Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. The following is an intellectual exercise with no intention of profit. That said, these characterizations, words, and situations are mine. Please ask before reprinting.
A/N: This fic will feature several different pairings - and probably not the ones that you expect after a first glance. This is told in third person POV, but it will switch to different characters with each chapter. While not a crossover, I definitely want to acknowledge that the TV series, "Dirty Sexy Money" and the movie Two Weeks Notice both influenced me to write this. I would appreciate any feedback, whether it be negative or positive, criticism or lavish praise. Lavish praise preferred.
A/N #2: So… there is clearly no way that Trowa could have been Catherine's lawyer in her divorce proceedings, because he would have been a first year law student… and he isn't Elle Woods. So definitely just pretend THAT sentence never happened.
A Little Less Normal: Chapter IX
Duo's sleep was fitful, and when he woke up at five A.M he laid in bed for all of ten minutes before he dragged himself out. He pulled on a pair of well-worn Yankees sweatpants and headed downstairs to make himself coffee. Sara wouldn't be up for another hour, and he wanted to let Nat sleep in as late as possible, so the house was empty and silent except for his feet echoing off the steps as he made his way to the kitchen.
Once he had a steaming cup in his hand, he went into the library and sat down in a leather wingback arranged between one of the large French windows and the empty fireplace. The walls of the room were floor to ceiling bookshelves, every one of them filled with books. Reading had been one of Duo's earliest hobbies. When the Yuys had first adopted him, and Heero had decided to make his life a living hell, Duo had found refuge in the enormous library that Odin had assembled. The smell of the books, the feel of the spines, and the pages between his fingers – it had been magical to Duo. Once he had learned to read, Duo had devoured the library, reading anything and everything. The words, the places, the people – he had found all of it an amazing escape. The first allowance he ever earned – and many after that – had gone directly into purchasing books. He wanted a collection of his own, comprised of his favorites, and any new stories that caught his eye. He knew the old cliché – don't just a book by its cover – but Duo was attracted to cover art and the promise of what might lay between the decorated pages.
The comfort that he usually felt when surrounded by his books escaped him this morning.
Last night, after ensuring that Hilde and the lovely Catherine Barton had both made it home, Duo arrived at his own house near midnight and found that Nat was still awake. She was curled in her blankets, crying harsh, silent sobs that shook her shoulders and broke Duo's heart. He had held her for hours, soothing her and whispering promises of keeping her safe, making her happy. By the time she had finally fallen asleep, Duo had felt gutted – all of his energy had gone into assuring Nat that she would be okay, and the repeated assurances had drained him of any hope that he was telling her the truth. He was terrified that the judge and social worker would give her back to her mother – terrified that Nat would go from being a bright, eager, pain in the ass to fading away to nothing, lost in the system.
Now, with the rising sun slanting through the windows and casting golden light on the room, Duo couldn't help but think of how ironic it was. A beautiful day on what could very well be one of the worst days of his and Nat's lives. It should be raining – storming. A hurricane should be outside.
He sat for hours, staring at nothing and trying to convince himself that things would turn out as they should. When Sara found him at seven, still curled up in the chair and clutching the now empty cup of coffee, she sighed loudly.
"Morning," Duo said, glancing over at her.
She shook her head at him and came to sit in the matching chair, on the other side of the fireplace.
"You look just as lost as the day you were brought home, curled up in that chair. Your feet tucked under you."
Duo blushed, realizing that he did probably look like a scared kid. He felt like one.
"Now you, you were a terror. That first week – I thought about quitting every day. Heero was never a problem – oh, he acted out, alright, but you made such a mes of everything."
He had never known that she had ever, once, thought about quitting. Sara had been with the Yuys for years before Duo came along, and he had always imagined that the Yuys just couldn't exist without her. Three years ago, when Heero had been exiled to Macau, Duo had moved into one of the penthouse apartments owned by Yuy Inc, and to his – and Celia's shock – Sara had requested to be transferred to his household, to become his housekeeper.
"I was a terror? Jeez, you used to give me nightmares – you were so strict!" Duo complained.
She smiled slightly. "Straightened you out alright, didn't I?" She asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Why didn't you quit?" Duo asked.
"Oh, well, one day you and Heero were fighting, and somehow or other one of the Ming vases was broken. Shards of it all over the floor. And you – bless your heart – you went and got some Elmers glue and tried to put it back together. You were crying your eyes out, begging not to be sent away, swearing you could fix it. You were so small – so impossibly small for your age. Just hair and eyes and you were so scared."
Duo swallowed back a thick knot of emotion. He didn't remember the incident, but he had no doubt that it had happened – he had lived in mortal fear for two years, knowing that anything he did could get him sent back to foster care.
"It broke my heart, seeing you like that. And well, I just couldn't leave you after that."
"I, ah," Duo had to clear his throat. "I never knew you felt that way. I just… I didn't know."
Sara stood and brushed Duo's long backs back from his face.
"Make sure our girl comes home tonight, will you?" She asked as she took the empty mug from him.
Duo nodded, unable to speak, and watched as she left the room.
"Jesus Christ," he muttered, and scrubbed his eyes with the back of one hand.
After a moment, he drew in a deep breath and forced himself to get up. It was time to face the day.
Getting Nat dressed and out of the door had been only slightly more difficult than every other day. The kid liked to sleep, and waking her was like trying to rouse a pit bull. Today was even worse, because she just went through her morning routine with dark, empty eyes, and refused to speak to either Duo or Sara.
When Sara kissed her goodbye at the door, as the left, Nat had started to cry.
"I don't want to go," she whispered brokenly. Duo and Sara exchanged looks over her head, unified in their thoughts and feelings.
"Well now, if you don't go, you can't come back," Sara admonished as she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe Nat's eyes. She had used the same line countless times on Duo when he was a child. It made him smile, to hear it again.
"I – I want to come back."
"And you will. Now, off with you before you're late." Sara gently pushed them outside and shut the door behind them.
"Well, ready for the showdown?" Duo asked Nat, forcing himself to smirk.
She shrugged, but followed him to the car and climbed into the backseat without complaint. The car was a new addition – purchased over the weekend when Duo realized that, living out here in Brooklyn, it was a hell of a commute to get to first the Bronx and then to lower Manhattan every day, and then back to Brooklyn again. He refused to hire a car, as Heero and his mother did, but he also felt stupid taking a taxi everywhere, and there was no way he ever took the subway unless he was with Hilde. So, on Sunday, he had taken Nat with him and let her pick out what color Toyota Prius he should buy. She had thought the car itself was a bit lame – but she loved the bright blue color, and the fact that she had gotten to pick it out.
The drive to the courthouse was silent, except for the low, distant bass of the R&B station that Nat had programmed into the radio during her first five minutes in the car, and which Duo reluctantly turned on whenever she rode with him.
When they arrived and parked, Duo found Trowa waiting for them at the front entrance, halfway up the broad marble stairs, and looking perfectly at ease in his navy suit, striped tie, and crisp white shirt. He even had his glasses on, as if he had been reading over notes before they arrived. His leather briefcase was at his feet, and a grimly neutral expression on his face.
"Morning," Duo greeted.
"Morning," Trowa responded, looking first at him and then down at Nat.
"Are you ready?" He asked, directing the question at her.
She shrugged. "Doesn't matter, does it?"
Trowa knelt down and waited until she looked at him. "Of course it matters. It matters to Duo, and it matters to me. You matter." He assured her.
"Not to her," she whispered, voice full of fear and anger.
"And she doesn't matter to us," Duo responded, kneeling himself. "This is all about you. Making sure that you are happy, that you get to come home. That you get to be where you want to be."
"You're – you don't want to get rid of me?" The look in her eyes was devastating.
"No. Never. I love you, kid. And if you want – you're mine, okay? We're family, you and me. Okay?" He felt almost as vulnerable as she looked, putting that out there.
"Not just… for now. But for always?" She asked, tentative.
"Hell yeah. Finders keepers, right?" He laughed shakily when she launched herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly, the feel of her thin, strong arms wrapped around his neck still novel. He pulled back after a minute, noticed her crying again.
"But you gotta stop crying or they're gonna think you don't like me," he admonished softly, with a slight smile.
"But I don't like you," she joked, even as she swiped as her eyes and sniffled loudly.
"That's my girl." Duo stood and grinned down at her.
"Ready?" Trowa asked after a minute.
"Yeah," Nat said, and she linked her hand through Duo's.
As they walked up the steps, Duo caught Trowa looking over at him, a strange emotion of his face.
"You ready?" Duo asked softly.
"Of course." Trowa seemed to shake himself. He offered Duo a slight smile. "It's my job, after all."
There was something about the way he said it that made Duo frown.
Trowa led the way into the conference room, aware of Duo and Nathalie following closely behind him. However, as soon as he looked inside, he stopped short, causing Duo to run into his back.
The small conference table was already half filled – with a large man sitting at the head, a thin woman to his right, and two other women on the left. One of the women was dark skinned, with dark hair and eyes that reminded Duo of Nathalie. He had never met her before, but he instantly recognized her as Nat's mother. The other woman, however, was pale, with light brown hair and dark eyes obscured by glasses. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and her lips were shaped into a smirk as her eyes met Trowa's.
"Trowa Barton, what a pleasant surprise."
"Counselor Une, I didn't realize that you were in family law now." She laughed, brittle and harsh, and it set Duo's teeth on edge.
"Oh no, this is simply a favor for an old friend. But you – I thought you wanted to join the ACLU and fight for poor, disenfranchised immigrants or something." Une smirked. "It looks as though I'm doing that instead."
"Um, can we have reunions later?" Duo asked from behind Trowa.
"Sorry." He moved aside and allowed the two into the room.
Duo took a seat opposite of Une and Alima Fontaine, keeping the wide conference table between the two women and Natalie, who sat down on his left. Trowa sat on his right, and the judge at the head of the table cleared his throat.
"Well, I'm judge Snow – and this is Ms. Vern, with social services. We are here today to decide custody in the case of Miss Natalie Fontaine."
"And to discuss charges of abduction," Une added, with a sharp smile in Duo's direction. "Mr. Maxwell kept the child from her mother for a period of several days before even filing for temporary custody, and in all that time, the child has still been prevented from seeing her mother. Add to that the suspicious circumstances in which Mr. Maxwell…acquired the child. My client feels that it would be safest, for the child, if a restraining order were taken out against Mr. Maxwell, and a full criminal investigation begun."
Duo felt his jaw drop.
"What the –" Trowa's fingers dug into his knee, the grip like steel, and Duo shut his mouth to keep from crying out. He turned to glare at the man.
Trowa removed his hand, looking only slightly apologetic.
"While my client sees no reason to pursue charges of criminal negligence in the case of Mrs. Fontaine's treatment of Natalie, we would be happy to discuss and defuse any slanderous or libelous allegations against Mr. Maxwell. However, we are here today to determine what is in the best interests of Natalie Fontaine. If her mother sees this as an opportunity to extort money from my client, WE will begin criminal proceedings against her."
Despite the pain in his leg, and his anger at being treated like a child, Duo was impressed with Trowa, the icy steel in his voice, and the deliberate threats.
"Before we get our panties in a twist," the judge spoke, causing Nat's eyes to go round and Duo to look at him in shock, "we should discuss the background of this case, and then decide how to proceed."
"Of course," Une agreed and pulled out a legal pad. It was clearly a prop, because during her recitation, she did not look at it once. "Mrs. Fontaine, 32, is a single mother and has raised the child on her own for the last six years. Mrs. Fontaine has steady, gainful employment, and manages a clean and safe environment for the child. Furthermore, she has seen to it that the child has regular school attendance, acceptable grades, and is enrolled in after school programs such as soccer. There is no evidence to suggest that the child has suffered any neglect, criminal or otherwise, in any police or social services records."
"While no official, municipal complaints have been filed," Trowa started in immediately, also not using the notebook in front of him, there are more than twelve instances, over the last three years, that the school has filed. Instances of prolonged periods of absence – never long enough to involve social services – instances of neglect in Natalie's nutrition and hygiene. Instances of physical abuse."
The look in Une's eyes could have melted Antartica.
"If such files exist – why on earth wasn't social services involved sooner?" Une asked sweetly.
"An excellent question," Vern murmured as she turned her attention to Trowa.
"Look, our school is for low-income families, we offer children the chance for fair, decent education. Some of those children come from troubled homes. If the situation merits it, we alert social services, but that's usually our last resort. We try to enroll families in counseling, try to intervene and help where we can." Duo explained, calmly, proud of the even tone of his voice.
"And is abduction one of your preferred methods of helping?" Une asked mildly.
"I didn't –"
"What I would like to know," Vern interrupted over Duo's near shout, "is why, if there were records of physical abuse, social services wasn't immediately alerted."
Duo sighed. "In both cases, Natalie claimed that it was her own fault – fell down the stairs or got pushed on the bus."
"And? Is there any evidence to suggest otherwise?"
"You mean aside from the fact that she's terrified of her mother and has spent the last two days begging me to send her back?" Duo challenged, infuriated by the calm, pleasant voice the social worker was using. As though they weren't discussing the future of a child.
"Natalie, has your mother ever hurt you?" Vern asked, directing the question to the girl who sat stiffly beside Duo.
"I won't go back," she said, instead of answering. Gone was the girl who had minutes before begged Duo to stay, and in her place was the hard, tough, terrified girl who Duo had found bloody and bruised all those weeks ago.
"Please, answer the question."
But Natalie looked at her mother, noticed the look of anger on his face, and her jaw snapped shut. It was clear to Duo that she would not answer that question, nor was she likely to answer any other questions.
"Look, maybe we could do this without Mrs. Fontaine in the room?" He suggested.
"My client is the child's mother. Questioning the child without her legal guardian is both unethical and illegal. Methods that you–"
"She isn't going to be honest when she's afraid of getting punished for it!" Duo interrupted.
"Mr. Maxwell, if you don't calm down, we will have to continue these proceedings without YOUR presence." The judge said, scowling. It was clear that he had gone from slightly amused to majorly irritated.
"Mr. Maxwell, if Natalie won't confirm physical abuse, there is nothing we can do regarding that," Vern said.
"You say that Mrs. Fontaine has gainful employment, whereas our records indicate that she has failed to pay her monthly rent on time for five of the last eight months," Trowa spoke up.
"Mrs. Fontaine's priorities were clearly to provide food and clothing for her child," Une said.
"Interesting, considering that the school physicals all suggest that Natalie is underweight and malnourished. Add to that her most recent physical, given by Dr. Greenfeld only a few weeks ago. You will also note the reports of very recent, very violent abuse. One of Natalie's eyes was swollen shut, and her mouth so badly split it nearly needed stitches to repair."
"I hardly think that a renown plastic surgeon can be trusted to give pediatric evidence," Une smiled.
"On the contrary, Dr. Greenfeld – while yes, being one of the best plastic surgeons in the city – is also well known for his pro bono work, dealing with children suffering grievous injuries. His experience with children is quite sufficient." The look on Trowa's face was that of a shark. It was a side of him that Duo hadn't seen before, and it was kind of a turn on.
"And how were those injuries caused?" Une asked, directing her question to Natalie.
"Dunno." She shrugged and looked down at the table.
"Nat. I promised you, okay? But you gotta help me out here." Duo said.
She looked up at him, and was about to speak, but just then her mother erupted in a stream of language that Duo didn't understand. He knew it was French – but since Odin had despised the Romance Languages and forced he and Heero to learn Japanese, Mandarin, and Korean – he had no idea what she was saying. It was clear that Nat did, and that it wasn't an apology or her begging for forgiveness. It was also clear that both Une and Trowa understood what was being said. Une's face had gone pale and blank, and Trowa's fist tightened around his pen so hard that his knuckles turned white.
"Enough," he said, cutting into her words. "If your client wishes to address Natalie, I suggest she do so in English, so that the judge and the social worker can be part of the conversation. Or, I would be HAPPY to serve as translator."
Trowa's voice was cold, and Duo fought the urge to shiver. Whatever Alima Fontaine had said, it had royally pissed him off.
"Perhaps you've forgotten some nuances of the language," Une said, "it's been a while since you've had to use French as a primary language. You have likely misinterpreted my client's genuine distress at this situation as something -"
"Then she can speak in Arabic. Oh? Don't know that one? Sorry that you won't be able to twist those words around." The look on Trowa's face was, frankly, scary.
"English sounds good to me," the judge interrupted, clearly sensing the tension in the air. "Mrs. Fontaine, would you care to repeat your statement? In English?"
"No," the woman said shortly, still glaring at Natalie.
It was a long, tense moment of silence before Trowa spoke up again. "So, we have established that Mrs. Fontaine – whether or not she is gainfully employed – is not using said employment to see to the needs of her child. Furthermore, over the last year – the length of time Mrs. Fontaine has been at her current residence- there have been repeated complaints by neighbors as to noise violations. Neighbors have complained that Mrs. Fontaine entertains guests at all hours of the night, and that there are often 'violent sounding arguments' very late at night or early in the morning." Trowa looked up from the paper he had quoted. "Similar complaints were filed at the last five residences Mrs. Fontaine has occupied. Again, I think that these indicate that Mrs. Fontaine does NOT provide a stable, supporting, or safe environment for Natalie."
"I would be lying if I suggested that Mrs. Fontaine is the perfect mother," Une said, her voice lower and sympathetic. "But then, none of us is perfect. Mrs. Fontaine does struggle to make ends meet, and she does struggle to put food on the table. But she loves her child, and she is willing to go to any lengths to fight for her. Recently, Mrs. Fontaine has enrolled in a rehabilitation program, to sort through her issues, and to make connections that will ensure Natalie a better life. She is making efforts at moving in the right direction, and should not be punished for the mistakes of being human."
Trowa continued as though Une hadn't spoken. "Three weeks ago, Duo Maxwell found Natalie wondering in vanCordlandt park, alone, bloody and bruised, and wearing her school uniform. Since this was a Saturday, Mr. Maxwell was, understandably, concerned. When questioned, Natalie revealed that her mother had kicked her out of the house on Thursday night, and she had spent the next two days on the street, alone, homeless. Mr. Maxwell sought medical attention for the child, and took her home after Natalie refused to be taken to her mother's house, or to a shelter. I filed for temporary custody on Monday morning and it was granted. Mr. Maxwell has done nothing illegal, and while HE is not perfect, he has provided Natalie with the care, attention, and affection a child deserves. To suggest otherwise would be a lie."
"The fact is, Mr. Barton, your client used his wealth and influence to secure a temporary custody and completely circumvented the social services system. He has flouted authority and used his money to buy a child."
This unleashed a new stream of French from Mrs. Fontaine, but her dark gaze was directed not at Natalie, but at Duo. He suspected that she wasn't complimenting him on his wardrobe.
Trowa interrupted after what felt like a lifetime of meeting that baleful glare, speaking French in harsh, clipped tones that took any romance out of the language. He paused, drew in a deep breath, and then continued in English.
"You have no right to sit there, to say those things, and then pretend that you want what is best for Natalie." His voice was dark, no longer even and cold, but filled with emotion. "No." He said when Une moved to interrupt. "Duo Maxwell is a good man, and he has done nothing wrong. If he wanted to abuse his station in life, then he would have paid off a judge to grant him full custody. He certainly has the money to do it. He wants what is best for Natalie. He has no ulterior or nefarious motives. He has been a school teacher for years, and assessments indicate that he is exceptional at motivating and caring for his students. His relationship with Natalie is an extension of that. He wants to shelter her and nurture her. The fact that you don't understand that just indicates what sort of mother you really are." He took a deep breath. "Counselor Une, if you don't translate what your client just said, I will."
It was several long heartbeaks before Une spoke.
"Perhaps, Ms. Vern, my client, still in rehab, is not in a place to provide the child with the best home. However, my client, the mother of the girl, has just expressed severe reservations about Mr. Maxwell's ability to parent a child. Surely you – and Judge Snow – would agree that a foster home would be the best place for the child, until a resolution can be reached?"
"No," Duo said. "She has a home. Right now."
"Mr. Maxwell, despite the fact that you have, in fact, broken no laws, you did circumvent the system. And you are not an approved foster parent."
Beside Duo, Natalie had tensed, everyone of her muscles seeming to strain to put her into motion. Duo knew that she was preparing to flee. He himself was entertaining thoughts of getting them onto a plane and running away. Argentina, he decided, they didn't extradite.
"Not yet," Trowa agreed, his tone back to being cold and even. "I think you will find that Mr. Maxwell is prepared to do whatever he can to ensure that Natalie is where she wants to be. Where she needs to be."
Vern fixed Duo with an intense look.
"Do you really think that you can provide a ten year old girl with the proper home? That you would be better than approved foster parents?"
"Yes!"
"And what makes you so sure?"
"Because I've been there. I was adopted. I was in foster care. Nat doesn't deserve that. She's too good for that. To get shuffled around in the system, sent from home to home with no one to love her. She's a brilliant kid. If she had the chance to focus on her schoolwork, she could be a genius. She won't get that in a foster home. She deserves this chance."
Both Trowa and Vern were looking at him when he finished the speech. That same strange look was back in Trowa's eyes, and Vern's were narrowed in consideration.
"What are your feelings regarding Natalie? Is she just another student? Another pupil?"
Duo swallowed hard and looked down at the girl beside him.
"No, she's not just a student. I want to protect her, and I do want to teach her. I want to – hell, I want to give her the world."
"You love her," Vern concluded, most of the suspicion gone from her face.
"Yeah. Of course I do. She's the best." As soon as he said it, Duo knew it was unspeakably lame. But Vern smiled slightly and exchanged a look with the judge. He nodded.
"Well, in that case, we'll extend temporary custody for now. Mr. Maxwell, pending approval from social services, Miss Fontaine will continue to reside in your home and you will serve as her, temporary, legal guardian. Home visits by social services are to be conducted every two weeks, and Mr. Maxwell will undergo the screening process for approval as a foster parent. In three months, we will meet again and discuss the progress that Mrs. Fontaine has made in her own life, and what is in the best interests of Miss Fontaine." He nodded and stood up, signaling an end to the session.
With grumbling, Une and Mrs. Fontaine both left, but only after Une had given Trowa a long, meaningful look.
"Mr. Maxwell, " Vern spoke up just as Duo started to stand. "I would like to have a formal interview with you, now, to begin the process.
"Er, I've got to get Nat to school and –" the look on her face told him that excuses were earning him no points. "I guess Trowa could take her to school. " He looked over, and Trowa nodded.
Duo turned back to Natalie.
"You okay?" He asked quietly.
She nodded, her eyes were big, but most of the fear was gone from them.
"I get to stay?" She asked.
"Yeah, you do."
"But only for three months."
"No, for good. In three months, we just meet again to make it formal, okay?" He waited until she nodded back at him. "Now, I gotta stay here and talk to this lady – will you be okay, going with Trowa?"
She looked past him to Trowa and nodded, a smirk on her face.
"What?" Duo asked, smiling back at the look.
Natalie leaned in close. "He told Mere to fuck off! He said –"
The man in question cleared his throat, and Natalie stopped talking. But the look she gave him was filled with admiration.
Duo chuckled.
"Looks like you've got a fan club."
Trowa rolled his eyes.
"Call me when you are done here. I will take Natalie to school, and then see how the board meeting went."
Duo winced, remembering the other reason why today was a disaster.
"Right. Yeah. Okay. See you tonight!" He told Natalie.
They left, and he was alone with Ms. Vern.
"So... where do we start?" Duo flopped back down into a chair. "I like long walks on the beach and –"
"Mr. Maxwell."
"Duo, please call me Duo." He tried his most charming smile on her.
"Then please, call me Felicity."
"Er, okay."
"Duo, it is clear to me that you care a great deal for Natalie. And, as your lawyer stated, you are an exceptional teacher. But that does not mean that you will, or can be, an exceptional parent. It is my job to find out if you can provide Natalie with the home, the love, and the attention that she needs. You may view me as the enemy, but I am not. Not hers."
"Okay." Duo started to feel that the victory they had just won was a long way from winning the war.
Two hours later, Duo was finally released from the interrogation. It had been grueling, embarrassing, and incredibly frustrating. But, at the end, Felicity hadn't called the cops and demanded that they remove Natalie from his care, so, he decided, that was something.
He left the courthouse and called Trowa as he walked to the car. He answered on the third ring.
"How did it go?"
Duo smiled slightly at the sound of his voice, glad that it was back to Trowa's usual, rich baritone.
"Okay. Tough. But okay."
"Good. She interrogated you about everything, didn't she?"
"From what I ate to where I shop," Duo forced a laugh. "She asked a lot of questions about work, and that's going to be tricky. I need to talk to Heero about that."
"Anything else that concerned you?" Trowa asked.
Duo could have told him about the line of questioning into his 'adult relationships,' as Felicity put it, but something stopped him. It had not been pleasant, as Duo recited the list of his last five relationships, the length of them and the amount of time his partners had spent at his residence, he had realized that, without any conscious thought on his part, he had allowed Trowa to see far more of his personal life than anyone else in over a year.
While Heero, and no doubt Wufei, believed that Duo had a string of men that he jumped to whenever the mood struck him, Duo had early on learned that meaningless sex was just that, and it often turned around to bite you in the ass.
The Yuys were an intensely private family, and getting reported in a gossip column was tantamount to being accused of a murder. When Duo had first been in college, finally free of his restricted life in New York, he had made the mistake of partying very hard, and had paid for it dearly when a photographer had tried to blackmail Odin for several hundred thousand dollars over photos of Duo engaged in very nefarious activities. The photographer had actually been the partner of said activities, and Duo the personal betrayal, coupled with Odin's disappointment, had taught Duo to be extremely cautious.
As a result, Duo avoided the club scene, and found it challenging to meet men that he felt were worth the effort and the risk of opening up to. Often, Duo would try to hide or obscure his identity, and the relationships almost always ended when he was found out – usually not more than two weeks into one, because Duo was terrible at lying. Duo hardly ever invited men back to his own apartment – because it was usually a giveaway that he wasn't just some math teacher at a school for underprivileged kids in the Bronx. The men who did get invited home were ones who lasted past the month marker – Duo's magic number for opening up and actually admitting who he was. It wasn't until he dated someone for a month, told them who he was, and had them NOT try to screw him over that he actually considered it a relationship. These relationships were few and far between, and it had been several months since Duo had even been on a date with someone before he met Trowa. The fact that Trowa had already spent two nights at Duo's house was something of a record. The fact that Trowa knew who Duo was made it even more complicated.
The fact that Heero and Wufei still saw him as the dumb kid who was photographed giving a guy a blow job, and constantly criticized his relationships and choices in men just made it irritating.
"No, nothing else. Just, ah, stuff. Anyway. I'm on my way over – see you soon."
"Duo."
There was something about the tone of Trowa's voice that stopped him.
"Trowa." He tried to inject the exact opposite tone into his own voice.
"You are going to be an amazing father," Trowa said.
The simple statement made Duo's throat tight.
"Yeah, well, uh, thanks."
Trowa hung up, which Duo was grateful for, even if it left him with a less than smooth last line.
His drive over to Yuy Inc. headquarters took longer than he had anticipated, and by the time he arrived it was already mid-afternoon. He could just imagine the migraine that Heero was about to give him, lecturing on his priorities and dedication.
So he was surprised when he entered his brother's office and found Trowa, Heero, and Wufei clustered around a small coffee table, each with their suit jackets off and shirt sleeves rolled up, going over paperwork. As soon as he entered, Heero jumped up and crossed the room.
Duo expected to see anger, but instead, Heero's face was…calm. He grabbed Duo in a hug.
"Congratulations." Heero said as he released him.
"Ah, thanks."
Duo could count on one hand the number of hugs – this one included – that Heero had ever given him. He looked over and saw Trowa smirking, and wondered if he had anything to do with it.
"Don't screw it up," Wufei advised.
Duo rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, thanks for the advice." He grabbed a chair, shed his own coat and tie, and joined them at the table.
"So…what's up?" He asked as he flopped down in a chair.
"We need to discuss the board meeting, and Treize –"
"Wait, I'm sorry to interrupt, but something happened this morning that I think affects all of that," Trowa interrupted Heero.
"At the custody hearing?" Wufei asked incredulously.
"The lawyer representing Nathalie's mother was an old acquaintance of mine."
"Really?" Heero asked, smirking slightly.
"Not like that," Trowa said, giving him a stern look.
Duo wondered what they were talking about, but kept silent.
"I interned at her law firm as a first year. I spent three months as her personal slave. She was – she IS – an incredible lawyer. In law school, she had two of her professors fired and disbarred for sexual harassment, just because she was bored."
"So, aside from establishing the fact that you know everyone, what does this have to do with anything?" Wufei asked, his snarky self fully intact.
"My point is that she is an amazing lawyer, and I'd heard that she was working for some billionaire, covering up his tracks dealing with all sorts of illegal activities. She's not the type of lawyer that Alima Fontaine could have afforded. "
"Pro Bono work?" Heero suggested.
"She didn't seem the type," Duo said, shaking his head as he remembered the look the woman had given him as she left. Cold and predatory. "You're right, something's up with that – she wasn't….normal."
"No," Trowa agreed with a bitter laugh. "She never has been. It might not seem related, but, I can't shake the feeling that she is somehow involved in all of this mess."
"Hn." Heero looked thoughtful, and Duo felt a small spurt of resentment. If he had suggested that she was connected, Heero would have blown him off. But Trowa says something and suddenly its plausible. He pushed the irritation aside.
"So, board meeting?" He tried to change the subject.
"Bad. Very, very bad. The board wants to remove you. Darlian was at the head of a coalition to remove you."
"What about the will? The company? Khushrenada?"
"Oh, don't worry, he brought up all of that. Tried to suggest that it demonstrated a lack of trust in my abilities, as well as yours, and that maybe we should investigate what a merger would do to everyone's holdings. I talked them out of that – but the idea's been planted. It might come back to bite us again. But, most important, you need to be fired. Immediately." The bitterness in Heero's voice ate at Duo. He wasn't used to seeing his brother, the immovable Heero Yuy, at the edge of giving in to anything. Or anyone.
"Son of a bitch. Well – it doesn't matter anyway. They can't do anything about it. The only one who can actually remove me is you, and that's not going to happen." Duo said.
"No, it's not. But you need to convince them that you are capable, exceptional even. The board doesn't have enough power to replace you, but they have just enough to try to override every move and decision we try to make for the next year."
"Un-fucking believable. Look, Heero, bro, is there any chance you could take one for the team and just fuck Relena? Just once?" Duo asked.
"NO," Heero answered with a glare.
"Sorry, it was worth asking. I mean, I hate Darlian as much as you – but I think that antagonizing him isn't going to help. Unless – wait, Dad's will – he said the structure had to remain in place, but Darlian's just a senior VP – did he mean those positions were also fixed? He couldn't have, right, because some of these guys might die, and no way Dad would have let a loophole like that happen…" Duo trailed off as he tried to think of ways they could force Darlian to resign. He knew the man couldn't be fired – not without facing a lawsuit – but if he could be convinced to resign or sell his shares, the problem could be solved.
"You can't fire him," Wufei said, stating a conclusion that Duo had already reached.
"Obviously. We need to do something, though. He's going to drive a wedge between the rest of the board and us until he forces us to give in and give the company to Treize."
"Why? He has to realize that Treize will turn on him as soon as that happens." Trowa pointed out.
Heero sighed. "I'll talk to him. We haven't been sailing in years, the weather should be pleasant enough this weekend."
"Is that the best idea?" Trowa asked.
"Yes. He's always liked me," Heero started to say.
"Not as much as Relena does," Duo muttered.
"And he will be honest and relaxed, away from the office. I'll talk to him."
"So, you're going to talk to Darlian, Trowa's going to try and figure out what the Ice Bitch is after, Wufei's going to… just sit there and look hateful, and I'm going to charm the pants of the board. Good game plan."
"Do not try to sleep with any of them," Heero said, and the warning in his voice made it clear that he believed Duo capable of it.
"Heero, are you kidding me? Some of those guys are hot – you know how I go for saggy old men."
"Really?" Trowa asked, smirking slightly.
"Well, s'not my usual thing, but I try to branch out," Duo grinned at him.
"Impress them with your business acumen and keep your affairs away from Yuy Inc. please."
"No sweat. I'm getting satisfaction elsewhere. So cool it – your precious old guys are safe from my lecherous ways."
Heero arched an eyebrow. "A new boy-toy of the month?"
This wasn't a conversation that Duo wanted to be having, especially not in front of Trowa, especially after the earlier interrogation from the social worker had forced him to think about just how quickly he was letting Trowa into his life.
"Dunno. This one might be a keeper. I'm thinking about bringing him to brunch this weekend." He said it more to irritate Heero than anything else. Although the idea of showing up with Trowa – the look on Heero's face – made him consider it momentarily.
"Do not parade one of your trashy men around in front of mother. At least you've been decent enough to keep them away from the family."
"Then how do you know they're so trashy?"
Heero gave him a look. "Duo. I remember the way you were in college."
"That was 10 years ago! I've grown up. I've changed."
"Really? Then who is this man you're seeing right now?"
"I've got to go and check on my father," Wufei interrupted suddenly and then abruptly fled.
Duo noticed that Trowa made no move to leave, and actually appeared to be curious about how Duo would answer the question.
"What's with all of the focus on me anyway? Is this about you? Who are you seeing these days?"
"No one. I'm a little busy at the moment." Heero growled.
"Yeah, well, I find the time. I mean – Trowa, you seeing anyone?"
"Yes," Trowa said.
"See, he finds the time. You should get out more, just try to pick up a guy."
"It isn't for a lack of trying," Heero said, with a significant look in Trowa's direction.
"Whoa, whoa. You've been giving me speeches about not using Yuy Inc. as a dating service but you –"
"Duo," Trowa said, a warning in his voice.
"I just want all of us to acknowledge that he likes you and I'm somehow not allowed to flirt with anyone who works here, but –"
"Yes, I like him. I acknowledge it. Now, can we make this even more awkward and unnecessary and let me state that, unlike you, I don't find it easy to approach men and 'pick up guys.' Trowa knows that I'm attracted to him, and he's – well, he's involved with someone else. I respect that, and we've managed to have a decent working relationship, despite that knowledge. But you just won't let anything be, will you? I look at him and you have to go and be a complete asshole."
"You can't just look at him like that!" Duo argued, wondering what Heero had been about to say before he stopped himself.
"I can't help it! And why does it matter to you?"
Duo opened his mouth, closed it and scowled at Heero.
"It's just hypocritical. You lecture me about not doing something and you've got the hots for your own lawyer."
"Who isn't just a piece of meat to be fought over," Trowa pointed out mildly.
Duo flushed.
"Right, no, I know. Sorry. Heero. I don't mean to give you a hard time. I'm just…on edge from this morning. Sorry. I, you know, you'll find the right guy. When the time's right. And, I won't bring my 'boy-toy' around to brunch. Scouts honor." He held two fingers up and waited until Heero nodded before he stood up.
"I, ah, hate to leave so soon – but Nat gets out of school soon and I'd like to pick her up today."
"Sure." Heero was looking at Trowa, and the look in his eyes made Duo want to say something he knew he would regret.
"Tro – mind if I call you later? Details about Nat?" He tried to keep his voice even.
Trowa looked up at him, a slight frown on his face, and his eyes unreadable.
"Can we discuss it tomorrow morning? When you get in? I need to catch up on the meeting, so I'll be here late."
"Ah, sure."
Duo left his lover alone with his brother, who was clearly dying to make a move on him, and went to pick up Natalie from school.
He forced himself to bury his anger, and his doubts, about the two of them. After all, Nat was his, and she was his family now. He needed to focus on her.
"So," he said, grinning back at her when she got into the car, a slight, sincerely happy smile on her face, "I figure it isn't every day that the courts decide I'm responsible enough to care for a juvenile delinquent. How about we celebrate?"
"Not with more of your French food?" She demanded, a look of disgust on her face.
"Nope. We'll go anywhere you want to."
"Ah – Ruby Tuesdays! In Time Square!"
As much as it crushed his soul to acquiesce to the demand, to spend too much money at a chain restaurant that was going to be filled with tourists, he nodded gamely and smiled. "You got it!"
"Is Trowa coming?" She asked it offhand, as though she didn't care either way.
"Naw, I thought this could be just me and you – unless do you want Sara to come?" He grinned, delighted at the mental image of the housekeeper at such a place.
"Yeah, that's cool." The look on her face told Duo that Nat was also picturing it.
"Alright, we'll run home and then we're off to celebrate."
TBC…
So, so, so sorry it took me this long to update. I hope there are people out there who still care….
Next up: Relationships can really, really suck.
