Shimihitotsu nai Ninshin

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

"Hurry! We've only got five minutes before this thing blows!" Duo's voice held a hint of amusement in it as he set the charges on the explosives he'd placed.

"I've found him." Quatre told Duo, looking up from the computer. "He's in cell-block three. Cell number fourteen." He tapped a few keys and the door to the cell-block opened.

Quatre and Duo ran into the cell-block and quickly found cell fourteen. 

Duo used just enough explosive to destroy the lock mechanism on the cell door. He slid the door open.

"Heero!"

Heero was in bad shape, but still alive and nowhere near beaten.

"Let's go!" Duo told Quatre urgently, as he picked up Heero. "This place is goin' up in less than three minutes!"

"I can walk." Heero protested.

"Yeah, but ya can't run." Duo pointed out as he began to do just that.

They raced to the exit, Duo carrying Heero, making it out and to a safe distance just seconds before the place exploded.

"Looks like OZ won't be making any more weapons at that factory." Duo's face held a look of grim triumph.

"But why keep Heero there instead of at the lock-up facility?" Quatre asked.

"Weapons makers need a bit of 'fun' once in a while, too." Heero snarled.

Duo glared. "Heero. Did those bastards...?!"

"They were gonna," Heero grinned, "but they thought better of it when they discovered an interesting thing about me."

"What's that?" Duo asked.

"I bite."

"I don't even want to..." Quatre suddenly stopped. He was looking at Duo as if seeing him for the very first time.

"Quatre?" Duo asked. "What's wrong?

"Quatre?" asked Heero.

Quatre shook his head. "Huh?! Oh... for a moment I thought... no... never mind. Let's just get home."

"Good idea." Duo agreed.

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

"Quatre?" Trowa asked. "What's wrong?"

Quatre looked up from his meditation. "Nothing, really." He looked out the window, the November sky was grey with the promise of snow.

"You don't sound too convinced."

"I'm not." Quatre admitted. "I just didn't want to worry you. Trowa, I'm worried about Duo."

"Why?" Trowa asked. "He's acting the same as always."

Quatre nodded. "I know. That's why I can't figure out what's bothering me. Ever since we rescued Heero in August..."

"You guys want pizza?" Duo asked, walking up to the door of Quatre's room.

"Speak of the devil..." Trowa muttered the well-known saying.

"...and in he walks." Duo added the not quite as well-known ending. "I hope whatever you were saying was favorable."

"I'm worried about you, Duo." Quatre told him. 

"Don't be." Duo leaned against the doorframe. "I'm perfectly..."

A moment later, Duo was lying on the floor.

"DUO!" Quatre ran to the phone and called his home. "Dad, Quatre. Duo's passed out. We need to use the medical facility. I think there's more to it. No, I can't explain. Thank you." he hung up. "Dad's sending a medical team." he told Trowa. "They'll meet us at the usual rendezvous point in ten minutes."

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

"How is he?" Heero asked. "What happened? Fatigue? Malnutrition?"

"Neither." the doctor replied. "Why don't you come with me?"

Heero followed the doctor into the examination room. "Duo?" he asked.

Duo looked absolutely bewildered. 

Heero went over to him and hugged him. "Duo? What is it?"

"Watashi ga ninshin shiteiru." Duo replied, his voice a stunned whispered.

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

"You're WHAT?!" Heero demanded.

"I'm pregnant, Heero." Duo repeated. 

Heero glared. "Who's the father, Duo?" he asked. "And don't say it's me, because we both know damned well I haven't slept with you."

"No one else has, either." Duo replied, quietly, as he walked out of the room.

Heero blinked, then followed Duo. "Duo, are you involved with some kind of genetic experiment that the doctors or some other group is doing?"

"No." Duo replied. 

"Then how the hell can you be pregnant?!" Heero exploded as they reached the room where the other pilots were waiting.

"I just am, Heero." Duo snapped back. "And since it isn't yours, it's really none of your business."

"It just so happens, I'm the one who loves you, Duo." Heero retorted. "So that makes it my business. When we get married, that'll make me partly responsible for that baby you're carrying."

Wufei dropped the glass of juice he was drinking in surprise. Quatre's head shot up as Heero's and Duo's argument disturbed his meditation, and Trowa dropped the balls he'd been juggling.

"I accept, Heero." Duo snarled as he walked outside.

"Duo!" Heero called out as he followed.

"What do you want?" Duo stopped and turned, half-way down the path.

"You forgot your coat." Heero complained as he draped it over Duo's shoulders.

"Thank you." Duo replied, tersely.

Heero started to leave.

"Wait." Duo sighed. "Let's talk."

Heero stopped and went back over to Duo.

"Heero," Duo told him. "I wish I could explain this, but I can't. I'm as much at a loss as everyone else. I know I'm keeping it, Heero. But other than that, I'm just as much in the dark as the rest of you."

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

Treize picked up the ringing phone. "Yes? Hold on." he put his hand over the mouthpiece and looked across the desk and the pale-haired man who was sitting there. "Zechs, could you excuse me, I need to take a private call."

"Of course." Zechs gave a cold smile as he left the room.

"Go on." Treize said, into the phone. "I see... yes, I've heard of the weapon you speak of. A caseload. What's the catch? Hmmmm." //Something I was planning on doing anyhow.// he didn't add. "Seems a large offering for such a minor job. What's in it for you. Okay, I won't ask." He hung up the phone then went in search of Zechs.

It wasn't a long search, since Zechs was in the hallway, leaning up against the door.

"You, of course heard." Treize smiled. He couldn't stay angry at Zechs no matter how he tried.

"I heard your half of the conversation." Zechs shrugged. "Care to share the other half?"

"Some guy just called. Hired us as hit men, if you can believe it."

"Sounds like you're thinking of doing the job."

"Not just thinking." Treize told Zechs. "I *am* doing it. Or rather you are. The mission's very simple. Assassinate Duo Maxwell."

"We'll probably kill him in one of the battles, so..."

"NO!" Treize exclaimed. He took a moment to compose himself, then continued. "It must be a hit. It must look like we're doing it for him. He's promised us a case of Z9-280 nuclear-bullet rifles." he explained.

"So we do what we were planning on doing anyhow and this guy gives us a case of the most powerful hand-held weapon ever made." Zechs smiled as Treize pulled him into an embrace and kissed him, putting his own arms around Zechs.


On a street corner, a clawed hand placed a phone back onto a receiver as hideous lips curled up in a malicious sneer. "Pity you won't live long enough to use your new toys." he remarked to the empty street, as he walked down it, disappearing into the thickening fog.

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

"Duo."

Duo woke, and turned to see Quatre standing in the doorway. "Yeah, what are you doing awake?"

"I couldn't sleep." Quatre replied. "Mind if I come in?"

Duo smiled. "I couldn't sleep either." he admitted. "How about a game of cribbage? The cards and pegboard are on the dresser."

"I see them." Quatre started to head over to the dresser, but suddenly stopped. He turned to Duo, eyes suddenly more intense than Duo had ever know Quatre's eye to be. 

Duo figured he'd have been able to handle the look Quatre was giving him if he hadn't been doing it from somewhere in the vicinity of the ceiling. And it would've also helped if Quatre wasn't currently lit up like a neon sign.

"Quatre?" he managed, weakly. 

"You'll be all right." a voice both Quatre's and not Quatre's told him. "But you and your friends will have to leave this city. It is not safe for you here. The Dark One seeks to destroy the children which slumber within your body."

"Children?" Duo asked. "Plural? As in...?"

"Twins." the voice told him. "But do not be afraid. No harm will come to you, kimeru-suru. For now, you must pack and leave this place at once. All of you. Do not wait until morning. Go! NOW!"

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

By the time the glow had faded from around Quatre's body and he was back on the ground, Duo had his suitcase nearly fully packed and was tossing the last of his clothes into it.

"No time to explain or argue." Duo told Quatre. "Wake the others. Tell them we gotta get moving."

Something in Duo's voice told Quatre not to argue. He packed quickly, then ran to the other rooms to wake the other pilots.

"There had better be a very good reason why we're suddenly moving at two in the morning."

"There is," Duo replied. "Now let's go!"

*****

Ten minutes and many miles later, Heero brought the car to a screeching halt. "He told you WHAT?!"

Wufei and Trowa instantly shielded Duo from any impact.

"Careful!" Duo shouted. 

Heero cursed himself, mentally. He'd have to drive more carefully. Duo was expecting after all. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Duo nodded. 

"Now, would you mind repeating what you said?"

For the second time, Duo told them about Quatre's temporary transfiguration, what he'd told Duo.

"What did you say he called you?" Heero asked when Duo was finished. By this time, he'd started driving again.

"Kimeru suru." Duo recalled. "Why? That mean anything?"

Heero nodded. "It means 'The Chosen One'."

"Oh." Duo muttered as realization struck him.

Heero drove a little longer before starting to speak again. "Duo, do you think...?"

"Shhh...." Quatre replied. "he's fainted."

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

Heero looked in the rearview mirror as they came to a turn. This was a fortuitous move since it was then that he noticed the black sedan that was following them.

A moment later, a bullet ripped through the back and front windows of the car, missing Duo's head by inches.

Duo ducked, Quatre and Wufei shielding him with their bodies, while Heero sped along the streets and highways as fast as he could, trying to outrun the black sedan.

Soon the sedan pulled up alongside them. It was then that Heero pulled out his own weapon and fired at the sedan's window. No luck there.

"Bullet-proof glass." Heero realized. "Very well." he aimed for the vehicle's tires and took out the two on that side of the car.

The driver of the sedan fought the car to the side of the road, cursing as the car carrying the five pilots sped out of his reach.


"Where are we?" Trowa asked, once their hearts had stopped pounding.

"I don't know." Heero admitted.

Duo looked up and saw the old apartment building, run down and abandoned, standing there. "We're home." he told the others.

"What here?!" Quatre asked. "Duo..."

Duo was already carrying his suitcase down the path to the front door.

"Duo," Heero followed him, "have you gone insane? Duo?! Duo?!"

Duo brought his suitcase into the building.

Heero shrugged and returned to the car. "Well, looks like we're staying here. At least for the time being."

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

They carried their luggage inside and placed it in the living room.

"Wufei, come with me." Heero ordered. "You other three, wait here while Wufei and I check the place out."

"No one's here." Duo told them.

"Let's just make sure." Heero suggested, firmly.

Duo, Quatre, and Trowa waited in the living room.

"Duo?" Trowa asked. "I have to ask you... what's it like?"

"What's what like?" Duo asked. "If you mean just being pregnant, I don't know. I really don't have anything to compare it with. It's pretty incredible. If you're referring to the exact nature of my pregnancy, that's another matter entirely. I don't suppose I'll ever figure out why I was chosen for this. But I guess that doesn't matter."

*****

"All clear in here!" Heero called as he stepped out of a room.

"This one's empty, too." Wufei agreed, meeting Heero in the corridor. "Heero... about Duo..."

"What about him?"

"What do we do about... you know?"

"Duo's pregnancy?" Heero asked. "Nothing. After Duo has the twins and recovers from his C-section, he and I are going to get married."

*****

"I'm sorry, sir." Zechs bowed. "I failed."

Treize hurled a glass at Zechs. "GET OUT!"

Zechs bowed again, and backed out of the room, shutting the door too late to avoid getting struck by a glass as it flew at him.

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

//Zechs.//

Zechs spun around, looking every which way. No one was in the corridor. But he was sure he'd heard a voice.

"Who are you? Where are you?"

//Zechs, listen to me.//

"Why?" Zechs was skeptical, but he was also intrigued.

//Zechs, your friend Treize is in trouble. The creature he has allied himself with has no interest in OZ's well-being. Or anyone's for that matter. His sole interest right now is to destroy the twins who slumber within the body of Duo Maxwell.//

Zechs blinked. "Duo's pregnant? But how is that possible?"

//The twins must live, Zechs Merquise.// the voice told him. //Your new task is to turn Treize Kushrenada from the path of destruction he has recently set his foot upon.//

"And if I refuse?" Zechs asked.

//You have the right to do so. But the fate of your world and your race depends on the safety of those unborn twins. Should the demon who is using Treize succeed, it will be he, not OZ, who will rule. And you and your friend will be treated no better than cattle.//

"Then I will help you." Zechs decided.

"Zechs," Treize called. 

Zechs walked back into Treize's office. "Yes?"

"I'm giving you a second chance." Treize told him. "Now, you know what to do."

Zechs nodded. "Yes, sir." He departed from the OZ base and headed into town. He was looking for Duo when he felt a gun at the back of his neck.

"Now, what are you doing here?" Heero asked.

"I was sent by Treize to kill Duo Maxwell. But I wasn't going to do it. I came to warn all of you. There's something after Duo. Something that wants to make sure his babies never get born. It promised Treize a case of nuclear-bullet rifles if he would have Duo killed."

"Why are you betraying your commander?" Heero asked.

"I'm not." Zechs explained. "I'm doing this for him. To save his life and his soul. That thing will kill him once the bargain is complete and I don't want Treize to die. I love him too much for that."

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

Zechs frowned as he made his way back to the OZ base. He'd have a lot of explaining to do. That was okay, he decided. Treize was worth getting hollered at. Besides he'd be getting hollered at by Treize which meant that he would be able to hear the voice he loved.

Twenty minutes and a great deal of hollering later, Zechs decided he liked Treize's voice better several decibels softer.

"You disappoint me, my friend." Treize shook his head. "Do not do so again. If you value our friendship, you will not fail again."

//It is because I value it that I have failed.//

"I will do my best, Treize." He left feeling even worse than before. "That went well, God." he muttered. "Whatever I do, I lose him."

"All will work out for the best."

"Zechs," Treize told him. "I have a little something you can do for me tonight, to make up for your earlier blunder. It's a recon job, so you shouldn't have any trouble with it."

"What kind of recon job?" Zechs asked.

*****

"Duo. Sit still." Quatre told him. "Stop fidgeting. I'm almost done."

"Tell me, again, why I have to do this?"

"It's traditional." Quatre repeated for the nth time. "Every time a new immaculate conception takes place the mother always has their portrait painted." he finished the last few touches and sat back. "There." he said. "What do you think?"

Duo looked it over. "Not bad."

"So, have you thought of any names?" Quatre asked.

"If one's a boy I'd like to name him Quatre, with your permission."

"I'm honored." Quatre smiled. "And a girl?"

"Theora." Duo replied.

Heero walked out onto the porch with some drinks. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Heero." Duo smiled up at his fiancé.

Heero leaned down and kissed Duo. "Portrait done?"

"Sure is." Quatre beamed. "See?" he showed it to Heero.

"A masterpiece." Heero praised. "Duo, after the babies are born, why don't we get Quatre to paint a family portrait?"

"I'd love to." Quatre bubbled with delight. "Oh, please?"

Duo finally gave in and nodded, resignedly.

"Oh thank you! Thank you!" Quatre was absolutely overjoyed.

"Heero no baka." Duo whispered.

*****

"So, Miles," the man asked, running his hand up the white-haired man's inner thigh. "How long have you been a male prostitute?"

"For a few years." Zechs replied, spreading his legs a bit in response to the other man's touch. He hated this, but the information Treize needed was vital and this man had it. He had to get the man into a vulnerable state. Working on the man's weakness would prove the best strategy. Unfortunately, this man's weakness was male prostitutes.

The man slapped Zechs hard enough to knock him down. Zechs had to fight hard to stop himself from breaking the man's neck.

"Liar!" the man snarled. "This is your first night."

Zechs nodded. "Yes." he told the man. "I lied because I didn't want you to feel guilty."

"I don't care if you been taken by nobody or the entire fuckin' OZ army."

Zechs flinched inwardly . Did this man somehow know who he was? No, it had to be a coincidence.

"On the bed. Lay on your stomach and do *not* look at me again."

Zechs did as he was told. This wasn't turning out the way he'd expected. But he couldn't just leave. He had to stay for the duration, to throw off any suspicions the man might have.

The man was rough, violent, offering no foreplay or lubrication, each thrust tearing into Zechs, clawed fingers digging into his shoulder.

Zechs dug into the mattress and bit into the pillow. He wouldn't cry out. Wouldn't scream. He could handle the pain.

It was the creature who had walked away from the phone booth who shuddered to orgasm deep within Zech's body. And it was the creature who smiled as he withdrew from Zech's unconscious form.

*****

"Duo, I'm not so sure this is such a good idea."

"Look, I need to learn this stuff. So let's go, okay?"

"Duo, you're a boy. We're going to draw attention."

"I don't care. Now get your coat on. We're going to be late."

The two pilots got into the car and headed for the hospital.

"May I help you?" the woman outside the classroom asked.

"We're here for the class."

"Sirs," the woman shook her head. "This is a Lamaze class. It's for mothers-to-be. We teach proper breathing exercises here."

"Good." Duo smiled. "That's exactly what I'm looking for. I am planning on having a c-section, of course..."

The woman looked him over closely. "How on earth...?" she managed. "Well, if you're having a planned c-section, there's a special class for those breathing techniques. That also meets tonight. Oh, do you have a doctor?"

"I'm friends with the Winner family." Duo replied. "One of their doctors is seeing me."

"The class will be starting soon. Third room on the left down that hall." she pointed at it.

*****

The girls looked up as Duo and Heero walked into the room.

"Well," one of them remarked to Duo, "I guess we know why *you're* having a c-section."

Duo laughed. 

"Well, this is certainly unusual." the teacher said, a little nervously. "Now, young man, if you feel any discomfort, you say so. You don't need to act all tough just because you're a male. In fact, doing so could endanger your baby."

"Babies." Duo correct her. "Twins."

"And your name...?"

"Duo Maxwell." Duo replied.

"Heero Yuy." Heero added.

"Sheila Takahashi," The girl looked very Japanese, except that her hair was reddish-orange and her eyes were green. "My mother was of Scottish descent." she explained..

"Keiichi Takahashi." the girl's husband introduced himself.

"Sayaka Renzuburo." another woman introduced herself. She had long pale blue hair and eyes that matched.

"Myazaki Renzuburo." her husband offered.

"And I am Bugei Isan." the teacher concluded. "Now, lets begin shall we. Now, fathers, remember, your loved ones are going to be awake and under local anesthetic. That means its up to you to keep them relaxed and breathing the way we will instruct them to. Mothers, and yes, Duo, that means you, too. The breathing exercises are designed to keep you calm and relaxed so that the drugs in your system can work better and you will be more comfortable. Now the first thing you want to do is make sure the mother is calm on the way to the hospital. If the mother is frightened or panicking, the local anesthetic will not work properly. So fathers, when your loved one is going into the hospital, the first thing you want to do is take a deep breath." here she demonstrated. "And then let it out, slowly." she gave another demonstration "That way, you'll be nice and relaxed and able to keep the young mother equally relaxed."

All the dads-to-be in the classroom imitated the breathing the teacher had shown them.

"Very good." Bugei smiled. "Now mothers, your breathing is very similar to that of those having regular childbirth. Except the puffs should be less hurried, and you won't need to bear down. All you need to do is keep your breathing to nice slow, measured puffs." she demonstrated the technique. "Now you do it."

All the mothers-to-be imitated her as the dads-to-be had done earlier.

"Very good." 

"Try not to do too well, Maxwell." Keiichi warned. "Our wives might start getting ideas."

"The name's Duo." Duo replied. "Maxwell's my last name. "

"Duo, then." Keiichi smiled. "You may call me Keiichi."

******

"Don't get too attached to your new friends." Heero warned as he and Duo headed home. He spotted a bunch of police cars and decided to take a back route. He was nearing the turn off when he saw Zechs being taken out of a building on a stretcher. He'd come back later and find out what happened. Right now, he had to get Duo home safely. "There's still a war going on, and those guys aren't fighters who can take care of themselves like we are."

"I know." Duo replied. "That's why I want to be friends with them now. I might not get the chance to do it later."

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

Zechs opened his eyes. He felt a great deal of pain in his backside and it didn't take a lot of mental nudging for him to remember what had happened the night before.

"Damn, that guy was rough." he muttered, thoughtfully. Every part of him seemed to ache with every move. Zechs decided it would be best to stop moving. "Didn't find out what I needed either. And.. where the hell am I? This doesn't look like that hotel room." He looked at his hospital johnny, then at the room around him.. "Guy must've been rougher than I thought."

Treize walked in wearing a relieved but grave expression. "Finally awake?"

Zechs nodded, instantly regretting it as a wave of pain raced up through his skull. "How long have I been out?" He looked around at the hospital room he was now in. It was pretty standard, off-white walls, nicely polished floors, a window was open just enough to let in a cool breeze and the curtains were fluttering slightly. "Nice curtains, ne?" he asked, sounding ready to fall back to sleep any minute.

"A few hours." Treize replied in answer to Zech's earlier question. "The maid found you and was concerned about the amount of blood you were losing. Zechs..."

"I'm all right, Treize." Zechs replied, smiling sleepily.

"I'm glad. Did you get the information?" Treize's voice held a hint of great concern, both for Zechs and about the information in question. 

Zechs shook his head, frowning tiredly. He was still very weak from the ordeal he'd undergone the previous night. "Unfortunately the opportunity never presented itself. Treize, I think he knew who I was. He mentioned OZ just before he ..."

"Damn it." Treize cursed, angrily, slamming his fist against a wall.. "How could he know?"

"I have my suspicions." Zechs admitted.

"Tell me."

*****

"You guys didn't have to do this." Duo laughed, happily, as he unwrapped his gifts. "Really, it was sweet of you guys to have a baby shower for me. So, which one of you masterminded this little gathering?"

All eyes fell upon Quatre.

"I only organized it." Quatre admitted, cheerfully. "And I was more than happy to help. Now, if you want to know who thought it up, there's your guilty party. It was his idea." he pointed at Heero who was leaning against a nearby wall, his mouth set in a stern expression, though his eyes seemed cheerful.

"Heero?" Duo asked. "You did this for me? That was so sweet! I love you." he kissed Heero, cheerfully. "I love all of you guys."

The gifts Duo received for the baby were mostly clothes, though there were other items, pacifiers, diapers, a bassinet, blankets, and other assorted items.

Duo also got a diamond engagement ring from Heero.

"Oh, Heero," he gushed, "it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"You should look in the mirror more often." Heero told Duo as he slipped the engagement ring onto the braided boy's finger. "Mine." he whispered.

"Forever." Duo whispered back

Quatre snapped a picture of them when they kissed. They didn't mind. That was definitely a memory they wanted to preserve.


*****

"You think he's WHAT?!" Treize exclaimed in disbelief. "Zechs, that's crazy! The Devil is an ancient myth. The only people who believe in that stuff these days are the few churches that somehow survived into this century."

"Treize, with all respect..." Zechs began, urgently.

Treize waved him off. " Please, Zechs, let's concentrate on reality here. The guy is a rather nasty son of a bitch, I'll grant you that. But I seriously doubt he's the Devil."

"Sir..." Zechs tried again. He had to stop Treize. He couldn't let his best friend condemn himself to eternal torment.

"I'll come back later, when you're coherent."

Zechs watched, sadly, as Treize turned and left the room.

"I tried, God." he whispered.

*****

"You really outdid yourself, Trowa." Quatre remarked, taking a little more of the gyoza Trowa had made for the shower. "This is delicious."

"He's right, you know." Duo smiled. "When the war's over, you've definitely gotta open up a restaurant or something. You'd make a fortune!"

"Now, there's a thought." Quatre agreed. "So, how about it, Trowa?"

"I kinda like the circus." Trowa replied. "it's nice to be able to make kids laugh, especially these days. What about you, Duo? Any plans after the war's over?"

"It'll have to be something that gives me time with my children." Duo replied, thoughtfully.

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

"Duo, you're crazy." Heero told him. It was mid-April and Duo's pregnancy was showing now. This concerned Heero, especially when Duo had announced that he was going out with Sheila and Sayaka.

"They invited me to go out with them." Duo shrugged. "It would've been rude to say no. Besides, I'm tired of being cooped up in the house all the time."

"I really think you should rethink this." Heero insisted. "I mean you're a pregnant male, Duo. You'll attract attention."

The sound of a car horn came from outside.

"They're here." Duo told Heero. "I won't stay out late, I promise."

"Fine." Heero muttered. "At least take the pager." he programmed a few numbers into it. "My number's the first one, the second one is the Winner Family's hospital number, just in case. Be careful, Duo."

"I will." Duo promised as he headed out to join the two women.

*****

Zechs was swearing a blue streak. Every colorful metaphor in the book and a few new inventions that would've made a sailor blush came flying out of his mouth.

"Get your fuckin' monster-brat outta me!" he screamed at the demon who stood over him, watching him as he writhed in agony, his abdomen bulging as his body went through three months of pregnancy in a matter of seconds.

The demon shook his head. "Now now, is that any way to talk? I'm but a midwife. My only function is to attend the birth of the child of His Majesty, Lord..."

"I know who your fuckin' boss is, you damned twit! Now get this outta me before I...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGHHH!" the scream ripped through the abandoned warehouse even as the demon child ripped through Zech's abdomen.

Treize heard the scream and ran to help his friend, the man he loved. He hadn't seen Zechs since their argument at the hospital. He had to say one thing for the man, when Zechs didn't want to be found, he didn't get found.

*****

The waitress brought the sundaes over to the table and smiled.

"Can I get you anything else?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine." Duo replied. "Either of you?"

Sheila shook her head. "I'm good."

"I'm fine." Sayaka agreed. She took a bite of her sundae, then looked at Duo in concern. "Duo? Are you sure you're okay."

Duo leaned back, clutching his abdomen. "I think I'm in labor." he whispered.

*****

Zechs lie on the floor, discarded as callously as a pile of old dishrags. 

Treize ran to his side and scooped him up into his arms.

"I tried to stand against the Prince of Darkness." Zechs whispered. "He made me bear his child. A fitting punishment for my pride."

Treize called for OZ's medical team. "Hush," he told Zechs. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you before. Just hang in there, help is coming."

*****

Heero was working on Wing when his pager went off. He checked the message read out, then sprang into action, making it to the front door in record time.

"What is it?" Trowa asked from living room where he, Quatre, and Wufei were watching a news program about OZ.

"Duo's in labor." Heero replied.

In three seconds all four pilots were in the car and speeding to meet Duo at the Winner Family's private hospital.

-----part 14----- 

The OZ medical team raced to save Zechs's life. They knew Treize would make their lives a living hell if they failed.

"Pulse rate erratic." the doctor on monitor told them. "Breathing still irregular."

"Just a few more stitches." the head surgeon said, as he carefully stitched up Zechs' wound. "Hang in there, sir. Treize will have my head on a plate if you die, so please hang in there."

Treize paced the corridor outside the operating room, each moment growing more and more heart-wrenching for him. His face wore an agonized expression. His hands wrung at the hem of his shirt as he grew more and more concerned over the well-being of his friend and associate. //Zechs, my dearest friend, my truest love. I don't want you to leave me. Please, Zechs, please don't give up. "


*****

In another corridor at another hospital, three Gundam Pilots were also pacing. 

Wufei looked up at the clock. "Time has no sense of justice." he remarked, folding his arms petulantly across his chest when he saw that only five minutes had passed since the last time he'd checked.

Trowa started to say something, but stopped as Quatre once again levitated in mid-air.

"Quatre?" Trowa managed to ask, awestruck by Quatre's current location, not to mention the soft glow that surrounded him.

Wufei turned, then saw where Quatre was. "Have the babies been born then?" he asked.

"They have." the voice of the one speaking through Quatre replied. "I say unto... um, hello?" 

But Wufei and Trowa were already gone.

"Oh well," the voice sighed, resigned. "So much for my big speech."

As soon as Quatre was on the ground and back to normal, he saw the other two were gone and realized what must've happened. He raced into the delivery room.

*****

"Colonel Treize," the doctor stepped out of the operating room.

"How is he?" Treize asked, worriedly. 

"It was close, but he's going to be fine." the doctor replied. sounding greatly relieved. "I'm frankly amazed. Most normal people would've given up and died after an injury like that."

Treize smiled, thoughtfully. "Our Zechs is a remarkable man." he agreed. "How soon can I see him?"

"He'll be in recovery room four in just a couple minutes." the doctor replied. 

*****

The nurse brought the two babies into the recovery room where Duo was resting. "Here you go." she told him. "Two healthy babies. One boy and one girl."

"Quatre and Theora." Duo whispered, as he looked at his two newborns through tears of happiness.

The nurse wrote down the babies' stats on the appropriate papers and handed them to Heero to be signed. "The mother can sign them when he's recovered." she told him. "It's just the birth certificates."

Heero read them over and signed his name on the space where the father of the babies was meant to sign it. He handed it back to the nurse.

The doctor took the babies from Duo's arms and handed them to Heero.

The perfect soldier looked down at the two small infants. They both had Duo's chestnut hair and their eyes were the same color as Duo's. But they had Heero's facial features. It was, to Heero, as if God were confirming that Duo and Heero were meant to be together. He smiled and kissed each child, noticing that they'd fallen asleep.

"You both rest now." he told them as he cradled them in his arms and watched them sleep, wondering what life would have in store for them.

-----Owari-----