Gundam Wing is not mine.

Pairings: 1x2x1, background 3x4

Warnings: Angst, bad language

This has been playing on my mind for a long while. I hope you like it!

1. The Set Up

"Heero Yuy, the UNES high court has found you guilty of multiple counts of murder and high treason. The severity of your crimes combined with your mottled past has led this court to believe that you are beyond rehabilitation. Heero Yuy, you are hereby sentenced to death by lethal injection. May God have mercy on –."

"God damnit, you bastards!" Duo said, flinging his mug at the TV and effectively breaking the judge's image. His hands sank into his hair and he pulled at the roots, the slight pain seemed to be the only normal thing in the world.

"What do we do now?" Quatre breathed, the outcome he had most feared now made reality. The whole case against Heero had been put together with ruthless precision and even the most expensive legal team in the UNES couldn't pick it apart. He leaned back against the wall even as Duo sprang to his feet.

"This isn't real, they can't - " he stopped short, unable to finish the thought, let alone the sentence. He regretted breaking the TV. He needed to see Heero. Now. His eyes turned instantly to the wealthy friend leaning against his kitchen wall. Why the hell hadn't he tapped this resource before?

"I need money, Quatre,"

"I'm sorry?"

"Cash, I need lots of it. I'm going to see Heero." Duo's infamous nicknames had disappeared into the ether. He felt detached and determined. His best friend wasn't feeling anything at all. He reached into his back pocket and handed over wallet and cards to the agitated brunette.

"2590" As soon as the pin number left Quatre's mouth, Duo was gone. The door slammed shut behind him.

-----------------

"Chang Wufei,"

"Wufei, it's me."

"Duo? I just saw the news, are you -?"

"I need your Preventer contacts,"

"Anything,"

"Meet me outside AIS Prison in an hour,"

"I won't be party to –."

"I'll tread softly, no worries,"

"You can't get him out of there, you know that?"

"I just need to see him,"

"..."

"Wufei,"

"..."

"Get your head out of your ass Chang. You gonna help me?"

"I'll meet you in an hour. By the goods entrance."

"Thanks 'Fei."

-----------------

After living the first sixteen years of his life expecting death at any minute, Heero Yuy had thought that this moment would be easy. Not so much. He had a job now, a real job complete with a salary, benefits and a company car. He had two fish, Sandy and Heavy, and a big black Labrador called Scythe. He was married. Going on three years now. Duo Maxwell was so important, meant so much, that Heero's heart perpetually ached. In a good way mostly. He glanced at his watch. All of that was going to end in 22 hours and Heero Yuy was scared.

The whole world thought he was a psychopathic monster and he hadn't seen anyone other than guards and lawyers and judges since his arrest. He felt sick at the thought that his friends, his husband, might think he was guilty. Most of all, he didn't want to die without seeing Duo again. His last memory was Duo's shocked faced as Preventers stormed their house and dragged Heero away in handcuffs.

"God damnit, Duo," Heero had no hopes of a rescue; the people he had worked for knew him and his fellow pilots too well for that. He was kept in total isolation at all times. Hands and feet bound in gundanium in a cell that was built to withstand nuclear blasts. He was screwed. 21 hours, 50 minutes left. "Damnit." Lethal injection though, what was that about? They could at least have let him go out with a bang. Electric chair, firing squad, hell, he'd even take a good old-fashioned hanging. Instead he was being put to sleep like a dangerous dog, best kept out of sight and mind. That was degrading.

Multiple footsteps sounded outside his door. Heero froze, muscles tensing, adrenaline flowing. He had been told they wouldn't come again until the execution. It was possible they would start proceedings early, just in case of any last minute stays. /Rescue?/ Or maybe some vengeful guards had finally decided to try and have a play. It wasn't like he'd be around to tell anyone. He could hear the multiple layers of security being deactivated one at a time and he held himself as ready as he could, what with being chained to the wall and all.

The door opened.

A chestnut blur burst through and was wrapped around Heero's body before the young man even had time to react. Duo. The familiar smell, the comforting warmth enveloped him and all Heero wanted was his arms to be free so that he could return the much needed hug. Deep inside though, the soldier was painfully aware of that open door that led to freedom and every second that ticked by.

"Duo, we need to go. Can you get these cuffs off?" Heero said in as gentle a voice as possible. There was no answer except for the tightening of arms. "Duo, love, come on. We have to go, okay?"

A sickening instinct that all wasn't as he thought began to rise inside him. A feeling that only intensified as his husband slowly pulled back to look at him with desolate eyes. A bleak smile pulled at Heero's lips.

"You aren't the rescue party?" he guessed. Duo nodded slowly. "You came to say goodbye," Heero lost the hard edge of a smile as the finality of that last word hit him like a sucker punch. Duo's hair flew as he shook his head in vehmenent denial.

"'Ro, we tried but we can't...I couldn't find a way out this time." Duo said, voice thick with barely reigned emotion.

"You have two minutes," came the suspicious statement of an armed guard from the doorway. /No!/ Heero strained against his chains. Reality crashing down around his ears. The last time. If he didn't find a way out now this would be the last time he saw Duo, smelled his scent, heard his voice. "Quiet down or I'll pop both of you now." The guard ordered nervously as Heero almost wrenched his arm out of the socket.

"Shh, 'Ro, God I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me?" Duo's voice bought his husband's last desperate escape attempt to an end. He laid his forehead against Duo's. He wanted his arms free.

"There's nothing to forgive, love. But tell me. Please tell me you didn't believe – "

"Not for a second,"

"Kiss me," It was the most bittersweet kiss they had ever shared. One man so aware that this was the last time he would touch his husband and trying to remember every detail, every breath, every tingle. Praying this would be enough to sustain him on the lonely nights to come. The other trying to forget that this kiss was to be his last free act in life. To give himself up to it and not dwell on the waiting needle, or that his husband would be left a widower.

"Time's up."

"No..."
"Fuck no, it's not enough time, please, it's not enough time," Their tears mingled together, they didn't know who protested first. Both felt the guillotine slipping closer to their necks.

"Back away from the condemned, sir,"

"Damnit Heero, you find a way out of this. Don't let them – fight it 'Ro. You won't die. You won't leave me? Promise me?" Duo's voice was low and harsh, though it began to waver towards the end. Heero hadn't known his heart could hurt this much. The soldier in him heard the guard's gun cock and he twisted to make Duo break his hold.

"You have to let go now love," Heero whispered, a whole new fear possessing him as the guard moved restlessly.

"No!" Duo's reaction burst from his lips. "I won't let you go like this! You swear to me 'Ro. Swear it now or the only way I'm leaving this cell is in a fucking body bag!"

"Okay, I swear. I promise, okay?" Heero's voice was tight with tears and desperation.

Another figure slipped into the room and joined the guard. They moved to either side of Duo and grasped him firmly at the elbows.

"Maxwell, we have to go," Wufei said firmly, Heero drank in the sight of his brother in arms for a long moment before turning his complete attention back to his husband. He stretched forward and placed a last tender kiss on those salt-laced lips.

"I love you, Duo. I'll find a way. I swear,"

"You better, 'Ro, damnit. I love –," Duo's last sentence was cut short as Wufei and the guard decided they had already stayed too long and pulled the braided man back and out of Heero's cell. The door closed behind them with a quiet click. They were gone. Duo was gone. And now Heero had a promise to keep.

Heero sat slumped on the floor, his mind still spinning from the shock of Duo's unexpected arrival and departure. He had made a promise. With Duo there before him, anything had seemed possible. Now, back to reality, he realised that his situation was just as hopeless as it had been 14 minutes ago. He was still in gundanium cuffs, still in a state of the art cell, still without hope of a rescue. And now he had only 21 hours, 36 minutes left.

Damnit.

To Be Continued...

Review, let me know what you think! I'm rusty at the fanfiction gig!