And finally, here we stand, once more on the brink my friends, the final
chapter in the tale that we all know as Stranger.
It has been both a trial and a great deal of fun! And you guys have pushed me all the way! Particularly Ben! I would like to offer this final chapter as a much belated present to my dear Reviewer Natea! Who I am delighted to announce I will be writing a story with as soon as we both have the time.... On that I will keep you posted.
Well, I owe you all a final thank you for talking the time to review as you have, it is an amazing encouragement to an author to know what you all think, so this stories is as much yours as it is mine, for though I had the ideas, without you all I would not have had the inspiration to go on.
And so, now, I give you Stranger Chapter 12! The Epilogue. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rain, rain, Rain..... rainrainrainrainrain. it was all it ever did here he could see why this stupid town was so small, all it ever did was rain, why would anyone want to stay in a town where the only weather they would ever have was rain. Why had Quatre wanted to go to the earth?
It was lonely in this town. Sure Quatre, Trowa and Wu-Fei were there, but they did nothing to combat the loneliness in the heart.
Heero.
How he missed Heero. Slowly his mind slipped back to the day he had last seen the Japanese man.
As they were running, well, walking as fast as they could away from the hospital he, Duo, had demanded that they stop to see if Heero was following them as he had said he would, and he had no doubts that Heero would follow, he would not break a promise that he had made, Duo was sure of it.
The doubts how ever began to arise but a few minutes later, as the dark mass that he knew was the hospital exploded, along with about six houses on either side, in a mass of smoke and flame.
Slowly the memory faded again, giving way to the surroundings of a sparsely furnished living room.
Duo grimaced and allowed his forehead to thump against the glass of the window he stood by. That vision caused him pain even now, a week and one day since they had fled L4.
The others had all lost hope. He knew that. He heard Quatre crying in Trowas arms every night, crying because he, Trowa and Wu-Fei all believed Heero dead, and crying for the pain that he knew Duo was going through.
Wu-Fei had been quietly supportive, which was more help than Quatres random hugs or tear-filled proclamations of Heeros love, things such as
"He loved you Duo, never ever believe he didn't." or "Don't worry Duo, Love never dies!"
Trowa always took Quatre from the room when he had moments like these, that Duo also appreciated.
He loved Quatre, Quatre had always been his friend, but, well, it was the sympathy he couldn't stand, especially when he was trying his hardest to believe that Heero was still alive.
Heero had promised, Heero wouldn't lie.
With a sigh Duo dragged himself off the window sill and mooched up the stairs. It was dawn, and he needed some sleep, He had stayed up till dawn every night in the hope that Heero would turn up, but once again a whole night of waiting had led to nothing.
The signal that he could go to bed was Wu-Fei stirring in the room above him. Duo didn't want Heero to come to the door and find it locked and un- opening.
As soon as his head hit the pillow, Duo was asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Duo awoke, something felt different. It took him a while to realise what it was, but when he did, it hit him in the stomach like a tonne of bricks.
There was a hand on his face, and the hand felt achingly familiar.
Slowly opening one violet eye, Duo drew in a deep breath, sat up and opened the other.
There, sitting on a chair next to his bed was the man he had spent the last week waiting for.
"Heero...."
Heero smiled, leant foreword and pressed his lips to Duos forehead.
"Yes Duo." He said, pulling back and joining hands with his braided lover their fingers interlacing perfectly. "Its me. I'm sorry I'm so late."
Duo smiled and lifted Heero's hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
"Its ok Heero, I'm just so happy you are back."
Heero smiled and leant foreword again, this time lifting Duo from the bed and into his lap. Duo grinned and looped his arms round Heeros neck. "The others lost hope you know Heero."
Heero nodded, and then smiled a little sheepishly. "Yeah, so I gathered. Quatre, believe it or not, went ballistic." Hero laughed lightly. "I don't think I've ever been so told off in my life."
Duo smiled and buried his face in Heeros shoulder. "You scared the hell out of us all Heero, you really did. Ever since that hospital exploded...."
"Don't worry Duo. That was all meant to happen. I found the device that Ex was going to use to set the explosion off I when I ducked behind the monitor panel. It was a small detonator that he had wired a power cut out switch into, quite smart really.... it looks like Ex was as good as his word as far as blowing up his buildings went. That WAS all part of the plan Duo. Honest. I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you about it."
Duo nodded, then, face concerned asked, you weren't hurt were you Heero?"
I wasn't caught in the blast Duo, if that's what you mean. But...." Heero looked a little uncomfortable. "I had to deal with my shoulder and leg, and one of his cronies got in a shot that clipped my hand, that's part of the reason getting here took me so long. That and the fact I had to find you."
Duo at once looked worried and his hands ghosted over Heeros shoulder, feeling the padding under the bandage. "You fought him didn't you? You went through with that crazy deal." He said with a mixture of anger and despair in his voice.
Heero lifted his hands away and clasped them in his own.
"Yes Duo, I did. It was the only way, but I lived through it didn't I? I'm back now, lets not worry. Ex Kyada will never bother anyone again, least of all you."
Heero proceeded to tell Duo exactly what had happened from the very beginning, the tale he had never gotten to complete at the hospital, he also told Duo what had happened after he and the others had left.
"You see Duo," Heero finished. "He underestimated his opponent. It takes a lot to kill a Gundam pilot even though he had had some training he didn't take into account that I had so much to live for, he didn't take into account that sometimes there is more to people than meets the eye. I didn't live through the wars to be destroyed by a psycho who nearly killed the most amazing person I have ever met."
Duo nuzzled his head under Heeros chin, his face slightly flushed from the compliment. "You shouldn't have had to do that, Heero." He mumbled quietly. "And in the dark too...."
Heero smiled. "Its okay, I had you as my light Duo, I made a promise, a promise that I would live and come and find you. I wouldn't have broken it. I love you too much."
Duo smiled again, and pulled Heeros face down and kissed him. it was soft and lingering, they were both so relieved to have the each other back.
Duo broke the kiss and looked out of the window, and his face broke into a huge smile.
Heero nuzzled his cheek slightly with his nose and kissed it gently.
"What are you smiling for love?"
Duo beamed at Heero. "I'm smiling because everything is perfect. Look."
Heero looked out the window.
"Its sunny Duo."
"Yes, its sunny, for the first time since we got here its sunny."
Duo smiled. Heero had brought the sunshine back to his life.
)*(_*_+_*_(=_~_*_~_=)-*+(* Owari *)+*_(=_~_*_~_=)_*_+_*_)*(
Again I thank you. For without you this story would not have happened.
My next mission.
Stranger, the novel. For you have inspired me to try.
It has been both a trial and a great deal of fun! And you guys have pushed me all the way! Particularly Ben! I would like to offer this final chapter as a much belated present to my dear Reviewer Natea! Who I am delighted to announce I will be writing a story with as soon as we both have the time.... On that I will keep you posted.
Well, I owe you all a final thank you for talking the time to review as you have, it is an amazing encouragement to an author to know what you all think, so this stories is as much yours as it is mine, for though I had the ideas, without you all I would not have had the inspiration to go on.
And so, now, I give you Stranger Chapter 12! The Epilogue. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rain, rain, Rain..... rainrainrainrainrain. it was all it ever did here he could see why this stupid town was so small, all it ever did was rain, why would anyone want to stay in a town where the only weather they would ever have was rain. Why had Quatre wanted to go to the earth?
It was lonely in this town. Sure Quatre, Trowa and Wu-Fei were there, but they did nothing to combat the loneliness in the heart.
Heero.
How he missed Heero. Slowly his mind slipped back to the day he had last seen the Japanese man.
As they were running, well, walking as fast as they could away from the hospital he, Duo, had demanded that they stop to see if Heero was following them as he had said he would, and he had no doubts that Heero would follow, he would not break a promise that he had made, Duo was sure of it.
The doubts how ever began to arise but a few minutes later, as the dark mass that he knew was the hospital exploded, along with about six houses on either side, in a mass of smoke and flame.
Slowly the memory faded again, giving way to the surroundings of a sparsely furnished living room.
Duo grimaced and allowed his forehead to thump against the glass of the window he stood by. That vision caused him pain even now, a week and one day since they had fled L4.
The others had all lost hope. He knew that. He heard Quatre crying in Trowas arms every night, crying because he, Trowa and Wu-Fei all believed Heero dead, and crying for the pain that he knew Duo was going through.
Wu-Fei had been quietly supportive, which was more help than Quatres random hugs or tear-filled proclamations of Heeros love, things such as
"He loved you Duo, never ever believe he didn't." or "Don't worry Duo, Love never dies!"
Trowa always took Quatre from the room when he had moments like these, that Duo also appreciated.
He loved Quatre, Quatre had always been his friend, but, well, it was the sympathy he couldn't stand, especially when he was trying his hardest to believe that Heero was still alive.
Heero had promised, Heero wouldn't lie.
With a sigh Duo dragged himself off the window sill and mooched up the stairs. It was dawn, and he needed some sleep, He had stayed up till dawn every night in the hope that Heero would turn up, but once again a whole night of waiting had led to nothing.
The signal that he could go to bed was Wu-Fei stirring in the room above him. Duo didn't want Heero to come to the door and find it locked and un- opening.
As soon as his head hit the pillow, Duo was asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Duo awoke, something felt different. It took him a while to realise what it was, but when he did, it hit him in the stomach like a tonne of bricks.
There was a hand on his face, and the hand felt achingly familiar.
Slowly opening one violet eye, Duo drew in a deep breath, sat up and opened the other.
There, sitting on a chair next to his bed was the man he had spent the last week waiting for.
"Heero...."
Heero smiled, leant foreword and pressed his lips to Duos forehead.
"Yes Duo." He said, pulling back and joining hands with his braided lover their fingers interlacing perfectly. "Its me. I'm sorry I'm so late."
Duo smiled and lifted Heero's hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
"Its ok Heero, I'm just so happy you are back."
Heero smiled and leant foreword again, this time lifting Duo from the bed and into his lap. Duo grinned and looped his arms round Heeros neck. "The others lost hope you know Heero."
Heero nodded, and then smiled a little sheepishly. "Yeah, so I gathered. Quatre, believe it or not, went ballistic." Hero laughed lightly. "I don't think I've ever been so told off in my life."
Duo smiled and buried his face in Heeros shoulder. "You scared the hell out of us all Heero, you really did. Ever since that hospital exploded...."
"Don't worry Duo. That was all meant to happen. I found the device that Ex was going to use to set the explosion off I when I ducked behind the monitor panel. It was a small detonator that he had wired a power cut out switch into, quite smart really.... it looks like Ex was as good as his word as far as blowing up his buildings went. That WAS all part of the plan Duo. Honest. I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you about it."
Duo nodded, then, face concerned asked, you weren't hurt were you Heero?"
I wasn't caught in the blast Duo, if that's what you mean. But...." Heero looked a little uncomfortable. "I had to deal with my shoulder and leg, and one of his cronies got in a shot that clipped my hand, that's part of the reason getting here took me so long. That and the fact I had to find you."
Duo at once looked worried and his hands ghosted over Heeros shoulder, feeling the padding under the bandage. "You fought him didn't you? You went through with that crazy deal." He said with a mixture of anger and despair in his voice.
Heero lifted his hands away and clasped them in his own.
"Yes Duo, I did. It was the only way, but I lived through it didn't I? I'm back now, lets not worry. Ex Kyada will never bother anyone again, least of all you."
Heero proceeded to tell Duo exactly what had happened from the very beginning, the tale he had never gotten to complete at the hospital, he also told Duo what had happened after he and the others had left.
"You see Duo," Heero finished. "He underestimated his opponent. It takes a lot to kill a Gundam pilot even though he had had some training he didn't take into account that I had so much to live for, he didn't take into account that sometimes there is more to people than meets the eye. I didn't live through the wars to be destroyed by a psycho who nearly killed the most amazing person I have ever met."
Duo nuzzled his head under Heeros chin, his face slightly flushed from the compliment. "You shouldn't have had to do that, Heero." He mumbled quietly. "And in the dark too...."
Heero smiled. "Its okay, I had you as my light Duo, I made a promise, a promise that I would live and come and find you. I wouldn't have broken it. I love you too much."
Duo smiled again, and pulled Heeros face down and kissed him. it was soft and lingering, they were both so relieved to have the each other back.
Duo broke the kiss and looked out of the window, and his face broke into a huge smile.
Heero nuzzled his cheek slightly with his nose and kissed it gently.
"What are you smiling for love?"
Duo beamed at Heero. "I'm smiling because everything is perfect. Look."
Heero looked out the window.
"Its sunny Duo."
"Yes, its sunny, for the first time since we got here its sunny."
Duo smiled. Heero had brought the sunshine back to his life.
)*(_*_+_*_(=_~_*_~_=)-*+(* Owari *)+*_(=_~_*_~_=)_*_+_*_)*(
Again I thank you. For without you this story would not have happened.
My next mission.
Stranger, the novel. For you have inspired me to try.