A Gundam In Love

-----part 1-----

"Hey, Heero!" Duo suggested as he swung Deathscythe's thermal scythe at another Aries fighter as it flew past. "Let's go out for a pizza after this is over, okay?"

"I have a better idea." Heero replied.

"You mean go home and fix our Gundams?" Duo asked.

"Actually, I was just thinking of that little temple I noticed along the way over." Heero remarked.

"Oh, what about it?" Duo asked.

"Nice place to get married, don't you think?"

"I guess so." Duo agreed. A moment later, something clicked. "HOLY SHIT!" he exclaimed. "Heero, did you just... I mean are you...Oh, man! Heero, I don't believe it! You just.... you did, didn't you?"

"If you want to know if I just proposed, the answer is yes, Duo, that was a proposal." Heero was trying to maintain his cool demeanor, but it was clear that he was anxious to hear Duo's reply.

"Thank you, God, for answering my prayers." Duo whispered. "Yes, Heero," he said, more loudly. "Yes, I will..." then Duo's voice was cut off as Deathscythe suddenly turned and vanished from the battlefield.

"HEY!" Duo said. "What gives! Deathscythe no baka! The battle is back there!"

The Gundam did not stop until it was firmly hidden in a mountain range. Then it placed Duo upon a ledge, placed its hands around him, and drew close until he could feel the touch of steel upon his body.

Duo blinked in realization as Deathscythe drew back, leaving him shaken but unharmed.

//Oh my god,// he thought to himself //my Gundam just kissed me!//

-----part 2-----

Duo blinked. //Deathscythe can't be in love with me, can he?// He looked around for a way down, but could find no means of escape. He was trapped here. He'd never see Heero again. That thought broke his heart and he began to cry.

Deathscythe reached a finger out and carefully lifted a tear from Duo's face, studying it curiously.

"Your optical devices have salt water coming from them."

Duo nearly fell over. "You can speak?!"

"Always could." Deathscythe replied. "I would've spoken sooner, except I never could get you to shut up."

Duo almost smiled, but he missed Heero too much. "Well, we call them eyes, not optical devices."

"I see." Deathscythe noted this for future reference. "And the salt water."

"Those are tears." Duo explained. "When people are either very sad or very happy, they cry."

"Then you must be very happy that I love you."

//I didn't just hear him say that.// Duo thought.

"No, I'm very sad." Duo replied.

"But isn't love a good thing?" Deathscythe asked.

"It's a very good thing." Duo agreed. "The best thing in the world."

"Then why does my loving you make you sad?"

"It doesn't." Duo found a bush with some berries on it and was starting to pick them when Deathsctyhe plucked the thing from the ground and tossed it aside. "What the..?!"

"They were poisonous." Deathscythe explained. "I will get you some food." 

Duo watched as the Gundam walked away.

//What does he think he's doing?!// he thought. //Does he think he's just going to stroll through the damned supermarket?!//

*****

Quatre glared up at Deathscythe as the Gundam, having lifted the roof off of his mansion, was now going through his cupboards. 

"Excuse me, this is a very expensive house, you know." he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "And... just what do you think you're doing?" his anger turned to bewilderment, then to laughter as he realized Deathscythe was trying to cook. "You don't eat."

"Duo does."

Quatre blinked. "Nice voice." he finally said. "You don't use it much."

Deathscythe continued trying to put together something for Duo to eat.

"Here, let me help." Quatre offered. "But why didn't you just bring him home?"

"If I do, he'll marry Heero." Deathscythe pointed out.

"Of course he will." Quatre smiled. "They love each other."

"I don't want him to marry Heero." Deathscythe told Quatre. "I love him."

"Then, don't you want him to be happy?" Quatre asked.

Deathscythe nodded as the two them finished cooking. "That's why I'm going to propose to him."

"He's already engaged." Quatre explained. "If you marry him by force, it'll break his heart. You've probably done that already by taking him away from Heero."

"His optic... his eyes were leaking tears earlier." Deathscythe remembered.

"You have to bring him home." Quatre said, with a finality to his words as he turned and went to call a repair crew.

Deathscythe carefully picked up the meal he'd made for Duo with Quatre's help and returned to where he'd stored Duo.

The Gundam was alarmed to find Duo not on the ledge where he'd put him, but on another ledge several feet down. The boy lie there, motionless, the red fluid humans called blood trickling out of his mouth. His right leg was at an odd angle and part of something that Deathscythe recognized as bone was jutting out from the lower part of it.

Deathscythe put the meal down next to him, "I brought you some food." he told Duo. "You can wake up and eat now."

Duo did not move at all.

"How come you're not waking up?" Deathscythe asked. "Are you not hungry anymore?"

"What did you do to him?" Quatre asked. He'd followed in Sandrock and was horrified to see Duo lying there in a pool of blood with one leg so obviously broken.

"He was like this when I came back." Deathscythe protested. "I did not hurt him when I put him there." he pointed to the ledge Duo had originally been on.

"Oh." Quatre whispered. "Deathscythe, listen to me. Duo just tried to kill himself because he wants to be with Heero. Do you want Duo to die?"

"No." Deathyscythe replied. "I do not."

"Then let me take him to a hospital." Quatre suggested. "And let him marry Heero."

"I do not wish to lose Duo." Deathscythe observed.

"But if he dies you *will* lose him." Quatre explained.

"Very well." Deathscythe conceded. "You may take him to the hospital."

"And the other part?" Quatre waited.

"Does Heero love Duo?" Deathscythe asked.

Quatre nodded.

"Okay. Heero can marry Duo, then."

*****

Duo woke in Quatre's private hospital the next morning. He sat up, impatiently, and felt a wave of pain and dizziness overtake him. Fighting the urge to vomit, he lie back down.

"You have a broken leg." Heero told him. "If it makes you feel any better, no, I did not set it.'

"Too bad." Duo smiled, playfully. "I was rather enjoying the thought of your hands all over me."

Heero smiled. "In time, Duo." he promised. "Once you're healed. I had a long talk with Deathscythe, by the way."

"He loves me." Duo sighed.

"That makes two of us." Heero kissed Duo, tenderly, then pulled back and clasped Duo's hand in his own.

"Well, that settles that." Duo decided. "You're definitely a better kisser. What did you talk about? You and Deathscythe."

"Oh, he basically said that if I ever made you cry he was going to stick his thermal scythe straight up my ass." Heero shrugged.

Duo laughed. "That could hurt."

"Yeah. We talked about his feelings for you, by the way, and we worked out that what he actually feels for you isn't really the kind of love that marriages come from."

"I know." Duo agreed. 

"Duo, there's more." Heero smiled. "He asked me what kind of love it was and I asked what he felt. He explained that he felt the need to protect you and keep you safe. So I told him that was just his programming. But he said there was more, and Quatre agreed. He said he could sense Deathscythe with that damned uchu-no-kokoro of his. We talked about that for a long time. Deathscythe's feelings, I mean, not Quatre's uchu-no-kokoro."

"And?" Duo asked.

"He wants to adopt you."

Duo blinked. "He... ?"

"He realizes he feels more like a parent to you than anything." Heero explained. "That he mistook what he felt for romantic love because he'd never felt anything like it before and was..."

"He wants to...?" Duo felt tears falling down his face. "I don't believe it. Someone actually wants me?"

"Hey, I want you." Heero reminded him.

"Yes, but... when I was younger, in the orphanage, every time I went home to some family, I got shipped back. And now..." he hugged Heero as tears of pure happiness trickled down his face. 

-----part 3-----

"Heeeeeeerooooooooooo!"

//Not her, God.// Duo pleaded. //Please, don't spoil my happiness.//

"Relena," Heero explained, "listen to me, I'm already engaged. I'm going to marry Duo."

"Congratulations."

Duo nearly fell over. Surely Relena hadn't just.

"What?" Heero asked, equally startled. "Relena, did you just..."

"Congratulate you? Sure! You're a terrific couple."

Duo began looking into nooks, crannies, cupboards. "Okay, come on out. I know you're around here somewhere."

"Who are you looking for?" Relena asked.

"Rod Serling." Duo replied.

"So, why the change of heart all of a sudden."

"Well, I just found out I'm already promised to someone else. And since I have my obligations to fulfill, and it's actually someone kind and decent, I can't possibly marry you, Heero. I'm glad you have Duo. I'd hate to think that my being unable to marry you would leave you all alone."

"Hn."

Duo stopped looking for Rod Serling and turned his attention back to the conversation. "So, tell me, when do we get to meet this charming fiancé of yours."

"You already have." Relena smiled. "He's kind, sweet, delicate as crystal and strong as steel all that the same time. At first I was angry that this was taking me away from you, Heero. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how perfect he and I were for each other."

"Relena, who are you talking about?"

"Miss Relena," the chauffer appeared in the doorway. "you will be late for your appointment with the dressmaker."

"Thank you." Relena headed out to the limo.

"Oi! Wait up!" Duo stopped the driver. "Who is Relena engaged to?"

"The rich marry the rich." the driver replied, simply, as he turned and departed.

-----part 4-----

Trowa paced the room, trembling, on the verge of tears. In two days, Relena would marry Quatre. He was going to lose the boy he loved if he didn't act quickly. 

Quatre walked into the room, "Trowa, elope with me." he begged. "I don't want to marry Relena. It's not her I love. Please. We don't have to consummate it until you're ready."

Trowa nodded. "Let me get my coat," he ran into his bedroom, then returned a minute later. "Okay, I'm ready."

*****

"Miss Yoshiko, I've got a mobile suit outside that wants a word with you."

"A mobile suit?" the head of the adoption agency let out a sigh. This had to be someone's idea of a joke. Still, it did pique her curiosity. It was a chilly morning, so she threw her coat on and went outside. The first thing she noticed was that she had to crane her neck to look up at the MS in question.

"Here." Deathscythe lifted her up and placed her upon the roof of a nearby skyscraper. 

Miss Yoshiko was a bit unnerved by this, but it did at least get them face to face. "You're..."

"The Gundam Deathscythe."

Miss Yoshiko trembled, recalling the curse. "Then, I'm doomed."

"No. You will not be killed. I came here to make a request of you. I wish to adopt one of your orphans. I already have one in mind. He isn't at this location, but I do know of his whereabouts. It's one of your older cases."

"Most people prefer infants." Miss Yoshiko confided. "It's only rare that we have a request for anyone older, and in the case of teens, it's almost unheard of. Which orphan are you referring to."

"Duo Maxwell."

"How long have you know Duo?"

"For several years now. I know what I'm getting into." Deathscythe would've smiled if he'd been able to.

Miss Yoshiko fell deep into thought.

*****

"Just where do you think you're taking him?" Relena blocked Trowa and Quatre. 

//Just our luck she was out here shopping.// Quatre thought.

"We're eloping." Quatre said, out loud. "Now, please move."

"You are *my* fiancé." Relena pointed out. She nodded to two of her bodyguards one of whom punched Trowa out while the other grabbed Quatre and stuffed him into her limo.

-----part 5-----

Trowa got the car, then paused. //I can't do it by myself.// he thought to himself. I need one other person to help me.// he considered for a moment, then made his decision.


Wufei looked up from working on his Gundam as Trowa hurried into the repairs area. "Trowa? What's wrong?"

"I was going to elope with Quatre. He doesn't want to marry Relena. But we had the misfortune of running into her. She realized what we were doing and she had her goons grab Quatre. I think she plans to forcibly marry him. I need help getting him back."

"Assuming we're not already too late." Wufei pointed out.

"Please, God, I can't be too late." Trowa looked as though the mere thought would break his heart.


*****

"Why aren't you getting dressed for our wedding?" Relena asked, impatiently.

Quatre was chatting with Relena's servants, admiring the various knicknacks around the place, and even helping with the cooking. But he showed no signs of getting into his wedding clothes.

"Are you the groom?" one of the servants asked.

"I wish I wasn't." Quatre admitted. "I was about to become a bride, until Relena kidnapped me."

"I'm sorry that you're unhappy." the servant admitted. "But there's nothing I can do. If I disobey, I'll end up on the street."

"No, you won't." Quatre assured her. "I'll hire you. I promise. Please, I can't live without Trowa."

"I need to think about it." the servant left the room. 

Through the door, Quatre heard a single gunshot and a body falling.

//Oh no!// he thought. //Please, Allah, don't let that girl be dead because of me.//

The door opened and Quatre's eyes went wide.

*****

"I don't believe it!" Duo put the phone down and collapsed into a chair. "He actually did it."

"Deathscythe adopted you?" Heero asked.

Duo nodded. "Last name's still Maxwell. He didn't see any point in changing it, when it's just gonna get changed again when you and I get married."

"So, " Heero kissed Duo's hair, "I guess I should got make sure your dad approves of me."

"Well, considering my dad is a Gundam.... that might be a good idea."

-----part 6-----

"Quatre, let's go." Trowa said, standing in the hall. Both Relena and the servant were lying on the floor, unconscious but alive.

"Trowa!" Quatre gave him a quick hug followed by a brief, chaste kiss.

"Put this on." Trowa offered Quatre a gas mask and put one on himself. Then he dropped a smoke bomb filled with sleeping gas. Leading Quatre down the hallway, they passed by several guards who tried to grab them, clutching groggily at the air before falling into slumber.

Once outside, they shed their masks and got into the car. "Shall we stop off at the Justice of the Peace on the way home?" Trowa asked.

"Yes." Quatre smiled. "That's a wonderful idea."

-----part 7-----

"We need to talk." Heero told Deathscythe as he strolled onto the platform. "I love Duo." He marveled at how easily the words came now. They were as natural to him as breathing.

He was glad that Trowa and Quatre were home safe. It meant that his and Duo's wedding could go as planned. Assuming his future father-in-law approved.

"I know." Deathscythe replied. "I also know he loves you just as much. That's why I'm approving this marriage. Duo needs you and you need him."

"He needs us both." Heero pointed out. 

"Be careful when you make love to him."

"Why?" Heero asked. "Oh..." he smiled. Was he really marrying a virgin?

"It's not that." Deathscythe saw Heero's face fall. "Don't worry, he's pure. But the last time OZ captured him, they performed some radical surgery on him. "

"What do you mean radical surgery?"

"Heero," Quatre called up to him, "I'm locking up for the night. Come on inside, okay."

"Okay." Heero agreed. He'd have to find out the answer in the morning.

*****

"Aren't you hungry?" Wufei asked as Duo ignored the pizza on the table and had his fifth glass of soda.

//Duo? Turning down pizza?// Quatre wondered. //Why? He loves the stuff.//

"Excuse me." Duo stood up from the table as Heero walked in.

"Duo?" Heero asked. "Where are you going?"

"Upstairs."

"But you love pizza." Heero protested. "Duo, what's wrong?"

Duo didn't say a word as he walked out of the dining area and headed up to his room.

-----part 8-----

Duo lay in bed, on his side, with his eyes closed. He didn't want to tell Heero what the OZ scientists had done to him. He knew if he did, Heero would refuse to touch him. It would be well-meaning, not belligerent, but Duo couldn't live with the idea of having Heero not touching him in some way.

"You want to talk about it?"

Duo looked up at Heero. "No. Not really."

When they first met, Heero would've pressed, but after knowing Duo as long as he had, Heero knew that if he did, he might lose Duo.

"Okay," he decided. "If you change your mind, tell me."

Duo nodded and closed his eyes. 

*****

"Quatre, I don't know if I can do this." Trowa admitted. "I'm afraid I'll hurt you like... like..."

"Let me try something." Quatre suggested. He turned himself around and quietly took Trowa's length into his mouth, teasing it into an erection, then slowly bobbing his head up and down the shaft.

Trowa followed suit, taking his cue from Quatre. 

Quatre licked and sucked watching Trowa's expressions, not wishing to harm the man he loved. He slicked a finger with lubricant and carefully eased it into Trowa. When Trowa let out a moan of pleasure, Quatre added a second finger and moved the two of them carefully inside Trowa as he continued to bob his head up and down Trowa's shaft, enjoying their first sixty-nine as a married couple.

Soon both newlyweds were on the verge of orgasm. At that moment, when Quatre could sense Trowa's pleasure, he turned himself around, slowly and carefully penetrating the unibanged pilot. He moved in slow, careful strokes as he caringly stroked Trowa's erection. He cried out as their lovemaking brought them both to a delicate climax that left them both shivering in gentle afterglow.

-----part 9-----

"You may kiss the...um... bride." 

Heero held Duo's face in his hands, tilting it upward as he bent down to press his lips against Duo's. "I love you." he whispered in Duo's ear. "Now and forever."

"I love you." Duo whispered back as he held onto Heero.

The reception was cut short by a mission. Quatre suggested Duo and Heero stay behind to enjoy each other, but Duo would have none of it. 

"I'll be able to enjoy it more if I know that I helped you guys kick OZ's ass." Duo explained, cheerfully.

"Okay, come on." 

*****

"Remember, don't kill Maxwell." Zechs reminded his forces. "We want him back alive. Try to disable his Gundam instead. If you can't do that, then try to force him out of it. Just do not hurt or kill him."

//I'll get you back, Maxwell,// Zechs thought to himself. //Our little experiment isn't anywhere near over.//

*****

"Hey! Don't you know it's very rude to shoot at a guy who just got married?!" Duo was his cheerful ol' self, there in the thick of battle.

"Surrender, Maxwell." 

"Hmmm..." Duo said, considering.

//He's going to surrender,// the OZ pilot thought. //I've won.//

"No," Duo decided having used the moment to bring the OZ fighter into his sights. "don't think so." he swung his father's thermal scythe down through the Aries, destroying it.

Then, he and the other pilots defeated the remainder of the OZ troops that were present for that battle and returned home.

*****

"Duo," Heero asked as he lowered Duo onto the bed, "what's wrong?"

"I've never done this before." Duo admitted. "I'm afraid."

"It's okay." Heero assured him. "You're going to be just fine. Just relax and trust me."

Duo relaxed as much as his nerves would allow. He trembled at each touch in a mixture of fear and lust. 

Heero dipped his fingers into the jar of lubricant that was on the table by the bed, then carefully inserted them into Duo's virginal depths. He moved his fingers in and out of Duo, waiting until he felt Duo's entire body relax. Then, he pulled his fingers out of Duo and carefully pushed his erection into the boy he'd married.

"Heero..." Duo moaned as he moved to meet his husband's thrusts. 

"I love you, Duo." Heero whispered into Duo's ear as he came deep inside of the braided pilot.

//You should've told him,// a little voice nagged in Duo's head. //Now...//

//Shut up.// Duo pushed the voice away. He would deal with the consequences of his silence later if he had to.

-----part 10-----

Duo woke in the middle of the night and went into the kitchen. It had been a full five months since the day he'd married Heero. He'd dodged Heero's concerned questions as to what was troubling him, but he couldn't dodge the answer. He looked down at himself for a moment, wonderingly, then grabbed a can of soda from the refrigerator.

"Can you get me one, too, while you're at it."

Duo turned around and saw Quatre sitting there.

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

"Yes." Quatre nodded. "But it's okay. You couldn't help it. Your troubled mind called out to me." 

Duo brought both sodas over to the kitchen table and sat down with Quatre. 

"You have to talk about it." Quatre told him. "I don't know what's wrong, but I can tell it's something very important, not just a minor problem."

Duo nodded. "You're right, it is very important. But I can't talk about it." He sipped his soda.

"Do you want some gyoza?" Quatre offered.

Duo shook his head. 

"Duo, you need to see a doctor." Quatre insisted. "I've asked to go how many times already."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine." Quatre pointed out. "You haven't touched any type of solid food since before your wedding. Please, Duo?"

Duo sipped his soda but gave no reply.

"I'm going back to bed." Quatre finished his soda and tossed the empty can into the recycling bin. "I suggest you do the same."

"I will, shortly." Duo promised as he stood up to get another soda. He was half way to the refrigerator when the room began to spin and he suddenly felt very lightheaded. A moment later, he was falling to the floor, being caught by strong Arabian arms.

"Duo!" Quatre lead Duo to the table and sat him back down in his chair. "That's it. I'm calling the doctor right now."

"No doctors." Duo muttered.

Quatre ignored him and phoned his medical staff.

*****

Quatre and Heero waited outside the doctor's office while the Winner Family's private physician examined Duo. Finally, the older man stepped out of the office. He wore a perplexed and concerned look on his face.

"Doctor?" Heero asked. "How is he?"

"He's in perfect health all things considered." the doctor replied. "By the way, are you aware that he's five months pregnant?"

Heero narrowed his eyes. "What did you just say?"

"He's five months pregnant." the doctor explained. "Most of his digestive tract has been removed and replaced with a uterine implant."

"That explains the change in his diet." Quatre realized.

The doctor nodded. "I've prescribed some additional vitamins so that should arrest any future fainting spells."

"What do you mean future fainting spells?" Heero asked. Then he realized. "He plans to have it, doesn't he?"

"Yes." the doctor replied. He started to say more, but Heero had left with Quatre trailing behind.

-----part 11-----

"Duo?"

Duo opened his eyes and saw Heero sitting on the edge of the bed. 

Heero was holding a little teddybear dressed in a black robe with a little scythe held in its paw. He handed the toy to Duo. "I had it made up for the baby." he said. 

Duo clutched. "The baby'll have to get his own."

"His?" Heero asked.

Duo nodded. "The doc did an ultrasound." he explained. "He wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"I can't say I blame him under the circumstances. Duo, why didn't you tell me about the implant?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't want to touch me." Duo explained. "I knew the risk, to be honest, I was hoping... praying... this would happen. We should send OZ a 'thank you' present. What do you think, something in silver? What size do you think?"

"How about several megatons?" Heero suggested.

"Know what I wish we could drop on those guys?" Duo asked, his eyes sparkling with humor and mischief.

"What?" Heero asked.

Duo was giggling uncontrollably now. "That'd be so funny!"

"What would?"

"It's something I saw in an old TV movie once."

Heero narrowed his eyes. "Duo...."

Duo whispered into Heero's ear. "Duo! Only *you* would think of dropping the Nude Bomb on OZ."

"So, what's wrong with that?" Duo griped.

//What's with him all of a sudden!?// Heero blinked. "Duo, are you okay?"

"What do you think, Mr. Perfect Soldier?" Duo glared at Heero. "Get the hell out of here!"

"I'll come back when you're feeling better." Heero stood up and walked out. 

Duo threw the teddybear at the door, then broke down into tears.

(author's note: I call Duo the 'wife' not because I see him as being feminine or submissive but simply because I think he'd be more likely to be the recipient in sexual intercourse. He's more adaptable, I think. I think Heero could be a recipient, but only if the idea were presented to him in just the right way. Offering to help Heero accept his 'feminine' side would probably earn Duo 'Heero Yuy DeathGlare 42'. On the other hand, challenging Heero to let Duo penetrate him, suggesting that Heero couldn't handle the pain of being taken, or presenting the ability to accept penetration as being a sign of strength and endurance might convince Heero to take the receiving role. )

-----part 12-----

A doctor passed Heero in the hallway. "Mood swings?" he asked, looking at the closed door and noting that Heero was in the hall and not in Duo's room with him.

"I guess that's what it must've been." Heero nodded. "He was fine, then he snapped at me."

"He'll experience them for the remainder of his pregnancy. Just remember it's not you or him, it's just a temporary hormonal imbalance. It happens to all moms, especially if it's their first child. Keep in mind he's also dealing with the uncertainty of first time parenthood."

Heero sighed and pulled out a map of the grounds. He pointed to a spot. "Think Quatre would mind if I dug a foxhole right about there?"

The doctor smiled. "I don't think Duo will get *that* bad."

The door opened and Duo stepped, sheepishly, into the hall. "Sorry."

Heero nodded. "I understand." he said. "The doctor was just explaining things to me. How do you feel?"

"Better," Duo admitted, "still kinda... you know...."

"Moody?" the doctor suggested.

Duo nodded. "Let's go kick some OZ ass."

The doctor shook his head. "I'm afraid you're grounded. Duo, the G-forces involved in high speed aerial combat could easily spark a miscarriage."

"Ground assault, then." Duo's eyes gleamed with the thought of taking his moodiness out on a few unsuspecting OZ troops, but again his plans were thwarted.

"Not on your life." Heero said, firmly, "you are not taking my unborn son into combat and that's final."

*****

Duo paced the front all of the Winner Estate, waiting for Heero and the others to return from their latest assignment. He heard footsteps running toward him and turned to see Relena running up to him, tears running down her face.

"Heero's... gone..." she sobbed.

-----part 13-----

Duo felt his world come crashing down around him. Under other circumstances, he might not have believed her so easily. But his hormone-addled brain had already been running through every possible disaster it could think of. The suddenness of her statement, tears on her face, and her distraught look all added up to make one very convincing presentation. He felt a sudden pain as he blacked out. //No... please don't let it be what I think it is...// was his last coherent thought.

Heero walked in followed by a concerned Trowa, who was carrying a wounded Quatre in his arms. He saw Duo lying there and saw Relena standing over him.

"Relena! What have you done!?!"

Relena started to stammer, then lost her composure and fled into the darkening night.

Heero called for the doctors and knelt by Duo's side. "Shhhh..." he promised, "Easy now, darling. You're going to be all right. Hang in there."


Blood trickled from Quatre's mouth as Trowa did all he could to make the boy as comfortable as possible. Trowa wiped the blood from Quatre's face with his fingertips. 

Quatre's medical staff rushed in and quickly sped Quatre and Duo into the Winner Family's private hospital. Trowa and Heero went with them, while Wufei stayed behind in case Relena returned.

*****

A doctor approached Heero and took him aside.

"Duo went into labor," he explained.

"He lost it?" Heero asked, firmly pushing down his tears.

The doctor shook his head. "The baby is very premature, and we have it on oxygen because the lungs are not yet properly formed. But it's heartbeat is good. As long as we can keep it breathing and keep it warm, it has a chance. (1)"

Heero rushed into Duo's room. "Duo..." he began.

Duo smiled, weakly, "You hear?" he asked, "Our son's a fighter, just like his daddy. Heck, before you know it, he'll be setting his own broken bones."

Heero smiled, tiredly, and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking Duo's hair "That's right." he agreed. "He sure will."

Footnotes:
1.) This was based on a scenario I saw recently on "Trauma: Life in the O.R." in which a baby was born prematurely at about 5.5 months into the pregnancy. It had to be given CPR to keep its cardiopulmonary system going while the doctors inserted an oxygen tube, but it did live.

-----part 14-----

Duo walked into the nursery and stood by the baby's incubator. "Shinigami," he whispered, "my little son. You just keep on fighting, cause we're gonna make this a great world for you. Just wait and see. That's my promise to you."

Heero walked in. "Duo, you should be in bed." He put an arm around Duo, then stopped a moment, to look at their son over Duo's shoulder.

"Let's find a way to end this war, Heero." Duo suggested. "If we can do that, think of how nice that would be for the baby."

"So, how do we go about doing it?" Heero asked. "We need a leader who wants peace, and who is willing to do more than just stand around and talk about it."

"What about Quatre?" Duo suggested.

"I think Quatre would make a fine ruler." Heero agreed.

*****

The heir to the Winner Estate swam up to the side of the pool. Leaning on the edge, his chin on his arms, he spoke up to Trowa who was approaching with some homebaked snacks.. "How's Duo?"

Trowa shrugged. "Heero's with him, that's all I know." he offered a snack to Quatre.

"This is delicious!" Quatre smiled. "Stay out here with me a bit. We should give Duo and Heero some time alone."

"There you are!" Wufei came walking up to them. "Do you know what Duo and Heero are planning this very minute? A take over."

"What are you talking about?" Quatre askd.

"They're planning to overthrow the Peacecraft rule and set you up as the new king." Wufei explained. "I just heard them talking about it."

-----part 15-----

Relena frowned as her entourage brought her down he streets where she was normally cheered. Now the sound of booing filled the air. Tears began to trickle down her face. What was wrong with these people? Why had they turned against her?

"...is doing fine, fortunately." she heard a familiar voice saying. "Both 'mother' and child are recovering at a private hospital. But justice must be served. We cannot permit ourselves to be ruled by anyone as uncaring at that."

Relena approached the podium. "Wufei?"

"Be gone from our sight!" Wufei glared. "You deliberately hurt Duo!"

"I ..."

"You wanted Heero for yourself."

"Heero's a boy. I'm a girl. I'm the one he's supposed to be with. Boys shouldn't love other boys."

"Duo's baby nearly died, Relena."

"That pregnancy was unnatural." Relena pointed out. "Only girls should bear children."

"Omae o korosu." It came from behind her.

Relena turned and saw Heero standing there.

"Heero!" She threw her arms around him. "You finally came to your senses! Oh, Heero!" she pulled him close and pressed her lips to his, just as she felt something slam into her belly.

Dropping to her knees, the Queen of the World held her gaping stomach, trying to hold her guts in. 

"Please... I'm sorry..." she choked as she slowly died.

The crowd was in a panic, even those who did not like Relena. The gunshot had got them all rushing about like scared rabbits. 

Amidst the screaming chaos, Trowa took the microphone. "Your attention please. I am pleased to present to you, your new leader... King Quatre." 

No one took the stage.

"King Quatre." Trowa tried again.

At the third try, Heero, Duo, and Wufei pushed a reluctant Quatre onto the stage.

"All hail King Quatre!" 

The crowd took up the chant.

Quatre waved to them. "Um... thanks, but I really don't want the job. I'm not the right person." he smiled. "However, I do know just the person who should be your king." 

He went over to his fellow pilots and grabbed Duo by his braid.

"Hey! I don't wanna be king!"

"You're perfect king material." Quatre pointed out.

"I grew up with no money and no privileges!" Duo pointed out.

"Just like King Arthur." Quatre smiled. "All hail King Duo!"

"All hail King Quatre!" Duo insisted.

"Strange," one crowd member pointed out to another. "Usually when people fight over the throne, they're trying to *keep* it."

-----part 16-----

"One of us must become King." Duo told Quatre. "You're a born leader, so it must be you."

"No," Quatre argued, "you have a better understanding of the plight of the common man. You must be King."

"You shall each rule half the planet." Heero decided, he took out an old yin and yang symbol and showed it to them. "See this? It says that for there to be a true balance one must find a small piece of darkness in the light and a small piece of light in the darkness."

"What does that have to do with us?" Quatre asked.

"Quatre, you are a force of pure light, you hold understanding, kindness, and empathy in your heart. Therefore, you must rule over those parts of the world which have fallen into darkness, either through poverty, disease or war. You will be the small piece of light in the darkness." Heero turned to Duo. "Duo. You who call yourself Shinigami, you must rule those places where the light of happiness, joy, and peace is brightest. Your dark soul shall be a reminder that there is strife in this world and though they shall still laugh and play, they shall not forget that the freedom to do so must sometimes be fought for. In that way, you shall become the small piece of darkness in the light."

"You ever hear him talk so much before?" Duo asked Quatre.

"Nope." Quatre agreed. "He's been usually quiet until just now, though. Must've been saving up. The idea is a good one, though, don't you agree, your majesty?."

Duo nodded. "I agree, your majesty."

-----Owari-----