A/N: Yay for reviews! You are out there. Thank you so much! :)
(And Crystalinowls, I try to update on Sundays in the mornings but mornings come so awfully early in the day that it doesn't always happen and sometimes it's in the afternoon. And sometimes it's Saturday night because I know I'll be busy Sunday morning and won't get to it-like tonight. But feel free to read and/or review it as often as you want!)
Chapter 43
"Here, Coach Merquise, let me get the door for you."
"Thank you, Treize." Coach Merquise stepped back as Treize opened the equipment room door.
Teen and teacher stared at the scene before them.
Milliardo was grinding into Quatre's back as his hand moved in the front of the smaller blonde's pants. Quatre's eyes had glazed over and tears were flowing down his cheeks.
Treize leapt forward and belted Milliardo in the jaw, causing him to drop Quatre, who crumpled into a quivering mess on the floor.
Dropping the football pads he had been carrying, Coach Merquise stepped between the two older teens, grabbing Milliardo by the collar of his shirt.
"He's mine, Treize. Check Winner."
Treize knelt next to Quatre, who flinched at Treize's close proximity. "Quatre? Can you talk to me?"
Quatre was catatonic and his breathing erratic.
"Go get Coach O, Treize," Merquise ordered.
Treize jumped up and dashed to the gym. Damn that Milliardo. Treize had been afraid he'd try something. And Quatre had been out sick since Christmas break. If he'd been sick that long and wasn't participating in gym like everyone else, there was a chance he hadn't fully recovered yet. A list of things he'd like to do to Milliardo crossed Treize's mind as he pushed into the gym.
Coach O seemed surprised to see Treize. "Kushrenada? I thought you were meeting with Principal Po."
"Sir, Coach Merquise needs you to go to the equipment room."
Coach O frowned. "Why?"
Treize looked around quickly before quietly telling the Coach what he and Merquise had walked in on.
Coach O swore. "CHANG! MAXWELL!" he barked. The two looked at each other and left the touch football game that was in progress. "Follow me. Treize, I want you to go to Room 142 and get Heero Yuy. And make it quick."
Treize ran to do as Coach O ordered. Duo and Wufei followed Coach O, practically running to keep up with him.
"What—?" Duo started and stopped abruptly as they got to the equipment room.
Quatre hadn't moved. He was still in a heap on the floor with tears flowing down his cheeks as he stared into nothing.
Coach Merquise had Milliardo pushed up against the wall and was chewing him out.
"Zechs."
Coach Merquise glanced at Coach O and grabbed Milliardo's arm tightly. "I'll take care of…this. You see to Winner." Merquise pulled his nephew roughly from the room.
Duo was instantly at Quatre's side. "Quat? Talk to me."
Wufei frowned as Quatre didn't respond. He knelt next to Duo. "Quatre…Milliardo's gone. You're safe now. Quatre? I want you to do…something. I don't care what. Just let us know you're in there."
Duo scowled. "What happened, O?"
"Treize said that he and Merquise walked in on Milliardo groping him," Coach O responded as he knelt on Quatre's other side and gently laid a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Come on, Winner. Snap out of it. Yuy will be here in a moment."
Duo's expression grew increasingly darker the longer that Quatre didn't respond to any of them. "Come on, Quatre." Duo wanted to tell Quatre he was safe and nobody would hurt him again, but seeing as they'd already failed to keep him safe, it felt like a hollow promise. He hated that Quatre had been targeted again. What was it about the blonde that had everyone wanting to hurt him? Duo didn't understand it. Quatre was so sweet and innocent that it made Duo want to protect him, not hurt him. He sighed as he realized that it was the blonde's innocence that drew the psychos like moths to a flame.
Treize made his way to Room 142. "Sorry for interrupting, but Coach O needs to see Heero Yuy right away."
The teacher said something that Treize didn't understand and Heero responded in the same language before grabbing his backpack and following Treize out the door.
"What class is that?" Treize asked as they started down the hall.
"Advanced Japanese. What does O want?"
"Uh…well…"
Heero stopped walking. "If this is your idea of a joke—"
Treize turned to face Heero. "It's not. Look…Coach Merquise and I walked in on Milliardo…well, he was molesting Quatre in the equipment room."
"WHAT?!" Heero started running towards the gym.
Treize had to sprint to catch up to him.
"Was Quatre hurt?" Heero asked as they ran.
"I'm not sure. I punched Milliardo and he dropped Quatre, but then Quatre didn't do anything but lie there and cry. He wouldn't talk to me."
Heero swore. Just down the hall from the equipment room, Trant was skulking, blocking the way.
"Move, Trant."
Trant squared his shoulders. "Make me, Yuy."
"What are you doing here, Trant?" Treize asked as he came up behind Heero.
"Waiting for Milliardo. He was supposed to meet me."
"Why?" Treize was instantly suspicious.
Trant smirked. "He wanted to explore the phrase: Illegal use of hands." Trant found himself forced against the wall by Treize.
"Go, Yuy. I'll be there in a minute." Heero hurried down the hall as Treize growled, "Where did Winner factor in?"
"Huh? What're you talking about, Treize? Peacecraft owed me a…job and I was collecting. Seems he isn't going to pay up. That's just like him, you know. Always takin', never giving back."
"Shut up, Trant." Treize didn't care what those two did together as long as they left Quatre out of it. "Tell me straight up: Were you and Milliardo planning on doing anything to Quatre Winner?"
"No. At least, I wasn't. I know he's been talking about how he ought to step in if you were done with the kid—"
Treize slammed Trant roughly up against the wall. "Let's get one thing straight, Trant. NO ONE is to touch Winner ever again. GOT IT?"
"I hear ya, Treize. Don't know what you're telling me for, though. It's Peacecraft that wants him."
"I want you to spread the word. NO ONE touches Winner for ANY reason. He's still mine, and I won't have my property played with. UNDERSTAND?"
Trant nodded and Treize let him go. "Milliardo won't be meeting you today so you might as well get to class and make something of yourself."
Trant was surprised, but left. Treize shook his head. He hoped no one would see through the rumor he was spreading.
Heero burst through the door. Duo moved out of the way so he could get to Quatre.
"Angel, talk to me," Heero said quietly, brushing the hair from Quatre's eyes. The aqua globes were empty and still leaking tears. "Quatre? Angel? Come on, don't shut down on me. Come back."
Quatre seemed to obey Heero's gentle command. "H-Hee-r-ro?" Quatre sobbed out.
"I'm here."
Treize was standing in the doorway. "Is he okay?" he asked.
Quatre let out a wail. Treize's question was answered as the distraught blonde launched himself into Heero's arms and continued to cry.
"Shhh…it's okay…he's gone," Heero soothed.
"Yuy, I want you, Maxwell, Chang and Kushrenada to escort Winner to the nurse. Have her check to make sure he wasn't hurt. Then bring him to Principal Po's office."
"Sure thing, Coach." Turning his attention to the blonde Heero asked, "Quatre, can you walk or do you want me to carry you?"
Quatre didn't answer. He buried his face into Heero's shoulder and sobbed. Heero stood, picking up Quatre, who wrapped his legs around Heero's waist as he clung to the Japanese teen, and headed for the nurse. Class was still in session, but if they didn't hurry, the halls would fill with students. Heero didn't want to try and navigate through full halls and he knew Quatre wouldn't like it if people saw him being carried like a small child as he cried. They were almost to the nurse's office when the bell rang and the halls started filling with students.
Duo, Wufei and Treize moved to create a barrier between Quatre and the other students. Treize walked in front of Heero, parting the crowds, while Duo and Wufei took position on Heero's sides to shield the blonde. They made it to the nurse's office but when Heero tried to put Quatre down, he clutched desperately to Heero, refusing to lose contact with his boyfriend. As long as Heero had him, no one else would dare to touch him and Quatre didn't want to be touched by anyone else ever again.
"Quatre, you need to let the nurse make sure you weren't hurt," Heero said gently.
"No."
"She won't hurt you."
"No."
"Why not?"
"I d-don't w-want any-anyone t-to t-touch m-me." Quatre rubbed his face against Heero's shoulder.
Heero stroked Quatre's hair. "I understand, Angel, but we've been over this before."
Treize raised an eyebrow. Before? This had happened to Quatre before? He looked at Duo and Wufei. Neither of them seemed surprised. Just…unhappy.
Heero was still bargaining with the blonde. "I'll stay with you, okay? I won't let anyone hurt you but you need to let the nurse check you."
"O-okay," Quatre whispered. "I-if y-you'll stay, H-Heero."
"Duo, tell the nurse she can come in now. Then if you guys can wait out there?"
"Sure thing, 'Ro," Duo answered, shooting Quatre a gentle smile. "We'll wait outside and make sure no one comes in until the nurse is done."
Wufei and Treize followed Duo out the door and let the nurse know that Quatre was ready to see her.
When they were alone in the outer office Treize asked, "Has this…happened to Quatre before?"
Duo and Wufei shared a look before Duo asked, "What makes you ask that?"
Treize's brow furrowed. "Because Heero said he'd been over this with Quatre before. Don't bother lying to me, I'll find out some other way if I have to. Did this happen to Quatre before?"
Wufei sighed. "Yes."
Treize's expression darkened. "Who did it?"
"We're not at liberty to say," Duo answered. When Treize looked ready to insist on an answer, Duo added, "Quatre has asked that we not discuss it with anyone without his permission."
Treize nodded, but he wasn't happy. If it was someone he knew he wanted to do something about it.
The door opened and Coach O entered. "How's Winner?"
"The nurse is checking him," Duo supplied. "He's pretty shaken up, though."
Coach O nodded. "Bring him to Principal Po's office as soon as Nurse Sylvia releases him." The coach turned to leave, muttering, "Milliardo is so lucky his uncle got to him before I did."
Nurse Sylvia exited the inner office two minutes later. "They'll be out in a moment, boys."
They thanked her and she left, presumably to make a report to the principal. Heero and Quatre appeared shortly after. Quatre had stopped crying and was walking on his own, much to the relief of Duo, Wufei and Treize, though the blonde was latched onto Heero's arm, keeping as close as he could manage.
"Are you…okay, Quat?"
Quatre gave Duo a small nod.
"Coach O said we're to take you to Principal Po's office," Treize said. "But…before we go can I ask you something, Quatre? Has this happened to you before?"
Quatre gave Duo an uncertain look.
"They wouldn't tell me," Treize supplied.
"Do you want him to know?" Heero asked gently.
"Y-you can t-tell him," Quatre whispered, still clinging to Heero's arm.
Heero quickly told Treize what had befallen the blonde over Christmas break. Treize shook his head in disgust. He felt a little hypocritical, but he had changed. And he was angry that Milliardo had deliberately targeted Quatre after Treize warned him to stay away.
"I'm sorry, Quatre. I thought I'd made it clear you were off limits. If I'd known he was even thinking about—"
"It's not your fault, Treize," Heero told him. "Trant told us Milliardo was supposed to be meeting him. It was just bad luck that Quatre was there. It's Milliardo's fault that he couldn't control himself, not yours."
Treize looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead he shut his mouth and nodded.
"We should get to the principal's office," Wufei said as he led the way out of the nurse's office.
