WARNINGS - Angst (by the shovel full!), shounen ai (Guyxguy), OOC Heero (Make that OOC everyone!), Heero torture, hints of NCS (Non-consensual sex, rape), abuse of Wufei's name, foul language (*Gasps* Oo, shocking!), bastardised Dr. J, violence (Hmm probably should have included that in the last chapter, ne?), fluffiness, darkness (But I guess that's been there all along!) and paranormalness (Is that a word?)
Thank yous – WildfireFriendship, Casey, Katie (Thank you! Hope u had a good Spring Break!), Betrayed, Shuo Ri, Sarasi, Jam, just me, SilverShinigami, Hakumi (*blushes* hehe, I will correct that mistake, thanx for pointing it out!), Danica, mandy and Sylvia Black . . .*Glomps all* Thank yo soooo much! And please review again! ^_^
The pilot lay unconscious on a freshly made bed, looking as infinitely fragile as a china doll against the pristine white sheets. His short hair hung limply around his face, shifting as he sighed in his sleep. Blue eyes blinked open, struggling to focus on the two bleary figures that hovered over him anxiously. A pale hand was bought up to shield his eyes from the bright light shining directly into them. Struggling, and succeeding only with the help of the figures, he sat up in his bed. Full lips lifted in a slight smile when he saw his guardian's faces clearly and he attempted a greeting only to cough. A glass of water was before him in a flash and he drank it down gratefully, the cool liquid soothing his burning throat.
"Thank you," he rasped before clearing his throat again. "Could I have another?" He asked with a smile.
* * *
"I'll kill you!" Blue eyes narrowed, glaring at the figures who had been restraining him only moments before. He dropped into a fighting stance that was as natural to him as breathing. A deceptively delicate hand reached for his pistol and with a grimace he discovered that it was missing. Disorientated and confused he shifted his stance almost imperceptibly ready to attack at any moment. He was confined in a room he had never seen before with two strangers who had attempted to hold him down to a bed. His training echoed through the recesses of his mind. /. . Enemies. Destroy all enemies! / His conditioning demanded of him. Intense blue eyes flitted between the two people before him, watching for any telltale movement that would indicate they were going to attack. His eyes locked with the man on his right. The almost familiar emerald tones soothed his agitated mind and cold blue eyes began to soften. A small wave of anxiousness washed over him, its source seemed to be the boys in front of him.
"Quatre," the emerald-eyed boy spoke softly, the name seemed to strike a chord within him. In a rush he came back to himself. Dropping out of the fighting stance the blonde boy pressed his hands to his suddenly throbbing forehead.
"Trowa?" he gasped, before collapsing in a dead faint. The agile acrobat leaped forwards, catching his lover before the blonde head could hit the floor.
* * *
"Much better, thank you," the blue-eyed boy said with a smile as he gave the glass back to his wide-eyed friend. Duo shook his head and rubbed at his eyes wondering if he had finally gone insane. Heero Yuy was sitting up in a medical bed thanking him and smiling without hint of bitterness or malice. The same Heero Yuy who had been dead to the world only hours before and had suffered a seizure half an hour ago. He glanced at Sally with wide violet eyes, finding no answers in the woman's confused gaze. The phone on the wall buzzed insistently and Sally picked it up without ever taking her eyes off the cheerful ZERO pilot. The field doctor barked minimal responses down the line and eventually hung up with a sigh. She turned to Duo.
"He's woken up," she told him. After receiving Trowa's call revealing that Quatre was also suffering a seizure she had ordered them to bring the Sandrock pilot down to the medical centre as soon as he was stable enough. "Trowa and Wufei are watching him."
"Trowa's here?" Heero asked eagerly, blue eyes lighting up. Duo frowned as a pang of jealousy stabbed into his heart.
"Heero? Are you feeling alright?" He asked timidly. His eyes locked with Heero's and watched carefully as bright blue clouded with confusion.
"Hee . . ." and then darkened with recognition. Pain exploded within him as memories flooded back at a break neck pace. He didn't want it. He didn't want any of it. His eyes started to flutter shut when a sharp slap startled him. Duo was at his side, holding him, glaring at him with emotional violet eyes.
"Stay with me," he commanded roughly. Heero leant against the broad chest, which acted as his anchor in a sea of memories and hurt. Neither of them noticed when Sally slipped from the room. When Heero's memories had fully returned he once again hovered over the border of despair, the only thing, which was keeping him from the comfort of the void, was the strong hands running up and down his back. Duo held Heero to him in an embrace of comfort, mindful of injuries the braided boy traced patterns on the others back as Sister Helen had once done for him. He was still scared. He still wanted to run and hide but Duo knew that it was time he faced his fears. If he was going to lose Heero he preferred to love him and lose him to Shinigami than to leave Heero alone in his pain. He lifted Heero's battered face so that he could make eye contact with him.
"I love you." Duo repeated his earlier words in a whisper. Prussian blue eyes hardened and Heero pulled himself out of Duo's loose embrace, shuffling back until he could feel the solidarity of the wall against his back. Hurt flashed across Duo's face and that apparent rejection.
"Heero?" he questioned in confusion, after all that had happened Duo had imagined his confession to be welcomed by a smile and a gentle kiss.
"Liar," Heero hissed, his voice hoarse. "Don't mess with my head Maxwell, I can't take mind games right now!" Although his first reaction was to be hurt by Heero's reaction Duo could hear the raw pain that was layered in Heero's voice. Duo perched on the edge of Heero's bed, allowing his mask to drop he met the Japanese boys eyes with his own serious orbs.
"No games, no lies, I love you," Duo told him, projecting as much sincerity as he could into his voice, willing Heero to accept him. The prussian eyed boy felt his resolve wavering. /Duo doesn't hate me. / The thought fought against his memories of the American when he had made his own confession. His uninjured hand came up to massage his aching temples.
"I need to think," Heero told him quietly. Slightly discouraged Duo rose from his position and slowly walked towards the exit.
"Just stay awake okay?" The uninjured boy asked as he turned back. Heero nodded slowly keeping his eyes focused on the sheets. With a sigh the American turned and left the room, giving Heero his space while he went to check on Quatre.
"I love you too," the boy on the bed whispered after the door closed, his hand brushing over lips, which had stolen a kiss only a day ago.
* * *
Quatre opened his eyes and yawned sleepily. Sitting up slowly he raised his eyebrows at Trowa and Wufei who were both standing by his bed, wary expressions on their faces.
"Winner?" Wufei demanded. The blonde nodded and yawned again, the two sentries relaxed slightly, taking seats next to his bed.
"Explain," Trowa ordered quietly. Quatre sighed as his mind cleared although he could still feel a small part of Heero tucked in the back of his thoughts.
"I did not expect that," Quatre admitted, referring to Heero's emotional state, his unexpected convulsions and the fact that he had woken up as a different person all at once. He could see Wufei frowning and prepared himself for a round of questioning. All three pilots froze as the door opened and then relaxed as Duo Maxwell strolled in.
"Hey guys!" The Deathscythe pilot smiled. "I just wanted to see how you were doin' Q-man!"
"Thank you," Quatre replied with a small smile and Duo's own grin dropped away as he recognised the phrasing, the mannerism the inflection and the smile which had all graced Heero's face only minutes ago.
"What did you do?" Duo breathed quietly watching as Quatre grimaced.
"Sit down Duo," the Arabian ordered softly. Taking a deep breath Quatre started his account. "We were worried about Heero when neither of you returned," the blonde began addressing Duo. "So I did an experiment." Quatre studied the floor with interest as Trowa and Wufei looked at him accusingly.
"You sounded like you'd done it before! Why didn't you say something?" Wufei asked tightly. Quatre shrugged in answer and continued.
"It's a form of astral projection. I was too far from Heero's physical form to read his emotions so I sent my spirit across the astral plane. Once I reached Heero I couldn't just read him like I usually would, it doesn't work like that when I'm not in my body," Quatre simplified as much as he could to the other pilots but he could see that they didn't completely understand, no-one could unless they'd walked the planes themselves. "I tried a merge but it didn't go as planned. Heero's emotions . . .well, Heero was just . . .empty, I guess. He's totally switched himself off and I panicked." Here the blonde paused for a second, Trowa laid a supportive hand on his shoulder and Quatre flashed him a grateful smile. "I think that's what triggered the seizures and it bought me out of the merger too quickly. I took a part of Heero with me and by the look on your face Duo, I'm guessing a part of me stayed with Heero,"
"I'll say," Duo confirmed, leaning back in his chair and whistling his understanding. "So that's what all that was about! I have to thank you Q-man, if it weren't for your little, erm, trip, Hee-chan wouldn't be awake now!"
"Heero's awake?" Trowa asked, Duo nodded his head.
"Why aren't you with him Maxwell?" Wufei questioned, an edge to his voice.
"He wanted time to think." Duo told them.
"To think about what, Duo?" The Sandrock pilot inquired gently. A small sincere smile lit up Duo's face as he announced,
"I love him."