Authors note: Ok, it is I (again.) I would just like to thank everybody who reviewed, in particular FreeThinker; your review was helpful and encouraging. I would also like to thank Blue Candy, who has reviewed TWICE now, thanks, and since you begged so nicely, I'll do the 1+2 for you. ^_^
Warnings: 1+2/1x2 etc, etc, got a problem with that DO NOT READ!!! *Clears throat* I might stick in some 3+4 if I'm asked nicely enough. * Evil grin*
Disclaimers: Did I do one of these before? Oh yeah, well I'll do another one, just to be doubly sure. I do not own Gundam wing any related articles or umm…what have I left out, OH YEAH!! I do not own Major Richard Sharpe, the books or the BBC drama series. (Was it BBC?) If I did own it all, they'd still be making them. (With Sean Bean as the lead man…)
When duty calls me I must go,
To stand and face another foe,
But part of me will always stray,
Over the hills and far away…
O'er the hills and o'er the main,
Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
King George commands and we obey,
Over the hills and far away…
An English camp just outside St Germain on the Spanish border: Nightfall.
"I don't believe it!" The blond-haired boy choked out, tears running down his face. "Duo's dead! They can't even find his body, the damn French! Killing anyone who tries to stop them!"
Wufei was, to say the least, shocked that Quatre was using such language. Obviously he was very upset that his friend had been killed in action, and it was an injustice that the French did not even have the mercy to leave the body so it could be buried by friends, but still…Quatre and swearing did not mix.
Both men had seen a lot of action, friends and comrades dying all around them, but still Quatre had managed to retain a child-like innocence that emanated from him and Wufei felt honour bound to protect that and comfort the other boy.
"Winner, you must be strong," He placed a hand on the blonds shoulder, "What would Duo say if he saw you like this? He would be ashamed that you were so weak."
Quatre sniffed angrily and wiped his eyes with a sleeve. "You're right Wufei, it is weak to cry like this, Duo would be shocked, he'd call me a baka…" His voice trailed off and he smiled sadly, blue eyes shining with pent up tears. "It's funny isn't it? But I always thought out of all three of us, Duo would be the last to go, he is after all the strongest, and then there was his nickname…" Again Quatre trailed off.
"Shinigami." Wufei finished for him. "I know, I think deep down we all thought he was invincible. But that's war for you; it changes your view of life. Three weeks ago I thought we were all invincible, but it's just not true."
Quatre nodded, "You're right, but now that I have mourned for a good friend, it is time to carry on, to become strong again. Thankyou Wufei, I know I can be over-sensitive sometimes."
The black-haired boy nodded, "It is of no matter Winner. We should all be allowed to express our feelings, no matter what they are. I just hope that wherever Maxwell is he can hear us and knows how much we miss him."
The two boys were silent for another five minutes, quietly watching the stars and thinking about their friend.
"Wherever he is…" Quatre repeated softly.
*************
Duo winced as stepped out into the blinding sunlight, after two weeks of living in the perpetual gloom of the tent, waiting for his wounds to heal; full sunlight was slightly painful to his eyes.
"Are you alright?" A quiet voice issued from behind him, "I know it must be painful to the eyes…"
Duo smiled slightly, already feeling better for being out in the open air. "I'm fine Captain Yuy, just a little bedazzled." Turning around he regarded the other man, "Since when did you start worrying about me anyway?" He grinned, violet eyes sparkling in the morning light, "Such concern over moi? As you French say. I am honoured." He teased, still grinning.
Blue eyes seemed to spark with hidden mirth for a second before the emotion was squashed. "Hn."
"Hn? Is that a French noise?" Duo asked, mocking the slightly taller other. "Wow, I really need to brush up…"
He trailed off as Mueller walked past, glaring silently at him. Uh oh, I think that guy has a grudge against me…wonder why? Duo smirked slightly, just because I'm what…? The English scum? Oh wait…it's that yelling he got given on my account isn't it? Gotta be. Hmph, Serves him right.
His errant thoughts were soon interrupted however as Heero spoke to him again, "I must go and report to the generals' tent, do not worry, if anybody approaches you, they are probably friendly, but still be careful, not everyone is welcoming to the English in this camp."
"Like you, you mean."
"I am not that welcoming to you English. But for some reason, it appears you are an exception." Heero turned to walk away.
"Wait!" Duo's arm shot out, gripping Heero's sleeve, "Why are you being so nice to me? Why didn't you kill me on sight?"
The hard blue eyes softened again for a second, "I will tell you when I think you are ready to know the truth. Now, I must go and report to my lord Napoleon." And with that the Captain stomped away.
Duo stood there, mouth slightly open, completely spaced out. When I'm ready…what does he mean by 'when I'm ready?' Aaargh, damn French, always talk in riddles…wait a minute…NAPOLEON!!! Jesus Christ!! Duo's hand flew up to his throat, clutching the silver cross that hung there, out of pure habit, a comforting, familiar thing in an alien world. What if I could assassinate Napoleon? This war would be over…Quickly Duo walked back into his tent, eyes narrowed as he considered this newfound possibility, mind going a mile a minute.
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of twin emeralds watched him go…
************
"Ah Yuy, sit down please." The imposing man indicated a seat opposite him. Candlelight flickered over chiselled features, illuminating a high brow, prominent nose and thin lips. [1]
This was Napoleon Bonaparte.
"You know why I called you here?"
Heero nodded, "I am aware sir, that you are in need of a spy to go back into the enemy lines and convince the English that he is faithful to them, while secretly sending back reports to help us win this war."
"That is correct. Now captain, I will get straight to the point, have you any idea of whom to send?"
Heero's eyes flickered in the candlelight, the flame reflecting off the deep blue colour in their depths. "Indeed I have my lord, we captured an English prisoner not two weeks ago, he is alive and healthy, and he is also decidedly intelligent, I am confident that if we turn him over to the side that is right, he would make an excellent spy."
"His name?" The hard-featured man sounded interested now.
"Duo Maxwell."
"Ah yes, I read a report on him, a rifleman isn't he?"
"Indeed my lord."
"Very well, since he is at present considered dead by the English, his miraculous return should cover up any oddities that he is still alive, people would be grateful just to have him back."
"Yes my lord, he is after all, an exceptional shot."
"Very well then Yuy, I have trusted your judgement before and you have not let me down, so I will trust you again. See that Maxwell becomes faithful to the French army. And if he refuses…" Bonaparte glanced down at his paperwork before looking up at his silent Captain, "He will not live to see another day past the one he renounces us."
"Very good sir."
"Dismissed."
***************
"Wufei!!?? Wufeeeeeii? CHANG WUFEI!!!"
Quatre suddenly found himself with a curved sword at his throat. "AH!! I only came to wake you up, we're on the move again."
"Sorry Winner, in my state of waking up, I led myself to believe you were one of the enemy…" Wufei continued to talk as he swiftly packed his bags and dismantled his tent, muttering all the while.
Quatre just watched quietly a small smile on his lips as he listened to his friend's ranting and explanations.
It did not take long to pack and dismantle the tent, over the past few weeks they had become very good at a swift move, always having to be on the ball to catch up with another platoon or attack a French camp on short notice.
As they were riding the conversation turned to Duo. "Wufei?"
"What Winner?"
Quatre fiddled with his reins, looking down at his horse's mane. "Do you ever get the feeling Duo's still alive somewhere?"
This statement got him a blank look. "No."
"Well, I do…and…I keep having these dreams…"
"Winner, it is probably because you have been grieving so hard for the braided baka. Because you think about his death so much, it has infused in your dreams."
"Wufei, don't you even care that Duo's dead? You haven't even mourned him have you?" Quatre's eyes grew angry, with a hint of unbearable sadness, "Didn't you even think of him as a friend? Because he thought of you as one."
Wufei rubbed his eyes, suddenly looking tired and old, far older than his years in fact. "Yes Winner, I miss him, he was my friend, but I am also aware that if at least one of us does not stay strong, the whole platoon will fall apart. Look around you." He indicated the rest of the men riding with them, "Since Duo died, their morale has decreased rapidly, there is no longer anyone to make them laugh with ridiculous jokes, no one to make the best of a bad situation, no one to keep them going. I may not be much, but I have to keep us all together, for our sake, for Duo's sake. Think how he'd feel if he came back and saw us all like this."
Quatre's eyes softened, "You are right Wufei, I am sorry to blame you like this, it is wrong of me."
Wufei suddenly smiled, a genuine smile, not the strained one he had been wearing for the past few weeks. "You are forgiven Winner, we are all allowed to take or anger out on someone, it is human."
*************
"Trowa?" Heero looked at his old time friend and comrade, "you know what the situation is concerning Maxwell?" A silent nod was his affirmative.
"Good, keep watching him, I need reports on his behaviour…" He paused, almost reluctant to say the next part, "And take good care of him, don't let him be harmed by anyone, or I will want to know why."
This sentence forced a smile from his companion, albeit a small one. "Yuy, is there something you're not telling me here?"
Heero glanced up from where he had been preparing to mount his horse, "No. Why?"
"Oh no reason, just you've never actually been concerned with anyone's safety before, not even your own."
"Hn. I am never in any real danger."
Trowa smiled again and laid an arm on the stoic captain's arm. "I think you're in very great danger Yuy."
"Of what?"
"That I will leave for you to discover."
Heero glared at his friend for a moment before turning away. "If you have to move camp while I am away, do not hesitate to do so, the English must not capture my lord. It was a great risk for him to come to the front anyway. Do not wait for me, I will be able to track you."
"Yes sir." Trowa saluted smartly then held out his hand to shake Heero's, "be careful my friend, the English may be foolhardy, but they are not completely stupid, be careful when you locate them."
"Concern Trowa?" Heero's eyes sparkled slightly in the starlight, "Worried for a comrade like me?"
"No sir, just worried how news that you had been captured or killed would affect someone else."
"Hn." And with that Heero mounted his horse and headed in the direction of the distant mountains.
**************
In another part of the camp, Duo quietly blew out his candle, plunging his tent into darkness. I wonder if anyone believes I'm not dead? He thought, a wave of 'homesickness washing over him, would they even care? His thoughts continued along this path for a while before turning to different things.
He lay still in the darkness for about an hour, before getting up and opening the tent flap. Carefully he sat down on the grass outside, looking up at the stars until he was sleepy and cold enough to try returning to bed.
His last thought before he fell into a deep sleep was, wonder where Captain Yuy is…
To Be Continued…
[1] I have absolutely NO CLUE what Napoleon looked like, so, just imagine him like I described, or however you want.
A/N: YAY!!!! I am so happy, I managed to write all this is one day, and it's not too bad…right? Um, okay, if you didn't like it, feel no sudden need to answer that question. Oh and just in case some of you get the wrong idea, Quatre and Wufei are just good friends…unless you want a rather weird pairing, in which case I'm sure I could stick some 4+5 in, never written it before, but there's a first time for everything.
Daniella Duley.
