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Heero's POV

Seven years, four months, one week and three days for Duo to come home. Thirteen minutes, nineteen seconds to get him to hospital. Three hours, six minutes and forty three seconds for surgery. Thirty six hours unconsciousness. Less than half a glorious minute of consciousness. Then another six hours, thirty nine minutes, twelve seconds of sleep.

I kept hold of his hand while he slept. I wanted to wake him. To see those beautiful violet eyes of his again. To hear his voice. Even if they were drowsy from the morphine in his system. Sally had put him on morphine instead of any other pain-medication as she knew we all had varying degrees of immunity to all of the more common analgesics. As with the development of different pain-killers, morphine was rarely used nowadays.

I remembered from the war that morphine always had a much stronger sedative effect on Duo than would normally be expected. I had never told anyone this. So I was the only one who knew that Duo would sleep for longer and more soundly than expected. He would also be extremely lethargic when he awoke. There were no long terms effects. Duo's system just couldn't stand morphine that well. I had only discovered the fact when during the war after Duo and I had been on a joint mission and he had gotten injured. The only pain-killer I had easily been able to lay my hands on had been morphine. That had been the quietest two days I had ever spent in Duo's company while not on a mission.

As I was the only one who knew, I was the only one who knew that the restraining straps around Duo's wrists and ankles were completely unnecessary. Given the dose of morphine that Duo was on, he would be lucky if he could concentrate for very long on anything. Never mind escaping or even the reason why he needed to. It had to be part of the reason that Duo said what he had said to Wufei.

There was a small part of me that told me Duo would be in that half-aware state that sleep-deprivation is used to achieve for interrogation. It was this part of me that said I should use this weakness on Duo's part to find out the truth behind the last seven years. To learn of everything that had happened. I was ashamed of this part. Duo was… is my friend. He had never lied to me.

My fingers stroked his cheek. I smiled as he unconsciously leant into the touch. Duo always craved human contact. It took every ounce of control in me not to steal a kiss from his lips. It was only the fact that I wanted Duo to know that it was me and that I loved him that prevented me from doing so. That had not stopped me from kissing his forehead, though.

His fingers twitched in my grasp. He started to stir. I watched intently as he opened his eyes slowly. The violet irises were drowsy, but no less beautiful. I watched as he turned his head towards me, trying to work out who was holding his hand.

"Hey." I called gently, just as he had always done when he saw me.

"Heero?" He frowned slightly. I could see the confusion in his eyes. He knew that I wasn't meant to be there for him, but couldn't remember why.

"You alright?" I asked. Duo's confusion only increased. I could tell why. Seven years when he hadn't seen me. I had changed a great deal. Maybe not physically, but I had a better understanding of emotions and how to treat other people.

"Why can't I move?" Duo croaked.

"You've been badly hurt." I avoided his question, even while I stroked his arm as much as I could. "Let me get you some ice-chips."

I ran an ice-chip over his lips, allowing the water to dribble down his throat. I allowed myself to smile as he greedily swallowed the liquid. I stopped when his eyelids began to droop again.

"Why can't I move?" Duo tried again.

"You're injured," I evaded the question, once again. "We don't want you injuring yourself worse."

"You're not meant to be here."

"I'm right where I'm meant to be." I argued.

"I'm not meant to be here?"

"You're right where you're meant to be." It was obvious that although the morphine was playing havoc with his cognitive functions, he still retained enough to know that something was wrong. Not that I was going to tell him what it was. I would enjoy the moments I could get.

"Danger." Duo murmured as he started to drift off again.

"No danger here, Duo." I countered, "You're safe."

"No," Duo tried to protest as a combination of the morphine and his own exhaustion pulled him under, "Can't stay… Danger… Kill… Never saf…"

"You're always safe with me." I declared, even though Duo was unable to hear me anymore.

He wouldn't wake for another four hours at least, I knew. So I allowed myself to release a small portion of my control. I kissed him on both eyelids and his forehead. I held his left hand with my right and stroked his knuckles. My left hand I slid under his head, and slowly ran my thumb over his cheek.

He had only been conscious for a few minutes, but my heart already felt lighter. Duo wouldn't die. No one could kill the God of Death. Not even me.

I didn't care about the threat that Duo mentioned. I didn't worry about the danger. As long as the Gundam Pilots were united, we would prevail, as Quatre would say. In my mind it was a great deal simpler. As long as I had Duo on my side, nothing would get in my way. There had been a reason I had knocked Duo out during the Mariamaia Revolt. Not simply so that he could be my decoy. I wouldn't have needed to hit him so hard if that was the reason.

"For your own good." I had told him, when he had asked why. He'd never questioned further. Other factors had pushed that betrayal out of his mind.

He was meant to stay unconscious for the whole battle. Trowa was meant to fly away without him. Duo would have been perfectly safe on that colony. I had gone into battle with Wufei, firmly convinced that Duo was safe and sound. That Duo wouldn't get hurt.

Trowa knew… knows… what Duo meant… means…to me. But I hadn't made my intentions clear enough… Or Trowa didn't have the opportunity to follow them through.

Duo had come around far too early. He had managed to get to his Gundam. And he had managed to fight. A fact which I hadn't learnt until a week later, when I had finally escaped Relena.

The door opened disrupting my thoughts.

"How's he doing?" Quatre asked as he and Trowa entered.

"He woke up for a bit." I shrugged, "But he's very drowsy. Morphine always hits him hard."

"And you didn't say anything?" Quatre stared.

"While he's on the morphine," I smiled, "At this dose, he can't concentrate on anything for too long."

"You're scared he won't be the Duo you know if he can concentrate." Trowa stated. He always was good at seeing the truth.

"You can't keep him like that forever." Quatre pointed out.

"Just a couple of days," I countered, "Just a couple of days. He's been missing for so long."

"Wufei's gone to claim Duo's bag," Trowa told me, "Do you know how to open it?"

"I might." I shrugged, "Depending on how he sealed it."

"Has Duo said anything of importance?" Quatre seemed reluctant to ask. Probably for the same reason that I was reluctant to interrogate Duo.

"No," I shook my head, "He asked why he couldn't move and then stated that I wasn't meant to be here. I think I confused him. Before he fell asleep again, he was muttering about danger."

"We've got the next shift." Quatre announced, "We'll look after him."

"We can't lose him." I whispered, "Not again."

"That's why we've got to find out who's threatening him." Quatre reminded, "We find that out, and we can get Duo away. Wufei's working on the coercion side of things. If we can prove it… My lawyers will be able to get him off."

"We're not losing him." I murmured, "I'm not losing him."

"We'll find a way." Quatre promised, "I swear to you, we'll find a way."

"Get some rest." Trowa instructed, "You're of no use to us or him half-dead on your feet." That was Trowa through and through. The guy does not pull his punches, whether physical or verbal. I respect him for that. But right then, I think I hated him. I did not want to be separated from Duo. No matter what the cost to me. I had only just found him. I wanted to spend every moment with him. I would forgo sleep, eating… everything to stay with him.

"Leave, or I throw you out." Quatre was blunt, "Trowa's right. There's no point staying here, if Duo's going to be taken from us. So stop him being taken. Go!"

I was up and out the door before I realized what had happened. Damn it! Sometimes the Soldier in me comes out and obeys while I am still protesting. Quatre knows that. And he will use it, when he feels he has to. Well, I had sixteen hours, before I would be allowed back in the room, I believed. Eight for Quatre and Trowa and eight for Wufei.

Sleep and food were near the top of my list. But the first thing would be to go and see if I could open Duo's bag. Quatre and Trowa were right. There was only so much I could do by Duo's bedside.

It didn't take me long to get to the Preventers' Office, and very little time to make my way to Forensics. Wufei was already there, in a small glass walled room with one of the Forensics people and Agent Willows. They appeared to be in an argument.

"It'll explode if you open it wrong!"

"So you say," Agent Willows earned points from me, just for being willing to argue with Wufei in full Justice-mode as Duo used to call it, "But I have had my best people look it over and they cannot find any hidden triggers."

"That's why it's so dangerous, Woman!" Wufei spat, "Maxwell was, is and I fear always will be the best of the best when it comes to explosives. Your own tests state that there are enough explosives in that bag to destroy both it and everything within a ten metre radius. I know Maxwell, that bag will explode if you don't open it right."

"Then how would you suggest we should open it?" Willows sneered back. I had heard that Agent Willows didn't play the political games inside her lab, but I also knew that she was one of the best players outside the lab. I hadn't believed that she would be so unafraid of possible repercussions.

"I. Don't. Know." Wufei growled, "But I am hoping that Agent Yuy does." Okay, he was mad. Wufei only ever refers to me as Agent Yuy when he is furious.

"I might." I declared as I stepped into the room. "Depends on how he sealed it."

"Couldn't we just cut it open?" the young Forensics kid spoke up, before Willows did.

"No," I shook my head, claiming a pair of latex gloves as I did so, "I suggested that once, during the War. Apparently he's rigged it somehow so that cutting anything leads to the bag exploding."

"Could he be lying?" I couldn't remember the boy's name. Well, I say boy, but he's older than me.

"Maxwell doesn't lie." Wufei answered, "It's his motto. 'I run, I hide, but I never tell a lie.' That bag will kill you. Heero?"

I stepped forward, the gloves on my hands, and claimed the bag, turning it around quickly.

"Did you remove anything from any straps?" I asked, "Hair-ties? Paperclips? Anything?"

"There was a hair-tie," the boy supplied, "I didn't think much of it. I heard the guy had long hair."

"Where was it?" I demanded.

"This strap." The kid pointed at the strap that held one of the side-pockets closed.

"Morrigan lock-down." I nodded, "The second worst method."

"Second worst?" Wufei frowned.

"The worst is called Sariel." I shrugged, "That one is a suicide bomb. It'll go off if you so much as jar it slightly. All the lock-downs can be converted to Sariel in case of emergencies."

"Self-detonation?" Wufei stared, "I never thought…"

"Let's see what he's got in here." I laid the bag down on the table.

"You know how to disarm it?" Willows sounded unsure.

"I saw him disarm it once," I answered, "We worked together for a while."

I started off by inputting two different codes into the locks, which were similar to those found on a briefcase. I had to be careful doing this as I could only move one wheel for each lock at a time and only one click at a go, before I had to switch to the other lock. Finally the codes were in, '0177' for the left-hand lock and '2806' for the other. Next I proceeded to loosen and tighten various straps around the bag. Morrigan was not designed to be opened easily or quickly. I then clicked the locks open at the exact same time. But before I touched the zip inside, I tightened both the shoulder-straps to their limit. Finally I unzipped the bag fully, before I opened the internal section.

"Mission Complete." The words slipped from my mouth, before I even thought about them.

"It's safe?" Willows pressed.

"If he says it's safe," Wufei smirked, "Then it's as safe as he can make it. I wouldn't say completely. This is Maxwell's bag, after all."

"Then let's see what he's got in it." I finally remembered the kid's name, or at least his first name. Everyone calls him Greggo. Greg, I assume his real name is, claimed the bag from me with his words and started to carefully remove the items inside it.

First out the bag was a handgun. Not your standard gun either. But I recognised it. One of Duo's custom jobs. During the War he had shown me a few of the guns he'd gotten off a friend of his. The ammunition they took was standard, but the guns were different. The weight was off for normal guns. However he held them like he'd never held anything else. The first time I borrowed one of his guns, it took me a full round of ammunition to hit my target, the balance and the sights were so off. But he never missed. That particular gun was his favourite 'Earth gun' as he called it. Designed for Earth's atmosphere. He had three classes of gun: Earth, Colony and Shuttle. While he could hit anything with any of the guns in any situation, he preferred to use the right gun-type.

Just seeing the gun made me smile. I had thought he had gotten rid of it, seeing as how a standard gun had been found on his person earlier. It now resided in Evidence Lock-Up.

Two more guns followed the first, along with a collection of ammunition and spare clips. I nodded to myself noting that the guns were of the other two types. His spare daggers followed the gun. His normal daggers were already in Evidence Lock-up, confiscated during surgery.

After the weaponry came his wallet. It was a limp looking thing, with no ID cards, no credit or debit cards. Only a few bank-notes and coins for cash. And I had little doubt that that was all the cash Duo had available to him. There was a small sliver of paper with what looked like an address written on it, as well as a couple of numbers.

Next came the explosives, wrapped in what looked like a spare t-shirt and pair of trousers. Detonators were contained in a pair of socks. A pair of boxers was the last piece of clothing, and made the pile look pathetically small. Duo only had one change of clothes? I stared at the t-shirt for a while; it looked surprisingly big for Duo. It was also in much better condition than the other clothing.

I wasn't too surprised to find the detonators separate from the explosives. It meant nothing overall. The explosives for the bag were actually hidden between layers of fabric in the bag. The bag itself was the bomb, not its contents.

Last out the bag was Duo's safety box. I'd only seen it once, when he was creating it. He had told me that in it he would put his most precious things. Things he didn't want to lose. They wouldn't survive the bag exploding, but they would survive almost everything else that destroyed the bag. It was fire-proof, water-proof and vacuum-proof. I had never seen inside it.

It wasn't booby-trapped. But it still took Greg some time to open it, considering the precautions that Duo had put on it.

Finally it was open. I stared for a moment. It contained more fabric, and thus I assumed clothes, than the rest of the bag.

"I thought I lost that." Wufei stretched out a hand, to almost touch something in the pile, but Willows caught his wrist.

"You'll get epithelials on it." Willows reprimanded.

"Woman," Wufei snorted, "That's got my DNA all over it already. That's mine. A sash from my wardrobe. I though I had lost it."

"And that's my old top." I pointed to a flash of green spandex, "I thought Quatre's washing machine tore it to pieces."

"Talking of Quatre," Wufei had given in to Agent Willows and was now wearing latex gloves, "Recognise this?" He held up one of the pieces of clothing.

"Quatre's waistcoat." I nodded, "He doesn't wear those anymore. At least not that colour. This has got to be Trowa's roll-neck."

"I agree." Wufei nodded, "The question is, what is the rest of this? And why is it important?"

We stared down at the remaining fabric, having separated the items we had recognised. It was black. All black. No, I spotted a small flash of white, as Wufei poked the fabric. The white flash was enough. I quickly started to lay out the cloth on the table, recognising each item and knowing where it should be placed.

"Of course," Wufei breathed, "His old Priest's outfit."

"And at the bottom of the box," I smirked, holding up something that Wufei had missed in his shock at seeing his red, silk sash, "Photographs."

"He never forgot us." Wufei was staring as I laid out the photos. Wufei hesitantly touching each one as if scared they might go away.

"Could he ever?" I asked.

"You need sleep." Wufei told me firmly, "And food. But I'll take sleep. I won't get you to go home, so go crash on the couch in our office. I'll… I'll see what I can find here."

"Tell me everything?"

"You know I will," Wufei sighed, "It has been seven years, Heero. I am no less eager than you for him to stay."

"We can't lose him."

"We won't." Wufei declared, "Go. Sleep. I'll bring you coffee later." His fingers moved towards his mobile phone.

I left. Wufei would have called Sally to sedate me if I hadn't. Ever since he and Sally had started dating nearly six years ago, if I had ever gotten too bull-headed or stopped sleeping when he told me to sleep, he would call Sally. And she would sedate me. It had only occurred four times, but the threat was still there. Of course I usually returned the threat if he was doing the same thing. But that day he wasn't. So I went and tried to sleep. Though it seemed that my body was much more amenable to the idea of sleep than my mind was, considering that I fell asleep pretty quickly.

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Good? Bad?

Please inform me. Constructive criticism encouraged.

This chapter is dedicated to Seithr-Kairy, who made me smile today. Despite the awful weather. And is being posted in the hope that I'm managing to post it early enough for them to read it, before they go into Coventry for several weeks. (That's a silent zone for those of you who don't know.)

Katerina Shinigami – 'Have you ever had a friend like me?', huh? I apologize. I didn't mean to get a song stuck in your head. Cats? Had two. Know what you mean. For a laugh type 'Theo Spark: How to feed a pill to a cat' into Google, and read the first link. Thanks for the review.

Anonymous Void – Now, I'm trying to avoid clichés here. So your fears shouldn't be justified. Agree with you on the Batman. Didn't get to watch much of it. But it was good. Thanks for the point about Duo and the wedding. That has been planned since the start.

Raelyn-Mage – Now don't mistreat the laptop. Do that too often and it'll stop producing more story. *Sends hug*

Leora chan – Slow crescendo, here. I'm still proving that I have a slight addiction to build ups. Though the fireworks are coming.

Whitetiger1589 – Yeah, Duo would just go round hugging everyone. And he always does the sweetest things just to make the others happy.

Wind Dancer1981 – Can I order an ego-deflater? Because your reviews are wonderful and make me feel amazing.

Toraus – Get some sleep. I know exactly how you feel. I start work soon. Proper work! *Hides under the bed*. Thanks for the review.

Lulu – Thanks for the corrections. Will remember in future. And thanks for the comments about Wufei.

Seithr-Kairy – Thanks for making me smile.

Now everyone, my next chapter will be dedicated to my hundredth reviewer. Come on everyone, help me make a ton! (A ton being 100 runs in cricket) I'm sure you can make it. I'm only 9 off!