A/N Second to last chapter already! Enjoy!
Promises
Chapter 9
Wufei scanned the crowded lobby of the airport, eyes traveling wearily over the crowd. His heart was racing in time to the chimes that constantly seemed to declare incoming flight arrivals. It had been over a month since he'd lost Megan a second time. She'd disappeared from the hospital less than 24 hours after he'd confirmed her identity to the doctor. The nurse, Li, had been less than helpful. She would tell him only that Miss Hanahan had checked out of the hospital of her own volition against the doctor's orders.
He hadn't hung around the hospital to find out if the other pilots knew yet that Megan had been found, albeit temporarily. She had a knack for this disappearing thing. He had attempted to find her after she'd left the hospital, he'd been trying for over a month now. He had no leads. None. It was as if she'd dropped off the face of the planet. He'd started where he had left off. Megan knew he was on to her, somehow that much was certain. She was as smart as any person he knew, cunning too.
He hadn't the foggiest idea where she would go next. After month of sitting and twiddling his thumbs, chasing after any vague idea he'd come to a decision. He'd simply start where she'd last been. Tracking her cell-phone had been the hard part. He'd done some digging and come up with an address for a small village many hours north. He had only to find the correct address and question the people of the town, then perhaps he'd have a place to start again.
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Megan dazedly rolled over in the bed, her head pounding from lack of sleep. The last month had been rough beyond belief. The baby slept only a few hours at a time, and caring for her was a full-time job. The cash Duo had given her helped a lot, enabling her to provide better food for herself and the best formula for Lily. Her attempts at breastfeeding had been an unmitigated disaster. She'd taken Lily to the doctor in town first thing, even before returning home.
The doctor had been shocked to find Megan on her doorstep in the middle of the night, exhausted and in pain. Lily had been screaming for hours, refusing to take the bottle Megan had tried repeatedly to give her. Dr. Ruben Lyon was yet another transplant from the states who'd come to the war-torn country after the last conflict and never left. He'd been here for close to twenty years now, and felt it was his home.
He'd taken Megan in and taken care of Lily for the first couple of days. The respite had given Megan a few precious days to recuperate. The doctor had been livid that she'd endangered herself and the baby in such a manner. It had taken several days of explaining about the crash and the ensuing chaos to convince him that she was really all right. In the end, she'd had to bottle feed, changing Lily to a prescription formula for preemies. Dr. Lyon had told her in no uncertain terms that the stress, both physical and mental, was what prevented her from producing enough milk for Lily.
The end result was that Megan had spent the last month up to her elbows in an endless parade of dirty diapers, screaming fits, and bottle washing. Lily was now exactly one month and 2 days old. She was still impossibly tiny, the clothes that Duo had gotten her were fitted for premature babies, but they still swallowed the infant whole. The last month hadn't been quite what she envisioned of mother-hood. But she wouldn't have traded it for anything.
The rare moments when Lily wasn't demanding anything of her during her waking hours were what made the exhaustion not to mention the preceding months of mood swings and blinding back pain worth it. Megan pushed herself up in the bed and glanced over at the crib in the alcove she'd turned into a nursery. Comforted that Lily was sleeping, and would be for a few more hours at least, Megan mentally checked off what she had to do.
Laundry, cleaning… and that was just for a start. Megan wrinkled her nose. First order of business was a shower. She smelled horrible. Megan slipped on the furry slippers Duo had thoughtfully tucked in to the bag and padded downstairs towards the shower, gathering up dirty clothes as she went. Half an hour later, she was showered, dressed and working on her first cup of real coffee in months. She'd shied away from caffeine out of instinct, only purchasing her first pound of the stuff yesterday on her trip into the village.
She glanced at her watch, just after 7 am. Lily had gone back to sleep at 6. That meant she'd wake in a little less than an hour. The baby wakened roughly every two hours, stayed awake just long enough to mess up another diaper, burp and gurgle then fall back to sleep in Megan's arms. Megan set to work, beginning with the dishes that had somehow amassed in the sink over the course of the previous day. It was odd, she didn't remember eating that much.
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Wufei stepped out of the rental car and wrinkled his nose. It was brutally cold in Xie-Tai. He hadn't expected Megan to choose a place so far north. He supposed in retrospect it made sense. He pushed his sunglasses further up his nose as he glanced around the town square. It was exactly that… a square patch of land surrounded by the buildings of the village center. It was minuscule and compared to nothing he'd ever see before.
He didn't bother locking the car as he made his was into the only café in sight. He was greeted with a friendly smile as he approached the counter. He greeted the man with a grim smile and extracted his wallet, taking out a picture or Megan from a year earlier. "I wonder if you could help me."
The man's smile broadened. "I'll do my best, Sir."
"I'm with the Preventers." He flashed his badge quickly, before extending the picture to the apron man. "I'm wondering if you'd remember this person."
The man wrinkled his brow as he stared at the photo. "American?
Wufei frowned. "Yes. I have reason to believe she was here recently, perhaps living somewhere near the village. Her name is Megan."
The man's expression closed off. "We don't have many outsiders come through here, especially not Americans. What do you want with her?"
Wufei arched an aristocratic brow. The man would only give him the answers he needed if provided with incentive. Which meant he had two choices, lie or kick the living shit out of some poor country bumpkin. He set his lips in a thin line. "She's my wife."
"That's impossible, Zhang-san is a widow." A new voice piped up.
Wufei spun to regard the newcomer. The man was obviously Japanese, given his use of the honorific. "I can assure you. Zhang Anja's husband is very much alive. Now if you'll be so kind as to tell me where I can find her."
The Japanese man stared at Wufei for a long moment. "How do I know you won't hurt her?"
Wufei snorted. "Why would I hurt my wife?"
After several tense seconds, Wufei inwardly relaxed. The man jerked his thumb toward the road headed south. "She lives about 7 kilometers due south. It's the only place out there, you can't miss it. Good luck."
"Thank you." Wufei nodded curtly to the man and sprinted back to the rental car, the implications overloading him the moment he was alone again. They'd spoken of Megan in the present tense. She was here, unbelievably, she was still here.
He started the car and quickly turned left, heading south. His heart pounded uncontrollably as the odometer ticked off the mileage.
He parked stopped the car within eyesight of the house, just to get his bearings.
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Megan gently laid the sleeping baby back in the crib and squashed down a yawn. Time for another cup of coffee. She made her way downstairs, surprised to hear someone knocking at the door. She detoured towards the door, suppressing a groan. If it was yet another well-meaning villager coming to check on her, she would scream. She checked her reflection in the small mirror that hung over the fireplace and smoothed down her chin-length hair. A quick glance at her clothing assured her that she'd dodged spit up once again. It was a skill she'd only recently acquired.
The knock came again. "I'm coming." She spoke sharply as she tucked her chain back into the loose t-shirt she wore with a pair of sweatpants.
She pulled the door open with a muttered curse. "Yes?"
The man at the door was dressed in a pair of neatly pressed black slacks with a royal blue button down tucked in. He wore a knit cap and sunshades, effectively obscuring any recognizable details. She stared dumbly for a moment before finding her voice. "Yes, May I help you?"
"Zhang Anja?"
She blinked. It wasn't a villager. She knew everyone. He gestured to the cardboard box "Are you Zhang Anja?" His voice was oddly familiar, but the black sunglasses gave no hint. "I have a delivery for Zhang Anja, I was told in the village I could find her here. Are you her?"
"Yes." Her brain suddenly snapped into gear. It must be more formula from Dr. Lyon. Megan stepped aside. "Please, come in. You must be freezing out there without a coat on."
"Thank you." She accepted the package and moved to the battered table, checking the label. The return address was from Hong Kong. Then she remembered the tiny coat she'd ordered from the baby Gap website. A smile crossed her face as she reached for her purse and extracted a few bills.
Tipping delivery people wasn't a custom in the area, but it still fed what little altruistic emotion lay dormant in her most of the time. She lived a ways out of the village and it was tough to navigate the roads in the blistering cold. She turned back to the deliveryman and pressed the bills into his hand. "Thank you so much. Can I offer you some coffee to warm you up before you get back on the road? I know it's not exactly a convenient place to have to stop."
The mans expression was unreadable as he stared at the money in his palm. "I don't need your money, Mrs. Zhang."
Megan smiled politely. "Please, it's the least I can do after you went to the trouble of coming all the way out here. It's not much, but it's the best I can do." She spoke firmly. "Now, would you like a cup of coffee and to warm yourself by the fire for a few minutes."
He seemed to shift his gaze back to her. "That would be nice, thank you."
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Wufei stared at Megan in disbelief. He hadn't expected to see her so… content. It had been fate that he'd managed to flag down the UPS truck lumbering towards her front door. He'd been able to bribe the driver easily enough to get the package. He hadn't bothered to see who it was from, being preoccupied with his disguise. It seemed to be working thus far. The hat hid his hair and his ears. The sunglasses dark enough to obscure his eyes.
She gestured to the battered couch. "Please, have a seat. Do you take cream or sugar?"
"No, black is fine. Thanks." He spoke gruffly, forcing a smile as he watched her moved towards the galley kitchen. She poured two cups of black coffee from an antique pot on top of the stove.
He sank onto the sofa, staring around himself. The cottage was impeccably clean. Spotless in fact, and warmed by a blazing fire in front of the sofa. It was homey, but not what he expected from Megan, who'd lived her entire life in the lap of luxury. She returned to the living area and extended a chipped mug to him. "I'm sorry, but they're all I have."
Wufei nodded and took a sip, watching as Megan settled herself into the well-worn rocking chair next to the sofa and set herself into motion smoothly. He studied her over the rim of the mug, taking careful note of any changes that had occurred in her in the last month. She looked amazingly well, though there were dark circles beneath her eyes.
She tucked one leg beneath the other and pushed the rocker into motion. Wufei sipped at his coffee, inhaling the brew appreciatively. It was imported… not the bitter stuff he recalled from his childhood. "Good coffee." He spoke the words in the gruff manner designed to hide any true emotion from his voice.
"Thank you. It's one of the few luxuries I can manage. But every person needs a vice now and then." She replied happily.
Wufei nodded in vague agreement. Wait for it… wait for it…. He chided his impatience. He couldn't risk scaring her with the knowledge of his presence and sending her running away again. He cleared his throat and pursed his lips into a frown. "You're a widow?"
A shadow passed over Megan's face. "I'd prefer not to talk about it."
He nodded. "Sorry."
She smiled again, though not as brightly as before. From upstairs, there was the sound of a cry. She shot to her feet and set her coffee cup on the table between them. "Excuse me."
Wufei nodded, wondering what on earth was going on. Why was there a baby in Megan's home? Was she tending to children to earn money? It would make sense, given her obvious lack of resources. He listened as she mounted the stairs and cooed to the child. The crying ceased within a few moments.
Wufei relaxed. With the child she was caring for asleep once more, they could continue their conversation, such as it was. It chafed him to think of Megan doing such menial work. She was well-bred, wealthy. She shouldn't be living like this… in squalor and taking in children just to make ends meet. Okay, so it wasn't exactly squalor, but it wasn't what she'd been raised to be accustomed to.
He fought against his rising temper to calm himself. He had to get Megan out of here. She belonged back in New York, with her family… with him. Whoa… that came out of nowhere. He fought back the emotions that dared steer him away from his mission and set his face into an expressionless void once more.
Megan's footsteps were light on the stairs as she returned once more. He was unprepared to find her bearing a tiny bundle carefully wrapped in pink fleece. He began to rise. This could wait until the child's mother had come for her. "I should go."
"No!" She stopped him with a frazzled smile as she took up her seat in the rocker once more. "To be honest I'm grateful for the adult company."
"Why?" He stared at her, growing more confused.
Megan chuckled lightly. "I'm grateful for the company of someone who isn't trying to give me advice on the best way to burp her or change her or make her stop crying."
It clicked then. What she was saying. Wufei's voice was incredulous. "You're too young to be a mother." The denial was vehement. Plus, it didn't make sense. It had only been 8 months since he'd been with her. She hadn't been pregnant in the hospital. She couldn't possibly be the child's mother unless the baby was adopted. The sudden tightness in his chest eased as it suddenly made sense.
Even now, several centuries after China had enforced a one child per couple law, boys were favored, more revered. Megan had a soft heart and had obviously acquired the baby. He relaxed a little as the conclusion came to him.
Megan chuckled easily as she shifted the bundle in her arms. "Thank you for the compliment. Would you like to hold her?"
Wufei froze. Before he could refuse, Megan had risen from her seat. "You'll be the first person to hold her besides the doctor since I brought her home."
He opened his mouth to protest, but instead found himself with an armful of squirming infant. He glared at the child, fully expecting it to burst into tears. None of this was making any sense. He peered at the baby in the dim light through the shades he refused to take off. She was obviously Chinese. Her hair stuck up in every direction, the only indication she was a girl being the pink elastic headband with a bow on it that dwarfed her impossibly small head. The knit outfit she wore was also pink, almost swallowing her whole. Wufei had last held a baby when Quatre and Trowa had first brought the triplets home. He couldn't even remember them weighing so little or being so small.
"She's tiny." He tipped his head to the side to study the baby from over the rim of the shades.
Beside him, Megan spoke. "It was a close call with her. She was born 2 months premature. She's only a 4 and a half weeks now. But the doctor says she'll catch up."
"Where did you find her?" He questioned as he carefully adjusted the baby, freeing one hand to touch her cheek. Her hand closed around his in a tight grip. "She's strong."
"Yeah, she'll get you. It's just a reflex and it won't last long." Megan grinned. "I didn't find her. She's mine."
"Yours?" He raised his head to stare at Megan. "You must be joking."
When she smiled, her expression could only be described as pride. "No, she's my miracle baby. She was born too early and under really tough circumstances. We were in an accident and it triggered labor. By the time we made it to the hospital I was hemorrhaging so badly they had to take her or risk losing us both. It's a miracle she's alive."
Wufei didn't even have to do the math as he lowered his head back to the baby Megan spoke of with so much pride in her voice. He swallowed hard as he realized the implications of her words.
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Megan watched as the baby gurgled happily at the stranger who was holding her. She knew she was being liberal with the baby-holding privileges. Lily was safe though, the man handled her gently and cradled her close to his chest.
She smiled and reached for the baby. She could sense the reluctance with which he passed her back. Megan drew her own conclusions. "Do you have any children?"
The man's face was suddenly nervous. Hs chewed his lower lips thoughtfully. Megan's smile was replaced by a frown as she quickly rose from the couch and took a few steps from the stranger. Her sudden stupidity taking her aback. She swallowed hard and forced a smile. "I'm sorry. I've made you uncomfortable."
"No, it's okay." His voice had changed as well, suddenly softer, lacking the gruff edge.
Megan cradled Lily closer, instinctively protecting her child. The man made her nervous. "You probably have more deliveries to make. Please remember to wear a coat next time."
He took a step towards her. "I… don't have to leave. Not yet." He then shook his head. "Maybe… ever."
Her hands began to tremble in fear. She back towards the kitchen, glancing out the side of her eyes to the knife block. If she could just reach it. "No, really. You should go."
The man reached out a hand towards her. "Wait. Please… I can…"
"Now." Megan's voice held a threatening edge as she moved quickly, hugging Lily close as she grabbed the large butcher knife from the block. "I warn you, I was taught how to defend myself by the best. My aunt is a knife thrower and she taught me every trick she knows. You take one more step and I'll kill you."
He instantly froze in place. "Now, calm down."
Megan expertly flipped the knife, catching it by the blade and readying it to fly. The stranger's hands came up defensively, his voice soothing. "I'm not going to hurt you or the baby."
"Leave." Her voice was rock steady.
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Wufei's eyes widened behind the sunglasses as she raised the knife into the position he'd seen Catherine use many times. "Megan… trust me, I won't hurt you or the baby."
At the utterance of her name, Megan froze. "Who are you?"
His breath caught as he watched Megan struggle to balance the knife while keeping a grip on the now-screaming baby. "I'm going to move, Megan. I'm going to take off my hat and glasses. Can I trust you not to throw the knife if I move?"
Her gaze flickered to the baby. "That's the only move you make. You'd better not try anything."
Wufei slowly moved his hand, sliding the knit cap off his hand, letting his hair fall around his shoulders. Next he slid the sunglasses off his face, letting both articles fall to the floor. He watched the expression on her face change from one of panic to disbelief. The knife clattered from her grasp, falling to the floor with a loud clatter. She instinctively snuggled the baby close to her, soothing the infant with a hand stroking her head.