Hope From the Past - Part 11 by
Keara
Standard disclaimers apply
//Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real//
“Crawling” by: Linkin Park
“I now pronounce you husband and wife!” Came the announcement
from Treize, marrying the young couple standing before him. He smirked,
nodding his head. “You may kiss the bride.”
Wufei and Meiran did just that, their tender kiss followed immediately
by a loud roar of applause. The two of them had been dating for a
few months now, and Heero couldn’t be happier for them. He and
Trowa were Wufei’s best men . . . as the young groom hadn’t
been able to choose between the two of them.
Sitting in attendance of the nuptials were various friends of the
couple, as well as Duo and Quatre. The two previously ill young men
were faring better now. Neither were restricted to lying in bed all
the time. Grueling sessions of physical therapy each day had left
them able to walk around for brief periods of time with the use of
leg braces and crutches. But still, they were not better just yet
and had to rely on wheelchairs for the majority of the time, oxygen
tanks always nearby in case one or both of them found they were having
trouble breathing.
Treize hadn’t given them clearance to travel without personal
guards yet, still unsure whether or not they were a threat. So the
two of them hadn’t been issued private quarters and remained
in the infirmary. Trowa and Heero had questioned them both about their
mental capabilities, but neither seemed willing to talk about it all
that much.
Trowa and Heero knew just about as much now as they had known when
they had first met them. It was apparently aggravating to Treize,
who wanted answers. But neither Trowa nor Heero were willing to pressure
the two young men to talk before they were comfortable with that particular
topic of conversation.
Trowa and Heero cared for the two young men that they had rescued,
and felt very protective over their mental and physical welfare. It
wouldn’t be right to interrogate them. Plus it might ruin any
chance there was of a further relationship. Heero knew that he himself
wanted to pursue a relationship with Duo . . . he didn’t know
if the same could be said of Trowa with Quatre, but he was pretty
sure that his friend felt deeply for the blonde.
As the ceremony ended and everyone moved onto the reception, Heero
went over to where Duo was seated. As usual, he was in a wheelchair,
but Heero was just glad to see that Duo had recovered his health.
The young man was still quite pale, his body thin, but he was far
better than he had been only months before. He was currently wearing
clothes that were slightly too large from him and his long hair was
pulled back in a braid. Heero had helped him with it, although Duo
had requested the specific hairstyle. It looked rather good on Duo
in Heero honest opinion.
“How are you feeling?” Heero asked, kneeling down in
front of Duo while the crowd of people went to the nearby tables that
had been set up around the room.
This was a military base after all, it wasn’t as if there were
fancy church weddings in existence anymore, nor reception halls to
hold a throng of people. This room served just as well though, and
what meager food they had for refreshments was enjoyed by everyone.
It was rare to see a cake . . . Meiran and Wufei had saved up their
rations to get it, although the icing had been a gift from Treize.
“Yeah, I’m just a little tired.” Duo said, his
eyes blinking closed briefly.
“Maybe you should skip the reception.” Heero suggested,
looking over to Quatre, only to see the blonde in a similar tired
state. “I think Quatre needs a rest as well.”
Duo smiled. “Quatre wouldn’t leave now . . . he doesn’t
want to.” Duo said, then looked over to Meiran. “Besides,
I can’t leave now. Meiran’s my friend, I want to see her
happy.”
“All right. But not too much longer. Sally will have a fit
if you pass out.” Heero said, smiling as he brushed a bit of
hair from Duo’s eyes. He frowned then, thinking of what Duo
had said only moments ago. “How do you know that Quatre doesn’t
want to leave?”
Duo blinked tiredly. “You don’t need to ask that. You
already know.” Duo said, turning his head away. “He’s
in my mind, always . . . he’s afraid I’ll leave him alone.
I don’t mind though, it’s reassuring to have his presence
there.”
“Why would he think you’d leave him alone?” Heero
asked, growing a little concerned, not only for Quatre but for Duo
as well. Was there a medical reason for Quatre’s worry? Was
there something wrong with Duo?
Duo smiled, although faintly. “I’m not sick, if that’s
what you’re worried about.” He held up his hand, stilling
Heero’s next question. “No, I can’t read your mind.
It’s just that you looked so worried, it was obvious what you
were thinking.” He took a breath. “As to why Quatre’s
scared, it’s because his sisters are missing from his mind.
All his life he had been able to hear them, now he can’t. He
doesn’t understand why. It must have something to do with what
you’re hiding from us.”
Heero sighed, lowering his head. So, Duo knew that he was hiding
information from him. Well, it was for his own good. It would be traumatic
for them if they discovered just how long they had been in cryogenic
stasis. Heero didn’t want to put them through that yet. They
weren’t ready for that information. And Quatre definitely wasn’t
ready to learn that all of his sisters had died centuries ago.
“Duo, you know I can’t tell you . . .”
Duo’s fingers settled on Heero’s lips. “Don’t
worry about it. I know you’ll tell me the truth in time. I trust
you . . . you’re probably looking out for our best interests,
or under orders.”
“Heero, can I see you for a minute?” Treize’s voice
asked, gaining the attention of both Heero and Duo.
Heero smiled to Duo once more, allowing his hand to linger against
Duo’s cheek briefly before rising to his feet and walking over
to his commanding officer. “Yes, sir?” He asked, standing
before the taller man.
“Heero, I want you and Trowa to meet me in my office as soon
as this reception is over. I have a matter to discuss with you.”
Treize said.
Heero nodded. “Yes, sir.” He replied. This must have
to do with Quatre and Duo. Almost everything that Treize talked with
them about had to do with those two young men.
Treize turned and headed over to a group of people, while Heero returned
to Duo’s side, content to spend the rest of the reception in
the company of the beautiful long-haired youth. He was captivated
by everything about Duo, wanted to know more. Heero wanted to know
everything and was ready to wait for answers to all the questions
burning in his mind. He wanted to feel Duo’s body, to taste
his lips . . . it was a common recurrence in his dreams. He’d
never rush him though, not for anything in the world . . . he wanted
Duo to want him in return if anything should happen between them romantically.
He didn’t want Duo to hurt ever again.
*****
Trowa was sitting by Quatre’s side when Heero came over to tell
him that Treize wanted to see them. The reception had been winding
down for the past few minutes and Quatre was almost completely asleep.
Catherine offered to take Quatre back to the infirmary and Trowa reluctantly
said goodbye to the lovely young man. As he and Heero were walking
out of the room, he caught sight of Sally wheeling Duo down the hallway
in the direction of the infirmary.
In only a few minutes, Trowa found himself standing in front of Treize’s
desk. “You wanted to see us, sir?” He asked, standing
at attention.
Treize bade them to sit, then sighed, folding his hands on the surface
of his desk. “Yes, I have something I want to request of you.”
“Request of us?” Heero asked, confusion obvious in his
voice. Trowa was quite confused as well. It wasn’t every day
that their commanding officer made requests of them.
“I’d like to meet with Duo and Quatre, and I want you
two to arrange it.” Treize said. “You two are the closest
to them, they’d trust you if you told them to meet with me.
I have some questions I want to ask them and I would rather do it
privately.”
“Sir, with all due respect, I’m not sure they’re
ready for a meeting such as this. They’re reluctant to speak
of their pasts, even more reluctant to talk of their powers.”
Heero said.
“I know this.” Treize responded. “While I am more
at ease about their apparent powers, I do feel I need to ask them.
Perhaps they trust you too much. I fear that their connections to
you may have made them afraid to speak of these matters with either
of you.”
Trowa nodded. “The reasoning is sound. If they do fear that
telling us would result in us feeling differently about them, then
they would hide the truth. Speaking with someone they have no emotional
connection with could give them a way to speak of it.”
“Exactly why I suggested this. I hope you will consider it.”
Treize said, rising from his seat.
Trowa opened his mouth to reply, however anything he had wanted to
say died on his lips when the base alarms suddenly went off, the lights
in the room quickly beginning to flash red. Treize slammed his hand
down on a button on his desk. “What the hell is going on?”
He asked.
The voice over his intercom speaker replied quickly. “We have
a security breach in the outer doors, sir! Intruders have entered
the base!”
“Who is it?” Treize asked.
“Don’t know . . . looks . . .” The intercom went
dead. Apparently someone had reached the communications systems and
disabled them.
Treize looked up at Heero and Trowa. “Find Duo and Quatre and
protect them from whatever has invaded our base! If you have to, get
them out through the emergency exit!” He ordered, then moved
swiftly around his desk. “I’m going to Ops. to find out
what the hell is going on here!”
Neither Heero nor Trowa wasted a moment in leaving the room. They
ran through the halls, both of them heading for the infirmary. “Heero!”
Duo’s voice called out, gaining their attention.
“Why isn’t he in the infirmary?” Heero asked, looking
to Sally for answers.
“Sorry, but I had to stop for a bathroom break.” Duo
said, blushing slightly. “What's going on? Why are the alarms
going off?” Duo asked, his tone changing to a fearful one.
“There are intruders in the base. Come on, I have to get you
somewhere safe.” Heero said, taking control of Duo’s wheelchair
and getting him away.
Sally was left to look at them as they departed, then she turned
to Trowa. “I suppose you were sent to get Quatre?” She
asked, but didn’t wait for a reply. “Last I saw, Catherine
was taking him to the infirmary. I told her to go on ahead without
me and Duo.”
Trowa nodded, then took off at a run for the infirmary. Sally was
right behind him the entire way. Neither of them were prepared for
what they found though.
Catherine was lying on the floor with a fresh head wound to her forehead,
blood seeping from the cut and covering a good portion of her face.
But what was more upsetting was the fact that Quatre was backed up
into a corner, trapped by the wheelchair he was confined in, while
three rather large men approached him.
“Leave me alone.” Quatre cried out, holding his hands
up as if to defend himself from those men. He looked around at the
men, then his eyes found Trowa. “Trowa?!” He screamed,
terrified. “Help me!”
Trowa rushed into the room, thinking only of protecting the pale
blonde. He was able to knock aside two of the men, only to blink as
he finally recognized the uniforms they wore. They were of the Nomads
. . . what the hell were they doing breaking into the base? That was
the last thought to pass through Trowa’s mind before a flash
of red filled his vision. A wall of black came crashing down on him
as he crumbled bonelessly to the floor, the only sound reaching him
being Quatre’s cries of fear.
*******
TBC
*******
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