Disclaimer: I don't own anything, don't sue me!
Author's Note: Hello to one and all! I'd like to personally thank each and every person who reviewed this fic, and to those who gave me criticism I extend an extra thank you. If I may quote Lex Luthor from Smallville, (I love that show!) "Our critics are our friends. They show us our faults." I know it's been while since I've posted, but I've been through a tough emotional time. During that I lost almost all confidence in my ability to write, but luckily for everyone I'm back on my feet again, and posting the next chapter! I've bored you all enough, on to the chapter! ^_^
Love will not Die
Part XI
By, Silver Fox
For Quatre and Dorothy, the days after their fight began to grow into weeks. The weeks after grew into months after, and 6 months later, the two of them were still in their separate situations. Quatre was still in his mansion, doing his best to pretend that everything was perfectly fine. His company couldn't have been doing better. He was trying to convince his entire household that he wasn't upset and he was just fine. That was the farthest thing from the truth. Dorothy, on the other hand was not residing in a mansion with her own company. She was in a tiny crappy apartment, deep in the slums of the city. She resided with her arrogant ex-boyfriend Trevor, who refused to treat both his apartment, and her, with any respect. While she countered him and could fend for herself, she still couldn't keep him off of her all the time, especially when he tested his drugs on her. She had pretended to him, to her hooker friend Felinia, and to herself that she wasn't heartbroken, though it was entirely true that she was heartbroken. But by her nature, she usually had an easy time concealing her feelings. She had started smoking again, and stealing Trevor's drug money to buy them. Today, she was woken up by her craving for a cigarette.
She violently jolted up on the coach that she had claimed. She breathed a great sigh of relief just to find herself on the coach, not in Trevor's bed. She stretched and grabbed her cigarettes, her hands shaking from withdrawal. Breathing heavily, she flicked her lighter on and puffed on the cigarette. She didn't even cough anymore. She just puffed away, while quietly getting up. She looked over to see that Trevor had a hooker in his bed, and they were both asleep.
'Good,' she thought to herself. 'Better her than me in there, whoever she is.' She stared more intently, and smiled a little. 'Felinia, I should have known.' She dismissed the two, and went to the kitchen, which was now cleaned up, because of her. She grabbed some bread and put it in the toaster that Trevor had stolen. She really didn't care that he had stolen it; she just wanted food. After the toast had popped out, she snatched it and scarfed it down. After she was finished, she waited. She waited to see if she could keep the toast down. Lately, she'd been having trouble, it seemed, digesting food. She knew why, her disease. Digestive problems were among the symptoms. She sank down behind the counter, holding her stomach, trying with all her might to keep her food down as the familiar pains came back. Using willpower alone, it seemed to work. She puffed her cigarette and focused her thoughts, and the pain seemed to go away.
She opened her eyes, still slumped against the counter. She knew she had to see a doctor; she had get treatment for this. The problem was, she couldn't leave the apartment complex. She had tried several times, but was always stopped by some goon friends of Trevor's. And, truth be told, she didn't have the strength to fight them. Besides she had almost gotten used to being here. She didn't like it, but she was used to it. Her attention turned to a noise she heard from the next room. An almost sick smile curved her lips. She knew it was Trevor and Felinia waking up, slowly.
"Well, maybe I'll wake them up faster." She stalked into his bedroom and found them moving slightly. She got a very pleased look on her face as she looked at them, looked at her cigarette, and looked back at them. "How about a little secondhand smoke?" She moved over them, took a large puff, and then blew it out right in their faces. She chuckled cruelly as they started gagging and coughing.
"Oh, sorry. Did I blow a little smoke on you?" she said in the fakest innocent voice she possible could.
Trevor was coughing too much to scowl, so he only choked out, "Bitch."
Felinia pulled the sheet over herself, and choked out a few words of her own. "Dorothy, why did you do that?"
She smiled a very evil smile. "Because I'm sadistic when it comes to you two." She tossed the black-haired girl her skimpy clothes. "Here you go, Feline. Trevor, pay her so she can go."
She slipped her clothes on, and as Trevor paid her, she tried to correct her. "D-chan, you know my name's not feline."
She turned back to her, first looking very annoyed, then smiling a little as she walked up in her face and blew her smoke at her again. "You'll always be nothing but a gutter cat to me, you know that sweetie. Oh, and one more thing. Open your mouth." The stupid one shrugged, opened her mouth, and Dorothy delighted as she shoved her cigarette down her throat, making her swallow it. As the hooker panted and gagged, the snakelike blonde one slapped her hard on the back. "Don't ever call me 'D-chan' again. It severely agitates me. And when I get that agitated, good things don't happen. Have a nice day selling yourself to old married men." She waved goodbye to her as she walked out of the door, still gagging, and obviously not catching Dorothy's insult. Dorothy shrugged as she closed the door.
"Oh well, not my fault she's so damn stupid."
Trevor, who was now catching his breath again, put his pants on and went up to her. "Why the hell did you blow smoke at me?"
She shrugged. "It's like I said, when it comes to you, I guess I'm sadistic." She reached into her coat pocket and lit another cigarette. He tried to grab it out of her hand, but he was too slow. He moaned. "Why do you have to smoke? It makes everything in here stink."
She shot him a very obvious look. "Oh trust me, you already had everything stinking in here before I lit up."
"I though Felinia was your friend."
"She's just my friend because she's too dumb to get the fact that I don't like her.
"Hey, aren't cigarettes bad for you?"
She laughed at him. "I don't believe this. A drug dealer is lecturing me on the health risks of cigarettes. At least these are legal, unlike your stuff."
He put his hands up. "Hey, I only deal the stuff, I don't use it."
"You only use it on me, right?" she shot him a sideways look.
He arrogantly smiled. "Well they work, don't they?" He tried to put an arm around her, but she held up the cigarette to his arm.
"You see this? Do you want me to brand you with this?"
He backed away, surprisingly smiling. "You see; this is why I have you around. You challenge me, and I challenge you. That's why we were together, and probably why we broke up."
She put a hand up to stop him. "We broke up because you threw a knife at my head, or don't you remember?"
He shrugged. "I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing."
She growled at him. "That's no excuse for trying to kill me, you arrogant trash!"
Again, he was smiling.
"What in the world are you smiling about?" she screeched at him.
He slowly moved towards her. "I'm smiling because I remembered why I fell in love with you. That fire, that passion, that heated desire, that's what attracted me to you."
She tossed the butt at him, and he flinched as it hit his arm, but it only made him smile more. "You see; this is why I respect you. This is why I feel attracted to you. I know you feel the same way."
She scoffed at him. "Oh sure, like I could ever respect you or feel attracted to you."
He shook his head, causing his hair to sway back and forth. For a split second, she was staring at it. 'If only he weren't so god dammed good looking!' Then, she caught herself, but he had already noticed.
"So, you do feel attracted to me."
She shook her head violently. But, she had to admit to herself that she had once thought she loved him. This was so hard. "I am in no way, shape or form attracted to you, Trevor. You're a deadbeat loser."
He flexed his muscles and flicked his hair. "But, I'm dead sexy, aren't I?" She looked at him with disbelief. "Well, at least you thought so once, surely you can think so again, can't you?"
She gawked, laughing at him. "I could never feel anything for you."
"Maybe I can change your mind about that." He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a violent kiss. For a while, she struggled to get away, but, despite herself, the kiss awakened old wounds, old memories, and for a moment, she found herself kissing him back. When she caught herself she was ready to puke. She broke free of his hold and pushed him over, but the damage had been done. He was convinced now.
"Aha! You could never feel anything for me? Then why did you kiss me back?"
"I did not, you were imagining things," she desperately tried to defend herself.
"Oh no, I wasn't imagining that. That was just like old times. You do want me, and now I have proof!"
She was kicking herself for losing control. She really didn't want him. He disgusted her. She still loved Quatre. "You have proof of nothing. Now go to work selling drugs. I'm staying here to smoke. Like I have any other choice."
He picked up his bags and pulled her close before he went out the door. "Oh alright, I'll go now, but tonight perhaps we won't need drugs." He bent over and kissed her. Little did he know, she stuffed the cigarette butt in her mouth, and when he kissed her, she shoved it in his mouth with her tongue and jammed it down his throat. He gagged, but smiled as he walked out the door, and closed it.
She was so pissed off at herself. 'Why the hell did I kiss him back? It was a reflex, I wasn't thinking. It was the old me that took over.' She made her way to her coach, took out a cigarette and switched on the TV. She took her picture of Quatre and herself and put it in her lap.
"Quatre." she had tears in her eyes. "You must hate me by now, but I still love you with all my heart. But, I don't think I'll ever have you again. I bet you've moved on by now, found some little preppy girl to replace me. I've accepted that I can't have you; I don't think I can ever go back to you. I know I was wrong to leave, but I stand by my decision. I can't be in the life of that baby. I just can't do it. Maybe I am selfish. Probably, after what everyone has told me. I'll never love another man. But." she stared off at the ceiling, "I can't help but wonder, is Trevor the best I'll ever get? I know he sucks, but there is worse." She shook her head. "No, I'm not taking Trevor as a substitute. I'll never be happy again unless I have Quatre. But, I'll never have him again. That means I'll never be happy." She flicked her hair and sighed.
"Oh well, so what? I was never happy before I had him, and I can do it again. I can be the way I was. I can turn back into that war loving mentally screwed up person that I was if I have to. I can do it, that way I won't need him. That way I'll just live this life for the remainder of my life, which shouldn't be too long, living here, in my condition." She put her picture back on the table. "I'll learn to accept it, but I'll never let go of what we had together." She got up and started pacing around the apartment, still puffing on her cigarette. She wanted to go get something to eat, but her stomach pain was rearing its ugly head. She puffed harder on her cigarette, as if that would make the pain go away. She gritted her teeth and dealt with pain like she had been doing.
"Damn it, damn it," she mumbled to herself. The pain was worse. She decided to go out the door to find the gutter cat. Maybe one of her 'clients' had a car she could go to the hospital in. She trudged outside and banged on the door next door.
"Feline? Are you in there?"
She waited for about two minutes, and sure enough, Felinia came out, looking very confused. "Dorothy? Why did you interrupt me? I was busy." She noticed that she was holding her stomach. "What's the matter?"
"There's no time to explain," she was nearly keeling over. "Listen, does your client have a car? I need to get to the hospital, or at least a free clinic, and I need to get there now. Convince him to let me use his car, or you drive or something."
The hooker looked very confused and worried. "Oh, ok. Sure, I'll do that." She dashed back inside the room, and a minute later came back with a set of keys. "I'll drive, I don't think you can." She grabbed her arm and rushed her down the stairs, and surprisingly enough, this time Trevor's goons were nowhere in sight, making it possible for escape. They reached a parking lot of several, what looked like to be stolen cars. Felinia threw her in the backseat of the big black car and got in the front."
"Uh, Feline? Do you even know how to drive?"
She shrugged. "I never learned how to, but I've driven plenty of getaway cars, so I can manage, don't worry." She turned back and smiled brightly before she turned the key and zoomed off onto the road. Dorothy was lying on the backseat, and all she could hear were brakes screeching and cars honking. 'Geez, five bucks says I'll be dead before I get there, with her driving.'
****
Quatre found himself sitting at his desk, staring out the window. It was a lovely day, but it didn't have any affect on his mood. He strained his eyes as he tried to focus on his computer. But his head wasn't in his work today. He was just, distracted. He was thinking too much. It was about her. He hadn't seen her for 6 months. The thing that most saddened him was that he figured that by now, she didn't want to be found. His train of thought derailed when his office door opened. It was Rashid, and there was someone behind him.
"Hello Rashid."
"Hello Master Quatre. Miss Mirabelle is here to see you." He smiled slightly as the beautiful strawberry blonde stepped into his office. "I'll leave you two alone," he said and instantly left. She smiled very sweetly as the two of them embraced.
"Hi sweetie."
"Hey Mira." She leaned up and gave him a kiss, then stoked his cheek. "How's my perfect boyfriend doing today?"
He smiled. "Oh, I'm fine. How are you, dear?"
She giggled. "Right now I'm perfect, because I'm right here with you. And, it's our one-week anniversary. You remembered, right?"
"How could I forget?" He reached into his desk and gave her a wrapped box. "Happy anniversary."
"Oh, it's so beautiful!" she exclaimed as she opened the box to reveal a gold bracelet. She pushed him in his chair and jumped on top of him. "Thank you so much," she cooed in his ear. He held her, and smelled her hair. 'Strawberries,' he thought. She sat up, put her arms around his neck and just sat there.
"I'm so happy Quatre," she said sweetly.
"I'm glad you're happy."
"Aren't you happy too?"
"Of course I am," he lied.
"Good." She snuggled up to him, but he just kept his somewhat loose grip. "I love you."
He hesitated. "Mira, sweetie, you know how I feel about that word. And it's so soon. We've only been dating a week."
She pouted. "Ok, ok. I won't say that, yet." She was starting to lick his ear her phone rang. She sat up and answered her phone. "Hello? Does it have to be now? Oh alright." She hung up. "Sweetie, I have to go check on my work. Bye bye." She kissed him on the cheek and got up and perkily left the room, nearly bumping into the other person coming in. "Oh sorry Iria."
The tall woman gave her a strange look. "Don't worry about it." She closed the door and gave Quatre a hug. "Hey little brother, how are you faring?"
He sighed and sat back down. "Fine, I'm just fine."
She ran a hand through her shoulder length honey blonde hair, and shook her head. "Oh no, I don't think so. I can see through you. I'm your big sister, I know these things." She looked at him imploringly. "Come on, tell me the truth."
He was desperately trying to defend himself. "I am telling the truth. I am fine. I'm having a good relationship with Mirabelle."
She got a disgusted look on her face. "Just between you and me, I really don't like her."
He was a little surprised. "Why not?"
She scoffed a little bit. "She's just too god dammed annoying. Way too perky for my taste." She looked him straight in the eye. "And, she's a bit of a ditz. I think you and Dorothy were better together."
He cringed a little at hearing her name. He let out a breath and slowly said, "But, I thought you didn't like her, you know, jus like the rest of our sisters."
She chuckled. "Oh no, I never disliked her. I always did like her because the two of you were always so good together, because you understand each other."
"Correction, we understood each other. She's been gone for 6 months. And, I just got this letter." He handed her the piece of paper. It read:
Hey, old lover boy,
You don't know me, but I know you. Dorothy's living with me now, so you know, she isn't coming back. We're together again. See ya. .
Signed, Wouldn't you like to know.
Iria's eyes widened. "Who sent you this?"
"I don't know," he said quietly, his eyes wandering. "I just found it in my mailbox, and there's no return address."
"Surely this could be just a trick," Iria said, trying so hard to rationalize everything.
"Surely it could. But it could just as surely be the real thing, from her," he gulped. "Boyfriend or something."
She tipped up his chin. "She wouldn't replace you with someone else." She sat back in chair, and looked rather disappointed. "But it seems you've already replaced her, with, that little peppy bundle of energy."
He gawked. "I am not replacing her! I could never replace her. Mira and I are just starting to try things. We're not very serious."
She let out a deep sigh. "Quatre, wake up! You're dating her on the rebound, and that's not being fair to either one of you! Can't you see, she's gagga for you, but you're still in love with Dorothy. I shouldn't have to tell you this, but it looks like you're too blinded to see it!"
He reared his head back at his sister's outburst. He opened his mouth to retort, but let his head hang. "You're right, you know. I still do love Dorothy. But that isn't Mira's fault. Dorothy was the one to leave."
"Does Mira accept the fact that you'll be keeping Sera's baby?"
"She does, actually. She thinks it's admirable of me to do that, and very responsible." His eyes looked very sad. "Dorothy didn't think that."
"Dorothy was naturally a little biased, don't you think? It's her evil cousin that's the mother after all. Hell, if I was her I probably would have said the same thing."
"Iria, please."
She was about to open her mouth again when her cell phone started to ring. She looked at him. "I'm not done with you, little brother."
She stood up, turned around and answered the phone.
"Hello? Doctor Winner here?"
She listened for a long time, and her eyes widened. "I'll be there in a few minutes." She snapped her phone shut and spun around to meet Quatre's eyes. "I just got a phone call from the hospital, they need me there."
"What's the matter?"
"It appears there's a very ill person there transferred from a free clinic. They wouldn't give me the name, but she has Chagus disease, and is having serious complications. Sound familiar?"
Quatre gasped. He felt his heart shudder violently within his chest. This couldn't be happening. This just couldn't be. He looked at his sister. His eyes told her everything he was feeling. She pulled his arm as she ran to her car. "I have an ambulance, we'll turn the siren on to get there faster. I know it's Dorothy, we'll talk about it later, we just have to save her now."
He felt nearly dead as she rushed him in her ambulance and it zoomed away. 'Hang on, Dorothy,' he thought. 'Please, hang on. Let me apologize.'
Author's Note: Hmm, what havoc have I brought onto these people now? And what will I do next? Oh I have plans, but that's not until next chapter!
Author's Note: Hello to one and all! I'd like to personally thank each and every person who reviewed this fic, and to those who gave me criticism I extend an extra thank you. If I may quote Lex Luthor from Smallville, (I love that show!) "Our critics are our friends. They show us our faults." I know it's been while since I've posted, but I've been through a tough emotional time. During that I lost almost all confidence in my ability to write, but luckily for everyone I'm back on my feet again, and posting the next chapter! I've bored you all enough, on to the chapter! ^_^
Love will not Die
Part XI
By, Silver Fox
For Quatre and Dorothy, the days after their fight began to grow into weeks. The weeks after grew into months after, and 6 months later, the two of them were still in their separate situations. Quatre was still in his mansion, doing his best to pretend that everything was perfectly fine. His company couldn't have been doing better. He was trying to convince his entire household that he wasn't upset and he was just fine. That was the farthest thing from the truth. Dorothy, on the other hand was not residing in a mansion with her own company. She was in a tiny crappy apartment, deep in the slums of the city. She resided with her arrogant ex-boyfriend Trevor, who refused to treat both his apartment, and her, with any respect. While she countered him and could fend for herself, she still couldn't keep him off of her all the time, especially when he tested his drugs on her. She had pretended to him, to her hooker friend Felinia, and to herself that she wasn't heartbroken, though it was entirely true that she was heartbroken. But by her nature, she usually had an easy time concealing her feelings. She had started smoking again, and stealing Trevor's drug money to buy them. Today, she was woken up by her craving for a cigarette.
She violently jolted up on the coach that she had claimed. She breathed a great sigh of relief just to find herself on the coach, not in Trevor's bed. She stretched and grabbed her cigarettes, her hands shaking from withdrawal. Breathing heavily, she flicked her lighter on and puffed on the cigarette. She didn't even cough anymore. She just puffed away, while quietly getting up. She looked over to see that Trevor had a hooker in his bed, and they were both asleep.
'Good,' she thought to herself. 'Better her than me in there, whoever she is.' She stared more intently, and smiled a little. 'Felinia, I should have known.' She dismissed the two, and went to the kitchen, which was now cleaned up, because of her. She grabbed some bread and put it in the toaster that Trevor had stolen. She really didn't care that he had stolen it; she just wanted food. After the toast had popped out, she snatched it and scarfed it down. After she was finished, she waited. She waited to see if she could keep the toast down. Lately, she'd been having trouble, it seemed, digesting food. She knew why, her disease. Digestive problems were among the symptoms. She sank down behind the counter, holding her stomach, trying with all her might to keep her food down as the familiar pains came back. Using willpower alone, it seemed to work. She puffed her cigarette and focused her thoughts, and the pain seemed to go away.
She opened her eyes, still slumped against the counter. She knew she had to see a doctor; she had get treatment for this. The problem was, she couldn't leave the apartment complex. She had tried several times, but was always stopped by some goon friends of Trevor's. And, truth be told, she didn't have the strength to fight them. Besides she had almost gotten used to being here. She didn't like it, but she was used to it. Her attention turned to a noise she heard from the next room. An almost sick smile curved her lips. She knew it was Trevor and Felinia waking up, slowly.
"Well, maybe I'll wake them up faster." She stalked into his bedroom and found them moving slightly. She got a very pleased look on her face as she looked at them, looked at her cigarette, and looked back at them. "How about a little secondhand smoke?" She moved over them, took a large puff, and then blew it out right in their faces. She chuckled cruelly as they started gagging and coughing.
"Oh, sorry. Did I blow a little smoke on you?" she said in the fakest innocent voice she possible could.
Trevor was coughing too much to scowl, so he only choked out, "Bitch."
Felinia pulled the sheet over herself, and choked out a few words of her own. "Dorothy, why did you do that?"
She smiled a very evil smile. "Because I'm sadistic when it comes to you two." She tossed the black-haired girl her skimpy clothes. "Here you go, Feline. Trevor, pay her so she can go."
She slipped her clothes on, and as Trevor paid her, she tried to correct her. "D-chan, you know my name's not feline."
She turned back to her, first looking very annoyed, then smiling a little as she walked up in her face and blew her smoke at her again. "You'll always be nothing but a gutter cat to me, you know that sweetie. Oh, and one more thing. Open your mouth." The stupid one shrugged, opened her mouth, and Dorothy delighted as she shoved her cigarette down her throat, making her swallow it. As the hooker panted and gagged, the snakelike blonde one slapped her hard on the back. "Don't ever call me 'D-chan' again. It severely agitates me. And when I get that agitated, good things don't happen. Have a nice day selling yourself to old married men." She waved goodbye to her as she walked out of the door, still gagging, and obviously not catching Dorothy's insult. Dorothy shrugged as she closed the door.
"Oh well, not my fault she's so damn stupid."
Trevor, who was now catching his breath again, put his pants on and went up to her. "Why the hell did you blow smoke at me?"
She shrugged. "It's like I said, when it comes to you, I guess I'm sadistic." She reached into her coat pocket and lit another cigarette. He tried to grab it out of her hand, but he was too slow. He moaned. "Why do you have to smoke? It makes everything in here stink."
She shot him a very obvious look. "Oh trust me, you already had everything stinking in here before I lit up."
"I though Felinia was your friend."
"She's just my friend because she's too dumb to get the fact that I don't like her.
"Hey, aren't cigarettes bad for you?"
She laughed at him. "I don't believe this. A drug dealer is lecturing me on the health risks of cigarettes. At least these are legal, unlike your stuff."
He put his hands up. "Hey, I only deal the stuff, I don't use it."
"You only use it on me, right?" she shot him a sideways look.
He arrogantly smiled. "Well they work, don't they?" He tried to put an arm around her, but she held up the cigarette to his arm.
"You see this? Do you want me to brand you with this?"
He backed away, surprisingly smiling. "You see; this is why I have you around. You challenge me, and I challenge you. That's why we were together, and probably why we broke up."
She put a hand up to stop him. "We broke up because you threw a knife at my head, or don't you remember?"
He shrugged. "I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing."
She growled at him. "That's no excuse for trying to kill me, you arrogant trash!"
Again, he was smiling.
"What in the world are you smiling about?" she screeched at him.
He slowly moved towards her. "I'm smiling because I remembered why I fell in love with you. That fire, that passion, that heated desire, that's what attracted me to you."
She tossed the butt at him, and he flinched as it hit his arm, but it only made him smile more. "You see; this is why I respect you. This is why I feel attracted to you. I know you feel the same way."
She scoffed at him. "Oh sure, like I could ever respect you or feel attracted to you."
He shook his head, causing his hair to sway back and forth. For a split second, she was staring at it. 'If only he weren't so god dammed good looking!' Then, she caught herself, but he had already noticed.
"So, you do feel attracted to me."
She shook her head violently. But, she had to admit to herself that she had once thought she loved him. This was so hard. "I am in no way, shape or form attracted to you, Trevor. You're a deadbeat loser."
He flexed his muscles and flicked his hair. "But, I'm dead sexy, aren't I?" She looked at him with disbelief. "Well, at least you thought so once, surely you can think so again, can't you?"
She gawked, laughing at him. "I could never feel anything for you."
"Maybe I can change your mind about that." He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a violent kiss. For a while, she struggled to get away, but, despite herself, the kiss awakened old wounds, old memories, and for a moment, she found herself kissing him back. When she caught herself she was ready to puke. She broke free of his hold and pushed him over, but the damage had been done. He was convinced now.
"Aha! You could never feel anything for me? Then why did you kiss me back?"
"I did not, you were imagining things," she desperately tried to defend herself.
"Oh no, I wasn't imagining that. That was just like old times. You do want me, and now I have proof!"
She was kicking herself for losing control. She really didn't want him. He disgusted her. She still loved Quatre. "You have proof of nothing. Now go to work selling drugs. I'm staying here to smoke. Like I have any other choice."
He picked up his bags and pulled her close before he went out the door. "Oh alright, I'll go now, but tonight perhaps we won't need drugs." He bent over and kissed her. Little did he know, she stuffed the cigarette butt in her mouth, and when he kissed her, she shoved it in his mouth with her tongue and jammed it down his throat. He gagged, but smiled as he walked out the door, and closed it.
She was so pissed off at herself. 'Why the hell did I kiss him back? It was a reflex, I wasn't thinking. It was the old me that took over.' She made her way to her coach, took out a cigarette and switched on the TV. She took her picture of Quatre and herself and put it in her lap.
"Quatre." she had tears in her eyes. "You must hate me by now, but I still love you with all my heart. But, I don't think I'll ever have you again. I bet you've moved on by now, found some little preppy girl to replace me. I've accepted that I can't have you; I don't think I can ever go back to you. I know I was wrong to leave, but I stand by my decision. I can't be in the life of that baby. I just can't do it. Maybe I am selfish. Probably, after what everyone has told me. I'll never love another man. But." she stared off at the ceiling, "I can't help but wonder, is Trevor the best I'll ever get? I know he sucks, but there is worse." She shook her head. "No, I'm not taking Trevor as a substitute. I'll never be happy again unless I have Quatre. But, I'll never have him again. That means I'll never be happy." She flicked her hair and sighed.
"Oh well, so what? I was never happy before I had him, and I can do it again. I can be the way I was. I can turn back into that war loving mentally screwed up person that I was if I have to. I can do it, that way I won't need him. That way I'll just live this life for the remainder of my life, which shouldn't be too long, living here, in my condition." She put her picture back on the table. "I'll learn to accept it, but I'll never let go of what we had together." She got up and started pacing around the apartment, still puffing on her cigarette. She wanted to go get something to eat, but her stomach pain was rearing its ugly head. She puffed harder on her cigarette, as if that would make the pain go away. She gritted her teeth and dealt with pain like she had been doing.
"Damn it, damn it," she mumbled to herself. The pain was worse. She decided to go out the door to find the gutter cat. Maybe one of her 'clients' had a car she could go to the hospital in. She trudged outside and banged on the door next door.
"Feline? Are you in there?"
She waited for about two minutes, and sure enough, Felinia came out, looking very confused. "Dorothy? Why did you interrupt me? I was busy." She noticed that she was holding her stomach. "What's the matter?"
"There's no time to explain," she was nearly keeling over. "Listen, does your client have a car? I need to get to the hospital, or at least a free clinic, and I need to get there now. Convince him to let me use his car, or you drive or something."
The hooker looked very confused and worried. "Oh, ok. Sure, I'll do that." She dashed back inside the room, and a minute later came back with a set of keys. "I'll drive, I don't think you can." She grabbed her arm and rushed her down the stairs, and surprisingly enough, this time Trevor's goons were nowhere in sight, making it possible for escape. They reached a parking lot of several, what looked like to be stolen cars. Felinia threw her in the backseat of the big black car and got in the front."
"Uh, Feline? Do you even know how to drive?"
She shrugged. "I never learned how to, but I've driven plenty of getaway cars, so I can manage, don't worry." She turned back and smiled brightly before she turned the key and zoomed off onto the road. Dorothy was lying on the backseat, and all she could hear were brakes screeching and cars honking. 'Geez, five bucks says I'll be dead before I get there, with her driving.'
****
Quatre found himself sitting at his desk, staring out the window. It was a lovely day, but it didn't have any affect on his mood. He strained his eyes as he tried to focus on his computer. But his head wasn't in his work today. He was just, distracted. He was thinking too much. It was about her. He hadn't seen her for 6 months. The thing that most saddened him was that he figured that by now, she didn't want to be found. His train of thought derailed when his office door opened. It was Rashid, and there was someone behind him.
"Hello Rashid."
"Hello Master Quatre. Miss Mirabelle is here to see you." He smiled slightly as the beautiful strawberry blonde stepped into his office. "I'll leave you two alone," he said and instantly left. She smiled very sweetly as the two of them embraced.
"Hi sweetie."
"Hey Mira." She leaned up and gave him a kiss, then stoked his cheek. "How's my perfect boyfriend doing today?"
He smiled. "Oh, I'm fine. How are you, dear?"
She giggled. "Right now I'm perfect, because I'm right here with you. And, it's our one-week anniversary. You remembered, right?"
"How could I forget?" He reached into his desk and gave her a wrapped box. "Happy anniversary."
"Oh, it's so beautiful!" she exclaimed as she opened the box to reveal a gold bracelet. She pushed him in his chair and jumped on top of him. "Thank you so much," she cooed in his ear. He held her, and smelled her hair. 'Strawberries,' he thought. She sat up, put her arms around his neck and just sat there.
"I'm so happy Quatre," she said sweetly.
"I'm glad you're happy."
"Aren't you happy too?"
"Of course I am," he lied.
"Good." She snuggled up to him, but he just kept his somewhat loose grip. "I love you."
He hesitated. "Mira, sweetie, you know how I feel about that word. And it's so soon. We've only been dating a week."
She pouted. "Ok, ok. I won't say that, yet." She was starting to lick his ear her phone rang. She sat up and answered her phone. "Hello? Does it have to be now? Oh alright." She hung up. "Sweetie, I have to go check on my work. Bye bye." She kissed him on the cheek and got up and perkily left the room, nearly bumping into the other person coming in. "Oh sorry Iria."
The tall woman gave her a strange look. "Don't worry about it." She closed the door and gave Quatre a hug. "Hey little brother, how are you faring?"
He sighed and sat back down. "Fine, I'm just fine."
She ran a hand through her shoulder length honey blonde hair, and shook her head. "Oh no, I don't think so. I can see through you. I'm your big sister, I know these things." She looked at him imploringly. "Come on, tell me the truth."
He was desperately trying to defend himself. "I am telling the truth. I am fine. I'm having a good relationship with Mirabelle."
She got a disgusted look on her face. "Just between you and me, I really don't like her."
He was a little surprised. "Why not?"
She scoffed a little bit. "She's just too god dammed annoying. Way too perky for my taste." She looked him straight in the eye. "And, she's a bit of a ditz. I think you and Dorothy were better together."
He cringed a little at hearing her name. He let out a breath and slowly said, "But, I thought you didn't like her, you know, jus like the rest of our sisters."
She chuckled. "Oh no, I never disliked her. I always did like her because the two of you were always so good together, because you understand each other."
"Correction, we understood each other. She's been gone for 6 months. And, I just got this letter." He handed her the piece of paper. It read:
Hey, old lover boy,
You don't know me, but I know you. Dorothy's living with me now, so you know, she isn't coming back. We're together again. See ya. .
Signed, Wouldn't you like to know.
Iria's eyes widened. "Who sent you this?"
"I don't know," he said quietly, his eyes wandering. "I just found it in my mailbox, and there's no return address."
"Surely this could be just a trick," Iria said, trying so hard to rationalize everything.
"Surely it could. But it could just as surely be the real thing, from her," he gulped. "Boyfriend or something."
She tipped up his chin. "She wouldn't replace you with someone else." She sat back in chair, and looked rather disappointed. "But it seems you've already replaced her, with, that little peppy bundle of energy."
He gawked. "I am not replacing her! I could never replace her. Mira and I are just starting to try things. We're not very serious."
She let out a deep sigh. "Quatre, wake up! You're dating her on the rebound, and that's not being fair to either one of you! Can't you see, she's gagga for you, but you're still in love with Dorothy. I shouldn't have to tell you this, but it looks like you're too blinded to see it!"
He reared his head back at his sister's outburst. He opened his mouth to retort, but let his head hang. "You're right, you know. I still do love Dorothy. But that isn't Mira's fault. Dorothy was the one to leave."
"Does Mira accept the fact that you'll be keeping Sera's baby?"
"She does, actually. She thinks it's admirable of me to do that, and very responsible." His eyes looked very sad. "Dorothy didn't think that."
"Dorothy was naturally a little biased, don't you think? It's her evil cousin that's the mother after all. Hell, if I was her I probably would have said the same thing."
"Iria, please."
She was about to open her mouth again when her cell phone started to ring. She looked at him. "I'm not done with you, little brother."
She stood up, turned around and answered the phone.
"Hello? Doctor Winner here?"
She listened for a long time, and her eyes widened. "I'll be there in a few minutes." She snapped her phone shut and spun around to meet Quatre's eyes. "I just got a phone call from the hospital, they need me there."
"What's the matter?"
"It appears there's a very ill person there transferred from a free clinic. They wouldn't give me the name, but she has Chagus disease, and is having serious complications. Sound familiar?"
Quatre gasped. He felt his heart shudder violently within his chest. This couldn't be happening. This just couldn't be. He looked at his sister. His eyes told her everything he was feeling. She pulled his arm as she ran to her car. "I have an ambulance, we'll turn the siren on to get there faster. I know it's Dorothy, we'll talk about it later, we just have to save her now."
He felt nearly dead as she rushed him in her ambulance and it zoomed away. 'Hang on, Dorothy,' he thought. 'Please, hang on. Let me apologize.'
Author's Note: Hmm, what havoc have I brought onto these people now? And what will I do next? Oh I have plans, but that's not until next chapter!