OUT OF TUNE
Chapter Twelve: Rising Suspicion, Rising Sun
Alright, before you all gang up on me, I have good excuse/reason for not updating for so long. However, due to its personal nature, I won't be posting the reason. Just know that there is one lol. Also, if you're a veteran and are reading this, thanks for sticking with me!!
Keeping my fingers crossed for reviews!!
Trowa felt like bashing his fist into someone's head. He thought he'd lost Dorothy to Quatre, then he almost lost her to frostbite, and now he was losing her to Earth, Quatre, and the Duke. And the last two were the two he'd like to bash his fists into the most. Something just wasn't right. Trowa wasn't a doctor but if her skin still had feeling, than wouldn't she be able to be treated here? If it still had feeling wasn't it possible that it wasn't as serious as they first thought? However, he had no time to ask these questions as Duke Dermail had now whisked the doctor away, the two talking animatedly about the financing of this excursion to Neo-Australia. That left Trowa alone with Dorothy again.
"Dorothy-" Trowa began uncertainly, but Dorothy was struggling with her sheets and the thermal packs that had been warming her skin. "Dorothy Catalonia, what in the-" Trowa began to yell but was cut off by Dorothy's index finger. Motioning for him to stay quiet, Dorothy leaned in.
"Trowa, the pain is hardly there anymore, how can they send me to Australia?" she whispered harshly. The gundam pilot was amazed to hear his lover repeat his thoughts almost perfectly. "I need to talk to Sally, she'll know what's really going on!"
Dorothy made to walk to the door but was stopped by Trowa's lean body in front of her.
"She isn't out there anymore."
"Please don't tell me you believe this bull that my Grandfather is feeding everyone! Isn't it obvious that he's got that doctor wrapped up in this scheme?" she demanded. Trowa shook his head, trying to sort his thoughts. In the meantime, he set his hands on Dorothy's shoulders and turned her back towards the bed as he began to sit down himself.
"Dorothy, I agree, of sorts. I don't think the doctor's in on this, he said before the Duke even got here that-"
"It's Quatre!" Dorothy interrupted. Trowa looked up, his eyes green fire.
"Quatre?" he asked, his tone cold. Dorothy nodded earnestly.
"Trowa, there's something I need to explain. Quatre doesn't just want me in a romantic way, he-"
"Well, I could tell by the way he was touching you that he wanted more than just a kiss, Dorothy," Trowa said.
"No, he's been promised by my grandfather that he can have me in marriage if he supports the Romefellar Foundation financially, and I think he's now agreed to become apart of Grandfather's little Romefellar gang," the blonde said, her gray eyes focused on her bed sheets. Trowa's mind, already filled by the day's events, was now running mad. However, he forced himself to stay calm and keep his voice steady as he spoke.
"And why didn't you tell me this before?" he asked, his voice breaking despite his best efforts. Dorothy looked up, looking ready to cry. And it was in that moment that Trowa flashed back to a time long before, a time in which the two had once sat discussing Quatre, a time in which the two barely knew each other, let alone themselves. In fact, there were two instances in which he'd discussed the same person with this same woman.
On the Libra, although the victor, Dorothy had stood before him as though she had lost a great battle. She had cried then for Quatre. And then, two years later, it was in their apartment, on their couch, eating breakfast. It seemed like eons ago. She'd cried then for Quatre as well. Trowa had let her cry for the man twice now, and he wasn't going to let it happen again.
"I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd tell him where I was," she said, her voice breaking with tears. Trowa's anger and cluttered thoughts vanished as he took Dorothy into his arms. Dorothy reveled in the fact that she was now firmly snuggled against Trowa, she felt protected again.
"It doesn't hurt at all anymore," she whispered into his shoulder. Trowa smiled and stroked her hair. "Trowa?"
"Hmm?" He pulled away slightly to look at her, all other thoughts completely forgotten. However, Dorothy had to bring back the memory that something needed to be done before the arrival of her shuttle.
"You need to talk to Sally, find out as much as you can about frostbite. Maybe even have me transferred to her hospital? Please, I don't want to go to Earth," she pleaded. Trowa didn't need to be told twice. He dropped his arms and grabbed his jacket.
"I will, and you'll be transferred long before that damn shuttle arrives too," he reassured her. Dorothy smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.
"I'll be waiting right here then," she said, laughing. Trowa returned her kiss and left the room, heading off towards the parking lot as fast as he could. Since he didn't look back in fear of a delay, he never saw the Duke enter Dorothy's room almost as soon as he'd left it.
"Dorothy, I'm afraid your shuttle will be arriving earlier than expected," Dermail said, his false concern only slightly hiding the malicious glint in his eyes that matched Dorothy's. The hopes that had been built up within her by Trowa's visit now seemed to fall to floor as doubt filled her mind. Her Grandfather sat down in the chair Trowa had occupied and he took her hand.
"You know why I'm doing this don't you?" he said, his voice a whisper. Dorothy looked up at him from her sheets, her stare empty do to her lack of hope. He took it as a sign to continue. "I want you to be happy, my dear. You'll be happy with Quatre."
Dorothy's temper flared. How dare he assume what would make her happy?! However, before she could voice her opinion, the doctor came back in and was beginning to pack the things that Dorothy would "need" for her trip. It was obvious that he was just packing them for show because he made no attempt to be delicate with the instruments that were going to "keep Dorothy's skin alive" as he handed them to the nurse.
However, the syringe labeled simply "Sleep" was definitely not for show. As she watched them drive the needle into her vein her only thought was a prayer that Trowa would have her transferred in time. Distantly, as though under water, she heard the doctor talking to the nurse. With her mind clouded and their voices muffled she could only make out one sentence before she blacked out.
"The shuttle will be here about the time the sun is due to rise today."
***
Trowa raced up the ramp of the underground parking lot of the hospital in the direction of the house shared by Wufei Chang and Sally Po. He knew that they'd probably be asleep by now, considering that it was sometime in the early hours of the day. Yet this was too important for common courtesy to really have much of an affect. For the first time in what seemed a very long time, although really it had only been a few hours, Trowa felt hopeful.
Sally Po was an extremely influential doctor now, and due to her higher up status in the Preventers her say would have more weight than the doctor that was either gravely mistaken or under the ruling hand of Duke Dermail. And as an added bonus of course, she was a good friend of the couple.
As the house came into view, Trowa slowed his speed and began to wonder how in the world he'd explain to Chang why he was asking for his girlfriend in the middle of the night. Turning off the car, he ran to the house door, passing the carefully trimmed lawn and garden. With one hand pounding on the white door and the other frantically pushing the doorbell button, Trowa was sure he'd be able to raise at least one of the two people sleeping within the house. This hope was reassured when he saw a light turn on in the window above him. Smiling, he stopped ringing and pounding and took a step back from the door.
As he did, he noticed that he was able to see his surroundings better than he could at the parking lot of the hospital. Turning to what had to be the east he saw the artificial light sources that served as their sunlight began to boot up and turn on. Knowing that morning was fast approaching, Trowa began to pace on the doorstep, his hope slowly transforming to impatience.
"Trowa? What's wrong?" Hilde's voice asked from the now open doorway. The pilot looked up.
"Hilde?" he questioned. The black haired woman nodded sleepily, hiding a yawn.
"We decided to stay with Wufei and Sally so we could see Dorothy off tomorrow. Trowa, what's wrong? Is Dorothy ok?" Hilde began to question again. Trowa shook his head hurriedly.
"I need to see Sally, I don't want to have to explain it all twice, there's not enough time," he said, his eyes on the lights began to turn on in the east.
Hilde nodded, and pulled away from the doorway to let him in. Trowa rushed past her and up the stairs, past a yawning and bedraggled Duo. Taking the steps three at a time, he reached the upper hallway to come face to face with a very tired looking Wufei Chang.
"What's the meaning of this, Barton?" the Chinese man demanded. Trowa pushed him away and beckoned to Sally, who stood not far behind her boyfriend.
"I have very little time to explain everything; Dorothy doesn't have to go to Neo-Australia, her skin is already healing. Sally, we need you to have her transferred to your hospital. This whole trip to Australia is just a last minute scheme of Quatre's to get Dorothy to go to Earth with him!" Trowa spat out as fast as he could. The group stood dumbfounded at the declaration. It was hard for them to soak in that Quatre was the bad guy in this situation.
Duo was the first to speak.
"How could Quatre set that all up so fast, Trowa? Don't you think it's a little silly blaming Quatre when-" he began, but Trowa cut him off.
"Quatre drove himself to the hospital, no one was with him during that drive. He probably called the doctor's ahead of time and-"
"So that's why the doctor's were already waiting for us when we got there," Sally said, her voice soft. She looked at Trowa, her eyes understanding the situation.
"I'll call my office right now," she said and headed down the stairs, past Duo and Hilde.
"So maybe Quatre called the doctors ahead of time so they knew we were coming, that doesn't mean he's paid them to send Dorothy to earth!" Duo tried again. This time it was Wufei who spoke.
"But he has the means Duo and the motive." Duo stood on the steps looking up Wufei, his mouth opening and closing silently. However, he still refused to believe it.
"So what?! We've got the means to destroy a colony, but do we?" he demanded. However, Hilde laid a hand on her fiancé's arm.
"But do you have the motive, Duo?" she asked, her blue eyes staring into his violet ones. They softened and looked away, his logic accepting the obvious. All the weird things that he'd noticed about Quatre were piecing themselves together inside his mind's eye and it all made sense.
"What can we do to help, Trowa my man?" he asked, his eyes smiling as he looked back up the stairs. Trowa was about to say that there wasn't much they could do when Sally came running to the foot of the stairs, her coat in hand.
"My office said they're working on having Dorothy transferred right now. But I have to get down to her hospital to get Dorothy's permission to transfer her," she said, her voice falling back into the tone she'd used during their time as soldiers.
"I'll go with you," Wufei said, pushing past Trowa, still in his pajamas. Trowa smiled down at the two gratefully.
"I will as well. Trowa? Okay if I ride in with you?" Duo asked. The man nodded and the two made their way down the stairs together.
"What about me?" Hilde demanded. Duo looked back at her and smiled reassuringly.
"You stay here and sleep, you need as much rest-" But he was cut off by a flying slipper, professionally aimed.
"I won't rest until Dorothy's back in a hospital we can trust," she declared and made her way out the doorway, pulling her jacket on as she went. Duo rubbed his head and shrugged, seeing no use in trying to stop his girlfriend.
Trowa watched as the lights in the east began to get brighter and his friends slowly piled into the two cars to save Dorothy. He suddenly felt as though he was rushing into a battle again.
"You better be waiting for me in that room, Dorothy Catalonia," he whispered, as he trotted to his car and started it.
***
"When does the Travel Restriction begin to take affect?" Duke Dermail asked of the blonde man sitting next to him in the waiting room. Quatre looked up, smiling triumphantly.
"Tomorrow, at 6 o'clock sharp, colony time. Dorothy and I'll in Neo-France by then," he answered. The Duke nodded his head approvingly.
"Good, good. Everything's going smoothly. But don't you dare go back on our deal now, boy," the Duke warned, his gray eyes icy. The Arabian's look was reassuring in its maliciousness as he smoothly pulled out the blood stained handkerchief that Dorothy had recognized only a few hours ago. The same kind of white handkerchief that Trowa had found on the android boy's arm the night that the New Faction tried to capture him. The same white handkerchief that marked each of its members as one of its own.
Hehehehe, well now; Dorothy's in danger of becoming Quatre's wife (wish *I* got into that sort of danger!), Trowa and the gang are off to save Dorothy, and Quatre's become the Duke's little bitch. Isn't this a big mess? Please stick with me people!!
Chapter 13 will be up along side of this one pretty soon; it is after all my cheating chapter in which I don't write anything to do with this chapter at all!! MWHA! I love you people, you know that right? Cya in Chapter 13!!
Chapter Twelve: Rising Suspicion, Rising Sun
Alright, before you all gang up on me, I have good excuse/reason for not updating for so long. However, due to its personal nature, I won't be posting the reason. Just know that there is one lol. Also, if you're a veteran and are reading this, thanks for sticking with me!!
Keeping my fingers crossed for reviews!!
Trowa felt like bashing his fist into someone's head. He thought he'd lost Dorothy to Quatre, then he almost lost her to frostbite, and now he was losing her to Earth, Quatre, and the Duke. And the last two were the two he'd like to bash his fists into the most. Something just wasn't right. Trowa wasn't a doctor but if her skin still had feeling, than wouldn't she be able to be treated here? If it still had feeling wasn't it possible that it wasn't as serious as they first thought? However, he had no time to ask these questions as Duke Dermail had now whisked the doctor away, the two talking animatedly about the financing of this excursion to Neo-Australia. That left Trowa alone with Dorothy again.
"Dorothy-" Trowa began uncertainly, but Dorothy was struggling with her sheets and the thermal packs that had been warming her skin. "Dorothy Catalonia, what in the-" Trowa began to yell but was cut off by Dorothy's index finger. Motioning for him to stay quiet, Dorothy leaned in.
"Trowa, the pain is hardly there anymore, how can they send me to Australia?" she whispered harshly. The gundam pilot was amazed to hear his lover repeat his thoughts almost perfectly. "I need to talk to Sally, she'll know what's really going on!"
Dorothy made to walk to the door but was stopped by Trowa's lean body in front of her.
"She isn't out there anymore."
"Please don't tell me you believe this bull that my Grandfather is feeding everyone! Isn't it obvious that he's got that doctor wrapped up in this scheme?" she demanded. Trowa shook his head, trying to sort his thoughts. In the meantime, he set his hands on Dorothy's shoulders and turned her back towards the bed as he began to sit down himself.
"Dorothy, I agree, of sorts. I don't think the doctor's in on this, he said before the Duke even got here that-"
"It's Quatre!" Dorothy interrupted. Trowa looked up, his eyes green fire.
"Quatre?" he asked, his tone cold. Dorothy nodded earnestly.
"Trowa, there's something I need to explain. Quatre doesn't just want me in a romantic way, he-"
"Well, I could tell by the way he was touching you that he wanted more than just a kiss, Dorothy," Trowa said.
"No, he's been promised by my grandfather that he can have me in marriage if he supports the Romefellar Foundation financially, and I think he's now agreed to become apart of Grandfather's little Romefellar gang," the blonde said, her gray eyes focused on her bed sheets. Trowa's mind, already filled by the day's events, was now running mad. However, he forced himself to stay calm and keep his voice steady as he spoke.
"And why didn't you tell me this before?" he asked, his voice breaking despite his best efforts. Dorothy looked up, looking ready to cry. And it was in that moment that Trowa flashed back to a time long before, a time in which the two had once sat discussing Quatre, a time in which the two barely knew each other, let alone themselves. In fact, there were two instances in which he'd discussed the same person with this same woman.
On the Libra, although the victor, Dorothy had stood before him as though she had lost a great battle. She had cried then for Quatre. And then, two years later, it was in their apartment, on their couch, eating breakfast. It seemed like eons ago. She'd cried then for Quatre as well. Trowa had let her cry for the man twice now, and he wasn't going to let it happen again.
"I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd tell him where I was," she said, her voice breaking with tears. Trowa's anger and cluttered thoughts vanished as he took Dorothy into his arms. Dorothy reveled in the fact that she was now firmly snuggled against Trowa, she felt protected again.
"It doesn't hurt at all anymore," she whispered into his shoulder. Trowa smiled and stroked her hair. "Trowa?"
"Hmm?" He pulled away slightly to look at her, all other thoughts completely forgotten. However, Dorothy had to bring back the memory that something needed to be done before the arrival of her shuttle.
"You need to talk to Sally, find out as much as you can about frostbite. Maybe even have me transferred to her hospital? Please, I don't want to go to Earth," she pleaded. Trowa didn't need to be told twice. He dropped his arms and grabbed his jacket.
"I will, and you'll be transferred long before that damn shuttle arrives too," he reassured her. Dorothy smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.
"I'll be waiting right here then," she said, laughing. Trowa returned her kiss and left the room, heading off towards the parking lot as fast as he could. Since he didn't look back in fear of a delay, he never saw the Duke enter Dorothy's room almost as soon as he'd left it.
"Dorothy, I'm afraid your shuttle will be arriving earlier than expected," Dermail said, his false concern only slightly hiding the malicious glint in his eyes that matched Dorothy's. The hopes that had been built up within her by Trowa's visit now seemed to fall to floor as doubt filled her mind. Her Grandfather sat down in the chair Trowa had occupied and he took her hand.
"You know why I'm doing this don't you?" he said, his voice a whisper. Dorothy looked up at him from her sheets, her stare empty do to her lack of hope. He took it as a sign to continue. "I want you to be happy, my dear. You'll be happy with Quatre."
Dorothy's temper flared. How dare he assume what would make her happy?! However, before she could voice her opinion, the doctor came back in and was beginning to pack the things that Dorothy would "need" for her trip. It was obvious that he was just packing them for show because he made no attempt to be delicate with the instruments that were going to "keep Dorothy's skin alive" as he handed them to the nurse.
However, the syringe labeled simply "Sleep" was definitely not for show. As she watched them drive the needle into her vein her only thought was a prayer that Trowa would have her transferred in time. Distantly, as though under water, she heard the doctor talking to the nurse. With her mind clouded and their voices muffled she could only make out one sentence before she blacked out.
"The shuttle will be here about the time the sun is due to rise today."
***
Trowa raced up the ramp of the underground parking lot of the hospital in the direction of the house shared by Wufei Chang and Sally Po. He knew that they'd probably be asleep by now, considering that it was sometime in the early hours of the day. Yet this was too important for common courtesy to really have much of an affect. For the first time in what seemed a very long time, although really it had only been a few hours, Trowa felt hopeful.
Sally Po was an extremely influential doctor now, and due to her higher up status in the Preventers her say would have more weight than the doctor that was either gravely mistaken or under the ruling hand of Duke Dermail. And as an added bonus of course, she was a good friend of the couple.
As the house came into view, Trowa slowed his speed and began to wonder how in the world he'd explain to Chang why he was asking for his girlfriend in the middle of the night. Turning off the car, he ran to the house door, passing the carefully trimmed lawn and garden. With one hand pounding on the white door and the other frantically pushing the doorbell button, Trowa was sure he'd be able to raise at least one of the two people sleeping within the house. This hope was reassured when he saw a light turn on in the window above him. Smiling, he stopped ringing and pounding and took a step back from the door.
As he did, he noticed that he was able to see his surroundings better than he could at the parking lot of the hospital. Turning to what had to be the east he saw the artificial light sources that served as their sunlight began to boot up and turn on. Knowing that morning was fast approaching, Trowa began to pace on the doorstep, his hope slowly transforming to impatience.
"Trowa? What's wrong?" Hilde's voice asked from the now open doorway. The pilot looked up.
"Hilde?" he questioned. The black haired woman nodded sleepily, hiding a yawn.
"We decided to stay with Wufei and Sally so we could see Dorothy off tomorrow. Trowa, what's wrong? Is Dorothy ok?" Hilde began to question again. Trowa shook his head hurriedly.
"I need to see Sally, I don't want to have to explain it all twice, there's not enough time," he said, his eyes on the lights began to turn on in the east.
Hilde nodded, and pulled away from the doorway to let him in. Trowa rushed past her and up the stairs, past a yawning and bedraggled Duo. Taking the steps three at a time, he reached the upper hallway to come face to face with a very tired looking Wufei Chang.
"What's the meaning of this, Barton?" the Chinese man demanded. Trowa pushed him away and beckoned to Sally, who stood not far behind her boyfriend.
"I have very little time to explain everything; Dorothy doesn't have to go to Neo-Australia, her skin is already healing. Sally, we need you to have her transferred to your hospital. This whole trip to Australia is just a last minute scheme of Quatre's to get Dorothy to go to Earth with him!" Trowa spat out as fast as he could. The group stood dumbfounded at the declaration. It was hard for them to soak in that Quatre was the bad guy in this situation.
Duo was the first to speak.
"How could Quatre set that all up so fast, Trowa? Don't you think it's a little silly blaming Quatre when-" he began, but Trowa cut him off.
"Quatre drove himself to the hospital, no one was with him during that drive. He probably called the doctor's ahead of time and-"
"So that's why the doctor's were already waiting for us when we got there," Sally said, her voice soft. She looked at Trowa, her eyes understanding the situation.
"I'll call my office right now," she said and headed down the stairs, past Duo and Hilde.
"So maybe Quatre called the doctors ahead of time so they knew we were coming, that doesn't mean he's paid them to send Dorothy to earth!" Duo tried again. This time it was Wufei who spoke.
"But he has the means Duo and the motive." Duo stood on the steps looking up Wufei, his mouth opening and closing silently. However, he still refused to believe it.
"So what?! We've got the means to destroy a colony, but do we?" he demanded. However, Hilde laid a hand on her fiancé's arm.
"But do you have the motive, Duo?" she asked, her blue eyes staring into his violet ones. They softened and looked away, his logic accepting the obvious. All the weird things that he'd noticed about Quatre were piecing themselves together inside his mind's eye and it all made sense.
"What can we do to help, Trowa my man?" he asked, his eyes smiling as he looked back up the stairs. Trowa was about to say that there wasn't much they could do when Sally came running to the foot of the stairs, her coat in hand.
"My office said they're working on having Dorothy transferred right now. But I have to get down to her hospital to get Dorothy's permission to transfer her," she said, her voice falling back into the tone she'd used during their time as soldiers.
"I'll go with you," Wufei said, pushing past Trowa, still in his pajamas. Trowa smiled down at the two gratefully.
"I will as well. Trowa? Okay if I ride in with you?" Duo asked. The man nodded and the two made their way down the stairs together.
"What about me?" Hilde demanded. Duo looked back at her and smiled reassuringly.
"You stay here and sleep, you need as much rest-" But he was cut off by a flying slipper, professionally aimed.
"I won't rest until Dorothy's back in a hospital we can trust," she declared and made her way out the doorway, pulling her jacket on as she went. Duo rubbed his head and shrugged, seeing no use in trying to stop his girlfriend.
Trowa watched as the lights in the east began to get brighter and his friends slowly piled into the two cars to save Dorothy. He suddenly felt as though he was rushing into a battle again.
"You better be waiting for me in that room, Dorothy Catalonia," he whispered, as he trotted to his car and started it.
***
"When does the Travel Restriction begin to take affect?" Duke Dermail asked of the blonde man sitting next to him in the waiting room. Quatre looked up, smiling triumphantly.
"Tomorrow, at 6 o'clock sharp, colony time. Dorothy and I'll in Neo-France by then," he answered. The Duke nodded his head approvingly.
"Good, good. Everything's going smoothly. But don't you dare go back on our deal now, boy," the Duke warned, his gray eyes icy. The Arabian's look was reassuring in its maliciousness as he smoothly pulled out the blood stained handkerchief that Dorothy had recognized only a few hours ago. The same kind of white handkerchief that Trowa had found on the android boy's arm the night that the New Faction tried to capture him. The same white handkerchief that marked each of its members as one of its own.
Hehehehe, well now; Dorothy's in danger of becoming Quatre's wife (wish *I* got into that sort of danger!), Trowa and the gang are off to save Dorothy, and Quatre's become the Duke's little bitch. Isn't this a big mess? Please stick with me people!!
Chapter 13 will be up along side of this one pretty soon; it is after all my cheating chapter in which I don't write anything to do with this chapter at all!! MWHA! I love you people, you know that right? Cya in Chapter 13!!