Chapter Ten

Wufei stood in his clean whitewashed kitchen and rinsed his plate and coffee mug before placing them to the side. He grabbed his keys from the table, left a short note for his parents by the phone and walked to the front door so he could go and pick up Meiran before heading over to the hospital to see Dorothy.

He was halted in his routine, however, by a knock at the door.

Growling at the interruption, he opened the large oak door to an astonishing surprise.

"Ohayo Wufei!" Quatre Rabarba Winner stood on his doorstep grinning at his friend. "Long time no see." Ignoring Wufei's shocked expression, he hugged the Chinese boy tightly. "I've missed you."

"Quatre? What are you doing here?" Wufei only then registered what the blond boy was doing. "Get off!"

Quatre smiled sheepishly. "Gomen, I forgot you don't like physical intimacy." There was an amused snort from nearby which drew both of their attention. "Do you remember Trowa?"

"Of course I remember Trowa, I haven't been gone that long." Wufei rolled his eyes at his cheerful friend's behaviour. "I was just on my way to go and see Dorothy, would you like a ride?"

Quatre smiled gratefully. "That would be great, the 'cycle has run out of petrol."

"And I'm kind of tired from the ride." Trowa spoke up for the first time. He moved from his position of leaning against the wall and held out his hand to Wufei. "It's nice to see you again Wufei." They shook hands.

"Likewise." Wufei stepped out of his doorway and locked the door behind him. "Do you mind if we pick someone up on the way?"

"Not at all. Is this person a new friend of yours?"

"Meiran. Dorothy may have told you about her."

Quatre smiled and his eyes held a strange mischievous glint that was rather unusual. "Hai, Dorothy has told me about Meiran." Wufei looked at Quatre curiously as they got in the car.

"You sound like Maxwell when he's about to pull one of his pranks." Wufei started the car and they drove off.

"Why, whatever could you mean?" Quatre asked a little too innocently.

Wufei glared at his friend, but wisely shut up before he was baited into anything. He recalled the embarrassing situations Maxwell had tricked him into after goading him with that tone of voice. Wufei looked through the rearview mirror at Trowa to see him suppressing a smile. Luckily for him, his first stop was just up ahead.

"You're late Chang." The front door was opened then slammed shut, startling the two visitors in the backseat. Quatre and Trowa looked in amazement at the fiery Chinese girl who now sat in the car with them.

"I had visitors Meiran," Wufei growled, driving off again.

The girl glared, looking sinister even with her cute pigtailed hairstyle. "I told you not to call me that. I am Nataku."

Wufei snorted. "Onna, When you prove to me you are worthy of the name, then I will call you Nataku."

Meiran was fuming and was about to start in on him again when she finally noticed the two others in the car. Her expression immediately changed from anger to delight. "I'm Meiran. You must be Quatre." She turned around and stuck her hand out. "Wufei and Dorothy told me about you." She looked at Trowa. "Are you Duo?"

Trowa blinked, surprised at the question. "No, I'm Trowa. I doubt that Wufei or Dorothy mentioned me."

"Oh, I don't think so, but it's nice to meet you too." She shook Trowa's hand also.

"Onna, will you turn around and sit in your seat properly!"

Meiran stuck her tongue out at Wufei. "Hai, Mr. Grumpy Dragon."

"Stop insulting my clan."

"It's my clan too, so I can do what I want."

"Onna, you have no honour in your clan!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Uh, Wufei? Wasn't that the hospital?"

"See what you made me do onna!"

"I did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

Wufei finally managed to pull into the parking lot after quite a few more missed turns and more arguments with Meiran. Trowa and Quatre got out of the car with barely hidden relief, but were still smiling at the great couple Wufei and Meiran would make.

Grumbling under his breath about something (probably Meiran), Wufei led Quatre and Trowa to Dorothy's room. She was still in ICU and unconscious, but was at less risk of death than before. Quatre rushed to her bedside as soon as they reached the room. He took her hand and held it, his brimming eyes fixed on her face. At the sight, both Wufei and Meiran forgot their dispute and looked away.

"Dorothy," Quatre whispered before the tears fell.

Wufei gestured that they should leave him alone and the three of them walked into the hall.

"What happened exactly?" Trowa looked at Wufei.

"We were on our way to the mall. I'd driven to Dorothy's house then left the car there as it was only a short walk. We were going to watch a movie then go back to Dorothy's house and stay over for the day. We had that Friday off school. On our way there, however, we had to cross a main road. Dorothy had gone ahead a bit and was crossing, so we ran to catch up before the lights changed. The driver was speeding and didn't bother looking to see if there were pedestrians, there were no other cars, so they drove on and hit Dorothy. We called an ambulance and Dorothy's been here ever since. The driver's being charged with reckless driving and violating at least two laws."

Trowa leaned back against the wall. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"Not quite sure. She's broken her ribs and an arm and suffered mild internal bleeding, but what's worrying everyone is the trauma to the head. I don't know what exactly her injury is, but it's serious. If she doesn't wake up within a week, she'll slip into a permanent coma, or she could die."

"Shit." Trowa ran his fingers through his hair. "Can they do anything about it?"

Wufei shook his head. "The doctors have tried everything. She was in surgery for five hours yesterday. Now she has to heal and wake up by herself." The three of them stood in silence as they contemplated the possible fate of their friend.

Looking at his two companions, Trowa could clearly see the worry weighing them down. The argumentative façade they carried out hid their own stress and helped both of them to get through this together. Who did Quatre have to help him through his pain?

"I'm going to sit with Quatre. You two should get something to eat, I'm sure you were up all night worrying about Dorothy, so rest for a bit."

Wufei looked up at Trowa. "Are you sure?"

"Positive, now go." Trowa watched them walk down the hallway to the cafeteria then entered the room once again.

"Is it really that bad?" Quatre didn't look up as Trowa entered, but his tear-filled question told him that Quatre had heard everything.

"Yeah." Trowa moved another chair over beside Quatre's. "How are you holding up?" Quatre still didn't look at him. When Trowa glanced over, his heart was torn into a thousand pieces by the image.

The blond angel was sitting hunched over looking even more fragile and vulnerable. He held Dorothy's slender hand in his own extremely pale hands. His face was white and his eyes were filled with tears that spilled onto his cheeks. His cheerful and soothing expression was gone and replaced by a haunted and fearful demeanour that was so unlike Quatre that it scared and grieved Trowa.

"Oh Quatre," he whispered mournfully. When he reached out to place a hand on his back, Quatre suddenly looked at him and launched himself into Trowa's arms.

"Gods, Trowa, I don't know what to do! She can't die! She can't leave me! I love her too much, she's my best friend!" Quatre sobbed onto Trowa's shoulder and Trowa tightened his grip instinctively on the boy, whispering soothing phrases into his ear.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Wufei had opened the door and peeked in, shutting it once he saw the scene.

"What's going on?" Meiran asked fearfully.

"Trowa's comforting Quatre." Wufei frowned slightly. "I didn't even know they were such good friends." Wufei sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting room, putting his head in his hands.. "It kills me to see Quat like that. He's always been the kind hearted one that looked out for everyone else. He doesn't deserve this much pain."

Meiran sat down beside Wufei and placed and arm around him. "He doesn't, but then no one ever does. This is but another test of life, and I know that you and Quatre are strong enough to pass it."

"Quatre has a strong heart," Wufei agreed. "But should something happen, I do not know if we will get through it."

"Doubt is a sign of weakness. I know you're stronger than that Wufei. Dorothy will survive and you will strengthen your heart with resolve and pass this test. Or will you forfeit without fighting?"

"I will fight." Wufei removed her arm from his shoulder and sat up straighter. "Thankyou Nataku." He smiled at Meiran. Meiran returned the smile, not showing on her face how she was glowing inside from Wufei's last remark.

They sat there in a comfortable silence before being interrupted by Wufei' mobile phone. Wufei got it out and looked to see who was calling.

#Duo? What's wrong?#

#Man Wufei, I'm glad I got hold of you. Is Quatre there with you?#

#Not sitting with me, he's with Trowa visiting Dorothy. What's wrong?#

#Okay, could you tell him that Iria and his father are on their way to meet him.#

#Why didn't they come with him and Trowa before?#

#They … uh … they kind of snuck out. I didn't even find out where they were until like 9 last night.#

#I'll have to have a talk with Quatre later. Don't worry Duo, I'll tell him.#

#Thanks Wufei. Tell them both I said hi.#

#Sure Duo.# They hung up.

"Something up?" Meiran asked once he got off.

"Quatre just got into a little trouble."