Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Road to Kindness ❯ Surgery part 10 ( Chapter 17 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: shinigamiinochi
With Duo apparently bleeding to death, trapped in a room with no food or water, and their friends without any clues to their whereabouts, do Heero and Duo have any hope of being rescued? Even if they are rescued, does their relationship have any hope when they both feel guilty for the others current situation?

Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Psychological / Romance / Angst | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 05.13.2009 | Pages: 5 | Words: 15.0K | Visits: 223 | Status: Work In Progress

The Road to Kindness
 
Chapter 7
 
Part 10
 
 
 
 
 
Heero woke Duo up twice, but it was impossible to tell the time in the windowless room and after a few minutes, Duo's phone screen went black in screen saver mode, so he couldn't use that to tell the time, either. Duo slept like a death weight in his lap, not even twitching at the awkward position like he would if he was sleeping normally. Heero knew that he hadn't settled into a nap so much as he had blacked out. Heero could feel Duo's blood from his anal injuries soaking into his jeans. The first time he had woken Duo up, the blood had still felt warm and slick as it soaked through his pants and onto his leg, but the second time he had woken him, it had felt cold as it started to dry, turning his jean leg stiff and feeling strange on his skin. He didn't know which had felt worst, feeling hot slick liquid and knowing that it meant that Duo was still bleeding, or the cold blood that felt too much like the life, the heat, was leaving Duo.
Each time, it had gotten harder to rouse Duo and that scared him. It was terrifying, trying to force him awake with his raw voice, constantly wondering if Duo would wake up this time or if he was so far gone that mere words couldn't bring him back. He didn't dare use his legs to shift him, afraid that he would hurt Duo or he would fall off his lap and wouldn't be able to pull himself back into that position. His heart would pound, his thoughts would race, as he called Duo's name as loudly as his sore throat would allow, begging him back to the waking world and almost positive that Duo had died, since he couldn't feel his breath through his clothes and couldn't see his chest move with how he was curled up. But then Duo would open his eyes, the violet brilliant and beautiful in the dull room, like seeing a blooming iris among a gravel path. Their eyes would meet and Duo would choke out some reassuring words through the pain. The first time Heero had awoken him, Duo had managed to stay awake for several minutes, asking Heero how he was doing and if he felt as cold as Duo did, or if it was just him. Heero hadn't had the heart to tell him that it wasn't that cold and it wasn't the room's temperature that was making Duo shake like that, but Heero was sure that Duo knew that. The second time he had woken him, Duo had only staid awake for a few seconds, though Heero didn't know if his diminishing stamina was from exhaustion or bloodless. He was scared to try a third time, scared to find out how much strength Duo had left, if any. He was scared to not try, if his yelling him awake was the only thing keeping Duo alive.
Heero was hungry and thirsty, though he didn't know which need was worse. His empty stomach gnawed at him, it actually ached, but his throat hurt from yelling and his mouth felt like he had swallowed sand. He remembered the coffee that he had had before they had been taken like a sort of heavenly dream and how Duo had declined to buy anything from the coffee shop, willing to wait for the soda they would have with their pizza, though thinking of things like drinks and food seemed borderline between hellish and wonderful. If Heero was feeling this thirsty, he was worried to think about how dehydrated Duo was. That was why Duo didn't even have the energy to move, he realized. He had stopped bleeding awhile ago, which was a huge relief for Heero, but he had no sugar in his blood and with no food and water, or some source of iron, Duo's body wasn't recovering from the blood loss like it should. As hungry as he was, if Heero had any food at that moment, he would have happily given it to Duo.
Heero felt his eyelids start to drop and shook his head violently, struggling to stay awake. He wanted to scream in frustration as he realized he had lost count again. Since he didn't know what time it was, he had started counting to 2,400 before waking Duo up. His analytical mind had summed up that this was a good plan and the only real way to have some sort of idea of the time, but he found himself continuously screwing up his counting. That same analytical part of him told him that his hunger and dehydration were making him sleepy and he needed to eat something, because all the sleep in the world wasn't going to make him feel better. That wasn't acceptable and how drowsy he felt scared him. He couldn't even get up and pace to keep awake. Duo was relying on him to be the strong one now, he had to stay awake to keep Duo alive, but he was so tired, his body's hunger for things that he could not provide it making him want to shut down and hide from it, just for a little while…
Heero caught his eyes trying to shut again and in frustration, he banged his head against the metal frame of the bed. A terrible pain flared red hot in his skull and he cursed loudly. He had no idea what Chris had done to him, but it felt like his skull was cracked or bruised or something. He made a mental note not to hit his head against anything anymore, even if it was the only part of his body he could move freely. He didn't even have the energy to feel bad at how worried his mother and his friends probably were at this point. He was sure that one of them had called his mother as soon as they had realized that they were missing. Heero settled his head against the frame, very gently, and closed his eyes, too exhausted to bother to fight them open anymore. His head was throbbing unpleasantly, he just needed to give his vision a rest, then his head would feel better. He started to count again, focusing on only the numbers and how still and heavy Duo felt as he slept on his legs, crotch, and stomach. The room was silent as a tomb compared to all the screaming he had done when Chris had been there. That thought made Heero laugh. The sound was strange and crazy, even to Heero. It didn't wake Duo up. Yes, he supposed that the room was a tomb, or it would be soon. He just wished that his throat didn't hurt so much. What was driving him insane was that he couldn't talk to Duo, couldn't fill the room with some sort of sound, couldn't voice all the things that he wanted to say to his friend. He wished that he could touch his silken hair one last time. He wished that he could hear him laugh one, just once more. But all he could do was sit on the cold floor and count the seconds away as both his stomach and his heart yearned…
…
….
…..
 
… Heero jolted awake, nearly throwing Duo out of his lap, at the thunderous sound of something slamming against the walls of the room.
`No,' he realized in half shock, half sleep, `not the walls, the door.'
Sure enough, the slamming sound came again and Heero clearly saw the door shake, the old wood not standing a chance against whatever was trying to get in. He should have been ecstatic that someone was trying to get into the room, he should have wanted to scream out for help, but he staid silent. His mind was fogged with involuntary sleep, the prospect of getting rescued such a dream at this point that he couldn't trust it. What if he was dreaming? What if whatever was trying to break through the door wasn't something that was coming to rescue them, but to finish the job that Chris had started? Each crashing bang woke him up more and more and his body tensed. He realized that the likelihood of it being someone to kill them was tiny. Chris had acted like he was the only one on his fucked up little mission, and if it was Chris, he had the key for the door. But the likelihood that it was one of their friends or family was even less. Heero had given up on the hope that they would be saved hours ago, at the very least. He just couldn't think of how their friends would be able to find them, even if their phones worked. Worst of all, he was still completely helpless and, even with all of the racket, Duo hadn't roused. It terrified him that Duo was so far gone, the loud noise didn't make him stir. He had no hope of doing it with his own voice if that was the case.
Though Heero, like most sane people, didn't want to die, he had to admit that dying with Duo Maxwell in his lap was way up there on his list of ways to go. Of course, having Duo die, too, would never be part of that, but at this point, he would take what he would get. But what if whoever was trying to break through the door was going to take that away from him? It had been such a huge relief, after all those moments mourning that he and Duo were going to die away from each other, to have his best friend so close to him.
After what seemed like an eternity to Heero, Duo started to wake, just as he heard the door's lock break and it slammed open. Heero watched with wide eyes as a tall man all but ran into the room, looking as though he was running into a battlefield. For one scary moment, Heero caught the flash of frantic green eyes and thought that it really was Chris, but his fuzzy brain engaged as he realized that this man was too young, and slim instead of muscular. Besides, he recognized him personally.
“Trowa,” he breathed out roughly, unable to believe what he was seeing. He had to be dreaming, there was no way this could be happening. What was more, Quatre and Wufei were following the taller boy into the room, both looking like they were about to keel over in the mix of shock and relief that Heero was also feeling. No, he had to be still asleep, all that was missing was his mother.
“Oh, thank God,” Trowa gasped out in the same breathy tone as Heero, taking in the sight of his two friends like a thirsty man would look at a glass of water. Wufei stayed by the door, his dark eyes flitting back and forth from the broken door to the puddle and smears of blood and semen by the wall to Heero and Duo, looking sickened, relieved, and shocked, all at the same time. Quatre looked the same way, though his eyes were fixed on his friends. The room stank of things Quatre didn't even want to think about, but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was that Heero and Duo were found and they had to get them out of this rat hole. The rest they could take care of later, when they were all safe. They still didn't know who had done this or if they were coming back. Quatre knew that he would feel much better when they got Heero and Duo to the hospital so a doctor could tell them that they would be five. But all that blood… it made his heart pound to think that they had come too late.
The slamming of the door had been muted for Duo as he existed in between sleep and reality. He had heard the noise quite clearly, clearly enough that it had almost completely woken him up, but it hadn't connected with his consciousness what was happening around him until he had heard the loud sound of the lock breaking on the old door. Still, he was so tired and it was hard finding reasons to open his eyes and be aware when he was in so much pain. It was the breathy whisper he heard from Heero that piqued his curiosity and he opened his eyes, meeting familiar emeralds. The breath went out of him quickly, as though someone had punched him in the gut. Relief filled him, replacing his surrendering hopelessness, making him feel slightly ill and wide awake. He wanted to cry at the feeling, knowing that they were probably going to survive. At the very least, Heero would live and that was all that mattered to him.
Trowa had run into the room so quickly, he hadn't seen the bloody mess on the floor that Quatre and Wufei had, but Duo's state told him enough. Both Heero and Duo looked pale and terrible, Duo covered in blood that made Trowa almost fly into a panic. The smell of the room and the blood on Duo's legs told him enough about what had happened. If he didn't feel so shocked and sickened, he would have punched the wall. Instead, he fell to his knees in front of his friends. Duo was looking up at him, too weak to get up on his own. Trowa, as gently as he could, untangled Duo from Heero and pulled him into his own arms and lap, keeping an eye out for any fresh blood, but its absence didn't make him feel any better.
“No!” Heero protested once his muddled mind realized that Duo was being taken from him and pulled at his bonds, trying uselessly to get him back. Trowa and Wufei saw the move, but Trowa was too preoccupied with looking over Duo to help. Wufei finally found the courage to insert himself in the situation and went to Heero's aid, putting a hand on his shoulder to try to keep him still unless he hurt himself on the metal.
“Heero, it's ok,” he tried to soothe, though he knew that he was terrible at it, “Let Trowa help him!”
The fight left Heero at the mention of his best friend, settling down at the thought of Duo getting help and the feel of Duo's bare foot against his own, even as Trowa had separated them.
“Please, help him!” he begged. Wufei nodded.
“Trowa will. Quatre will get a bolt cutter, somehow, and we'll get you free,” Wufei promised. Heero shook his head.
“Duo said he could get them off with a bit of metal, but he was too weak,” he choked out. Wufei looked over to where Duo was cradled in Trowa's arms, Trowa tucking one arm against Duo's back so he was sitting up without any pain or strain. Seeing the shape that the longhaired boy was in, Wufei felt sick all over again.
“You have to get me out of these,” Heero said, panicked, “Duo needs me!”
“Stay still!” Quatre scolded, coming over to help Wufei with Heero's bounds, “Trowa is taking care of it and breaking your wrists won't help anyone!”
“Help Heero,” Wufei heard Duo plead to Trowa and would have snorted if it didn't make feel so sad. Both boys were more worried about each other than themselves.
“It's ok,” Trowa said gently, glad that Duo was too weak to try to get to Heero on his own, he wasn't sure what his injuries were and didn't want to risk fighting with him.
“Duo, tell me how to get his cuffs off,” Wufei urged. Duo looked over at his Chinese friend, concerned black eyes meeting his. Duo nodded shakily. He wanted Heero to get help. He remembered how terrified he had been when he had watched Heero fall into the gutter, his head bleeding, and knew how badly Heero wanted to be free of the chains, but mostly, he wanted one of their friends to tell him that he was going to be ok. He felt so helpless as his friends surrounded them, trying to help, yet he was too weak to do anything but watch. Then again, if he had been stronger, he would have been able to free Heero and break out of the room all on his own.
“You'll need a straight piece of metal,” he told Wufei, grateful that his voice wasn't as shaky as he felt.
“I think I have something like that,” Quatre contributed, perking up from his shocked silence as he realized that there was something that he could do to help. He dug into his knapsack, taking out the PDA he always carried with him and detaching the metal stylus.
“Will this do?” he asked Duo. Duo felt this strange little spark go through him at the realization that, even though he was physically incapacitated, his friends were still looking at him for his advice and knowledge, not out of disgust, though he was sure that that would change quite quickly once Heero was safe.
“Yes,” he said weakly, a faint tremor going down his back as he struggled to keep a grip on reality. Quatre watched with a pensive air as Duo walked Wufei through picking the locks, telling him the exact angles and force that he would need. Trowa's respect for the younger boy grew by the second. He had an idea that this lock picking skill had come to Duo during his time on the streets and had probably been used illegally, but it was quite impressive. What was even more impressive was that he was able to give Wufei such a detailed, patient explanation when he was shaking in pain and on the edge of shock. Duo talked slowly, repeating the instructions when Wufei asked with patience, like he was an adult teaching a kid a valuable skill instead of an injured boy frantic to get out of the small room he had been trapped in for who knew how long.
Duo lied completely still as he felt Trowa ignore what was going on with Heero and start to search him for injuries. He wanted to tell Trowa to leave him be and concentrate on helping Heero, but realized that the tall boy wasn't going to do as he asked. Heero was what mattered, but Trowa didn't seem to understand that and Duo was too tired to do anything more than let Trowa examine him. Besides, Wufei was doing quite well for someone that had never picked a lock before. Duo fed him the rest of the instructions and fell silent, knowing that it would take at least another ten minutes to pick the lock. Heero seemed to squirm with every minute that passed without him being freed. Trowa's long fingers were shockingly gentle compared to how Chris had touched him and Duo's eyes slid shut, his pained expression melting away to one of bliss at the tender touches. Trowa thought that it was heartwarming, and breaking, at the same time and made sure to keep his touch light, even if he was positive that he wasn't hurting Duo, just to keep that expression there, instead of one of pain and skittishness.
Trowa knew exactly what Duo was feeling as they huddled around them. He had felt it a hundred times before, back when he had been with his uncle. He had felt that way every single time he had left the house with his uncle and had passed people in the street, wondering if they knew, if they could see the filth on him and how the mere thought that a total stranger might know the terrible person that he was had made him feel so sick. Even after, when he had been in the hospital, that feeling of filth and shame wouldn't leave him and he had wondered if his doctor and the nurses were disgusted with him. He knew that Duo was thinking the same thing now, of them. He was thinking that they were disgusted in him, hated him, that Heero was the only one worth saving. Trowa wanted to be angry with him for thinking that way, but he understood those feelings too well and he refused to let Duo feel that way. After what he had gone through, he deserved to have some peace of mind, to know that they still loved him and were more worried about him than Heero, both physically and mentally.
“How did you find us?” Heero asked, trying to keep his mind off how edgy he felt with the prospect of getting free and being, finally, able to care for his best friend. Quatre kneeled down to be at eye level with Heero and the smug look in his blue-green eyes made Heero feel better than he had through this whole ordeal. He hadn't realized what being bound had done to him, but now, surrounded by his friends, finally safe, he was nearly ready to throw a fit to move around, to stand, to touch someone.
“Did you know that Duo's phone has a GPS locator on it?” Quatre asked with an excited glint in his eye. Heero shook his head, his eyes wide.
“Well, your mother did,” his blonde friend told them, “she had paid for it and turned it on the second she got the phone for Duo, in case Wes ever decided to try something.”
Heero made a mental note to kiss his mother the second that he saw her. It was just like her to be so overprotective, she would keep a trace on Duo's phone. Maybe sometime he would get pissed at her for keeping tabs on his friend like he was an animal in a reserve, but not today. Definitely not today.
“But we still had thought that we had lost you guys for good,” Quatre continued to explain, his tone less excited and more sober, “The system only works when the phone is on, and Duo's was off for so long, we feared the worst. Then, Name suddenly got a signal a few hours ago. It took us this long to find you because you were all the way down in Cambridge and there was all this traffic…” Quatre continued to ramble on. Trowa felt Duo's back stiffen against his arm.
Both Heero and Duo realized what had happened. Duo felt a little thrill of happiness, realizing that, in the end, he hadn't been completely useless. In a roundabout way, he had saved Heero. If he hadn't turned on his cell phone, their friends never would have found them. That he felt so happy about such a small thing made him feel pathetic, though. He shouldn't feel this happy, he told himself, besides that one act, he had been completely useless. He should have done so much more to help Heero. Hell, Heero never should have gone through this in the first place. It was his own damn fault that Heero had ended up in danger, so he had no right to be happy about having a role in getting him out of it. He didn't notice the sad, annoyed look Trowa was giving him as the tall boy caught his own fallen, guilty expression.
“Yes!” Wufei suddenly cheered as he heard the loud click of the lock in the cuffs giving way. Heero felt the metal loosening and, in a sort of insane, giddy triumph, he nearly ripped his wrists out of the cuffs, stumbling to his feet with no grace at all. Sitting down for such a length of time had taken its toll on Heero's body. It had taken all of his strength just to get to his feet and he had had no idea how weak he was. How was he supposed to help Duo when he barely had the strength to walk? Things got progressively worse as he got his feet under him and he swayed, struggling to stay upright. His back ached and his headache reawakened, pounding in his skull and making his brain feel like it was dissolving into his ears. The worst were the pins and needles that attacked his legs and arms, making them tremble and he felt like squirming with the awkward, painful feeling.
“Heero, wait a minute!” Quatre snapped, standing up just as quickly to grab at Heero's arm in case he fell back down.
“I'm fine!” Heero snarled at him.
“Heero, you and Duo have been missing for twenty-four hours, and if you've been chained up for that long…” Quatre tried to reason with Heero, but Heero ignored him to kneel in front of Duo, who was watching Heero in relief that he seemed to be ok.
“Duo…” Heero breathed, wanting to cry as he finally got a good look at the longhaired boy. Duo still looked like he was on death's door, though there was a solidity in his eyes that made Heero want to believe he was going to pull through. But he still looked… hell, he looked a bit like a banged up rag doll and it was tearing Heero up inside knowing he hadn't been able to be the friend, the protector, that Duo had needed. Heero put a hand on Duo's shoulder, reveling in the feeling of him, real and still alive. It was the sweetest feeling he could feel after, what had Quatre said? After twenty-four hours of hell, Heero could finally touch Duo.
Duo felt Heero's hand, gentle and almost affectionate, on him, the deep seated part of himself that loved Heero so completely, he knew he could never get it out of him, that part of himself that sometimes thought he needed Heero just to breath, warming and blossoming at the physical contact he had been yearning for, for so many hours. The rest of Duo, however, violently flinched away from his best friend.
Heero pulled his hand away as though he had suffered a terrible, electrical shock. Their friends' looked at them with wide, shocked eyes, Heero just staring at Duo with a hurt, confused expression. Quatre and Wufei couldn't understand what had just happened. Duo never flinched from Heero. He flinched from everyone, even from Name, but never Heero. Seeing him do it now, so vehemently, seemed devastating, even for them, let alone Heero. Trowa looked at Duo, who looked ashamed, yet resolute at the flinch, with a broken expression, realizing what was going through Duo's head. As much as Trowa didn't want that to happen between the two best friends, he couldn't think of a single thing to do to stop it. Heero took the decision out of his hands, however. His deep blue eyes hardened and he stood up once again, distancing himself both physically and emotionally from Duo. Duo looked like he was going to cry, like he wanted to reach out for Heero at the same time that he didn't dare. The look was heartbreaking enough that Trowa wanted to scream at both of them in frustration. Quatre looked at him worriedly, but Trowa shook his head. No amount of meddling on Quatre's part was going to fix this.
“We need to call an ambulance,” Heero told Quatre, refusing to look down at Duo. His heart felt like it had been stabbed over and over by something rusty and sharp. Every instinct was screaming at him to comfort Duo, to protect him as he had been doing ever since he had driven him to the hospital what seemed like a lifetime ago, but Duo didn't want him to touch him. Duo didn't want anything to do with him. Frustration and desperation bubbled inside of him and he wanted to rip his own heart out. He wanted to be angry at Duo for putting such an impenetrable wall between them when he needed Duo so badly, but he didn't have it in him. It wasn't Duo's fault that he hadn't been able to stop him from getting raped. Heero deserved all the bitterness and hatred that Duo could dish out. He swayed on his feet, feeling weaker than ever and Heero wasn't sure if it was the heartache, or his physical hunger.
“I can get a signal in the hallway,” Quatre told him, already digging into his pockets for his cell phone.
“No!” Duo protested, struggling to sit up even as Trowa tried to keep him still.
“Duo,” Quatre said softly, his voice tinged with panic at the ordeal of having to reason with Duo's stubbornness when he was this injured, “You're hurt and we don't know how badly. Heero's right, we have to take you to a hospital.”
Duo shook his head, his face white as a sheet and his eyes wide with the thought of going through that whole process, of having to go to the hospital again and deal with needles and tests and doctors…
“No,” he pleaded, his small voice making even Quatre doubt calling for medical help, “I'm used to this, I can deal with the pain. I'm not bleeding anymore, I'm just tired and hungry, but I can deal with it.”
Trowa chewed on his bottom lip, keeping his arm at Duo's back. That Duo was still awake and was actually arguing with them was a good sign, but he was still worried. He remembered what Heero had told him, back when Duo had still been in the hospital, and how hard it had been for the longhaired boy. He didn't want to subject him to all that in his current state unless he really had to. What they needed was someone that Duo trusted that also knew at least a little bit about medicine to help with his injuries. Trowa sighed heavily, his eyes meeting with his boyfriend's.
“Call Name,” he instructed, “Tell her what's happened and where to pick us up.”
“Duo needs a hospital!” Heero snapped, angry and irritated at the situation, his pent up rage over the previous events spilling out. He wanted to hit something, to scream and yell, and he knew it had nothing to do with how tired he was.
“He's in shock and a hospital is not going to help!” Trowa argued back, “We need to get him back home, where he's safe.”
“He's not well,” Heero argued, his voice more subdued. Where had his confidence gone? In the past, he had always been the one that had known what was best for his friend, but now Trowa had taken over that role and Heero floundered for that surety back.
“It's not his body that I'm worried about,” Trowa pointed out. Any doubts he had fled when he looked down at Duo and saw the utter relief in his eyes and felt how his body relaxed. Duo needed food and water and medical supplies, but more than that, he needed to believe that he was safe and taken care of. A hospital would only stress him out and bring on a panic attack, something that Duo wouldn't be able to handle right now. Heero clenched his fists as he saw how Duo seemed to search for Trowa's attention, how he relaxed in his arms. Hate bubbled in his heart. He wanted to be the one that Duo looked to, but that was long dead. Duo would never look at him that way again, not after how badly he had fucked up.
“Will you let me help you?” Trowa asked Duo softly. Duo fleetingly looked at the others, then back at Trowa, and nodded. A silent message went between them, one that Heero didn't understand at all and it only made him angrier. There was a small part of him that told him that this was wrong, if Trowa could help Duo, then he should let him, Trowa was his friend, so he shouldn't feel jealous towards him, but that maddening anger that seemed to be swallowing every other emotion, every part of what made him, him, wouldn't let him let it go. Quatre recognized what was going on. Duo didn't want any of them to know what had happened, to take care of him when Duo thought what had happened was so shameful, but he trusted Trowa, because Trowa had been here before. He realized what Trowa had tried to explain before, about his promises meaning more to Duo than the others.
“You're not a doctor!” Heero growled low in his throat. Duo looked at him in alarm and a bit of anger ebbed away at the brief contact.
“No,” Trowa said slowly, as though he were talking down an agitated dog, “But I did help out with animals in the circus when they were sick, which makes me more of a doctor than anyone else here, and if Duo will let me look at him, it's better than a hospital.”
Quatre nodded in understanding and dug through the knapsack he had brought for a bottle of water and a couple of slices of pizza in the take out containers they had brought. Wufei cautiously approached Heero, who looked as though he was about to do something violent. Quatre knelt down in front of Duo, looking him in the eye.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, examining how pale Duo was and how he shook a little with pain. Duo nodded.
“I just want to go home,” he said quietly, as though he was ashamed to say it. Quatre smiled and kissed Duo's cheek.
“Then we'll take you home,” he promised. Duo shot him a look, his eyes darting to Heero, silently begging for him to take care of their friend. Quatre leaned forward.
“Just let us take care of you, too,” he whispered in Duo's ear.
“Come on, Heero, the sooner Trowa looks at Duo, the sooner we can take the both of you home,” Wufei soothed. Heero didn't relax, his expression merely turned from pissed to sad as he caught Duo's eye again. The room filled with a frightening sort of calm that made a shiver go down Quatre's spine.
“I'm sorry,” Heero whispered, his voice nearly cracking with emotion. Duo stared at him in shock, watching as the blue eyed boy turned and left the room with Quatre and Wufei hurrying after him. Trowa only let out a relieved breath when Wufei closed the door behind them, allowing them some sort of privacy.
 
*****
 
He hadn't meant to do it. Well, maybe he had. He didn't know. All he did know was that he would do anything to get that look of fury and betrayal and helplessness out of Heero's eyes. No, Duo didn't think that he had meant to flinch away from his best friend. So why had he done it? It had just been so automatic. It wasn't the flinch he usually gave when he thought he was in danger, when someone was touching him and he felt cornered, but he didn't think that Heero had realized that. He had flinched because he had been scared of Heero touching him. He hadn't been scared of Heero, no matter what Heero did, he would never be afraid of him, but he had been afraid of what he would do if Heero touched him.
He didn't deserve him. Heero didn't deserve to touch him, to… dirty himself by touching him, especially with Chris' stench still on him. He didn't want that part of him that loved Heero so much to surrender to how good it would feel to curl up in Heero's arms. He didn't deserve that, didn't deserve the comfort that Heero could provide. It would be a lie anyway, because Heero had to hate him now. Wasn't that why he was so angry? Heero was so kind, still trying to help him, but the whole situation had driven them apart, had made Heero angry at him. He had told himself that, after Heero had found him again, he would never make him angry at him like that ever again, no matter the circumstances, but he had. He had destroyed their friendship and Heero's trust in him. So, with that threat of Heero touching his dirty skin, he had flinched and probably had made Heero hate him even more.
Duo felt Trowa's larger, stronger hands on him, helping him to his feet. Duo stumbled, feeling like a newborn deer, as Trowa guided him onto the bed. The softness under him felt instantly better than the hard floor, and the stable headboard and pillows at his back helped him to sit up better, but it was of little comfort to him. He hung his head forward and started to cry. It was almost shocking, the tears and the sorrow that filled him almost to the bone, that feeling that he had lost his best friend, but he couldn't get it stopped, like it was just a force of nature. Trowa kept a hand on Duo's shoulder, but didn't tell him to stop crying or ask him what was wrong, he just let him cry. His thin shoulders hitched as he sobbed, heavy tears trailing down his cheeks and Trowa wanted to hold him, but knew that he wasn't the one that Duo wanted to be held by. Just as quickly as the fit had started, it stopped, Duo's defenses and pride bottling up his feelings as shame took hold.
“Feel better?” Trowa asked softly. Duo shook his head.
“No,” he murmured. Trowa gave him a moment, leaving his side to rummage in the duffle bag for the first aid kit. He found it instantly, but gave the illusion that he was having trouble locating it so Duo would have a few minutes to gain that mystical strength he seemed to possess in moments like these. Once Duo gave the impression that he had his emotions under control again, Trowa sat on the edge of the bed, the kit, some pizza, water, and a blanket in hand. Duo looked at the kit warily.
“Do we have to do this?” he asked, his voice made heavy with exhaustion and his eyes looked more like an old man's than a teenagers. Trowa gave him a weak smile.
“You know I do. That's the deal, Duo. I won't take you to a hospital, but I have to make sure that you're ok,” Trowa said. Duo looked away from him, onto the cream-colored sheets, embarrassment making him blush. Trowa sighed as he read the look easily, placing his larger hand on Duo's thin one.
“I know this is hard,” he said in a kind voice, “But I'm not ashamed of you. There isn't an injury that you could have that would make me feel less of you in any way. Do you understand? You're my friend, so let me take care of you.”
Duo hesitated for several seconds, then cautiously looked over at Trowa and nodded. The last thing he wanted was for Trowa to give him an `exam'. He didn't want Trowa to see the damage, to see how filthy he was, but if not Trowa, then who?
`Heero,' his mind supplied, but he shook off the thought. He trusted Trowa. Trowa understood this, the physical part and the emotional. He had meant what he had said to Quatre, after all this, he just wanted to go home, he wanted to curl up in bed and cry in the privacy of his room, where no one could see his shame and how on the edge of falling apart he was. He had almost gotten Heero killed, had torn apart their friendship, and Heero had been forced to watch Chris fucking him. How much lower could he possibly get? If it was possible to die from overload of emotions, Duo was sure that he would have dropped dead at that very moment. But, if there was one thing he had always been good at, it was denying himself his feelings, and the things that he wanted most.
“If anything hurts, you have to tell me,” Trowa demanded, “I don't care about you being brave or trying to `be a man'. If you're hurting, you tell me, got it?”
Duo nodded. He didn't think that he would have a problem with that. He felt so weak, so completely drained, he didn't have the strength to hold in his pain very much anymore. Still, he closed his eyes as Trowa's hand went to his neck, inspecting the slash. If he could fall asleep, he would have, because he certainly didn't want to be awake for this embarrassment, but even as tired as he was, he also felt wide awake. He wondered if Name would hate him for this, too, for putting her son's life in danger…
“Stop it,” Trowa scolded, pausing in his examination. Duo looked up at him in shock.
“No one thinks badly of you,” he assured him, “All we want is to see you better.”
Duo let his anxieties over Name be pushed down, where they lingered and ate at him, but he wouldn't have to think about them. He didn't know if Trowa was right or not, but he couldn't deal with right now, it was too much. He would find out later, but Name wasn't here right now.
“Will Heero be ok?” he asked shakily as Trowa's fingers brushed over the cut. Trowa snorted.
“He's the one who walked out of here under his own power,” he pointed out, “He'll be fine.”
Duo relaxed a little at that. If Heero had had a concussion, Quatre would have told him, he was sure. He winced as Trowa dug into the cut a little.
“Sorry,” the taller boy apologized, “I'm just trying to see how well it's healing, but it's scabbed over pretty well already, so I think it will fine. We'll have to keep an eye out for bleeding and infection for awhile.”
Duo stayed still as Trowa put antibiotic lotion on the wound and covered it with a large band-aid. The cream made it burn and Duo hand itched to scratch at it, but didn't dare. He shivered as he felt Trowa's long fingers brush over the bruise on his cheek from Chris' slap. It felt good, the sensation of skin on skin, human contact that wasn't laced with self-revulsion. He saw no reproach in Trowa's green eyes, just concern, for him. It made him want to cry again. At least he would have one friend after this. Two, actually, if he believed Quatre's words about letting them take care of him, and he did. But, if he could trade Trowa and Quatre for Heero's trust and respect in this moment, he would in a heartbeat. Yet that thought didn't cheapen what he felt for Trowa and Quatre, either.
Trowa gave the same treatment to Duo's bruised and cut-up wrists, covering them in the lotion and wrapping them in gauze.
“It's just for tonight,” he told Duo as he finished with both wrists, “We don't know the kind of bacteria you were exposed to in here.”
“Heero cut up his wrists, too,” Duo mentioned, remembering how hard Heero had fought. Trowa nodded.
“I'll take care of him when I'm done with you,” he promised.
`If he lets me,' Trowa thought grimly, remembering the angry look in Heero's eyes.
“You're really good at this,” Duo murmured, closing his eyes as Trowa pressed his hands against his chest and back, moving down his clothed upper body.
“Thank you,” Trowa said with a soft smile. Duo relaxed a little at the feeling of Trowa's hands on him. There was nothing sexual about it, it was just comforting, to be touched by someone who he trusted, who didn't hate him or want to hurt him. He was used to Wes' half-assed attempts at healthcare at moments like these, but Trowa was being gentler and more attentive and thorough, actually looking for wounds instead of merely treating the ones he could see.
“Where are we? You mentioned Cambridge,” Duo asked, using his curiosity to stay calm as Trowa's hands traveled lower on his body.
“We're in an abandoned hotel near the Harvard `T' Stop,” Trowa told him, studying Duo's face for any signs of discomfort. He didn't want to completely undress Duo if he could help it. The shirt was covered in blood, and probably uncomfortable to wear, but Trowa recognized it as the last scrap of the boy's dignity.
Suddenly, as Trowa simultaneously pressed against his lower back and abdomen, Duo gasped in pain, his eyes opening in shock. Trowa relieved the pressure in alarm, realizing what the pain meant.
“I'm sorry,” Trowa said hastily, putting his hands on Duo's shoulders to steady him, worried at the signs of physical shock Duo was displaying.
“I'm fine,” Duo choked out. Trowa wanted to yell at him in frustration. He was in no way fine, what Trowa would have to do was not fine.
“You know what I have to do,” Trowa warned him. Duo nodded hesitantly, his gut clenching in half pain, half anxiety. Trowa was glad that he wasn't begging him not to check down there, he wasn't so sure that he would be able to deny him the request. He remembered how hard it had been for him, as a kid in the hospital when the doctor had told him that they needed to check for anal damage, he couldn't imagine how Duo felt, knowing that a friend was going to be examining him.
“The last thing I want is for you to feel any pain,” Trowa soothed, “But you know that it is going to hurt, but I need to see how bad the tears are, if there are any. If you need stitches, we'll have to take you to the hospital anyway.”
Duo sighed.
“I know,” he murmured, “But I'd rather have you doing it than a doctor.”
Duo shuddered then, at the thought that he would have to get Doctor Stark touching him down there again. He felt too tired to deal with any of this, let alone his doctor, who he didn't trust in any way. The pain was starting to dull, time putting some distance between the agony, but he still felt drained, his world becoming muted and he knew that he was slowly going into shock. His body was still shaking and he was caught between wanting to cry, throw up, or just pass out. If he had felt stronger, he would have taken the lead, but he was too tired and surrendered to Trowa, who seemed to know what he was doing. He told himself that it was easier this way. If he took control, he would have to think about Heero and what would happen when he got home, things he couldn't bare to dwell on right now. He knew he would have plenty of nightmares when he was finally able to fall asleep, his subconscious forcing him to relive and think of things he wanted to bury.
Trowa noted how Duo seemed to withdraw from the situation, his legs tensing like a little kid that was about to get a shot, knowing that it was coming, but wanting to run away. He sighed. Duo was probably feeling like he still being violated, having someone touch him in a place he would rather the world left alone, and simply asking him to close his eyes and spread his legs would be beyond callous and cold, Trowa certainly knew how he would feel if someone told him to do that. It was more than just empathy, Duo was a good friend and he didn't deserve to be treated with anything but respect, even if he had to be examined in that way.
“Here,” Trowa guided Duo into his lap, having Duo straddle is waist so his legs were on either side of him, but he was more comfortable and Trowa could wrap his arms around him, “Put your head on my shoulder.”
Duo did as he was told, and even though he still knew what Trowa was going to do, and felt anxious about it, he also felt more relaxed. Trowa wouldn't hurt him like Chris had, he just wanted to help and being held like this made him feel oddly protected. In any other situation, he would have closed his eyes and fallen asleep.
“Tell me how you feel,” Trowa urged, “Don't just stay quiet.”
“I feel tired,” Duo said softly, feeling Trowa push away the bottom of his shirt, his hands lingering near his buttocks. Both boys blushed deeply, but didn't move away.
“I feel sick. Everything aches and I'm hungry and thirsty. I have a killer headache and all I want to do is sleep, but I feel restless at the same time,” Duo continued. His breath hitched and his whole body tensed as he felt Trowa's finger brush against his torn sphincter. Trowa winced in sympathy as he felt the tears and dried blood on Duo's skin. As Duo had been talking, he had covered his finger in more of that lotion, but he was worried that he was going to end up hurting Duo more than he needed to.
“It's not too bad so far,” Trowa told him, hoping that, by talking to Duo, he could keep him from panicking, “You do have some tearing, but its not bleeding anymore and you don't feel like you need stitches. I need to go deeper, is that ok?”
“Just get it over with,” Duo begged, his hands clenched tightly in Trowa's shirt as he buried his face in the taller boy's shoulder. His face felt like it was about to burst into flames in embarrassment, but as long as Trowa didn't laugh or make fun of him right now, he could deal with it. Trowa rubbed Duo's back through the shirt with his other hand.
“It's ok,” he tried to comfort as he slipped his finger inside of Duo, checking for anymore bleeding or a deep tear that time wouldn't be able to fix by itself. He heard Duo hiss in pain, but felt proud of him when he didn't flinch or try to move away.
“We're going to take you home where you can have a nice, hot shower, take a long nap, and Name will make that soup for you that you like so much,” he used his voice to talk Duo down as he could feel his slender back trembling under his hand. Both of them took a deep, relieved breath as Trowa slipped his finger back out. The green-eyed boy frowned as he noted the tinge of red on his skin, but the blood was too light to be of much worry and he cleaned his hands thoroughly with some of the wipes in the first aid kit, then settled Duo back against the headboard.
“Well?” Duo asked tiredly as Trowa dug through the duffle bag some more.
“You're still bleeding further up, but it's slowing down and the tearing is bad, but not bad enough you'll need stitches, though you will have to stay away from solid food for a few days,” Trowa told him, giving him a reassuring smile. Duo nodded, his anxiety leaving him in a rush and making him feel hollow and wasted. He blinked in confusion when Trowa handed him some pizza and a water bottle. As Duo took them, Trowa also gave him two white pills. Duo recognized the writing on the side as the iron tablets he had to take for his anemia and wondered if they had gotten them from the hotel or had simply bought some more.
“You're stronger than you think,” Trowa said, his voice sounding proud, “With some iron and sugar, you should be feeling better by tomorrow. Your body is still in shock from the trauma and your anemia is making you tired and shaky, but the pills and food should take care of that.”
Duo listened to him with only half an ear, downing the pills and taking huge gulps of the water. It wasn't very cold, but with his thirst, he didn't care. Trowa watched him drink the whole bottle in one go and grabbed another from the bag. He had a flash of déjà vu as he did so, barely remembering the day Duo had run away and he had found him on the balcony. Duo took the water from his, but with one bottle of water down, he was more eager to eat the pizza. His hands shook as he struggled to eat and Trowa helped steady his hands.
“Duo, what happened?” Trowa asked in a soft tone. Duo looked up at him as he chewed on the pizza. His stomach did a few odd twists and turns, but he wasn't all that bothered by it. He was used to this stage after living on the streets and then getting used to three meals a day at the Yuy's. Still, the simple slice of cheese and tomato tasted like heaven. Duo realized that, by telling Trowa who had taken him, Name would no longer be satisfied with letting things be. He didn't know the steps she had taken to find Wes so far, but if she learned about what Chris had tried to do to her son, she would declare all out war. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but any reservations he had about getting the Yuy name involved with his sordid past had died the second Chris had threatened Heero's life.
So, Duo told Trowa as much as his dignity would allow in between bites of his pizza. The food felt solid in his stomach, his shocked system feeling ill at the presence of rich tomato sauce and cheese, but it still felt good to eat something. He didn't feel any stronger having consumed something, and he was lying against the headboard heavily. His body was telling him that there was absolutely no reason for him to be awake right now. Heero was safe, they both had food, he was no longer in any danger himself, and Trowa was quite capable of taking care of anything else he might have forgotten. He still ached and throbbed and burned, but the pain was just making him more tired and he struggled against the pull of sleep.
When Duo finished telling Trowa about what had happened during their abduction. Trowa was looking at him in shock, his hands clenched in anger, partially because of what Chris had done to Duo and partially at the realization of how close they had come to losing Duo and Heero forever.
“Why would Wes save you?” he asked in a near whisper, utterly confused. Duo shook his head.
“I have no idea,” he admitted, “It's kind of ironic, really. Heero and I owe our lives to him.”
“No one owes that bastard shit!” Trowa snarled. Duo gave him a small smile, feeling oddly happy that Trowa considered what Wes had done so horrible, he couldn't possibly have any redeeming qualities at all.
“Should I have had the pizza?” Duo suddenly asked, remembering Trowa telling him he shouldn't be eating solid food and not wanting to talk about what had happened with Chris anymore. Trowa sighed.
“Unfortunately, pizza is all we had and you needed food, but from now on you should only have soup until you're healed,” he explained.
“Thanks for the food, anyway,” Duo smiled weakly.
“Are you feeling any better?” Trowa asked in a softer tone. Duo gave him a half-hearted shrug.
“Everything still hurts, I still feel dirty, I still feel weak, and I still feel like I'm going to black out at any second, but at least the company's much improved,” Duo said with a forced grin. Trowa snorted.
“Close your eyes and take a nap. Name should be here soon and we'll all be back home in no time,” Trowa got off the bed. It suddenly clicked in Duo's head that Trowa meant to leave him alone in the room. The thought of the one person who he knew didn't hate him or was disgusted in him, but also truly understood how he felt, filled him with panic. If he had had the strength, he would have made a grab for his friend. Trowa caught his wide-eyed look and stopped in his tracks.
“I'm going to check up on Heero, we're not going to leave you,” Trowa promised him. He knew that Duo didn't really believe they were going to leave him behind, but he also understood that logic had nothing to do with Duo's fears.
“I'm not the only one who's worried about you, Duo,” he soothed, reading Duo's thoughts plainly, “None of us are ashamed of you. The only one we're angry at is Chris, not you. You aren't dirty or weak just because that man hurt you.”
Duo refused to meet his gaze and Trowa sighed, knowing that he was thinking of Name and Heero. In Duo's mind, if Wufei wasn't yelling at him, he didn't blame him, and he knew that Trowa and Quatre didn't blame him, but Name and Heero must because Duo's association with Chris had put Heero in danger. Trowa didn't know how to make that belief go away besides warning Name of Duo's feelings, but he could try, anyway.
“Name won't hate you, and you know that. She loves you, she's told you that often enough. Do you really think she's the sort of person that would hate you for this? Or do you think that she's the type of person that would be worried that you almost died, and just be grateful you're safe?” he pointed out.
Trowa smiled at the spark of doubt in Duo's eyes, as well as a very deep need for the only mother he had ever known. It made Trowa's heart warm to think of the bond Name and Duo had and thought it would do him a great deal of good right now to have her over-protective, maternal nature.
“I'll be right back,” Trowa promised, smiling softly as Duo closed his eyes and hoped that the younger boy would sleep until Name arrived.
 
*****
 
The hotel hallway showed the building's age better than the little room did. There was few wallpaper left, most of it curled up and peeled off by time and water damage. The only light in the long hallway was from the broken windows. Heero wondered how Chris had gotten the lights to work in the room when they clearly weren't working in the hallway.
The three boys waited impatiently for Trowa to finish with Duo. Heero kept expecting Trowa to burst out and tell Quatre to call an ambulance, but he supposed that it was a good thing Trowa hadn't come out of the room yet. That meant that Duo wasn't doing so poorly that a hospital was needed, or Duo had died and Trowa was just working up the courage to tell them, but that seemed unlikely. Still, that fear ate at Heero and made him feel anxious and edgy. If Quatre and Wufei hadn't been there, he would have punched the weak, plaster wall he was leaning on until his knuckles bled, but the last thing he needed was his friends thinking he had gone mad, whether that was the truth or not. He could feel it there, under his skin, beating away like his heart, his anger. He couldn't remember the last time it had felt this physically real and that he had had the urge to take it out on Trowa, just because Duo was more comfortable with him now, was scary. He couldn't blame his green-eyed friend for this, for his inability to protect the one he loved, even his inability to seek justice for him. He had thought that he would kill Chris at any expense, but the man had just… walked away after violating and nearly killing Duo without so much as a scratch. It was that sense of helplessness and injustice that made him want to punch something to death, or maybe it had been Duo flinching away from him that made him so angry.
He could never be mad at Duo. He had been mad at him before, when he had believed Duo had been using him, but once he had discovered the truth, he had vowed to never be angry at him again and that promise had stuck. He felt like it was simply impossible for him to be angry at his best friend, even when he had hurt him worse than anyone before. The pain he had felt when he had thought that Duo had betrayed him was nothing compared to the realization that their friendship was breaking away like something fragile and rotting. Heero staid slumped, sitting on the floor against the wall by the door, trying to think of some way he could make things better, but nothing was coming to him. He hung his head. Saying `sorry' in this circumstance wasn't going to work.
Heero had never been good with words. Before, when Duo had disappeared for such a long time, it had been easier. All he had had to do was find him, patiently listen to his story, and assure him that he wasn't disgusted with him. It had been the assuring part that had been difficult, but he had known what to say to make things better. Now, Duo was only a few feet away and there was nothing he could do physically to help him and the words he needed to make things better were failing him in the worst way. How could he possibly apologize for letting that happen to Duo again, when he had promised him he would protect him from anything, well enough that Duo would forgive him and things would go back to normal. The thought that things were broken beyond repair was too frightening. The only consoling thought was that Duo could never truly leave him since he had nowhere else to go. He could run away again, but they would find him and Heero didn't think that Duo would leave his mother, he cared for her too much. It didn't do all that much to make him feel better, though. It just made him realize how close Duo would be to him, but how different everything was going to be when they got home. All he wanted to do was hold the boy close and make sure that he was ok, but he couldn't because Duo hated him. He had thought that loving Duo before was painful because he could never say anything, but the knowledge that he actually hated him made it feel unbearable.
Quatre and Wufei seemed to realize instinctually that Heero wanted to be left alone and merely stood against the opposite wall like silent sentries, keeping an eye on their friend while waiting for Trowa and Duo to come out of the closed room. The pizza and water they had given him felt tasteless and heavy in his stomach and he had eaten it simply to get more energy and stave off his hunger, he hadn't even tasted it as he had eaten. His hands still felt like they wanted to shake and his stomach hurt a little, but he felt more awake and aware than he had been before, so it was an improvement, and he needed concentration and rational more than he needed the pain to go away. He wondered if this was what Duo had felt like all those years of starving on the streets, but realized that not eating for twenty-four hours was probably nothing compared to not eating for days. Still, he had never wanted Duo to be reminded of those dark days of his childhood like this, though it gave Heero a little taste of what his best friend had gone through. He couldn't really hope for anything, he felt like his weakness had made him unworthy of hope, but he wanted very badly for his mother to come for them, soon, so they could go home and he could get Duo safe. Chris might have left, but Heero wouldn't think of him as safe until they had him tucked in to his bed back in Maine.
Without warning, the door to the room swung open and the three boys jumped in surprise. Trowa strode out, med-kit in hand and closed the door behind him.
“What are you doing?” Heero ground out, vainly trying to control his overflowing rage as his friend knelt in front of him. Trowa should be in there, taking care of Duo! And why had he shut the door? Fear quickly replaced anger and his heart raced.
“He's sleeping,” Trowa said hopefully, “He's all taken care of and now I'm going to settle him and my fears by taking care of you.”
“I'm not hurt,” Heero snarled. Trowa raised an eyebrow and looked down at Heero's wrists. Heero followed his gaze and blushed a little in embarrassment. He had completely forgotten about the wounds from the cuffs.
“I can take care of myself,” he growled. He didn't want Trowa to touch him, he didn't want anyone to touch him. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He wasn't the one they should be looking after. Trowa held his gave in an intense green stare.
“I'm sure you can take care of yourself, Heero, but I'm going to help you anyway, because you're my friend and I'm worried about you, too,” Trowa said softly. Heero looked away from him, guilt mingling with the shame, anger, and fear he felt so strongly. Trowa was right, they were friends, and Heero had no reason to be so furious at him. He cared for Trowa and he never would hurt him. As angry as he was at himself, and as ready as he was to take that anger out on someone, he could never, ever actually strike the tall boy. He was only taking things out on Trowa because of his closeness to Duo, where Heero couldn't even touch him, the trust that Duo had in Trowa where Duo clearly didn't trust him anymore, stirred such an extreme jealously in him. Everything was so wrong, he had never thought they would end up in this place, that he would ever feel this distant from Duo. He didn't know what to do, didn't even have the privacy to cry out his fears and frustrations. He just wanted his best friend back, wanted the boy that had gone swimming with him just a few nights ago, not the boy that felt the need to flinch from his touch.
This was Trowa, he told himself, one of the best friends he had ever had, but his broken heart didn't want to listen. It just wanted to lash out at someone it could actually hurt and with Duo's readiness to trust Trowa with examining him, it might as well be him. But his feelings for Trowa, though mixed up with anger, sadness, and jealously right now, were too old, and still too strong, for him to actually do something hurtful to Trowa. So, all he could do was glare and let his fury boil and seethe deep in his heart. Hurting Trowa wouldn't relieve that ache to hurt, it wouldn't get rid of his need for Duo, either, so what would be the point of alienating one of the few friends he had left?
Heero held out his wrists to Trowa as an act of surrender. Trowa nodded in gratitude, but couldn't shake his concern for the Japanese boy. Heero could think he was hiding his emotions all he liked, but Trowa could read him clear as day. They had been friends for too long to hide feelings from each other. He would have told Heero to just punch him in the face and get it over with if he thought it would help Heero at all. Instead, he concentrated all his worry for his friend on taking care of his cuts.
“How is Duo doing?” Quatre asked from behind him. An invisible shudder went down Trowa's spine at the warm sound of his lover's voice. If they had had any kind of privacy, in that moment Quatre would have been in his arms in the blink of an eye. Duo's story of events had spooked him more than a little, the realization of what sort of people Duo had been living with since he had been a child, and the dangers they had taken on by letting him into their lives. He would never regret being friends with Duo, for helping him heal from the horrors of his childhood, but how close they had come to losing him and Heero, and the depths that his former `guardian' would sink to. It was haunting to realize that Chris hadn't simply attempted to silence Duo, but had actually brutalized him, stripping him of all dignity and humanity, before trying to kill him. And it had been done so easily. The second that Heero and Duo had been left alone, Chris had taken the chance, and he had gotten away with it. The worst part was that they weren't taking their friends away from the danger that had almost taken their lives, they were bringing them back into it. If Wes and his `friends' could get to Duo in Boston, what was stopping them from getting to him back home?
With those thoughts, Trowa almost abandoned Heero to hug his lover tightly, to let Quatre's gentle, caring nature make all the bad things go away, as it so often did for him, privacy be damned, and he was sure that the second they were back home, alone in their room, he would do just that, but he had promised Duo he would look after Heero and if Duo could wait until they were back home to have a meltdown, the rest of them could dam well wait, too. He had finished wrapping up Heero's torn and bruised wrists and had started to inspect his head, though Heero's thick hair made it difficult. He remembered how Duo had told him, with a wide-eyed, shocked expression, how Heero had been struck in the head and how Duo had watched him fall into the street, blood pouring down his neck. Trowa could imagine how scared Duo must have been at that moment and wanted to kill Chris for that alone. Sure enough, there was a great deal of dried blood on Heero's scalp and neck.
“Not great, but not terrible, either,” Trowa answered his lover's question. Heero seemed to become more alert, anxious to what Trowa had to say.
“He's lost a bit of blood and there's a lot of internal damage, but he's strong. If he takes care of himself and doesn't strain anything or reopen his wounds, I don't see any need for a hospital,” Trowa told them as he finally located the gash and bump on Heero's head, making the other boy hiss in pain, “He'll need to consume a lot of iron to make up for the blood loss, and with his internal injuries he won't be able to eat solid food for a few days, but unless the bleeding picks up again or he gets an infection, he'll get better with some sleep and relaxation. I think the biggest thing we need to watch for is his level of stress.”
Trowa finished with Heero's head and examined his deep blue eyes in the light of the hallway, wishing he had a flashlight.
“The wound on your head is pretty bad, but it's not bleeding anymore and I don't think you have a concussion,” Trowa informed him. Heero shrugged off his light touch on his shoulder in irritation.
“I feel fine,” he grumbled. Trowa was about to snap back at him, annoyed at his disregard for his own health, when Quatre's phone rang out in a merry ring tone, making the blonde squeak in shock and the rest of them jump. It made Wufei feel silly, having been startled twice by nothing, but they were all on edge, as though they expected the hotel roof to collapse on them or Chris to return. That thought made Wufei shutter. All five of them were unarmed and against a man that could do such violence to Heero and Duo, Wufei suspected their numbers would be useless to them. The three of them stared at Quatre as he merely looked down at his ringing phone like it was some alien thing he didn't know what to do with.
“Answer it,” Heero snapped tersely.
 
 
End Part 10
 
I'm almost done posting all my pre-existing Gundam Wing fanfics; there's just the rest of Gundam Wing Hentai, then I'm going to post my original works. This part is brand new and I hope to write some new Gundam Wing Hentai chapters in the next few weeks.
 
I want to thank Serena1985, who has been the only reader kind enough to leave me a review. Usually I'd give a lecture about reviews making me write faster, but though mediaminer hasn't been all that kind to me with reviews, fanfiction.net sure has, so updates at mediaminer are as sure of a thing as they are on ff.net. Well, it's not often I say kind things about ff.net, but the people there are pretty cool towards authors.
 
Anyway, I hoped everyone likes The Road to Kindness, since it's my favorite to write, and I'm certainly open to any suggestions for it. It's the largest thing I've written and it's nowhere near finished yet.