Meet Me Half Way
Part 2

The sound of birds is usually such a beautiful sound in the morning. But not when you wake up in a hospital room- not when you wake up with His journal in your hands- still on that horribly terrifying page- still with that question driving in your blood- what will the next page say? It funny, you know, 'cause I didn't wake up like that. Nope. I did have the journal in my hands and I was in the hospital room- but I didn't hear any birds.

I had my hands folded under my chin on His bed; the journal pressed down beneath them. My hair still in my face- I frowned...I really wanted a hair tie... But then I saw him. And you know what? I smiled and slipped the journal on the night stand- closed. I know, I know! You were all very impatient to see what was next in it- heh, you know soon enough...

He was so pretty, even with all His bruises- stitches, so beautiful just lying there. I sighed.

"Excuse me, is this, um, Heero Yuy?"

I turned around sharply to see a pale man- so frail I thought the air conditioning- if turned on high- might cause him to fall over. He had pale blonde hair- not plain like Quatre's but more like the he'd been out in the sun- how could he be- he was so white! The light blue eyes that hide behind thin framed glasses were directed at Heero- not me.

Funny- I thought the door had been shut.

"Who are you?"

He looked at me. His eyes soft- "Sorry if I scared you. I'm Dr. Leigh- Preston Leigh. Just came to give him a check over." Lips curling in a sad smile. "Heero Yuy?" He asked again, extending a hand- delicate finger pointing towards Heero.

I nodded slowly.

"Is - Is he doing good? I mean, do you think he'll make it?" I asked, watching Heero's chest rise and fall slowly.

"That boy is lucky- not many even make it this far- I'm sure they've already told you."

I nodded again looking up at him. He looked back, his eyes held something so familiar and I knew suddenly he had been through what I was going through now- only...

"It's been said people in comas- they can't respond. If you have anything to say- as morbid as it sounds- this maybe your last chance. Play your cards well, little one, for you're playing a game of life and death. Instead of becoming the actor, you're now the writer and it's up to you whether he lives or not- I can see from the way you look at him, the way, even in his coma, his body reacts to your presence. Little one, you've become Shinigami to your angel. Everything that happens now depends on what you do and say."

Was I supposed to believe all of this? Did he really think just because he was nicer than the other doctors I'd believe him?

"Don't believe me? It's okay- I won't believe me if I were you... Here, come here- walk as if you were about to leave. Don't though- he'll- just don't." He stressed the last word.

What was there to lose? Slowly I stood up and took tentative steps towards the door. Since when did I find it hard to walk? I didn't like him! Not at all! I reached my hand up to the doorknob, turning my head back slightly to look at him.

"Oh, my god! Heero!!!!" I ran back over to him, almost tripping over myself. "Heero! Stop it! I'm back I'm not leaving!!!"

His fists where clenched into the sheets, and his back arched against the bed. Was that sweat? Did I cause him to do this?? With pleading eyes I looked back at Dr. Leigh. I didn't want to know what would have happened had I left...

Nodding, the doctor took a step forward, brushing a hand over Heero's forehead. Everything went back to normal- "He seems to be fine- now."

Now being the key word there. What about in the next five minutes? Or tomorrow? What about next year- if there is one for Him? Mmm? I bet he couldn't answer that. My weak smile reflected his sad one when our eyes locked. I didn't ask- because I didn't want the answer- if I asked them out loud- then they'll all come true... I looked away.

"But I've already told him and he's still- like this-" Roughly I pushed the tears, that threatened to pour out, away with the back of my hand, never looking up.

"Perhaps he didn't hear you..."

As the words sunk in I glanced up to thank him for the small bit of hope- doctors usually don't- but... he... he was gone!

Again the door swung open, another doctor filing in.

"Morning... Just here to check up on him- do an evaluation," She smiled.

"But- but- someone just did that," I whispered. Why'd they have to keep bothering him?

She gave me a probing look. "Um, maybe that was yesterday, sir. I can understand how everything would eventually blend together. It's been a week since you got here and you barely ever sleep-"

"A week!?"

"MmmHmm." She moved towards Heero, hands lightly running over his face, pulling his eyelids back. Out of nowhere she produced a small flashlight, shining it in his eyes.

I watched, silently shocked, as his pupils almost vanished under the light- consumed by the fever-y blue storm that swirled around them. A week already? That wasn't possible! I mean I could have sworn only three days ago I had asked Him about- about the movie.

"He's doing pretty good- for the circumstances. I think he's gonna come through." She nodded at me obviously, nervously pitying me- yeah, I know, that's a weird way to describe a nod- but that's what she did. "It'll be okay."

Nod and smile- just nod and smile. That's what I had to do until she left. I doubt she meant to, but she caused me to burst into tears that I didn't know I had left. Funny really...

It's never okay. Things will never be the same. None of us will ever be able to get in a car again and not be scared out of our minds that this might happen- again. I don't think my heart will ever stop trying to escape from its cage in my chest when the phone rings.

My hands wrapped around my trembling body and I started rocking. Heero- I wanted Him so bad that it hurt. I wouldn't care if he glared at me, or anything! I just wanted to see him normal again- not lying so lifelessly on a hospital bed for the rest of his life. Just normal again- so I could get angry at Relena for bugging him senseless, so I could laugh at his blushes when Relena asked naively if we were an "item"... So he could glare at me, then tell me all the ways he was going to kill me as he chased me around in circles, leaving that Queen of the world to blink at our backs! So I could make faces at him when he was typing on that stupid laptop. But no- nothing would be normal again! Nothing would be OKAY! Yeah- that's what they say- be prepared for the worst! BE prepared for the worst!!! Because nothing was ever okay- well, I don't like being prepared for the worst- I don't like being told how lucky he was! If he was so fucking lucky then this wouldn't have happened!!!!! Never would have happened if he had been lucky- if he hadn't know me...

//Heero wouldn't want to see you crying...// Heero wouldn't want to see me...crying.

"Yeah, yeah, Heero wouldn't want that," I sniffled wiping my now runny nose with the back of my sleeve. "Uck, that's pretty." I looked away- to Heero. "Nope, nope, we don't want Hee-chan to think us weak. No way, that'd make- for sure- your chances be nonexistent."

I really hate crying. First off it makes your eyes start to sting and your nose get runny. Blah- who wants a runny nose? Well- only if I get to take that runny nose medicine- you know the kind? Nah, probably not, probably don't have it anymore... Duo's getting sidetracked again! Bad boy! Anyway- secondly- after you're done (crying that is) you- or is it just me?- look like the dead, all puffy eyed and paled-only not all stinky, unless you jumped in a pile of garbage to cry and even then it's a different stinky...

Shaking my head at my thoughts I pushed off the chair.

"Ouchie! Yaoiee!" My eyes widened as I clamped my hand over my mouth, looking around. I don't know what the word means but last time I said it Heero, who was reading something- a mission, I guess- on that laptop, blushed redder that tomatoes-in-a-red-room-with-red-carpet-and-red-lights. Then he glared in my direction and told me to shut up. Yep, I know you're thinkin' Heero never blushes and I just spit out two times that he has. Well those are the only two times I know of... Hah- and I saw them both!!! But still... I wonder what yaoi means. It must have a slang meaning, 'cause when I looked it up in the Japanese dictionary (that I have to keep with me at all times in case Heero starts talking gibberish.) it said no plot, no point, something along those lines... And that just couldn't make Mr. Perfect soldier blush that much.

Oh- why did I scream it in the first place? Well- my hair got caught on the chair. And if you've got hair as long as mine, you'd understand.

After untangling it from the arm of the evil chair, I went to find the bag Wufei had dropped off. "Enough's enough! I'm fining me a hair tie and get my braid back- or at least- brush it!"

Digging through it, I started to give up hope- only able to find a brush.

"Oyie! That's over with!" I placed the brush on the stand two hours later.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I let my hands flop into my lap. But they hardly stayed there long as I looked at Heero, going up almost immediately to brush his hair away from his face.

The phone on the other side of the room rang and I started.

"Oh, man, I hate phones," was my muttered reply as I dragged my feet to it.

"Hello?" I glanced out the window- it was raining again.

"Duo? This is Quatre- How are you?" His voice was so concerned and straight to the point.

"Oh- Q-man, I'm fine, really." I glanced back at Heero, expecting to find him lying there peacefully.

"We're coming over soon, okay? Just finished the mission. It might take us a few hour-"

Heero twisted in his sleeping state towards me, face distorted. For a second I let the phone go silent as Quatre waited for his answer and I stood staring at Heero.

"Oh- damn- Q, I've gotta go!" Slamming the phone down I ran back to the bed and immediately he relaxed. "Oh, god, Heero stop scaring me! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

*

Oh, he's so much thinner- aren't they feeding him?" Quatre asked, brow knitted adorably as he looked at Heero.

"Quatre, I think it's normal for this to happen- I doubt they'd let him starve." Trowa commented, breaking his silence for the first time since he's walked in.

They had woken me up when they arrived. Quatre being worried over both Heero and I- did I see a hint of jealous in Trowa's eyes, naw, couldn't be- made a rather noisy entrance. I had rolled over when the door slammed open to see who it was and fell off the bed. That was a surprise- let me tell you!- added fact that I didn't even know I was on a bed- let alone His bed. Enough to make my hair turn gray! And that would be a bummer! For real! Could you really see me with gray hair?[1]


I tried to sit down only to end up hopping up again with a hiss. "Man, I think I'm getting a bruise now."

Trowa let out a low chuckle and Heero-

"Oh me[2] gosh! Did he just snort? At something I said!!!??? So you can hear me, can you, mister?!

"Well- if ya don't mind would ya please wake up? I mean really some of us are getting sore rears from sitting here waiting for you!" I shook a finger at his still unconscious form. Not a sound, what do I expect?- "Well, fine then!" I plopped back in the chair totally forgetting what happened before.

"YAAAOUUUCH!"

*

"Still here, Mr. Maxwell?" A nurse passing by Heero's room paused to ask.

"Of course! Couldn't have Heero waking up with no one here he knew!" I winked at her.

She giggled as she replied, "Well I'm sure he will soon."

"SUSAN!!" I heard someone shouting down the hall and she immediately glanced in the direction the voice had come from. "Well, I gotta go- work ya know!" She shrugged, giving me a broad grin. "Hey, you should probably rest up while he's still outta of it!" She suggested before running out the door.

Yeah, you're probably right, but first I've got to talk to him- tell him the positives... and, if Dr. Leigh's right, make sure he heard...

"Well, Hee-chan, you know what? You've been out of it for three weeks. And, well-um-eh- here we go again, but I've got to say this. I wish I knew you were- like if you could hear me you'd move your right hand or something," I sighed, unknowingly glancing at his right hand. Hey, I really wanted to know he was hearing me. Maybe it's because I wished so hard for it or because I was so tired that I just dreamed it, but his hand did move! It did! His right hand moved!

I felt my eyes grow to the size of watermelons and I heard myself stutter, "If-if-y-ou-you-c-c-can-hear-mee-di-di-do- it-again." As if forced to stay but forced to move too, I saw the hand shake- clutched against the sheets, then flex out- long fingers extended as if in reach-, finally flopping back against the bed motionless.

"I'll- I'll take that as a yes." Scooting up to the bed- I don't want the whole hospital to know my secret!- I started. "Okay- you officially scared me to death when I heard you were in an accident. I've- I don't remember the last time I was ever this terrified- not even when Solo... I felt as if part of my world had been ripped away from me without me even getting a chance to acknowledge it." Why was I pouring my heart out to a guy in a coma, again? I suddenly felt very stupid, but when I looked back down at him- his face so innocently and obviously in pain- my words started again. "When I saw you on the bed- I don't expect you to understand- but suddenly I knew- I just knew as if a light suddenly came on in my head. To tell you the truth- I think I always have, only I didn't know what it was. Because everyone knows that it's so wrong- that its' so wring for me- for me to //love// you." My voice ended a little softer than a whisper.

Yeah- Heero Yuy- I- LOVE- YOU! Don't know why- but hey, there it is Yep and now the world is gonna grill me alive because "boys are supposed to like girls" and the birds and the bees just don't fly that way. I felt like an idiot- how many people confess their love to people in comas? But it wasn't //so// bad- at least he couldn't reject my straight away. Straight being the key word because he was //straight//. Why do people do that? Classify as straight? What about the others who aren't? Did they- or should I say we- really like being thought of as a bent line? Not perfect- less than perfection- because we loved a person!?

I knew when he woke up- he'd push as far away from me as possible. I mean look at Him! He's Heero the-Perfect-Soldier Yuy, for crying out loud! He had to be with Relena and that was that! No matter what his stupid journal said. Yep, might as well get used to the fact now. It would hurt less later if I just stayed away. The more I looked at Him the close I got and the closer I got the more hope fluttered in my chest. Couldn't have that now could we?

Pushing away I shut my eyes tightly.



"Wake up! Sleepy head!" I laughed in a sing-songy voice, playing with Heero's hair as I did.

Amazingly his eyes opened slowly as if he had awoken from a dream. "Relena?" He whispered.

"Uh, no- it's Duo, man." I replied, waving my hand in front of his face. "See?"

"No," He growled.

Oh the ever wordy Heero! You can always look to him if you're in need of a good conversation!

"Quiet doing that with my hair," He snapped.


"Oh, eheh," immediately I dropped my hand. "Sorry."

"Oh. Really- that's good- it'd be bad if you didn't cause that'd mean you were blind then they probably wouldn't let you go on anymore missions and I know that would break you're icicle heart- then it'd probably melt all over something Quatre owned that blows up when it gets wet- not that he couldn't buy another one of whatever it was- but still he'd be all worried and-"

"Baka." He hissed.

"Am not!" I pouted.

His cobalt blue eyes narrowed dangerously and I shut my mouth.

"I meant I heard you when you said you loved me."

Oh, God- what's next? I waited, staring into the ocean-y depths of his irises.

"Do you expect me to return this emotion?" Slowly- ever so slowly- I shook my head. How could he ever think that?

"Good- I don't."

Suddenly Relena stormed in flinging her arms around his neck and he- he smiled.

I thought I would cry- just burst into tears- but I didn't have anymore left, I'd used them all on Him.

"What's he doing here?" I heard her whisper in His ear.

He looked at me and with a simple shrug of the shoulders dismissed the question.

Removing herself from around Him, Relena glared at me like I was a bug she was about to kill. She screamed at me, " That's disgusting. How could you ever think that he would like you? You? A filthy, orphaned thief? Only good at getting the ones you love killed!

"You're so sick! It's wrong to be like you- to be you! You're wrong!"

You're wrong.

Everything you do is wrong-wrong-wrong.

I never heard a word she said. No. I never heard her voice. But I heard the words; they were formed from His voice. His eyes spoke them as he looked as me so coldly, laughing so hard at me, at my love for him.



I snapped my head up, breathing heavily- sweat clinging to me. Where was I? Where was Heero? Why? How?... Why?

Hold up! One question at a time! One question at a time, my mind seemed to scream at me.

In the hospital room, I was in the hospital room- in the chair. And Heero? Almost painfully I looked over to the bed, but no- he was still there sleeping away. It wasn't real then? I stepped over to the bed, touching his shoulder. If he had been out of the coma this little act would have caused Him to fly up and in two seconds flat have a gun pointed at me. Pleasant thought, eh?

I let out a sigh of relief- even smiling.

It was just a dream. Just a dream. But I couldn't go back to sleep now- so I might as well talk to him.

"Heero," I leaned close to his face my hair falling around him. I really needed to find a hair tie- maybe Quatre could bring one, I'd ask later. Right now, since I couldn't sleep, I might as well try to wake our //sleeping// beauty. "Heero," I whispered again. "Man, you know I saw Wufei today- he came by. I thought I heard him say he was going to the hangar to give you gundam a new paint job. Mmm, now that I think about it- he was holding a can of neon pink paint too. If you don't wake up soon then you might have a new Neon pink Wing Zero." I laughed, so sure that's he'd jump up and run after Wufei- even though yesterday when Wu-man dropped by he had been heading on a mission to steal information on the oz organization.

Letting out a sigh when he didn't move, I tried again. "Hey, that Relena-girl, she announced on TV- the other day- a world-wide search for 'Heero Yuy'. Looks like somebody's got the hots for you!!!"

His brow knitted in either confusion or anger- I couldn't tell, but I froze surprised by his sudden facile expression. His face dreadfully close to mine- slowly the inches that separated us close- and I swear I never //moved//!!! Those lips that had always formed a small frown grazed against mine. I caught my breath and had to remind myself to breathe out-loud, my eyes widening. I always thought his lips would be rough, course- but the were so soft. Again they were pressed against mine, this time slightly harder. His hands that were lifeless before were buried in my hair. He gasped a little and I pulled back. My eyes- that I had closed unknowingly- fluttered open to see his face pout in determination. His lips crushed against mine, tongue demanding entrance, sparring with mine before pulling back. Slowly he dropped back to the pillows eyes never opening.

My hands stole up to my lips.

He had kissed me. My lips were warm and, I'm sure, my face flushed. That meant he was- was awake.

I barely got the thought through my head when the once closed door flew open.

The swarmed in like ants- only they had clipboards, pens, and scrubs. Suddenly I felt as if I'd been plucked up from where I'd been sitting on the edge of Heero's bed and dropped on my butt in the middle of a Swahili speaking village.

From the few words I understood I grasped they ere just running normal tests.

"Looks like you've done well, little Shinigami."

Can you say heart-o-tack!?!?!?! I nearly smashed my head against the ceiling at the soft voice behind me. With a quick gasp I shifted in my sit to glance over my shoulder.

"Dr. Leigh." I left out a heavy sigh, pushing my already slightly ratty hair behind my hair. His hand on my shoulder, strangely, let me breathe a bit easier.

"Probably should call your friends? Maybe a quick shower? You don't want him to think you haven't been taking care of yourself." Always that sad smile, as he winked- sadly!- at me.

Pressing my lips together in agreement. "Yeah they said they wanted to know the minute he snapped out of it." I slowly stood up, stretching- feeling like a kitten- how long had I been sitting there?

"There's a phone at the nurses' station you can use- might be able to hear better out there than in here," A nurse piped in. "This way, sir, please."

Oh, man- I wanted to kiss her! Ha! No girl am I! Nope! Nope! I'm a guy!!!!!!- Who loves a guy- though- maybe it'd be better if she thought I was a girl... Too much thinking! I shook my head.

Smiling slightly, I followed her with a quick glance back. Dr. Leigh- was gone and Heero was lying in the hands of those evil doctors- maybe I should go back... Okay- wait a second! Now why do I care about this doctor dude? Oh- yeah- I remember now- he was super nice!

"Here you go- just dial away..." She gave me a smile before flipping her hair and walking away.

Another phone- this was how it all started. I decided I didn't like //them//. Slowly I picked it up and dialed the numbers.

"Hello? Quatre Winner speaking." He was always so cheerful sounding on the phone-

"Quatre?" I sucked in a quick lung-full of air.

"Duo is that you?



I let the water splash over me- my eyes closed, just for a minute letting the water run over me like none of this had ever happened. It felt so good to take a shower- my hair felt so dirty. With closed eyes I reached for my shampoo, glad the Heero's room had the small bathroom attached to it. It made things so convenient- even if this was the first time I had ever used the shower... man- why didn't anyone just say "Duo, man, take a shower!" Probably because it wouldn't have done anything. But now it would- I could take showers if he was awake...

Now things would be slowly slipping back to the normal. We could go home and it would be just great. I let the water rinse out the trances of bubbly-ness that the shampoo had created and quickly shut off the water, reaching blindly for my towel.



"Whadda're you doing back in here? I thought- I thought he was done for today." I whispered.

"Maxwell, is it? Duo Maxwell? He- he lapsed into another coma."

"He did what?!" I hugged the towel- that I had been about to hang up- close to my chest.

"He's in another coma."

"Please, no..." My voice trailed off. "Please- could you leave us alone for today? If- if there's anything serious- I think I've been here long enough to know- I'll call you. Please." Whether they could tell or not I was begging them.

"Well- there's nothing more we can do right now- so I don't know why not." The single doctor nodded before leaving.

I had barely sat down when there was a knock on the door.

"I thought that you said he didn't have to do anything more today," I spoke in a cool voice as the door cracked open.

"Duo?"

I looked up to see Quatre slipping in- Trowa and Wufei not far behind.

"Duo? What happened? Why the silent tears?" He asked blue eyes showing nothing but concern as he stepped closer, allowing room for the others.

Before I had realized what I was doing I had jumped up and ran towards the little Arabian, throwing my arms around him. The way two close sisters would hug- that was what the hug reminded me of at least.

"Oh, Quatre!" I sobbed. "He's in another coma!"

I felt so utterly hopeless and weak.

"Shhh, Duo, you're not weak." He whispered. "Even if Wufei was in your position he'd be acting- if not just like you- worse."

I let the smile tug at my lips at that thought as I heard Wufei shout out a snappy comeback.

"Would not!"

I laughed a little as Quatre continued to whisper soothing to me. I hope Trowa was getting jealous! I wonder what a jealous Trowa looks like...

"But-" Remembering- why do I always have to remember?

"Duo- this is Heero we're talking about."


~TBC~



[1] Duo: Eh-Yep, trying to be Sephiroth for Halloween... I'd have to get Heero to be Cloud-
[2] Anne: Yes I meant to do that!

Anne: Mmmm,* blinks at papers in her hands* Anyway- I hope you enjoyed it... So stay tuned for part 3 * smiles* Bye- Bye now!^_^