"Duo, you ready yet?"
Duo rushed out of the kitchen wearing one sock. "Hang on, I'm missing a
sock. How can a pair of matching socks suddenly become one?"
"If you sorted your clothes after being washed you wouldn't have that
problem." Heero sighed. "Hurry up. I'll be waiting for you in the car." He
said and made his way to the carport.
He was joined shortly by Duo.
"I don't know why you have to go the centre so early. Mrs Johnson did say
at a time convenient to you." Said Duo as he drove.
"I'm an early riser and this is a time that's convenient to me."
Duo blew his bangs out of his eyes. "Yea well this ain't a convenient time
for your personal chauffer."
"Duo."
"Yes?"
"Just drive."
It was a short trip to the childcare centre. Heero got out of the car once
Duo had parked by the curb.
"What time?"
"Same as usual. Five."
"Ya know, you're not getting paid yet you work full time hours. Ever
consider getting yourself licensed and opening your own centre?"
"Duo. You know why-"
"Yea yea, I know. You need to this because you feel guilty for breaking
apart so many families during the war." Duo had deliberately omitted the
word killing. He knew how the word affected him because it also made
himself feel guilty. "I'll pick you up at five."
"And don't bother coming early this time." Heero called but Duo had already
driven off. He turned and entered the centre to find that he was the first
to arrive. "Guess Mrs Johnson is running late" he murmured to himself.
That's when he heard the sounds of a child crying. Heero followed the
sounds and soon found himself staring at a baby lying outside the door.
What in the world? What kind of a parent would leave their child out here?
Heero picked up the baby and was shocked by her low body temperature.
Quickly he took off his shirt, still warm from his body heat and wrapped
it around the infant.
"Sh. Hush now. Don't cry. I've got you." He said in a soothing voice and
rocked the baby gently in his arms. "You're safe now."
The baby's cries died down a little and Heero wiped away the remaining
signs of tears.
"Heero what are you doing here? I said a time convenient to you...and what
have you in your arms?"
Mrs Johnson had just arrived at the centre. She walked up to Heero and
peered at the baby in his arms.
"Is he or she yours?" she asked with a curious look on her face.
"No. I found her outside the door a few minutes ago. I think someone left
her out here all night. She feels rather cold. I think we should take her
to the doctors."
Mrs Johnson nodded in agreement. "I suppose you would want to take her to
Sally's right?"
"That is what I would like to do. Unfortunately I don't have transport."
"I understand. I'll give her a call and ask her to come over." The woman
said and opened the door. "What's her number again?"
"How is she?"
Sally put down her stethoscope and turned to face Heero. "Its remarkable
for a child this young to survive after spending the night out in the
cold."
"But she's alright...right?" The concern in his voice showed.
"Yes. She's fine." Reassured the doctor. "However it still amazes me. She
would probably be not more than one or even two days old."
Heero's eyes widened. "Two...two days?"
"That's right." Sally answered and she began to pack away her equipment.
"I don't believe it."
Sally turned. "You'd better believe it. So, what are you going to do now?
Take her down to the local orphanage or keep her as one of your own?"
Heero looked at the baby who was currently wiggling her toes in the air
with adoration and love in his eyes.
"I'll go call the adoption agency." Said Sally with a slight smile.
"Heero we have a situation." Duo, who had just pulled up outside the
childcare, began with a sense of urgency. "Remember Relena's kid Jolin?
Well she's gone miss...WHO in the big, fat and ugly universe does that
belong to?" Duo pointed and stared at Heero when he got into the car.
"She's mine." Answered the Japanese as he stroked the child's head.
Duo was dumbfounded. "Heero, I know and completely understand that you have
somehow created an attachment with the children here but YOU JUST CAN'T GO
AND STEAL OTHER PARENT'S KIDS."
"I didn't steal her."
"Then could you please explain? Heero, I know where babies come from and
don't play dumb with me. I've read books and I know that they don't just
appear from thin air."
"I found her, lying outside the door. I rang Sally and got her to do a
check up. Then she helped me ring the adoption agency."
"YOU DID WHAT?!"
The baby opened her eyes at Duo's outburst and started to bawl.
Heero glared at his housemate. "Now look what you've done. You've upset
her." He turned and started talking to the baby in his soothing voice.
"Sh. Don't worry. Duo's just being...Duo. You have nothing to fear. I'm here
for you."
Duo stared at Heero as if he had grown three extra heads. "Heero do you
even know the basics about keeping a baby? Things like feeding and nappy
changing. Then when the kid grows up you send it to school, worry about it
when it gets bad grades-"
"Duo, if I said this was our child would you stop referring to her as an
'it' and accept her into our home?"
Is he offering me to become part of a family? Is he offering me a chance
at...us?
"Our child." Duo finally said. "Our child. Ya know what? I like it. I
really do. So...does our child have a name?"
"Our child...does not yet have a name."
Duo paused.
"Mary? After the mother of Christ." He offered.
"No I wanted something unique." Heero tickled the baby's feet. "How about
Charlene?"
"I like Tegan."
"Monique with a q?"
"Colette?"
"Alejandra?"
"Leila?"
"Leila." Repeated Heero. "I like that one."
