Groaning, Heero opened his eyes slowly and found that he laid on a cold,
metal floor. Cathy laid unconscious on the other side of the room. Taking
a deep breath and swallowing the lump in his throat, the young man forced
himself to sit up. His ribs hurt and he grimaced, a soft but stifled cry
escaping his lips as he pushed past it and crawled on his knees to his
sister's side. His arms were still cuffed behind his back, though Cathy's
weren't. "Sis? Sis please, wake up." His voice cracked slightly and he
could feel tears begin to build in his eyes, but he called still, fear in
his voice. "Cathy, please wake up. I'm scared Cathy, please..."
Hearing her brother's voice drift to her ears, the young woman let her eyes flutter open and focus on his terrified form. "..H-Heero?"
Smiling, he nodded but stopped at the pain in the back of his head, suddenly becoming dizzy as Cathy pushed herself off of the ground. Feeling her hands on his shoulder, he looked up to find her worried. "I-I'm scared Cathy. I don't want to be here..."
Sitting on her knees, she put her arms over Heero's head and let him lean into her, holding him comfortingly. "It's okay to be scared, I won't let them hurt you if I can help it. I don't want to be here either, but your brothers will figure it out and come help us as soon as they can. Don't worry, shhh, it's okay." Resting her cheek on the top of his head, she felt him begin to tremble again.
Taking a shaking breath, Heero spoke softly. "I heard the soldiers and I saw them outside when I was writing in my journal. I called my brothers just like I saw you do and they saw it, they know. I hope they come soon, I'm scared to be here." Closing his eyes, he inhaled his sister's perfume and felt himself calm somewhat. Yet, his eyes shot open when the door was opened and two soldiers walked in, a man and a woman. He was thrown quickly back into a state of panic and terror. Sinking in Cathy's embrace, he watched them approach him warily, the woman training her gun on him and the man reaching for him.
"The feared 01? Ha! Get up you brat, you're coming with us..." Reaching down, he grabbed his upper arm and pulled him from the young woman, or tried.
"Get away from him!" She yelled, her eyes filled with more contempt and hatred than ever could be seen even in Heero's eyes before that night. Holding him close, she felt him lean into her even more as she glared at the man, he'd dropped Heero's arm in astonishment.
Somewhat taken by surprise, he quickly recovered and sneered. "What, your little girlfriend? You'll keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you bitch." Yanking 01 back and away from her, he hit her hard across the face, the blow tossing her back onto the floor. Dragging the screaming youth from the cell, they locked the door. "Shut the hell up kid."
"No! Let me go! You hurt my sister! You hurt her! Leave me alone! Let me go!" Feeling a vice-like grip encircle his neck, a sharp pain spread over his body when his head was snapped back into the gundanium wall. He couldn't breathe again and opening his eyes slightly, he found that he was lifted and thrown against the wall, the soldier's hand cutting off his oxygen. He couldn't even feel the ground beneath him, his legs dangling as he tried to squirm from the man's grasp. Then he remembered those eyes, the same, dark brown, cold eyes. He was the man that'd first hurt Heero. His Prussian eyes were no longer tired and pained but now held utter terror.
"Remember me you little bastard? Thought your friends had killed me and the others in the blast when the Octavia base was destroyed, didn't ya? Too bad, I was transfered out a day earlier. If you don't shut your fucking mouth and stop being a damn baby, I will punish you. Got it?" Dropping him to the floor, he only laughed when the teen began to curl into a ball, coughing and struggling to take in air as he groaned and whimpered softly.
The older woman didn't delight in such activities as the officer next to her did. Even if he was an enemy. "Stop playing with the ass-hole and grab him, we are to take him into questioning and I'm not getting my ass chewed out because you want a damn reunion. Let's go."
Pulling the boy up by the arm and forcing him to stand, he gripped Heero's shoulder tightly and made him walk before the soldier. The teen was quiet the rest of the time.
§
Trowa took one look at the fairgrounds and only stood in disbelief and disgust. The tent had been torn down, the animals were being rounded up with the circus members, animal trainers, and the local police. The stands, merchandise, and prizes lay strewn and soiled all over the ground. Near the remains of the tent sat the manager on a crate, Zita by his side and murmuring things to him. "No... this can't.... why?"
Placing his hand on Trowa's shoulder, Quatre gave it a comforting squeeze. "It's okay Trowa, we'll help you." Looking at the others, the young Arabian helped to lead his friend over to the manager to see if he knew anything on where Heero was. "Duo, why don't you and Wufei go ahead and see if there's anything in the trailer."
Looking around the once cheery place, Duo nodded. "Come on man, we'd better go." Running with the silent Wufei at his side, Duo burst into the trailer and looked around, calling for Cathy. Looking on the floor and following the trail of blood with his eyes, his jaw only dropped as he swallowed the lump in his throat and crossed over to the couch.
Wufei bit his lower lip, casting his glance elsewhere. Faith laid on the couch, her eyes open but unmoving, her tongue lolling out of her slightly open mouth and blood dripping from it. The deep crimson pooled around her, staining the cushions as the hole in her chest had long since stopped bleeding. "No..." was his soft denial, watching Duo close the deceased animal's eyes.
Bowing his head and resting his closed fist against his lips, he prayed on one knee and then opened his eyes and stood. Heero was in the trailer when Faith was shot, they'd heard by the yells, but he wasn't in there, by the looks of it, when his puppy passed on. "She's at peace, and they'll pay." His cobalt eyes turned from sadness and compassion to anger and hatred, the soldiers would pay all too well; for all the pain they caused. Every last ounce of it. Looking with Wufei throughout the rest of the trailer, he found it deserted and knew that OZ not only took Heero, but Cathy as well. She would have come back or tried to get in touch with them.
"I-I'm sorry." His voice was shaky as Trowa looked down at the manager, his clenched fists relaxed in helplessness.
"Trowa, we are a peaceful circus troupe, and I could have forgiven if you'd told me who you were. But to lie to us constantly and then continue to fight and put everyone, even your own sister in danger, without thinking? They came and took Cathrine and Heero, they said that they had one Gundam Pilot but were looking for you either way. And we could do nothing but watch this place be destroyed. Our lives destroyed." Sighing, he turned his back to Trowa and walked inside the wreckage that once stood as a circus tent for laughter and smiles. Now it was just a ruined mess.
Shaking his head as if in a daze, Trowa watched him leave. Zita followed, sparing him a glare as if he'd done everything himself. This was the only family he'd ever really known besides his four brothers, and he'd just hurt them as well, by staying with the circus. "This wasn't supposed to happen, none of this was. You weren't supposed to be hurt, you were never meant to. I was supposed to take on the hardships of war so you'd all be safe...." Taking in shaking breaths, he swallowed and turned from a family that now shunned him for who he was. That was the reason they were his family, because he was a pilot and none of this would have happened had he not been a Gundam Pilot. He probably wouldn't have even lived this long. Hanging his head, he felt Quatre stop him but he averted his gaze.
Quatre watched the pain in his brother's eyes, seeing the defeat and the hardships he'd faced before he ever become a Gundam Pilot flood his eyes again. "Trowa, it's okay. We'll make things right again and everything's going to be all right." Bending his head slightly to try and look up and catch Trowa's eyes, he smiled when he finally did and held his gaze. "Everything's going to be all right, they were just taken by surprise and are just as confused. Don't worry, things will work themselves out in time, they always do. We need to help Heero and your sister now, though. Besides, he promised us a show and I want to see it. Curiosity is truly getting the best of me." Laughing softly and getting a small grin from Trowa, he sighed and turned.
"We should go and tell the others that there's no use, OZ took them already." With a sigh, he jogged with Quatre toward Cathy's trailer to find it a mess and Faith's still and unmoving body laying limp on the couch, blood surrounding her. Turning his eyes away from the unfortunate dog, he walked into his sister's room where Wufei and Duo stood. Entering, he found the laptop still on, and laying on the bed, neatly spread out, crisp, clean, and awaiting, was what must have been Heero's very own costume. The one he took so much pride in. With a saddened smirk, he turned from the other three pilots and took the laptop, sitting on the chair in the kitchenette.
"Trowa?" Duo walked out of the room, speaking softly and compassionately.
"They've hurt them for the last time, Heero, Cathy, my circus family, Faith, even the three of you. One time too many. I'm not going to let it happen again, ever." It was like he was enraged, but it only showed as a saddened and regretful tone. A tentative hand on his shoulder told him that Duo knew that feeling. "I'm shunned from here, they took my sister and brother, they killed Faith, and they destroyed my home. I guess..." he scanned through the OZ files but tried to do something to keep himself from erupting on his friend, "I guess that I should start looking for a new home to come back to after the war. It'll probably take me longer to find one."
Wufei watched Trowa, knowing the same feeling all too well himself. Nowhere to belong, to go, to call home or a safe haven. It wasn't normally like him, but a lot of things had changed now. "You know you're more than welcome with any one of us after this war."
Looking up, he was somewhat surprised to hear that from Wufei. "Thanks, I didn't know I'd ever be told such a thing from one like yourself Wufei, but thank you." Scanning, he found the nearest OZ base, an hour from where they were. "They wouldn't have had time to do much and would have taken him here, the Rodriguez base. Now just to find where they are, get in, then get them out."
§
Hearing her brother's voice drift to her ears, the young woman let her eyes flutter open and focus on his terrified form. "..H-Heero?"
Smiling, he nodded but stopped at the pain in the back of his head, suddenly becoming dizzy as Cathy pushed herself off of the ground. Feeling her hands on his shoulder, he looked up to find her worried. "I-I'm scared Cathy. I don't want to be here..."
Sitting on her knees, she put her arms over Heero's head and let him lean into her, holding him comfortingly. "It's okay to be scared, I won't let them hurt you if I can help it. I don't want to be here either, but your brothers will figure it out and come help us as soon as they can. Don't worry, shhh, it's okay." Resting her cheek on the top of his head, she felt him begin to tremble again.
Taking a shaking breath, Heero spoke softly. "I heard the soldiers and I saw them outside when I was writing in my journal. I called my brothers just like I saw you do and they saw it, they know. I hope they come soon, I'm scared to be here." Closing his eyes, he inhaled his sister's perfume and felt himself calm somewhat. Yet, his eyes shot open when the door was opened and two soldiers walked in, a man and a woman. He was thrown quickly back into a state of panic and terror. Sinking in Cathy's embrace, he watched them approach him warily, the woman training her gun on him and the man reaching for him.
"The feared 01? Ha! Get up you brat, you're coming with us..." Reaching down, he grabbed his upper arm and pulled him from the young woman, or tried.
"Get away from him!" She yelled, her eyes filled with more contempt and hatred than ever could be seen even in Heero's eyes before that night. Holding him close, she felt him lean into her even more as she glared at the man, he'd dropped Heero's arm in astonishment.
Somewhat taken by surprise, he quickly recovered and sneered. "What, your little girlfriend? You'll keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you bitch." Yanking 01 back and away from her, he hit her hard across the face, the blow tossing her back onto the floor. Dragging the screaming youth from the cell, they locked the door. "Shut the hell up kid."
"No! Let me go! You hurt my sister! You hurt her! Leave me alone! Let me go!" Feeling a vice-like grip encircle his neck, a sharp pain spread over his body when his head was snapped back into the gundanium wall. He couldn't breathe again and opening his eyes slightly, he found that he was lifted and thrown against the wall, the soldier's hand cutting off his oxygen. He couldn't even feel the ground beneath him, his legs dangling as he tried to squirm from the man's grasp. Then he remembered those eyes, the same, dark brown, cold eyes. He was the man that'd first hurt Heero. His Prussian eyes were no longer tired and pained but now held utter terror.
"Remember me you little bastard? Thought your friends had killed me and the others in the blast when the Octavia base was destroyed, didn't ya? Too bad, I was transfered out a day earlier. If you don't shut your fucking mouth and stop being a damn baby, I will punish you. Got it?" Dropping him to the floor, he only laughed when the teen began to curl into a ball, coughing and struggling to take in air as he groaned and whimpered softly.
The older woman didn't delight in such activities as the officer next to her did. Even if he was an enemy. "Stop playing with the ass-hole and grab him, we are to take him into questioning and I'm not getting my ass chewed out because you want a damn reunion. Let's go."
Pulling the boy up by the arm and forcing him to stand, he gripped Heero's shoulder tightly and made him walk before the soldier. The teen was quiet the rest of the time.
§
Trowa took one look at the fairgrounds and only stood in disbelief and disgust. The tent had been torn down, the animals were being rounded up with the circus members, animal trainers, and the local police. The stands, merchandise, and prizes lay strewn and soiled all over the ground. Near the remains of the tent sat the manager on a crate, Zita by his side and murmuring things to him. "No... this can't.... why?"
Placing his hand on Trowa's shoulder, Quatre gave it a comforting squeeze. "It's okay Trowa, we'll help you." Looking at the others, the young Arabian helped to lead his friend over to the manager to see if he knew anything on where Heero was. "Duo, why don't you and Wufei go ahead and see if there's anything in the trailer."
Looking around the once cheery place, Duo nodded. "Come on man, we'd better go." Running with the silent Wufei at his side, Duo burst into the trailer and looked around, calling for Cathy. Looking on the floor and following the trail of blood with his eyes, his jaw only dropped as he swallowed the lump in his throat and crossed over to the couch.
Wufei bit his lower lip, casting his glance elsewhere. Faith laid on the couch, her eyes open but unmoving, her tongue lolling out of her slightly open mouth and blood dripping from it. The deep crimson pooled around her, staining the cushions as the hole in her chest had long since stopped bleeding. "No..." was his soft denial, watching Duo close the deceased animal's eyes.
Bowing his head and resting his closed fist against his lips, he prayed on one knee and then opened his eyes and stood. Heero was in the trailer when Faith was shot, they'd heard by the yells, but he wasn't in there, by the looks of it, when his puppy passed on. "She's at peace, and they'll pay." His cobalt eyes turned from sadness and compassion to anger and hatred, the soldiers would pay all too well; for all the pain they caused. Every last ounce of it. Looking with Wufei throughout the rest of the trailer, he found it deserted and knew that OZ not only took Heero, but Cathy as well. She would have come back or tried to get in touch with them.
"I-I'm sorry." His voice was shaky as Trowa looked down at the manager, his clenched fists relaxed in helplessness.
"Trowa, we are a peaceful circus troupe, and I could have forgiven if you'd told me who you were. But to lie to us constantly and then continue to fight and put everyone, even your own sister in danger, without thinking? They came and took Cathrine and Heero, they said that they had one Gundam Pilot but were looking for you either way. And we could do nothing but watch this place be destroyed. Our lives destroyed." Sighing, he turned his back to Trowa and walked inside the wreckage that once stood as a circus tent for laughter and smiles. Now it was just a ruined mess.
Shaking his head as if in a daze, Trowa watched him leave. Zita followed, sparing him a glare as if he'd done everything himself. This was the only family he'd ever really known besides his four brothers, and he'd just hurt them as well, by staying with the circus. "This wasn't supposed to happen, none of this was. You weren't supposed to be hurt, you were never meant to. I was supposed to take on the hardships of war so you'd all be safe...." Taking in shaking breaths, he swallowed and turned from a family that now shunned him for who he was. That was the reason they were his family, because he was a pilot and none of this would have happened had he not been a Gundam Pilot. He probably wouldn't have even lived this long. Hanging his head, he felt Quatre stop him but he averted his gaze.
Quatre watched the pain in his brother's eyes, seeing the defeat and the hardships he'd faced before he ever become a Gundam Pilot flood his eyes again. "Trowa, it's okay. We'll make things right again and everything's going to be all right." Bending his head slightly to try and look up and catch Trowa's eyes, he smiled when he finally did and held his gaze. "Everything's going to be all right, they were just taken by surprise and are just as confused. Don't worry, things will work themselves out in time, they always do. We need to help Heero and your sister now, though. Besides, he promised us a show and I want to see it. Curiosity is truly getting the best of me." Laughing softly and getting a small grin from Trowa, he sighed and turned.
"We should go and tell the others that there's no use, OZ took them already." With a sigh, he jogged with Quatre toward Cathy's trailer to find it a mess and Faith's still and unmoving body laying limp on the couch, blood surrounding her. Turning his eyes away from the unfortunate dog, he walked into his sister's room where Wufei and Duo stood. Entering, he found the laptop still on, and laying on the bed, neatly spread out, crisp, clean, and awaiting, was what must have been Heero's very own costume. The one he took so much pride in. With a saddened smirk, he turned from the other three pilots and took the laptop, sitting on the chair in the kitchenette.
"Trowa?" Duo walked out of the room, speaking softly and compassionately.
"They've hurt them for the last time, Heero, Cathy, my circus family, Faith, even the three of you. One time too many. I'm not going to let it happen again, ever." It was like he was enraged, but it only showed as a saddened and regretful tone. A tentative hand on his shoulder told him that Duo knew that feeling. "I'm shunned from here, they took my sister and brother, they killed Faith, and they destroyed my home. I guess..." he scanned through the OZ files but tried to do something to keep himself from erupting on his friend, "I guess that I should start looking for a new home to come back to after the war. It'll probably take me longer to find one."
Wufei watched Trowa, knowing the same feeling all too well himself. Nowhere to belong, to go, to call home or a safe haven. It wasn't normally like him, but a lot of things had changed now. "You know you're more than welcome with any one of us after this war."
Looking up, he was somewhat surprised to hear that from Wufei. "Thanks, I didn't know I'd ever be told such a thing from one like yourself Wufei, but thank you." Scanning, he found the nearest OZ base, an hour from where they were. "They wouldn't have had time to do much and would have taken him here, the Rodriguez base. Now just to find where they are, get in, then get them out."
§