Disclaimer: I do not own any of these character.
Authors Note: Contains shounen ai which means the two boys are loving each other. If you don't like this then please don't read, and if you read it anyways I do NOT want to hear your complaints about it. If you believe what the bible says and then please don't read the epilogue because it might offend you. If you're still going to continue then I suggest that you go grab a box of tissues. This is really sad! ^_^
That's The Way It Is!
Chapter Seven
By Ivy
Heero burst through the doors of Mrs. Murdle's office and stood in the doorway gasping for breath.
Mrs. Murdle looked up at him curiously from her desk, "What's wrong Odin-sama?"
Heero sat down in one of the plush chairs in front of her desk and spoke between his gasps for air, "Duo…he's ill…he's burning up...he needs a doctor…fast," He grabbed on to Mrs. Murdle's wrist and began to drag her from the room. She yanked her arm away and reached for the phone. She motioned for Heero to leave the room and as soon as he was out of earshot she called Dr. Howe, the oncologist.
***
Heero walked into the bathroom and ran the warm cloth under cold water. He had rung it out before he walked back into the room and placed it in Duo's forehead. He sat down on the bed beside Duo and held Duo's frail hands between his own. He suddenly noticed how gaunt and pale Duo had gotten over the last few weeks since he had met him. Heero quickly dropped Duo's hand as Mrs. Murdle knocked on the door and glided into the room. She saw Duo and quickly rushed to his side. A young man with dark hair and kind features followed in after her. He was dressed in a pair of black slacks and had on a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up his arms. He kneeled next to the bed and took out his stethoscope. He listened to Duo's heartbeat for a couple of moments before taking his blood pressure and temperature.
He sadly shook his head, "He needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. He has an infection and I'm afraid it's returned," He stood up, "I'll make arrangements for an ambulance to pick him up," He walked out of the room.
Heero looked up at Mrs. Murdle startled, "What has returned?"
She looked up at Heero blankly, "The cancer. The cancer we thought was gone has come back," She laid her head on the bed and Heero noticed a few tears roll down her cheeks, then she cried out into the room, "Oh God, please don't take him from. I haven't had the chance to show him how much I care for him!" She collapsed on the bed with her head on Duo's chest and cried.
Heero slowly backed out of the room and leaned against the wall. He slid down to the floor and grasped his head in his hands as he tried to accept what was happening to his braided baka, "He's…he's dying…" A single tear slipped down his cheek and fell in to the floor.
***
When the ambulance finally arrived Heero and Mrs. Murdle began to quarrel about who was to ride with Duo. Heero wanted desperately to go with him. He was scared that Duo was going to die before he reached the hospital and he would never see the braided boy alive again. Dr. Howe came over and pushed Heero into the ambulance before Mrs. Murdle could say anything.
The ride to the hospital was long and the only thing Heero remembered from the ride was holding Duo's hand and gently stroking his cheek while the paramedics weren't looking.
When they arrived Duo was quickly rushed to the Intensive Care Unit and no one was admitted to see him for the next couple of hours. During the wait to see Duo, Heero stood outside his cubicle and watched him as he lay quietly on the hospital bed. One person was allowed to see Duo for ten minutes every hour. Through out the night Heero and Mrs. Murdle took turns going into see him.
Early in the morning the doctor walked into the waiting room where both Heero and Mrs. Murdle were resting. Heero sat up as he walked into the room, "Any news on Duo's condition?" He voice had a slight quiver to it.
"His fever has broken and I think we have a hold of the infection," The doctor's eyes grew sad as he took a deep breath, "but the cancer had spread to most of the major organs in his body."
"How long?" Mrs. Murdle's cheeks were streaked with tears.
"A week, possibly two."
Mrs. Murdle gasped and held on tightly to Heero, "Is he awake yet?" Heero asked as he calmly tried to pry her off of him.
"Yes, he is being moved at the moment to another room and you may both go see him as soon as he settles in."
After he left they both made their way up to the floor where Duo's new room was. Mrs. Murdle insisted upon Heero going in to talk to him first.
He nervously opened the door and stepped inside. "Hee-chan!" Duo called from the bed where he was sitting with his arms opened wide, waiting for a hug.
Heero snorted and quickly enveloped Duo in a huge hug. He buried his nose in Duo's hair and whispered in his ear, "I was so worried about you," He pulled away from him, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
Duo's eyes shined brightly with unshed tears, "There are two reasons why people avoid me, one: I'm gay, two: I have cancer and they're afraid that they could get cancer if they got close to me. I already knew that you didn't mind that I was gay, and I didn't want to lose you to some disease that I thought would never bother me again."
Heero leaned in and hugged him tightly, "I don't care about what might be wrong with you, I love you and no matter what you could have said to me before, I still would've fallen for you," He placed a soft kiss on Duo's lips.
"I'm sorry Heero. I should've told you but--," He was cut off by Heero placing his finger on his lips to silence him.
"It doesn't matter any more…now that I've got you with me," He kissed Duo again.
They both jumped as Mrs. Murdle walked through the door, "Gomen," Her face was beat red as she closed the door quietly behind her. Duo laughed as he pulled Heero's face to his again.
***
Heero spent every moment that he could with Duo for the next three days. He spent every night sleeping in the chair that was just about glued to the floor beside Duo's bed. One afternoon, Heero took Duo out in a wheelchair and took him around the hospital grounds so that he could breath in some fresh air. In the sunlight Heero could tell how yellowish and pale Duo's skin had gotten. He carefully pushed the chair over the cracks in the sidewalks. Duo had become so frail over the last few days. If his bones were just jarred around a bit, the next day he was sore and covered with bruises.
The doctors had put Duo on chemotherapy to see if they could still beat the disease. The drugs were so strong that Duo's hair had already begun to fall out in clumps. He went into hysterics this morning when he had woken up to find a clump of his chestnut hair laying on the pillows. It pained Heero to see his beautiful hair falling out, but he wasn't in love with Duo's hair. Heero forgot to watch where his was going when Duo cried out in pain as he rolled the chair over a rock. "Gomen Duo."
Heero sat down under a tree and helped Duo out of the chair so that he could sit in the grass with him. They sat in the sun for the next three hours talking about death. Heero knew deep down that Duo was going to die and hurt so much knowing that he only had a few days left with him. He was going to miss him so much. Duo, on the other hand, was embracing death knowing that his mother was in heaven and waiting for him with open arms. Heero was hurt that he was ready to leave this world without and he told Duo this. Duo laughed and embraced him.
"Heero, you are my first love and my last. I'm so lucky to have met you and no matter what, even while I'm in Heaven waiting for you, I will always love you more than life itself."
After they were back in Duo's room and he had fallen asleep, Heero walked out into the hallway and down to the cafeteria. He stood in line and as he went through, picked up a cup of green Jell-O and sat down at a table.
In the middle of his meal he bolted from the cafeteria and ran up to Duo's room. He was relieved to find Duo awake. He sat down breathless on the bed and pulled Duo in for a passionate kiss. When they broke apart Duo laid down on the bed. He was seized by a fit of pain and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the side of the bed. When the pain didn't pass Heero stood up to go fetch a nurse but he was stopped by Duo grabbing his hand, "Don't leave me Heero," He pleaded turning his huge blue-violet eyes towards Heero.
Heero nodded his head and sat back down next to him. As the moments passed each breath Duo drew in became more and more pained. His hand was wrapped tightly around Heero's and his eyes never left his face.
"Make sure that my Aunt knows how much I do love her and thank her for me."
"Thank her for what?"
"For taking me in when no one else would." Duo paused to draw in a shaky breath, "Ai shiteiru Hee-chan."
Tears flowed freely down Heero's face as he leaned in a kissed Duo softly on his lips, "I love you too, Duo-koi."
Duo smiled sadly and squeezed his hand reassuringly, "I'll miss you always." With his last words, Duo's body went limp and his head slumped to the side.
"No, Duo please don't leave me. I'll be lost without you," Heero cried out as he held Duo's corpse in his arms and cradled it. He bent down and kissed Duo's lips for the last time.
That's The Way It Is!
Epilogue
By Ivy
*Seventy years after Duo's death*
It had been seventy years since Duo had died. Heero lived by himself out in the country in a little cottage. Through out his life he had dated many other men and women, but he could not bring himself to commit to anyone. He could not love anyone the way that he had loved Duo.
Heero walked into the kitchen and shuffled across the floor to the refrigerator. He took out a plate of food and placed it in the microwave. He stood and watched the plate as it turned around inside. When it was finished he pulled the plated out and shuffled to the living to watch a game on the television.
The plate clattered to the floor as an excruciating pain shot up his left arm and tore at his chest. He fell to the floor and reached for the phone on the end table, but he could not reach it. Nor could he move to retrieve it. The pain worsened and gripped tightly at his heart. He had longed for this day to come for years. Many times he had sat down with the little revolver hidden in his dresser, but he couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger. Even though he missed Duo more than anything he just couldn't bring himself to do that. Now he wouldn't have to. He died alone on the floor of his living room. His body wasn't found for another three days by the old woman down the street who cooked him meals.
***
A white light blinded Heero as his body floated upwards. As he floated he began to see shapes in the light. There were golden gates standing open and inside these beautiful gates were many people dressed in white robes. But there was one in particular that had a gold aura surrounding him. He welcomed Heero with open arms as he came in through the gates, "Welcome my Son, to Heaven," He moved aside and directed him over to an orchard of apple trees. Under the tree there was a woman and a young man running around beneath them. They were laughing merrily and Heero wished with all his heart that he could be let in on the joke so he might laugh as well. It had been so long since Heero had heard his own laughter. The young man gestured for Heero to come over and join them. As the man turned, Heero noticed his long braid of chestnut hair behind him.
He began to run down the hill towards him crying out in surprise when he moved so easily. He glanced down and saw that his body was they it had been around the time that he had met Duo. He continued running and called out, "Duo!"
The young man turned towards the voice and his face lit up with happiness as he saw the figure running towards him, "Heero! He picked up his robes and ran to him. As soon as he was near Heero he enveloped him in a hug and whispered softly, "I've missed you so!"
Heero pulled away and looked Duo over, "You haven't changed a bit." Duo laughed and kissed Heero deeply. They sat down under the trees and a silence fell around them.
Duo broke the silence with a question, "Why didn't you ever let yourself fall in love again Heero?"
For awhile Heero didn't answer, "I was afraid of loving someone more than I love you."
Duo wrapped his arms around Heero, "You never would have. We're soul mates, and you just don't love anyone more than your soul mate," He leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose, "Ai shiteiru, Hee-koi." They cuddled under the trees for the rest of eternity in each other's arms.
***
Well? What do you think now that this is the end? I hope you all liked the way this ended! Don't forget to leave me a review! =^.^=
Authors Note: Contains shounen ai which means the two boys are loving each other. If you don't like this then please don't read, and if you read it anyways I do NOT want to hear your complaints about it. If you believe what the bible says and then please don't read the epilogue because it might offend you. If you're still going to continue then I suggest that you go grab a box of tissues. This is really sad! ^_^
That's The Way It Is!
Chapter Seven
By Ivy
Heero burst through the doors of Mrs. Murdle's office and stood in the doorway gasping for breath.
Mrs. Murdle looked up at him curiously from her desk, "What's wrong Odin-sama?"
Heero sat down in one of the plush chairs in front of her desk and spoke between his gasps for air, "Duo…he's ill…he's burning up...he needs a doctor…fast," He grabbed on to Mrs. Murdle's wrist and began to drag her from the room. She yanked her arm away and reached for the phone. She motioned for Heero to leave the room and as soon as he was out of earshot she called Dr. Howe, the oncologist.
***
Heero walked into the bathroom and ran the warm cloth under cold water. He had rung it out before he walked back into the room and placed it in Duo's forehead. He sat down on the bed beside Duo and held Duo's frail hands between his own. He suddenly noticed how gaunt and pale Duo had gotten over the last few weeks since he had met him. Heero quickly dropped Duo's hand as Mrs. Murdle knocked on the door and glided into the room. She saw Duo and quickly rushed to his side. A young man with dark hair and kind features followed in after her. He was dressed in a pair of black slacks and had on a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up his arms. He kneeled next to the bed and took out his stethoscope. He listened to Duo's heartbeat for a couple of moments before taking his blood pressure and temperature.
He sadly shook his head, "He needs to be taken to the hospital immediately. He has an infection and I'm afraid it's returned," He stood up, "I'll make arrangements for an ambulance to pick him up," He walked out of the room.
Heero looked up at Mrs. Murdle startled, "What has returned?"
She looked up at Heero blankly, "The cancer. The cancer we thought was gone has come back," She laid her head on the bed and Heero noticed a few tears roll down her cheeks, then she cried out into the room, "Oh God, please don't take him from. I haven't had the chance to show him how much I care for him!" She collapsed on the bed with her head on Duo's chest and cried.
Heero slowly backed out of the room and leaned against the wall. He slid down to the floor and grasped his head in his hands as he tried to accept what was happening to his braided baka, "He's…he's dying…" A single tear slipped down his cheek and fell in to the floor.
***
When the ambulance finally arrived Heero and Mrs. Murdle began to quarrel about who was to ride with Duo. Heero wanted desperately to go with him. He was scared that Duo was going to die before he reached the hospital and he would never see the braided boy alive again. Dr. Howe came over and pushed Heero into the ambulance before Mrs. Murdle could say anything.
The ride to the hospital was long and the only thing Heero remembered from the ride was holding Duo's hand and gently stroking his cheek while the paramedics weren't looking.
When they arrived Duo was quickly rushed to the Intensive Care Unit and no one was admitted to see him for the next couple of hours. During the wait to see Duo, Heero stood outside his cubicle and watched him as he lay quietly on the hospital bed. One person was allowed to see Duo for ten minutes every hour. Through out the night Heero and Mrs. Murdle took turns going into see him.
Early in the morning the doctor walked into the waiting room where both Heero and Mrs. Murdle were resting. Heero sat up as he walked into the room, "Any news on Duo's condition?" He voice had a slight quiver to it.
"His fever has broken and I think we have a hold of the infection," The doctor's eyes grew sad as he took a deep breath, "but the cancer had spread to most of the major organs in his body."
"How long?" Mrs. Murdle's cheeks were streaked with tears.
"A week, possibly two."
Mrs. Murdle gasped and held on tightly to Heero, "Is he awake yet?" Heero asked as he calmly tried to pry her off of him.
"Yes, he is being moved at the moment to another room and you may both go see him as soon as he settles in."
After he left they both made their way up to the floor where Duo's new room was. Mrs. Murdle insisted upon Heero going in to talk to him first.
He nervously opened the door and stepped inside. "Hee-chan!" Duo called from the bed where he was sitting with his arms opened wide, waiting for a hug.
Heero snorted and quickly enveloped Duo in a huge hug. He buried his nose in Duo's hair and whispered in his ear, "I was so worried about you," He pulled away from him, "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
Duo's eyes shined brightly with unshed tears, "There are two reasons why people avoid me, one: I'm gay, two: I have cancer and they're afraid that they could get cancer if they got close to me. I already knew that you didn't mind that I was gay, and I didn't want to lose you to some disease that I thought would never bother me again."
Heero leaned in and hugged him tightly, "I don't care about what might be wrong with you, I love you and no matter what you could have said to me before, I still would've fallen for you," He placed a soft kiss on Duo's lips.
"I'm sorry Heero. I should've told you but--," He was cut off by Heero placing his finger on his lips to silence him.
"It doesn't matter any more…now that I've got you with me," He kissed Duo again.
They both jumped as Mrs. Murdle walked through the door, "Gomen," Her face was beat red as she closed the door quietly behind her. Duo laughed as he pulled Heero's face to his again.
***
Heero spent every moment that he could with Duo for the next three days. He spent every night sleeping in the chair that was just about glued to the floor beside Duo's bed. One afternoon, Heero took Duo out in a wheelchair and took him around the hospital grounds so that he could breath in some fresh air. In the sunlight Heero could tell how yellowish and pale Duo's skin had gotten. He carefully pushed the chair over the cracks in the sidewalks. Duo had become so frail over the last few days. If his bones were just jarred around a bit, the next day he was sore and covered with bruises.
The doctors had put Duo on chemotherapy to see if they could still beat the disease. The drugs were so strong that Duo's hair had already begun to fall out in clumps. He went into hysterics this morning when he had woken up to find a clump of his chestnut hair laying on the pillows. It pained Heero to see his beautiful hair falling out, but he wasn't in love with Duo's hair. Heero forgot to watch where his was going when Duo cried out in pain as he rolled the chair over a rock. "Gomen Duo."
Heero sat down under a tree and helped Duo out of the chair so that he could sit in the grass with him. They sat in the sun for the next three hours talking about death. Heero knew deep down that Duo was going to die and hurt so much knowing that he only had a few days left with him. He was going to miss him so much. Duo, on the other hand, was embracing death knowing that his mother was in heaven and waiting for him with open arms. Heero was hurt that he was ready to leave this world without and he told Duo this. Duo laughed and embraced him.
"Heero, you are my first love and my last. I'm so lucky to have met you and no matter what, even while I'm in Heaven waiting for you, I will always love you more than life itself."
After they were back in Duo's room and he had fallen asleep, Heero walked out into the hallway and down to the cafeteria. He stood in line and as he went through, picked up a cup of green Jell-O and sat down at a table.
In the middle of his meal he bolted from the cafeteria and ran up to Duo's room. He was relieved to find Duo awake. He sat down breathless on the bed and pulled Duo in for a passionate kiss. When they broke apart Duo laid down on the bed. He was seized by a fit of pain and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the side of the bed. When the pain didn't pass Heero stood up to go fetch a nurse but he was stopped by Duo grabbing his hand, "Don't leave me Heero," He pleaded turning his huge blue-violet eyes towards Heero.
Heero nodded his head and sat back down next to him. As the moments passed each breath Duo drew in became more and more pained. His hand was wrapped tightly around Heero's and his eyes never left his face.
"Make sure that my Aunt knows how much I do love her and thank her for me."
"Thank her for what?"
"For taking me in when no one else would." Duo paused to draw in a shaky breath, "Ai shiteiru Hee-chan."
Tears flowed freely down Heero's face as he leaned in a kissed Duo softly on his lips, "I love you too, Duo-koi."
Duo smiled sadly and squeezed his hand reassuringly, "I'll miss you always." With his last words, Duo's body went limp and his head slumped to the side.
"No, Duo please don't leave me. I'll be lost without you," Heero cried out as he held Duo's corpse in his arms and cradled it. He bent down and kissed Duo's lips for the last time.
That's The Way It Is!
Epilogue
By Ivy
*Seventy years after Duo's death*
It had been seventy years since Duo had died. Heero lived by himself out in the country in a little cottage. Through out his life he had dated many other men and women, but he could not bring himself to commit to anyone. He could not love anyone the way that he had loved Duo.
Heero walked into the kitchen and shuffled across the floor to the refrigerator. He took out a plate of food and placed it in the microwave. He stood and watched the plate as it turned around inside. When it was finished he pulled the plated out and shuffled to the living to watch a game on the television.
The plate clattered to the floor as an excruciating pain shot up his left arm and tore at his chest. He fell to the floor and reached for the phone on the end table, but he could not reach it. Nor could he move to retrieve it. The pain worsened and gripped tightly at his heart. He had longed for this day to come for years. Many times he had sat down with the little revolver hidden in his dresser, but he couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger. Even though he missed Duo more than anything he just couldn't bring himself to do that. Now he wouldn't have to. He died alone on the floor of his living room. His body wasn't found for another three days by the old woman down the street who cooked him meals.
***
A white light blinded Heero as his body floated upwards. As he floated he began to see shapes in the light. There were golden gates standing open and inside these beautiful gates were many people dressed in white robes. But there was one in particular that had a gold aura surrounding him. He welcomed Heero with open arms as he came in through the gates, "Welcome my Son, to Heaven," He moved aside and directed him over to an orchard of apple trees. Under the tree there was a woman and a young man running around beneath them. They were laughing merrily and Heero wished with all his heart that he could be let in on the joke so he might laugh as well. It had been so long since Heero had heard his own laughter. The young man gestured for Heero to come over and join them. As the man turned, Heero noticed his long braid of chestnut hair behind him.
He began to run down the hill towards him crying out in surprise when he moved so easily. He glanced down and saw that his body was they it had been around the time that he had met Duo. He continued running and called out, "Duo!"
The young man turned towards the voice and his face lit up with happiness as he saw the figure running towards him, "Heero! He picked up his robes and ran to him. As soon as he was near Heero he enveloped him in a hug and whispered softly, "I've missed you so!"
Heero pulled away and looked Duo over, "You haven't changed a bit." Duo laughed and kissed Heero deeply. They sat down under the trees and a silence fell around them.
Duo broke the silence with a question, "Why didn't you ever let yourself fall in love again Heero?"
For awhile Heero didn't answer, "I was afraid of loving someone more than I love you."
Duo wrapped his arms around Heero, "You never would have. We're soul mates, and you just don't love anyone more than your soul mate," He leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose, "Ai shiteiru, Hee-koi." They cuddled under the trees for the rest of eternity in each other's arms.
***
Well? What do you think now that this is the end? I hope you all liked the way this ended! Don't forget to leave me a review! =^.^=