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 17: Of Blood and Death

Trowa had found the trail easily. After all, all they had to do was follow the scent of Duo's blood and sweat. He was getting worried. From the amount of blood they found, Duo was losing a lot of it and fast. He glanced at Heero and noted the anxiety emanating from his leader. He seemed to be lost in thought as he tried continuously to listen to the Forest.

Trowa sighed. So far there has been nothing, Solo had covered himself well enough.

"Trowa, have you found the trail?" Heero asked anxiously.

Solo had tried his best to hide their trail. It had worked to some degree, but the blood was just too obvious to miss. It was just a matter of time before they found Duo.

"Don't worry," Trowa soothed and was taken aback when Heero exploded.

"That person is insane. He has my mate and our son with him. He is going to kill them." Heero grabbed Trowa by the front of his tunic. "How the hell can I not worry?"

Trowa settled his hands on Heero's shoulders. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do until we find the trail. It will be soon and there is nothing to do right now but stay calm." He looked over to Quatre and motioned him over.

"Come Heero," Quatre led the distraught tribe chief away. "Let Trowa and the others do their job all right?"

The tribe chief knew he was useless right now but no matter how he tried, he just couldn't stay focused. They were so close, close enough to communicate with Duo through their bond, but not close enough to catch his scent. Solo would kill his mate, he wasn't even hesitant to hurt Zechs and sure as hell didn't hesitate when he hurt Duo. Heero was filled with self recrimination. He shouldn't have gone on that patrol today. He was upset with his mate and didn't even kiss him goodbye. What kind of mate was he? If anything happened to Duo, he wouldn't ever forgive himself.

He buried his head in his hands with a pained moan. He felt someone rubbing his shoulders, comforting him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Quatre next to him. When had his Healer sat next to him?

"I can't lose him, Quatre."

"I know."

I'm sorry, Heero Duo's thoughts came filtering through, weak and almost disjointed. I tried And then, complete silence.

Heero shot to his feet. "Duo! NO!"

Just as Trowa called out, "We found it."

In perfect unity, with their tribe chief at the helm and their tracker leading them, the tribe raced towards their leader's mate. The Forest whipped past them in a blur while the overcast sky threatened. They had to find Duo before it rained, before the tracks were washed away. But for once, luck was on their side. They have reached their destination.

Heero snarled at the sight of his mate's brother with his hand around Duo's slender neck and stabbing down with the knife in his other hand. He didn't even think, he unleashed his own dagger within a blink of an eye. Solo froze above Duo, his eyes bugging out as the dagger lodged itself in his throat. Slowly, he slumped over and landed next to a semi conscious Duo.

"Won't… die…" Solo croaked before the life faded from his eyes.

Heero rushed to Duo's side, carrying his mate away from the bleeding body. Duo was ashen with deep bruises around his neck. He didn't seem to be breathing and blood, there were so much of it. It soaked through everything.

"By the Ancient, no," Heero begged, pulling his mate close. "Don't leave me, please." He felt their son still moving strongly within Duo. "Our son needs you, love, don't leave us."

"He..e..ro," Duo coughed, his voice raw.

Heero pulled back to see violet eyes opened a slit. He sobbed with relief. Just a slit, Duo's beautiful eyes were barely open, but it was enough.

Duo was alive.

It was over. All over.

All around them, rain began to fall. The Forest began mourning for the loss of a Shifter.

XXxxXX

Quatre knelt next to the injured Shifter, taking off his bloodied pants, careful not to cause him further pain. Duo leaned against Heero, his face pinched with pain and breathing shallowly. The wound was long and deep, and bleeding profusely. Heero tightened his grip on Duo's shoulder when he whimpered softly, clutching spasmodically at his mate's shirt.

"Hurts," Duo whispered lowly, pressing his face against the side Heero's neck. The contractions were slowly getting closer to each other, but still he kept silent about it. The blood from his wound and the rain had mask the breaking of his water and no one was the wiser, even Quatre, who passed off his distress from the pain of the wound.

"It's just be a while more, love," Heero rasped, his stormy blue eyes betraying the concern he felt for his mate. Duo's blood loss, coupled with his advanced pregnancy made travelling a problem, and he didn't want to expose his mate to torrential rain by travelling in it. His only hope was to rest in that makeshift lean to until it eased a little and he could construct a litter to carry Duo home.

The Healer raised his hand, hovering over the long bloody wound on the pregnant Shifter's leg, the warm glow of Healing illuminating the dim darkened Forest Heero saw the ugly gash on his mate's leg close and disappeared.

An involuntary moan tore from Duo as a contraction crested and he buried his face deeper into Heero's shoulder, biting at the thick material of the coat Trowa had solicitously thrown of him, in a painful effort to stifle his scream. His body was preparing for his baby's arrival and it was moving along fast. It would be quite soon he knew but his dazed filled mind told him to keep his condition to himself. Do not worry Heero, Heero worries when Duo in pain, so, Heero must not know Duo's in pain. After all, his mate had enough worried about him enough for today.

Duo mind was too confused to work things out properly at the moment.

"Duo," Quatre asked, alarmed. "Did I hurt you?"

As the pain faded, the braided Healer managed a weak smile for a nearly frantic mate and a worried Healer. "I'm fine. It hurt a while ago, a little sore now," he explained, still trying to breathe shallowly, almost panting.

"We will stay here until you get stronger," Quatre leaned forward, taking a cloth and wiping the sweat of Duo's brow. "You are still weak, and this stupid rain isn't helping us to get you home. Just bear with it for a while until it stops?"

Duo managed a weak nod as he rested in his mate's comforting embrace.

The Shifters outside were on full alert. Solo's body had been disposed of in the manner of all Shifters. The Forest had absorbed it back into itself, but patrols were sent out to keep alert for signs of trouble as well as to find dry firewood to keep their tribe chief's injured mate warm.

Hours past but still the rain continued. Quatre studied the embracing couple with a frown of worry. Duo had been steadily getting paler and paler as the hours past and he appeared to be still in some discomfort. Blood loss can be an insidious thing, but it wouldn't have caused more pain. The braided Shifter was spooned tightly against Heero, shivering slightly, and occasionally whimpering.

Duo groaned deeply, the pained sound escaping despite his best effort to keep it in. He felt something preparing to emerge and an increased pressure in between his legs and causing the desire to push to be unbearable. The pains gave him no respite now, coming one on top of each other as he gripped Heero's shirt twisting it as the wave of agony peaked, his back arching with the pain.

"Duo?" Heero sounded alarmed. He should have known something was wrong with his mate; the tense body resting to him should have been an indication. He could kick himself for his ignorance. "What's wrong, love? Is it the baby?" He rested his hand against his mate's distended belly. Alarm turned to terror as he felt the muscles beneath his hand tightened for a long moment before relaxing. "By the Ancient, is it the baby? Are you in labour?"

At the word 'labour', Quatre whipped around, eyes wide with worry as the Shifters outside started murmuring with concern. This was hardly the ideal place for a birth and if Duo had begun labour, they needed to move him back to the village and soon. Quatre realised they would have some time, since this was Duo's first baby and they usually took their time.

"It… it's… coming," Duo panted raggedly.

"Quatre, the baby's coming," Heero called out, panicked.

"NOW!" Duo screamed, gasping through the pain that continued to assail him in vicious waves.

"Now?" Heero echoed, strangled. "What do you mean by now? You can't be having it now!"

Quatre was at Duo's side in an instant, easing the labouring Shifter's legs up and apart, the colour draining from his already pale face as he saw a dark haired lump in between Duo's spread thighs. "By the Ancient, the baby's is crowning! How long have you been in labour Duo?"

"All… day… I… think…" Duo punctuated each word with a moan of pain, clutching at a pale faced, panicking mate.

"Why the hell didn't you say something?" Heero scolded harshly, brushing sweat slicked hair from his love's forehead.

"I… I…" Duo tried to speak but broke off with a strangled scream as his back arched from the vicious pain gripping his belly.

"Enough," Quatre ordered, taking over the situation. He shifted Duo into a more comfortable position against Heero with a soft order of, "Don't push, Duo, don't do anything yet," before getting up and ordering the hovering Shifters to get more dry firewood. In Duo's weakened condition, they needed to keep him and the baby warm.

"Quatre, he's pushing!" Heero squawked in panic, holding onto Duo's shoulders. "Love, please, don't do anything yet, please love."

Duo paid no heed to Heero as his body asserted a stronger command and he strained, biting his lips until it bled.

"Duo," Quatre was back in an instant, positioning himself in between the pregnant Shifter's quaking legs. He hissed at blood that was spilling out. "All right, with the next pain, you push, can you do that for me?"

Duo nodded, reaching out to grip the blond's shoulder, speaking no longer an option. Another wave began and he pushed, focusing on the pressure in between his thighs as he felt himself being stretched impossible wide. His hold on the Healer's shoulder tightened as he felt something emerge from him.

"All right, Duo, stop, you can stop now, the head's out," Quatre encouraged, turning the tiny head and cleaning out its mouth.

"How's… baby? All right?" Duo panted painfully.

"Don't worry, he's perfect, absolutely perfect," Quatre assured.

Heero stared in horrified wonder at the small being now nestled in between his mate's pale thighs, as his pressed soft kisses against Duo's sweaty temple. "Oh, love, you are magnificent. Just a little more. Our son, love." A lump formed in this throat as he witness the most miraculous sight ever, his son being given birth by his strong and beautiful mate. He gasped as blood spilled out from between Duo's legs, pooling on the ground in horrifying amounts.

"Duo, we need to get the rest of this baby out, understand?" Quatre said, his aqua eyes darkened with worry at the ashen face Duo. There was blood all over the blond's hand as the bleeding had increased with each effort Duo put in to bring the child forth. It was worsening his condition that had already been weakened from the earlier injury. He wanted the baby born as quickly as possible for him to Heal his friend.

"Not… an… imbecile," Duo grouched through gritted teeth and surrendered himself to another painful contraction. He strained, feeling the baby slip out partially and Quatre cheering him, while Heero murmured encouragements softly in his ear.

"Once more, Duo and that's it."

Not bothering with words, the violet eyed Healer nodded and pushed with all his strength, and the baby slipped out hotly in a rush of birth fluids into the blond's hands.

Exhausted, Duo fell against Heero's shoulder, panting as he felt his eyes flutter close. It was hard getting his head straight, as it was fuzzy with exhaustion and he heard his son wailing from far, far away. A tired smile shaped his lips, his son was fine and he felt himself slipping slowly from awareness.

The moment the afterbirth was delivered, he felt Quatre's power Healing him but something was wrong, he was getting so tired. He had already lost too much blood as it is. Then, a warmly wrapped baby was gently placed in his arms, but already weak, nearly dropped the bundle and Heero's shaking arms came around his, helping him hold their son. He caught a glimpse of sleepy dark blue eyes before darkness swallowed him.

"Look, Duo," Heero whispered in awe at the tiny creature nestled in his love's loving embrace, and his protective ones. "Our son." The figure trapped in his arms lay still, slump against his chest. "Duo?" Came a panicked cry, as Heero nudged him with a shoulder, trying to get a reaction from his mate. "Duo!"

"DUO! NO!"

And the rain continued to pour.

tbc….

Tsu: Orphans for adoption! Orphans for adoption!

Heero: Hey, Tsu, Duo's dead, not me!

Tsu: Details, details.

Duo: What! Another deathfic? What is it with you and deathfics?

Tsu: Shut up, you're dead.

Duo: Heero….

Heero: Shut up, you're dead.

Guys, sorry, and as Annie says, Ack, this is the third or fourth cliffie in a row… I really didn't notice that…. But hey…. evil laugh