Pestilence Reawakened

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

Heero was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of Duo screaming. He got up, hurried into Duo's room, and found Duo thrashing about, tangled in his bed sheets, and laying on the floor.

Heero lifted Duo off the floor and placed him back on the bed, kissing his forehead, to soothe him. That's when he noticed that Duo was feverish. He went into the bathroom and returned with a washcloth soaked in cold water. Placing it on Duo's forehead, he sat by Duo for the remainder of the night, holding his hand. He wished he could take Duo to a hospital, but that was too risky.

By morning, Duo's fever had not yet broken. Quatre walked in and saw Heero sitting there, dabbing Duo's face with a freshly dampened cloth.

"Duo okay?" he asked.

Heero shook his head. "He's got a bad fever." he said. "I was hoping it would break, but I think it's getting worse."

Duo whimpered, but did not awaken.

Quatre picked up the phone and called his family's personal doctor. "Don't worry," he said to Heero, "we can trust this guy." he turned his attention to the phone. "Yes, it's Quatre. I'm fine, but a friend of mine is sick. Yes, a very bad fever. Yes, he is from L2. Oh, I see.. Yes, thanks anyhow." he hung up.

"Why'd he want to know if Duo was from L2?"

"Well, apparently a lot of people who survived the L2 disaster, Duo included by the looks of things, have started showing signs of having been infected with a dormant strain of the plague that struck the colony years ago."

"Is it contagious?" Heero asked.

"Yes." Quatre replied, solemnly.

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

"So, what do we do?" Heero asked.

"Duo's the key." Quatre told him.

"Explain." Heero dabbed Duo's forehead again.

"Duo's carried the plague ever since he was a small child." Quatre replied. "If we can keep him alive long enough then it should awaken any dormant antibodies he's built up in his system."

"Dormant antibodies?" Heero asked.

"The sickness has been in his body for some time, so his body has reacted by building up antibodies. However, because the sickness has been dormant, so have the antibodies, but they are there."

"So we have to keep him alive."

"There's another problem." Quatre replied. "Although others have been infected, the doctor says only Duo's body has the antibodies. That means he's valuable not only to us, but to OZ and anyone who wants to corner the market on a cure."

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

Heero took a deep breath. "Then we must do all we can to keep Duo alive and safe."

"Agreed." Quatre nodded. "Heero, you've been up with him all night. Why don't you get some sleep while I take the next watch?"

"Thanks." Heero replied. "But I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to him because I wasn't watching him."

"And if you fell asleep on duty or were too tired to think straight when he needed you?" Quatre asked.

"Point taken." Heero yawned as he trudged off to bed. "Goodnight, Duo." he called back.

Quatre carefully dabbed Duo's forehead with the damp, cold facecloth.

"Heero loves you, Duo." he said. "We all love you, so don't you *dare* die on us. We need you. The whole world needs you. You can fight this thing. You can beat it. You have to."

Trowa was in the kitchen making breakfast when Wufei walked in and poured himself a glass of juice.

"What's on the menu?" Wufei asked.

"Same old stuff." Trowa replied. "Could you go tell the other that breakfast is almost ready?"

Wufei nodded and headed into the sleeping area. He was about to go into Heero's room when Quatre came out of the bathroom with a wet facecloth in his hands.

"Let Heero sleep." he said. "He's been up with Duo all night."

"With Duo?" Wufei asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yes. But not like that." Quatre nodded. "Duo's very sick."

Wufei followed as Quatre walked into Duo's room and placed the facecloth on his forehead. "What's wrong with him?" he asked.

"Do you remember the old plague that wiped out the L2 colony?"

Wufei nodded. "Don't tell me it's back."

"It is." Quatre nodded. "Somehow Duo's the only person carrying the now-awakened dormant strain of the disease who's developed antibodies."

"Which makes him a prime target." Wufei pointed out.

"Exactly." Quatre concluded. "Anyhow, I've got to keep an eye on him, so could you bring my food up to me?"

"Sure." Wufei replied as he headed back into the kitchen.

"Well?" Trowa asked.

"Heero's sleeping, Duo's sick, and Quatre's staying by Duo's side trying to keep his fever down. Quatre wants me to bring him something."

Trowa put some food on a plate and Wufei brought it to Quatre.

"Thanks, Wufei." Quatre said as he began to eat.

Wufei headed back down to the kitchen. "So, which one of us will sit up with Duo next?" he mused.

"I'll take the next watch when the time comes." Trowa replied handing Wufei a plate of food and making up one for himself. "You take the one after that." he took a bite of his food.

Wufei took a bite out of his own "Sounds good to me." he agreed.

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

"What the hell is wrong with my men?" Treize demanded, glaring at the doctor.

"Recently a dormant strain of the old plague that wiped out the L2 Colony has become active. It appears your men have succumbed to it."

"I see. So, what is the cure for this plague?"

"There is none." the doctor replied.

"Then we are doomed." Treize sighed. "Very well. It is time to activate the doomsday machine."

"Sir?!" the doctor's eyes went wide.

"When we go up, we'll take most of the surrounding city with us."

"Sir, let's not be hasty. I said there wasn't a cure, but I didn't say obtaining one would be impossible. Adult survivors of the plague wouldn't have permanent antibodies because of their matured immune systems. But if a child survived the plague, then his body would adjust to it. And if he became a carrier of the dormant strain, then dormant antibodies would form as well."

"That's like looking for a needle in a haystack." Treize exclaimed to Zechs later on as the two were having dinner "How am I supposed to find a surviving child from L2 in this city?!"

"But you already know one." Zechs smiled. "Though, I can see how you wouldn't have thought of him. He isn't the type most people would think of as a child, though technically..."

Treize smiled in realization. "Duo Maxwell."

-----TBC-----