Chapter Two
-What Haunts Me Most-
Quatre awoke to the sound of his sisters voice calling. He murmured a bit and rolled over. For some reason he was totally whipped out.
But he was in bed and that was all that mattered to him. He also noticed that he felt very small....true compared to the others he was the
smallest but even at that, something didn't feel quit right.
"Quatre Rababa Winner, I am not going to call you down here again!" It soon hit him that this was not his sister's voice, though it sounded
extremely similar. Now, with great wonder, he tossed the sheets aside and made his way downstairs to see what was going on. He walked
down the stairs of his mansion, the one he grew up in as a boy, noticing the railing had been made taller in his absence. Not bothering to
wonder why, he continued till he reached the dinning room. Much to his amazement all of his sisters sat at the breakfast table all waiting for his late
arrival. At the far end of the table sat his father, reading the paper and sipping at his tea. By the doorway, a chair faced away from him and next
to it, his seat, he assumed. Bowing in apology, he went to go sit down, when he was taken aback by who rose from the seat turned from him.
"Quatre, you may be the only boy and you may be the youngest, but don't you dare think for a second that that is going to be any excuse for
you being late to breakfast." There yelling at him, scorning him, giving him that same fed up look he always made when Duo and Heero fought,
was his mother.... Catherine Winner. It couldn't be.... she had died...or so they told him. Tears began to swell up in his eyes as he ran into her
arms weeping.
"I'm.... I'm sorry! I'll never be late again if it means you'll be here every morning to greet me." She smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around him.
"My darling, I am always here for you, you know that...now take your seat so we can eat this meal, hm?" Rubbing the tears from his eyes and stroking
her hand through his golden locks, she took her seat and began to sip her own tea the servants brought her. He took his seat next to Nina, the oldest
of the sisters and smiled as she handed him a platter of toast. This is what he always wanted....his family together. No fights, no wars, no death. Just
all of the Winners together having a calm relaxing breakfast. Life was perfect here.
It was part way through this joyous occasion that he began to here people murmuring. Looking up from his meal he began to look around to see
which of his many sisters was trying to talk. But all of them sat there, eating, not saying a word. Looking back down at his breakfast, he began to eat
again, until once more the voices started. Strangely enough, he seemed to be the only one that was hearing it. Suddenly time froze, everyone stuck in
position, nothing moving. Except for one person Quatre noticed all to well.... himself.
The figure began to laugh as he replaced his tea cup. He was dressed from head to toe in black, tight fitting clothes, not normal attire at all for the dessert child.
Slowly, the boy rose and made his way over to him, smiling.
"Poor little Quatre, " his voice was that of the one that spoke in mummers before, "always left in the dark, and never told anything. Don't you hate that? To have
you entire family treat you like a child.... although, how can blame them when you look like that,hm?" Finally it struck Quatre that he was no longer in his
16-year-old body, but that of a seven year old.
"What's going on here? What are you talking about?"
"It doesn't surprise me you don't know. This has been a hush hush secret in the family a long time, not to mention what you already know..."
"You're not making any sense. I'm happy here.... this is my family, they would never lie to me..."
The figure stared at him for a moment, blinked, then continued like nothing was said.
".... but more importantly, what you don't know. Let's start with what you do know first.... for example your father and sister...." He snapped his
fingers and they disappeared in a flash. "Dead.... your other sisters...constantly fighting over who has to watch you now, who's going to inherit you fathers
money, because they think you'll die fighting this war and leave everything to them.... but that starts a chain reaction...and soon, they aren't so nice to each
other anymore." With another snap of his fingers, the girls began to vanish, one by one. "You see, they just start taking each other out, until only one is left
to get it all...but who knows what the others had planned for her." With a final snap, his sister whom was sitting next to him, faded out.
Tears had began to stream down Quatre's face," Who are you?! Why are you telling me this?"
"I'm the you that always wanted answers...and now I have them. The real question young Quatre, is do you want them?"
The older version of himself smiled evilly and moved next to their mother's side. He kneeled beside her frozen form and gently stroked a hand across her face.
She was smiling and was happy and he didn't want what ever that thing was making her sad.
"They lied to was Quat," the figure spoke, a tear in his eye, "all this time we always thought that mother was sick, that she died because of a stupid illness."
"She did..." It became hard for him to keep his voice steady.
"No..... she died because of you...your being born killed her...." Bringing his hand down he snapped his fingers making his mother's image vanish.
"Your a liar....." The pit of his stomach had fallen out...it wasn't true, was it? Doubt began to fill the boys head.
"You don't remember because it happened after you were born, maybe hours minutes, who knows. And it's all because of that man!" The figure pointed
down the table at Quatre's father, the only one left beside himself. "He never wanted to hurt you, he thought it would be for your own good. He changed the date on her grave, the records, everything. All so you would never find out that her love to have her own children...."
"Stop it....."
"...instead of having them born from tubes in labs...."
"SHUT UP!"
"...caused her to DIE!"
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
The figure flew across the table laying on it, right in his face and smiled. "What's the matter?.....The truth hurt to much?.....Wake up! That guy has lied to you
and misguided you your whole life. He doesn't care about you, the only person that obviously did gave their life so that you could have yours! But you took care
of that bastard, didn't you?" Rolling on his back, he clapped his hands and his father faded away.
"So now you have no one.... nothing. No family, no friends..."
"I have friends, they fight beside me..."
"Those boys...Quatre, do honestly think that if this war ends, they're going to send Christmas cards and birthday invitations? They fight beside you to stay alive
themselves....they're using you.....poor thing. You've been so mislead...Good thing I came along and straightened you out,hm?"
"Go away...." Tears streaked down his face as he turned his head to look away.
"But if I leave you'll have no one...."
"From what you've said...I've been alone a long time..."
"Exactly! Well looks like my job is done.....isn't it nice to know the truth?" Laughing, the figure of his older self vanished leaving him in the dark room alone.
It was warm in the room when Quatre came to. Or maybe that was just him. Blinking a few times to focus his eyes, he looked around to see where he was. It was
still raining and they were in some old building. Glancing to his left, he saw Trowa leaning against the wall, sleeping.
"Trowa?" he whispered. For all he knew they had been captured, and were awaiting a trail of some sort. Slowly, Trowa opened his eyes.
"Quatre...take it slow. How are you feeling?" He placed a strong hand on his pale friends head. "You have a fever...."
"I can't feel my arm...I don't feel good...." He turned his head away.
"Are you sure that's all...Did you have a bad dream?"
At first, Quatre thought the dream over and over again in his head trying to make sense of it. He then turned back to look at Trowa, ready to speak his mind.
"Do you care about me...Would you ever.... leave and not say good-bye?"
"Quatre.... why would you ask me that...What happened?"
"I was alone...this person.... told me that my family had been lying to me all this time about everything that had happened.... about my mother's death.... and you all
just leaving if....when the war ends...." Embarrassed, he took a deep breath and stared. And then something happened he didn't expect. Trowa leaned in and kissed
his brow softly. It was surprising without a doubt but comforting in a way.
"I could never leave you Quatre...I love you. The others wouldn't just abandon you either...you know that. Don't listen to some voice in your head, listen to me.
You need to sleep and get better, then we can get some answers if that's what you really want.....now. Do you need me to get you anything?" His smile was warm
and calming. But it always was just what he needed.....
"Thank you Trowa.....are you all right?" He had just noticed that the boy in front of him was quiet pale and looked worn out.
"Yeah.... I'll be fine. Just get some rest..." Kissing his head, he sat back against the wall and stared at Quatre. You were having nightmares too? He hadn't told
Quatre, but had had a nightmare of his own....
))'
-What Haunts Me Most-
Quatre awoke to the sound of his sisters voice calling. He murmured a bit and rolled over. For some reason he was totally whipped out.
But he was in bed and that was all that mattered to him. He also noticed that he felt very small....true compared to the others he was the
smallest but even at that, something didn't feel quit right.
"Quatre Rababa Winner, I am not going to call you down here again!" It soon hit him that this was not his sister's voice, though it sounded
extremely similar. Now, with great wonder, he tossed the sheets aside and made his way downstairs to see what was going on. He walked
down the stairs of his mansion, the one he grew up in as a boy, noticing the railing had been made taller in his absence. Not bothering to
wonder why, he continued till he reached the dinning room. Much to his amazement all of his sisters sat at the breakfast table all waiting for his late
arrival. At the far end of the table sat his father, reading the paper and sipping at his tea. By the doorway, a chair faced away from him and next
to it, his seat, he assumed. Bowing in apology, he went to go sit down, when he was taken aback by who rose from the seat turned from him.
"Quatre, you may be the only boy and you may be the youngest, but don't you dare think for a second that that is going to be any excuse for
you being late to breakfast." There yelling at him, scorning him, giving him that same fed up look he always made when Duo and Heero fought,
was his mother.... Catherine Winner. It couldn't be.... she had died...or so they told him. Tears began to swell up in his eyes as he ran into her
arms weeping.
"I'm.... I'm sorry! I'll never be late again if it means you'll be here every morning to greet me." She smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around him.
"My darling, I am always here for you, you know that...now take your seat so we can eat this meal, hm?" Rubbing the tears from his eyes and stroking
her hand through his golden locks, she took her seat and began to sip her own tea the servants brought her. He took his seat next to Nina, the oldest
of the sisters and smiled as she handed him a platter of toast. This is what he always wanted....his family together. No fights, no wars, no death. Just
all of the Winners together having a calm relaxing breakfast. Life was perfect here.
It was part way through this joyous occasion that he began to here people murmuring. Looking up from his meal he began to look around to see
which of his many sisters was trying to talk. But all of them sat there, eating, not saying a word. Looking back down at his breakfast, he began to eat
again, until once more the voices started. Strangely enough, he seemed to be the only one that was hearing it. Suddenly time froze, everyone stuck in
position, nothing moving. Except for one person Quatre noticed all to well.... himself.
The figure began to laugh as he replaced his tea cup. He was dressed from head to toe in black, tight fitting clothes, not normal attire at all for the dessert child.
Slowly, the boy rose and made his way over to him, smiling.
"Poor little Quatre, " his voice was that of the one that spoke in mummers before, "always left in the dark, and never told anything. Don't you hate that? To have
you entire family treat you like a child.... although, how can blame them when you look like that,hm?" Finally it struck Quatre that he was no longer in his
16-year-old body, but that of a seven year old.
"What's going on here? What are you talking about?"
"It doesn't surprise me you don't know. This has been a hush hush secret in the family a long time, not to mention what you already know..."
"You're not making any sense. I'm happy here.... this is my family, they would never lie to me..."
The figure stared at him for a moment, blinked, then continued like nothing was said.
".... but more importantly, what you don't know. Let's start with what you do know first.... for example your father and sister...." He snapped his
fingers and they disappeared in a flash. "Dead.... your other sisters...constantly fighting over who has to watch you now, who's going to inherit you fathers
money, because they think you'll die fighting this war and leave everything to them.... but that starts a chain reaction...and soon, they aren't so nice to each
other anymore." With another snap of his fingers, the girls began to vanish, one by one. "You see, they just start taking each other out, until only one is left
to get it all...but who knows what the others had planned for her." With a final snap, his sister whom was sitting next to him, faded out.
Tears had began to stream down Quatre's face," Who are you?! Why are you telling me this?"
"I'm the you that always wanted answers...and now I have them. The real question young Quatre, is do you want them?"
The older version of himself smiled evilly and moved next to their mother's side. He kneeled beside her frozen form and gently stroked a hand across her face.
She was smiling and was happy and he didn't want what ever that thing was making her sad.
"They lied to was Quat," the figure spoke, a tear in his eye, "all this time we always thought that mother was sick, that she died because of a stupid illness."
"She did..." It became hard for him to keep his voice steady.
"No..... she died because of you...your being born killed her...." Bringing his hand down he snapped his fingers making his mother's image vanish.
"Your a liar....." The pit of his stomach had fallen out...it wasn't true, was it? Doubt began to fill the boys head.
"You don't remember because it happened after you were born, maybe hours minutes, who knows. And it's all because of that man!" The figure pointed
down the table at Quatre's father, the only one left beside himself. "He never wanted to hurt you, he thought it would be for your own good. He changed the date on her grave, the records, everything. All so you would never find out that her love to have her own children...."
"Stop it....."
"...instead of having them born from tubes in labs...."
"SHUT UP!"
"...caused her to DIE!"
"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
The figure flew across the table laying on it, right in his face and smiled. "What's the matter?.....The truth hurt to much?.....Wake up! That guy has lied to you
and misguided you your whole life. He doesn't care about you, the only person that obviously did gave their life so that you could have yours! But you took care
of that bastard, didn't you?" Rolling on his back, he clapped his hands and his father faded away.
"So now you have no one.... nothing. No family, no friends..."
"I have friends, they fight beside me..."
"Those boys...Quatre, do honestly think that if this war ends, they're going to send Christmas cards and birthday invitations? They fight beside you to stay alive
themselves....they're using you.....poor thing. You've been so mislead...Good thing I came along and straightened you out,hm?"
"Go away...." Tears streaked down his face as he turned his head to look away.
"But if I leave you'll have no one...."
"From what you've said...I've been alone a long time..."
"Exactly! Well looks like my job is done.....isn't it nice to know the truth?" Laughing, the figure of his older self vanished leaving him in the dark room alone.
It was warm in the room when Quatre came to. Or maybe that was just him. Blinking a few times to focus his eyes, he looked around to see where he was. It was
still raining and they were in some old building. Glancing to his left, he saw Trowa leaning against the wall, sleeping.
"Trowa?" he whispered. For all he knew they had been captured, and were awaiting a trail of some sort. Slowly, Trowa opened his eyes.
"Quatre...take it slow. How are you feeling?" He placed a strong hand on his pale friends head. "You have a fever...."
"I can't feel my arm...I don't feel good...." He turned his head away.
"Are you sure that's all...Did you have a bad dream?"
At first, Quatre thought the dream over and over again in his head trying to make sense of it. He then turned back to look at Trowa, ready to speak his mind.
"Do you care about me...Would you ever.... leave and not say good-bye?"
"Quatre.... why would you ask me that...What happened?"
"I was alone...this person.... told me that my family had been lying to me all this time about everything that had happened.... about my mother's death.... and you all
just leaving if....when the war ends...." Embarrassed, he took a deep breath and stared. And then something happened he didn't expect. Trowa leaned in and kissed
his brow softly. It was surprising without a doubt but comforting in a way.
"I could never leave you Quatre...I love you. The others wouldn't just abandon you either...you know that. Don't listen to some voice in your head, listen to me.
You need to sleep and get better, then we can get some answers if that's what you really want.....now. Do you need me to get you anything?" His smile was warm
and calming. But it always was just what he needed.....
"Thank you Trowa.....are you all right?" He had just noticed that the boy in front of him was quiet pale and looked worn out.
"Yeah.... I'll be fine. Just get some rest..." Kissing his head, he sat back against the wall and stared at Quatre. You were having nightmares too? He hadn't told
Quatre, but had had a nightmare of his own....
))'