Most Popular Boy

The trip to the hospital was a blur for Duo. He was vaguely aware that his friends were with him. All he knew now was that Grandpa Maxwell was in trouble and so was Great Aunt Helen. His legs were trembling as his friends led him through the emergency room doors and to the receptionist.

The lady behind the counter looked up at the five boys in front of her and smiled up at them. "May I help you?"

Duo was looking frantic, "Where is he?! What did you do to Grandpa?!"

Heero grabbed Duo from behind, keeping him from jumping on the poor little nurse's assistant. She looked a little taken aback by his behavior, but had only moved to back away from him.

Seeing as Trowa and Quatre were working on calming Duo down, Wufei decided to be civil to this unknown woman. "We got a call about ten minutes ago that our friend's grandfather," he motioned to a hysterical Duo, "was brought in tonight."

"Name please?"

"Maxwell."

"Oh yes, Mr. Maxwell is in room 309 and the person he was brought in with is in the same room, but only immediate family is allowed to go in."

Wufei nodded and told the other boys where Grandpa and Helen were. Upon hearing where his family was, Duo escaped his friends' clutches and bounded off to find the room in question, leaving his friends behind in the lobby.

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"Grandpa?" Duo cautiously walked into the sterile-looking room. The air smelled funny and there were various bleeps coming from different machines in the room. On bed A he spotted Grandpa and went over to his side. He was looking at the supine form of the figure next to him, and it wasn't until Duo got a closer look that he saw it was Helen. "What happened, Grandpa?" he whispered.

Grandpa turned his attention from Helen and looked at his grandson's bright eyes. "I'm sorry Duo. I'm an old man and my vision isn't what it used to be," he gave a shuttering cough, "I'm not going to last much longer Duo-"

"NO! Don't say that! You'll make it, and so will Auntie."

"Duo, listen to me. I don't have much time," by now Duo had uncontrolled tears marking trails down his face and was about a hair's breath from going hysterical again, "I want you to know that I love you, Duo. I know we're not blood related, but to me you were always like a son. I'm glad I got to see you grow up, and I'm glad I saw your graduation-" the coughing had started once again, and Duo could do little more than hold the old man's hand.

"Listen, Duo. This is important…(wheeze) I signed some papers…(hack)… you are not yet 18 so you would go back to the orphanage if something happens to me…(wheeze, wheeze)… I… I know about you and Heero, son."

That gave Duo pause. Grandpa knew? "W-what?"

Grandpa smiled and touched Duo's face lightly, "I want you to be happy. I'm leaving anything I have to you, but you…(hack, hack)… I told them that I wanted Mr. Lowe to have custody of you… He agreed… they called him after they called you, I think…"

Duo was starting to go into shock. The one person he had known as family was dying yet he had made sure that Duo would stay with Heero?

"They don't know about me, Grandpa."

"You'll have to tell them, son…. They won't think any less of you….. Just remember to always be open and loving…. And Duo?" Grandpa was really running out of breath by now.

"Yeah?"

"Never stop smiling…"

Just then, the room was assaulted by a multitude of loud, incessant "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPs" and several nurses and doctors rushed in, kicking Duo out of the room.

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Okay, yes I know. Short chapter, bad Jess. I get it. If it's any consolation, there's only two more to go. And now, a vote:

To Lemon, or not to Lemon? That is the question. If the vote is yes, the lemon won't be until the last chapter to give all of you a chance to vote.