Gundam Gangsters 2001 p6
Disclaimer: Oh for cryin out loud do I have too?!! Fine. I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters yadda yadda yadda…
Notes: Do I finally redeem myself and give these guys a break, yes, weeeell…sort of…kind of…not really…just a little one…maybe. This begins a week after p5 at about noon. Oh yeah and all moments between Trowa and Hilde are short but sweet, they are mainly intended to tell you where they are at the moment and what's going on between them.
*-*
Rain. That was all he had seen for the past few days; it seemed even the sky was mourning the loss of so many men and women. Treize ran his fingers over the wet marble wall that held the names of all the officers killed in the blast engraved in it. The wall had been created for several reasons one being you can't bury a person without the remains…Yes it was a tragic loss indeed, more than half of the police force was dead, none of his men had made it back from the explosion. Although he would miss Zechs he was glad his friend was at rest, it was not that he wasn't upset about his passing, but after he heard what had happened to Lucrezia he knew life for him after that would be an endless torture. 'No need for both of us to suffer.' He thought sadly.
"Did you know any of them?"
He turned to find Anne standing next to him in a black dress suit and skirt, holding a red umbrella, "What?" She pointed to the memorial, "I knew all the officers on my force, but I only knew a few personally. Were you aquatinted with any of them?"
"Only her." She said motioning to a gravestone that lay a few feet away from the memorial; it belonged to Noin. "She was a very close friend of mine."
He nodded in understanding, "Is Mariemeia hear as well?"
"Yes a friend of hers had a death in the family and she's with him right now."
"Him?"
"He's four Treize."
"Right…well then, I must be on my way I have many appointments to keep." He said as he walked away.
"You know if you need someone to talk to I'm hear." She said to his retreating form.
"I know. Thank you for the offer Anne I may just have too take you up on that." He walked to his car feeling the weight of the world on is shoulders. He couldn't help but feel the whole incident was his fault and the Governor was sure to blame it on him as well. 'How did my whole life manage to go to hell in one day?' he asked himself as he drove away.
*-*
Trowa could only stare he wasn't sure what else to do or say, what does one say when standing over a friends grave? Some how he had always known he would have to do this but he never figured it would be this hard. Sure Heero could be an idiot at times and he was a total pimp but his friend none the less. The real tragedy was his burial place was only marked with a single black cross, his parents hadn't come they didn't even try to get him a tombstone. He never knew what Heero's relationship was like with his parents but it must have been pretty bad. Hilde was with him standing by his side, he had seriously objected to her coming but she was very insistent. In short she gave him the puppy eyes. Relena Quatre and Dorothy were there as well and they were all just silent, all that could be heard was the rain on their umbrellas. Wufei's death had came as a real shock as well, it was so sudden and no one would talk about what happened. He had left Wufei's service shortly after the it began he just couldn't keep it together and didn't want to break down in front of that whole group of people. Not that he was holding up much better hear.
"I'm going to see if I can do anything for Wufei's family." Said Quatre finally and turned to leave with Dorothy at his side.
Trowa understood, he couldn't take much more of this torturous silence either, "Came on." He whispered to Hilde. They walked to the car leaving Relena alone in her shocked silence, he didn't know what special bond Relena had with Heero that kept him coming back to her but there was definitely one and she deserved a moment in peace to let go. He got into the car and sat for a moment, when Hilde got in he dug his keys out of his pockets but she stopped him. When she didn't let go he looked at her questioningly.
She pulled her into her arms, "It's ok to cry."
He wanted to pull away and tell her he was fine, go home, and try to forget this mess but instead he slumped into her arms and cried out the extreme sorrow that had fallen upon his heart in the past week. Hilde held him tightly and rocked him gently doing her best to calm the pain as he had done her.
*-*
Tammy and Shi were silent as the priest gave his speech in the pouring rain, the reality of what had happened had hit them for the first time. Their father was gone and that was it, there were no if's and's or but's about it he was gone. Shi huddled closer to Mariemeia as he watched the casket be lowered into the ground, before he was so sure he wanted him dead before but now he regretted it. He wished he could take it back and have his father home again, but them again there was his mother, he didn't want him to hurt her. He was confused, he didn't know what to think or feel, Shi glanced over to see Tammy crying in his grandfathers arms. Now what? Life was so sad for him, he had found out Noin had died the same night, another person taken from him that he missed dearly. Sally hadn't really reacted to the news she was off in another world, and Shi couldn't blame her. He just hoped one day he could learn to be that detached from the pain; the pain that seemed to haunt him daily. One day he would achieve that level of numbness right now all he could do was mask the hurt behind a face of indifference.
"Shi it's time to go." Said his grandfather.
He crawled out of his chair and waved weakly to Mariemeia as he walked away from the burial site and to his mother. She was on her way to her car when she was stopped by a blonde man who he felt he had seen before. He walked up to him and wedged himself between the man and his mother, so many people had been badgering her with questions lately he decided to take it upon himself to interrogate the person first. "Who are you?" he asked coldly.
"Shi that was rude." Sally scolded.
"That's alright my name is Quatre, and you must be Shi am I right?" asked Quatre kindly.
"Yeah, what do you want?"
"Shi!"
"I need to talk to your mom about something." He replied.
"I'm sorry he's not normally this rude." Said Sally.
Quatre smiled at her, "I don't mind I was just wondering if I could do anything for you, anything at all. I know with Wufei gone things are hard and I am offering my services to help you."
"Pardon me for asking but have we met?"
"A long time ago, Wufei was my friend. We may not have met more than once but I feel I know you better than myself, he talked about you all the time, sometimes without realizing it. I simply want to help in any way I can." He handed her a piece of paper, "Hear's my number, don't hesitate call if you need anything."
Sally smiled back at him, something about him was calming, somehow she knew he was truly sincere, "Thank you Quatre."
Tammy came up to there little group sniffling and trying to look composed, "Mommy grandma wants to know if you want to come with her and grandpa back home today."
Sally looked back at her mother and shook her head, they both knew why; it was too strong a reminder of the pain she had gone through the past few days. She had tried to go back but it was too hard and Shi seemed to be a little shaken about going back too. The trailer was out of the question as well; too many bad memories. The older woman nodded her understanding and drove off, they had already said their good-byes.
Quatre watched this with a look of concern, "Where are you staying now?"
Sally turned to him with a sad look, "For now we're staying at a hotel."
"And I'm tired of staying at hotels." Grumbled Shi.
"We're just fine where we are." Sally said.
"Oh, well then remember if you need anything…"
"I will."
He smiled at her and turned to leave, Sally watched in amazement as he walked over to a gold limousine and drove away waving. 'Maybe he can help.' She thought.
*-*
"Treize…"
"I know."
"This is not good…"
"I know."
"Please explain what happened."
"Governor I don't know what happened exactly…"
"Treize half of our force is gone, one of the criminals is at large, and the money has not been recovered! What the hell am I supposed to do with that?! The press is eating this up like a kid eats candy and you are the person I need answers from! So cough some up now!" screamed Governor Dermail.
"Sir because half the force is missing we haven't had the manpower to seek out the last culprit and we suspect he has the money. I can't give you a reason for the deaths of the officers, maybe it was a mistake on their part or maybe it was inevitable, the point is I don't know."
The older man stood up so quickly it caused his chair to crash to the ground, "Lieutenant do not give me your smooth talking bullshit! You should know they were your men! What do you think you're hear for?! To sit around and look pretty?!"
"Sir…"
"I don't have time for your weak excuses!"
"Sir I understand your frustration with me but you must understand it was not my fault we found the boy, our forces went in to arrest him and he set off a bomb that's all there is to it." Treize felt himself wearing down, it was so tiring to fight like this; he was tired. He found it ironic he was defending his innocence in the deaths of his men yet he felt it was his fault.
"Treize your incompetence is testing my patience to its limits."
He smiled and stood as well, "Then I wont burden you any longer, I quit."
"WHAT?!!"
"You are right about everything and instead of bumbling around any longer I will leave."
"You can't leave we have lost too many men as it is! And you need to give me at least three weeks notice!"
"Sir from what your telling me I am more harm than good, so good-bye."
"But…"
Treize didn't hear anymore he left the office and walked down into the wet streets, all in all he felt relived that he was now out from under the pressure and criticism of the Governor, for the moment . He still felt responsible, though, he after all, had given them the order to go after the culprit. He stood in the street for a moment before he realized where he needed to go.
*-*
Anne was seated in a large leather chair facing the wall behind her desks letting her eyes skim over the forms in her hands, they belonged to her next patient who she was to see in a few hours. The man was a real basket case but who was she to talk? She heard the door open behind her and someone coming in, then there was silence, she checked her watch with a frown and turned he chair around to find herself face to face with…
"Treize? What are you doing hear?"
"Need to talk."
She put the papers down and folded her arms over her desk, "Sit."
He sat on the velvety red couch behind him, "I hope you wont charge me for this, at the moment I'm out of a job."
"You were fired?" she asked surprised.
"No I quit. I don't know why I didn't do it sooner, that man blamed everything on me but then again…so do I."
"It's was not your fault Treize you know that."
"I wish I did, you mean."
"How could you have known? Don't go trying to put undue pain on yourself."
"You know who insisted Noin work the streets?"
"Zechs."
"No me, I told him to put her out there…"
"Stop right there, the point is you did not send her out there to die or anyone else for that matter."
"That may be but it was caused by myself." He said and lay back on the couch felling worse than he did when he came in.
Anne moved to a smaller chair closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, "What could you have done to prevent it? You did your job in the best way you could when those men and women joined the force they knew there would be a risk of death and they accepted it."
He sighed in defeat she was right it was not his fault but he still couldn't help but feel guilty. The families of all those people, crying over their loved ones…someone was to blame for that and it all boiled down to him.
"I can see the logic in your reasoning but still if it wasn't my fault then who's was it?"
"Easy the man who blew the building up. You always blame yourself for things that could not be helped you need to come to terms with the fact that everything is not your fault."
"Since when have I always blamed myself?" he asked defensively.
"For instance when you were sick and asked me to get you some medicine and while I was gone I got into that little wreck by the drug store. You blamed yourself for that for sending me out in the first place. It's a serious disorder and you need to stop it's not good for your health."
He chuckled at that, "That's your cure? 'Stop'. Is that what you tell all your patients, 'Hey you you're being weird stop it.' "
She laughed as well, "No I think you have the power within yourself to stop feeling so guilty all the time, not many people do Treize but I know you and you can do it you just have to decide you want to rid yourself of this. You do this on purpose because you feel a need to take on the responsibilities of others, being a Lieutenant may have done it."
"You think so? And how is it you figure that."
"What you think those diplomas on my wall came from a cereal box? Besides I lived with you for quite some time and I'd like to say I know you pretty well, wouldn't you agree?"
He didn't respond instead just looked at the wall in front of him which held pictures of tranquil forest and mountain scenery. After a moment of silence he said, "Whatever happened to us?"
Anne snorted and stood to go back to her desk, "You started sleeping with Leia and telling me I was getting fat…although I'm not sure which was worse."
He mentally winced, "Right…I am sorry for that."
"I'm sure you are but lets not drift from the subject."
"I don't think I want to wallow in my own sorrows any longer like you said I need to let it go and I am, easier said then done but I'm giving it a shot anyway. What I would like to talk about is you."
"I would rather not."
"So I can share my deep emotional secrets with you but you cant tell me how things are going with you?"
"Alright, I am not feeling so well considering my roommate and best friend is dead my boyfriend is a sex crazed suck up otherwise everything's just dandy."
Treize stood and came within an inch of her face, "I get the feeling you aren't to crazy about this guy."
Anne could feel his body heat radiating off his skin he was so close, "He ok." She muttered.
"I think you miss me more than you let on."
"What do you mean by that?" she said surprised to find it was hard to keep her voice steady.
"Nothing really."
Now his lips were less than an inch apart when none other than Nichol burst in, "Hi Anne! Oh sorry are you in a session?" he asked.
Treize backed off and walked to the door, "No I was just leaving." He said on his way out, "And thank you for listening."
When he left Anne threw a psychology book (which is a big ass book) at the intruders head but missed, "Nichol you can't just barge in hear how many times must I tell you that?! Does that sign that says 'Do not disturb' mean anything to you?!"
He gave her a mischievous smile, "Yeah you thinkin what I'm thinkin?"
"Obviously not because if you knew what I was thinking you wouldn't still be within striking distance."
Nichol gave this some thought and took one economy sized step back, "No need to get violent I didn't mean to I just wanted to ask you if you anted to got to lunch with me. Who was that guy anyway?"
"My ex-husband."
"What did he want?" he asked suspiciously.
Anne walked across the room to pick up her book and slammed it on the bookshelf, "None of your business. Now do you want to go to lunch or what?"
"So now were keeping secrets from each other?"
"Patient confidentiality, it's against the law to tell hon."
"I just want to know if…"
Anne grabbed he coat and headed out the door, "You coming?"
"I guess that's you way of saying drop it huh?"
"Ooooh you're a smart one aren't you." She said.
Nichol followed her out the door, "You know sometimes you can be so mean to me." He said pretending to be hurt.
"You don't know the half of it." She muttered.
*-*
Trowa was in his room looking at the floor from his lifeless position on the bed when Hilde came handed him a glass of water, he sat up and took in thankfully. She watched as he drained the glass in one gulp. He handed it back to her and she set it on the night stand.
"Thanks." He said hoarsely.
Hilde sat behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, he could feel the small bulge of her stomach pressed against his back. She gently stroked his hair surprised at how soft it was, she had been hoping he would gain comfort from her being there for him but for some reason he seemed even tenser.
"What's wrong am I making you uncomfortable?" she asked.
Trowa turned to face her with a lopsided grin on his face, "Not a chance, I just feel bad about having you up and worrying about me."
"It's time you let me do something for you, besides I would feel awful if I sat around in my room while you're in hear alone and hurting."
"Hilde you should be in bed resting."
She leaned forward and kissed him, "I want to be hear."
Trowa didn't protest further, he let her hold him, "I love you." He said as he started to drift off to sleep with his head in her lap.
"I know and I love you too." She whispered to him.
*-*
Call. Don't call. Call. Don't call. That's all Sally had been thinking for the past hour, while twirling the number Quatre had given her in her hand. She felt like she should ask for help but why from this man? 'I know why' she thought, 'because all my parents can do is offer shelter and that's out of the question.' Her parents did have money but not enough to support her and the twins while she went through college. Then again could she call this stranger up for money? That would feel weird, but what else was there to do? She needed to take care of her kids. Wistfully she looked at over at Shi, he was asleep on the bed next to her. He looked so much like his father he had the same hair and the same face when he scowled, that's when they really looked alike. Tammy looked like the female version of her brother yet she managed to look nothing like Wufei, maybe it was because she always had a sweet smile on her face. Tammy, at the moment, was on the floor watching television with the puppy sleeping in her arms, the poor girl had been crying all day and now all she would do is sniffle every now and then. Sally didn't know what to do finally she came to the conclusion, 'What could it hurt?' so she picked up the phone by her bed and dialed the number on the crumpled piece of paper.
"Hello?" it was Quatre.
"Hi Quatre it's me Sally."
"Sally! How are you? Do you need anything?"
She was about to answer but someone snatched the phone and said, "Hey he's just playing you, he already has a girlfriend…" the phone was snatched again and there was some shouting and a door slamming.
"Sorry my sisters don't know what privacy means. So what can I do for you?"
"I feel odd about asking you this but I could use some help finding a house I can't stay in a hotel forever. Has to be cheap though my job doesn't pay much."
"I have the perfect place and don't worry about money it's already paid for, you can come as soon as you want!"
She frowned, "Huh?"
"My girlfriend owns a bunch of townhouses and stuff and she said she'd be happy to let you guys have one if you wanted."
"Sound nice but how much is the mortgage?"
"I said don't worry about it, she doesn't want any money from you."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes you can go to it now if you want."
"I would like that…I think…Quatre what's the catch in all this?"
"There is no catch I just want to make sure you guys are well off. Do you know where the park is, the one just outside of town?"
"I know it."
"Well go to the park and across the street from the southern end of it is the house, meet me there in an hour I'll be standing outside so you won't miss it."
"Alrighty then."
"Great see ya."
Sally hung up stunned, 'Whoa.' Was the only thought she had. When the initial shock wore off she stood and clapped her hands getting the attention of her two dreary children. "Come on you guys were moving out!"
The car ride went quickly because the park was only a couple of miles away; the houses they passed on the way were fairly small and run down almost ancient. She began to have second thoughts about moving in this place, but all thought of how to turn Quatre's offer down vanished when she saw the blond standing in front of a four story house that was so big she couldn't see the whole thing from her seat in the car.
"Wow you guys are fast we just go hear." Said Quatre as he trotted up.
"We?"
He turned and pointed to a gold limousine with a young lady with long blonde hair standing in front, "That's Dorothy she owns this house, one of many, I know it's kinda big but I hope you like it."
"And it is ok with her that we stay hear right?" asked Sally as she stepped out of the car.
"Yes it's fine with her come on I'll introduce you."
She and her children followed him over to the young woman and Sally immediately recognized her, "Dorothy Catalonia?!"
"Oh so you've hear of her." Said Quatre.
"Quatre dear not everyone it as politically uninformed as yourself." Dorothy said playfully.
"You are giving me this house to live in?"
"Yes if you want it." She said handing Sally the keys.
She stared, 'What the hell is going on? This must be some sort of weird twisted dream!' "I…I can't I mean keeping the lawn up will take my whole paycheck."
"I'll take care of the bills, I understand you have gone through a traumatic loss and I just feel I should try to help Quatre told me you might need a place to stay so I told him if you needed to you could live hear. Besides, I never come hear I always go off to the houses out of state."
"You would just do this for me?"
"It's not as big a deal as you may think, my family is very rich and an expense like this is really no problem, it's the least I can do just let me know if there's anything else I can do for you."
Sally took the keys and looked down and Tammy and Shi…who were looking up at the house which meant there heads were thrown back all the way in an attempt to see the top. "Thank you." That was all she could think to say.
"Need some help getting your bags in?" asked Quatre.
"I'm good." She said still totally shocked.
"Well then we'll be on our way!" he said and gave her a big bear hug before he got into the limo with Dorothy, "Adios!"
She looked at the door and then down at the keys, 'What am I going to tell my parents? Oh a friend of Wufei just so happened to be dating a member of the richest family in Japan aka the Governor's granddaughter and guess what she just gave me a house because I asked!' "This is too weird for me." She sputtered.
"Are we living hear?" asked Shi.
"I guess we are." She said.
"Why are we still outside?"
The puppy took of for the door followed by Shi, Tammy, and a miffed Sally.
*-*
"Thank you for doing that Dorothy it was very sweet of you."
She shrugged and snuggled closer to him, "I wanted to, it made you happy so I did it."
"You know I'm going to have to pay you back for all your kindness someday but you're making it very hard to reach the goal." Said Quatre.
"Sorry I just can't help myself. And how are you holding up? I know your friends death was hard on you too." She said.
Quatre sank back into his seat, "I feel a little better for helping Sally it's my way of honoring Wufei's memory, but I still miss him. Him, Heero, and Duo I don't know when I'll see his again if ever and it's…just so damn depressing." He huffed.
Dorothy felt like kicking herself, she had been with him when he received the news of his friends fate and for the past week she had been trying to make him feel better or at least smile. Now, when she had finally gotten him to brighten up she did something stupid like this. Quatre was trying to hide his pained face but she saw it.
"Quatre I didn't mean to…"
He took her hand let her look into his sorrowful eyes, "Don't be, I'm fine." He said and gave her a reassuring smile.
She looked at the sadness in his face and wished she could do something to take it away, then it hit her, 'Of course! There is something I could do.' She thought while a sinister smile crept upon her lips.
*-*
END P6
BY
MILO
I gave them a little bitty break if you blinked you missed it, oh well a few notes before I go Duo's POV was not hear for a reason don't worry I will mention him as a matter of fact he carries the plot for p7 and 8. I will tell you in advance p7 is nothing more than a letter and p8 is like an epilogue sort of. Well thank you for putting up with my slowness and please review.