Disclaimers: Don't own any part of Gundam Wing nor it's characters. Merely borrowing them for a little torture.

Warnings: Shounen-ai (because I suck at yaoi) , major A.U, some OOC I think, mpreg (mentioned, implied, so on)

Reflections of the Past

Part 3

Dinner had become an increasingly noisy affair now that there were two children in their midst. Their family had increased exponentially over the last three years. Heero came with Wufei, Trowa and Quatre, while Duo came with Zechs. Over the years, they had formed their own family, bound not only by blood, in some cases, but by love as well. Apparently, Heero had started to distance himself from the rest of them after the death of his parents, but Duo's presence in his life had changed all that.

"Coward dragon," Zechs continued to chide his mate for running away from a dirty diaper while Wufei turned four shades of purple.

"Injustice!" Wufei exploded, slamming his fist on the table glaring at his mate with murder in his eyes. "I had to go for patrols. It's not like I'm just sitting at home, waiting for the baby to get hungry so I can nurse him."

Zechs stiffened at the implication that he was no longer of battle use. Amongst the worst things a Shifter, especially a tribe chief, could be insulted with was being totally and utterly useless. The fact that Zechs had just given birth not too long ago did nothing to take the edge off this insult.

Duo rolled his eyes at Heero as they got ready for another round of trading insults while preparing to remove their impressionable son, whose expression immediately brightened at the possibility of learning a whole new language. He cast a glance over at Anarian who slept through the entire fuss kicked up by his parents and in that moment, he sincerely pitied the child.

Of course, it didn't take all that long to start as Wufei started working himself up to a full blown rant while Zechs seemed to be matching his smaller mate insult for insult. They had been keeping it fairly clean for the sake of the children, but when one of them suggested something that had to do with a female troll, Heero immediately clamped his hands over Odin's ears, while the little boy pouted and squirmed to get away from his father's censoring techniques.

"Do you enjoy bathing in the cold creek so much?" Heero glared at the two of them. Although Zechs would be the next tribe chief, Heero still out ranked him for now. "It can be arranged with not much fuss."

Trowa and Quatre, who had been observing the drama in relative silence up until now, exploded into laughter.

"Apologies, tribe chief," Wufei muttered, casting an irritated look at his mate for riling his leader up.

"Won't you two ever grow up?" Duo sighed, slumping into his chair. He had been feeling worse since his dizzy spell this morning. At least he didn't have those nasty headaches anymore. He wondered if he should go see Quatre about this.

"Heero," a respectful voice called from the entrance.

"Enter," Heero looked up, removing his hands from his son's ears.

A middle-aged warrior named Ramdar walked in, a knowing smile curved his lips at the obvious tension between Wufei and Zechs and the resignation on Duo's face. The laughing pair of his tribe's lead Healer and his mate was also a dead giveaway that Duo's cousin enjoyed these little love spats with his mate that somehow escalates into explosive arguments that involve all his family.

"What's with the smile, Ramdar?" Wufei asked peevishly, completely disgusted at being the butt of the joke, again.

Ramdar shrugged and passed a small sheet of paper to Zechs. "This message came for you. It is from the Western tribe."

"Duo?" Quatre asked, noting the sudden stiffening of his friend and tense lines around his eyes and mouth.

The braided Healer shook his head. "I'm fine." Involuntarily, his hand reached out and plucked Odin from his chair, settling his son into his lap. He cuddled the boy to him as if Odin was a security blanket, which he probably was for Duo. Heero settled a hand on his shoulder and Duo took comfort in the contact.

"Papa?" Odin tilted his head back.

Duo forced a smile for his son. He felt like an idiot. After all that had happened, he still had a deep seated fear for his father when Treize had done nothing but try for reconciliation over the past years.

"I protect you," Odin squeezed Duo's encircling arm.

Duo felt as if his heart was breaking. He had a three year old child trying to shield him from his own father. "What does it say?" He directed the question to Zechs, who was also observing him with concern. Hell, all of them were staring at him almost fearfully. "I'm fine," he insisted with a sigh.

Zechs shook his head at his pig headed cousin and opened the note. He read it silently before lifting his eyes to meet Duo's anxious ones. "It's Treize."

"What does he want?" Trowa asked after a long moment of silence. He was also prompted by the swift kick his mate dealt him under the cover of the table.

"I sent him news about Anarian."

Heero gave Duo's shoulder a comforting squeeze. He wanted very much to be angry at Zechs for upsetting Duo's, but he had to admit that he wanted his mate to be at least on talking terms with his own parent.

"He wants to see his grandson," Zechs left that statement purposely ambiguous. That could mean two things, Anarian or Odin. "I think we should visit him."

The exasperatingly familiar grin was back on Duo's face, the one all of them remembered from so long ago to cover up anything and everything the Healer felt. "I see."

"Duo…" Wufei ventured.

The braided Healer shook his head vehemently. "I'm fine," which also meant in Duo-speak as 'I don't want to talk about it'.

"Do you want to go?" Wufei forged ahead. While he had hated Treize and everything that was connected to him, including his own mate, in the past, the Western tribe chief was technically his father-in-law and hating your own father-in-law was something that was not done.

"Do I have a choice?" Duo asked in a strangled voice.

"Papa?" Odin reached out to touch Duo's cheek, a little frightened at how pale his parent had become. "Papa?" He repeated.

It finally dawned on Duo how terrified his son was and cuddled the child closer, dropping a kiss on the tousled head. "I'm really alright, Odin." He lifted his head to look at his friends, trying his best to appear calm, despite the roiling emotions within him.

"Why can't his exaltedness come instead?" Heero groused, not liking his mate's distress one bit. He remembered vividly Duo's panic attack at the mere mention of his father and his mate looked close to that even now, even after he knew how much Treize cared for him. One of the reasons was also the fact that this would bring up memories of Solo, the brother from hell, the brother that until now, Duo had never really let go.

Zechs levelled a look of slight reproach at Heero. "He volunteered, but I miss home. Is that alright with you?" His voice was as cold as the winter gale.

That deflated Heero a little, but he still had a belligerent stance. He opened his mouth to say something but Duo, trying to avoid a potentially volatile situation, got up from his chair clutching his son to him. Odin was babbling something to Duo, while the long haired Shifter carried him to his bed.

"Bed time for you," Duo told Odin in a loud voice, cutting off all other conversations.

The child, hearing the two dreaded words in the same sentence, started protesting all the way to his room.

"I'm worried," Quatre followed Duo's progress out of the living area and into the private room where Odin slept. He leaned into Trowa who came around to give him a hug.

"Tell me something we don't know," Wufei muttered. He rounded on his mate. "Why did you have to suggest that?"

Zechs sighed. "Do you want this misunderstanding to go on forever? By the Ancient, Odin has not seen his grandfather since he was born. He doesn't even know he has one." He slumped into his chair, suddenly weary. "Imagine how he feels, dragon."

That effectively shut Wufei up as the rest of the occupants exchanged uncomfortable looks.

"Your call, Heero," Trowa announced.

Heero buried his hands into his hair, tousling even further the already messy brown locks. "I'll leave it up to Duo. If he doesn't want to go, no one is forcing him, understand?" He glared at them.

~*~

"Papa," Odin stared at his mother, who was lost in reverie in the midst of tucking him into bed. "Who is Treize?"

Duo's eyes shot to Odin's innocent expression. "Why?" Even now, after all this time, the very name could spark fear within him. His heart was pounding so fast and so loud it was difficult to think. A lump formed in his throat, which he found impossible to swallow around. He tried to calm his breathing, knowing it would do no good to panic, which he was seconds away from. The food he had consumed earlier protested within his stomach, apparently wanting out.

"He's a bad person?" Odin asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Duo felt like he was being punched in the gut. Here was the opportunity to turn this young impressionable mind against Treize, but that would be like repeating the mistakes his brother had committed in the past. He remembered all the times when Solo appeared to have protected him, sheltered him from Treize's wrath, all the lies he perpetuated, only to exact revenge from Duo. He loved Solo, even until now, but he couldn't find it in his heart to forgive him for turning him against his father and nearly killing his son, could he? Did he forgive Solo? Did he blame Solo in the first place? But he knew never forgave himself, wondering if in some way he could have helped Solo and if he had never been born, would his brother have had a better life.

"Well?" Odin asked impatiently, his little brows drawn into a frown which was so similar to Heero's it eased the fist around Duo's heart considerably.

"No, he's not a bad man," Duo managed at length. "He's your grandfather."

Dark blue eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really??"

Duo picked up a well loved toy, a little stuffed cat that resembled a forest lynx that was Quatre's favourite form. "This was sent to you by your grandfather."

"Miya was from grandfather?" Odin grabbed the toy from Duo's hands, clutching it tightly to his chest.

"See? He's not a bad man," Duo said as much to convince himself as he did his son.

"Miya's nice," Odin rubbed his little nose into the stuffed cat and settled back into the pillows. "He's not a bad man then." He yawned widely and gave Duo a sleepy smile.

Duo nodded vaguely, stroking Odin's head softly with his fingers, causing the child's eyes to flutter shut. Soon, Odin was deep asleep and Duo was left to his own musings. Without his son to distract him from painful reminiscent, he felt his mood plummet again. His mind went back to the days where he spent nights huddled under his bed, holding on to a stuffed toy very much like Miya, trying to muffle tears and screams alike, listening to Solo being whipped. Although he knew now the reason behind those beatings, it still didn't detract from the mindless terror he felt when he saw his father. One memory led to another and he plunged into the nightmare of his past once more. His heart pounded like a mad thing, trying to escape from the ribcage as he was no longer able to deny the fact that he was once again, sick to his stomach.

Lurching away from his sleeping son, Duo ran out of the dwelling, hoping to make it before his dinner decided to crawl out of his stomach the same way it went in. He heard concerned voices calling his name, but he ignored them. Long moments later, he found himself leaning against a dwelling at the edge of the village, trying to stop his stomach from revolting.

"Why does your father cause this reaction all the time?" Heero complained, a cup of water in one hand and a damp cloth in another, striding towards his mate with a distinctly disgruntled air.

Duo smiled gratefully, rinsing his mouth with the proffered cup and wiping his sweaty face with the cloth. Heero's arms came around him, offering support and he gladly took it. He felt like an utter fool. He was supposed to be the strongest Healer the tribes have ever known and warrior trained but he felt a weak idiot most of the time. His fears were completely unfounded and yet they caused him to react so strongly to it.

"Sorry," he muttered, burying his nose into Heero's shoulder.

"He really scared the living crap out of you, didn't he?" Heero caressed the length of his mate's reddish gold braid, letting it play through his fingers.

"Sorry," Duo repeated, feeling his face flame again. This seemed to be a permanent condition with him.

Heero sighed heavily. "You have nothing to apologise for. Will you tell me what's wrong?" He pushed Duo to arms length, trying to get his mate to look at him.

As usual, Duo decided to be his stubborn self and his eyes remained trained on the ground. "The letter made me think of… things," he finished lamely.

"Solo?" Heero guessed, his voice low. "Do you blame me?" He asked hesitantly. They had never really spoken about the act of him killing Duo's brother, but it had been accepted that Heero had saved his mate from death.

Duo's head jerked up, eyes wide with shock. "Of course not! If it hadn't been for you, Odin and I would have been dead," he spoke with conviction, but trailed off once more.

"What?" Heero prodded gently.

"It's just that… he was my only family long before you came. He did more than hurt me, he took away the very foundation of my life." Duo's nervous fingers picked at Heero shirt. "I can't forgive him for doing that to me, but I can't forget how much I loved him." He stole a glance at his mate, who was smiling almost tenderly down at him, in spite the subject at hand. "Am I making any sense?"

Heero pulled Duo closer, ghosting kisses along his mate's temple and jaw. "You always make perfect sense."

tbc…