Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Gundam Wing, I only own
the plot.
~+ Chapter 4 A Brother's Understanding
Duo closed his eyes, feeling his comrades look at him in shock. He'd just told the entire story of Heero's capture as it was told to him, only he left out a few of the more "descriptive" areas and his version was more blunt. He really didn't want to go in depth on Heero's.... discomfort each night. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei all listened intently but in disbelief while Sally was showing Heero around the place to let them have some time to talk in private. "That's why he didn't trust anyone, has a fear of beds, and well, is the way he is right now."
Trowa finally spoke, recovering first. "OZ is really that sick?"
Duo nodded, really wishing that he could move, the bed just kept getting more and more uncomfortable by the minute. "They're a bunch of sick fucking bastards is what they are. After all of that, I sat with Heero for at least fifteen more minutes."
"That's why his eyes were so red and bloodshot, he'd been crying." Wufei spoke at last, he didn't think it'd be possible to hate OZ or the war any more, but now he loathed them to the greatest extremity with a passion. A need to bring justice to his friend who was greatly wronged pumped through his veins, pleading with his mind to let him take it. But their time would come, Heero's time would come when justice would be brought and OZ dealt with severely.
Quatre only felt worse now for not realizing the night before why Heero was so upset and afraid. He felt guilty for leaving him alone and making him sleep in the bed, or at least suggesting to. "The poor guy, now I *know* I underestimated what OZ did to him." Shaking his head, he only laid it in his hands, hiding his face in disbelief and sorrow for their friend's pain.
Outwardly, Trowa remained cool as he always did, but inwardly he was ready to kill the soldiers of OZ for ever *thinking* about touching his comrade, let alone allowing such a thing to happen or to do such a thing to him. Not even the Alliance fought that dirty during the war, but to rape a prisoner who was only about half their age, if that, and use his body for pleasure and say you're only trying to get answers and information? THEN to do it repeatedly?! No, that wasn't even wrong, it was by far worse! Seething, Trowa took in a deep breath and bit his tongue, OZ would pay soon enough.
Duo sighed, not a very good idea, but he could see the anger, hatred, and sorrow in his friends' eyes for he had felt the same way and still did. "Hey guys, don't mention that you know anything about this to Heero or anyone else, well, someone should tell Sally but no one else. Yet. And by the looks of it, we'll be finishing out the war by ourselves." Closing his eyes, he smiled sadly, but if they could do something, anything to help Heero, it would be this.
Confused, Quatre looked up to Duo. "What are you saying?"
Snorting softly, he explained to the others who were at a loss. "Heero. Because of everything that's happened to him in the past week, he's afraid of a lot of things, but he's been given back, well, I guess you could say a second childhood or innocence. Do you guys really want to drag him back into the war, make him remember what he's tried to forget the entire time up until now? He's got a chance to live a life we won't have, to start over again. I can't do that to the guy, we could teach him to use Wing Zero again, to become a killer again, but I won't. I won't take away the chance for him to be happy, to forget so many horrors that still haunt each of us, all which I know we so long to forget. There's no way I can do that guys and I hope that you won't do the same either."
Trowa nodded, looking out the window at the warm sunlight, the earth so full of life and peace. Duo had a good point, and after seeing such innocence and youth and joy returned to Heero who once didn't care whether he lived or died, he wasn't going to take it away. "Neither can I, nor will I. We've fought this war so far, we'll just have to learn to fight it without Heero and Wing Zero."
Wufei said nothing, for in a few situations, Heero's skills in battle came in rather handy. But then again, he was also given back a life, one he could call his own and actually call life. The young warrior always followed his strong sense of justice, and to take away innocence, *Heero's* new-found innocence and life, would be of the highest crime and he would be doing a great wrong. If Heero wanted to learn to use Wing Zero again, then fine. But he wasn't going to drag him back into battle, to make him live in torment and hell once more.
Quatre let Duo's words sink in, each one speaking the truth. He didn't have the heart to do something like that to one he considered a brother, a part of his family. "A machine thought of in the highest, brought down from its glory to be used as a mere learning tool or toy. I don't think any of us would be comfortable piloting the gundam, let alone Wing Zero liking it either. We can easily disable most of the combative programs and its weapons, we can teach Heero to use it for flight or other common jobs that might need to be taken care of. If we shed most of its armor, it wouldn't be recognizable and we could use the gundanium to repair ours, upgrade and make new weapons to help us end the war, and go ahead and let Sally and her team have what we don't or can't use. He's not going to like it very much, but we can put on a simple armor with any paint design he wants. He'd live happier with Relena, he'd be safe, and we could come back to visit." Sighing, he stood. It was unanimous, they weren't going to make Heero fight or rather, re-teach him how to.
Trowa sighed himself, they'd just lost another friend, another pilot and comrade in arms, but it wouldn't be for good. Yet, this was for the greater good, for the better and he was glad that it could happen to one of his friends. "Well, then we'd better get started right away. We should disable all the combative programs first." Heading to the door, he watched his other comrades follow while Duo stayed behind, slowly drifting off into sleep once again.
Z
Heero sat outside in the grass, feeling the cool breeze blow over him as he tried to take the ball back from Faith. "Uh... come on, you've got to drop it first..." Laughing, he took the ball from the dog with a slightly disgusted but amused look when he held the slobbery ball before standing to throw it far into the open field. Faith chased after it, keeping her eyes on the ball and she didn't come back until she had found the small, red piece of plastic.
"She seems really glad to have someone to play with finally." Sally pulled her knees to her chest, watching Heero sit back down in the tall grass and laughing. He was so much like a little kid.
"Faith slobbers a lot..." Wiping his hand on the grass, he smiled and put his arms up in time as Faith bounded toward him, jumping on his lap and knocking him onto his back. "Hey!" Rolling onto his stomach, he covered his head with his hands and kept laughing when Faith tried to find his face, digging at the grass near his arms or trying to roll him over. He heard Sally laughing in the background too. When Faith stopped and ran off somewhere else, Heero sat up in confusion but smiled in delight upon seeing Trowa cross over to them.
Trowa reached down and began to stroke the greyhound's small head, taking the ball that she still carried in her mouth and tossing it in the distance a little ways. She didn't hesitate but ran after it, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth as she raced after the plastic ball. Wiping his hand on his pants, he walked the rest of the distance to where Heero and Sally sat. "Hello Sally, Heero. Enjoying ourselves are we?" He only smiled in amusement when Faith came charging back to Heero, knocking him unexpectedly onto his back and laid triumphantly on top of him.
Heero tried to look up but Faith kept trying to lick his face, so he had to remain content with hiding. "Trowa, help!" He laughed and stood up quickly when Faith was pulled back. Not bothering to brush the grass from his clothes, he smiled and took the ball from the dog, throwing it as far as he could. "Ms Sally said that I could come out here and play with Faith, she likes to play catch. Are you better too?"
Chuckling softly, he was really enjoying the ability to show his emotions, he took a seat next to Sally. "Actually I am, I didn't get much sleep last night so I slept in later. It seems we're feeling better ourselves, aren't we?"
Heero beamed proudly. "Uh huh. Maybe after all the fighting stops, Ms Sally said I could keep Faith as my dog. I told her and she started jumping and wagging her tail really fast!"
Sally nodded. "She did, I think she understands. She's a smart dog, or will be. Faith's just a puppy for now, right Heero?"
"Uh huh. Hey... gimme that!" Taking the ball from Faith, Heero ran with his new friend chasing him, jumping at his heels.
It was just as good a time as any, so Trowa quickly filled the older woman in on what she didn't know, everything that happened to Heero, what they'd decided, and that it was to be kept between them and not mentioned around the fifth youth.
"So, looks like you guys won't be staying here too much longer then, eh?"
"Only until Duo's rested and healed, that and our gundams have been upgraded and repaired." Trowa watched with a smile as Heero was tackled once again by Faith, the two living a care-free lifestyle. "We'll go ahead and move onto Relena's, he'll be safe there and can live in peace, we'll have to wait until he trusts Relena and becomes content, then we'll have to make him see that we have to leave, but we'll be back to visit. I just don't know what to do after the war is over and it can no longer be used as an excuse. You really going to let him keep the dog?"
Laughing softly, the young woman nodded. "Faith became his since the first time she laid eyes on the boy. We took her in as a stray and gave her a place to sleep and food to eat, but Heero can give her a home. They need each other now, just look at them." Sighing, she laid back on the grass, clasping her hands behind her head and staring into the blue sky, the soft, creamy clouds floating lazily by. "I think we can go ahead and go into town, maybe find Faith a collar and leash, a couple new toys and stuff, possibly some food that's actually good for her besides table scraps." Snickering softly, she listened to Trowa laugh but stand and walk toward Heero. By his calls, it seemed that Faith just couldn't be stopped, she kept overpowering him with her rambunctious nature.
Trotting over to Heero's side, his smile turned to a frown as worry filled his features. "What happened Heero?"
Sitting down and hiding his face, he moved away from Faith. "No Faith...." He cradled his wrist in his right hand, holding his left to his chest. Faith had tried to get at his face again but became anxious and tried to shove his hands out of the way by digging, her claws reopening his injury and digging into it more, slicing through part of his skin that wasn't cut in the first place but was now.
Trowa saw blood start to stain the white bandage as Heero continued to hold it, rocking slowly. "Here, let me see it. I won't hurt you, remember?" With a sigh, he watched Heero hold out his wrist, letting him take and examine it. The bandages had been moved at odd angles, exposing the reopened wound beneath. Some dirt and grass surrounded the area as well, not making it look any better. "Come on, we'll take you inside and get that cleaned up, then maybe Sally will let us go into town and get Faith a pretty collar of her own."
Looking down at the whining puppy, he spoke softly. "No, bad Faith..."
With curiosity, he led Heero over to where the confused Sally Po now stood. "Did she do this?"
He only nodded.
With a small smile, he looked back at the young canine who walked a short while behind them, her tail tucked between her legs. "I'm sure she didn't mean it. She just wanted to play and she didn't understand that you were hurt, she didn't know any better."
Sally watched the two, leading them inside and grabbing her things so that she could redress his arm. "Go ahead and sit down there guys, gimme a minute here."
Looking up, the confused youth searched his friend's emerald eyes. "You mean she didn't know?" At receiving a nod, Heero gazed at Faith who sat a small ways away from him. "I'm not mad anymore Faith, come here... it was an accident. Come here girl." Calling her over, he stroked her and watched her tail wag in glee as she placed her head on his lap. When he looked back, Sally was unwrapping his arm. "Can we really get Faith a pretty collar?"
"Well Trowa, just go and ruin the surprise." She eyed him and laughed when he pretended not to know what she was talking about. "Yes we can, Duo will probably still be asleep, but we can see if Quatre and Wufei don't want to come with, I've got a few things to pick up myself."
"Can Faith come too?" Was his eager question as soon as he realized they were going.
"Well, I don't see why not. She's your dog after all..." Smirking, she listened to Heero's shocked silence while Trowa couldn't help it seemed but collapse to his knees in laughter. Looking up, she realized why. Heero looked at her as if she were crazy, his jaw dropped open, it almost touched the floor or so it seemed. A life flared in his eyes, but that was the only movement for he remained still. "Heero?" Her tone was playful and amused as she dabbed at the wounds, cleaning them skillfully before rewrapping them.
Heero finally found his voice and willed himself to speak. "You mean she's really mine now?"
"Yep, if you want her that is." Quickly securing the bandage, she waited for his next reaction as the other two gundam pilots joined them, the hanger becoming eerily silent while everyone watched. Trowa struggled to stand in the background.
With a burst of energy, Heero jumped up from the chair, not caring that it clattered to the floor behind him. Crouching down, he hugged Faith tightly and smiled, his eyes closed as he whispered to *his* dog in joy. "You're my dog now Faith, you're finally mine now."
That was it, Trowa couldn't do it so he sat on his knees, trying to hide his laughter as he watched Heero. It was like watching a child who had begged and pleaded for something they really wanted for Christmas and were bitter when told they weren't going to get it. But yet, the surprise and joy on their face when they unwrap the gift is indescribable. That same shock was on Heero's face, then the same joy. The real surprise was that this was Heero Yuy, but he'd change in the course of a few days, and it seemed mostly for the better. Looking up, he nodded in affirmation at Quatre and Wufei's curious glances as they turned to ones of approval and happiness.
Opening his eyes and letting go of Faith, *his* dog, he beamed at seeing Quatre and Wufei standing next to Sally. "She's mine now, Faith's my dog. Sally said we can go to town and get her a new collar, she said you could come too!" Searching their uncertain faces, he hoped that they'd come with too, he wanted his friends to be there with him.
"Well Quatre, we've gotten quiet a bit done for today. We should probably take a break." He nodded toward Heero, smiling at his excitement.
"I think you're right Wufei. We should probably take a few hours off." Crossing his arms before his chest, he couldn't help but let himself laugh. "We'll come Heero, don't worry."
Hugging Faith again, he rose and hugged Sally, glad that she'd let him keep the greyhound. "When can we go?" He was ready to go now, but if the others weren't, then he'd have to wait.
"If you give us a few minutes, we'll be done cleaning up Sally," Quatre spoke up.
Thinking for a minute, she smiled and nodded. "By the time I get the jeep and get back here, we can just head out into town then, we'll be ready to go when you're done. Wanna come with me to get the jeep Heero?" Giggling softly, she nodded at his enthusiasm and let Trowa help the others put away their equipment. She could have her men do it, but she'd learned better than that with these guys. They didn't trust others to be around their Gundams without supervision from themselves, that and they didn't like others doing something that they were perfectly capable of. So instead of arguing, she headed out of the hanger and down the main corridor, Heero and his new dog at her heels.
Z
"You guys go ahead, I'll meet you at the café in a couple of hours. Okay?" Sally grabbed the keys from the ignition and motioned toward the small café that they'd parked in front of. She'd already given them some money, this much to the pilots' unwillingness, but they took it after a while. To make them feel a little better, she told them that they weren't allowed to use it on anything but Heero or the dog and they took it less reluctantly.
Heero walked with his friends, Faith sticking next to his side while the others talked and tried to relax, getting him to join in the conversation from time to time. "Where are we going?" He interrupted with a small voice but everyone listened to him.
Trowa spoke. "Right now we're just wandering around to try and find a pet place. Didn't Sally say there was one a few blocks down Quatre?" Turning to his comrade, he gazed quickly down the road but still couldn't see the pet place that the young woman had pointed them toward.
"It's supposed to be down here, maybe it's just over the hill. If we don't find it, we can always ask someone." Looking himself, Quatre couldn't find it either.
Wufei scanned the horizon as well, but not even he could find their destination. Looking down, he realized that Faith was trotting just a little too far ahead. "Faith, come back here. Heero, you can't let her go too far or she might get hurt."
Nodding, Heero gave the older puppy a stern look and pointed to his side, she'd learned quickly what his commands were. "Come back Faith." Watching her stop until they caught up, he petted her head as she walked by his side, still curious about her surroundings but doing as she was told. "Good girl." Looking around himself, he was just as curious as Faith was, but if he got lost here, he might not be able to find his friends and anything could happen to him. Something in the distance caught his eyes, so he softly elbowed Wufei who stood next to him. Pointing to the horizon, he squinted once more against the reflection of the sun. "What's that?"
Wufei followed his friend's gaze and only shook his head, smiling. "Well, there goes that idea. Heero's just found it." Chuckling softly, he motioned toward the other side of the street.
"Really, what would we do without you Heero?" Trowa teased, spotting a cross-walk up ahead. The road was rather crowded and busy. With Heero and an unleashed Faith, he didn't want to really start jay-walking when anything could happen. They didn't need to take any unnecessary risks right now.
Quatre bit his tongue but smiled, he and the others had talked while putting everything away. They were going to *try* and tell Heero that he'd be staying with Relena and that they'd have to leave, he was hoping that having the dog with him would make it easier and somewhat frequent visits whenever possible. Then when Heero was settled, they'd visit whenever but less often and soon they hoped that Heero would learn to go on with his life and have one. "Exactly the words I would have chosen Trowa." He hid his sorrow under a mask of happiness and liveliness. He never was really good and as long as he could fool Heero, he didn't really worry that the others saw right through it.
Faith had other plans in mind when they reached the cross-walk, running out into the middle of the street and chasing after a larger pigeon. She didn't mind the cars that passed by her, not until they cut off her view of Heero, then she began to panic, trying to chance it and run through the cars. "No, stop!" Trying to pull from Wufei, Heero wanted to run out and save his dog, but he wasn't allowed. "She's going to get hurt! Let me go!" Turning with wild eyes toward his comrades, he searched for any help. That was it, Faith was trying to bolt out between the cars and he was tired of seeing his friends hurt. Nodding to Quatre, he stepped onto the shoulder of the road, kicking off of the curb and sprinting into the middle of the road between two quickly moving trucks. Luckily enough, neither of them tried to stop. They wouldn't have been able if they wanted to, not in time to miss him should he have been a second later. Kneeling down and holding onto the scared dog, he held her where she was and soothed her, waiting until the light had stopped the cars before traveling to the opposite side of the street, the others following as Heero ran, quickly crossing over and hugging the shaken up canine.
"Trowa, one of these days you're going to get hurt doing crap like that, and not just something little. I'm pre-warning you, I won't be a bit surprised." Wufei nodded in approval as he smirked, commenting on his luck and ability to risk everything for a few seconds of glory or to help a friend.
Heero hugged the greyhound, scolding her and reassuring her at the same time. Looking up, he caught Trowa smiling down at him, it was nothing for him to do a thing like that. Standing, though he kept a hold of the scruff of Faith's neck loosely so that she wouldn't think of doing something like that again, he faced his friends. "I'm sorry, she was bad. Thank you for saving her Trowa."
Shaking his head, he only laughed softly. "Don't think anything of it Heero, what else are brothers for?"
Curiosity struck him as he mulled over the thought. "Are you my family?"
Quatre smirked at this, taking off his belt and making it into a temporary leash for the dog. He should have thought about it before. "Not by blood Heero, that none of us are. But family isn't always determined by blood, it's determined by those who are by your side when no one else is, who believe in you and care about you. And I know I consider each of you a part of my family, like my brothers. Especially since all I have are twenty-nine older sisters, I'm not complaining, but it's nice to be able to say I have a few brothers too." He only laughed when Heero looked at him in disbelief. "Yep, twenty-nine older sisters, but they each had a different mom, so they're only half by blood."
Trowa whistled low in amazement. "Well Quatre, it appears your father was one busy man."
Wufei shook his head and didn't bother to comment, it would have been smarter. "That's for sure."
Quatre leaned against the light pole, laughing harder than he had in a while. "I guess you could say that, but he needed a male heir and all he was getting were daughters.... I swear, you guys. Come on, let's go." Strolling down the sidewalk, he headed with his friends once more onto their destination, to get Faith something to keep herself safe. That and everyone else around her, considering Trowa's recent actions. ~+~ Heero looked through the collars, a soft blue one with small, plastic, circular gems embedded in the front of it catching his eyes. "I like this one, what do you think Faith?" Putting it on her, she only wagged her tail energetically and Heero had to take it as a yes. Smiling, he rose and went in search of his friends. Wufei was by the snakes, Trowa holding a small hawk and debating with Quatre on which was the better pet. "I found one!"
Quatre looked over, catching the blue collar on Faith's neck and smiling in favor. "I like that, it suits her well. Are you sure?"
Trowa placed the hawk back inside its large cage, somewhat sorry that he couldn't buy the creature, it was a beautiful bird. He doubted that Cathy would look after it for him while he fought. Glancing back at Heero who beamed while Wufei joined them, he had to smile. "It almost makes her eyes look blue too. It's very pretty, and it works. Did you find a leash too?"
Heero held up the small, chain-link leash for them to see as well. "I like it and Faith does too. Do you like it Wufei?" He was somewhat disappointed that Wufei hadn't commented on the new collar that Faith now sported.
Wufei smirked, judging the collar with the dog's appearance. "It's small and simple, yet a soft and bright color just for her. Now all you need are dog tags for her. Sally said she'd already gotten the dog her vaccinations after they got her, now just one that shows her name."
Heero took the collar off of his dog, handing it to Quatre as well as the leash so that he could pay for it before they left. As soon as it was purchased, he put it right back on her neck, attaching the leash and hanging onto it securely, they left down the street once more. He wasn't going to let another thing like Faith's little incident happen again.
They stopped for ice cream, though it was Quatre's treat and he wouldn't let Wufei or Trowa talk him out of it. Sitting down, Quatre took a deep breath and looked at the others, thinking that it was about time they told Heero. They only nodded and then looked away, they didn't have the heart to tell their companion. Quatre knew that he was pretty much the only one that could convince the youth, so sighing he began. "Heero, we need to talk to you about something."
Heero looked up, confused and uncertain why things became so quiet and the happiness seemed to disappear. "Did I do something wrong?"
Shaking his head with a slight smile, Quatre looked at the concrete table at which they sat. "No Heero, you didn't do anything wrong at all. You aren't in trouble, we just need to talk. In a little while, Duo will be well again and we'll have to go back to the war, and fight. We'll have to leave Sally's base, but we'll be stopping by Princess Relena's palace. In the mobile suits, we don't have room for Faith. She could get hurt."
Heero looked down at his dog, were they trying to tell him that he had to get rid of her? But... he didn't want to, she was his and he wanted to take care of her. Maybe Sally would let her stay with them, so that when all the fighting was done, he could go and get her again. "Will Sally let me keep her at her base?"
Biting his lower lip, he looked toward Trowa or Wufei for help, but they couldn't really do anything much, they were feeling just as guilty. "No, Faith is going to stay with Relena, but she's not going to be alone. Heero.... we don't want for you to have to fight again, not to see something that we have to when you can be happy. Relena has a nice palace and she's really nice, you've met her before but you might not remember her. You can stay with her, you don't have to fight anymore. You won't have to watch people die like we do."
Heero wasn't understanding what they were trying to tell him. Were they all going to leave Sally's base and stay with Relena? "I-I don't understand."
Trowa took a deep breath and tried his luck. "So you can be happy and live a normal life, we're going to have you stay with Faith at the Sanq Kingdom. But we need to go back to battle and end the war, we need to go back and fight. We'll stay until you're comfortable around the palace, but we won't be staying after that."
Looking into each of their faces, he tried to catch their eyes but they averted him guiltily. Dropping the dog's leash, he felt his eyes water as he searched for any answers. "You're going to leave me again? I'm sorry if I've made you mad, I really am. I'll try harder to be good, I swear." It was Quatre who finally met his gaze, though his eyes were as sorrowful as Heero felt, his sympathetic smile trying to show that he didn't like it either.
"Heero, we're going to leave, but only for a little bit. Whenever we get the chance, we're going to come and visit for as long as we can, but we want you to be safe. You didn't do anything wrong at all, you haven't, honestly. We really don't want to have to say this or do this to you, it's killing us just as much. But you can be happier, we'll come back, I promise. You'll like it there and have so much fun going to school and learning new things and Faith will be with you. You won't have time to miss the rest of us when we're fighting either in space or on Earth. We're going to stay until Duo's healed and until you get used to things and living with Relena. Don't worry, we won't leave without telling you. We will all come back. When this war is over, things will be better and we won't fight any more, we'll be there to visit and you can visit us at our homes. If you want to, you can even stay with us. We really don't want to do this, but it'd be better for you." Heero's gaze was still accusing and hurt, confusion filling his eyes but Quatre couldn't do anything about it except to help him see that everything was going to be all right.
Heero blinked back his tears, looking down at the table as he rose, taking Faith's leash in his hands once again. He didn't feel like looking around the rest of the town and he wasn't really in the mood for anything else. "Let's go Faith..." Turning his back to the others, he headed in the general direction of where the jeep was parked, his heart torn into pieces as his friends rose behind him. Didn't Duo tell him that he was sorry that they weren't there to help him through his time of need at the OZ compound, but they were there now and weren't going to leave him? Did Duo lie to him? They were lying to him, they all were. He couldn't trust them now or ever if they were going to keep doing this. Heero cast his glance to the sidewalk when Wufei jogged up to him, standing before him as the others caught up. Heero stopped and stood quietly before the Chinese warrior.
Wufei had kept his silence before, but not now. "Heero, don't start this. We've been trying to think of what would be better for you even if it is hurting us more than it can you. What happened to you before can and will if OZ has anything to say about it. Capture is something we face in war, and OZ is a lot better at it than the Alliance and they'll hurt you again. That pain that you've suffered is something that we have to see every day when we fight, we have to hear the screams of other men and women when we take their lives just so we can live. The terror in their eyes is the same that was in yours when you realized what was happening the first night of your capture. Do you really want to have to see, hear, and live that all over again? We don't have a choice Heero, we have to fight. But you don't, you can be happy and have a life that we never will. We'll always be plagued by memories and nightmares, but you won't. We're not trying to leave and abandon you or hurt you Heero, we're trying to do what's best for you in the long run. Don't let it make you mad, we aren't going for good. You're our friend, we wouldn't just up and leave. You trusted us once, now trust us again Heero." Wufei sat determined, his eyes staring straight back into his friend's, no longer trying to avert his gaze. "You trusted us once, now trust us again on this."
Heero stared into his black eyes, his watering over once again. He wanted to trust them, but someone was lying to him and he was so scared, confused, and he didn't know what to do. Letting his gaze fall again, he began to walk past Wufei but the others stood to his sides, not letting him pass. "Please, let me go. I don't feel so good." Faith whined at his side, but he only held the leash tighter as he let the shadows hide his eyes.
"Heero," Quatre spoke softly but confidently. "we'll never truly be gone, and we aren't leaving you alone. We want to end this war as soon as possible so that we won't have to leave again and so that no one else has to get hurt. Please trust us on this Heero."
Heero stifled a sob and forced himself not to seek comfort from the others. Once again he tried to get past the others and back to the jeep. "I want to go back, I don't feel so good. I feel sick, please let me go." Heero spoke the truth, he felt sick to his stomach at what the others had already decided without even asking him, but he also felt sick for other reasons he didn't know. His cheeks felt like they were on fire.
Trowa nodded to the others, catching the wan complexion in his comrade's face and the rosy flush in his cheeks. Yet as if on cue, Heero dropped the dog leash, his legs seeming to give out on him as he collapsed as his Prussian eyes rolled back in his head and fluttered closed. Without a second thought and a cool nerve, Trowa reached out and eased Heero to the ground, cradling his shoulders in his arms and quickly snagging the leash in his other hand. Faith had panicked and tried to bolt out into the street once more. Quatre and Wufei were kneeling by their side in no time. Trowa let Quatre take the leash as he tried to shake Heero awake, a small crowd of people beginning to gather but he didn't care. Heero didn't respond, but he was still breathing and his pulse was fairly strong. "Wufei, can you see if you can't find Sally? We'll be right here, Quatre, can you go and get me a cool towel or something, he's got a fairly high fever." His comrades went about their duties as asked, leaving Trowa to watch over Heero. Wufei had taken Faith with him, though it was somewhat a little bit of a pain to drag her semi- unwillingly away. Quatre came back a few minutes later, a small white towel, cold and dampened. Taking it in his hands, he softly wiped it across Heero's forehead, tracing his warm cheeks and relieving the heat from them. Once again he tried to shake Heero's poor form awake but he still remained unconscious.
"Hey, is he okay or should I call an ambulance?" The manager of the shop behind Trowa peered over his shoulder.
"No, he'll be fine. The heat must have gotten to him, he was trying to push himself too far too fast. He'll be fine, he just needs to rest. Quatre, help me get him under the shade of the tree, the sun's been getting to him a bit too much." Looking up at the other people, they slowly began to disperse but he ignored them. With the help of his Arabian friend, he was soon leaning against the tree, holding Heero and trying to cool him down. The shopkeeper was kind enough to bring them out glasses of water, for the day was rather warm and the sun was still high in the air. "Come on Heero, you've got to wake up." Shaking him a third time, he was gladdened to see that his eyes fluttered open and looked about hastily. "There we go, wake up Heero."
Heero opened his eyes, gazing about in fear but he didn't when he realized that Trowa and Quatre were right next to him. "W-what.."
With a grateful smile, the manager of the store came back out and looked at the three boys. "Why don't you all come in and wait for your ride in here. It's cooler, we've got the air conditioner going."
Trowa nodded, smiling thankfully. "Just sit still Heero, you weren't kidding when you said that you didn't feel good. Just rest and let us take care of you, Faith's with Wufei and she's fine. They went to get Sally so we could go back and get you to bed." He held the worn boy in his arms, cradling him as he walked into the store and away from the prying eyes of spectators. It was greatly cooler inside the building and he took a seat on a bench. "How are you feeling?"
Heero leaned into Trowa, an overwhelming heat still falling over him. "I feel so sick..." He felt nauseas was more like it. Yet, he didn't think he'd even have the energy to vomit, he felt like Duo must have, his energy falling dramatically in a short time period.
Quatre smiled sadly down at him, moving away his bangs and using the back of his hand to determine Heero's temperature. It was soaring. "We need to get him cooled down now, this dark and thick clothing isn't doing much in helping him. I hope Wufei finds Sally quickly or his temperature is going to climb higher and higher and we'll *have* to take him to the hospital."
Trowa nodded, placing the cold cloth on his friend's forehead and letting it rest there. Sighing deeply, he watched Heero's eyes slowly close again, a soft whimper escaping his throat. "I'm sorry things had to be like this Heero, but we're just trying to look out for you. Go ahead and sleep now, you'll feel better soon." He let his right hand fall limp as he cradled Heero's shoulders in his left arm, letting the other boy lean closer into him. It felt weird, to be holding his comrade like that, he really didn't care for others getting so close except for his friends, and then, still. Quatre stepping from his side and toward the door told him that Sally and Wufei were back. "That was quick."
"Yeah, I'll go get the back ready. Thank you sir for your help." He spoke at last to the store owner again, a tired smile on his lips.
"No problem boys, just take care of your friend there."
Trowa handed the older man the towel, then wrapped his right arm under Heero's legs before standing and cradling the ill youth once more. After exiting the door, with the help of the stranger, he expressed his thanks and headed once more out into the sun, sitting in the back seats and holding the Japanese youth, letting Faith sit on the floor by his side. Quatre sat in the back seats as well, letting Heero's legs rest on his lap while Wufei sat up front.
"One of these days, you'll have to tell me about how this one happened guys." Sally turned around, taking the jeep back into the countryside and back to her base.
"One day, we will. Just as soon as we figure everything out." Trowa was silent for the rest of the way to the base, sheltering Heero's eyes from the burning sunlight.
Z
Heero opened his eyes to find that he was back in Quatre's room, his comrade sitting next to his side and gently placing a cold rag on his forehead. Oh it felt so good, he still felt so hot. Yet he couldn't feel anything but a thin sheet over his body and he began to panic once more. "Wh-where are my clothes?"
Quatre smiled softly. "Don't worry Heero, we're trying to bring your fever down, that's why you're in shorts and a thin sheet is covering you up. It's okay, you're just fine, settle down. Faith's been worried about you." Laughing quietly, he watched the dog's head pop up at the sound of her name and look at Heero, her head on the cot before she decided it was her job to start kissing him again.
Heero smiled and tried to push Faith's muzzle away, her tongue hot and uncomfortable but he didn't have a lot of energy. Quatre must have sensed it and gotten the dog to back away for him, for her tongue no longer drowned him. He still felt nauseas and tired, but he was also still greatly saddened by his "friends'" decision. Looking away from Quatre, he closed his eyes and felt his friend's sorrow.
"Heero please, I'm sorry that things had to happen like this, but we're trying to do everything to see that you can be happy and safe. How are you feeling?" The young aristocrat tried to change the subject and he needed to know how his brother was fairing.
Heero groaned softly, he knew how he was feeling and it wasn't good, that was for sure. "I feel like... like I have to throw up..." Sitting up, he had to cover his mouth quickly so that he didn't throw up in the cot. Closing his eyes, he felt kind and understanding hands take his shoulders and lead him from the small bed to the bathroom. It was in the room, so it wasn't that far of a walk. Upon reaching it, Heero couldn't stop himself any longer, but gagged and began to vomit painfully, Quatre sitting by his side all the while.
Putting his hands on the other youth's shoulders, the young Winner only gave them gentle squeezes of reassurances as he sat by Heero's side, listening to the entire contents of his stomach emptied into the toilet. "It's okay, I'm right here. You're not alone. I'm right here by your side. It's okay, it'll all be over soon." After a few minutes, Heero was done and far more exhausted than he was before. Taking a small hand towel from the sink, he cleaned Heero up before letting the boy lean into his arms, too tired to move. Quatre didn't really have the strength at this point to carry him, he was still somewhat tired from the night before and the day's events. So the two sat in the bathroom, Quatre easily reaching up and flushing the toilet as he held Heero who cowered in his arms. His fever still hadn't broken, it was just as stubborn as he used to be. At hearing another soft groan, he only held Heero closer, speaking words of reassurance to his companion. "Heero, you'll see. We're going to stay with you until you're ready to be on your own, but you'll make new friends and Faith and Ms Relena will be there to help you. We'll come back when we can and visit, and when the war is finally over, we'll come back and if you don't want to stay with Relena any more, you can stay at my home with me. I'd love to have you around, but we need to stop this war first. Okay? Just go ahead and rest, I'm here and I'm not going to leave. Shhh.... go to sleep." Gently rocking him, not too much to upset his stomach but enough to lull him to sleep, Quatre sat quietly. When Wufei entered to see how he was fairing, Quatre had him help their friend up and back onto the cot. Quatre added a couple of extra pillows, for he knew that when he was sick like that that he couldn't lay down without feeling nauseas all over again. Maybe this would let his stomach settle.
Wufei watched silently as Quatre continued diligently with his work, not a word spoken between them. He was sorry that they had to tell Heero that, but it was better that he knew before hand instead of making things so much more complicated down the line. Finally he spoke. "How is he?"
Sighing, he whispered softly in response. "His fever is still high, though it's come down a little bit, but now he might be getting the flu it appears. We'll have to wait and see. Do you know if Sally has anything to settle an upset stomach?"
Shaking his head, he called back. "No, I can go and see. I'll be back in a few minutes." Turning from his friends with guilt weighing on his heart, he left to find the older woman.
Quatre continued his work without another word, hoping that Heero would feel better and that maybe he would see that things can turn out all right, that he was going to be alone for a little bit, but not really. It was in his best interest, even if he didn't like it at first, that's all that Quatre could really tell himself.
Author's Note:
Well, Heero just seems to keep getting upset and hurt. Poor guy, that's happened to me before, the nausea stuff. I was in the hospital for 6 hours because of it... that hurts! *cringes and hugs Heero* It's going to be okay, everything works out one way or the other, you'll see! Please, review and keep looking for the next chapters! Hope you all liked this!
~+ Chapter 4 A Brother's Understanding
Duo closed his eyes, feeling his comrades look at him in shock. He'd just told the entire story of Heero's capture as it was told to him, only he left out a few of the more "descriptive" areas and his version was more blunt. He really didn't want to go in depth on Heero's.... discomfort each night. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei all listened intently but in disbelief while Sally was showing Heero around the place to let them have some time to talk in private. "That's why he didn't trust anyone, has a fear of beds, and well, is the way he is right now."
Trowa finally spoke, recovering first. "OZ is really that sick?"
Duo nodded, really wishing that he could move, the bed just kept getting more and more uncomfortable by the minute. "They're a bunch of sick fucking bastards is what they are. After all of that, I sat with Heero for at least fifteen more minutes."
"That's why his eyes were so red and bloodshot, he'd been crying." Wufei spoke at last, he didn't think it'd be possible to hate OZ or the war any more, but now he loathed them to the greatest extremity with a passion. A need to bring justice to his friend who was greatly wronged pumped through his veins, pleading with his mind to let him take it. But their time would come, Heero's time would come when justice would be brought and OZ dealt with severely.
Quatre only felt worse now for not realizing the night before why Heero was so upset and afraid. He felt guilty for leaving him alone and making him sleep in the bed, or at least suggesting to. "The poor guy, now I *know* I underestimated what OZ did to him." Shaking his head, he only laid it in his hands, hiding his face in disbelief and sorrow for their friend's pain.
Outwardly, Trowa remained cool as he always did, but inwardly he was ready to kill the soldiers of OZ for ever *thinking* about touching his comrade, let alone allowing such a thing to happen or to do such a thing to him. Not even the Alliance fought that dirty during the war, but to rape a prisoner who was only about half their age, if that, and use his body for pleasure and say you're only trying to get answers and information? THEN to do it repeatedly?! No, that wasn't even wrong, it was by far worse! Seething, Trowa took in a deep breath and bit his tongue, OZ would pay soon enough.
Duo sighed, not a very good idea, but he could see the anger, hatred, and sorrow in his friends' eyes for he had felt the same way and still did. "Hey guys, don't mention that you know anything about this to Heero or anyone else, well, someone should tell Sally but no one else. Yet. And by the looks of it, we'll be finishing out the war by ourselves." Closing his eyes, he smiled sadly, but if they could do something, anything to help Heero, it would be this.
Confused, Quatre looked up to Duo. "What are you saying?"
Snorting softly, he explained to the others who were at a loss. "Heero. Because of everything that's happened to him in the past week, he's afraid of a lot of things, but he's been given back, well, I guess you could say a second childhood or innocence. Do you guys really want to drag him back into the war, make him remember what he's tried to forget the entire time up until now? He's got a chance to live a life we won't have, to start over again. I can't do that to the guy, we could teach him to use Wing Zero again, to become a killer again, but I won't. I won't take away the chance for him to be happy, to forget so many horrors that still haunt each of us, all which I know we so long to forget. There's no way I can do that guys and I hope that you won't do the same either."
Trowa nodded, looking out the window at the warm sunlight, the earth so full of life and peace. Duo had a good point, and after seeing such innocence and youth and joy returned to Heero who once didn't care whether he lived or died, he wasn't going to take it away. "Neither can I, nor will I. We've fought this war so far, we'll just have to learn to fight it without Heero and Wing Zero."
Wufei said nothing, for in a few situations, Heero's skills in battle came in rather handy. But then again, he was also given back a life, one he could call his own and actually call life. The young warrior always followed his strong sense of justice, and to take away innocence, *Heero's* new-found innocence and life, would be of the highest crime and he would be doing a great wrong. If Heero wanted to learn to use Wing Zero again, then fine. But he wasn't going to drag him back into battle, to make him live in torment and hell once more.
Quatre let Duo's words sink in, each one speaking the truth. He didn't have the heart to do something like that to one he considered a brother, a part of his family. "A machine thought of in the highest, brought down from its glory to be used as a mere learning tool or toy. I don't think any of us would be comfortable piloting the gundam, let alone Wing Zero liking it either. We can easily disable most of the combative programs and its weapons, we can teach Heero to use it for flight or other common jobs that might need to be taken care of. If we shed most of its armor, it wouldn't be recognizable and we could use the gundanium to repair ours, upgrade and make new weapons to help us end the war, and go ahead and let Sally and her team have what we don't or can't use. He's not going to like it very much, but we can put on a simple armor with any paint design he wants. He'd live happier with Relena, he'd be safe, and we could come back to visit." Sighing, he stood. It was unanimous, they weren't going to make Heero fight or rather, re-teach him how to.
Trowa sighed himself, they'd just lost another friend, another pilot and comrade in arms, but it wouldn't be for good. Yet, this was for the greater good, for the better and he was glad that it could happen to one of his friends. "Well, then we'd better get started right away. We should disable all the combative programs first." Heading to the door, he watched his other comrades follow while Duo stayed behind, slowly drifting off into sleep once again.
Z
Heero sat outside in the grass, feeling the cool breeze blow over him as he tried to take the ball back from Faith. "Uh... come on, you've got to drop it first..." Laughing, he took the ball from the dog with a slightly disgusted but amused look when he held the slobbery ball before standing to throw it far into the open field. Faith chased after it, keeping her eyes on the ball and she didn't come back until she had found the small, red piece of plastic.
"She seems really glad to have someone to play with finally." Sally pulled her knees to her chest, watching Heero sit back down in the tall grass and laughing. He was so much like a little kid.
"Faith slobbers a lot..." Wiping his hand on the grass, he smiled and put his arms up in time as Faith bounded toward him, jumping on his lap and knocking him onto his back. "Hey!" Rolling onto his stomach, he covered his head with his hands and kept laughing when Faith tried to find his face, digging at the grass near his arms or trying to roll him over. He heard Sally laughing in the background too. When Faith stopped and ran off somewhere else, Heero sat up in confusion but smiled in delight upon seeing Trowa cross over to them.
Trowa reached down and began to stroke the greyhound's small head, taking the ball that she still carried in her mouth and tossing it in the distance a little ways. She didn't hesitate but ran after it, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth as she raced after the plastic ball. Wiping his hand on his pants, he walked the rest of the distance to where Heero and Sally sat. "Hello Sally, Heero. Enjoying ourselves are we?" He only smiled in amusement when Faith came charging back to Heero, knocking him unexpectedly onto his back and laid triumphantly on top of him.
Heero tried to look up but Faith kept trying to lick his face, so he had to remain content with hiding. "Trowa, help!" He laughed and stood up quickly when Faith was pulled back. Not bothering to brush the grass from his clothes, he smiled and took the ball from the dog, throwing it as far as he could. "Ms Sally said that I could come out here and play with Faith, she likes to play catch. Are you better too?"
Chuckling softly, he was really enjoying the ability to show his emotions, he took a seat next to Sally. "Actually I am, I didn't get much sleep last night so I slept in later. It seems we're feeling better ourselves, aren't we?"
Heero beamed proudly. "Uh huh. Maybe after all the fighting stops, Ms Sally said I could keep Faith as my dog. I told her and she started jumping and wagging her tail really fast!"
Sally nodded. "She did, I think she understands. She's a smart dog, or will be. Faith's just a puppy for now, right Heero?"
"Uh huh. Hey... gimme that!" Taking the ball from Faith, Heero ran with his new friend chasing him, jumping at his heels.
It was just as good a time as any, so Trowa quickly filled the older woman in on what she didn't know, everything that happened to Heero, what they'd decided, and that it was to be kept between them and not mentioned around the fifth youth.
"So, looks like you guys won't be staying here too much longer then, eh?"
"Only until Duo's rested and healed, that and our gundams have been upgraded and repaired." Trowa watched with a smile as Heero was tackled once again by Faith, the two living a care-free lifestyle. "We'll go ahead and move onto Relena's, he'll be safe there and can live in peace, we'll have to wait until he trusts Relena and becomes content, then we'll have to make him see that we have to leave, but we'll be back to visit. I just don't know what to do after the war is over and it can no longer be used as an excuse. You really going to let him keep the dog?"
Laughing softly, the young woman nodded. "Faith became his since the first time she laid eyes on the boy. We took her in as a stray and gave her a place to sleep and food to eat, but Heero can give her a home. They need each other now, just look at them." Sighing, she laid back on the grass, clasping her hands behind her head and staring into the blue sky, the soft, creamy clouds floating lazily by. "I think we can go ahead and go into town, maybe find Faith a collar and leash, a couple new toys and stuff, possibly some food that's actually good for her besides table scraps." Snickering softly, she listened to Trowa laugh but stand and walk toward Heero. By his calls, it seemed that Faith just couldn't be stopped, she kept overpowering him with her rambunctious nature.
Trotting over to Heero's side, his smile turned to a frown as worry filled his features. "What happened Heero?"
Sitting down and hiding his face, he moved away from Faith. "No Faith...." He cradled his wrist in his right hand, holding his left to his chest. Faith had tried to get at his face again but became anxious and tried to shove his hands out of the way by digging, her claws reopening his injury and digging into it more, slicing through part of his skin that wasn't cut in the first place but was now.
Trowa saw blood start to stain the white bandage as Heero continued to hold it, rocking slowly. "Here, let me see it. I won't hurt you, remember?" With a sigh, he watched Heero hold out his wrist, letting him take and examine it. The bandages had been moved at odd angles, exposing the reopened wound beneath. Some dirt and grass surrounded the area as well, not making it look any better. "Come on, we'll take you inside and get that cleaned up, then maybe Sally will let us go into town and get Faith a pretty collar of her own."
Looking down at the whining puppy, he spoke softly. "No, bad Faith..."
With curiosity, he led Heero over to where the confused Sally Po now stood. "Did she do this?"
He only nodded.
With a small smile, he looked back at the young canine who walked a short while behind them, her tail tucked between her legs. "I'm sure she didn't mean it. She just wanted to play and she didn't understand that you were hurt, she didn't know any better."
Sally watched the two, leading them inside and grabbing her things so that she could redress his arm. "Go ahead and sit down there guys, gimme a minute here."
Looking up, the confused youth searched his friend's emerald eyes. "You mean she didn't know?" At receiving a nod, Heero gazed at Faith who sat a small ways away from him. "I'm not mad anymore Faith, come here... it was an accident. Come here girl." Calling her over, he stroked her and watched her tail wag in glee as she placed her head on his lap. When he looked back, Sally was unwrapping his arm. "Can we really get Faith a pretty collar?"
"Well Trowa, just go and ruin the surprise." She eyed him and laughed when he pretended not to know what she was talking about. "Yes we can, Duo will probably still be asleep, but we can see if Quatre and Wufei don't want to come with, I've got a few things to pick up myself."
"Can Faith come too?" Was his eager question as soon as he realized they were going.
"Well, I don't see why not. She's your dog after all..." Smirking, she listened to Heero's shocked silence while Trowa couldn't help it seemed but collapse to his knees in laughter. Looking up, she realized why. Heero looked at her as if she were crazy, his jaw dropped open, it almost touched the floor or so it seemed. A life flared in his eyes, but that was the only movement for he remained still. "Heero?" Her tone was playful and amused as she dabbed at the wounds, cleaning them skillfully before rewrapping them.
Heero finally found his voice and willed himself to speak. "You mean she's really mine now?"
"Yep, if you want her that is." Quickly securing the bandage, she waited for his next reaction as the other two gundam pilots joined them, the hanger becoming eerily silent while everyone watched. Trowa struggled to stand in the background.
With a burst of energy, Heero jumped up from the chair, not caring that it clattered to the floor behind him. Crouching down, he hugged Faith tightly and smiled, his eyes closed as he whispered to *his* dog in joy. "You're my dog now Faith, you're finally mine now."
That was it, Trowa couldn't do it so he sat on his knees, trying to hide his laughter as he watched Heero. It was like watching a child who had begged and pleaded for something they really wanted for Christmas and were bitter when told they weren't going to get it. But yet, the surprise and joy on their face when they unwrap the gift is indescribable. That same shock was on Heero's face, then the same joy. The real surprise was that this was Heero Yuy, but he'd change in the course of a few days, and it seemed mostly for the better. Looking up, he nodded in affirmation at Quatre and Wufei's curious glances as they turned to ones of approval and happiness.
Opening his eyes and letting go of Faith, *his* dog, he beamed at seeing Quatre and Wufei standing next to Sally. "She's mine now, Faith's my dog. Sally said we can go to town and get her a new collar, she said you could come too!" Searching their uncertain faces, he hoped that they'd come with too, he wanted his friends to be there with him.
"Well Quatre, we've gotten quiet a bit done for today. We should probably take a break." He nodded toward Heero, smiling at his excitement.
"I think you're right Wufei. We should probably take a few hours off." Crossing his arms before his chest, he couldn't help but let himself laugh. "We'll come Heero, don't worry."
Hugging Faith again, he rose and hugged Sally, glad that she'd let him keep the greyhound. "When can we go?" He was ready to go now, but if the others weren't, then he'd have to wait.
"If you give us a few minutes, we'll be done cleaning up Sally," Quatre spoke up.
Thinking for a minute, she smiled and nodded. "By the time I get the jeep and get back here, we can just head out into town then, we'll be ready to go when you're done. Wanna come with me to get the jeep Heero?" Giggling softly, she nodded at his enthusiasm and let Trowa help the others put away their equipment. She could have her men do it, but she'd learned better than that with these guys. They didn't trust others to be around their Gundams without supervision from themselves, that and they didn't like others doing something that they were perfectly capable of. So instead of arguing, she headed out of the hanger and down the main corridor, Heero and his new dog at her heels.
Z
"You guys go ahead, I'll meet you at the café in a couple of hours. Okay?" Sally grabbed the keys from the ignition and motioned toward the small café that they'd parked in front of. She'd already given them some money, this much to the pilots' unwillingness, but they took it after a while. To make them feel a little better, she told them that they weren't allowed to use it on anything but Heero or the dog and they took it less reluctantly.
Heero walked with his friends, Faith sticking next to his side while the others talked and tried to relax, getting him to join in the conversation from time to time. "Where are we going?" He interrupted with a small voice but everyone listened to him.
Trowa spoke. "Right now we're just wandering around to try and find a pet place. Didn't Sally say there was one a few blocks down Quatre?" Turning to his comrade, he gazed quickly down the road but still couldn't see the pet place that the young woman had pointed them toward.
"It's supposed to be down here, maybe it's just over the hill. If we don't find it, we can always ask someone." Looking himself, Quatre couldn't find it either.
Wufei scanned the horizon as well, but not even he could find their destination. Looking down, he realized that Faith was trotting just a little too far ahead. "Faith, come back here. Heero, you can't let her go too far or she might get hurt."
Nodding, Heero gave the older puppy a stern look and pointed to his side, she'd learned quickly what his commands were. "Come back Faith." Watching her stop until they caught up, he petted her head as she walked by his side, still curious about her surroundings but doing as she was told. "Good girl." Looking around himself, he was just as curious as Faith was, but if he got lost here, he might not be able to find his friends and anything could happen to him. Something in the distance caught his eyes, so he softly elbowed Wufei who stood next to him. Pointing to the horizon, he squinted once more against the reflection of the sun. "What's that?"
Wufei followed his friend's gaze and only shook his head, smiling. "Well, there goes that idea. Heero's just found it." Chuckling softly, he motioned toward the other side of the street.
"Really, what would we do without you Heero?" Trowa teased, spotting a cross-walk up ahead. The road was rather crowded and busy. With Heero and an unleashed Faith, he didn't want to really start jay-walking when anything could happen. They didn't need to take any unnecessary risks right now.
Quatre bit his tongue but smiled, he and the others had talked while putting everything away. They were going to *try* and tell Heero that he'd be staying with Relena and that they'd have to leave, he was hoping that having the dog with him would make it easier and somewhat frequent visits whenever possible. Then when Heero was settled, they'd visit whenever but less often and soon they hoped that Heero would learn to go on with his life and have one. "Exactly the words I would have chosen Trowa." He hid his sorrow under a mask of happiness and liveliness. He never was really good and as long as he could fool Heero, he didn't really worry that the others saw right through it.
Faith had other plans in mind when they reached the cross-walk, running out into the middle of the street and chasing after a larger pigeon. She didn't mind the cars that passed by her, not until they cut off her view of Heero, then she began to panic, trying to chance it and run through the cars. "No, stop!" Trying to pull from Wufei, Heero wanted to run out and save his dog, but he wasn't allowed. "She's going to get hurt! Let me go!" Turning with wild eyes toward his comrades, he searched for any help. That was it, Faith was trying to bolt out between the cars and he was tired of seeing his friends hurt. Nodding to Quatre, he stepped onto the shoulder of the road, kicking off of the curb and sprinting into the middle of the road between two quickly moving trucks. Luckily enough, neither of them tried to stop. They wouldn't have been able if they wanted to, not in time to miss him should he have been a second later. Kneeling down and holding onto the scared dog, he held her where she was and soothed her, waiting until the light had stopped the cars before traveling to the opposite side of the street, the others following as Heero ran, quickly crossing over and hugging the shaken up canine.
"Trowa, one of these days you're going to get hurt doing crap like that, and not just something little. I'm pre-warning you, I won't be a bit surprised." Wufei nodded in approval as he smirked, commenting on his luck and ability to risk everything for a few seconds of glory or to help a friend.
Heero hugged the greyhound, scolding her and reassuring her at the same time. Looking up, he caught Trowa smiling down at him, it was nothing for him to do a thing like that. Standing, though he kept a hold of the scruff of Faith's neck loosely so that she wouldn't think of doing something like that again, he faced his friends. "I'm sorry, she was bad. Thank you for saving her Trowa."
Shaking his head, he only laughed softly. "Don't think anything of it Heero, what else are brothers for?"
Curiosity struck him as he mulled over the thought. "Are you my family?"
Quatre smirked at this, taking off his belt and making it into a temporary leash for the dog. He should have thought about it before. "Not by blood Heero, that none of us are. But family isn't always determined by blood, it's determined by those who are by your side when no one else is, who believe in you and care about you. And I know I consider each of you a part of my family, like my brothers. Especially since all I have are twenty-nine older sisters, I'm not complaining, but it's nice to be able to say I have a few brothers too." He only laughed when Heero looked at him in disbelief. "Yep, twenty-nine older sisters, but they each had a different mom, so they're only half by blood."
Trowa whistled low in amazement. "Well Quatre, it appears your father was one busy man."
Wufei shook his head and didn't bother to comment, it would have been smarter. "That's for sure."
Quatre leaned against the light pole, laughing harder than he had in a while. "I guess you could say that, but he needed a male heir and all he was getting were daughters.... I swear, you guys. Come on, let's go." Strolling down the sidewalk, he headed with his friends once more onto their destination, to get Faith something to keep herself safe. That and everyone else around her, considering Trowa's recent actions. ~+~ Heero looked through the collars, a soft blue one with small, plastic, circular gems embedded in the front of it catching his eyes. "I like this one, what do you think Faith?" Putting it on her, she only wagged her tail energetically and Heero had to take it as a yes. Smiling, he rose and went in search of his friends. Wufei was by the snakes, Trowa holding a small hawk and debating with Quatre on which was the better pet. "I found one!"
Quatre looked over, catching the blue collar on Faith's neck and smiling in favor. "I like that, it suits her well. Are you sure?"
Trowa placed the hawk back inside its large cage, somewhat sorry that he couldn't buy the creature, it was a beautiful bird. He doubted that Cathy would look after it for him while he fought. Glancing back at Heero who beamed while Wufei joined them, he had to smile. "It almost makes her eyes look blue too. It's very pretty, and it works. Did you find a leash too?"
Heero held up the small, chain-link leash for them to see as well. "I like it and Faith does too. Do you like it Wufei?" He was somewhat disappointed that Wufei hadn't commented on the new collar that Faith now sported.
Wufei smirked, judging the collar with the dog's appearance. "It's small and simple, yet a soft and bright color just for her. Now all you need are dog tags for her. Sally said she'd already gotten the dog her vaccinations after they got her, now just one that shows her name."
Heero took the collar off of his dog, handing it to Quatre as well as the leash so that he could pay for it before they left. As soon as it was purchased, he put it right back on her neck, attaching the leash and hanging onto it securely, they left down the street once more. He wasn't going to let another thing like Faith's little incident happen again.
They stopped for ice cream, though it was Quatre's treat and he wouldn't let Wufei or Trowa talk him out of it. Sitting down, Quatre took a deep breath and looked at the others, thinking that it was about time they told Heero. They only nodded and then looked away, they didn't have the heart to tell their companion. Quatre knew that he was pretty much the only one that could convince the youth, so sighing he began. "Heero, we need to talk to you about something."
Heero looked up, confused and uncertain why things became so quiet and the happiness seemed to disappear. "Did I do something wrong?"
Shaking his head with a slight smile, Quatre looked at the concrete table at which they sat. "No Heero, you didn't do anything wrong at all. You aren't in trouble, we just need to talk. In a little while, Duo will be well again and we'll have to go back to the war, and fight. We'll have to leave Sally's base, but we'll be stopping by Princess Relena's palace. In the mobile suits, we don't have room for Faith. She could get hurt."
Heero looked down at his dog, were they trying to tell him that he had to get rid of her? But... he didn't want to, she was his and he wanted to take care of her. Maybe Sally would let her stay with them, so that when all the fighting was done, he could go and get her again. "Will Sally let me keep her at her base?"
Biting his lower lip, he looked toward Trowa or Wufei for help, but they couldn't really do anything much, they were feeling just as guilty. "No, Faith is going to stay with Relena, but she's not going to be alone. Heero.... we don't want for you to have to fight again, not to see something that we have to when you can be happy. Relena has a nice palace and she's really nice, you've met her before but you might not remember her. You can stay with her, you don't have to fight anymore. You won't have to watch people die like we do."
Heero wasn't understanding what they were trying to tell him. Were they all going to leave Sally's base and stay with Relena? "I-I don't understand."
Trowa took a deep breath and tried his luck. "So you can be happy and live a normal life, we're going to have you stay with Faith at the Sanq Kingdom. But we need to go back to battle and end the war, we need to go back and fight. We'll stay until you're comfortable around the palace, but we won't be staying after that."
Looking into each of their faces, he tried to catch their eyes but they averted him guiltily. Dropping the dog's leash, he felt his eyes water as he searched for any answers. "You're going to leave me again? I'm sorry if I've made you mad, I really am. I'll try harder to be good, I swear." It was Quatre who finally met his gaze, though his eyes were as sorrowful as Heero felt, his sympathetic smile trying to show that he didn't like it either.
"Heero, we're going to leave, but only for a little bit. Whenever we get the chance, we're going to come and visit for as long as we can, but we want you to be safe. You didn't do anything wrong at all, you haven't, honestly. We really don't want to have to say this or do this to you, it's killing us just as much. But you can be happier, we'll come back, I promise. You'll like it there and have so much fun going to school and learning new things and Faith will be with you. You won't have time to miss the rest of us when we're fighting either in space or on Earth. We're going to stay until Duo's healed and until you get used to things and living with Relena. Don't worry, we won't leave without telling you. We will all come back. When this war is over, things will be better and we won't fight any more, we'll be there to visit and you can visit us at our homes. If you want to, you can even stay with us. We really don't want to do this, but it'd be better for you." Heero's gaze was still accusing and hurt, confusion filling his eyes but Quatre couldn't do anything about it except to help him see that everything was going to be all right.
Heero blinked back his tears, looking down at the table as he rose, taking Faith's leash in his hands once again. He didn't feel like looking around the rest of the town and he wasn't really in the mood for anything else. "Let's go Faith..." Turning his back to the others, he headed in the general direction of where the jeep was parked, his heart torn into pieces as his friends rose behind him. Didn't Duo tell him that he was sorry that they weren't there to help him through his time of need at the OZ compound, but they were there now and weren't going to leave him? Did Duo lie to him? They were lying to him, they all were. He couldn't trust them now or ever if they were going to keep doing this. Heero cast his glance to the sidewalk when Wufei jogged up to him, standing before him as the others caught up. Heero stopped and stood quietly before the Chinese warrior.
Wufei had kept his silence before, but not now. "Heero, don't start this. We've been trying to think of what would be better for you even if it is hurting us more than it can you. What happened to you before can and will if OZ has anything to say about it. Capture is something we face in war, and OZ is a lot better at it than the Alliance and they'll hurt you again. That pain that you've suffered is something that we have to see every day when we fight, we have to hear the screams of other men and women when we take their lives just so we can live. The terror in their eyes is the same that was in yours when you realized what was happening the first night of your capture. Do you really want to have to see, hear, and live that all over again? We don't have a choice Heero, we have to fight. But you don't, you can be happy and have a life that we never will. We'll always be plagued by memories and nightmares, but you won't. We're not trying to leave and abandon you or hurt you Heero, we're trying to do what's best for you in the long run. Don't let it make you mad, we aren't going for good. You're our friend, we wouldn't just up and leave. You trusted us once, now trust us again Heero." Wufei sat determined, his eyes staring straight back into his friend's, no longer trying to avert his gaze. "You trusted us once, now trust us again on this."
Heero stared into his black eyes, his watering over once again. He wanted to trust them, but someone was lying to him and he was so scared, confused, and he didn't know what to do. Letting his gaze fall again, he began to walk past Wufei but the others stood to his sides, not letting him pass. "Please, let me go. I don't feel so good." Faith whined at his side, but he only held the leash tighter as he let the shadows hide his eyes.
"Heero," Quatre spoke softly but confidently. "we'll never truly be gone, and we aren't leaving you alone. We want to end this war as soon as possible so that we won't have to leave again and so that no one else has to get hurt. Please trust us on this Heero."
Heero stifled a sob and forced himself not to seek comfort from the others. Once again he tried to get past the others and back to the jeep. "I want to go back, I don't feel so good. I feel sick, please let me go." Heero spoke the truth, he felt sick to his stomach at what the others had already decided without even asking him, but he also felt sick for other reasons he didn't know. His cheeks felt like they were on fire.
Trowa nodded to the others, catching the wan complexion in his comrade's face and the rosy flush in his cheeks. Yet as if on cue, Heero dropped the dog leash, his legs seeming to give out on him as he collapsed as his Prussian eyes rolled back in his head and fluttered closed. Without a second thought and a cool nerve, Trowa reached out and eased Heero to the ground, cradling his shoulders in his arms and quickly snagging the leash in his other hand. Faith had panicked and tried to bolt out into the street once more. Quatre and Wufei were kneeling by their side in no time. Trowa let Quatre take the leash as he tried to shake Heero awake, a small crowd of people beginning to gather but he didn't care. Heero didn't respond, but he was still breathing and his pulse was fairly strong. "Wufei, can you see if you can't find Sally? We'll be right here, Quatre, can you go and get me a cool towel or something, he's got a fairly high fever." His comrades went about their duties as asked, leaving Trowa to watch over Heero. Wufei had taken Faith with him, though it was somewhat a little bit of a pain to drag her semi- unwillingly away. Quatre came back a few minutes later, a small white towel, cold and dampened. Taking it in his hands, he softly wiped it across Heero's forehead, tracing his warm cheeks and relieving the heat from them. Once again he tried to shake Heero's poor form awake but he still remained unconscious.
"Hey, is he okay or should I call an ambulance?" The manager of the shop behind Trowa peered over his shoulder.
"No, he'll be fine. The heat must have gotten to him, he was trying to push himself too far too fast. He'll be fine, he just needs to rest. Quatre, help me get him under the shade of the tree, the sun's been getting to him a bit too much." Looking up at the other people, they slowly began to disperse but he ignored them. With the help of his Arabian friend, he was soon leaning against the tree, holding Heero and trying to cool him down. The shopkeeper was kind enough to bring them out glasses of water, for the day was rather warm and the sun was still high in the air. "Come on Heero, you've got to wake up." Shaking him a third time, he was gladdened to see that his eyes fluttered open and looked about hastily. "There we go, wake up Heero."
Heero opened his eyes, gazing about in fear but he didn't when he realized that Trowa and Quatre were right next to him. "W-what.."
With a grateful smile, the manager of the store came back out and looked at the three boys. "Why don't you all come in and wait for your ride in here. It's cooler, we've got the air conditioner going."
Trowa nodded, smiling thankfully. "Just sit still Heero, you weren't kidding when you said that you didn't feel good. Just rest and let us take care of you, Faith's with Wufei and she's fine. They went to get Sally so we could go back and get you to bed." He held the worn boy in his arms, cradling him as he walked into the store and away from the prying eyes of spectators. It was greatly cooler inside the building and he took a seat on a bench. "How are you feeling?"
Heero leaned into Trowa, an overwhelming heat still falling over him. "I feel so sick..." He felt nauseas was more like it. Yet, he didn't think he'd even have the energy to vomit, he felt like Duo must have, his energy falling dramatically in a short time period.
Quatre smiled sadly down at him, moving away his bangs and using the back of his hand to determine Heero's temperature. It was soaring. "We need to get him cooled down now, this dark and thick clothing isn't doing much in helping him. I hope Wufei finds Sally quickly or his temperature is going to climb higher and higher and we'll *have* to take him to the hospital."
Trowa nodded, placing the cold cloth on his friend's forehead and letting it rest there. Sighing deeply, he watched Heero's eyes slowly close again, a soft whimper escaping his throat. "I'm sorry things had to be like this Heero, but we're just trying to look out for you. Go ahead and sleep now, you'll feel better soon." He let his right hand fall limp as he cradled Heero's shoulders in his left arm, letting the other boy lean closer into him. It felt weird, to be holding his comrade like that, he really didn't care for others getting so close except for his friends, and then, still. Quatre stepping from his side and toward the door told him that Sally and Wufei were back. "That was quick."
"Yeah, I'll go get the back ready. Thank you sir for your help." He spoke at last to the store owner again, a tired smile on his lips.
"No problem boys, just take care of your friend there."
Trowa handed the older man the towel, then wrapped his right arm under Heero's legs before standing and cradling the ill youth once more. After exiting the door, with the help of the stranger, he expressed his thanks and headed once more out into the sun, sitting in the back seats and holding the Japanese youth, letting Faith sit on the floor by his side. Quatre sat in the back seats as well, letting Heero's legs rest on his lap while Wufei sat up front.
"One of these days, you'll have to tell me about how this one happened guys." Sally turned around, taking the jeep back into the countryside and back to her base.
"One day, we will. Just as soon as we figure everything out." Trowa was silent for the rest of the way to the base, sheltering Heero's eyes from the burning sunlight.
Z
Heero opened his eyes to find that he was back in Quatre's room, his comrade sitting next to his side and gently placing a cold rag on his forehead. Oh it felt so good, he still felt so hot. Yet he couldn't feel anything but a thin sheet over his body and he began to panic once more. "Wh-where are my clothes?"
Quatre smiled softly. "Don't worry Heero, we're trying to bring your fever down, that's why you're in shorts and a thin sheet is covering you up. It's okay, you're just fine, settle down. Faith's been worried about you." Laughing quietly, he watched the dog's head pop up at the sound of her name and look at Heero, her head on the cot before she decided it was her job to start kissing him again.
Heero smiled and tried to push Faith's muzzle away, her tongue hot and uncomfortable but he didn't have a lot of energy. Quatre must have sensed it and gotten the dog to back away for him, for her tongue no longer drowned him. He still felt nauseas and tired, but he was also still greatly saddened by his "friends'" decision. Looking away from Quatre, he closed his eyes and felt his friend's sorrow.
"Heero please, I'm sorry that things had to happen like this, but we're trying to do everything to see that you can be happy and safe. How are you feeling?" The young aristocrat tried to change the subject and he needed to know how his brother was fairing.
Heero groaned softly, he knew how he was feeling and it wasn't good, that was for sure. "I feel like... like I have to throw up..." Sitting up, he had to cover his mouth quickly so that he didn't throw up in the cot. Closing his eyes, he felt kind and understanding hands take his shoulders and lead him from the small bed to the bathroom. It was in the room, so it wasn't that far of a walk. Upon reaching it, Heero couldn't stop himself any longer, but gagged and began to vomit painfully, Quatre sitting by his side all the while.
Putting his hands on the other youth's shoulders, the young Winner only gave them gentle squeezes of reassurances as he sat by Heero's side, listening to the entire contents of his stomach emptied into the toilet. "It's okay, I'm right here. You're not alone. I'm right here by your side. It's okay, it'll all be over soon." After a few minutes, Heero was done and far more exhausted than he was before. Taking a small hand towel from the sink, he cleaned Heero up before letting the boy lean into his arms, too tired to move. Quatre didn't really have the strength at this point to carry him, he was still somewhat tired from the night before and the day's events. So the two sat in the bathroom, Quatre easily reaching up and flushing the toilet as he held Heero who cowered in his arms. His fever still hadn't broken, it was just as stubborn as he used to be. At hearing another soft groan, he only held Heero closer, speaking words of reassurance to his companion. "Heero, you'll see. We're going to stay with you until you're ready to be on your own, but you'll make new friends and Faith and Ms Relena will be there to help you. We'll come back when we can and visit, and when the war is finally over, we'll come back and if you don't want to stay with Relena any more, you can stay at my home with me. I'd love to have you around, but we need to stop this war first. Okay? Just go ahead and rest, I'm here and I'm not going to leave. Shhh.... go to sleep." Gently rocking him, not too much to upset his stomach but enough to lull him to sleep, Quatre sat quietly. When Wufei entered to see how he was fairing, Quatre had him help their friend up and back onto the cot. Quatre added a couple of extra pillows, for he knew that when he was sick like that that he couldn't lay down without feeling nauseas all over again. Maybe this would let his stomach settle.
Wufei watched silently as Quatre continued diligently with his work, not a word spoken between them. He was sorry that they had to tell Heero that, but it was better that he knew before hand instead of making things so much more complicated down the line. Finally he spoke. "How is he?"
Sighing, he whispered softly in response. "His fever is still high, though it's come down a little bit, but now he might be getting the flu it appears. We'll have to wait and see. Do you know if Sally has anything to settle an upset stomach?"
Shaking his head, he called back. "No, I can go and see. I'll be back in a few minutes." Turning from his friends with guilt weighing on his heart, he left to find the older woman.
Quatre continued his work without another word, hoping that Heero would feel better and that maybe he would see that things can turn out all right, that he was going to be alone for a little bit, but not really. It was in his best interest, even if he didn't like it at first, that's all that Quatre could really tell himself.
Author's Note:
Well, Heero just seems to keep getting upset and hurt. Poor guy, that's happened to me before, the nausea stuff. I was in the hospital for 6 hours because of it... that hurts! *cringes and hugs Heero* It's going to be okay, everything works out one way or the other, you'll see! Please, review and keep looking for the next chapters! Hope you all liked this!
