Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Gundam Wing, I only own the plot.

Z Chapter 2 Dealing With Fears

Heero awoke to a jerk and the sound of hissing outside of the machine. Looking up, he noticed that the small area was once again dark, the only sound that of his breathing, the machine and programs shutting down, and one other. A soft hand on his shoulder made him jump, his back pressed against the wall of the cockpit as he searched for whoever it was. The door to the cockpit opened and he realized that it was the young blonde once more, his features showing slight alarm as a saddened smile played over his lips. Calming his breathing, he sat and settled his fears as he watched Quatre. Quatre stayed where he was, kneeling by the area where Heero once slept. With a tender patience, he sighed and nodded toward his comrade. "It's okay Heero, it's just me, Quatre. We're finally here, you can eat and rest and you don't have to worry about anyone disturbing or hurting you. I'm sure you don't like those handcuffs either, well, we can get those off for you..." Smiling, he watched Heero stand and look back at him. Quatre rose slowly himself, not wanting to spook the other boy. "See, I told you we were going to get away from that OZ base, and we're miles and miles from it now. After we get you something to eat, those handcuffs taken off, some clean and warm clothes, and just time to relax, we'll take you in to see Duo. Okay? Is that all right?" Heero looked from the floor with innocent eyes to Quatre and nodded, taking small steps toward his peer. "There, no one's ever going to hurt you again, we're sorry we ever let them in the first place. But they won't do it again, I swear it. Come on, watch your step there.... don't be afraid of all these people now, they're just here to help you. They don't want to see you ever hurt again either." Standing on the metal platform, he showed Heero that everything was okay, but had to be content with the poor youth walking behind him, staying as close to him as possible and away from the others. Spotting Trowa near the doorway that lead out of the hanger, he smiled and waved. Trowa only walked toward them, arms crossed in front of his chest. Trowa was somewhat gladdened that Heero stood calmly by his friend's side, not looking any worse than when they last met at the jeep. He stopped his movements when Heero stopped his, obviously not comfortable with Trowa so near. Nodding to Quatre and taking a few steps back, he waited where he was. "Sally's got a nice, warm bed ready for you Heero, new and clean clothes, and a real, home-made style meal just waiting. It's all for you when you're ready." Quatre turned and calmed Heero, smirking at Trowa's understanding. "How's Duo?" He was somewhat reluctant to hear the answer, especially if.... well, if he didn't make it. Trowa let his lips curl into a smile. "He's lucky, then again, when isn't he. He's sleeping right now and if we give him a few days, he should be well enough to lounge around this place. He'll probably hate bed by then, who knows, maybe he won't be such a late sleeper anymore." His voice was somewhat optimistic. Quatre sighed in relief. "Thank God. See Heero? Duo's all right and I'm sure he'll be glad to see you. Sally's a pretty good cook too, you'll like it. How about we go get you cleaned up and your wrists looked at?" With a smile, he watched Heero nod but look warily at the other people who passed by below them, scurrying to take care of what they needed to. Heero didn't speak, he didn't care to. He just followed obediantely, sticking close to Quatre. He walked past Trowa who stood as far off to the side as possible, averting his gaze to the ground below them. Quatre led him around the base with ease, finding the room that Trowa had pointed out to him before they left the hanger. Opening the door and flicking on the light, he entered the room. "It's okay, no one else is in here. You can go ahead and get dressed and clean up, I'll wait outside the door for you." With an understanding smile, he began to head toward the door when a soft and small voice called out to him. "I-I can't." Quatre looked back at Heero, puzzled. He only laughed to himself when he realized why. Heero held up his arms sadly, the cuffs still in place. "I'm sorry Heero, I forgot. It was nothing you did, if you wait here, I can go get Trowa to pick the lock quickly." He stopped his movements at Heero's panicked look. Heero didn't want anyone else in the room, but he would rather have Quatre and someone else in the room than be by himself with Lord knows what else. "Can-can I come with?" Quatre knew that Heero feared Trowa, he feared being around others right now, but he didn't want to be left by himself? Sighing, he smiled and nodded. "Of course, Trowa isn't going to hurt you, he's just going to open the locks in the handcuffs and that's all. Then we can take them off, okay? I'll go ahead and get some bandages from Sally and dress your wrists, seeing as how you aren't ready to trust a lot of people right now." Smiling, he waited for Heero to cross over to his side once more before they headed again toward the hangers. Trowa sat on the railing, looking up at Sandrock with curiosity. What had happened to Heero? He went away a killer with a soft spot for a princess and his friends and came out terrified of everyone. If anyone could find out, it'd be Quatre. The doors to the militant quarters opening caught his attention, his gaze finding it to be Heero and Quatre once more. Quatre caught sight of Trowa, he was in the same place he was when they'd left only a few minutes before. Waving him over, he snagged a chair next to the railing and let Heero sit down. Heero took a seat, looking down at his hands as he listened to Trowa walk over to them but stopped short. He tried to keep himself from trembling by focusing on something else, but it wasn't until he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder that he could relax somewhat. Trowa looked uncertain but stayed where he was. "I don't want to scare him Quatre, he's going to panic. I think Sally has some..." Quatre shook his head. "He's unpredictable about now and he's already hurt. It be easier on him if you could pick the lock, he's already expecting it." Trowa nodded, taking a small, wire tool from his pocket and walking slowly over to where Heero sat. Kneeling down, he caught his friend's saddened, blue eyes and looked with an understanding. Holding out his hand, he watched Heero's eyes turn to his. "I'm not going to hurt you. Will you let me see your hands so I can get rid of these pieces of scrap metal?" He watched Heero place his wrists in his hands, looking solemnly and uncertainly into his emerald eyes. "Okay, this is only going to take a few minutes. Just go ahead and sit still, I'm not going to hurt you." With skillfull fingers, he took the metal tool in his hands and inserted it in the small lock, quickly maneuvering it with nimble fingers. With a smile, he heard a soft click. The lock was open. "There, all done." Smiling, he was slightly surprised to look up and find a faint smile on Heero's lips as life began to drift back to his eyes. Trowa only watched his own actions because he didn't want to make Heero uncomfortable, hell, Trowa could have picked the lock if he were completely blind. It was all second nature to him. Gently taking the metal and opening it, for the cuffs were hinged at one side, split down the middle so that they could be opened and closed, he bit his tongue at seeing his comrade's wrists. Quatre returned queitly, all the while having retrieved bandages from Sally while Trowa was talking to Heero. His friends hadn't even noticed that he was missing. Looking down at Heero's arms, the area where the metal cuffs once were was finally revealed to them. His skin was pale in the areas that you could see, that weren't covered in semi-dried blood. His wrists still bled, but not heavily, thank God. Watching Trowa rise, Quatre kneeled down before his weary friend. "See, he didn't hurt you, did he?" Heero looked at Quatre with the faint smile still pulling at the corners of his lips. "No." His reply was soft but audible. Quatre smiled and took a folded alcohol pad from a small side pouch and opened it. He'd tend to Heero's wounds here. Looking back at Trowa, he smiled and motioned for him to join them once again, he did this without argument. Delicately taking Heero's hand in his, he looked back into his curious, Prussian eyes. "We'll go ahead and get these cleaned up here. That way we don't have to worry about it. Have you told Trowa thank you yet?" Heero shook his head and looked up at the other youth, his words soft. "Thank you..." Trowa couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at his innocent manner. "That's okay, you're welcome. I was glad to help." Looking down at Quatre, he realized that the young Arabian was trying to get a conversation going between the two of them so that Heero wouldn't feel the alcohol when the cuts were being cleaned. Nodding, he smiled and looked back to Heero. "Have you seen your room yet? Sally really spoils you, she gave you the biggest." Nodding, Heero let a grin cross his lips. "She's really nice." Trowa, now glad to hear his friend's confident reply, smiled that Heero was trusting him. "Have you seen her yet? You're all she's been talking about since we got here, she seems to have missed you." "The room's pretty, who is she?" Quatre quickly and delicately cleaned Heero's left arm, then went ahead and started on the right while he was kept busy. It made things so much easier. His sisters used to do it to him when Quatre was a child, whenever he was hurt, one of his sisters would talk to him and spoil him with the others were tending to his cuts or scrapes. "Just keep talking to him Trowa, I'm almost done..." he thought to himself. Trowa let out a small laugh. "She spoils you rotten, you'll probably remember her when you see her. She's got a nice warm meal waiting for you, I hope you're hungry." He felt weird speaking to Heero as if he were a child, but that's pretty much what he was right now, at least mentally. "I am." "Good, she's going to love to hear that. You live up to your name, you saved Duo's life." Letting his smile faulter slightly, he watched the life begin to drain from Heero's eyes. "Is he okay?" "He's returned back to his normal self, it's nearly impossible to shut him up now. He's just fine, if it weren't for you, he might not have made it here." Trowa couldn't help but let his smile grow at seeing a larger grin spread over Heero's lips. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time he'd ever seen Heero smile. It was rather weird, but a smile suited him. Then again, he hardly ever did any other time, this was somewhat of a rare occasion. "As soon as you get done eating, we'll have to take you down to see him, he was fussing quiet a bit when I left." Quatre was working on dressing Heero's wrists now. He had nearly finished wrapping the first hand when Heero looked down. "I'm almost done." Heero stared in curiosity. "How did you do that?" Smiling, Quatre finished, taped the wrap in place, and covered his second hand with gauze. "I used to get cut up and scraped up as a kid, a lot more than I care to count. See, when I did, my sisters would sit me down and start talking to me, but one of them always kept really quiet and fixed me up. I'd be talking and eating ice cream or something after a warm day outside, coming in for pretty much anything, and while I was talking, I forgot about the hurt and what had happened. And I never knew they were doing anything until they were done. The told me it was magic until I was old enough to realize that they were just joking." Smiling, he quickly finished his work and rose to his feet, nodding to Trowa. Heero looked down, it was like magic. One minute, his hands were covered in blood and hurting, then they felt better and were clean the next. "It really is magic..." Trowa only shook his head and kept his laughter to himself as he listened to his friend's awed voice. "How about some warm clothes?" Quatre nodded, watching Heero rise to his feet, still looking in amazement at his hands. "Yah, you'd better hurry or Sally might let Duo have your supper, he always did have a never-ending stomach for food." Laughing, he watched Trowa leave to inform Sally as he led the uncertain Heero back to his room. Heero knew he could now trust three of the four of them. He allowed himself to talk without restraint and show his happiness. Yet, he was still uncertain about what Quatre had just said. "But I'm hungry too." "Then we'd better hurry, nothing stops Duo if he's got a craving..." Leading Heero back to his room, he couldn't wipe the large smile from his face. Heero was being so much more open with him and he wasn't afraid of him any longer.

Z

Heero struggled to get the white, button-up shirt on but still to no avail. His shoulders and arms hurt, but he was glad that that was all. "I-I can't get it..." Dropping the shirt and looking down, he listened to Quatre cross over to him. He'd asked his friend to stay, he didn't want to be in the room alone, especially since it had a bed. He had a fear of beds as well. Quatre had turned around and sat next to the door while Heero was dressing. Quatre bent and picked up the shirt, smiling. "It's okay, here," he pulled the shirt inside right and held it up. "Go ahead and put your left arm here, there you go." He let Heero do it himself, all he did was hold the shirt. He felt as if he were teaching a child to dress themselves, but it didn't bother him, it was only expected. "Okay, just reach around and put your other arm in that sleeve..." Heero let Quatre help maneuver the shirt, but he still had to reach back to put on the clothes. "Owe.." he called softly as he pulled on the shirt, wincing slightly. With a worried look, the young aristocrat looked back at him. "Are you okay Heero?" Nodding, he only buttoned up the shirt with clumsy fingers. Turning around, he caught himself if the mirror and smiled. He looked a lot better than what he saw in the mirror of the jeep. "Can I still eat?" "Of course, Trowa wouldn't let Duo eat it. Are you ready?" Grinning at receiving a nod, he led his friend out the door and down the corridors to the "Mess Hall".

Z Sally sat in the corner, having tried to greet Heero and his normal cocky, could-care-less-about-my-life attitude but was prewarned and rather disturbed to see Heero's panic. She kept quiet and watched him eat slowly, he seemed to enjoy it well enough, but every time he looked up she would throw her glance elsewhere. "Enjoying your dinner Quatre?" Quatre looked up from his plate, smiling but somewhat disheartened that Sally stood in the furthest corner of the room. She had thoughtfully kept a meal warm for him as well. "Yes, thank you very much Sally. You can come closer... it feels weird with you standing away like I have something contagious, unless there's something I don't know about." He tried to lighten the mood. Sally shook her head and laughed, but nodded toward Heero. "Well, I'm glad you are enjoying your dinner." Quatre nodded with a slight frown, but then turned to Heero. "I told you she was a good cook, what do you think?" Nodding with a smile, Heero looked up and caught Sally's eyes. She didn't seem bad, maybe if Quatre could trust her, then he should. "I like it a lot." Sally smirked as she broke her gaze with the changed youth. "That's good, usually you disapprove of everything I make. You've made my day already." With a small laugh, she watched Quatre speak with Heero. "Heero, she isn't going to hurt you either, she wants to be your friend. Is it okay if she comes and sits down with us? She just wants to be your friend." Hopefully, he could change Heero's mind and get him to trust more people, he still had to trust Wufei. Thinking, though he didn't know why Quatre asked him what he thought, he nodded. "Uh huh." "Why don't you invite her over. Usually she doesn't worry about cooking meals, but she made this one herself." Sally was contemplating whether she should leave or not, but a small voice stopped her. She was almost wondering if she wasn't just imagining it. "Will you come sit with us?" Sally looked up to find Heero offering her a chair. With a growing smile, she nodded. "Why thank you, you have become quiet the gentleman." Heero felt his cheeks grow hot at this and hid his face in his hands. He heard soft laughter and he only felt more embarrassed. "It's okay Heero," Quatre called. "You didn't do anything wrong, she's just trying to give you a compliment. It's okay, it's a good thing." Smiling, he watched his friend move his hands and look uncertainly at him. "See, it's okay. Are you going to tell her what you told me?" He tried to get a conversation started to relax Heero so that he'd take to the place as welcoming, they'd be there for a while. Heero nodded, then looked at Sally who sat by his side, though a seat seperated them. "It's okay, I'm not scared any more... you cook really good." With a smile on his lips, he started eating again, every once in a while expecting to see Duo. He had a feeling that he was going to see him come in and take his food before he was done for some reason. Sally smirked at him, feeling thankful that he was actually talking to her of his own accord and not someone else telling him to. Quatre only sparked the conversation. "Well like I said, I'm glad you like it. I usually don't sit and cook for my.... men, but you're different, so you guys are, well needless to say, my special guests. Do you like your new clothes? I hope they fit." Nodding vigorously, Heero finished his meal and looked up at her, smiling. "Uh huh." "They look good on you. I tried to find something you'd like." She only laughed as he stood, showing her with pride. His voice was so innocent and care-free at the time, it was as if he was reborn into childhood to restart life. To have a life. "I think Duo's still waiting for you, would you guys like to go see him?" Her lips were twisted into a enticing grin as she began to laugh at Heero's eagerness. He was just like a child, she would enjoy having him around, finally. Standing, she lead them both down the hall, weaving through the corridors as if it were nothing. This place was a second home to her, she knew this place inside and out. Reaching the medical wing, she knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter. "Come on in, the door's open..." was a muffled and tire reply. Sally opened the door enough to let herself be seen as she looked in, smiling at Duo. "I thought you would have been asleep by now." Duo closed his eyes and smirked tiredly. "You kidding? I knew I shouldn't have eaten, did you poison the food or something?" He was only kidding of course. "Hmph, took you three hours to feel the effects. I be sure to add twice as much next time, just for you." Laughing, she brushed her hair back over her shoulders, she let it down when she was at the base, keeping it back in a loose pony tail near her shoulders. "Thanks, I appreciate the concern..." Laughing, he regretted it and groaned softly, getting shot wasn't his idea of a vacation. The young woman frowned, but said nothing. After a few moments, she spoke. "Did the others get tired and head off to bed?" "Yah, took a while to convice Trowa, but he went, or so he said. Have Quatre and Heero gotten here yet?" He was worried about the guys, especially Heero at this point. "Let's just say you have visitors." Opening the door in full, she waved Quatre and Heero in. Duo smirked. "Now I look like a mess and you show in visitors. Geeze, what's wrong with you Sally?" He pretended to act the part of a foolish girl who worried about her looks way too much. "Oh I know, you spend too much time getting ready while we guys have to sit and wait on you..." She joked, pretending to switch roles in playing gender. "You'll live." Leaving, she shut the door behind her and left the three to their privacy. Duo looked over the two, rather surprised that Heero was walking around by himself, curiosity getting the best of him. His hands were wrapped up and he was wearing new clothes, he was just cleaned up in general. There was also a life in his eyes, a child-like innocence that he'd never seen, and when and if Heero returned to himself, he'd probably never see again. Except that he looked tired, Quatre didn't look any worse for wear. "When'd you guys get here?" Quatre took a seat but was sure to keep an eye on the inquisitive Heero who was now more like a child. Something was bound to go wrong some time. "About an hour ago, he slept most of the way here so he's got energy to burn." "How 'bout you?" "I'm fine, someone has to watch over him. He's doing better, trusting me, you, Trowa, we've yet to work on getting him to trust Wufei. He's also started a conversation with Trowa in the hanger, and then Sally in the Mess Hall. He even proudly displayed his new clothes and blushed when Sally told him that he was becoming so much of a gentleman when he offered her a seat." Quatre was about to call out a warning to Heero but the youth stopped himself before there was need be. Duo whistled low in amazement. "Wow, the guy's like a shy little boy, but when he gets to talking, he just keeps going. He's healing faster than I could have thought. He was an emotional wreck when I found him and terrified of everyone and everything." A small voice interrupted the conversation as Heero stepped to Duo's bedside. "Are you better now?" Duo smiled, God he sounded so much like a little kid that it wasn't even funny. Okay, so it was when you heard it, but it was more of unbelievable. "Almost little buddy. Looks like you're feeling better, I can tell by that smile." He laughed softly, even if it was somewhat painful as Heero tried to hide it but to no avail. "See what I mean.... I'm glad you are...." Yawning, Duo tried to sink further into the pillow but gritted his teeth and groaned softly when he moved his shoulder. Quatre was up and at his side in seconds. "Are you okay Duo? What happened?" Heero stared in fear, he wasn't sure if he' done something wrong or not. "I'm sorry..." His voice was trembling as he backed away. Duo shook his head and looked back at Heero, reaching his hand out. "No, you didn't do anything, I was just trying to get comfortable and I moved my shoulder, it still hurts from being shot. You didn't do anything buddy... it was my fault on that, don't worry about it." Smiling, he nodded to Heero's uncertain look. "Sally's got good cooking, good taste in clothes, even if I prefer black, but she's bad when it comes to shopping for furniture. 'Cept you, she spoils you past the point of saving..." Closing his eyes, he took in a slow breath, calming his mind, body, and heart. "You guys should get some sleep too. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." Quatre released a sigh of relief. "Why do you say that?" "1) This is Sally we're talking about, she'll have you all doing something, 2) The gundams need to be repaired, 3) After everything that's happened, we still don't even know what...." he nodded toward Heero who wasn't even listening again, "and we've to got work on that. and 4) After we destroyed the compound, OZ is bound to be out searching so we'll have to lie low for a..." he stopped when he heard something drop. Duo's eyes shot immediately to Heero who was looking sadly down at his hands, but he had stopped all movements. Maybe it wasn't the best thing for him to have mentioned OZ right then and there. Heero caught the last portion of what Duo said, his mind flashing with memories that he wanted to forget, pain that he wanted to end. But he wasn't breaking down as normal, but stood in more of a dumbfounded state, watching the blood soak through onto the white gauze. The glass had broken in his hands before he dropped the pieces, only the few that weren't stuck now in his hands. It didn't hurt, that pain could never equal the pain he'd felt before. Quatre crossed over to where Heero stood, stepping slowly so as not to scare him. He only sighed at seeing the glass globe that was now shattered, pieces of it stuck in his friend's hand. "What happened Heero?" Taking the boy's shoulders, he sat him down in the chair that he had previously occupied. "Go ahead and sit here, try and keep your hands still while I clean up the mess. It's okay, it was an accident." He tried to reassure the Japanese youth when his Prussian eyes began to tear over. "It was just an accident, it's okay." Smiling, he began to pick up the shards of glass. Duo turned his eyes warmly to Heero, understanding his feeling of helplessness. "Don't worry about it buddy, it wasn't your fault. Nothing was, none of it will ever be your fault." Catching Heero's eyes, he knew that his friend had gotten the message. Duo wasn't really talking about the globe, but more of the nights he was put through hell at OZ. Duo had an idea, but that's all he hoped it would ever be, an idea of about what had happened. After another five minutes, all was cleaned up except for Heero's hands which needed to be redressed, but all of the medical supplies that Sally had given him were back in his room and he didn't know where the others were stored. Leading the now tired Heero out of the door, Quatre called back to Duo as he prepared to fall asleep himself. "Get some sleep, you need it more than the rest of us." Duo nodded, his eyes still closed as the main light was turned off, for a small lamp glowed in the corner. "You guys too, don't worry about me, I'll be confined to the same bed when you look for me tomorrow." Sighing, he drifted off into sleep, still somewhat uncomfortable that he couldn't lay on his side or really move at all. Heero followed Quatre back to their rooms, all the time thinking about what Duo said. It wasn't his fault? But the soldiers had said it was, every night to each of his cries for mercy, if only he'd spoken when he had the chance. He would have gladly told them what they wanted to know on the second day, but he was too tired, too scared, and too sore. So he had to go through more torment, his choked cries going unheeded by all who dared to listen. When he had a chance to stop it, wasn't it his fault then? Shaking his head, he realized that they were back in his room, the light on and Quatre was asking him to sit on the bed. "D-do I have to?" His voice began to tremble, he didn't want to unless he had to. Quatre thought it a weird question to ask, but he replied. "It'd make it easier for me to take the glass out of your hands." Heero sat on the very edge, not arguing but he wasn't comfortable, he was actually shaking. Hiding his face when Quatre returned, he only made a sound when a larger piece of glass was taken from his hands, and then it was only a stifled cry. After he had finished, Quatre let him rise but he grew scared once more when the young Arabain began to pull back the blankets. Did he have to sleep? If so, must he sleep there? "I'm not that tired..." Quatre smiled, not really seeing his friend's fear because of the exhaustion that clouded his mind. "You're going to have a bit of a long day tomorrow, you need your sleep." Yawning, he continued. "We all do." Watching Heero cross over slowly and enter the bed, he didn't catch that his comrade's movements were forced and reluctant. His vision was becoming too hazy to realize how violently he trembled as well. Covering him without a second thought, the tired aristocrat trudged from the room, stopping at the door to turn off the light. "Goodnight Heero, get your sleep." And with that, he closed the door softly behind him and headed to his room, right next to Heero's. All he did was open the door, throw back the blankets, climb in and snuggle beneath them before he was out. Heero, however, was wide awake. He tried to take in the comfort of the blankets, the feathery-like mattress, the soft pillow. Yet every noise made him jump, every shadow that creeped along told his mind that the soldiers were coming for him, for their "pleasure". Closing his eyes, he tried to block out everything, but he couldn't, he could feel the hands of the greedy soldiers on his shoulders, pretending he was some female prostitute. God, how he hated them, hated their touch, their words, he just hated them.... Footsteps echoing down the hall made him sit bolt- upright in the bed, his eyes wide in terror as he cringed against the headboard. The steps came and passed, letting him give a soft sigh of relief, but he couldn't stay in that room any longer, he couldn't be by himself. He didn't want to be. Standing quickly and walking from his room, he listened intently to his footsteps as they fell softly on the metal floor. Quatre told him if he needed anything, that his room was right next to his, so he knew where to find his help, his comfort. Knocking softly, he glanced around anxiously to watch for anyone else that would be coming. The shadows teased his mind, filling him with dread. Not getting any response, he knocked harder. Quatre listened to the knock, swearing that he had just closed his eyes and that it couldn't be morning yet. Peeling himself from the bed, he sighed and walked to the door, trying to open his eyes. "Heero, is everything okay?" His eyes were wide open upon seeing his friend's terror once more and he was wide awake in no time. Turning on the light, though he had to squint against it, he bade Heero to come in which he did willingly. "What's wrong?" "I-I can't sleep. I don't wanna be by myself... I can't..." Heero tried to speak but he was shaking and his sentences were broken. He felt so ashamed for it, but he couldn't help it, no matter how hard he tried. Quatre realized for the first time how violently his friend was shaking and nodded. "It's okay, why don't you go ahead and take a seat on the bed and settle down. You can tell me about it." Heero looked at the bed, shaking his head, slowly at first but then with more energy. He stopped when Quatre took his shoulders in his hands, trying to steady him. "....I-I.." "It's okay, you don't have to. Here, we can make a bed on the floor, I don't think Sally has any more cots. How about that?" He smiled tiredly, trying to calm the frantic youth. Heero nodded, then watched Quatre snatch the blankets from his own bed and fold them, skillfully creating a make-shift bed. "I'm sorry..." "Why?" Quatre smiled and took one of the pillows from his bed, placing it at the top of the new bed. "It's okay, I understand. It doesn't bother me, I should have realized it when you asked if you had to go to bed in the first place. I wasn't listening like I should, or I would have gotten what you were trying to tell me." Sitting down and pulling his knees to his chest, he laid his chin upon them and sighed before looking up and smiling. "You can go to sleep now, I'll go ahead and turn the light off and the lamp on, I won't leave your side. You can sleep now, there's nothing to be afraid of. I won't let anyone or anything hurt you." With a soft voice, he coaxed Heero into lying down, he seemed to be rather comfortable on the floor. After turning off the ceiling light and turning on the small lamp, he returned tiredly to Heero's side. He slept in peace, something that was different for the guy, or so it seemed. The last things the young Arabain remembered were grabbing the other pillow from his bed and lying on the floor next to his friend, somewhat cold without a blanket but he didn't have the will or strength to get up and get one and Heero was using his. Then he was out, sleep finally claiming its hold on him.

Author's Note:

Okay, this story is the way it is with the help of Stephanie. She put the thought into my head when she spoke of the movie, The Shining. Anyway, this is seriously NON-YAOI and won't be! I have nothing against it, I just can't write those. Hope you like this, enjoy, have fun, and please review.