Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor it's characters. Merely borrowing them for a little torture.

Warnings: Shounen-ai (because I suck at yaoi) , major A.U, some OOC I think, probably future mpreg

Fates and Choices

Part 15: Of Conversations and Danger

Duo spent the night tossing and turning and running from disjointed nightmares. The sedative coaxed on him by Quatre didn't allow him a respite by waking up screaming. Instead, he had been plunged into the endless dark alleys that existed within his own mind. It was one of those disturbing dreams where he kept running and he couldn't get far enough. He couldn't see what was chasing after him and all he knew was his own harsh breathing and fear oozing from every pore of his tired body. But through that horrifying night, when the stalking shadows got too bad, someone reached into his confused mind and gave him an anchor. The deep soothing voice eased the worst of the fears, and allowed him to slip into some semblance of slumber. It was usually not long before the shadows came back again and with a vengeance. To add insult to injury his stomach had been aching slightly the entire night. The slight discomfort added to the pain of the nightmares, making it more real and more frightening that it really was. Figures were disembodied and voices seemed to come from far, far away. He was glad the night was over.

The tired Shifter woke to a bright cheery morning that he shared none in feelings. He nuzzled deeper into the hard chest he was cushioned against.

Chest? His tired mind worked. He tilted his head back, peeking through his lashes. He was met with familiar cobalt who looked as tired as he felt. Still, Heero smiled tenderly at his, his arms holding Duo and rubbing the Healer's back in small vague patterns.

"Are you finally awake?" Heero asked, kissing his mate on the forehead.

Duo yawned and rested against Heero again. "Why?" He heard Heero making a soft sound that rumbled through the chest he was lying on.

"You were having nightmares all night. I couldn't wake you." Heero seemed frightened.

Duo gazed deeply into Heero's worried face. His mate was frightened. "I'm fine. It's the damned sedatives. Can't seem to wake up from them." So, it had been Heero's voice he had heard the whole night, calling him from a particularly gruesome nightmare, telling him that nothing was going to hurt him, reassuring him. His brow furrowed with concern. "Did you get any sleep last night?" It was the Healer asking, not Heero's mate.

And no one ignored a question posed by a Healer, even if the Healer looked adorably rounded with child and half draped across his mate's chest, long chestnut locks unbound and spilling over the both of them.

"Not much," Heero confessed, embarrassed. "I came in late last night and you were in the throes of a nightmare. I couldn't wake you and the only thing that helped was me talking to you and holding you."

"I'm awake now, so you can sleep," Duo told him firmly. While he was grateful for Heero easing his fears during the night, the Healer within him was angered the tribe chief didn't have the simple luxury of sleep because of him.

Heero stifled a yawn and nodded in agreement. "But only if you sleep with me." He traced the deep circles under Duo's eyes and caressed a smooth check, brushing a stray lock of hair away. "I know you didn't get much sleep last night with the nightmares and all and the baby was moving practically the entire night. You probably weren't very comfortable."

Duo nodded, feeling like a wrung out cloth and settled as best his could next to Heero, eye fluttering shut. He felt his mate spooning against him, one arm draped across his waist as he gave sleep another go.

Zechs peeked through the entrance, unwilling to disturb an intensely private moment shared between the two.

"What are you doing here?" Wufei called out, startling the tall blond.

Zechs turned to face the dark haired Shifter. "Checking to see if my cousin is well." For some reason, the displeasure and distrust he saw shimmering in those obsidian eyes disturbed him no end.

Wufei hissed. "What I meant was, why are you still here? Why aren't you gone with the rest of them?"

Duo's father and the rest of his party had left early that morning at Heero's expressed wishes, knowing their presence would be disturbing to his mate. Zechs had remained as he was the only one Duo could tolerate and even welcome. Since Duo's cousin was the only who was familiar with Solo and his modus operandi, Heero had retained him until the threat to his mate was properly dealt with.

From the maniacal gleam in the other man's eye, Zechs could only guess that 'properly dealt with' meant 'eliminated'.

"You know why, Wufei," Zechs tilted his head slightly. "Heero's wishes are the tribe's wishes."

Wufei had been privy to the conversation of tribe chiefs and Zechs last night. He had trusted Heero's instinct that they told the truth but he didn't have to like this aristocratic and arrogant man standing before him. Besides, he trust Heero's instincts, he didn't have to trust Zechs. He walked up to Zechs, grabbed him by the front of his tunic and pulled the taller man down so they were eye to eye.

"Hurt Duo and die," Wufei growled a warning.

"Let go," Zechs told the smaller man quietly and when that was complied, he smiled for Wufei. "We all love Duo, besides Solo, there isn't another that would dare to hurt him."

"Keeping information from him is hurting him," Wufei told him, walking away from the other Shifter.

Zechs followed the stoic Shifter, but unsure why he was dogging Wufei's steps. "Even your lead Healer said it was necessary. It just isn't the time to have Duo going to pieces on us right now."

"He needs to know there is a threat to his life and be more prepared to protect himself and the young one."

The blond Shifter laughed. "My cousin dear is a Healer, he would allow that asshole to kill him without resistance."

Wufei tried to argue with this bought of logic but decided that Zechs had a point. After all, this was the person that took a werebeast spear through the chest just to keep from killing a crazed creature. "We can't just keep lying to him like that. He still has a deep misunderstanding with his father."

Zechs placed a heavy hand on Wufei's shoulder, causing the slender Shifter to jump slightly at the contact. "We get rid of the threat, then we get on with the reconciliation."

XXxxXX

Duo decided that he had died and gone straight to hell. He had woken up for the second time to the extreme mothering from three people. Quatre had bustled in, checking his temperature and everything else as the afternoon progressed, insisting he drink more than a few awful concoctions that he was sure came from the swamp north from here. Then Wufei had marched in bearing a heavy tray of food and deciding that Duo must be starving, made sure the pregnant Shifter ate at least most of what was on the tray. Heero was the worst. He flatly refused to let Duo get out of bed for any reason, despite Quatre's insistence that his fellow Healer do need a little more exercise.

Worse yet, no one would speak to him. Not about Solo, not about his father. They tiptoed around the subject, with Heero telling him outright, "We shall not speak of this," before leaving. Duo, being restrained on the bed by two Healers in training yelled profanities at his mate's retreating back.

That was why Duo nearly screamed with relief when he saw a familiar blond head bobbing by the entrance. Zechs ducked into the dwelling with a wide smile on his face.

"All ready to kill your protectors yet?" He grinned widely, noting the disgruntled expression on his cousin.

"Thank the Ancient," Duo said with feeling, and gestured for his cousin to be seated.

Zechs lowered himself onto the bed, ice blue eyes looking around for a death glare attached to a pair of cobalt blue eyes. "Your mate's not around I hope?"

Duo shook his head smiling. "I want to speak with you. I want to know what happened. And no one wants to speak to me."

"They were warned not to tell you anything," Zechs told him wryly. "I agreed with that order."

Duo folded his arms in front of him, crossly. "It would do good to tell him that he's my mate not my mother."

Zechs shrugged. "From his point of view, I think the roles are the same."

"Where is he?" Duo asked hesitantly and Zechs knew who he was.

"Your father was requested to leave by your mate early this morning. He upsets you and at this point, anything that upsets you had better run for their life because you have a pretty vengeful bunch of protectors."

Duo smiled sadly before turning serious. "What he said about…" He began before taking a deep breath. "Solo, does he really hate me?"

Zechs sighed heavily. "The truth?" He raised an eyebrow.

Duo nodded jerkily.

"Jealousy is an ugly thing, cousin. He was jealous of all the attention you were getting from your father and the rest of the tribe. They were talking about how you were one of the strongest Healers in a long while." Zechs stopped seeing the pain in Duo's eyes. "I'm sorry, but you wanted the truth."

"I can't believe Solo… I don't…" Duo's normally brilliant violet eyes were coloured with confusion. He was having a hard time believing the same person who cared so much for him would try to hurt him in anyway. No, his mind rebelled. There was no way, they had to be mistaken. "I don't believe it, Solo would never do anything to hurt me," he stared beseechingly at Zechs who was wrestling with conscience. Should Duo be shaken awake from his dreams or let him believe the best of what could potentially be his murderer.

With heartbreaking fairness, Duo told his cousin, "But I believe that you believe Solo has done this. Besides, he is far, far away now."

Zechs continued to stare at Duo, unsure if he should break the illusion, but there was something behind those shining eyes, a pleading for understanding and Zechs caved. Let Duo have his illusions, as long as he was safe. Zechs would see to it.

"So," Zechs said, changing the subject, blue eyes dropping to his cousin's oversized stomach. "Why do you go around wearing a pillow under your shirt?" He teased lightly, reaching out to touch the taut flesh gently. "And it's alive!" He succeeded in distracting his cousin and won a laugh from Duo. Doing his job well, Zechs managed to keep his cousin's mind occupied while the rest of Heero's tribe and his own now roaming near the area track down one errant Hearer.

XXxxXX

"Damn him," Solo cursed violently, seeing the protective circle that huddled around his brother where ever he went. "He gets the best of everything." He slammed his fist into the trunk of the tree he was hiding behind. "I send you to the most quick-tempered tribe chief and yet you can bend him to your will. Duo Maxwell, you have taken enough from me. That baby is mine!" Hungry eyes roamed over his brother's growing body as he shared a joke with one of the tribe member.

"I'll take everything you own, Duo Maxwell."

XXxxXX

Duo noticed Heero got more and more frantic as the weeks rolled by. He found it absolutely hilarious. As his pregnancy progressed, Heero got more and more stifling. It came to a point where his mate had refused to let Duo walk because Quatre had passed a comment that walking would sometimes cause labour.

All right, that part wasn't really funny, but the rest was.

There were times when Heero's eyes would go wild with panic when he realised he was going to be a father very shortly. The tribe chief's panic attacks had become legendary amongst the tribe and was a cause for endless teasing. The episode with Treize and Solo has also faded from Duo's mind while more vital matters took precedence, like how to get up from a chair unassisted. More often than not, there was someone around to help him if Heero was out, which he wasn't much recently. Duo's mood swings has gotten progressively worse as well, raging at Heero one minute, accusing him of the many discomfort advanced pregnancy brought to cuddling against him like a contented kitten the next.

But things didn't seem as perfect recently and Duo felt the stirrings of worry. There was an undercurrent of something going on within the tribe and Heero and Zechs were smack in the middle of it. Duo had managed to put his worry regarding his brother and father out of his mind for the past few weeks, knowing that this issue would always be there. There would be ample time to worry about it later. But watching his mate and cousin putter around, Duo knew the issue may just be brought out sooner rather than later.

For now, he would just enjoy whatever the Ancient gave him, peace, a loving mate and a furiously kicking son.

He moaned softly, coming up from the depths of a nap, rubbing his sore spot. Violet eyes flickered open to find Heero staring at him, his head propped up against an arm.

Duo felt heat flooding his cheeks. "What?"

There was a mysterious smile playing on Heero lips as he leaned over and nuzzled his mate's neck. "Just looking, since I can't touch anymore," he tone was almost regretful.

"No more panic attacks?" Duo teased and was pleased to see Heero's expression darkened. His mate didn't like to be reminded of his loss of control and would growl at everyone who brought it up. Well, everyone except for Duo. At this point, Duo knew he could get away with anything.

"We are going out for patrol," Heero said shortly. "I had wanted to say goodbye with a kiss, but since…." His tone was almost petulant as he got up from their bed. "Well, goodbye, love."

"Heero," Duo was unable to keep the smile from his voice as he watched Heero stalk out. He went a little overboard this time, but he was certain that his mate wouldn't be angry by the time he got back. Besides, this was a good opportunity to go for a little fresh air in the clearing. And nobody had to know.

Getting up from bed took a little finesse that he lacked currently, but he managed a vertical position. Making sure no one saw him, he sneaked out of the dwelling, almost dizzy with glee for having escaped the warriors. Jailors, captors, whatever. He was careful to wander not too far from the village but he was clear of Healers and mother hens alike.

At least for a while.

He had been walking a while when he felt the need to lean against a tree to rest. Yes, that was it, he wasn't tired, he just needed a breather.

"How stupid can you get, brother?" Solo drawled, stepping out from behind another tree not too far from Duo.

Duo's head snapped up, his face alight with joy. "Solo! Where have you been?" He had missed his brother desperately and despite how his father had tried to malignant him in Duo's eyes, the Healer trusted Solo, believed that his brother would never hurt him in anyway. "So many things have happened, I…" Duo trailed off suddenly, sensing something different about his brother. There was an air of menace around his normally placid countenance.

Solo's eyes narrowed threateningly. "The entire village's trying to protect you, and you sneak off by yourself," he clicked his tongue mockingly taking a step towards his brother. "Too bad, you're mine now." He pulled out a gleaming knife.

tbc…

Uh, there are no Solo fans… are there?

Oh gosh! 200 reviews, you guys actually like me, you really, really, really like me! holds up fake Oscar trophy I want to thank my…. J

Seriously, thank you all for reviewing and spending a little of your time to read what I had to write. Sorry for the delay in posting. I have been hideously sick from some form of food poisoning for most of the week now. So now, chappie 15 is up and there are only a few more left.