Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, this is a fan fiction.
Pain
Chapter 1: Bad Outing
Pain for most of Ember's life that's all she ever knew. The pain of the mind, body and more recently discovered the pain of the heart. She seemed to have it all. Money, good genes, loving family & friends. But one day that all changed. She was out shopping with Heero, the man she had come to know and love; despite his off-putting demeanor. They had just exited a café in the open roofed mall when gunfire broke out. People screamed, ran, and panicked in any and every direction.
Heero dropped the bags he was holding and pulled two guns out of his jacket. Ember quickly reached into her cargo pants and revealed two of her own. Her eyes searched the area around them, being careful with her trigger finger. She caught a man and a woman both in leather jackets standing still in the middle of the terrified masses. The woman was blonde, her hair pulled back in a tight ponytial, expressionless and stood solid as a stone amidst the turmoil. The man was her complete opposite; he stood and laughed with an insane smile on his face and a crazed look in his eyes under his black hair. She nodded toward them and Heero replied silently with a nod. Ember pocketed one of her guns and cautiously approached the two. Heero was a few steps behind her with both guns targeted on one of the leathered strangers.
Most of the mob had cleared, people scattering to the surrounding stores.
"What do you want? " Ember tested the two of them.
The male spoke first. "Miss Easton, we don't want any trouble from your comrade…all we require is for you to die."
Ember's eyes widened only for a moment. Then she raised her gun to shoot. A shot split the air, Ember's gun clattered to the ground. Her hand touched her left shoulder. It came back covered in her blood.
"The fuck…" she gasped. Heero barely had time to react before another shot was fired. The impact brought Ember to her knees. Heero scanned the second story catwalk for the sniper. The blonde haired woman approached Ember.
"You think those hurt," she smiled as she picked up Ember's own gun and without hesitation plugs 3 caps into Ember's stomach.
Heero looked on horrified as Ember's dark haired frame slumped backward onto the cobblestone path. He rushed over to her, forgoing the sniper. He cradled her head in the crook of his right arm. His left hand pointed his other firearm and the woman not 2ft in front of him.
"Mr. Yuy" she cooed. "Have we upset you? Awe..." The woman giggled insanely as she trotted back to her partner.
"Why?" he demanded.
"That isn't your concern." the man cautioned. "Maybe you should start worrying about the comrade that's dieing in your arms." He laughed coldly. "If you wish to follow us feel free, however it won't save her life."
Heero glanced at the crumpled girl in his arms. She was starting to cough up blood and her pupils were going in and out of dilation. He retuned his attention to the pair of assassins only to find them gone, he was taken aback. "Bastards…" he whispered under his breath.
Ember began to shudder in his steady hold. "Hee…ro, she coughed. Fresh blood streamed out of her mouth another cough erupted from her throat. Her face turned into Heero's chest in pain. Old and fresh blood splattered onto his white shirt. Heero fumbled through his pockets for his cell phone, he pressed speed dial 4, as it rang Ember suddenly went limp in Heero's arms as her body quit fighting.
"EMBER!" he was beginning to panic. "Damn it!" Finally after twelve rings someone picked up. Ember looked at Heero's face, all she felt was pain, she longed for her world to end. Heero looked at her while he quickly ordered Quatre to meet him at the nearest hospital. She stared into his eyes, his lovely deep blue eyes. He stowed the phone and turned his full attention to Ember. He started to talk to her, but she didn't catch any of the words clearly enough; probably something about staying awake. She just smiled back, on the bright side it wouldn't be so bad to die like this, cradled in the arms of the one she loved. Her eyes started to close. Her battered body longed for the rest it needed, but Heero wouldn't let that happen.
"No, Ember come on stay awake." He begged. "Stay with me!"
She decided to be strong for Heero. On the way to the hospital she rambled on to Heero about all the things she had lived through and that these shells weren't going to kill her.
As the team of doctors rolled her toward the operating room Heero clasped Ember's bloody right hand until it was forced to release it by a male nurse. Heero would have decked him if Quatre hadn't appeared and rushed over to him. Heero's strength failed him as he gazed into Quatre's worry stricken face.
"Will she be alright?" the little Arabian prince questioned.
Heero sunk into a chair. His 'perfect solider' brain sprang into action. Instantly calculating Ember's odds of surviving the surgery. Not liking what they had been Heero pushed them aside. He simply sat there and said only three words.
"I don't know." Those words made it seem like the world was about to end, so final and sad. Quatre went to get some snacks and make some calls. Heero sat facing the double doors that Ember had disappeared into. Silently breaking down each time the event replayed in his head. He couldn't save her. And now he was powerless to help, all he could do was sit and wait it out.
Hours few by as Heero continued his surveillance on the doors. Quatre finally returned with a soda and some cheese crackers from the vending machine.
"If I had know it would have taken this long, I would have ordered us a three course meal." Quatre joked. He handed Heero a pack of the crackers and a can of soda. Heero didn't laugh but he took the snacks respectfully.
"Any word?" he asked. The soda hissed as Heero popped the tab back. The cold drink was more than welcome down his desiccated esophagus.
Heero grunted his negative response and continued to stare at the doors with the soda can straining under his grip.
Shortly after they finished their snacks Quatre fell asleep on Heero's shoulder. Heero just stared at the slumbering prince. How could he fall asleep at a time like this? Out of curiosity Heero checked his watch, 3:55 a.m.
"So?" he said to no one. "You don't see me passing out!"
Soon after Dr. Scant emerged from the ominous black double doors, his clothing saturated in Ember's blood.
Heero nearly bolted out of his chair but the combined effects of Quatre and the stiffness of his unused legs anchored him to his plastic prison.
The doctor only smiled at Heero's dilemma.
"I can't make any promises at this time. One of the bullets was stopped by her ribs, but one of the other two hit a kidney" He wasn't going to sweeten the situation and make it sound pretty, doctors didn't do that. "If she lives through the night and we run some tests we should have a better understanding of her condition. Mr. Winner has explained the situation to me, and if you wish Mr. Yuy, you may stay the night here."
Heero nodded. Now that he knew Ember had at leased survived the operation he felt better. He carefully removed the sleeping prince and recovered his lost mobility.
"Can I see her?" he asked.
"Yes, but she is still unconscious."
Heero chuckled silently to himself thinking of Ember still able to hear him though she was unconscious. The doctor led the way to her room.
He stopped at the door. Heero entered and quietly shut the door behind him.
There she was, hooked up to about a dozen tubes and even more machines. An oxygen mask covered most her face. I.V. and morphine drips ran their agents into her frayed core to help hide the pain she'd feel once awake. It was hard to see her like this. They had both seen and experienced thousands of deaths. Both faded era war heroes, long forgotten veterans of combat. But this seemed more real; it hit him harder since it had happened when there was supposed to be peace.
"Don't you dare die." He growled at her as he sat down on a chair he pulled up to the side of her bed, he rested his head near her still hand. "If you do I'll kill you." he mumbled as sleep finally took him into its dark embrace.