A/N: It has come to my attention that the previous chapter desperately needs to be revised for coherency. I was half-awake when I wrote it and it all sounded good at the time… If anyone would like to offer assistance in doing so, I'd greatly appreciate it.  Also, the 5+4/3+4 love plot will be continued in a companion fic which will be posted as soon as I finish writing it. Not title for it as of yet.

Disclaimer: I still don't own them, so stop asking!

Warnings: blah blah blah… just make sure your mommy isn't looking over your shoulder while you read this.

'Chapter 12 ~ In Search of Happily Ever After'

For a moment, all other existing life ceased and all I could sense was the pressure of silky lips pressed to mine and the pounding of two quickened heartbeats. Colors danced inside my eyelids and a single erotic shock trickled down my spine. My antinomy reacted the sensuality of our colliding bodies by sending unfamiliar, yet pleasant, tremors over the surface of my skin. I was reluctant to pull away, however the rising demand for air became too prevalent to ignore.  

We parted only a few centimeters, so close that our noses barely touched and I could feel the tingle of his warm breath as it brushed over my lips. Duo's eyes drifted open to reveal two gemstone orbs hazed over with lust. I locked onto his gaze, trying to convey the stir of welling emotions in my chest through a single glance. My hands continued to rest on the slender curve of his hips and he made no effort to pull away.

Instead, he went limp and pressed his body weight onto me as his shoulders slumped to rest his head on my torso. I adjusted my stance to accommodate his petite form: wrapping my arms tightly around him. Only then did I notice how violently he was shivering. The combination of inclement weather, stress, and Duo's still susceptible immune system must have started to take its toll.

Immediately concerned for his health, I once again reached down and gathered his slender body in my arms. Weakly, Duo began to protest in a slurred speech.

"Heero, I told you I don't want to be carried around and swept away 'cause then I'll end up all dependant on you and you'll hate me for it."

Although his words served to confuse me further, I couldn't help but chuckle a little. He looked so cute and vulnerable wrapped in my arms.

I pressed my lips to the soft stands of his loose hair and whispered softly.

" This will be the last time, I promise. After today you can stand on your own."

My love cradled safely in my grasp, I made my way back toward the house. Along the way, we passed the still running SUV and Duo began to mutter about wasting gas and carbon monoxide emissions putting holes in the atmosphere.

I think I'd better turn the engine off once I get Duo to bed.

**** *****

Once inside, I lay Duo on his bed, pulled a fresh pair of pajamas from the wash, and went about turning off and locking up the car while he changed. I returned to his room shortly, carrying a tray with a basin of warm water and a washcloth; Duo's prescribed painkillers secure in my pocket. (1)

When I entered, Duo lay sprawled out across the sheets, gazing lifelessly at the ceiling. Placing the tray on a bedside table with a quiet 'clank' I went about the task of cleaning the mud and sand from his feet. (2)

I had preformed this task many times, but never while he had been awake. Violet orbs followed my every movement while his body remained still and lax like clay for my hands to mold. The translucent beads of liquid dribbled down onto the bed linens as I used the wet cloth to massage the ball of his foot. I kept my eyes transfixed on his in curiosity as his pupils expanded with the pressure I applied. Rolling up the leg of his black cotton pajama bottoms, I continued upward along his calf, stopping only to wring out the washcloth.

"I really should have just made you get in the tub." I mumbled just loud enough for Duo to hear.

" Might still be a good Idea…" He slurred sleepily, " I think I've got sand in my ass crack."     

I raised one eyebrow, wondering just how he managed to get sand there. "If you'd like, I can draw a bath."

"No. I'll live. I couldn't move right now if you paid me."

I merely nodded in affirmation, all the while, my fingers continued to move in small circles along Duo's leg. For a long while the only sound in the room was the dripping of water into the cooling bowl.

**** ****

Lying back on opposite ends of the firm mattress and cool bedding, we both starred at the ceiling in silence. I had supplied Duo with the appropriate dose of pain medication and all that was left to do was wait for him to pass out. All the while, Wufei's warnings of pushing things too far too fast stuck in my brain. I couldn't help but second-guess my choice to kiss him on the beach. Although he offered no protest, he suddenly seemed more reserved and distant.

All that time I had waited, hopes held high, to confess; and yet he still hadn't stated if he returned my affections. I had made my declaration, choice, and move; now all I could do is sit back and wait for his response. The situation as a whole was unbearably frustrating.

I pushed those exasperating thoughts from my mind and focused my eyes on one long crack in the plaster. Tracing the junction of the far wall along the ceiling as it broke and conjoined with other breaks, I noticed a pattern start to form. Interesting how man-made structures can take on the same attributes as the sky. Like a cluster of clouds, the cracks conjoined to form what appeared to be the face of a smiling woman. I began to wonder if Duo's eyes were set on the same spot in the room, if he saw the same image as I.  

My concentration was disrupted by Duo's heavy sigh as he cleared his throat.

"You haven't asked me yet…why I called Howard."

I grimaced inwardly. That was the one subject I'd hoped to avoid. Although I would have liked to know his reasons for wanting to leave, the idea of him walking away was just too painful.

" I was waiting for you to feel comfortable enough to bring it up."

It wasn't truly a lie since I hadn't wanted to pose the question for fear of his answer.

" I can't stand being cooped up in here, Heero. I truly do appreciate how understanding you've been throughout all this, but I can't keep relaying on you for everything. I also need to get out more. I only leave the house to go to therapy. There's a whole world out there and I spent far too long stuck in a bed to stay in one now. I'd stand a better chance of regaining mobility of I was working. –"

"In zero-G?!" I interjected, "Duo, you can't re-build muscle mass floating around in space. If anything it would only worsen your condition."

He went quiet for a moment and then retorted, "I can wear weights on my ankles."

"Duo, that's ridiculous."

"Well, what would you like me to do? Keep sitting around here all day, starring out the window in silence?"

Ouch. I honestly didn't have an answer. I'd like to keep Duo close to me to…. To do what? Protect him from the monsters in his closet? To see if he would fall in love with me? So that when I go to bed at night I know where he is?

This is all starting to seem a bit silly.

"Heero, I'm not a complete invalid. Right now I'm just intruding on your home and your life. How long has it been since you went to work anyway? I'm surprised Une gave you time off just to take care of me."

He had to bring up work. I probably should have explained the situation to him a long time ago; however, it's embarrassing to say the least.

" I'm on paid vacation, just leave it at that."

"You're hiding something Heero, and I don't like it."

The room went silent again for a while and I pondered just how I was supposed to respond. Duo Maxwell has always been one of the few people that can leave me speechless.

"I could hear you, did you know that?"

My head turned and as I gazed at him, perplexed. Duo kept his head flat on the pillow, gazing up at the ceiling.

"When I was in the coma, I could hear you talking to me. Sometimes I could just get little bits and pieces, but your voice always sounded so…desperate."

He finally turned to look at me, rolling over onto his side and pulling his free flowing hair back as he stretched. Duo's deep purple eyes were warm, but piercingly honest.

"I've never heard you sound so lost Heero. You've always been the strongest of us, the perfect soldier. I still don't know what to make of these… changes of yours."

 I groaned inwardly and rolled away to avoid his eyes when he said those words. 'Perfect Soldier'. Is that all he sees when he looks at me, a walking killing machine? Am I truly that incapable of change? I know in my heart I'm capable of so much more.

"Please don't call me that." I grumble and curl into myself as if to shrink up and disappear. His eyes are still locked onto me and I claim my own private universe on the opposite side of the bed. I want nothing more than to plunge into my own thoughts and hide.

"Why? I've referred to you that way numerous times before and you never seemed to mind."

I took in a sharp breath " Well, I do mind Duo. Things have…changed."

"Yeah," he sighs, "things have changed."

"…and you dislike who I've become?"

"That's not true Heero. I don't know who you've become. Hell, I'm out of it for a few months and when I come to your playing with toys! What would you like me to say? 'Hey Heero, how's it going? Wanna be roomies again and act like I never left?' Ya know what? I tried that and it didn't help!"

I pulled my body tightly together to the point where my knees touched my chest. Depressed an unhappy with the course the conversation was on; my mouth made the decision to finally blurt out what had really been the cause of my anxiety.

"Then why did you leave in the first place?! You suddenly decided that you'd rather be roaming around space; gathering junk with Howard, then have to live with me. And look what happened! You got injured! You almost got yourself fucking killed! "  

I'm yelling so loud now that my throat feels raw. Eyes burning with unshed tears; I lower the lids and squeeze them forcefully, folding further into myself.

"Because it would have hurt more to stay."

Duo's voice is raspy and he sounds as if in pain as he finally grants an answer. Instantly my eyes shoot open and I slowly turn around to face him again. Long glistening trails of tears stain the porcelain curves of his face.

My heart clenches and I'm tempted to reach out and wipe those shimmering droplets from his indigo eyes. However, the pained expression across his brow causes me to halt.

"Duo." I breathe, "I'm still not sure I understand. I would never intentionally cause you physical harm. In the past I may have been reckless, but those were times of war."

 His expression shifts to illustrate his frustration. " No, Heero, I mean emotionally it would have been more painful to stay. To stay in that room, that bed, every night and know that my feelings could never compete with yours. It was frustrating as hell!"

Sighing, I reach out and brush one of the stray chestnut strands from his face. " Love isn't a competition, Duo. No ones got a yardstick measuring how far your feelings ahead your emotions are compared to someone else. Either you care for the other person or you don't."

Now comes the question that only thinking about causes my chest to ache. "Do you love me, Duo?"

The look on his face goes sour and he averts my gaze, speaking softly. "I don't know."

My eyes close as I fight back tears of disappointment. Part of me understands; we never spent much 'quality time' together. He said himself that he hardly knows me anymore. I guess my efforts were too little too late.

I move to get up, after all I have to get dressed and drive Duo to physical therapy in an hour anyway.

As soon as the absence of my weight causes the mattress to shift, he begins to speak again.

"Ya know if you asked me that a year ago I'd probably have said 'yes'. I mean, I'd always told myself that I was obsessed; I had a crush that went just a little too far. That you'd rather tune the transmission on your gundam then talk to me. (3) I never said anything or acted because I didn't want things getting tense or weird. We were living together, and if it turned out that I was imagining this vibe that I felt and you told me to 'fuck off' I'd never be able to live with myself. What if I was to loose the only home, the only friend, I've got? I mean, I still have feelings for you; it might be going out on a bit of a limb to call them 'love'. But I do care. I'm just…scared I guess…I'm not sure I'm willing to take a chance and risk not having you around anymore if things didn't work out."     

I stood frozen by the bed, taking a few moments to digest everything Duo spewed out in one long breath. The whole speech was heartening, but still not quite what I had hoped for.

I suppose every couple has to start somewhere.

Reclining back on the bed, I pull the distraught boy into my lap and run the fingers through the long silken strands of his mane as a comforting gesture.

"Duo, I've said before, I don't mind 'taking a chance' on us. I'm not asking you to fall madly in love with me right now. All I want is the opportunity to show you how much I really do care. I promise you, from the bottom of my heart, no matter what happens, I'll still be here."

His eyes drift closed and he reaches out to clasp my hand in his own.

"Are you willing to take a chance on me Duo?"    

A genuine smile slides across his face and he simply looks up at my wide-eyed. In those eyes, I get my answer.

"So what do we do now?" He asks.

Sighing, I slide down so that we are eye-to-eye, lying contently in each other's arms.

"Now, you're going to take a nap so you're not burnt-out at therapy this afternoon." 

He scowls at me and rolls over, pulling a pillow over his head. "I thought you wanted to be my boyfriend, not my mom. Uhg."

I chuckle and squeeze his hand one last time before getting up and leaving him to rest.

He's so cute when he's sarcastic.

TBC…

(1) Don't your PJ pants have pockets? 0_o   Mine do   ^____^'

(2) It occurred to me after I wrote this part that it has an obvious biblical reference. Just to cover my ass here… I am NOT implying that/or comparing Duo is/to Christ or intending ANY religious reference. I prefer to keep the Bible OUT of my slash. I don't know what it is with erotic sponge baths and me. Just keep reading and please don't flame me for that one scene.    

(3) I'm assuming mechs are much like cars and have different gears. I wonder if they've got a manual trans or stick?…oh hell who cares at this point anyway?

A/N: Still too short, arg. we're finally nearing the end of the line folks! Thank you so very much, once again, to all my wonderful reviewers! *hugs them *      

Also, it's finals week and my sanity has flown out the window!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Did MTV2 bring back 'head bangers ball'? And why does that VJ look suspiciously like Pee Wee Herman?

Wow I'm cracked out.

So Review if You Still Love ME!!!!!! ^_______^

Oh and a little random quote that was one of the inspirations for this story:

"If any man tried treating me the way romantic heroes commonly treat their women, I'd punch his darkly-handsome-broodingly-rich front teeth out!"

-Leslie Fish