By Kate-chan
Disclaimer: Ugh. Again, standard. Yada yada yada...
Part Two
The needle plunged into Heero's arm. He tried not to cry out, but it was a close thing. He kept one thing fixed in his mind to keep from thinking of the pain: he must not mess, he must not mess up....
The third man grinned sadistically as he removed the syringe from the boy's thin little arm. "We'll be ready to talk whenever you are, kid," he growled in mock kindness. The three men laughed as they left the room. Heero was still tied to the chair, unable to move, unable to think of anything except that he must not mess up, he must not mess up, he must not mess up....
***
Heero walked sedately through the park as groups of little kids and their parents hurried in the opposite direction, to their cars, their shelter from the rain that had just started pouring in earnest. He headed to a small, abandoned picnic table that sat by itself in the middle of a small standing of trees. He ignored the rain that trickled down his back in small rivers as he reached the rotting wood frame and clambered up to perch on the tabletop. He closed his eyes, unwillingly remembering.
***
A huge jolt went down Heero's spine. He managed not to scream with pain, but his body jerked convulsively, as if to give the lie to his face -- and Dr. J's. The old man frowned at the young boy strapped to the electric chair and turned off the electric currents that ran through the contraption. "Perhaps you weren't listening," he murmured to a slightly panting Heero. "I told you to endure it, not to fight it. If you fight the pain, then you won't live to finish your mission. Don't fight. Don't think. Just endure." He waited for a moment, as if to let his twisted logic sink in, then flipped the switch.
Heero tried to obey, tried to keep from writhing and twisting in agony, as he wished to do. White-hot liquid fire raced through his veins. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry out, "Stop it!" but he couldn't find the words. He felt himself diminishing, fought with every farticle of his being to keep from blacking out....
***
He laid down slowly on his table, wishing to sleep and nothing more, but his dreams wouldn't let him. Heero cried with the old pains, his tears, never seen by anyone aside from himself, blending with the cold, biting rain.
***
Duo, a raincoat thrown hastily over his slender frame, raced through the streets, calling his friend's name at random intervals. "Heero! Heero, where the heck are you?" He heard other voices shouting, mirroring his own words, and knew that Trowa, Wufei, and Quatre were nearby. They met up at an intersection with the park across the street.
"Any sign of him?" Quatre was wringing his hands, his worry plainly showing on his face. Duo hoped that he didn't look so flustered. It would be embarrassing.
"Haven't seen him," was Trowa's brusque response.
"I haven't either," Wufei affirmed.
Duo didn't answer. He knew that the disappointment on his face would speak for itself. Instead he looked across the street and said, "We haven't searched the park yet."
Wufei snorted. "Why would he be there, of all places?"
Duo glared at Wufei, silencing him. He made no reply to the Chinese boy, but strode across the lane to the park.
In spite of himself, Quatre chuckled. "When Heero disppears, Duo becomes him -- maybe to make up for that...um...presence."
Trowa nodded. "Very interesting," he mused as he led the reamaining Gundam pilots across the street.
***
Heero whimpered in his fitful dozing as the nighmares replayed themselves.
***
Getting his leg broken and being forced to set it himself...
Watching the little girl and her puppy...
Burying the puppy...the flower on its grave...
The teddy bear...
***
He couldn't stand it. He curled into himself, forming a protective ball against the evils set out to destroy him. But no matter how he struggled to thwart them, they would never leave him alone. He knew that.
But there were people with him now, people he worked with, people he could call friends. He could always go to them, if...if they would believe him. And help him.
And there was one friend that he knew would believe him, and help him, and protect him. Why hadn't he just gone to him in the first place?
Only one best friend...one who would always be there...forever...
Duo.
Can't peel your eyes away from the screen? I hop so, cuz here comes Part Three.