The two Winner siblings were safely tucked into their beds, their rooms being the best the hospital could offer. Iria was suffering from dehydration, and she had a few cuts and bruises, but otherwise she was fine. Quatre they were more worried about. His body seemed drained of energy. The two weeks he had been there prior to his abduction had helped, but then being taken away from that had set the blonde back some. The doctors were still optimistic.

Then main thing that had concerned them was Quatre's awakening. And since he had done that, they assured everyone that the rest of his injuries could heal in time. There was no internal bleeding, and his cat scan showed nothing abnormal. His body was just weak to the point of severe exhaustion.

The ride to the hospital had been interesting, with Trowa refusing to leave Quatre's side, and Heero refusing to take his eyes off Wufei. They had finally decided to stick Heero and Wufei in with Iria, and Trowa and Rashid rode with Quatre. If any of the paramedics thought Heero aiming a gun at an unconscious Wufei was unusual, they wisely kept it themselves. When they got to the hospital, they had split up. Heero took Wufei, and Rashid and Trowa stayed with Quatre, and Iria. That had been yesterday. Quatre and Iria had slept almost straight through. It probably had something to do with the heavy amount of sedatives they had been given.

That had given Trowa plenty of time to plan his justice for Wufei. Part of him wondered if it was his place to play judge, jury, and executioner. But that part was drowned out by the thought of Wufei touching Quatre. Quatre crying in pain, and fear with no one to help him. Quatre being brutally taken, and violated over and over by a boy they had called friend. His love being beaten, and treated like some animal, some possession. All on the sick whims of his comrade. No, Wufei would pay for what he had done. Trowa choked slightly as his mind reeled at all that had happened. The most gentle soul he had ever known was almost crushed. He had been tread upon, stepped on, and beaten down. And still he persevered. Not for his own sake, but for theirs.

The pain welled inside him, the anguish of knowing he hadn't been able to spare Quatre from that. It demanded an outlet, it had to be freed. Trowa was again perched in a chair next to Quatre's bed. He had twined their fingers together. He had promised to join Heero, but not until Quatre woke up. He was going to be here for that. The blonde's eyelids began to flutter, before they opened fully. Cloudy eyes scanned the room, and came to rest on Trowa.

The banged boy reached for the cup of water on the bed side, and lifted Quatre so he could take a sip. The doctor had informed him that the Arabian would likely wake up dying of thirst. Quatre made a small noise to let him know he was finished and Trowa lowered the cup. They watched the other for a while. It wasn't quite an awkward silence, but it wasn't a comfortable one either. Trowa brushed some of the hair out of Quatre's face. The blonde looked leery of him, watching him carefully. Trowa sighed and stood.

"I guess I'll leave you alone for a while. I'll come and check on you in a day or two."

"W-where are you going?"

Trowa looked hesitant to answer. He opened his mouth, and then abruptly shut it. Quatre watched him, scared of having him this close, and yet terrified of him leaving.

"I..I have some business to take care of. And then I'll be back. I *will* come back to you, Quatre. I promise."

"I don't believe in promises anymore..," he whispered.

Trowa sat back down and gathered a cold hand into his own.

"Iria will be fine. I've seen her, she's doing very good. The doctors.."

"Trowa?", Quatre interrupted.

"Yes?"

The blonde nibbled at his lower lip.

"Don't. Don't kill him, please."Trowa's mouth dropped open.

"What? Quatre, after all he's done, all he's put you through.. "

Quatre shifted away a little.

"I know that you want to, and Heero does too, but that will make you no better than him," Quatre's voice dropped to a whisper, and Trowa had to lean close to hear. "I know he did all these awful things, *believe* me, I know. But, if you kill him, then that will make you him, and I couldn't stand that. I don't want to think of you as anything like him." The pale hand lightly squeezed his own. "I know this sounds stupid. I above all should want him dead. But, it's not right. None of this is."

Trowa frowned, trying to comprehend what Quatre was asking of him. //After all he's done and you want me to spare him? I don't know if I can do that. I just want to tear his throat out, and stab him once for every tear he made you cry. ..And here you are asking me not to kill him.. And how can I deny you?//

"Quatre, it hurts so much inside. That..that he could make you suffer so much. I want to make him hurt, but I don't want you to think of me as him. I never want that. But how can I just let him get away with all he's done?"

"I'm free Trowa. I honestly never thought I would be able to say that. I'm free, and you're.. safe. And that's all I ever wanted."

Trowa squeezed the pale hand in his lightly. "You will never cease to amaze me. For you, Quatre. For you, I will spare his life. Because I love you too much to cause you any more pain."

The Arabian tried to smile, but it wasn't the sunny one Trowa was used to. It was a wistful version, full of things that could have been.

"Sleep now," the taller boy whispered.Quatre's eyes closed, and he nodded.

"You'll...you're coming back?"

"I prom...swear it."

Trowa tucked the covers around his now sleeping beloved, and crept from the room. A quick check showed that Iria was fine, with Rashid watching over her.

He strolled out of the building, and made his way to the waiting car. Rashid had gotten it for him, though gods knew how. He slid into the car, and started it up, making his way back into the woods where all this mess had begun. He reached the cabin quickly, turned off the car, and made his way inside. The back room was just how they had left it. Messy, and bloody splattered. With one new addition.

Wufei was bound to one of the dining room chairs. His arms and legs tied tight. Heero was sitting on the bed, awaiting Trowa. The banged boy walked in and took a seat in another of the chairs they had dragged in. Their prisoner looked at them belligerently. Trowa stared him right in the eye. Fiery green meeting smoldering black.

"Why Wufei?"

The Chinese boy smirked to himself, laughing at a joke only he understood.

"Always with the whys..."