Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Psionic Saga ❯ Of Death and Rebirth, Chains and Wings ( Chapter 24 )

Chapter Twenty Four: Of Death and Rebirth (The Finale)

Duo was falling. He could have stopped, but something deep inside him pushed forward and he tore through Heero's outer frequencies, ripping himself from the white place in the process. When Heero was completely out of his sight, Duo turned his attention to the physical world and started targeting the frequencies being accessed by Psionicists. It was not hard. The easiest to find was Quatre, whose tenuous hold on Duo's psyche had not been completely shaken. Duo let his own gift tear through those strands and devour Quatre's gift, spreading out from Quatre into Trowa, who was holding his hand. Then Wufei, standing nearby, Treize at his side, Milliard, Hilde, Relena, they were all there. Duo felt Sally go under than heel of his shoe and his power began waning again, unalbe to draw on her strength. He did not stop.

He turned his attention to the last usable frequencies; the Professors. Duo had promised Heero he would only destroy the outer frequencies so the Psionic gift could still be used for normal, everydy things. Duo wanted to crawl away and die, and it was only the belief that that was exactly what was going to happen that allowed Duo to go one step further.

He crowed in triumph as the Professor's cores exploded and their Psionic lights went out forever. Then it hit.

Pain, unlike any he had felt before. Duo had thought he knew pain; thought nothing could be more unbearable than the touch of Psionic power boiling your blood, tearing at your soul. This was much worse.

And put out the light…Duo thought sadly, sensing his own life waning, spluttering, threatening to give in.

`FIGHT DUO!'

Duo stopped falling, letting the pain catch him as he heard the voice, so familiar, yet so different. He knew it, should have had a name for it, but his mind was beginning to dim and darkness was encrouching on the edges of awareness.

I don't want to die…

There was a little voice in his head whispering Run, Hide, Run, Hide…but Duo knew there was no place left to run to. No place to hide.

I don't want to face this. Not alone.

`Don't leave me Duo. Please, fight this! I'm here…'

Duo ws confused by the voice. It was time to go, wasn't it? No one could change the time, could they? How do you fight what cannot be touched? He's here…where?

Am I alone?

Duo struggled to keep track of the voice, aware of the pleading tone but no longer able to make out the words. The darkness was growing, thickening as he struggled to free himself, to find the voice. Who was it?

Think Duo, Think!

And so he did. Duo sat down at the edge of the darkness and blocked it all out. He forgot the darkness, forgot the pain, forgot the voice and everything around it. There was only him, and memory.

`You...asked...question…Miracle. Now I don't need to live anymore. I can die in peace. I have seen all there is to see.'

`Getting slow Maxwell, you used to do this in three…'

`You should tie him down…'

`It wasn't a bomb! It was just a joke.'

`Tell me it was just a dream…'

`Do you have any idea what they could've done to you? And you call me a baka!'

`Take the clock Duo,'

`You. promised. not. to. hurt. my. microwave.'

`Yellow bunny, brown bunny and your couch...'

`Someone's been a busy boy.'

`Tell me it was just a dream…'

`Is that our assignment? I haven't even started! Hang on…this sounds like…Have you been copying from Wufei's?'

`You have one minute, Duo Maxwell. Come alone if you can…'

`You're sick and tired. You need to rest.'

`There's no time.'

`Tell me it was just a dream…'

`You broke the lock.'

`….you are anonymous, featureless, a space between two others…'

`Wufei, I'm already dead.'

`Tell me it was just a dream…'

A dream. Is it just a dream? Tell me it's just a dream! I don't want to die! HEERO!

Duo stopped, eyes wide in the near total night. The voice had a name. How could he have forgotten? Standing shakily, Duo began to flee the darkness, heading for a bright light not far away. He had to hurry. Had to reach it.

`Not that way!' The voice screeched, somehow attatching itself to him. Duo skidded to a hault and looked about, but there was no one, nothing, no sign of life save himself and that light. He started toward it again.

`Duo, NO! Turn around! Come back! Don't leave me alone…Don't make it a lie."

Duo skidded to a hault once more, staring at the light in dumb fascination. Had he lied? He had no idea. He could not remember. He only remembered the dream.

Was it a dream? Is it all a dream? If I go to the light will I wake up?

For the first time in his life, Duo Maxwell didn't know. He stood on the brink of light and dark unable to decide. If only there was something. Some small sign to show him the way…

A flicker of light appeared beside him. It was faint at first, but grew in intensity before blooming out and forming a shade. It was a human shade, an echo of a physical being much like the form he himself was using. Duo looked the figure up and down, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Heero," he nodded, nable to express himself in any other way.

Heero did not reply. He held out his hand and waited until Duo clasped it. Then he smiled and Duo didn't need to know anything more.

"Aishiteru Heero."

Heero nodded again and Duo knew he was not really there. It was just a shade, an echo. Maybe it was just his own desire. It didn't matter. It was enough.

The shade pulled on his hand and Duo followed it back into the darkness, away from the light at the end of the tunnel.

"So what happens now Heero?"

Duo looked at the shade and laughed as it just smiled, wrapping his arms around the shadowy waist.

"That's what I thought," Duo whispered.

***^

Duo flicked Heero's nose, trying hard not to laugh. He was still sore, still baring the thick blue marks of his brush with death, but he had never been more comfortable in his own skin. He flicked Heero's nose again, kneeling on the floor beside their bed, a small parcel sitting between his knees.

They had all been waiting when he woke. All eager to see he was okay. Duo had been eager to see each of them. Trowa and Quatre, Wufei still with Treize, and Heero…

One more flick and Heero's eyes sprung open. Those eyes glared in fury at Duo's grinning face.

"Baka, you should be in bed."

Duo only laughed and set the small parcel in front of Heero. It was wrapped in gold paper, a neat rectangular box, small and compact. Heero was dumbfounded. Duo was ecstatic.

"What is it?" Heero asked, deadpan.

"That's why it's called a present, Heero. Because you don't know what it is."

Duo watched every minute movement as Heero unwrapped the box. He held his breath as those lean fingers flicked it open.

Prussian eyes filled with tears. Duo smiled knowingly as Heero pulled him onto the bed and crushed him against his chest.

It had taken seven whole nights of sneaking out of Heero's bed to work, but every second had been worth it. Heero rolled him over onto his back and all thought fled Duo's mind.

Sitting on the floor beside the bed in its gold paper was the small box, containing four identical bracelets. The outer casing of each left band was carved in chains, the right with wings. The Psionic Saga had begun.

***^

It's OVER! -runs off to her room to cry- I can't believe that's it…now I have to think of something else to write! Hope you all liked it!