Title:

Author: Kidishcaresh

Pairing(s):

Word count:

Theme:

Timeline: AU

Author notes:

Summary:

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC's.

Chapter 1,

Duo slipped into the small medical room. The door had no name next to it as per their express request. By the window stood a bed with a table and chair across from it against the other wall. Between the bed and the window stood a rollaway closet/table for the person in the bed, on the other side a heart monitor and a chair. Duo closed his eyes and let the heart monitor reminded him that Wufei was alive, not dead.

"Duo? I…I'm so sorry…" Wufei whispered trying to sit up a little as the other boy entered and closed his eyes.

"It's okay, they told me what happened. You did what you had to. You did nothing wrong so no more sorry. You're alive and that's all that matters." Duo said quietly as he sat down and took Wufei's good hand in his own showering it with kisses.

"But…what if they- What if we can't adopt Mei-mei now? They so stressed the importance of both of us being in good health and now my…well I'm not now…" Wufei murmured looking out the window.

"They are not going to make a fuss about this. Julie already told me once she gets things in motion we just have to sign the papers and go through the obligatory child health care policies and check-ups. They already signed the papers that state we are considered of good physical and mental health. Besides your accident today isn't going to be a problem for you. There's still the option for the prosthetic that they're coming to test you for in a week. Now stop worrying about it and focus on getting better. I got a call today and in three days we'll get to meet our little girl. I'm going to Sally's tonight. If she agrees the doctor will let you leave the hospital under her supervision to see your daughter to be." Duo said pulling Wufei's head gently so the Chinese youth was looking at him once more.

L4 space port, 13:58

Julie Mahad Winner stared out the window of the private airplane. She ran her hand through her brown curled hair and sighed softly. In just a few hours she'd be meeting for the first time with the two fathers whom she would be aiding in the adoption of Mei-mei. She until now used her late husband's Winthur name which she had kept after his death. Today during the phone call however she'd slipped up and had to beg Duo one of the two fathers not to let anyone know she was born a Winner child because it'd only cause more trouble for her little brother. The boy seemed really understanding of this; it'd surprised her. Now she was waiting to descend to earth and meet with her little charge for the first time so she could introduce the child to its parents.

Julie smiled. She was nervous about it all and she wasn't even the one adopting the cute little girl. However a lot always rode on an adoption. If the parents weren't right for the child then it would reflect on her skills as an adoption agent. It'd mean a sizable dent in both her ego and her carrier. She was certain of her match though. She'd had a lot of phone and email contact with the braided haired one of the two fathers and from her conversations with him as well as the files she received on their tests she could tell that both men would make excellent parents though. She was a little uncertain about the Chinese one, but decided it was probably his up bring that made him seem reserved and withdrawn.

Three hours later the plane finally landed in China and Julie found herself growing more nervous as she rode the taxi to where the little girl was waiting.

'Oh really now, just because they are your brother's friends…I'm not doing this for them. I'm doing this for that poor little girl.' Julie thought shaking her head. Focused once more she got out of the taxi and walked toward the building.

"Welcome, welcome. Mei-mei is waiting. " the young woman at the desk said once she saw Julie walk in.

"Thank you, can I go meet with her now?" Julie asked. She was used to this kind of overly cheerful and kind behavior from the Chinese Adoption division. The division barely had the space or means to accept the many children that were orphaned during the war and in the nearly seven years since the end of the war the conditions hadn't much improved while more children appeared from everywhere in the country. Trying to place these children in loving homes was near impossible when war left the country in such a state of poverty. Of course the Winner family money had been used to create better living conditions for these children, but there were still too few people employed to handle them all well enough or give them the attention they needed. Julie was glad she'd be able to get this child a loving, stable home.

"This way yes? Meet mei-mei in playroom." one of the orphanage employers said as she led Julie the rest of the way. She quickly left though once Julie entered the almost empty playroom. She smiled seeing the little Chinese three year old sitting there on the couch swinging her legs back and forth. The little girl looked up and smiled with big sad eyes. She said something in a Chinese dialect. Julie frowned a bit then smiled and knelt by the child's side.

"Do you speak English yet Mei-mei?" she asked in Cantonese. Mei-mei nodded and smiled.

"Yes, A-yi taught me." Mei-mei said softly.

"I see that's nice of your auntie. Do you know who I am?" Julie asked kindly.

"You're the lady who's going to take me to ride a big plane n then a space shuttle an then a train and a taxi all so I can go live with my new papa n mama." Mei-mei said quietly.

"Actually you'll have two papas is that okay?" Julie asked smiling.

"I guess so, if they're nice to me and love me." Mei-mei said shyly.

"I'm sure they do. I got a whole letter saying how happy they were that someone wanted to be their daughter and that they can't wait to meet you." Julie said smiling. She pulled out the envelope Duo had sent with pictures and some clothes a letter to the little girl and a small Chinese doll as a gift to the child. Mei-mei watched as the adoption lady opened a big puffed up envelope and brought out two carefully wrapped packages with neat Chinese letters on them. Her name Mei-mei realized as those were the only Chinese characters she recognized at that moment. A letter and a photograph also came out.

"Can you read yet Mei-mei?" Julie asked smiling as the little girl stared at the packages shaking her head no.

"I see. Well then I'll read the letter to you." Julie said clearing her voice before beginning.

Dear Mei-mei,

My name is Duo and if all goes well I'll be one of your daddies. I'm writing you this letter because we thought you might like to know a little about us and your home. Then it won't be so scary when Miss Julie brings you to meet us. I put in a photograph of me and Wufei; your other papa. I'm sure you'll think it's weird that I have such long hair, but I hope you'll come to like me and Wufei because we already like you a lot from the things Miss Julie told us.

Wufei is a little strict sometimes, but he's really nice and he loves to read books and paint. He says he can't wait to do those things with you and teach you all of the things he knows. He's really smart you know? As for me, well I can't wait to hold you in my arms and show you the cute bedroom we made for you. I made all the furniture and the curtains and such myself. Wufei painted a big Chinese castle and dragons and fairies on the wall. We weren't sure if you'd like dragons or fairies more so we chose for both.

Our house isn't very big, but it's very warm and homely. I hope you'll feel right at home when you decide to come live with us. I hope we'll get to see you for real soon.

Lots of love,

Your daddies Wufei and Duo.

PS: The two packages with the letter are also for you.

"Well go on open them." Julie said smiling. Mei-mei looked at her knees for a long time then shook her head. The caretaker lady moved over quietly.

"The child can't open them herself. You open yes?" she said before moving away again. Julie blinked, but opened the first package and smiled fondly. The clothes Duo had made for the little girl were a beautiful silk shirt and pants with a matching jacket and a pair of tiny shoes. All of it looked hand-made. The caretaker lady quickly swooped in again and took the clothes before ushering Mei-mei out of the room quickly. Julie hadn't even had time to blink before the little girl was whisked away.

"Ah I'm sorry for Wong-lu's behavior. She's grown attached to the child and wants very much for this adoption to work out. She tends to try a bit too hard to make everything go perfect. Wong-lu was an orphan herself, but she grew up in one of the traditional raised orphanages here in China. They strove to have the children be very skilled in everything they had time to teach the children; household work, music, dancing, building things, scholary pursuits…the more a child knew and was capable of the better their chances of adoption. With Mei-mei's situation I suppose Wong-lu wants her to be at her very best so the two potential fathers won't decide to not adopt after all." the orphanage manager said watching the elderly woman usher the child out of the room to dress her in the gifted clothes.

"I assure you that I've never been more certain of an adoption going through then I am now." Julie said smiling. She knew why she'd been fighting so hard. This was the little girl Duo himself had called her about. He'd found this link to a site that promoted children in need of a loving family where he found a small piece about a child who lost everything in a huge earthquake and had gone through a long and intense hospital stay before being brought to the orphanage. Julie still remembered the determination Duo had shown when she asked him if he was sure that this was the child they wanted to fight for and reminded him that someone might have already adopted her.

"I am glad to hear that, but sadly I have heard that many times only to be disappointed and have the child return." the manager said as Wong-lu led Mei-mei back in. The jacket's sleeves were a bit too long; Mei-mei's hand went hidden in them.

"You look very pretty Mei-mei." Julie said as she opened the second package and brought out the beautifully crafted oriental doll. Mei-mei didn't speak she could only stare at the doll as Julie held it out. For a long silent time Mei-mei didn't move. Then slowly she took the doll with one hand and brought it to her chest. She stood silently with the doll in one arm staring at her shoe covered little feet. Julie looked at the little girl and noticed her little shoulder shaking. Wong-lu talked softly to the little girl and urged her to speak, but Mei-mei refused which seemed to cause the nervous caretaker lady to his angrily at the child.

"It's okay. She doesn't have to say anything." Julie said putting a hand on Wong-lu's shoulder before kneeling by Mei-mei's side and pulling the girl to her.

"It's overwhelming isn't it? So many nice gifts." she whispered. Mei-mei nodded and allowed the adoption agent to pick her up as she got ready to take the child away.

"Take good care of her Miss Julie. We're counting on you." the manager said quietly.

"I will, also mister Winner called earlier and wanted me to let you know he's heard of your good work and will call through a translator to negotiate a generous donation to your center." Julie said smiling.

Preventors hospital, 20:39

"C'mon doc, it'll only be for a few hours! He needs to be there or we won't get the child! If we're not there tomorrow we'll never get her! We've been waiting for a long time! I even arranged for a licensed medic to go along!" Duo pleaded. The doctor sighed and shook his head. The braided haired boy had spent the last three hours trying to convince him and had gone as far as to beg the man on his knees. He was tempted to give in, but his patient's wellbeing came first.

"I'm very sorry." the doctor began. He faltered at the sight of the braided man's desperate look.

"Come on Devin, cut him some slack. He's already been on his knees three times. Let agent dragon go along." Lady Une said as she reached Wufei's room with Sally in tow.

"But Lady, the boy is still recovering! The risks he'd run, he could cause irreparable damage and-" doctor Devin said.

"Calm down Devin. Chang knows not to push himself. Besides I'll be there to make sure he doesn't." Sally said smiling as Duo looked between the two ladies and the doctor with hope filled eyes.

"Fine, but I will not be held accountable for any damage he does to his health AND I want him back here by dawn Wednesday or so help Me." doctor Devin said shaking his head. Duo jumped up and quickly rushed into the room to tell his husband the good news.

Okay that's the second of a series of short stories. This is one of the stories I might work out later on.