, not to KILL them!" At that point, Duo's screams got so distorted with outrage they were indistinguishable.
"Um, 02, telling you that we didn't know that they were the people we were picking up wouldn't help, would it?" Duo was calming down- his breathing wasn't so loud.
"Okay, look 04, I will tell her to peace out, you will have to get another hostage. I assume that's what's happening."
********
I was becoming fast exhausted at this point. It felt like a night mare what else do Gundam pilots dream of than accidentally threatening the life of one of there team mates family and never being trusted again.
But duo seemed to be dealing and was going to get the girl to back off so we could sort this out. "Okay." I said and threw the phone back to the little girl, who (to my surprise) caught it without losing aim. I whispered in Heero's ear that we had to get another hostage. He looked at me as if I was mad, so I waited to see what the girl did.
"Dad? I don't think that- um." she took her eyes off Heero for the first time and looked around. "Um, Daddy, I'm not sure." Wufei had to stifle a laugh at Duo being called 'Daddy'It would have been great if we could just drop the hostage and negotiate our way out of here except I was pretty sure these guards wanted another notch on there walls. they would arrest us for threatening lives. I doubt they had a valid reason to pull guns on us in the first place. The more that the girl listened the more uncomfortable she looked.
Finally after what seemed like much negotiation she threw the phone to me and Duo explained what was going on. So I told Heero and the other girl in a whisper what was happening. Then I threw the phone back to the girl.
"Sweet heart your daddy says you can put the gun down now." I lulled in my sincerest voice as I slowly walked towards her. "Common, hand me the gun, please." She was extremely good at acting nerves. Or was she really nervous?
"NO! Raffy, he'll hurt you, don't!" I was hopeful that the blasted nun wouldn’t do anything to hamper this.
"Your Daddy says you can trust me." Slowly, very slowly, she lowered the gun and I took it from her. Just as the gun landed in my hand I swung her around and had her in a neck lock with the gun to her head.
*GASP* The crowed was fanned out around us looking on in horror at what seemed to them as if the little girl had been tricked. But the act had to go on. She had the same idea.
"The act must go on," she whispered in a joyful voice, then in a terrified little girl voice she started screaming. "You LIED, you big fat… fat, LIAR MAN!" I was amused the kid was getting cuter by the second.
"Shut up, kid." You'd think I could come up with a classier line than that, wouldn't you? I bet not even mister security man over there could have thought that one up. Raphael agreed with that, obviously, considering she snorted at me. Slowly we moved forwards. The men holding the guns moved back.
"I told you not to move!" Oh Gods. Not this again.
"What? Do you want two little girls on your conscience, not to mention your résumé? If you shoot, not only will you be jobless but guilty. And on top of that, if you open fire then so do we." My voice sounded calm and collected. The other pilots by this point had all pulled their guns out, too.(So, what do you think they think about there o-so sophisticated, high and mighty security system now???)
Slowly as the crowd in front of us parted, we moved forward. I whispered in Raffy's ear. "How far away did 02 say he was?"
"Didn't say, ahh, ring him," Raphael replied.
"Pull out my phone" I ordered her, “left pants pocket.
She fumbled and passed it to me, I took it with the arm around her neck and dialled. “Hold it to my ear,” I ordered loud enough for the guards to hear. Couldn’t let them think they were being played.
"Hey, 04!" Duo’s voice came over the phone. “That was fast. Out already.”
“No, still in.”
"So, how's it going?" Duo's cheerful tones continued in my ear. Only he would do this when we we're in a situation such as this. At least he wasn't yelling. "I was thinking- how about I meet you at safe house number 63852 instead?" Please tell me he isn't that close to earth.
"02, where are you? We really need picking up! It's already going to take about an hour to get out of here."
"I'm only about ten minutes away. I had been looking at floor plans for the place, thinking how nice they actually were!' Look, you keep going and I think about five mins down the hall from Z5 there's an empty boarding gate, Y67. It's been locked off for a reservation, so if 01 can crack it open I'll be there soon. Be glad I’m travelling by shuttle."
You forget how useful Duo can be at times. He’s flexible and changes plans with ease. He frequently has that little detail you’re going to need all ready before you even realize you need it. "Anything else? I'm sorta trying to drive this thing, check floor plans, and stop some bleeding, right now." Great, so he was injured. You forget because he makes it easy to forget.
"No, not unless you can open the doors from there"
"Nope, they're on an internal network. Sorry." Dammit!
"Okay. Bye, see you, 02." With that, we both hung up the phone. "01, turn here," I called over to Heero. He was now in front. "And 05? Take that kid." Wonderful. When had I been put in charge? Heero passed the kid over more gently than I would have expected. Finally, we found the right docking bay and Heero hacked the door open. After that, we stood in the waiting area. We were watching the guards, and the guards were watching us. They knew that all their chances of getting us were gone, unless they did something amazingly intelligent or we did something really stupid. Both were dubious. Raffy's phone rang again. She answered it, closed it and put it back in her pocket.
"Father needs the bay doors opened." Now why didn't I think of that? Heero, on the other hand, had thought of that and was already trying to open them without success. Wufei, was looking over Heero's shoulder.
As was Katie-Sam. She almost looked like she was studying it and might understand it.
She timidly poked a finger out and pointed at something Heero changed something and a moment later doors opened and the shuttle came in. Then the outer doors shut, and the inner doors opened. I was slightly worried, because Duo was flying a bit wonky. Not much, but a bit. Standing at the door, I wondered for a while if it was going to open, but it did. Heero had set the outer doors to open when shuttle doors closed.
********
I knew that Daddy was in a hell of a lot of trouble for us. I also knew that the more this four approved of us two the less trouble daddy was in.
But I could smell blood it was strong. Sammy got to it first in her usual blunt way. "I smell blood" But first things first I wanted my gun back.
********
The little brat had almost no manners. (Just like Duo) She turned around and snatched the gun from Quatre, which took him quite by surprize. She pocketed it and started looking at us all curiously through her sun glasses.
"We still haven't left the port," she pointed out "I think that something's wrong with daddy." She could be right he wasn’t flying straight. This is when I ask myself, Trowa, why'd a kid notice something that you didn't. She's still right though and so we head towards the cockpit. Duo was sitting on the other side of the room with an extremely corny grin on his face, it was his, I’m in pain but don’t call me on it grin. It ways leaves me twitching.
"Hey," he said in his usual voice "How ya doing?" His relaxed ton of voice was ruined by the blood dripping of the chair he was still sitting in.
"I would have flown us out of here except that I don't think I have the strength." Sort of impressive. He can’t fly but he can have a perfectly normal relaxed conversation. I think it was for the sake of the kids.
"And I would try to explain some stuff but I think I'm about to pass out." Duo was odd sometimes.
"I also would really not mind it if when I wake back up, no matter how bugged people are at me that everyone on this ship is still alive". Message to Wufei and Heero.
"O, and Katie, Ruffy there is a room at the end of the corridor that you can put your stuff in I would like you to unpack. Go now." I don't think I have ever seen Duo in this way before. Protective daddy Duo, I think he may have just been trying to get them out of the room, we never unpack. Katie turned and left to do as she was told but Ruffy was a little less obedient.
"But, Daddy"
"No, butts-just GO!" Wow he really sounded like a parent there. And with that Ruffy left grumbling. "I'll talk later just heading for bed," Duo mumbled. Duo no longer looked quite as fine and I could see him failing every second. With that he fainted straight at Heero's feet. I think Heero actually blinked at that but what was really amazing was that Heero picked Duo up. I couldn't believe it. I don't think the others could either. This was not Heero like, the Heero we know he would have just turned around and walked to one of the spare rooms and opened his laptop.
"Quatre, Bandages." We all had the same thought on our minds, 'Is this Heero'. This guy may be walking and talking like Heero but that doesn't take much effort you just don't talk. Except for the occasional 'HN'. We all stood there with shell shook for a moment.
Now at this point you have to remember that our worlds had just been rocked and it had been a very long day.
Then all guns were facing him. People who are always saying they'll kill someone don't help when their wounded. The Heero blinked (sure sign that it wasn't Heero). "If you want to carry him, take him." Finally after five minutes the whole incident was revealed. With a lot of blood on behalf of Duo the floor was getting dirty. Heero carried Duo to a spare room then started a blood transfusion and fixing things up.
********
Duo lay there refusing to open his eyes or change his breathing. He knew that the second that he showed signs of being awake. He would be bombarded with questions that would be hard to explain. He heard the door open and someone walked silently into the room.
********
I could hear them breathing softly. It was impossible to tell who it was everyone was well trained. Finally I opened one eye to come face to face with one pupil less violet eye and a yellow cat eye. Ruffy.
"I thought that you were awake!" She put her glasses back on knowing what I was about to say.
Picking the small girl up he placed her on the bed in front of him and looked her over. "You still haven't grown, but I like the clothes, very flashy." I think I should do some questioning first. "So why were you two chucked out of the orphanage in such a hurry." There was obvious relief on her face that I wasn't mad. Yet. She sorta shrunk back and looked at me in irritation.
********
"Lets talk about that later when Katie's here. I mean, it's not all my fault." She wrinkled up her nose a bit, "Well not completely". I couldn't help smiling at her she was so cute and she was mine’o’mine. No one would ever think that I was the type of person to love having daughters. But I am! Especially when they’re this cute.
Raphael and Katherine-Samantha are both five. They had been born before I even knew that I was going to be a pilot let alone have a life-threatening job.
There mother died the year before I found myself in the war there were six month with me and then I had a job and we could eat real food so they stayed at the orphanage while I was away.
I was there as often as possible but money didn’t make it’s self. The orphanage was willing to look after the children of those who could pay, I wasn’t the only one, lots of us went off to the sweepers and army sending money back.
Previously I had had enough trouble feeding me and Katherine, their mother. It was hard feeding three and I had other commitments. I had a job on a sweeper vessel it meant I made enough to feed all of us, I couldn’t make ends meet otherwise which would put us all back in the gutter.
The orphanage was the one were Maxwell church had sat. It was a nice little place but every time I went and visited I would be told by the nun that ran the place that if Ruffy did this or that she would chuck them out on the streets. Well, I guess it was bound to happen eventually, she is related to me. I bet that poor, poor nun never had so much trouble with one so young.
"So, squirt, how long have I been asleep for." I winked at her! And she grinned back happily. I know that I must have been out for a while I wasn't in as much pain as I should have been and my arm had been re-bandaged. Must thank Quatre.
She smiled innocently "Oh, only about three days" She knew I was hoping for less so I played along.
"O, that's good now I can tease you for longer." I commented, stepping quickly out of the bed throwing Ruffy over my good shoulder with her squealing. And I was off going to look for my pants with a squealer over my shoulder. (hupf, I wonder who undressed me?) So how do you like my friends I called over my shoulder to the wriggling fury of chaotic squeals. Finally I had found my pants when Quatre, Trowa, Wufei and Heero ran in looking as if they had run all the way from one end of the ship to the other, they probably had if we were still on a ship. So what else was there for me to do!!! "Hey, Wu-man have you been exercising or something" I grinned evilly knowing that all of them except Quatre were embarrassed that they had run all the way for this.
"Put me down you big bully" Se was doing the most damage that could be done without a explosives, all our ears were suffering. "I'm telling you to put me down you evil doer." I smiled at the others who were just staring at me tease the wriggling bundle of black. "If you don't put me done by the count of three I'll scream." For the first time they saw my grin on someone else. "Three."
Katie walked in and looked at me blankly. "Dad I don't want to be deaf tomorrow"
"Two"
"Dad, remember what happened last time you held out, admit defeated." Katie smiled sweetly. I just continued to go through my bag in the cupboard.
"One". Everyone was looking at us strange.
There was no scream just a whole lot of squeaking and giggling coming from the little thing that was trying to get away from me. Eventually she got away but as proof that she still thought that she was superior she just had to make herself look like a brat by turning round and say in that cute little voice of her's "Ner ner ni ner ner's I won so there" not quite sure what the competition was but it is in the instincts to be competitive. Just look at me I can't list all the things in my life I've done just because someone said 'you’re incapable of doing that.' I even have scars to prove some of them.
"Defeated By a five year old" I grumbled. I continue grumbling about evil five year olds as I walk down the hall to the bathroom with four amazed pairs of eyes on my back. One set of those eyes gently caressing the well toned muscle on my back that he had never had the pleasure of seeing before.
********
------------------------------
So I looked at this. It’s the first thing I ever wrote which I put on the interwebz many years ago. I never finished it. It was a story I had loved playing around with.
I thought maybe I’ll brush up some of it and maybe even at a new chapter. I think I’m going to plain delete the second chapter. It caused me pain to read. So if you’ve read this before it’s actually quite different, there were some parts I was quite sad to delete as they were exactly what I had wanted and had more personality but they just didn’t flow. Some of it I have left even though it makes me shudder and pity my poor, poor past English teachers.
Hopefully I haven’t destroyed what it was.
Dragon Dagger, Thanks for telling me that I had crazy fluoro colours. I’m not actually sure how that happened.
Um, ok so amazingly enough I don’t own Gundam Wing it belongs to Sunrise, Shotsu Agency, Bandai, and other corporations on my DVD box, I assume, and has been used without permission, purely for entertainment purposes. I am being payed in pleasure.
Might go up in rating eventually, who knows!
Chapter One- Long Held Secrets
`~`~`~`~`
Duo was almost recovered. He hated being injured- it meant that he was told to stay still, not to do anything active and most of all, not to talk. Last week he had finally been allowed out of bed, but he still wasn't allowed to do anything real.
But what Duo hated most of all was that usually when people were almost blown to death, they were taken to hospital. Not to a hut in the middle of the woods. However, the place that they were at this time was actually rather comfy. It had a sign over the door that said "House of Good", with the second O hanging by one hinge, which made it say "House of God" Duo thought that this was ironic seeing as how he was staying here. Heero was also with Duo- he was the only pilot that wasn't on a mission when Duo got hurt. The doctors (although they wouldn't admit it) would rather almost anything than end up babysitting Duo when there was nothing that he could do, other than talk. Of course they all knew that he was a priceless pilot, but he had a mouth on him that could send them all to hell by just smiling let alone talking.
Duo was down in the kitchen eating the breakfast that Heero had left out. Heero was on the other side of the kitchen typing on his computer. Duo just couldn't think of anything that Heero would be doing on a computer when they definitely had no missions and they had been told that there was no way they would be moving for at least a week.
"Hey Heero?” he waited “Yo. MAN?" Heero just kept typing as usual. "Hey, what're you doing there anyway?"
Duo was getting up to go have a peek over Heero's shoulder when he started to feel dizzy again. This had been happening to him a lot since the accident. So far Duo had been able to get out of sight and sound. This was much worse than usual. Duo instantly turned toward the door but it was just too late, stumbling Duo dropped the bowl with a sharp crack. Heero turned around quickly.
"Duo, what the HELL do-" Heero was startled.
Duo was groaning loudly. He was kneeling on the floor with his hands on his head, shaking all over. He looked like he could barely stay sitting up. Then Duo started shrieking.
********
My breath is scratching my throat. I just don't know what's happening. I feel so detached, like I'm not part of my body. Then the images start again. They're more vivid than the other times - there are people, lots of people. An image will come and then another will replace it. I can still consciously feel the outside world. It's just like being able to watch two TV's at once, I can’t concentrate or focus, not in control, feels like I should be able to comprehend more. One has arms carrying me, heading towards my room. They're Heero's arms, but why is he carrying me? It isn't like him to even flinch if another is in pain.
The images are invading me again. There are people, all different types of people- it's almost like I know them. I don't, not now.
In between each flash there's a wooden handled scythe with the blazing silver blade, although the blade itself is like a light bulb that is trying to light up. Then the flashing of people and places slows and finally it's just the scythe and I left alone in this shadowy purple land of darkness. Finally the scythe lights up and then my own manic grin stares back at me. I remember. I know now, vaguely in the back of my mind I can feel me. But- but I don't mind. I'm still me! I. I guess. "SHINAGAMI IS BACK!!! Talk about refreshing, yow!!!" I recognise the people and I tell you they are staring at me strange. Like they've seen a ghost, such a pity that Shinagami don't die to easily.
********
"WHAT did you say to me-DUO" Dr. J was screaming at me, he even used my name.
But hell, Doctor J was always screaming at me. "Look, man. Doctor J, I'm sorry but I need a day off, Okay?"
No, of course it wasn't okay, but I had an urgent visit to make. I hadn't seen them since Christmas. I was on the right colony, so Doctor J could go get stuffed! Probably needed it.
"Boy! It is NOT okay. You are not doing anything today except for what I say, DO YOU HEAR ME?" Oh, yeah. Of course I could bloody hear him- so could the rest of the street. People were looking at me funny. I didn't think that the speakers on public phones could go this loud.
"Look, J, I'm seventeen and I've been doing this for how many years now? One day less of training won't hurt. I'm leaving tomorrow. BYE". Man'o'man, was I in for shit or what? I really, really doubt that anyone who wasn't already about to be put to death has ever talked to the J-man like that before. Hanging up the phone I could still hear the screaming on the other end. Ouch.
*******
"Hey Q-Man, see you in a few days when this is over." Great, now I have three days in some lousy posh school and an excruciatingly important mission.
" I guess this is where I leave you! Duo, don't do any thing stupid this time. Please." What, me do something stupid? On purpose? No, I wouldn't even dream of it.
"Come on, Cat, this is me we're talking about and I never ever make mistakes, don’t get dead Cat." I grinned reassuringly.
"Sure thing Duo, see you later," Quatre sighed.
Why does he have to worry? "Look, Quatre, I'll be careful." Good god, how does he keep getting these reassurances out of me?
Once upon a time, I suspect, I didn't even smile. But then again, I didn't know that smiling intimidated people then.
********
Day three of the mission duo had received an email that had highly distressed him he had flown from the classroom with the teacher yelling after him. Down the corridor and out the front entrance of the school, past the front guard and on down the street. He stopped at an apartment complex he had never been to before.
Three floors up in room 12 sat a telephone and nothing more. It was for emergencies and extractions. Could be used only once and had been programmed into the pilots ‘active’ phones so that they would register the incoming call. It also went to there handlers but he so wasn’t taking this to them.
‘Shit’ duo thought ‘shit, shit, shit I better not need anything else for this mission.’
The mission would be at its pinnacle the following night and duo knew he couldn’t safely speed up the time line. There was no way he could consider dropping out at this point.
There was no other option it was call a friend or have them left in a major city public hanger. But who to call. Howard would be best, but it was more likely to leak. Duo knew that Trowa had an assignment that may not have finished yet in the area but if it hadn’t finished he didn’t get a second call. He’d call Hilde but she would have to take public transport and would never make it from earth to L2 on time either.
That left Quatre, he should be about a half a days flight away but he shouldn’t be too tangled up, could get there and Duo sometimes worried that he’d let Quatre to far into his trust because he did trusted him. So duo called Quatre.
That day, my mail gave me the worst message. I couldn't believe it. This just wasn't happening! I couldn't make it in time. I ran out of the IT class with the teacher yelling after me. I knew that the mission wouldn't be over by then. This mission was just too important. If they developed anything like a Gundam, then we would be obsolete and all chaos would ensue. And although that wouldn't be all that bad for me, there was still that part of me that was nothing but a poor little mortal boy who was scared of change. But more importantly, there were people I cared about! It would affect them. So I couldn't leave the mission. I ran out the school gates and down the street with the gate guard looking at me strange. I ran all the way to the apartment which I had secured a phone line in. Dialling, I could have almost prayed, but that would have just been twisted.
Duo was unreasonably relived when Quatre answered the phone. He’d been contemplating prayer, but hadn’t yet decided if it would be more detrimental to the situation than helpful. He’d long since decided that swearing would be to the benefit of the situation and had there been sailors and nuns present there would have been blushing and scolding.
"Please answer, please, please, please!" The phone was answered, and if I wasn't me I may have been able to say that it was one of the most relieving moments in my life. But obviously, I am me.
"Hello? Hello?"
On the other end of the line Quatre blushed. “Duo Maxwell!” came a stern voice across the line. ”When I next see you, I may very well wash your mouth out with soap. Good grief!” Interrupted Duo.
Without stoping for breath between the profanity and the next sentence duo babbled. “Cat, oh man, am I glad to hear you, I need you to do something for me, It’s really quite far from you, I think, but I can’t get away, L2, I need you to pick up some people for me on L2, your not on a mission are you, I need to get back to mine but as soon as possible I need you to go to L2, they can’t be left there on there own they’ll get harassed, picked up or hurt, holly Hanna Cat, I have to go I need to be back by in 20 and I might have to get a detention when I renter the school for leaving the grounds in school hours. They’ll recognise you. I don’t know what time they’ll be there maybe tonight. Look shit, I hate to do this to you.” Duo proceeded to pin in a few verification codes to Quatre that indicated that he wasn’t doing this under duress.
It took almost a minute for Quatre’s brain to scramble and piece together what he thought Duo was asking.
"Hi, cat.” I enquired nervously. I wasn’t sure about this but I didn’t think I had much choice.
“Duo?”
“I need you to go and pick someone up for me from L2 they’ll recognise you and I wouldn’t be asking you to do this but I have too or else things are going to go wrong. You know I can’t leave this mission, please I know that you are way, way away but I can’t go there and as far as I know you aren’t on a mission and I know that it would be out of the way but I’d really appreciate it and, and, and, and." At this point, Duo language turned to something Quatre didn’t even know, he’d barely been following the English to begin with. Quatre blinked at the sudden onslaught of words.
"Duo? Duo, slow down, and speak slowly, I can barely hear you. Hey, why aren't you in class?"
“Holly Hanna yourself Duo, you need to calm down, I take it this is urgent, I’m actually quite near L2 I can make it there by there evening. I’ll need more of an explanation than this but later you need to concentrate on that mission our anonymity as pilots depends on it.”
”I gotta scram Cat, I’m appreciative man, I’ll call you as soon as I’m out of this shit hole and I have my phone I’ll call and we’ll make arrangements, I really gotta make flames. It’s Docking Z5, you might se some similarities.”
Quatre heard a light beeping of a watch alarm going of through the phone. “Go duo we’ll head to L2 now, Docking Z5. Good luck.”
Quatre hang up the phone, duo was horrified to register that Quatre had said ‘we’ll’ as in more than one person. But he didn’t have time to contemplate it let alone find a remedy to this little tizzy of a problem. This time duo did slip a prayer that it was only Trowa with Quatre, as well as more profanity, this time specifically towards nuns.
There was truly no time thought so duo figuratively flew up the rest of the stairs of the building to the roof and ran the next five blocks along the roof to the destination he needed to be at. We was just in the nick of time jumping from the roof he was on to catch the door an old deaf cleaner entered by everyday just before it closed.
He was in and so began the next step of his mission.
"Oh. Um. Look, Quatre, I really am in a hurry. I'm missing a class, not really that bad for my cover did say delinquent, but I really need you to pick something up from L2, and I know it's a long way, but I'm on a this mission and you know-"
"Duo. Duo. DUO!" Quatre interrupted hastily.
"Um, yeah, Q-Man?"
"I was going there anyway."
"You ARE?" Duo yelped.
"Yes. I have to pick up some artillery from there."
"Oh, thanks. Okay. Now, I need you to pick them up at the main L2 spaceport. You will really recognize one of them but let them find you or they’ll probably panic. Ten tomorrow night, docking bay Z5."
"Um, Duo? Can you be a little more specific and explain this to me? How am I meant to recognize any of them and who they are?"
"Quatre, I really need you to do this for me I will explain it all to you after my mission. We can meet the day after the mission at the safe house on L2, if you don't mind. Um, if I get of the mission early I'll contact you and I'll get it myself."
"Okay, Duo, we'll do it, but you explain it to me afterwards. Gotta go about to be intercepted by a routine patrol in the area, bye."
And with that he hung up and to my horror he had said WE will do it, meaning that more than one of them would be there. And this phone could only be used once so people couldn't use it to retrace calls. Once one of the people using it hung up, all the wiring inside would melt down. I didn't have any other safe house- this mission had been too much of an emergency, we really didn’t need rebel groups acquiring Gundam specs, and Quatre's phone only accepts registered ‘safe’ phone calls. I was doomed! Nothing more to it, just doomed! So with nothing more to do I headed back to class. I knew that the school wouldn't be pleased, but I couldn't just leave them there. The nun had said she'd hand them over to the authorities if I didn't pick them up by mid-night. So I was stuck.
********
Duo ran away from the school without looking back. He had terminated the eleven people assigned to him and disposed of all the evidence and blown the hard copies. While this had been happening, Heero had already swiped all the data on the project that wasn't on the base grounds, erasing it from data on consoles, he hadn't needed to be there to do it.
Duo was a day early he had only meant to get in to attach a device so Heero could access the computers and lay the explosives for the following day. It was easier to hide a thimble sized explosive for a day than it was to lay them on the day and hide eleven bodies well enough to have time to lay them. It was with great surprise that Duo looked through a grate he had intended to slip through to see ten of the people he was here for sitting at a table. With papers and tapes set out in front of them. Duo even knew where the eleventh was at that moment, seeing as how he was Duo’s IT teacher.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth duo slid back the way he came re-layed a bunch of his explosive checked the fanatics were all still there and left out of the front door of the building. Three blocks down he pressed a button on his key ring. He heard a low rumble and could see the whole building crash down floor by floor.
The Rebellion funded by the Calaiara religious fanatics ended there, they would never have Gundams now. How did one turn an entire town into religious fanatics anyway? Duo had been contemplating for days whether or not he should be eating the local food or drinking there water.
All that was left was the teacher, he was important cause he was the one who had hacked the data base that had the gundam blue prints. Mr. Myes unfortunately didn’t go down as easily it seemed that he had been improbably sitting in front of his television when the first report came on just seconds before duo rounded the corner to his office. He had been waiting but it was done now.
Duo strode through the streets as fast as he felt was reasonable not to catch attention got in his boring white car and left the city. Duo didn’t bother writing a mission report he headed straight to where he had his transport stashed and was headed towards L2 within the hour. He tried numerous times to contact Quatre or any of the other pilots, but they all seemed to be out of range. Maybe they were already on L2.
Duo realized that he was just going to have to give up and ring one of the girls.
********
Quatre always found it hard walking anywhere with all the pilots when Duo wasn't there. It felt awkward because no one ever talked, unless it was really necessary.
"Quatre," That was Wufei "Why are we here again?"
"We're here to pick someone up for Duo at docking bay Z5. He said they would be familiar, They should recognise us, he didn’t have time for a lot of information, seemed panicky, keep your eyes open." Quatre sighed. Man, his friends could be exhausting sometimes. It was just a favour. Unless the person was ex-Oz or something, what could go wrong?
Heero was death-glaring at the surveillance cameras that seemed to be following them past docking bay Z3 when Quatre, who was in the lead, stopped and stared. This just had to be some kind of joke. Walking past them towards Z5 was a nun with five little girls following her like ducklings except the last and smallest she was everywhere looking at everything. The smallest was familiar. This just couldn't be happening. Why the hell would Duo want them to pick up a little girl unless- Quatre's train of thought was diverted by a shout.
"DON'T MOVE, STEP INTO THE CENTER OF THE ROOM!" Quatre mentally sighed If guards were going to point guns and shout at them, they could at least make up their minds what they wanted them to do.
This did tell them a few things about the fools with guns though- They probably knew who we were, they weren't very well trained, they were just using cheesy lines and that they were stupid. "WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE!" ‘No, really’? Quatre thought sarcastically ‘I thought that you were just pointing a gun at me for the fun of it, or maybe because I was walking on the wrong coloured carpet. Naughty me.’
"Could you please stop using that microphone? We're only ten meters away. You are scaring people." Quatre’s ears were hurting, he was well aware that he was asking them to lower the volume when they were being threatened. Quatre was pretty sure they could talk their way out of this, so long as no one did anything stupid or rash. Like insulting Wufei’s honour or threatening Heero.
“No funny business or we’ll shoot you.” Directly Pursued Quatre’s thought. ‘Okie dokie’ Quatre thought ‘here goes Heero’s negotiation skills’.
Right on cue, Heero grabbed one of the children out of the crowed and had a gun against her head. The others still hadn't noticed the child that looked just like Duo.
There was a gasp of horror.
"We're leaving." World, meet Heero, the negotiator.
"PUT HER DOWN, NOW!" Standing with a gun in her hand was the littlest girl. We could see by how she held it that she knew how to use it, which was really rather amazing seeing as how she looked about three.
"Raphael Shara Maxwell, put that gun down and come back here, right now. Let the adults deal with this!" the nun's voice was shaking.
"Maxwell!" the four said in unison, varying degrees of disbelief. Finally the others took in the little girl. She was dressed in all black with white collars on top of that was a black hat with a white cross on it and two long braids hanging behind both shoulders. The only difference between her and Duo was the lack of a cross and a pair of sunglasses.
Heero and the little girl were still glaring at each other when a phone rang. It rang three times and then a voice mechanism kicked in and spoke clearly into the silence.
"This call is from ‘daddy’."
Slowly and without lowering the gun, the little girl moved her hand and reached in to her pocket to pull out the phone.
"Hi, dad." ‘This was too much.’ Quatre thought ‘Not only does she have a gun pointed at us, but this thing that was just like Duo was having an ordinary conversation on the phone in a fight. Just like duo would. This was too much.’ "This really isn't a good time." ‘Well, I suppose at least she didn't ask how the guy was doing, which I could see Duo doing.’ "What do you mean you won't be here to pick us up?" ‘Oh, great.’ "Dad, I'd write it down, but I'm a bit busy right now. Okay. I'll remember it. Um, dad, there's four guys here. One of them with a gun to Katie-Sam’s head, so I really can't… Um, yeah. One of them IS wearing spandex. How did you know that?” She cocked her heard cutely, eyes still on Heero. ”Um. okay." She looked at us strangely and then asked, "Is one of you 04?" Okay, now Quatre was worried.
None of the pilots were amused, none of them liked this feeling of not being sure what was going on." Pardon?" ‘Great answer’ Quatre thought to himself.
"04."
"Yeah, I heard you, but who wants to know?"
"My dad!” She threw the phone at Quatre. He was in such a state of shock that he just automatically caught it, He looked at it dumbly for a second and then put it to his ear.
"Hello..."
"What the HELL do you think you are DOING? I ask you to go and pick them up and you have a GUN to one of my, my…”There was a growling sound over the phone.” 04, if anything happens to her you tell 01 I will KILL him! As in, 'OMAE WO KOROSU'!"
"Hi, 02." ‘Great’ Quatre thought . ‘Now this is really getting confusing.’ "Um, I think he can hear you already."
"I asked you to pick them UP, not to KILL them!" At that point, Duo's screams got so distorted with outrage they were indistinguishable.
"Um, 02, telling you that we didn't know that they were the people we were picking up wouldn't help, would it?" Duo was calming down- his breathing wasn't so loud.
"Okay, look 04, I will tell her to peace out, you will have to get another hostage. I assume that's what's happening."
********
I was becoming fast exhausted at this point. It felt like a night mare what else do Gundam pilots dream of than accidentally threatening the life of one of there team mates family and never being trusted again.
But duo seemed to be dealing and was going to get the girl to back off so we could sort this out. "Okay." I said and threw the phone back to the little girl, who (to my surprise) caught it without losing aim. I whispered in Heero's ear that we had to get another hostage. He looked at me as if I was mad, so I waited to see what the girl did.
"Dad? I don't think that- um." she took her eyes off Heero for the first time and looked around. "Um, Daddy, I'm not sure." Wufei had to stifle a laugh at Duo being called 'Daddy'It would have been great if we could just drop the hostage and negotiate our way out of here except I was pretty sure these guards wanted another notch on there walls. they would arrest us for threatening lives. I doubt they had a valid reason to pull guns on us in the first place. The more that the girl listened the more uncomfortable she looked.
Finally after what seemed like much negotiation she threw the phone to me and Duo explained what was going on. So I told Heero and the other girl in a whisper what was happening. Then I threw the phone back to the girl.
"Sweet heart your daddy says you can put the gun down now." I lulled in my sincerest voice as I slowly walked towards her. "Common, hand me the gun, please." She was extremely good at acting nerves. Or was she really nervous?
"NO! Raffy, he'll hurt you, don't!" I was hopeful that the blasted nun wouldn’t do anything to hamper this.
"Your Daddy says you can trust me." Slowly, very slowly, she lowered the gun and I took it from her. Just as the gun landed in my hand I swung her around and had her in a neck lock with the gun to her head.
*GASP* The crowed was fanned out around us looking on in horror at what seemed to them as if the little girl had been tricked. But the act had to go on. She had the same idea.
"The act must go on," she whispered in a joyful voice, then in a terrified little girl voice she started screaming. "You LIED, you big fat… fat, LIAR MAN!" I was amused the kid was getting cuter by the second.
"Shut up, kid." You'd think I could come up with a classier line than that, wouldn't you? I bet not even mister security man over there could have thought that one up. Raphael agreed with that, obviously, considering she snorted at me. Slowly we moved forwards. The men holding the guns moved back.
"I told you not to move!" Oh Gods. Not this again.
"What? Do you want two little girls on your conscience, not to mention your résumé? If you shoot, not only will you be jobless but guilty. And on top of that, if you open fire then so do we." My voice sounded calm and collected. The other pilots by this point had all pulled their guns out, too.(So, what do you think they think about there o-so sophisticated, high and mighty security system now???)
Slowly as the crowd in front of us parted, we moved forward. I whispered in Raffy's ear. "How far away did 02 say he was?"
"Didn't say, ahh, ring him," Raphael replied.
"Pull out my phone" I ordered her, “left pants pocket.
She fumbled and passed it to me, I took it with the arm around her neck and dialled. “Hold it to my ear,” I ordered loud enough for the guards to hear. Couldn’t let them think they were being played.
"Hey, 04!" Duo’s voice came over the phone. “That was fast. Out already.”
“No, still in.”
"So, how's it going?" Duo's cheerful tones continued in my ear. Only he would do this when we we're in a situation such as this. At least he wasn't yelling. "I was thinking- how about I meet you at safe house number 63852 instead?" Please tell me he isn't that close to earth.
"02, where are you? We really need picking up! It's already going to take about an hour to get out of here."
"I'm only about ten minutes away. I had been looking at floor plans for the place, thinking how nice they actually were!' Look, you keep going and I think about five mins down the hall from Z5 there's an empty boarding gate, Y67. It's been locked off for a reservation, so if 01 can crack it open I'll be there soon. Be glad I’m travelling by shuttle."
You forget how useful Duo can be at times. He’s flexible and changes plans with ease. He frequently has that little detail you’re going to need all ready before you even realize you need it. "Anything else? I'm sorta trying to drive this thing, check floor plans, and stop some bleeding, right now." Great, so he was injured. You forget because he makes it easy to forget.
"No, not unless you can open the doors from there"
"Nope, they're on an internal network. Sorry." Dammit!
"Okay. Bye, see you, 02." With that, we both hung up the phone. "01, turn here," I called over to Heero. He was now in front. "And 05? Take that kid." Wonderful. When had I been put in charge? Heero passed the kid over more gently than I would have expected. Finally, we found the right docking bay and Heero hacked the door open. After that, we stood in the waiting area. We were watching the guards, and the guards were watching us. They knew that all their chances of getting us were gone, unless they did something amazingly intelligent or we did something really stupid. Both were dubious. Raffy's phone rang again. She answered it, closed it and put it back in her pocket.
"Father needs the bay doors opened." Now why didn't I think of that? Heero, on the other hand, had thought of that and was already trying to open them without success. Wufei, was looking over Heero's shoulder.
As was Katie-Sam. She almost looked like she was studying it and might understand it.
She timidly poked a finger out and pointed at something Heero changed something and a moment later doors opened and the shuttle came in. Then the outer doors shut, and the inner doors opened. I was slightly worried, because Duo was flying a bit wonky. Not much, but a bit. Standing at the door, I wondered for a while if it was going to open, but it did. Heero had set the outer doors to open when shuttle doors closed.
********
I knew that Daddy was in a hell of a lot of trouble for us. I also knew that the more this four approved of us two the less trouble daddy was in.
But I could smell blood it was strong. Sammy got to it first in her usual blunt way. "I smell blood" But first things first I wanted my gun back.
********
The little brat had almost no manners. (Just like Duo) She turned around and snatched the gun from Quatre, which took him quite by surprize. She pocketed it and started looking at us all curiously through her sun glasses.
"We still haven't left the port," she pointed out "I think that something's wrong with daddy." She could be right he wasn’t flying straight. This is when I ask myself, Trowa, why'd a kid notice something that you didn't. She's still right though and so we head towards the cockpit. Duo was sitting on the other side of the room with an extremely corny grin on his face, it was his, I’m in pain but don’t call me on it grin. It ways leaves me twitching.
"Hey," he said in his usual voice "How ya doing?" His relaxed ton of voice was ruined by the blood dripping of the chair he was still sitting in.
"I would have flown us out of here except that I don't think I have the strength." Sort of impressive. He can’t fly but he can have a perfectly normal relaxed conversation. I think it was for the sake of the kids.
"And I would try to explain some stuff but I think I'm about to pass out." Duo was odd sometimes.
"I also would really not mind it if when I wake back up, no matter how bugged people are at me that everyone on this ship is still alive". Message to Wufei and Heero.
"O, and Katie, Ruffy there is a room at the end of the corridor that you can put your stuff in I would like you to unpack. Go now." I don't think I have ever seen Duo in this way before. Protective daddy Duo, I think he may have just been trying to get them out of the room, we never unpack. Katie turned and left to do as she was told but Ruffy was a little less obedient.
"But, Daddy"
"No, butts-just GO!" Wow he really sounded like a parent there. And with that Ruffy left grumbling. "I'll talk later just heading for bed," Duo mumbled. Duo no longer looked quite as fine and I could see him failing every second. With that he fainted straight at Heero's feet. I think Heero actually blinked at that but what was really amazing was that Heero picked Duo up. I couldn't believe it. I don't think the others could either. This was not Heero like, the Heero we know he would have just turned around and walked to one of the spare rooms and opened his laptop.
"Quatre, Bandages." We all had the same thought on our minds, 'Is this Heero'. This guy may be walking and talking like Heero but that doesn't take much effort you just don't talk. Except for the occasional 'HN'. We all stood there with shell shook for a moment.
Now at this point you have to remember that our worlds had just been rocked and it had been a very long day.
Then all guns were facing him. People who are always saying they'll kill someone don't help when their wounded. The Heero blinked (sure sign that it wasn't Heero). "If you want to carry him, take him." Finally after five minutes the whole incident was revealed. With a lot of blood on behalf of Duo the floor was getting dirty. Heero carried Duo to a spare room then started a blood transfusion and fixing things up.
********
Duo lay there refusing to open his eyes or change his breathing. He knew that the second that he showed signs of being awake. He would be bombarded with questions that would be hard to explain. He heard the door open and someone walked silently into the room.
********
I could hear them breathing softly. It was impossible to tell who it was everyone was well trained. Finally I opened one eye to come face to face with one pupil less violet eye and a yellow cat eye. Ruffy.
"I thought that you were awake!" She put her glasses back on knowing what I was about to say.
Picking the small girl up he placed her on the bed in front of him and looked her over. "You still haven't grown, but I like the clothes, very flashy." I think I should do some questioning first. "So why were you two chucked out of the orphanage in such a hurry." There was obvious relief on her face that I wasn't mad. Yet. She sorta shrunk back and looked at me in irritation.
********
"Lets talk about that later when Katie's here. I mean, it's not all my fault." She wrinkled up her nose a bit, "Well not completely". I couldn't help smiling at her she was so cute and she was mine’o’mine. No one would ever think that I was the type of person to love having daughters. But I am! Especially when they’re this cute.
Raphael and Katherine-Samantha are both five. They had been born before I even knew that I was going to be a pilot let alone have a life-threatening job.
There mother died the year before I found myself in the war there were six month with me and then I had a job and we could eat real food so they stayed at the orphanage while I was away.
I was there as often as possible but money didn’t make it’s self. The orphanage was willing to look after the children of those who could pay, I wasn’t the only one, lots of us went off to the sweepers and army sending money back.
Previously I had had enough trouble feeding me and Katherine, their mother. It was hard feeding three and I had other commitments. I had a job on a sweeper vessel it meant I made enough to feed all of us, I couldn’t make ends meet otherwise which would put us all back in the gutter.
The orphanage was the one were Maxwell church had sat. It was a nice little place but every time I went and visited I would be told by the nun that ran the place that if Ruffy did this or that she would chuck them out on the streets. Well, I guess it was bound to happen eventually, she is related to me. I bet that poor, poor nun never had so much trouble with one so young.
"So, squirt, how long have I been asleep for." I winked at her! And she grinned back happily. I know that I must have been out for a while I wasn't in as much pain as I should have been and my arm had been re-bandaged. Must thank Quatre.
She smiled innocently "Oh, only about three days" She knew I was hoping for less so I played along.
"O, that's good now I can tease you for longer." I commented, stepping quickly out of the bed throwing Ruffy over my good shoulder with her squealing. And I was off going to look for my pants with a squealer over my shoulder. (hupf, I wonder who undressed me?) So how do you like my friends I called over my shoulder to the wriggling fury of chaotic squeals. Finally I had found my pants when Quatre, Trowa, Wufei and Heero ran in looking as if they had run all the way from one end of the ship to the other, they probably had if we were still on a ship. So what else was there for me to do!!! "Hey, Wu-man have you been exercising or something" I grinned evilly knowing that all of them except Quatre were embarrassed that they had run all the way for this.
"Put me down you big bully" Se was doing the most damage that could be done without a explosives, all our ears were suffering. "I'm telling you to put me down you evil doer." I smiled at the others who were just staring at me tease the wriggling bundle of black. "If you don't put me done by the count of three I'll scream." For the first time they saw my grin on someone else. "Three."
Katie walked in and looked at me blankly. "Dad I don't want to be deaf tomorrow"
"Two"
"Dad, remember what happened last time you held out, admit defeated." Katie smiled sweetly. I just continued to go through my bag in the cupboard.
"One". Everyone was looking at us strange.
There was no scream just a whole lot of squeaking and giggling coming from the little thing that was trying to get away from me. Eventually she got away but as proof that she still thought that she was superior she just had to make herself look like a brat by turning round and say in that cute little voice of her's "Ner ner ni ner ner's I won so there" not quite sure what the competition was but it is in the instincts to be competitive. Just look at me I can't list all the things in my life I've done just because someone said 'you’re incapable of doing that.' I even have scars to prove some of them.
"Defeated By a five year old" I grumbled. I continue grumbling about evil five year olds as I walk down the hall to the bathroom with four amazed pairs of eyes on my back. One set of those eyes gently caressing the well toned muscle on my back that he had never had the pleasure of seeing before.
********
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So I looked at this. It’s the first thing I ever wrote which I put on the interwebz many years ago. I never finished it. It was a story I had loved playing around with.
I thought maybe I’ll brush up some of it and maybe even at a new chapter. I think I’m going to plain delete the second chapter. It caused me pain to read. So if you’ve read this before it’s actually quite different, there were some parts I was quite sad to delete as they were exactly what I had wanted and had more personality but they just didn’t flow. Some of it I have left even though it makes me shudder and pity my poor, poor past English teachers.
Hopefully I haven’t destroyed what it was.
Dragon Dagger, Thanks for telling me that I had crazy fluoro colours. I’m not actually sure how that happened.