~So dark....everything is so dark.....~
His arms were held out straight, but nothing was visible in front of him. Heero could vaguely remember pain and cold, then enveloping warmth. Now his body was invisible; weightless. Despite the fear welling up inside him, there was a calming clarity just beneath his skin, as though he knew he was alright despite the circumstances.
"Hello....?"
Sound. Someone was here with him.
"Hello? Please answer me....I know you can hear me!"
The voice was so familiar, so comforting. Heero couldn't place it, but it drifted gently at the base of his brain like an old friend. A friend....no, not a friend, was it? "Duo?"
"Heero!" The voice was closer now, the musical lilt tingling in his ears. "Heero I knew you were here I knew it I knew it I knew it!" Closer...and contact. He could feel arms around his waist and a lithe frame cuddled against him from behind. A non-corporeal head rested on his shoulder and he could sense the puff of breath against his ear. "Help me?"
Heero's body tensed beneath the boy's grip but he remained silent. There was a slight shift and he turned to look over his shoulder into the darkness -- which parted to reveal alluring violet eyes. Momentarily stunned into silence by the vision before him, he finally reached down to grip the cold arms, pulling them from around his waist slowly. In the blackness around them he could see the vampire clearly, the marble-white skin swathed in black silk, chestnut braid hovering in a snake-like dance, and leathery wings jutting from between the shoulder blades. "Help you what?" came the cautious reply as he came to the realization that he was as visible as the other boy, though his silk was a snowy-white. Odd musculature was felt and caused an uncomfortable shrug of his shoulders -- the added weight drew his attention to the white wings now protruding from his own shoulders. "What -- ?"
Despite the previous removal, Duo's arms snaked around Heero's waist once more and he hugged the boy with surprising strength, grinning madly. "Help me, that's all. Just....help me." Nuzzling him softly, Duo added in a whisper, "You can save me, angel. You're the only one. Say yes...just say 'yes' and that's all it'll take...."
Once more Heero wrenched free and shoved away, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Where are we? What have you done to me?"
Pain crossed the beautiful creature's face, but it was soon gone, replaced by a false smile. "I haven't done anything to you, Hee-chan..."
"Don't call me that."
The smile faltered somewhat, but he tried again. "This is....we're....don't you understand?" Despite the smile he kept on his face, it seemed as though he was about to shatter. "We're together....I've been searching for you; you can save me. Don't you understand the dreams? Our minds....our souls are together, angel. We were meant -- "
"I am not your angel."
The flinch was visible this time, and Duo drifted a few feet further from him, his voice barely a whisper and the smile obliterated from the delicate features. "We're linked....and....a-and when we sleep, we share the same visions. I've been getting closer to you and the affects have been getting....worse. Don't you remember what you see when you dream?"
Heero's mouth opened as though to speak, then closed again. He glared in silence at the vision before him, then grunted to himself. "I know you're doing this to me. We're in my mind?"
"In our mind, Heero. You've got to understand; we're together. This isn't me doing this. It's...I don't know. It's fate or something." Duo flashed a hopeful smile. "Y'know...something wants us together."
"Hn."
Both boys flinched as a flash of light erupted around them. Voices were just barely audible in the back of their minds...
"He's moving! Heero, wake up!" That was WuFei....
"Are you awake? WuFei, move aside, please. Get the....other....out of here." And Trowa....
"Good Gods....he just fell? Get out of the way! Heero? Heeeeerooooo?! Wake uppp!!" Hn.....and Princess Relena.
"Heero......" Duo reached out towards him, a waiver in his voice. "Heero, please don't leave me. I can help you...I can give you anything...I can help Quatre. It was Relena who poisoned him, Heero. She was the one who hired me to assassinate him. She's dangerous....you can't go back to her; please don't leave me!"
Light....searing light.....everything was so bright. Then the light faded, and Heero felt his body shudder as though he'd been struck. Nothing was right and everything was so cold, and somewhere in the back of his mind he felt himself pleading to be left alone. The last thing he saw was Duo leaping towards him, a plea hanging on those beautiful lips....
...then the cold room, the hard bed. Heero's muscles jerked into motion as he pulled himself bolt upright, eyes wide. His skin was clammy and shined with sweat as he gasped for breath, and he jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Trowa sitting beside him, his face calm and placid as it always was. A frantic gaze scanned the room -- Relena was fawning on one side of the bed, petting his forehead and shoulder with a damp rag as daintily -- and uselessly, he noted -- as possible. Trowa knelt next to the other side of the bed, watching with steely eyes. On the bed next to them laid a sick but recovering Quatre, who managed a weak, concerned, but genuine smile. But...
"Where's Duo?"
There was no apparent change in Trowa's expression, but something behind his eyes told Heero that was not the question expected and that no, he didn't really want to answer it, thank you very much.
Pushing the petting Princess aside, Heero staggered to his feet and clutched at his reeling head ineffectually. Looking up, his blurred vision caught WuFei reentering the room and he moved shakily in his direction. "Where is he?"
WuFei glances to Trowa for support, but of course there was nothing to be found in the cold resolves of his face. Shaking his head, WuFei laid a hand on Heero's shoulder to steady him and steer him back towards the bed. "He's safe, Heero. But you're in no condition to leave the bed."
"Heero?"
All eyes swiveled back to Relena who'd recovered from the recent push and was now standing, hands clasped demurely. "Heero, please come lay back down. I can get you some -- "
"You!" Heero's voice was a low growl as he extended an accusing finger towards her. "It was you that poisoned Quatre!"
It was a theatrical gasp, but not all of it was faked. How would he know that? Shaking her head, she contrived to look hurt. "You know that's not true; I invited Quatre here to help our kingdom with our problems. Why would I do such a thing?" On cue, tears sprang forth and she buried her face in her hands, sobbing.
"Heero -- " WuFei reached out towards him but he slapped the hand away, instead grabbing the Chinese boy by the throat and pulling him close so that their faces were barely an inch apart.
"Where. Is. He?"
Trowa stood and moved over, praying Heero's fingers from a round Wife's neck and pushing him back gently. "You must stop this. You are ill. If you get back into the bed and rest, I assure you things will be better."
It seemed as though his strength was failing along with his resolve, and Heero slowly nodded, leaning against Trowa for support. "She did it. Duo told me."
"Heero, Duo is a vampire, a demon, a monster; he thrives on lies and deceit, and he's going to kill you if you continue to fall into his traps." Guiding Heero back towards the bed, Trowa sat him down carefully and shook his head.. "You cannot believe his lies."
Rubbing his bruised throat, WuFei sat down on Quatre's bed, whispering quietly to him as he held a glass of water to his lips. Seeing her time in the spotlight as over, Relena ushered herself out of the room, still sniffling loudly.
Heero watched them go, then looked back up to Trowa who stood before him. "Tell me where he is."
Trowa sighed, then shook his head. "He is safe. That is more than he deserves."
***********
Shaking, Duo curled up tighter in his fetal position. The shackles on his arms would be easy enough to break, but where would he go? He was at least close to Heero here; closer than that priest would allow him to be, that is. White hands moved to wipe away the crimson tears and he swallowed hard, staring in silence at the far wall. "Heero..."