~*~ Kara ~*~
"Hey Heero!" Duo called cheerfully at the dark young man that stalked by his office.
Heero just raised a hand and waved it lazily at the braided Preventer.
Duo went back to work knowing that that was the only response he was going to get out of him.
It had been four years now since the wars and Heero had hardly changed.
Heero and Duo were the pilots of the legendary Gundams that helped end the war. Now they worked for the Preventers. Quatre was successfully running the Winner foundation, and every now and then he would drop down to earth and visit. Trowa's cirrus became somewhat famous and it would travel in the colonies and around the Earth, he also stopped by when he could. And god only knew where Wufie was, but he occasionally called.
Heero opened his office door and sat down to work.
~*~
Beep! Beep!
Huh? Heero thought. He looked at his watch. 5:30 p.m. it read. Heero sighed he had worked through lunch again. Heero packed up his papers and stuffed his unfinished reports in his brief case and shrugged on his jacket.
"Bye Heero!" Duo called locking his own door.
It was then that Heero said his first words for the day that didn't involve telling someone else to do something "Bye Duo." and headed off to his car.
Duo watched his friend sadly.
"What's wrong Duo?" A soft voice asked from behind.
Duo turned to face his employer.
"Heero." he said " He's too cut off. I mean I know he likes privacy but he hardly speaks any more. Just like in the beginning. I could hardly get to speak then. But once we commenced in the war Heero started to open up a bit. He talked more, he even started to care. Now.... He's gotten worse."
Lady Une nodded "I know what you mean. Duo... Do you know when Heero's birthday is?"
Duo blinked at the oddness of the question. Then started to laugh.
"His birthday? Let's try his real name. Or my birthday at that!" Duo continued to laugh." Or..or "gasp "Quatre's 13th sister. I bet even Quatre couldn't answer that one! Or how about Trowa! Trowa doesn't know his real name! ...." Duo continued on with a list of things that were just as mysterious to the pilots as they were to other people.
Lady Une waited patiently finally Duo took a deep breath and said levelly
"No."
" Thank you Duo. Good night." Lady Une said walking away
"Good- Hey wait why do you want to know Heero's birthday?" Duo asked
"I wanted to through him a party." Lady Une called back.
Duo ran up to her "Let's set the date. And we will make it his official birthday!"
" That's a good idea Duo." the lady said
" Hey! Can I have a birthday too? Huh? Huh?" Duo asked he looked like an edgier child hoping for ice cream.
" Sure." she said and smiled.
~*~
Heero was sitting at a red light when it started to rain. He put on the windshield wipers as a blue ford truck took a right from one of the side roads. Heero stopped by the Shop n' Save for some milk, eggs, and bread. Ten minuets later Heero pulled into his long and winding driveway. It led to a quiet little house. It had two floors, up stairs there were to bedrooms separated by a hallway. Down stairs was the bathroom with a half shower. The tiled kitchen and living room, were also located down stairs. Heero juggled the groceries, his brief case and his keys. Still trying to pull out his keys and keep the eggs from falling Heero didn't notice the prone body laying in front of his path until he tripped.
The groceries flew through the now open door with his brief case.
Huh? Heero asked himself as he looked back over his shoulder. A girl lay on his doorstep unconscious.
Heero stood and examined her. She had shoulder length brown hair that had that tint of red and gold. She was wearing a plaid button up shirt and a pair of blue jeans that were ripped and cut. Heero picked her up and laid her on the couch. Pinned to her plaid button shirt was a note.
' She's all yours buddy.' it read.
Heero shook his head and ripped up the note. Turning back to the girl he noticed a rather large and ugly bruise on her cheek and her lip looked split.
Heero took off her button up shirt to reveal a white T-shirt and numerous other bruises and cuts. Her jeans were ripped and her left leg was bleeding.
Hmm she's been through the mill. He thought.
He went back and picked up his brief case and groceries. the eggs were fine. Thanks to that new packaging the bread was slightly squashed but other wise OK.
Heero went into the kitchen and put some water on to boil. He then went up stairs and got some blankets. He placed the blankets at the foot of the couch and proceeded to clean her wounds. There was a loud whistle from the kitchen and Heero got up. The young woman moaned. Heero stopped but when she didn't move again he went into the kitchen and made tea. He set it aside and continued to clean her wounds. Heero stopped when he saw the large bruise on her temple. It was a nasty blue purple color and he wondered if she was bleeding internally. Anyways she won't wake up soon and when she does she probably wont remember any thing. Heero put the blankets on her and went about his normal life. The next day was Saturday and he didn't have to work. He moved the girl up stairs to the spare bedroom and did what he did every weekend. Nothing. Heero contemplated his life. He had nothing to do. Nothing to fix or make better. Nowhere to go. He almost liked fighting. It gave him a release for all his energy. It took his mind off his painful past. Heero thought about Relena. Did he love her? Heero couldn't recall ever loving some one or ever being loved. Dr. J took him in when he was nine but his life before that was empty. Heero couldn't remember any of it. No Relena was just a good friend that tried to soften him up to be a normal human. Heero wasn't scared of much. Except too much emotions. He could lose control too quickly, and Heero liked to have perfect control over himself. That was just how he was. Heero shook his head. He didn't really understand much of what was going on in his head. Getting up Heero decided to go for a run.
~*~
Sunday passed and still the girl did not wake. Monday came and Heero went to work.
"Hey Heero." Duo called.
"Hm." Heero responded
"Listen," Duo said following him. " I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me and Hilde some time. Like maybe tomorrow night?"
Heero stopped and thought about his life again then shrugged.
"Sure." he said.
Heero was able remind him self about lunch today. I never go anyways. Why should I go today? He asked himself.
I have no life. And the only way I'm going to get one is by social contact.
So Heero got up and went to have lunch with Duo in the cafeteria.
Duo nearly dropped his tray when Heero came in.
"Whose that?" asked one of the many people that sat at Duos table asked as Heero made his way over to their table.
"Who?" Duo said pretending not to notice Heero. " Oh him!" he exclaimed happily as Heero came into hearing range. Heero snorted.
"So you've finally decide lunch is a natural thing now? Or are you just lonely?" Duo asked making room for him at the table.
"Hm." Heero said. Duo nodded as if he understood.
" Heero this is Kim Brown, John Baker, Cale Seer, and Dale Monote. Guys this is you're boss Heero." Duo said happily.
"Hello." Heero said measuring them up. Kim cringed. She had never met her boss but Duo assured her he was a nice guy. Now as she sat under his piercing stare she wasn't so sure.
Duo elbowed Heero hard in the ribs.
"You know I think those doctors forgot to teach you how to be polite." He said softly.
"What? I said 'Hello" didn't I?" Heero asked indignantly "Besides you're one to talk about manners."
All Duo could do was glared as he had half his sandwich stuffed down his throat.
Dale, who would laugh at anything, choked. Heero proved be antisocial as ever and he let the conversation slip by him. Sometimes picking up snatches of conversation. Shortly Heero excused himself to get something more to eat. While getting some thing to drink Heero noticed that it went quiet in the mass hall. Paying for his drink Heero walked out and looked around. Nothing seemed be the matter but everyone kept shooting glanced towards Duos table. It was then that he noticed a woman sitting in his chair. He walked over to her and tapped her shoulder. It was Lady Une.
"Excuse me but that's my seat." he said in monotone.
"Oh sorry Heero. So I'll talk to you later Duo?" She asked getting up " Oh and Heero," she said at Duos nod "I want to see you at lunch more often."
"Fine." Heero said dryly.
"I knew you had cameras some where!" Duo announced.
Lady Une smiled and patted him on the head and left.
" There in the lighting fixtures." Heero commented.
They entire table looked up.
Heero went home feeling slightly happy that day. He was putting his stuff away when he heard a loud thump from up stairs. Heero froze and pulled out his gun then remembered the girl.
"shit!" he cursed.
~*~
Kara opened her eyes slowly they felt heavy like stones. Her entire body hurt. She slowly looked around the room. Soft sunlit filtered into it by a west ward window. The room was plain. It had a red rug and white walls. The room was empty nothing in it but the bed and her. Where am I?
She shivered as memories came flooding back.
What if this was whats-his-faces-house? Gary? She shivered again. I got t get out of here. She threw back the covers and stood. Immediately her legs crumpled. Kara stopped and listened, nothing the house was quiet. Good then no one is home. Kara groaned and tried to stand. She had to do this. She focused her entire being into just walking to the window. Kara would stand and fall stand and fall. The sun was low when she was able to take a few steppes. She heard some one come up the driveway and a door open and shut. No! her mind screamed. Kara lunged for the window and feel hitting her head. Kara cried out and curled up. The house went still again. Feet could be heard coming up the stairs. Oh God just make it quick and painless. She prayed. Kara curled up into a smaller ball when the door flew open. She couldn't fight any more. She had no strength left.
Heero opened the door to find the girl curled up in a little ball. Tears slowly falling from her eyes.
" Stupid woman." Heero muttered when he realized she had tried to walk.
He picked her up and put her in the bed again.
"Are you all right?" he asked
"no." she said.
" Maybe a doctor would be best." Heero said and left the room.
Kara whimpered. Not a doctor. No not a doctor. They'll make me go back! I don't want to go back! Please! Images of her adoptive father, angry and drunk loomed in her mind. Hot hands beat her. And a cruel mouth closed on hers in a cruel kiss. Why didn't you help me? Why did no one help me? The government that was supposed to protect me ! Shara why didn't you help? Kara could still feel him. She still felt so unclean. Then that same government that never protected her beat her again. They had to know. There were others too. They had to know! She had gone from family to family rejected or beat. Finally running away she was beat again. I can't escape!
Down stairs Heero called Sally. She was a registered doctor now at a near by hospital. He called her house first hopping she was off duty. Damn it! he thought as he got the answering machine.
"Hello?" a breathless voice said over the phone.
"Sally? it's Heero. I have a bit of a situation over here and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming over." Heero explained
"Sure." Sally knew how Heero didn't like going to the hospital.
She was over in ten minuets. Sally half expected to see him with half his leg torn of. Since that was what Heero would normally call a situation.
" you're quick." A cold voice commented from the stairs.
"Follow me." Heero lead her to a small plain room. It had a deep red carpet and plain white walls. A bed sat at the end of the room. In the bed was a pale half-starved girl with short brown hair. " I tried to get her to eat but she refuses." Heero told her.
Sally crept closer.
"Hello." Sally said kindly softly.
"Don't want to go back!" the girl practically shouted " You can't make me go back! I won't!"
"I won't make you go any where." Sally said softly coming closer.
"Then let me die in peace." She said quietly.
"No." Sally said "I won't let you die. Now quiet."
She reached out to examine her but she shied away, trembling.
Sally sighed and glared at Heero. She pulled out a small pill and quickly stuck it in her mouth. The girl shuttered and lay still. Sedatives Heero thought.
"Now you out." Sally commanded.
Heero obeyed and went to make some coffee.
A/n: I hope you like this story so far, please review and I'll put more chappies up! ^_^