It's been a really long time, so I'll keep the A/N short and sweet. Just a refresh on the
1) Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever own Gundam Wing. I do however own the second generation and any other things you do not recognize from the series.
2) Dedication: This chapter is for Amy, Katlin, and Brenna. May life always grant you all happiness, because you deserve it (especially because you let me mess with your characters). I love you, and this summer is going to be the best ever.
With that said, as a 'the first year of college is over' gift to myself and my 1 year down friends, I give you chapter 10 of A Crimson Christmas.
Year: After Colony 232
December 8
6:30 P.M.
Location: Earth, in the middle of Europe
"You've got to be kidding me." Trevet exclaimed. His gundam stood on the earth, directly across from the three who had proven themselves as allies an hour before by helping him annihilate "the General's" forces. His mouth hung open as he gazed at the three pilots faces. "You've so got to be kidding me." He began to climb down from Cyprus, and then jumped the last few yards to the ground with skill.
"Trevet! Wait!" One of the men called as he and his companions followed the younger man's actions.
"No dad! I won't wait! This makes absolutely no sense." Trevet said, halting his gait and turning to glare at his father, intense violet meeting intense violet. "You told us you couldn't help! You told us we had to do this! I killed people! You made me into a killer! I murdered people. Dad, I watched a little boy die, and it was my fault. Just like Hilde was my fault. And all because you were too lazy to help."
Duo looked at his companions. Trowa and Wufei shrugged. "Trevet…" His son ignored him, but turned and continued to walk away.
"Maxwell!" Wufei commanded. Trevet's head snapped up. Wufei glared at him. "Do you forget what your father lived with? Don't you think he would have helped to start with if he could have? Don't you think he would have kept you from this life if he could?" Trevet opened his moth to respond, but then actually though about what he was going to say and promptly shut his mouth.
"Trevet, circumstances are different. We only returned to fighting to help you boys in the war, and so we can continue the search for Quatre," Duo explained. Trevet nodded. He looked at 03 and 05. They both nodded.
"And I suppose I'm to keep silent about this meeting? Even from the other guys?"
"Yes." Trowa informed him. Trevet smirked and shook his head.
"Figured as much. And my incentive to keep quiet?" Trevet asked, meeting each of their eyes with his own.
Duo snorted. Trowa and Wufei gave him a questioning look. "What? It sounds like something I would ask." Wufei slapped his forehead and Trowa tried to hide a grin.
"How about we don't kill you?" Trowa asked him.
Trevet smiled nervously. His father wouldn't really let them kill his only son. He glanced at Duo who refused to meet his eye. Shit. "Fair enough," Trevet said quietly.
02, 03, and 05 all nodded. Wufei reached out to shake his hand. Trevet gripped it.
"Trevet. Tell the other's that I contacted you with new orders. Completely ignore the search for 04 and focus on finding out as much as you can about the 'General' and his plans. And always protect the colonies." Duo told him.
"And 04?"
"We'll take care of him." Trowa told the young man. Trevet nodded again.
"Fine." He walked back over to Cyprus and began to climb back towards the controls. He turned around one last time to face the three former gundam pilots. "And thanks."
Wufei and Trowa nodded. Duo smiled at him. "Take care son."
"You too, Dad." Trevet grinned, jumping into the cockpit, and bringing Cyprus back to life. Within moments he was gone, leaving Duo, Wufei, and Trowa alone.
"He's a good kid, Duo." Trowa remarked. Duo just nodded. "Come on, we've got to follow that lead. Something about Quatre being in L3."
Year: After Colony 232
December 8
7:30 P.M.
Location: Earth; Somewhere in Europe
"Mama! Mama! We're home." Palton called into the small home, he and his sister Riana dropped their bags by the door. Stephan, Eliza, and Ayman waited in the doorway.
"Mama, we brought guests." Riana called after him.
"Oh, Eliza and Stephan are here for dinner. That's fine, I thought they'd be coming." A woman with the same brown hair and brown eyes as Palton and Riana walked out of the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel. "Riana, set two more places at the table, and Stephan, Eliza, do your parents know you're here… Oh, hello," she said, observing the boy.
"Mama, this is Ayman." Palton introduced Kizer's pilot to his mother. "Ayman, this is my mother Ariani Rotel."
"Nice to meet you Ayman," she told him smiling.
"It's nice to meet you too, Ms. Rotel."
"Mama, Ayman's a gundam pilot. We found him in the Thrushen woods. He was hungry, so we brought him home for food."
"I see." Ms. Rotel remarked, shaking her heads. Only her daughter could make up such a story. It was more likely that Ayman was the son of the new neighbors, and they had been playing games. Ayman, however, was taken back by the fact that he wasn't questioned. "Well, all of you go wash up. I'll have dinner on the table momentarily."
"Alright Mama," Riana told her mother, running off to wash up. Stephan and Palton followed right behind her.
"Come on, Ayman, I'll show you the way," Eliza told him, walking to another bathroom. One that wouldn't be crowded by the twins and Stephan.
Ayman nodded and followed the smaller girl. It was nice. For once, he was surrounded by children his own age, able to act the part, not have to worry about MDs and MSs. When he and Eliza finished, he sat down beside her at the dinning room table. Ms. Rotel had put a generous helping on his plate. She smiled at him. There was something familiar about the boy.
Halfway through dinner, the doorbell rang. "I wonder who that could be?" Ms. Rotel, asked the air as she slowly put her napkin down. Palton jumped from his seat.
"I'll get it." The young pre-teen was gone before his mother could say a word. There were sounds of angry talk, and then Palton reemerged back in the kitchen, his face pale, and a gun pointed at his back. "Mama, these people want Ayman." He said, his voice shaky. Eliza, Stephan, and Riana squealed in terror and darted into the kitchen. One of the two men snickered, while his companion attempted to dart after them. The first used his free arm to stop his companion, keeping the other pointed at the boy's head. He was tall, and wearing a military uniform with no sleeves, revealing a snake tattoo on his arm. His bright green eyes blazed beneath red-brown hair.
"No matter. We're not after them, Captain Sky. All we need is him." He pointed to Ayman.
"But Commander Writhe…" The Captain argued. He had on a uniform as well. His dark brown hair was cut short and stuck out at odd angles. His deep chocolate eyes furious.
"Just the boy, Captain." His superior told him, and Sky sighed defeated. "Now ma'am. If you don't want your son to get hurt, you'll hand over the boy." He smirked at Ariani, who looked horrified. She could hear the other three whimpering on the other side of the doorway, and her eyes filled with tears as she watched Palton shake. Ayman met his eyes for a second and nodded. He stood up slowly and walked in front of the boy's mother.
"Let him go, and I'm yours." Ayman told them calmly.
"Drop all your weapons." Writhe, told him. Ayman drew two guns and several knives from his body. Ms. Rotel watched stunned. Here was a boy, carrying tons of weaponry, and surrendering himself like a grown man, when he wasn't even older than her own children. He dropped them on the floor at his feet, never taking his eyes off Writhe and Sky. "Check him," Writhe commanded. Sky immediately moved to Ayman's side, and began to pat his clothing, checking for other weapons.
"He's clean."
"Good, grab him and let's go." Writhe snickered as Sky grabbed the small boy. He slipped his own arm around Palton, keeping the gun pointed at his head.
"Hey! You said, you'd let Palton go, if I surrendered." Ayman, said, struggling a bit, keeping his eyes on Writhe and not his captor.
"Well, I'm Commander Alder Writhe, and guess what. I lied!" He said, glaring at the boy. He signaled to Sky, and the captain drew his gun and hit Ayman over the head with it, knocking the ten year old out. Ariani gasped, and stood their frozen. Writhe smirked at her.
"Now, be a good girl, and don't tell anyone you saw this, and nothing will happen to Palton here."
"Mama!" Palton cried out, before Writhe hit him over the head and he joined Ayman in the realms of the unconscious.
"PALTON!" She cried out, as Writhe disappeared out the door behind Sky. She rushed to the window, and watched as the two men carried the boys toward the Mobile suits on the edge of the woods. Suddenly the man carrying Ayman froze.
"Commander, we have a problem."
"Drop the boy and no one gets hurt." A calm voice told him. Haru stood up slowly from his hid out behind the bushes. His gun aimed at Sky's head. 'The General's' man stood frozen. "I said drop him Morgan."
"One against two? I don't think so Yuy." Sky told him as Writhe came up behind him.
"What makes you think I'm alone?" Haru asked him. A click of a gun on his left made Morgan turn to lock eyes with Tarak. Yul appeared on their right.
"Go ahead and try to retreat, scum." A voice said behind them. The two men turned around to meet the eyes of an Arabian man and his female companion, a woman with two braided blond pigtails.
"Nice timing Rashid, Ms. Po." Yul told them, smirking.
"Anything for Ayman and Master Quatre." Rashid told them, smiling back.
"Now drop the boys." Sally told them.
"You think we can't take you?" Writhe asked them.
"If we thought that, then we wouldn't have the entirety of the Magunac Corps waiting for the order to attack in their MSs." Rashid retorted.
"Damn it."
"Drop the boys." Haru repeated, locking eyes with Sky. "Morgan, drop him."
He smirked, whatever you say, Yuy!" The man said, tossing a smoke ball down, blinding Haru, Tarak, Yul, and their allies. Sounds of a helicopter roared overhead, and Sky and Writhe grabbed hold of the rope ladder, which began to pull them up. Haru shot several shots at the men, careful not to hit the boys. One shot hit Writhe's hand, making him drop Palton. Tarak dived beneath and caught the boy's limp body. Rashid wasted no time, he contacted the other men of the Magunac Corps and suddenly several mobile suits appeared from the cover of the woods. They began firering on the helicopter until Sky dropped Ayman. Yul caught the boy with ease, bracing himself as the child feel from the altitude. The helicopter rose beyond their reach.
"Don't think this is over, Yuy! The Serpents will win and you and I will meet again."
"I look forward to it, Sky." Haru called back, glaring at the young man. He watched in silence as their enemy escaped.
"Shit." Tarak whispered, drawing Haru's attention.
"Don't worry, we'll get them next time. Are they ok?"
Yul nodded, holding smelling salts under Ayman's nose. Palton was already awake and coughing in Tarak's arms. "Good, let's get him back to his mother. You good Winner?"
"Yeah." He blinked. "Where's Trevet?"
Tarak frowned. "Don't know. He took on thirty of the Serpent troops on his own, just so we could find you. Most likely dead now." Tarak told him, trying to keep his voice level and emotionless. Ayman nodded, keeping his worry to himself. He wouldn't cry. Not until he knew for sure.
"Ayman?" The young boy looked at Palton. "I didn't believe you before. But now I'm convinced, that you're a Gundam pilot. Thank you for saving me."
"I didn't save you. My friends did." Ayman told him. "Come, your mother and sister are worried. And I'm going to leave before I cause more problems."
Haru clapped Ayman's shoulder in understanding and walked back with them to Palton's home.
"Mama!" Palton screamed, running into the room. Ariani caught him in a hug and sobbed into his collar.
"My baby! You're alright. Thank god you're alright." She looked up at Haru and Ayman. Haru met her eyes, but Ayman looked away, ashamed. "Who are you people?"
"My name is Haruko Yuy, and this is Ayman Quatre Winner, and that's all I can tell you, ma'am."
"Winner?" She blinked.
"Yes ma'am. Quatre Winner wa-is my father, and I don't know who my mother is." Ayman told her, without speaking. Ariani's eyes went wide.
"I-I do." Ayman looked at her questioning. "You're my son." She told him. Ayman watched in disbelief. The moment she said it, he knew it was true. Some bond, or possibly the space heart he inherited from his father. Tears rolled down his eyes, but he couldn't move. He shook his head, remembering his father.
"I-it's nice to meet you, mom. But I have to go." Without another word, he turned and walked out of the house.
"Ayman! Aym-" She called after him. So her third son was alive and well. A hand held her shoulder, keeping her from moving.
"Let him go. Now isn't a good time. When the war is over, if he can, he'll come back. But he has things he knows he needs to do." Haru told the crying woman. He watched Ayman walk away, his shoulders shaking. You just don't want them to get hurt, do you kid? He released the woman and followed him. They all had people they needed to protect. It didn't matter how old you were. In war, it was the love you had for other's that made you strong. Finding his family would make Ayman stronger, just as protecting Nikki had always made Haru stronger.
Year: After Colony 232
December 16
8:00 A.M.
Location: Colony Cluster L4; Colony 67JPR04
"Alright we're here." Jon told the four sleepy young women seated behind him on the inter colony shuttle. Nikki and Bren cracked an eye from their semi-sleep and gave him questioning looks. Ami just pretended to be sleeping, and Kat shot him a death glare.
"Why did we have to travel this early in the morning?" She complained.
Jon tossed her bag at her. "Because the mobile suits arrive in an hour and I have to be at the hanger to collect them. Just be glad I'm not making you four come."
"No, instead, we have to check out the hotel and make sure there aren't any serpents hanging around." Bren responded.
"Hey, you signed up. War waits for…"
"No one," Nikki finished for him. "Yeah, yeah, we know. We've heard it before. Come on, Ami. Give it up." She nudged the false sleeping girl, who rubbed her eyes and pouted.
"Do we have to?" She complained, not wanting to move from the comfortable seat.
"It's either that or help Mr. Commander over there." Bren told her, jerking her head at Jon who turned and stuck his tongue out at her. Diana had had to remain behind. Something about training other officers. For now they answered to Jon and only Jon, and occasionally the superior officers.
"Now, stay together, and don't leave the hotel." Jon told them.
"Jon, sweetie?" Nikki called to get his attention.
"Yeah?"
"Don't push it." She told him, walking past him into the terminal.
"Right." He responded, following the four of them. Amy breathed in deeply when she stepped out into the space port.
"Ahhh… colonial city pollution. How I've missed thee." She said, grinning. Bren shook her head, while Kat slung her arm over her friends shoulder.
"Three rooms in the hotel upstairs, right Jon?" Bren asked him. He nodded quickly.
"I've got to go. Can't let anyone see the suits." He winked and sped off into the crowd.
"If we had to have a commanding officer, I'm glad it was him." Bren said, as they got into an elevator. Ami and Kat pressed their noses against the glass as they rose up to the hotel level.
"Oh god!" Ami exclaimed, stepping back and going white.
"What?"
"They're staying at the same hotel!" Ami shrieked, pointing at five young men.
"Well, we knew we'd be fighting alongside them." Nikki told her, looking down.
"Yeah, but the same hotel?" Ami grinned.
"Oh no. No no! Ami keep your head in the game." Bren told her.
"But can't I play two games at once."
"No."
"Absolutely not."
"Fine by me." Nikki and Bren turned to glare at Kat. "What? I live vicariously through her." Nikki slapped her forehead.
"Do you think they know?" Bren asked.
"Dunno. Maybe." Nikki answered her. She sighed and followed her friends off the elevator, desperately trying to keep Ami from running over, as well as convincing herself not to. They had to figure out if they were being expected or not first. "Bren, you and Ami go check in. Kat and I will get closer to hear their conversation." Bren and Ami nodded.
"And Nikki. Control yourself till we get there, huh?" Bren told her.
Nikki glared at her, grabbed Kat by the arm, and drag her off to a table behind her fiancé and his friends.
"Trevet, I still can't believe you defeated all those men on your own. It's amazing that you're alive." Ayman told him. Trevet just leaned back in his chair, propped his feet up on the table and sighed.
"Yeah, well. It was nothing. Anyway, Haru says you found your mother?"
Ayman looked down at his lap, his excitement ebbing. "And almost got my half brother killed. What was I thinking, going home with civilians?"
"You were a hungry soldier. We had no idea that the Serpents knew who we were. Now we're gonna have to be more careful." Tarak told him.
"I guess you're right." Ayman told him.
"Of course, he's right Kid." Trevet told him. "And besides, you found her right? When this war is over, you can get to know her and your brother and sister better." Trevet told him. Ayman smiled up at Trevet.
"Why exactly did you wait until today to contact us, and here of all places, Maxwell?" Yul asked the younger man.
"Dad's orders. All I know is that this colony is heavily under Serpent control." He said, raising his eyebrows to the soldiers guarding all the exits. "Dad is sending backup within a few days. On the 21 we meet them at a hanger for a training mission, and then, when we're ready, we infiltrate and destroy the Serpent base." Trevet told him.
Tarak and Ayman nodded slowly in understanding. "Yuy? If the Serpents know who we are, why don't they attack?" Yul told him after he caught a soldier staring at them for the third time.
"Well, first of all, they're undercover as colony military. And second of all, they know the consequences of attacking in public. They just have to wait for us to screw up," Haru told them shooting a meaningful look at Trevet, who smiled innocently. Yul rolled his eyes at him.
"Trevet, who is our backup, anyway?" Tarak asked him, sipping his coffee.
"Not a clue." Trevet told him, as they all stood up to go, completely unaware that Nikki and Kat were listening to them. Tarak nodded, and followed, his coffee still in his hands.
"So we just wait? Commander Maxwell, gave us no information what so ev-" He was cut off as a young woman walked into him, completely emerged in her conversation with her friend, resulting in his coffee being spilt down his shirt.
"Oh my god! I'm so, so sorry," Ami exclaimed, turning to look at him. Tarak was already looking at her, laughing his head off. Before she knew it, he had her in his arms, still laughing. She looked up at his face, and realized it was her fiancé. "Damn it. I did it again."
"Of course you did. If you didn't, it wouldn't be you." He told her, kissing her. He lifted her off her feet and only broke the kiss for a moment. "God, I've missed you." He resumed kissing her passionately, not caring who was watching, and Ami definitely knew what he wanted at that moment. She could feel a certain bulge pressing against her thigh.
"Ok, so if Ami's here," Haru said, looking around him. He spotted Bren and she waved. He gave her a small smile and then frowned.
"Looking for me?" Nikki asked him, Kat and her finally coming up behind them. Haru didn't even answer, just whirled around and picked her up, kissing her deeply. "I take it you missed me." Haru just laughed and kissed her again.
"Umm… Bren?" Trevet said, looking at her. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him. "I was… umm… well… I…"
"Oh shut up and come here," she told him, kissing him on the lips. He gazed at her, his eyes wide. "What? You didn't like that?"
"Um… um…" Bren just laughed and kissed him again.
"Kat." Yul said, nodding to the fourth girl. She locked her eyes with his.
"Yul."
"Um… I guess what I want to say is, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for insinuating that I was your inferior?" Kat asked him.
"Uh… no. I'm sorry you got so mad."
"Grrr… Oh, you arrogant slime!" Kat told him, stomping off.
"Yul? What did you do this time?" Tarak asked him, Ami lodged safely in his arms. Yul just shrugged and walked off in the other direction. Nikki shook her head.
"Forget him. How are you, Ayman?" She asked the smaller boy.
"Hey Nikki, Ami, Bren. I'm good. You? What are you doing here?"
"We're good." Bren told him.
"We're uh, shopping." Nikki cut in, realizing the guys didn't know they were their backup.
"Shopping? Nikki, this is a dangerous colony. The serpent troops are everywhere here." Haru told them.
"You shouldn't be here, Ami. I want you all to go home." Tarak told them.
"Oh guys, we're fine. As long as we don't do anything to draw attention to ourselves." Bren told them. Nikki and Ami kissed their fiancés. Bren hugged Trevet around the shoulders.
"That's what we're worried about." Haru remarked. Nikki elbowed him lightly.
"And here we thought you missed us." Nikki told him.
"We'll, you are here. Maybe we can have some fun?" Trevet smirked.
"Well…" Bren smiled back at him.
"We have to check on Kat first. And you boys should talk to Yul. Get him to lay off that macho bit, or we're all going to sock him one." Ami told them. Nikki nodded agreement. Bren looked reluctant, but then nodded.
"Sorry." Bren told Trevet, kissing his cheek. Ami and Nikki kissed their boys and turned to follow Bren who headed towards the rooms.. Tarak grabbed Ami's wrist to keep her from going.
"Room 204 and 205." Ami told Tarak. He nodded and let her go. She ran to catch up with her friends. Tarak shaking his head when she ran into a chair, and turned grinning at him. "I meant to do that."
"Sure you did, Ami." Trevet called after her. "That's some girl, Tarak."
"Yeah, she is one of a kind."
Year: After Colony 232
December 20
2:45 A.M.
Location: Colony Cluster L3; Colony ?
He sat alone shivering in the darkness. His breath was steady, and his eyes bleary. He hadn't been whipped in about 2 weeks, since the day Trowa and Wufei had escaped the premises. However, he knew the guards were still there, though more lax. Very few knew that there was a third prisoner. In fact, that knowledge was probably limited to the doctors and the general. He spat on the floor. He had never detested someone so much. His fingers moved slowly. Although he hadn't eaten in two weeks, he was still as strong as ever. He had been trained for this. But he knew he couldn't go much longer. The small water bucket he had had at least kept him hydrated. But the soldier's two week absence also meant that they hadn't relocked the door to his cell.
His fingers worked through the bars, he managed to grab a shard of rock from the dirt ground, and had been picking at his lock everyday for hours for the past two weeks, and he was almost there. Just a little bit more, and the lock would break. He looked up, dry blood falling off his matted hair and into his eyes. He shook it away and worked harder. His finger slipped away and the lock came off, finally releasing his arms from their upright position. He worked his muscles slowly, careful not to cry out in pain. He lowered the lock to the floor gently, and attempted to stand. He winced as his stiff joints refused to obey. More than anything, he would liked to have remained in the cell until his limbs had adjusted, but there wasn't time. If he did, he risked the doctors remembering him and coming back to find him. He needed to get as far away as possible.
Slowly, he slipped out of the door to the cell and into the room 03 and 05 had been held in. He glanced around the white washed hospital room, his eyes settling a window. Their escape route. He stumbled to the window, and lifted his weak body over it. He hated to admit it, but he needed to get help, and he needed to get it fast.
He landed softly on the other side of the window and glanced around. Several yards in front of him was the fence. Barbed wire's ran along its top. Search lights darted back and fourth slowly, and the guards patrolled the perimeter. But off to the side a little, a fresh piece of metal had been added to patch the fence. A bush concealed most of it. Stupid. That just makes it easier. He smirked and deeming the coast clear, darted to the bush. Using the last of his strength, and the rock he still had with him, he cut his way through the fence and stumbled off into the distance, careful not to attract any attention to him. Just had to make it to the nearest space port. And with that, patient three was finally free.
Year: After Colony 230
May 29
4:30 P.M.
Location: Colony Cluster L3; Colony 83GKY02
Four sixteen year olds rode in a car, the only blonde one driving. She had the windows down and the music loud enough to disturb the neighborhood they drove through.
"Turn it up, Ami. I can't hear it!" Kat complained from the back seat beside Bren. Nikki obliged her and turned up the stereo.
"Well, Happy Birthday to me!" Ami said, rolling her eyes and laughing. She closed her eyes and leaned back for a second.
"Ami, keep your eyes on the road or you're going to hi-" Nikki was telling her.
"Oh my God! Look out!" Bren screamed, drawing Ami back to what she was doing! Ami slapped on her breaks, the other three bracing themselves for impact as Ami's birthday present rammed straight into two pedestrians. Thankfully, she had hit the breaks hard enough, to only knock the two young men down. Nikki, Bren, and Kat all looked at each other, speechless, and shaking. Nikki immediately lowered the blasted music. Ami sat, stark white, her knuckles turning red from gripping the steering wheel so tightly. Oddly, she was laughing. Laughing harder than she had ever in her entire life.
"She's cracked." Kat said, sliding her seatbelt off. Bren nodded, slowly, obviously scared of her friend.
"Ami! You just hit two people!" Nikki yelled at her. Ami shook her head, still laughing her ass off and staring out the window. Bren and Kat had already started snickering. Nikki looked at all of them, completely baffled and freaked out. "Ok, you've all lost it." She told them. Kat pointed in front of them. Nikki turned to look. Standing directly in front of the vehicle were Tarak Barton and Haruko Yuy. The High school senior, a.k.a, Ami's boy friend stood with his hands on his hips and his eyebrows raised. Haruko stood behind him, eyeing them all carefully. Nikki gulped. Would he be mad at her? He was so distant since he had started college. Were they even friends anymore?
"Ami!" Tarak called. She stopped laughing and looked up, the picture of innocence.
"Um… Number 104?"
"105." He replied, shaking his head. "You never learn, do you?" She bit her lip and shook her head.
"Which one of you let Ami behind the wheel of a car?" Haru asked as the four of them climbed out of the vehicle. They all shrugged. Bren hugged Haru around the shoulders and Kat stuck her tongue out at him.
"Sorry baby, it's my birthday." Ami told Tarak as if it was an explanation.
"Yes, I know. But you of all people should never be behind the wheel of anything that moves; be it a bike, a motorcycle, or a car. Least of all a car. Next time you plan to drive, warn me so I can stay off the road. Or better yet, stay inside all day."
"Ha-ha, very funny." She told him, kissing him. "You're alright, though?" He nodded.
"Haru, are you ok?" Nikki asked him, not meeting his eyes. He looked at her, his eyes running over her figure. It had been at least four months since he'd seen her at Christmas. He and Tarak had just met up, since he was on his way home from college for the year. She was still wearing long sleeves and pants, and it looked like she had a healing black eye, although she had put makeup on to hide it. He sighed.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I was wearing my seatbelt." She responded, smiling. His heart melted. He knew she was aware that's not what he meant. But then he looked at her friends. They didn't know. What did she tell them? How could she possibly explain her attire and her black eye.
"Nikki's had that bruise. She hit her eye on the bathroom sink counter when she went to pick up something." Bren told him. Haru nodded, looking at her. Nikki just shrugged and walked towards the back of the car. Haru excused himself and followed her.
"What happened?"
"I hit myself." Nikki told him.
"The last time I saw you, at Christmas," he watched as she winced when he said Christmas. "You were fine. You'd been living with your parents for about a year again, and your father hadn't touched you. What happened?"
"As if you cared." She retorted, not looking at him, letting tears run down her cheeks. She hadn't openly cried since Christmas.
"Nikki?"
"He hit me, alright? He's been hitting me. Since you left for school again. I refused to leave my room one day, he got mad and he hit me. And then he couldn't stop."
"Why didn't you leave? Have you called someone?"
"No. How could I? I don't have the strength. I deserved to be hit. I didn't listen. I-I was too hurt. Too betrayed."
"By who? Who hurt you, Nikki?" She looked at him slowly, her eyes red from crying. He brushed his finger over the purple bruise. She turned her head to the side to keep him from touching her. "Who?"
"You. You did. And you promised you'd never hurt me. You promised. It may not have meant anything to you, but it meant something to me. By the way, how is Chantal? Are you two getting married soon?" She shot at him, glaring with all her heart. Haru blinked. She was jealous of his girlfriend? Well, his ex girlfriend, but she didn't know that?
"Nikki, I… I… Chantal and I aren't together anymore."
"Oh."
"We split about a week after we got back to school. I couldn't take how mean she was to you over Christmas. I- Nikki, I like someone else."
She remained silent, not even looking at him anymore. Something told her she and Haru weren't alone either. She looked up and noticed the other four watching them in the corner of her eye. She didn't care if they saw her cry, but she couldn't let them find out about her dad.
"Nikki, I- I like you." She blinked and looked up at him. "I never meant to hurt you. I promised I never would, and I'm sorry it happened. I- I think I love you." She still didn't say anything, but got closer to him, and then pressed her lips lightly against his.
"I- I love you too. Help me?"
Year: After Colony 232
December 20
6:30 A.M.
Location: Colony Cluster L3; Colony 83GKY02
"What do you think Trevet told them?" Trowa asked his two companions. Duo shook his head and Wufei shrugged.
"He'll think of something. His is Maxwell's son." Wufei stated. "But then again…"
"Shut it."
"Duo?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why here?" Trowa looked at 02, his eyes asking more than his words. "Why here and what is it that you're not telling us?"
"This is where the kids went to school. Not only my own, but Haru, Tarak, even Yul." Duo began. Trowa and Wufei watched him. "Funny huh? We all went our separate ways and yet our children…"
"Maxwell… What about Haruko?" Wufei asked, noticing the change in tone when Duo referred to the younger son of pilot 01. Duo looked at the coffee mug he had in his hand. His other hand went to his waist. Slowly, he pulled the metallic object that had almost ended his life out of its holster and laid it on the table.
"It was Heero's." He told 03 and 05, calmly. He took out a folded piece of paper. "Right before Q-man disappeared, he sent me this." The paper was torn and creased. Burnt in some areas.
"Duo,
I don't know who else I can trust with this information. I have to go away for a while. Renyu has disappeared. He left me a note saying he was going to avenge his mother's death. He was joining the Serpents with the Winner boys. He said if I had any pride, I would join him. I can't believe Quatre would let his son's join this man. They're calling him the General. I've never been so angry, Duo. First my wife. Now my son. I can't loose anything else. I will have my revenge, Duo. Should anything happen to me, contact Haruko. He'll help you, if only because he has someone he needs to protect. Don't forget me, Duo.
Heero Yuy"
Trowa and Wufei blinked. "You mean…"
"Yes. I believe Heero is holding Quatre hostage. I think Heero is the man we're after." Duo told them, meeting each of their eyes.
"Well, no wonder we can't track them down." Wufei stated. Trowa and Duo looked at him like he'd finally snapped. "It's Yuy. The perfect soldier. He wouldn't be Heero if he couldn't elude his pursuers."
"Wufei's right, Duo." Trowa told him. "But that's not what's bothering you. You can't hunt him, can you." Duo shook his head.
"It's Heero. I can't kill him. Even if he did take Quatre, I can't kill him."
"Duo…"
"No! He's our Allie. He's our friend! He's just confused! We have to help him." Duo yelled, slamming his fist down on their table at the back of the outdoor café. There was no one near by, considering the early hour. A soft rustling echoed from the bushes beside them. Duo turned to them. Bugged? "Shit!" He grabbed hold of Heero's gun and aimed it at the bushes, as a figure, clad in nothing but boxers stumbled out. His face twisted in a grin.
"Are you going to kill me with my own gun, Maxwell?" He muttered before his eyes rolled back and he fell forward in a faint.
"Heero!" Trowa lunged forward and caught 01 in his arms, as the weak man collapsed. He looked confused at Duo and Wufei. But were speechless. What the Hell was going on?
Well, I hope you all enjoyed that. I've been working on it for the past few days. Longer than most of the other chapters, but definitely not as long as the last chapter. Sorry about the really long wait. I got caught up in two of my other stories, and trying to write a new one shot. Oh well, I promise to get the next chapter up soon. I have lots more angst and some humor ready for it. Love you all. Oh and god, I feel like Heero right now. I wrote the last section of this in the really early morning hours, with the only like coming from my laptop. LOL. Until next time
Fateless Wanderer