Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. sigh Although if that's the case I don't know how to explain the Wufei sitting in the middle of my floor playing with my Shenlong action figure… ;) Also, I think I forgot to mention it before, but "Hemorrhage" belongs to Fuel. They rock!
Fall Away
Part 3
Beep… Beep… Beep…
I was aware of sound before I was even aware that everything hurt. But that sensation flooded over me seconds later, and somehow I couldn't bring myself to believe that I was awake. The last time I'd felt like this was when Heero had brought me to Relena's; nothing like that had happened now, so I must be dreaming…
Beep… Beep…Beep…
"I know you're awake."
Heero's voice. Cold but even as ever. Maybe I wasn't dreaming. Maybe I could open my eyes…
I could open one eye, anyway. The left one didn't seem to want to cooperate so well. I saw Heero standing over me – no, over my bed.
The bed I was tied to.
I could feel my brow furrow in confusion. Why on earth had they tied me down? And beaten me up, apparently. Was this someone's idea of a sick joke –
"What…"
"Be quiet," he said, and suddenly I saw the gun in his hand. "If anyone's going to ask questions, it's going to be me."
What? My mind reeled. And *what* was he planning on doing with that?
My stomach churned beneath my horribly aching ribs. It hurt to breathe, and each heartbeat made the left side of my face throb painfully. I really, really wanted to know what was going on.
"Heero," I tried again, slower, softer, "what happened?" At least I could get a whole sentence out.
His eyes narrowed the slightest bit – it was barely noticeable. But then he brought the gun up to the side of the bed, resting his hand on the bedrail that my hand had been bound to.
"You're a traitor, why should I tell you what you already know? Don't pull that on me," he said coolly.
I blinked – at least, with my good eye. What the hell was he talking about? I thought we were over this – or at least over this to the point where Heero wasn't out for my blood anymore. I guessed not. But that still didn't explain what had happened to make me end up tied down to this hospital bed, hurting like I had never, ever wanted to hurt again.
Then I heard it – Duo's too-loud voice, protesting even more loudly from somewhere nearby.
"What the hell do you *mean*, I can't go in and see her?! You're nuts! Come on, Quatre, you can't possibly believe Wufei – "
Then Quatre's softer, but definitely strained voice, "Duo, I don't think I know what to believe. But regardless of anything I really think it would be better if you just didn't go in to see her right now."
"*What*?!"
"Quatre's right, Duo," Trowa's voice said, quiet as ever but firm and in a tone that was not to be questioned. "Look – she did nearly manage to take Wufei out. There's obviously something wrong here; it's better if you just stay out here."
"What, so I can't watch Heero 'interrogate' her at gunpoint? I know that's what you're doing in there, you asshole 'Perfect Soldier'!" Duo shouted louder than before.
In here, Heero made no indication that he had even heard him.
"This is bullshit!" Duo protested to Quatre and Trowa again.
I heard footsteps – stomping, really, coming this way. Heero's eyes flickered to the door, but his hand didn't move; the gun remained trained on me.
"Duo!" Quatre called, his voice pleading.
"Duo, stop." That was Trowa, his voice much less pleading, much more commanding.
"I am *not* going to stop, and you can't make me stay out – " Duo retorted as he pushed open the door to the room.
I saw his figure, outlined in the brighter light streaming in from the hall. His face was strained and annoyed, and his eyes were worried.
There was something else behind that gaze, too. Something I didn't want to believe –
Heero didn't move; his gaze met the braided pilot and dared him to come any closer.
"Okay, now, Heero – "
"Leave."
Duo blinked. "I am *not* going to – "
The gun moved – it went from being pointed at my head to Duo's.
"Leave," Heero said again.
"Hey, Heero, come on, it's – "
"I'm not going to tell you again," Heero said as Quatre and Trowa suddenly appeared in the doorway, flanking Duo on either side.
"Duo, please," Quatre begged; Trowa's grip fastened itself around Duo's left arm.
He looked down at Trowa's hand, then up at the banged pilot.
The he turned to the bed, looked at Heero. Looked at me.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, and allowed Trowa to steer him out of the room.
"Duo… " It wasn't more than a whisper on my part; I didn't think he'd heard me.
His eyes. Something behind his eyes had been dead. He'd given up. I didn't think he even knew it himself. But he had.
and i watched as
you turned away
you don't remember, but i do
you never even tried
Heero's gun swung back around to fix itself on my head once again.
"Now," Heero said. "I'm going to ask you a few questions."
I let the breath I'd been unconsciously holding go, and closed my eyes.
don't fall away, and leave me to myself
* * *
Treize Khushrenada hit the END key on the display, closing the communications channel. He swung his chair around to face the large picture window behind his desk, watching the sunlight filter through, hitting the dust in the room before spilling in golden patches on the floor.
Une was dead. One of the Gundam pilots had shot her before blowing the station she'd been operating to oblivion, along with his own mobile suit.
He couldn't stand for this. OZ couldn't stand for this. Lady Une had been too valuable, too crucial. Her loss nearly a month ago had really changed things, thrown a wrench in their plans.
He blinked. Was that really it, or were his emotions coloring that thought? No matter – he swiveled back around and propped his elbows up on his desk, thinking. There had to be something he could do. Somewhere he could go from here.
Wait. There was.
The girl – Alison. She was still alive, Intelligence told him. Back in the pilots' confidence. A thin smile played across his lips.
Perhaps this wasn't a completely unsalvageable situation. Aside from the failed operative that had virtually defected to the pilots' side, he still had the other girl, too, at his disposal. Two cards to play, there. And perhaps even a third…
He hit the CALL button and an image of an OZ-uniformed private immediately snapped up on his screen.
"Sir!"
Treize smiled. "Get me a secure line to Zechs. And find me Giniko."
memories are just where you laid them
drag the waters 'till the depths give up their dead
she cries her life is like
some movie black and white
dead actors faking lines
over and over and over again she cries –
The End
AN: Hey! Don't worry! It's not nearly all over yet! Can't you tell? ;) There are many more surprises headed your way, included a fic set inside The Lost Girl written by my best friend. And, of course, there's always the *real* sequel… It's all comin' atcha in the near future! Let me know what you think!