4. Cry of the Frightened


Landing was never so terrifying. Being unable to see and the feeling of falling woke me. I
could hear things breaking. Trees and limbs? I didn't know and then... we stilled. Heero
hugged me tight and kissed my forehead. Spandex Boy's lips felt hot against my forehead.

"It's alright... we've landed," he said.

I felt a scream choke in my throat as Heero unwrapped me from himself in the seat of
Wing. The scream was quickly silenced and I hardened my jaw in the firm determination
of Shinigami. I wouldn't scare anyone.

Heero knew it was bad, but he hadn't had time to know how bad. All I could see was
darkness around me. I could feel the wet of blood pooling down my face and reached out
to touch it. Heero caught the movement and stopped my hand.

"This is Oak, calling Apple, Sycamore and Pine," Heero bit into the phone. I heard
"Apple" pipe up and was reassured by his voice.

"This is Apple reading, over."

"Willow has sustained injury. Extent unknown. Requesting cover to the safe-house,"
Heero said slowly. The words seemed husky somehow, as if he fought to say what he
didn't want to say.

"Done, Oak. Cover from Sycamore. Apple out," Quatre said worridly back and I watched
as the communications channel closed.

"Duo... can you walk?" the darker boy asked slowly. He eased me from the cockpit and
got me settled on the forest floor. I think it was a forest floor... the pine-needles felt like
velvet under my fingers.

"No..." I gasped. "Heero... my eyes..."

"I know," Heero responded as he picked me up and slung me over his shoulders. I could
feel him beneath me. I bit my hand so I wouldn't scream. That silky warmth that was
constantly there and I clung to it. I couldn't see, but I could feel.

I must have drifted off because when I came too, someone was cleaning my eyes. I could
feel bathroom tile beneath me and heard Wufei's worried humming. Wufei hums when he's
really worried. It really depends on the extent and it's always after the battle's over.
Sometimes he hums when he's fixing things too. Beats me.

Someone had bound my ankle and my ribs. I thought it was Wufei until I felt the tightness
and recognized Heero's trademark perfection. His hands touched my side and stroked
naked skin to let me know he was there. Thankfully, someone had graced me with a pair
of familar spandex shorts and a loose tank-top. Hmph. Lack of fashion sense equals
Perfect Soldier.

I moved to get up.

"No, Maxwell. Hold still," he said and I could feel him mopping blood from around my
eyes.

"Are they intact?" Trowa asked. I could hear Quatre crying in the background, his tears
muffled slightly as he probably moved into Trowa's shirt.

"Yes," Wufei mumbled. "However, it looks like the chemical has burned out the retina
itself, I can barely see the color over the cuts. Duo, what did they use?"

"Chemical OC-5," I said hesitatingly.

"On it," I heard Heero mutter and then footsteps left the room in a patter of desperation.
Heero was worried?

Wufei had finished cleaning the blood and then slowly whispered, "Trowa? I'm gunna need
you to hold him down."

Hold me down? What for?

That was when I screamed. My body bucked as Wufei forced water into my damaged
eyes, forcing them open and I yelled for all I was worth. I bucked and fought him. Feeling
Quatre move to help keep me down. Then, it was over and I was still screaming until my
hoarse voice forced me to sobs.

"It's okay Duo... it's alright," Quatre whispered with a hug as he squeezed my shoulder.

"Can't see you Quatre... are you crying?" I asked, concern moving to my face.

"Yes Duo," Quatre said back unashamed. I started to say something. That was when I
heard the patterned sound of light footsteps in the hallway. Heero always walks with a
perfect pattern. Perfect soldier, perfect walk. I could barely make them out and that was
what pained me so. It was Heero. He had the news.

"Chemical CO-5. It's a blinding chemical that causes great pain to the victim before they
finally succomb to permanent blindness. The chemical is used by Oz under the notion that
if the person has no sight, he is weakened and more likely to speak under interrogation. It
also works in torture, needing no blindfold, and the torturee constantly unable to see the
blow," Heero intoned.

"How long?" I whispered. There was silence. The kind of silence when someone won't tell
you something because they know it will hurt you. I was panicking. It was worse than
panic. It was desperation. "I think I heard you wrong Heero. You forgot to mention when
it wears off," I whispered again.

"Duo," Heero said and I felt him hold my head in his hands as he kissed the side of my
face. "I'm sorry."

"No," I whispered, pushing him away. "It's not true. How long?"

"Forever Duo," Heero whispered as easy as he could.

I felt like smacking him or something. So I did. I fought and hit out at anything. I cried
and sobbed and screamed and hissed. Finally, I stopped and just sobbed. "I can't see. I
can't see," I chanted. I felt four hands on my body and voices deliberately making sounds
to let me know where they were and slowly I began to calm down. Of course, calm is
relative.

"Get away from me all of you," I said harshly pushing those hands away. I could feel tears
stroking down my face and knew they were mixed with blood as they ran into my mouth
and I could taste the salty, mineral of blood. Quatre sniffled again.

"Get the hell out Winner!" I hissed.

"Duo-" Quatre started and I quickly located him by the sound of his voice.

I clinched it for them when I hit Q-ball full in the face- hard. I heard Trowa move before
the blow hit and and suddenly felt my head crack against the bathtub. Man. That was
gunna leave one heck of a bump. However, adrenalin was pumping.

"Get out you fucker! I won't hear you crying! You don't think I noticed that I'm hurt? You
think I WANT people to feel sorry for me?" I screamed at him, not sure if it was 'him' I
was looking out. "This could be the end for me and I have no where to go!"

Then I felt warm arms envelope me and I fought. They were Heero's arms. They smelled
like danger and Ivory Soap. He didn't even make a sound as my fist connected with his
stomach and eventually I quieted. My voice turned down to hitching sobs and I felt hands
in my hair. Did he think I missed that kiss earlier?

Heero undid my braid and began to comb my hair... it was relaxing. I even stopped
sobbing. Eventually, the tears stopped running down my face as well. Then, I promptly fell
asleep dreaming of unruly brown hair and cobalt eyes you could fall into. Those things that
I could never see again.