Chapter Seven
Near You Always

Disclaimer: Don't own the Gundam characters… even Solo really. Everyone else is registered under my name.

POV: Duo


"Hey, Heero. Can you put 100mg of Deramax on Mr. Sell's account for two times a day until gone? Thanks." I said as I handed Heero the file over the top of his shoulder. He just grunted and deftly went into Mr. Sell's account and began drawing everything up.

Mr. Sell was the last one of the day thankfully. It had been one of the slowest days I'd witnessed in years. I'd had to send Quatre and Trowa home since Heero had taken over the computer. Not that Quatre really minded, it gave him more time to hang around with Trowa.

The second Mr. Sell was out of the clinic I turned around the open sign and sighed as I flopped across the front counter. "Where's Lucky?" I groaned, I hated putting the cats up. Fresca had, thankfully, settled herself on Heero's lap so I decided it was best to let him deal with her. I found it kinda funny that she'd become so attached to him. When he left she would hop along after him and meow until he picked her up or she'd make sure she was the first to claim his lap in the mornings.

"Last time I saw her she was wedged between the Autoclave and the wall." Heero grunted and went back to counting out the drawer. I moved doggedly to the back where, sure enough, that little bundle of annoyance was curled up in the 6-inch wide space between the Autoclave and wall looking thoroughly satisfied. Too bad I had to ruin her fun. She yowled at me as I picked her up and just mimicked her. We all knew she was grouchy and vocal and no one cared anymore.

When I came back to the front Heero was just finishing up. "So, how'd we do?" I asked, leaning against the back of his chair. Fresca just glared up at me and snuggled farther into Heero's lap.

"Close to 1000."

"God! I am so glad that tomorrow's Saturday! Half day baby!" I cheered but stopped when Heero turned the chair around to face me, looking very serious. "What?"

"I have to go back to New York tomorrow."

"Oh…" Of course, I knew he had to go back, he had a great job there. But over the past two weeks I'd gotten so used to having him around that the thought of him going sort of upset me…

"I'd like to come back." What? I just stared at him for a moment. "It won't be for a few months because I have a some big meetings to work through but when I am able to I'd like to come back here. Can I?"

I moved so I was resting against the lower counter, watching him in surprise, a small fluttering filled my stomach. "Of course." I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

The tiniest glimmer of a smile crossed his lips but was replaced as he stood up, gathering Fresca into his arms. She didn't even meow like she usually did when people picked her up so that said what she thought of him. When he returned from putting up Fresca I was in my coat and ready to go out the door.

I was trying to not think about him going so I put on a cheerful expression. The optimist in me said he was going to keep in contact but the realist and pessimist in me said that he was going to go back to New York, serve me the papers, and laugh with his high class buddies about the gullible small town vet whose heart he played around with.

Then I mentally hit myself because I felt like such an idiot. I was the one who hadn't wanted to have anything to do with him and now I was upset because he was going to go back to New York. Maybe it was better if he left and served me the papers, then I'd be safer. "Do you want me to drop you off at the airport or something?" I asked cheerfully.

Heero fixed me with one of his most intense gazes and shook his head. "My flight is for 5 a.m. I know you'd hate to be up that early." He had a point there. But I felt weird not seeing him off.

"Oh… well then. I guess I'll say bye now." I said as I held open the door for him and showed him out. Heero and I stood awkwardly in the doorway, not knowing what to do. Finally he spoke up.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Letting me in." I just smiled at him and suddenly the words were pouring out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"You know, the hotels around here probably aren't the best and I'm sure you're tired of fast food and creaky beds and all… when you come back you could stay with me if you wanted to. I have an extra bed and…"

"Yes." He said quickly, stopping my ramble. It took a second for me to find my voice, so, instead I just settled to smile at him and nod.

"Okay then. I'll talk to you later then." I said, my hands shaking ever so slightly. "Have a good flight."

As I turned to leave Heero grasped my hand and stopped me and pulled me back to him. In the breath of a second lips brushed against my cheek and then he was gone. I would have called the moment cheesy if I hadn't been blushing all the way to the roots of my hair. Glancing over at his car I watched him turn on the sleek machine and pull out of the parking lot.

That night when I went home I ate quickly and hid in the bathroom, scrubbing my face hard and ignoring Shini scratching at my door until Solo called me to chat like she usually did. When I told her that Heero had vamoosed and what I'd offered him, she just chuckled, "That's so sweet. It's like high school all over again. Are you waiting for him to ask you to prom?"

I just decided to ignore that little quip and ask, "Do you think he'll come back?"

"You remember that rhyme? 'Leave them alone and they'll come home wagging their tails behind them'? Yeah, don't listen to that. Ignoring him is not the key here. You need to show him that you're interested in him coming back." She said.

"But I've already told him that that would be nice."

"But you need to reassure him. He's insecure."

"Insecure? He seems pretty sure of himself to me."

Solo sighed dramatically, "Sure, in the office, doing major business and crap like that. But when it comes to romance he's worse that you in terms of being unsure of what to do. You're going to have to call him and show him you're interested without throwing yourself at him."

"Where the hell do you get all this crap?" I asked exasperatedly, trying to dry my hair a little more before I re-braided it before bed.

"Well, those crappy magazines that I pick up at the stand at Smith's and I there's also that little fact that I'm a girl. Romance tips seem to be built into our system." I just laughed and fell into a simple conversation with her, but her words seemed to be revolving around in my mind.

The next morning I was up and at work and immediately after getting out of my car it felt strange because Heero wasn't there, waiting with my coffee. I couldn't believe how used to him I had become and it just… made me feel almost pathetic.

Quatre greeted me cheerfully, glancing over my shoulder for Heero. When my usual shadow didn't appear Quatre seemed to deflate just a little. "He needed to head back to his home." I said, heading back to my office and mentally preparing myself for the day. It was supposed to be hectic and that was what I needed right then.

When 12:00 rolled around Quatre hustled me out of the clinic so he and Trowa could count up the drawer and go to lunch. I didn't really mind being pushed out because they were cute together and it was good to see that they were realizing what everyone else has known for years.

So I went home and Shinigami barely raised her head to look at me when I came in the door. "Fine, I see where I stand." I muttered and went into the kitchen. Like I usually did I set my cell phone on the counter and went about my business. I made lunch and when I'd eaten I started to clean since it was too early for my bath

In my cleanings I found Heero's business card and stared at it for a moment before setting it down next to my phone and going on my way. Solo and Lord barged into my home not long afterwards. They seemed to be entertained by my cleaning antics and took a place at the counter.

Every so often Solo would make a little quip that would cause my gaze to go to her and then to my phone, just because she was right next to it. At least that's what I told myself. Solo didn't seem so convinced.

"Okay, you're starting to make me paranoid. What is it?" She demanded.

I grumbled under my voice and moved over to the counter and tapped the business card. "I don't know what to do."

"Don't know how to do what? Call him? It's easy, just pick up the phone and dial the cell number on there-"

"No, I mean I don't know why I should call him."

Solo shrugged. "To talk maybe?" She made it sound so simple.

"And what would I say?"

"Ask him how his flight is. Hopefully it should go from there."

"Hopefully?" I felt idiotic asking Solo what to do but she had gone on more dates and been out with more guys than I ever had been so she was the most reliable source.

"Yeah. Just a word of advice; it's a little odd for a person to put their cell phone number on a business card so he probably won't answer an unknown number… so maybe you should call the other number and try to get a hold of him or just leave a message."

I watched my sister for a while then nodded and went back to my cleaning. It only took 20 more minutes for her to fold and yell, "Okay! Your pacing is driving me nuts. I am going home. Tell me how your talk goes tomorrow, we have youth mass."

"Yeah, I know." I groaned, mentally cursing our youth minister and his sporadic mass assignments. Solo and Lord were gone a few moments later and I was left woefully alone with my phone and my lazy cat.

I paced around my house, going into each room and out of them until I finally reached my room and flopped on my bed. On the bedside table I glanced at the ring and finally picked it up. I twiddled it around my finger a few times and with a very big and dramatic sigh got up and went to my kitchen.

It was about three by now… so that meant five in New York. He had to be in now if he left at five… so calling had to be safe enough…

By now Shini had moved to the counter and watched as I sat in one of the bar stools and stared at the phone before picking up the card and dialing in the cell phone number. Almost immediately I got his voice mail and hung up. Shini's eyes narrowed and I glared back. "Yes, I know I could have left a message but I chickened out okay?" Her eyes squeezed shut and then opened against, trained only on me.

"Okay, I'll try again! Geesh!" I groaned and, with shaky hands, started to the business number. After the first ring I got the secretary who announced the name of the company in a very annoying nasal voice.

"How can I help you?"

"I, um, I need to speak with Heero Yuy."

"Alright, I'll connect you." In a second cheesy elevator music played over the line until a sharp voice barked,

"Heero Yuy's office. This is Chang Wufei speaking. What can I do for you?"

I paused for a moment before going on, "I wanted to talk to Heero."

"Who's calling?"

"M-my name's Duo Maxwell." I was about ready to hang up the phone but I knew I was already to far gone.

"Let me put you on hold for a second." The music began to play again and I just about hit the end call button when Heero's voice come on the line.

"Duo?"

"Hey man." I greeted, trying to keep calm. "How was your trip?"


So, I know this was a little fast and unedited but I really wanted to get it up! I had nothing else to do being stuck in a hotel forever! I've only gone to one day of school this whole week and yet I'm still put down for being at school the whole time. I love life.

Anyway, here it is. It's a little rushed but I have the next three chapters written out and I'm so excited to get them up!