Author's Note: Sorry again here is the next chapter, haven't been writing but I will definitely try to do more. This story is however quite a bit longer then the original, not sure how that turned out but it did. Still plugging my way through it promise! For now enjoy the next installment.

Deadman Walking

Chapter 9 - Semper Fi

"Just up here sir," the solider in the back seat said pointing to the gravel road, at a break in the trees ahead. Heero nodded, guiding the rumbling truck towards the spot, he stopped at the wide path over chocked with weeds now, looking dark and unpleasant in the late afternoon light. "You sure Corporal?" Nodding he was suddenly out of idling truck and beside the window, "Yes thank you, I have someone I need to meet." He spoke in that same soft tone, but now a sad smile seemed to play across his face. Heero returned the nod, "Good luck Marine," he said as he turned heading down the road the large pack slung on his shoulder once more, he paused turning. "Hold onto him Sir," he spoke eyes shaded once more by the glasses, "They can be taken so easily." Straighten he saluted smartly, "Semper fi." Heero returned the salute, "Semper fi." Blue eyes watching as the figure walking the road began to fade out, until nothing but the rusting leaves and dirt kicking up in the wind was seen.

A soft snort and Duo awoke blinking and stretching, Heero moved to look at his boyfriend. Yawning the slender man straightened blinking in the sun, the headphones fell from his ears, as he turned smiling at Heero. Slumberous violet eyes, regarded him, "Hey we there?" he quirked voice thick and quiet. Heero unable to speak shook his head, unable to stop looking at his lover, the words of his hitchhiker rolling around in his mind; 'hold onto him'. "Not quite," Heero replied glancing back down the road once more on the off chance Corporal CC was still wandering down. Duo glanced around, "Where are we?" he mumbled frowning at the gravel path. Sighing Heero leaned on the steering wheel, "If I had to guess the entrance to the drive of St. Jude's." Dark eyes widened, "But why?" Heero smiled a little, "Dropping off a new friend." He mumbled before throwing the truck into reverse, according the his GPS they where ten minutes from the resort and they where no doubt way behind the other two. "What do you mean Heero? Did we pick someone up?"

As they got back on the road Heero explained what had happened, Duo was both amazed, and pissed that Heero hadn't woken his up. "I'm sorry love," he mumbled as they rolled to a stop at the traffic light on main street. The resort was just outside of town on the far side. It was just fine with Heero, he wanted to be as far away from that place as possible at night. Duo half smiled, "Can't stay mad, anyway what was he like?" They headed through as the light changed, "Different,"

"How so?"

"He didn't look dead, but he was." Duo frowned, "Still not understanding," Heero sighed eyes on the road as they passed more colourful looking shops. "Usually the dead look just like they died. Headless, bloody, or stretched out neck that sort of thing…but he…he was just himself." Duo thought, "You said he was wearing an older uniform?" Heero nodded spotting the turn for the resort and heading through the elaborate gates, and to green manicured lawn. "Wow," Duo mumbled looking around, Heero grinned, "Yeah Marine circa 1960's with a purple heart. Going to go out on a limb and say probably a Vietnam vet." Duo hummed thinking, a slow smile on his face a dimple appearing as the pulled in beside Trowa's already parked SUV, where a blonde was stretching his legs.

They parked, Heero listening the crackle of the overheated engine, glancing to his lover. "I really am sorry for not waking you," he said. Duo leaned over the console kissing him hard and hot, parting Heero dazed watched amazed as Duo licked his lips. "Forgiven, besides I get the feeling we are going to see him again." He turned opening the door missing Heero's surprised face, unknowingly echoing his own sentiment from earlier.

Stepping out he shook out long legs as Duo went to check in, Heero met up with the other two. "Lost you there for a bit?" Trowa asked coming around, Heero shrugged, "Picked up a hitchhiker." Trowa raised an eyebrow, "A dead one." Quatre's mouth unhinged.

Inside Duo was picking up keys the pretty well dressed lady behind the counter telling him they had a nice bar and restaurant on site, as well as full gym, pool, and spa as well. "We hope you enjoy your stay Mr. Maxwell," she smiled as he accepted the keys to the cabins. The place was set up with luxury rooms with a living room, bedroom, small kitchenette. It would be more then comfortable. Keys in hand he wandered back to the parking lot, in time to see Quatre almost tearing his hair out. "You didn't tell us!" He was all but yelling, Trowa looked amused and Heero looked chagrin. Chuckling Duo came up beside his lover, feeling a strong-arm wrap around his waist automatically. He leaned close, "Got the keys," he handed a set over, listening to Quatre rant as the boys began to take out there suitcases. "He is nuts isn't he, crazy." Quatre muttered sighing as Trowa dropped his Burton suitcase he had two stuffed full. Duo laughed as Heero set his black bags down, a big suitcase and a smaller duffel. "Brought enough stuff Q?" he asked the blonde designing not to answer as they trundled towards the doors. They rolled across the lobby headed for the elevators. Heero glanced at his large wrist watch, it was almost two. "Some R and R before dinner?" They all agreed, rest today and tomorrow they would head out to the hospital.

-#-#-#-

"To a fruitful expedition," Quatre held up his glass of beer, "To seeing some more ghosts," Trowa added, "To solving these visions." Duo lifted his glass and all turned to Heero, "To all of us making it through the week." He finished softly, the others clinking beer glasses softly in the lovely dinning room. They had spent a pleasant afternoon, Trowa and Heero exploring the site very impressed with the gym and pool making plans to use it in the morning.

The dining room was half full as other guests trickled down, according to the information Duo had got, a lot of rich city dwellers spent their entire summers at the resort. "This place is wild Duo," Quatre commented smiling as the black and white dressed waiters brought them their meals. "I know," Duo smiled impishly behind his glasses, the rooms where fantastic Heero had already tried out the bed soft and cozy he had a solid three hour nap while Duo clicked away already documenting what had happened to Heero, and himself. He had decided to carry a tape recorder in addition to Quatre's filming just to make sure he didn't miss a thing.

They ate in good company maybe laughing a little too loud, cracking jokes, and drinking perhaps more then they should have. Duo was fuzzing pleasantly when they finally left the table heading for their rooms, he watched Heero hungrily form behind as they headed back to their rooms. Trowa and Heero where still talking football as they walked ahead of them, Quatre chuckled, "Easy Duo, wait till you get to your room at least." The long haired man shared a look with his best friend, and the pair hurried to catch up with their boyfriends. Duo leaning into Heero pinching his ass in the elevator. Giggling he cuddled into him as they got off on the same floor. Heero well aware his boyfriend was probably tipsy was feeling pretty fine himself.

Feeling fine all the way to their room where they called a goodnight to the other couple before opening the door into their room. Duo slammed the door, advancing on Heero. The marine smiled as he was pushed into a nearby chair in the small living room area. "Stay…" Duo told him, before he stripped out his collared shirt, black tonight. The tight jeans he wore and underneath, oh god underneath… Heero lost his mind.

-#-#-#-

Heero woke promptly at 0500 his internal clock a finely tuned machine. The warmth in the vicinity of his chest moaned faintly grumbling as he moved to leave the bed. Chuckling Heero kissed a sleep-warmed cheek, he would have a bit of a headache this morning. Standing he stretched his nude body dog tags tinkling as he bent. Purple eyes half silted appreciated the sight of that well muscled, limber body before Heero tugging on workout clothing and Duo closed his eyes to sleep a bit longer.

He woke again at about six with his phone tinkling out a tune, his head pounded a bit and his mouth was dry as cotton. "Yeah," he answer, "How you feeling oh fearless leader?" Duo grunted a bit into the headset. Laughter from the other end, "Get your ass up I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast in fifteen minutes." Duo bit out something that seemed like an affirmative before hanging up. Swinging his legs over the bed he stood slowly feeling his head throb. His lower back was sore, he grinned it had been a hell of a night. That sappy grin followed him to the shower.

Clean and dressed he headed to the dining room suddenly wanting something greasy and fattening. He spotted Quatre right away the blonde looking like he was more at home at high school then ghost hunting. Duo sat across from him eyes still a little blearily staring at the shirt he wore, it was a white t-shirt, tight, hugging his upper body and it had the black outline of a man hanging from a noose. Duo smiled despite himself. He'd gone with a red t-shirt himself, black cargo shorts and a pair of puma's. "How you feeling now?" the blonde was playing with his camera, "Like I want a greasy breakfast." Laughing he nodded across the way, "Buffet, help yourself."

Duo heaped a plate full returning to the table eating heartily. "Saw the boys just before you got down, they where headed up to shower and change be down shortly." Duo nodded opening his notebook they had planned to investigate different parts of the large hospital each day in an effort to cover the most ground. Violet eyes roved the map, small highlighted notations today they where going to looking into the west wing, the newer part of the hospital and if Zechs' plans where to be believed it consisted of the therapy rooms, male dormitories, and possible children's ward. "I think we should go slow, taking it a bit at a time and stay together." Quatre laughed, "Good horror movie advice." Duo was glaring at him as the other two showed up moments later. Looking flushed and bright eyed for the day. Heero dropped a kiss to Duo's cheek, "Feeling ok?" Nodding he waved his concern away, "Yeah got some Tylenol and food good to go."

They got their food sitting down to eat, and ask what the plan was when Duo who'd been sort of half in his own world reviewing his carefully laid plan in his head; felt his headache suddenly sharpen. He gasped as a blinding pain followed and his eyes rolled back in his head.

Heero was looking at him frightened, eyes wide, mouth moving but Duo couldn't hear.

"Heero?" he called voice thick and sticky. Heero was mouthing again. Unmoving looking staring still, straight, and somehow ridged.

"Heero?" he yelled again. All at once he could heat Heero and the sound rattled his brain. "RUN!"

Duo gasped gripping his ears, realizing Heero was wearing a straight jacket.

He gasped flinging forward splattering blood on the white tablecloth of the dinning room shaking. He felt Heero around him, holding him tightly. Gulping he coughed the pain fresh and sharp. "Bad," Duo muttered, "Very bad…" he whispered. There was silence as Heero held a Kleenex to his bleeding nose. While he fumbled for his bottle of pills, popping two and crunching. Quatre laid a gentle hand on Duo, almost recoiling instantly. The harshness of the vision stunning him, he saw it in vivid detail, and heard.

Quatre recoiled as if bitten, "Holy shit Duo," he wiped streaming eyes, "What was it?" Trowa asked, "Heero, Heero in a straight jacket." He said softly, Heero's head snapped up looking at him a stricken, haunted look passing across blue eyes before they shuttered. Trowa was the only one who noticed. Duo was coming back to himself, holding onto Heero's arm. "That place," he mumbled, looking up at three pairs of sad eyes watching him. The tension thick, where they really going to do this?