The Girls We Love

Part 3

The dimness of the room Catherine was in was nothing compared to the black sorrow her brother was feeling, knowing she was gone. Trying to focus her eyes quicker than they were adjusting, the circus knife thrower gazed around at the perpetual darkness enveloping her, more curious than afraid at the moment. In the distance, she could hear struggling and gasping, but nothing was loud enough to register as definite sounds. It could have just been her imagination, or there could be someone else in the room, in the same predicament, although she feared worse, than she was in. Finally, she decided to take a chance. If it was her imagination, oh well. If not, maybe she had a chance of getting out of here, wherever she was. "Is anybody there?"

Silence prevailed, and even the muffled sounds she thought she heard earlier disappeared. "I guess it was just my imagination...Oh, where am I...Trowa...are you there? I need you, brother...where are you?"

~*~

"Wait, no, Heero, don't throw--" Wufei protested, raising an arm to shield himself. "--that." he finished, sighing as the antique lamp shattered against the wall. "You know, this isn't your apartment, you can't just--" The Chinese man was silenced by the Heero Yuy Glare of Death as he watched yet another priceless possession go flying across the room, breaking into more pieces than he could count.

"Possessions mean nothing."

Wufei rolled his eyes. Sure, he was taught to believe that in his training as well, but...Sally would be pissed when she found out that Heero had broken her favorite lamp. He sighed. At least he knew the Japanese man was determined. The stoppage of breaking glass brought Wufei back to reality as he noticed Heero hadn't moved from his spot, and was analyzing something. "What is it?"

The former leader of the Gundams didn't even bother to look up, he just kept on staring at what he had found. "Hair."

Again, Wufei sighed. Heero had found some hair. Amazing. Wonder who it belonged to...

"Red, curly hair."

"Nani? Sally has--"

"I know."

"And I have--"

"I know."

"So it must belong to--"

"Yeah. Let's go." Once again, Wufei got the refreshing wind whipped into his face as Heero sped down the street, taking them back to his apartment.

Trying to look forward, he shouted, "Why are we going back to your place?" No answer. 'He can be so stubborn.' Thoughts drifting to Sally, he remembered the last thing she had said to him.

"You are the most stubborn bastard alive!" she yelled as she slammed the door in his face. So he didn't want to take her dancing...Was that all his fault? Knowing full well he should have, his eyes hardened while thinking of the person who had his Sally. Wufei smirked. 'My Sally? Yes. MY Sally.'

Arriving at the apartment of the Japanese man, they went inside and Heero pulled out his laptop from a hidden cupboard, quickly typing in a few codes to get it up and running. Wufei, by the time the computer was starting its analysis of the hair sample, had just walked in the door and headed to the kitchen, sighing and grabbing an apple. Not long after he had swallowed his first bite did he see Heero run past him in a green tank top and black spandex blur towards the door again, to turn on the motorcycle.

Wufei shook his head, tossing the apple in the trash. "He never stops."

~*~

Duo, after finally having remembered Hilde's phone number, was grinning happily as he listened to it ring, despite having lost count of the amount of times it rang. Quatre sighed, and looked to Trowa, who was still at the window. "Duo...she obviously isn't home. It's been ringing for the last five minutes. And it rang like that the last time you tried...five minutes before that. Let's just give up for a while, and try back later, okay?"

The Maxwell orphan was in denial. Hilde had to be home, asleep, in the shower, something. That bitch hadn't gotten to her yet, he knew it. Hilde was too strong for that. She was alright...she had to be. 'I don't know what I'll do if she's not...' he thought, forced smiled fading as the reality of Quatre's words hit him. Then, he remembered the last thing Heero had said. If you can't get them here, go to them, just make sure you tell one of us first...

"I'm going to her."

Miliardo looked up, ice blue eyes blazing. "You're insane. Heero said to stay here and guard the other girls. You're not going."

Duo faced him, scowling fiercely. "Yeah, what other girls, Zechs? Huh? I don't see any other girls here, other than Princess over there..."

"You had better watch your mouth, boy."

"Yeah, or what? You gonna shoot me? Beat me up? Believe me, I've had worse. Having Heero as a friend does not constitute safety."

Quatre stood up, worried about the upcoming fight, and made his way over to Duo, knowing he could probably calm him down easier than Miliardo, who was now standing and clenching his fists, eyes narrowed as he glared at the American challenging him. "Duo, please...not here..."

Duo stared down at the blonde, smirking. "Fine. Outside. Ready Zechs?" The dead name dripped with sarcasm and taunt, causing Relena's brother to shake in rage.

The Arabian between the two hotheads looked to Trowa for help, but found none, as he was still mourning over his sister. Finally gaining the courage to overcome the two fighting to get to each other and rip one another to shreds, Quatre burst. "What the hell is wrong with you two?! Look at yourselves, acting like children! And, worst of all, in a hospital where poor Miss Relena is staying in the ICU! Trowa, Cathy's not dead yet, come over here and help me!"

Both men who had before thought of numerous ways to torture each other stopped their arguing and looked down at the blonde between them, shocked by his outburst. Forgetting their previous rage as quickly as they had found it, they stared at him, mouths opening and closing at short intervals as they tried to overcome the shock. Trowa looked over from his window seat and glared at Quatre, obviously hurt by his words but knowing the truth in them, and got up, walking carefully over to the trio entwined in the middle of the room.

"Duo, Miliardo, step back. Duo, you can go to her. I'll go with you for protection. Miliardo, stay here with Quatre and Miss Relena, once again, for protection. Make sure you call Miss Noin, and I'll call Heero to let him know where Duo and I are going. No more argument, you'll wake up Miss Relena." Everyone followed their orders to the 't,' and soon Trowa and Duo were heading towards Duo's house in his brand new Jaguar, speedometer reaching speeds close to 160km. 'I knew he liked to go fast in his Gundam, but...'

~*~

Hilde enjoyed the view she had from the top of her house. This was definitely her favorite place to be, sitting on the roof with a cup of tea, looking out over the city. Glancing down at the page again, she continued to read from her newest book, Hannibal, and shuddered at the thought of what the insane psychiatrist enjoyed doing to his victims.

"Arrivederci, Commendatore."

Flash of the Harpy up Pazzi's front, another swipe severed his attachment to the dolly and he was tilting, tipped over the railing trailing the orange cord, ground coming up in a rush, mouth free to scream, and inside the salon, the floor polisher rushed across the floor and slammed to a stop against the railing, Pazzi jerked head-up, his neck broke and his bowels fell out. (Hannibal, Thomas Harris, 1999)

"Good book, isn't it?"

Hilde's head jerked up from the gruesome death she had just read about to see a womanly figure standing before her, dressed in complete black, with a scarf covering her face. Frowning, she stared up at the petite woman, confused. "Who are you?"

"Isn't it?"

"What?"

"Now, Miss Hilde, I can't believe you are being so rude...I asked you a question. Don't make me punish you like Miss Sally, who doesn't know how to answer questions properly either...Isn't that a good book?"

Even more confused, Hilde forced herself to nod. "Yes, it's a good book. What about Sally? Sally Po?"

Before the unknown female could answer, the roar of an engine sounded below, and gunshots were heard as Duo clambered out of his car, seeing Hilde and the person in front of her. "Hilde, duck!" he shouted as he shot towards the figure, certain it was the assailant they were looking for. Trowa dashed in the house and made his way up to the second floor, where he exited a window on the opposite side of the house and started climbing up the side of the house, using his skills as an acrobat. The woman in black back- flipped down off the house, taking a hit in the shoulder, and fell on Duo's car, a few feet away from him. Startled, he tried to shoot her, but the gun stalled in his nervousness, and she managed to get up and dart down the street, vaulting into a tree for cover. Seeing she was gone, Duo dropped his gun into the car and shut it, locking the door, then ran into the house, where he was met by Trowa, carrying a protesting Hilde.

"Put me down! I'm not hurt, Trowa, put me down! It's not like I can't walk!"

Duo grinned and nodded to the tall one, taking Hilde in his arms as soon as she was placed on the floor. "As stubborn as always, Hilde babe!" he laughed, kissing her all over.

"Duo, let go of me! What the hell is going on?!"

~*~

"Are you sure?"

"Noin...of course we're sure. Two of the girls are already missing, Relena's in bad form. Come here ASAP, please?"

Lucrezia sighed. She was right in the middle of a nice hot bath when Miliardo had called her, voice frantic and eyes wild. But then, when was he not like that? "Fine, if you insist. Let me finish my bath first, though, okay?" She scowled when her former coworker shook his head.

"No. Now. Out." was all he said before hanging up, leaving her to fume in her bath. Quatre resisted the urge to giggle at the face Miliardo made when she had protested, and it was an even harder task when he added, "Women." and rolled his eyes. "Quatre...don't you agree? Women are problems." the former Oz Colonel stated, looking over at his sister, who was asleep again. Realizing who he was talking to, he pursed his lips and looked out the window, not expecting a response.

"Well...I grew up with 29 older sisters, and I must admit that yes, women are problems. Fortunately, though...I don't have those problems now, thanks to Trowa, but...I know where you are coming from, sir."

Miliardo couldn't help but chuckle at Quatre's reply, then remembered that he hadn't yet called Dorothy. Narrowing his eyes, he thought about the girl. "Dorothy Catalonia..." he hissed between clenched teeth, quite obvious about his dislike for her. The Arabian looked up, hearing this, and frowned.

"What?"

"You have to call Dorothy still."

Quatre sighed. "But I don't even think she's going to be a target! I barely know her, and, honestly, don't really like her. How could the attacker get back at me by hurting someone I don't like? The girl tried to kill me!"

"Call her anyway. Just to be on the safe side. Is there anyone else you can think of?"

The rich boy sighed again, then giggled. "Other than Trowa?"

Not phased by Quatre's attempt to lighten the mood, Miliardo frowned. "Be serious, Quatre. There are people's lives on the line. Who else?"

"Well...there is always Iria..."

Miliardo raised an eyebrow. "Who is that?"

Quatre smiled softly, affection shown eagerly in his features. "That's my sister, the one I am very close with. She was the comfort for me when..." His face grew somber, but brightened falsely as he saw Miliardo's other raised eyebrow. "When my father died." he continued, voice steadier than before. "But, how could this attacker know about my sister? She took over the Winner estate since I felt I couldn't, and she's been out of the public spotlight since Mariemaia. I only talk to her every once in while, but...I don't know..."

Miliardo's thoughts ticked away, thinking first of Dorothy, then Quatre's sister, Iria Raberba Winner. Nodding his approval, he tossed the vid phone to the blonde Arabian. "Call Iria, then call Dorothy, but don't have her come here. Ask if anything odd has happened recently, if she's been feeling like she's being watched, and if nothing's up, then don't worry about it. But get your sister over here. If this woman wants to get back at us, she has to strike at the women we love, not just acquaintances we don't really like, as you put it so deftly. I agree with you...call Iria. And anyway," he added, forcing a small smile. "I want to meet your sister. If she can control the Winner estate, I want to meet her. That girl has to have balls to do that..."

Quatre laughed wholeheartedly at this statement, wondering what his sister's reaction to this comment would be. Then he pictured her, looking at him with a cocked head and eyebrow raised, then placing her hands on her hips and nodding matter-of-factly, stating, "Why yes...yes I do." Again he laughed, happy to be able to express joy again since the news of Relena's predicament, and noticed Miliardo chuckling right along with him.

"I'll call her, and then Dorothy, okay?" Miliardo nodded his approval. "Excuse me."

The King of the Cinq Kingdom walked slowly over to his sister's bedside, sitting delicately in the chair next to her and taking her cold hand. "My dear Relena..."

~*~

The torturess of the two captured females swung open the door leading to the torture room with apparent anger, and strode right up to her prisoner, not noticing the handle of the door making a hole in the wall next to it. She stopped abruptly in front of Sally, breathing deeply, and grabbed her shirt, bringing the woman's face close to hers. "Your friends just made life worse for you. Thank them later...when you're in your grave!" She spat with unkempt vehemence, bringing her top lip up in a snarl. Sally's eyes refused to widen, despite her surprise at the fury shown by this girl who had always seemed to react coolly to any situation. Then, she glanced down at her shoulder, noticing movement, and blinked several times as she watched blood pour from her captor's arm, running down to her elbow and dripping onto the floor. The girl narrowed her eyes as she saw Sally's move from her face, and dropped the woman back onto her seat with a force that would have suggested she had thrown her across the room, and left in a huff, slamming the door loudly with a crack. A split in the wood appeared from nowhere, and Sally thanked Kami that she was gone...At least for now. A thought of Wufei drifted lazily across the blank stretches of her mind that now only seemed to register pain.

Sighing, she whispered aloud, "I love you, Fei..."

~*~

Jumping in front of a speeding vehicle is suicide. Jumping in front of a speeding Heero? Worse than suicide. But, Wufei had to take that chance as he stood in the doorway leading to the garage, Heero glaring at him. "Chang, get out of the way."

The Chinese man shook his head. It was all a battle of the egos now. "No. Not until you tell me what the hell is going on in that twisted head of yours. Then, we can go." Heero rose an eyebrow, face still impassive. 'Does he ever blink?' He stood as rigid as if he were a statue, and Wufei felt that if he didn't move he was sure Heero would fall over.

"This hair belongs to Mariemaia Khushrenada. Unless you know where she is, or can explain why her hair would be in your house, I suggest we go to Lady Une and find out. Now move." Wufei still stared into the Japanese man's Prussian eyes, not phased by his infamous glare of death, contemplating the reasons as to why Mariemaia's hair was in his house. Finally, he stepped aside, coming back to reality, and nodded. They would go to Lady Une's.

Again, the wind whipping around his face as the motorcycle sped down the street, bypassing police so quickly they didn't know what went by, and didn't pursue, thinking it was their imagination. Wufei counted back the years it was that he last saw Lady Une, standing over Mariemaia as if she was her and Treize's child, not Treize and Leia Barton's child, as was reality. That was at the end of AC196, a timeframe where the real Operation Meteor was played out, and almost realized fully, were it not for the new group of Preventers. A child, running the attack on the earth...

And, to make it even more guaranteed that it wouldn't go as planned, a female...

Wufei smirked. How could she ever think she was going to succeed? She was nothing like her father, the complete opposite, in fact. Power-hungry and not caring for the romance of battle, or having mercy on those who deserve to have another chance. 'It's a wonder Treize was an Oz General.' Thoughts diminishing and reality flooding back, Wufei tapped Heero on the shoulder.

"Do you even know where Lady Une lives?" he yelled, leaning around the lanky former Wing Zero pilot to help his voice carry a bit more. The Japanese man moved his head slightly, and for a moment Wufei wondered if he really had nodded, or if he was just moving his head. 'Better to assume he did nod then to ask again...' The Chinese man decided, moving back behind Heero and sighing heavily. 'I hope this lead is the correct path, so that I may show Mariemaia the true meaning of justice as I shove her gun down her throat...' He smirked. How he loved to be evil.

~*~

"Alright, I'm here, Zechs, but now you owe me big time. Two massage sessions at the best salon in town, plus a free tanning booth time. Got it?"

Miliardo nodded, smirk gracing his elegant features. She was the only person he knew allowed to call him by Zechs still, but not by his choice. Not that he minded it, and he never corrected her or demanded she call him by his birth name, but she hadn't even attempted a 'Miliardo.' Shortening the distance between him and the former Oz lieutenant, Relena's brother smiled broader and took the petite woman in his arms for an affectionate embrace. "I'm glad you came, and as quickly as you did, Noin."

Lucrezia's time to smirk. "Noin? Please, Zechs, you know my first name. Try using it." The platinum blonde nodded, rolling his eyes slightly. "Now, is...oh, it is! Miss Relena!" she exclaimed, leaving Miliardo's arms and walking to the asleep girl's bedside. "Oh...Miss Relena..." Noin cooed, taking Relena's hand in her own and stroking it gently.

The former Queen of the world slowly opened her eyes, and smiled broadly as she caught sight of Lucrezia next to her, and Miliardo on the other side. "Miss Noin...thank you for coming to see me. I appreciate it rather much, as I'm sure my brother does. Perhaps even more than me, but..." Relena broke off, glancing up at her quickly reddening brother. "Oh, you know I tease, Brother. Anyway, how are you doing, Miss Noin?"

Lucrezia smiled. "Lucrezia, please. What is it with people and my last name? I am doing wonderfully, Miss Relena, although your brother interrupted my bath with his 'urgent' phone call...but, that's fine, seeing as how he is going to buy me two massage sessions and a tanning booth time at the best salon in town for me now to make up for it, right, Miliardo?" The former Oz colonel smiled courteously, nodding sarcastically, and turned away to look out the window as Trowa did earlier. "You, on the other hand, look lovely, Miss Relena. Even in this mess of machines and tubes, you look much healthier than I thought you would, seeing as how you got shot." Relena's eyes became downcast at this reminder of her wound, and she pursed her lips, chin trembling. Lucrezia noticed this, and frowned, her own chin trembling as she again took Relena's hand. "Oh, Miss Relena, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault. I'm just...still being affected by the drugs, they are controlling my emotions more than I would wish they would." She yawned, closing her eyes briefly. "Brother?"

Miliardo practically jumped out of his seat, facing his sister and urgently asking, "Yes, Lena?"

Relena smiled at his anxiety. "I'm a bit hungry, do you think you could--"

"Of course, Lena; I'll be right back." her brother answered, leaving the room before she could continue her request. She looked to Noin, eyebrows raised, and they both broke out in laughter at him, the mirth returning to Relena's eyes.

"So, Miss Relena, what have you been doing all these years?" The women's voices echoed down the hall, dipped in tinkling laughter every once in a while as they talked of what their lives had been doing since they saw each other last, seven years before. The nurses heard this and went to report that Relena was doing much better than before, and could probably be moved out of ICU soon, within the next day or so. Meanwhile, all that was on Miliardo's mind was finding food for his sister, and perhaps some coffee to help keep him awake even longer...

~*~

"Miss Catherine. I will not ask you again to be more cordial to me. I cannot believe how rude everyone is being to me, after all I've been through at the fault of you and the Gundam boys."

"Who are you? What the hell have I ever done to you?" Her kidnapper smiled, blinking slowly as the halogen light glared behind her, blinding the acrobat as she sat tied to a painfully straight-backed, wooden chair, blood pouring from various strike wounds. The young girl leaned down, face a few centimeters away from Catherine's, and brought her hand up behind her, preparing to slap Trowa's sister. Cathy closed her eyes, awaiting this attack, and was surprised as the delicate hand came forward to caress her cheek, index finger running along her chin. The woman's blue eyes snapped open, shock shining from behind them as she pondered the young girl's action. "Wha...what are you doing?" she asked, voice quivering in fear. The girl looked down, pursing her lips, and, for once, seemed...human. Catherine decided to take a better approach, one of an experienced adult to that of a mislead child. "I'm sorry. Please, can I at least know what I can call you? What is your name?"

The red head looked up, licking her lips, and the moment of vulnerability faded. She narrowed her eyes and drew back her hand, this time continuing in the slap. "Shut up, Miss Catherine. I just hope your brother is in as much torture as I'm going to put you through. He deserves it." Catherine winced at the mention of Trowa, ignoring the physical pain shooting up her into her temple and down her neck from the hit on her cheek. "Ohh...did that hurt?" the girl asked in a childish voice, smirking with contempt. "That's not even close to the pain I'm going to be delivering to you all too soon..."

~*~

"You're kidding, right?" Hilde Schibeiker asked jokingly, chuckling to herself. Then she noticed that neither Trowa, nor Duo, was laughing. Trowa, she could understand not laughing, but...Duo? "Duo? You're...kidding, right...?" she asked again, voice shaking in fear as she took Duo's hand.

He shook his head, looking straight into her eyes, and whispered, "No, Hilde."

"So...how is Relena?"

Duo swallowed. "Well, she was shot, and she lost a lot of blood, but when Heero got to the hospital, she woke up and talked to him a bit. Then he left and she fell back asleep, and she's been waking up every once in a while and talking to Zechs, or Quatre, or whoever when she does, then falling back asleep. I think she's doing better than the doctors expected, but I'm sure not good enough for Heero." he laughed lightly, looking to Trowa, who smirked agreement. "Sally, as I said, is gone. So is Catherine. That's why we rushed over here so quickly...that woman was it. She is the one who is doing this. I only hope Zechs got to Miss Noin and Quatre gets to Dorothy to--"

"Wait a sec! Dorothy? Why her? He's not...with her, is he?" Hilde asked, eyes widening abruptly.

Trowa smirked again. "No, Miss Schibeiker, Quatre is not with Dorothy."

"Hilde, please. I hate being called 'Miss Schibeiker.' It's too...old."

"What about Mrs. Maxwell?" Duo asked, grinning and smothering her with kisses again. Hilde rolled her eyes, waiting for him to finish.

Then, an evil glint lit up her eyes as she took his hand, raising an eyebrow while asking him quietly, "Are you proposing?"

Duo resembled a deer caught in headlights, a mouse seen by the cat, a squirrel spotted by a dog. Scared shitless. "Uh...no, Hilde babe, I was, uh..."

"What's the matter, Maxwell? Don't you want Hilde to be your wife?"

"Tro? Wait, no fair! You can't help...but...wait...I, uh..." Duo protested, hands raised as he stood up. He continued sputtering responses--or, rather, protests--until Hilde stood up, walked over to him, and silenced him with her lips massaging his. Trowa gave them their privacy by getting up to look at a nearby bookshelf, and when Hilde finished the kiss, he almost laughed as Duo changed his mind abruptly. "Yes, Hilde babe, marry me! Please!"

Hilde laughed. "How easily the mind of a male is swayed by physical pleasure. No offense, Trowa." Trowa shook his head, and took a book off the shelves entitled 'First to Die.' "Duo, no, sorry. I'm not marrying you, and simply because now is not the time for that. In a month or so, when all of this has died down completely, ask me again, okay dear?"

Duo looked down at his feet, pouty lips and frowned eyebrows as he nodded and sat down again, happiness instantly revived as he spotted a candy dish. "Ooh! Candy!"

Hilde looked to Trowa to share her exasperation with, but found he was already caught up in one of her books, and halfway into the second chapter. Sighing, she sat back down and grabbed her phone, finding the number for the hospital Relena was staying at.

"Yes, can I have the extension for a Miss Relena Darlian's room? I know it's in the ICU, I'm her sister. Why am I not there now? I live in South American, and just now got in at the airport. I want to see how my sister is doing, so if you don't let me talk to her now I'll...Thank you."

Duo looked up at Hilde's raised voice, laughing to himself. "Hilde babe...I love you."

The woman smiled, nodding. "I know."

************************************************************************

Author Note: If you are a 4xDC fan, gomen, but I honestly don't care for Dorothy much myself, and can't see how Q and Dorothy would ever get together. She stabbed him, for Christ's sake! Anyway, don't flame if you don't like the comment he made about not really liking her, but in this fic, he just doesn't go with the flow, alright? Him and Tro is such a cuter couple anyway...but...

Everyone's entitled to their opinions. Anyway, I hoped you liked my newest chapter/part/book whatever you want to call it. I enjoyed writing this one, although I held off on the torture and gore, didn't I? *laughs* Oh, don't worry, that'll come...If you have questions/comments/suggestions, either review (which would be much appreciated) or email me with it. If you have a question and don't leave an email, don't expect me to answer you. If you expect me to answer you after not leaving a way for me to contact you, you don't deserve the answer, seeing as how you didn't leave a way to get it in the first place! And always remember...

A reviewed author is a happy author!