TIATAAPFE: TFC: CIL, CIC, BPDFI
(There Is A Time And A Place For Everything: The Final Chapter: Call It Love, Call It Chaos, But Please Don't Fight It)
Duo gently broke their kiss, brushing back a stray strand of her hair with a loving smile. "Koibito…"
"Mmmm?" she purred, relishing his touch.
"Scoot over a bit."
She did, with some painful difficulty, enough for him to join her under the thin sheets. Promptly putting an arm about his shoulders, and resting her cheek on his strong chest, to hear his heart beat, Flame sighed in relief. Her other hand lightly ran little circles on his abdomen, elicting a comfortable sigh from him.
He tucked her tight against his side, pulling her as close as he could, just to assure himself that this was not another dream; this was real. He could smell her familiar scent, ever so faintly through all of the sterility of the hospital and lingering aroma of burnt flesh. Swearing that he would not make such a mistake again, he felt an instant comfort, knowing that he wouldn't get the chance to, because Flame was his. He didn't have to worry about anything, everything was just as it should have been, albeit could have been done better.
He held her, careful not to touch her where her burns and injuries were most severe. He had no desire to hurt her more than she already had been. He looked at how comfortable she seemed, lying next to him, and it felt so natural, so right.
He pressed his lips to hers again, feeling the intensity of her match himself. He stroked her cheek and fading bruises with an almost cautious thumb, marveling at how she had that streak of tenacity to survive long enough to get through most of the mess. He hoped it would get her through the painful surgeries that still needed to be done for reconstructive purposes.
Either way, it didn't matter. He would be there to support her, no matter what.
Just as their kiss was becoming more passionate, the other pilots entered the room.
In any other circumstance before this whole mess, Duo likely would have broken away from her in embarrassment, but now he just lingered on the feel of her lips, not the least bit put off by their audience. Kissing her forehead before turning to the others in the room, he cocked an eyebrow.
"Can I help you?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It had been many months since that fateful day, and in the many weeks that she had been released from the hospital, she had undergone almost all of her surgeries. This was the last check up, to see how the scar tissue was coming along, which would determine how many more surgeries she would need. Duo would never admit it to the doctors, but he had already removed her bandages to apply herbal treatments, and creams to her burnt flesh.
He was proud to say that she was healing beautifully.
The tissue was knitting together as it should, the cells were alive, well, the lower dermis was alive, whereas the upper dermis was dead, as skin should be, and there hadn't been any affects done to damage the muscles, so they were doing well also. She would need to go to physical therapy to regain the muscle mass she lost along with certain functions while laying in the hospital bed. He was confident that she wouldn't take too long to heal completely. After all, he owed her a "normal" courting ritual, it was only fair.
Currently, on the way to her appointment, he was pushing her in a wheelchair, after the ability to walk was severely affected. They were chatting quietly, trying to keep attention from themselves. Duo leaned down to whisper in her ear as they passed an elderly couple walking by them.
"Looks like they've cheated Death."
"That's not your style. Although…You never told me you took bribes!" she hissed, straining to wink up at him.
He laughed lowly, prodding her shoulder with his pointer. "Only in cash, no credit."
"Figures. You little con artist."
"You got a problem with that?"
"Nope. I'm just so… proud."
"Good," he grinned pecking her cheek, "I'm glad."
She smiled, then chewed on her lip in worry.
"What is it?"
"Oh, I was just feeling anxious about my results…" he could hear the note of fear touch her voice, "What if I'm not healed?"
"Flame… I know you're healing fine. I put all of that herbal stuff on your marks, and redid the bandages, don't you trust me?"
"I do, but the doctors have the final say. I don't want to have to go through another twelve hour recon surgery if I don't need it."
"Trust me."
"Where have I heard those words before?"
"You told me to trust you way back when we first met, and I did. Now it's time to return the favor."
She smirked playfully, "And this is repayment? Taking me to my appointments?"
"Hey, I'm willing to take anything just to be with you. And for any excuse to bathe you."
She laughed then, squeezing one of his hands. "That's why I paid Heero to wheel me out in the rain and for Quatre to throw mud at me."
"I wondered how you'd managed that…" he said with a trademark grin, ducking down to plant a kiss in her hair.
"Mmmmm…" she closed her eyes, purring deep in her throat t the familiar touch of affection.
"Koibito," he whispered deeply into her hair, feeling the tingle in his lips as her hair brushed across them, "I was wondering if we should ask your doctors about when you'd be ready for certain physical activities…"
She inhaled deeply as his lips rippled across her scalp, "Duo…What are you suggesting? Sports? Fighting again? Labor about the house?"
She felt his evil smirk spread across his face and felt a flutter in her stomach at the thought that popped into her head at the unspoken suggestion. "I was thinking something a bit more.. Personal… than that…"
"You devious little… Wait until I get out of physical therapy!" she swatted him on the thigh, as best she could, playfully, "Although… I must admit, your suggestion is very intriguing… To say the least."
"Good, then I can ask?"
"Hell no."
"Aww, but Flame, why not?" he pouted stopping so that he could bend down beside the chair, and give her his best puppy dog face.
Chewing on her lip, so as to keep from laughing, she set her face in mock detachment, "Because then we'll get 'The Talk'. I already had 'The Talk' many times, and I don't want a doctor to tell me to use protection or abstain, especially if I have to see them again."
"But if you don't have to see them again, I can ask?"
"No, I'd rather keep that information quiet." [A/N: Is there a sequel brewing? Hmmmmm…]
"Fine, fine. You're the injured one."
"Thank you, Duo. It means a lot to me."
"Anytime, koi."
*~*~*~*~*
"Are you ready, Ms. Lee?" the man asked, his forehead deeply creased from years of time, hands strong and steady as they lay on the wraps about her waist.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"Here goes nothing."
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
That's all for today! I'm sorry it took so long, this is taking me a while to update, I'm having fits and starts of inspiration. I just had a bash with some girlfriends of mine the other day, so, my inspiration really got jump started. That's one thing friends are very good for!
Time for thank you's!
THANK YOU
Lorimlowe2: You wanted an epilogue, and here's half of it! ^ ^ I'm working on the second half, it'll be done by… Monday. Hope you continue to review (and read!), and I'll TTYL. Oh, by the way, would you and computer geek Michelle be one and the same? I'm just curious. You got to love younger siblings, they get you out of tight spots, without knowing it!
Shadow: Wow, you rock! Thanks for by-passing the bullshit, I admire getting down to the point. I'm flattered that you think so highly of this fic! I just wrote it to let off some bored anger I was feeling as the summer ended and school loomed up… *shudder* As stated, here's the epilogue. Please, continue to review!
Rih: You're too sweet for me! I'm sorry that I haven't shown you many of my fics and pics, but, as stated in my journal entry in the Estrogen Militia (www.geocities.com/tetreli_elemorph/enter), I don't want to have nice long chats with Mr. Clayton. BTW folks, Rih (Richard) is my BF, and he's too good to me. JFYI.
That's it! I'll see y'all in the funny papers.
3 Flame
