| Warning ya�ll now: no Heero or Duo in this part. Wait, don�t kill me yet! Jeez, the whole series is about them and since they�ve been working none-stop for 7 parts straight now, I decided to give them a little break. So they�re both unconscious at the moment. Rest is rest, right? ::sweatdrops:: Hehe, seriously though, I hope you like. I�m not used to writing with just these three. I tried. Also, due to the seeming popularity of this fic (Kami-sama knows why), I�m going to do a sequel. I�ve had to cut this one off sooner then I would have liked but RL and other restraints got me first. Will you all be satisfied if the sequel picks up where this one leaves off? That way I can break this thread and take some much-needed vacation time. Deal, minna-san? Title: A Gesture of Kindness 8/10 Author: Lady DarkAngel [email protected] Archive: Lady DarkAngel's Gundam Wing Fanfiction Library http://ladydarkangel_1.homestead.com/Main.html, Darkflame's (if she'll take it.) and anywhere else is fine, just ask me first Category: Yaoi, angst Pairing(s): 1+2 eventually (I'ma getting' there, don't rush me!) Disclaimers: Gundam Wing or Shinkidousenki Gundam Wing is copyrighted and trademarked by Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency and associated parties with all rights and privileges. The characters were used without permission for the purposes of entertainment only. This is not meant for sale of profit. Any characters not created by those listed above are mine and hereby considered the sole property and copyright of the author. Anyway, I'm just a poor college student. So can I play with them? I promise I won't break them�...much. Rating: PG Warnings: Angst, severe illness, minor gross factor, sap? Feedback: Kami-sama, YES!!! [email protected]; any and all comments are welcome like the sweet ego-sustainers they are. Wufei and Trowa walked as fast as they could through the ER without attracting attention. It had been over 17 hours since Quatre and Heero had left with their precious burden and they were anxious to discover what had happened. They had assumed enough time would have passed to make their arrival less suspicious. Hopefully, they wouldn�t even be detected. Slip in, ascertain the situation, determine the new course of action and implement it. And check up on Duo while they were at it. As they cased the ward, subtly checking charts for a familiar-sounding case, they grew increasingly uneasy. There was nothing and no one admitted with Duo�s symptoms that matched his physical description. That wasn�t right. They really didn�t bother looking at the names. They wouldn�t know what name (if any) the American would have been identified as. And there were no John Does, either. No reports of anything that could help them. After twenty minutes of dodging rushing interns and shouting nurses in the chaos that exemplifies the only ER in the area, the pair was officially edgy. No sign of anyone, damnit. No Heero or Quatre, and certainly no Duo. Even if they couldn�t find the ill boy, one of the others should have been there, waiting for them. That was the plan. There wasn�t even any hints or hidden messages anywhere they could think to look that might have been left if things turned sour. Absolutely no clues at all. Unpleasant questions began to form in their minds. Had they been caught? Did they get lost or couldn�t find transport? Had they even made it here? Were they turned away? But the worst of all was the one that wouldn�t go away no matter how hard they tried to shove it from their minds. Were they too late? Did Duo��.? They were about to face that question head on and go the morgue. Better to know, right? No wondering then. If that was the case, then�� With a shared look that meant they wanted this over with as soon as possible, they headed towards to ER�s exit into the main hospital. The morgue would undoubtedly be somewhere in the basement or another isolated area. The hunt for the particular location was on when they heard a loud staticky pop. That�s when a bored and more-then-slightly pissed off sounding voice piped over the tinny PA system. �OK, for the fiftieth time today��.. Again and again and AGAIN! Who keeps requesting this anyway?! I don�t see why I have to do this since nobody ever answers this damn page but, hey what the hell? I�m getting paid by the hour so here we go. AGAIN. Paging Mr. Trochan and Mr. Wuman. (1) Call extension x5271. Trochan and Wuman, x5271. B.B. is waiting. Hell, at this rate, he�ll be waiting all day! And night! Who ARE these people anyway? Arrogant bastards can�t even answer one miserable�� Oops, damn mike�s still on. That is all.� Suppressing a smirk, the pair went off in search of a directory. They knew what that was all about. After all, the little blonde could be VERY persistent when he put his mind to it. And there was no doubt that this one was Quatre�s doing. Heero lacked the�.imagination to come up with something like this. After confirming that such a place did exist, they took off for the nearest elevator. Duo was in Room 71 in the second wing on the fifth floor. ----------------------------------------------------- Quatre paced nervously in his chosen corridor. The elevator hadn�t opened on the floor since they had arrived. <Shimatta! Where *ARE* they?! They should have been here by now! Come on! You�re not stupid and I made damn sure that moron made the call every half-hour or so��> The lights above the doors began to blink and he let out an explosive sigh of relief. He raced over and the second the silver doors parted, he was in the occupants' faces. �It�s about time!! What took you?!� �You cover your tracks too well, Little One.� �Aa. Either that or you let Yuy do it. Well, except for the paging piece.� Wufei glanced around. �Was this level of covertness really necessary?� �Hai. There�s a unit stationed just a mile or so away. This is one of their frequent stops. We didn�t set off any suspicions but better safe then sorry.� Here he offered a slight frown that boarded on a pout. �After all, you *did* get the message, so it couldn�t have been *that* hard to figure out��� �Only after much searching, frustration and worry. We were concerned��. How is he, Quatre?� Trowa�s somber face became even more serious and Wufei�s eyes reflected the same emotion. Time to get down to business. Quatre�s face grew grim. �We did make the right decision, you know. The doctors had a conniption when we arrived, Heero�s behavior aside. Duo�s bronchitis was extremely advanced; both lungs were fully involved. He�s suffered some tissue damage from the high fever and inhaling that damn Isp but thankfully no sepsis occurred. The fluid pressure was nearly enough to cause pulmonary edema, which in this case would have been fatal, hospital or not.� He continued with his mental spiel, obtained from the many discussions/rants the doctors were prone to give whether anyone was listening or not and sly peeks onto charts. There was more, MUCH more. But he really didn�t understand most of it, other then the fact that they had nearly lost the Deathscythe pilot in more ways then one. He was repeating only the stuff he was sure he could explain somewhat properly. �We got extremely lucky. That seems to be the general consensus. Duo aspirated and inhaled a potentially lethal substance. He�s suffered chemical irritation to already damaged lungs. All these complications on top of the original problem of the bronchitis. He shouldn�t be alive.� �So how long does he have left?� That stark comment struck the Arabian like a blow. �Nani?! No! Trowa, I didn�t mean��. He�s not gonna die. He won�t be well for a long time but it looks like Duo Maxwell has spit in Death�s face once again. Repeatedly. And most of them were loogies. (2)� Wufei blurted out, �Demo��. You said��.. the complications��..� Quatre sighed. �No one�s really sure how or why, but it seems he�s gonna make it. It defies all reason, probability and medical knowledge. But that doesn�t seem to be a problem for Duo. They�ve never seen anyone so strong or determined to live despite the odds.� �That�s our baka.� A ghost of a smile flittered across Trowa�s face. �Did you really expect him to just give up and die?� The blonde�s shoulders slumped. �Would it be so terrible if I said yes?� he whispered. �I�� He was so sick. I didn�t��. I thought��.. that even Shinigami was going to lose this battle. I shouldn�t have, I should have KNOWN that he would pull through�� I��.� Wufei clapped a gentle hand on his shoulder. �Enough of this. We have no time to suffer recriminations, even if they come from the self.� He stopped and looked around as if something had just struck him. �Hey. Where the hell is Yuy? No, wait let me guess. Holding a bedside vigil again?� Quatre unexpectedly began to giggle. �Nope, he�s got his own filled�..� At their uncomprehending stares, he explained. �Heero hit his head in the bathroom; that�s the loud thud we heard. Somewhat minor concussion but he�s had worse.� �So why�s he tucked in, then?� �He passed out.� �NANI?!?!?� �You heard me. Heero kissed the dirt, well tiles anyway. Docs� think it was more from the stress then the injury, though. When we got here, he wouldn�t let go of Duo. He was acting like a mother wolf or something, bared teeth and all. Had a hell of a time trying to pry Duo out of those steel fingers of his without hurting either of them.� �Aa. He *passed out*?! Seriously?!� �Damnit, Wufei! Leave it alone. Can�t you see why? He spent everything he had on Duo, even when it began to cost him. He was really worried!!� �That�s because he cares.� Quatre gave Trowa an indecipherable look. �It may be more then that. It just might be more��.� He gave them a somewhat cryptic smile. �We�ll see. Soon, too. So, shall we go check up on them?� The three exchanged smiles and walked towards their destination and their friends. (TBC��) Only two more parts to go. Sequel�s coming. Just give me time to write it and finish this one first�� (1) Get it? Trochan = Tro-chan = Trowa; Wuman = Wu-man = Wufei. I�ve seen Duo call them this in Kami-sama knows how many fics so I figured they�d get the references. Oh, and B.B. stands for Braided Baka. ^_~ (2) Gomen, but a friend dared me to use it! She was watching Angry Beavers, the one with the Loogie Hawk and well��. I have strange friends. And they are getting stranger every second. O.o Lady DarkAngel ---------- Chibi Duo's Babysitter Moderator of Duo's Sugar Intake Keeper of Duo's Nice Rear-end Co-Keeper of Shinigami's Wings (with Meela) Keeper of Heero's Homicidal Intentions Keeper of Quatre's Teacup Keeper of Trowa's Mask Keeper of Wufei's Sense of Honor Co-Keeper of Duo's Chatter (with Tomanaiya) Co-Keeper of Heero's "Hn" (with Tomanaiya) Co-Writer of Wufei's Rants (with Tomanaiya) Leader of the Inspirationally-challenged Muses: Alisande, Rynvi, and Kiagara Co-Keeper of a real-life hamster named Heero Yuy (Hee-chan)(with Tomanaiya) Keeper of the Hit List Acting GOD in Charge of The Anime Muse Adoption Center and WSCT of the AMAC Proud member of SDDI, the Society of Defending Duo's Intelligence Member of the Society Against the Complete Bastardization of Heero Yuy Occupant of the Happy Hentai House Master Hacker of the Shinigami Organization Assistant Mob Psychologist for the Shinigami Organization Founding Member of Saa-EEP!!! Happy to be a member of the DuoML Member of 1x2, 2x1 Fan Club and ML Many more MLs but you don't want to know... Lady DarkAngel's Gundam Wing Fanfiction Library http://ladydarkangel_1.homestead.com/Main.html |