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 10

"Heero, calm down," Quatre was rushing after a frantically pacing Heero. The blond Healer had a slightly whimpering Odin in his arms. Apparently, the boy knew something was wrong with his mother even if he wasn't told about it. He had kept reaching out for Heero, but a rather annoyed snap from his father had sent him into the arms of Quatre.

Heero heard nothing of the concerned tone in Quatre's voice, his mind in complete turmoil. The only thing he could think of was that Duo had left him. Duo hadn't given him the opportunity to apologise and explain. Duo had left, even left Odin behind. Realising a little too late just how harsh he had been with his son, Heero pivoted on his heels, almost hitting the blond Healer in his haste. He held his arms out to Odin.

His miniature self looked at his father a little uncertainly and Heero felt a sickening lurch of his heart. First Duo, now his son, would his temper never cease to push the people he loved away? "I'm sorry, Odin. I was worried about Papa."

Odin threw himself into his father's arms with a small distressed wail. "Father, where's Papa? I miss him." In his entire young life, he had never woken up one morning without his Papa by his side but this morning wasn't like any of the rest. His Papa wasn't there to give him a kiss and help him dress. His Papa wasn't there to tease him and make him breakfast. His Papa wasn't there.

Heero hugged the boy close, wishing fervently he could do something to ease the pain in his son's heart. He wished he could say something to assure the boy that his Papa was coming back, and hadn't been driven away by Odin's boorish Father. Unfortunately, these assurances died on his lips as he simply didn't know. When he found Duo missing late yesterday evening, he had torn out of the village, his nose to the ground, searching maniacly for his mate's scent. It had eluded him for most of the night and the Forest wasn't telling him anything, wasn't giving him any clue as to where Duo went. Duo was out there alone, in the dark, burdened with child and unable to protect himself in any way that matters. And Heero was the one who drove him out.

Dawn came and Heero still couldn't find any trace of his mate and dashed back to the village, arousing Trowa to help him search for his errant mate. Zechs had stumbled in, eyes still grainy from sleep to find out what the uproar was. He had immediately dispatched a few of his best Trackers in aid of his friend. Heero had wanted to leave with them, but a fussing Odin had clambered into his arms, wanting to know where his Papa was, effectively trapping Heero in the village.

"I miss Papa, too," Heero whispered brokenly.

"Heero Yuy, Duo would never have left you," Quatre scolded, correctly interpreting the look of profound loss in his friend's eyes. "There has to be some explanation for this."

Heero stared at Quatre, knowing Trowa probably had told his mate the problems he had been having with Duo. "He will never forgive me. Never."

"Father?" Odin leaned back, getting a good look at his father.

Heero stared at the adorable way his son tilted his head, so much like his mate and a pained groan was ripped from his chest as he clutched the boy to him harder.

"Father?" Odin said, becoming frightened.

"It'll be fine," Heero soothed the almost crying boy, trying to stop his own tears.

A burst of activity from outside signalled the return of the Trackers. Trowa ducked into the dwelling with a defeated look that made Heero want to scream.

"You didn't find him." It was not a question. Heero's piercing blue eyes bored into green, while Trowa winced at the threat of pain in them.

"I'm sorry, Heero," Trowa began, rather baffled as he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's as if he disappeared into thin air." He exhaled in frustration. "None of us could find him. Not our nose, not our eyes, none of senses. They were neither dead nor dulled, but more like Duo has been lifted off the face of this earth."

"You failed then," Heero said shortly.

Trowa hissed in annoyance, his hands clenched into white knuckled fists. He could take his leader berating him, but he couldn't take an accusation that he was incompetent, from anyone! "You try and hear him, Oh Fearless Leader, and tell me if you can do any better," he snapped.

The two proud warriors were chest to chest and almost at blows, when a little delicate looking blond stepped fearlessly in between them, a frightened Odin clutching at Heero. "Shut up, both of you. Now is not the time to be flexing muscles, and stop frightening Odin," Quatre shot a glare at Heero and when a Healer gives a Shifter that look, the Shifter should be wise enough to back down.

Heero suspected Duo and Quatre spent rainy days holed up in the Healer's dwelling practicing this look.

"Something is very wrong here," Quatre's aqua eyes were troubled as well. "I can't reach him. Not even through the bond of the Ancient. Trowa's description is right, Duo has disappeared from the face of this earth."

Pain, hurt, and everything that was agony pierced through Heero's entire body, entire soul. Duo was avoiding them, avoiding him. His mate didn't want to see him anymore, he hated him so much that he was telling the Forest to hide him. What had Heero done? Why had he hit his mate?

"Heero!" The tribe chief realised both Quatre and Trowa had been trying to get his attention for some time now and that his son was crying brokenly, feeling the tension from the room. Heero found himself hugging himself tightly, rocking on the balls of his feet.

"We will find him," Trowa assured.

Heero nodded, but he wouldn't be holding his breath.

~*~

"Who is this man?" Heero asked Zechs as they ran through the Forest, towards the border, towards a town of Man.

After two more days of fruitless search, Heero had been ready to give up. He knew Duo wasn't that good to be able to mask his presence that well, but somehow, it had been done. He had been almost crazy with worry and guilt for his mate's safety until Zechs offered him one last hope, a Man named Howard. That would be the last place anyone within the tribe could think Duo had gone to, his last place for sanctuary that the Forest wouldn't be able to track. That had improved Heero's mood wonderfully and he held on to that fragile hope like a lifeline. He had no choice left, it if meant facing the rest of his life without Duo. He couldn't envision himself travelling his life alone without the braided bundle of energy by his side, teasing his sullens away.

"He's Duo's godfather and," Zechs shrugged, not breaking a stride. "I guess you could say that he was the closest thing my cousin had to a father. He would be the last person I can think of that would take Duo in without question."

The town of Man was crowded and noisy, totally unlike the crowd of nature and noise of the Forest. It was making Heero claustrophobic with all the pushing and shoving from the Men that were screaming their wares and the laughing children running underfoot. He found himself edging closer to Zechs, who was more at ease, for protection. He felt an illogical panic welling up from inside him as he was jostled by smelly uncouth traders and merchants hurrying on their way.

"Zechs… Zechs…" Heero heard himself calling, his voice sounding pathetically hollow.

Zechs swivelled a shocked glance at a pale and panting Heero, instantly realising what the problem was. He was at Heero's side in an instant, an arm curled protectively around his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise how overwhelming Men could be to you." He pushed the crowd out of the way and hurried along. They managed to get to a relatively quiet alley without further mishap and Zechs watched with trepidation while Heero leaned against the wall, gasping.

"How did Duo do this all the time?" Heero panted between words, still trying to slow his racing heart. He had never felt such unreasonable fear that didn't somehow involve Duo's safety. Were all the towns of Men so confusing?

"They are confusing because we are not used to the type of civilisation that they have," Zechs quirked a small commiserating smile.

Heero almost groaned, realising that he had said the last thing out load. He was a Hearer and within the Forbidden Forest there was no such thing as getting confused. The Forest told him what he needed to know. Out here, he was deaf as a post and completely defenceless.

"Duo has been travelling these streets ever since he was barely into his teens. He knows these streets better than he knows the Forest," Zechs shared a small smile with Heero.

"So, how do you know where to go?" That thought suddenly hit Heero. Was Zechs as lost as he felt?

Zechs chuckled. "That's for following a stubborn Healer in order to protect him from when he was barely in his teens. I doubt he knows I've been following him." He looked Heero over, assured that he was calm once more. "Let's go."

This time the trip wasn't as traumatic as the blond brought Heero through the back ways toward a smallish shop that appeared rather old. There were some wordings over the entrance that Heero couldn't decipher, he never was taught how to read the words of Man.

Zechs saw him staring at the lettering above. "It says Herb Trader," he informed Heero who looked more than a little befuddled.

"This is where Duo learned about herb lore?" Heero whispered, wanting suddenly, very much to meet a part of Duo's past. He knew Quatre had been impressed with Duo's knowledge of the healing properties of nearly all the herbs they found within the Forest and then some. Shifter Healing was different than herb lore, herbs were less used and only in cases where the injuries were nothing more than superficial. Duo, however, was able to utilise them for more than that. Poisoning, stabbings, head wounds, and basically everything else.  His mate was able to make everything better through the use of crushed plants.

"Come," Zechs led them in.

It was rather dusty with minimal lighting. There was a counter facing them with rows and rows of little bottles along the shelves at the back. A white haired man sat behind he counter, reading a book of some sort, his legs propped up against the counter top. The man saw them coming and got to his feet with a smile on his face.

"How may I… Zechs!" He greeted, catching sight of the aristocratic looking blond.

"Howard," Zechs directed a nod at the man. "This is Heero Yuy," he introduced.

The man's eyes brightened at the name. "You're that young pup Treize said stole his favourite son from him?" He teased, but was confused when he didn't get the required reaction. "So, where's Duo?" he said by way of subject change, his gaze searching at the spot by the door.

Hope died so fast and so painfully, that Heero had to sit down for a while. "No," he moaned, burying his face in his hands. Defeat tasted like bitter ashes in his mouth.

"What's wrong?" Howard jumped on the distressed tone. "Where's Duo?" His tone escalated.

"He didn't come here? He's not in the back?" Zechs peered into the back room hopefully. He had hoped that Howard was keeping Duo by his cousin's request. He had ripped at Heero when he found out the chief had hit his cousin. He knew how afraid Duo was of physical violence from a loved one, especially from someone he loved so unconditionally as Heero Yuy. But even he had to admit that Duo had over reacted, eventually, after taking several hundred calming breaths and Wufei intervening on Heero's behalf before said chief was properly castrated to Zechs' satisfaction.

Howards bristled. "I wouldn't lie to you. Duo isn't here. Are you telling me you lost him?" He frowned.

"He disappeared."

"He ran away," Howard corrected, scowling. "Why?"

"We need to find him, and lay blame later," Heero lunged at the counter. "He shouldn't be out there all alone. Not now."

"What's now?"

Zechs sighed. "He's… How should I put this? He's expecting, Howard."

Howard frowned. "Again?"

Apparently, Treize had kept Howard up to date on all his son's foibles.

"And he ran away from all of you? Just what the hell did you do?" Howard directed an angry glare at Heero, knowing instinctively it was all Duo's husband's fault. He opened his mouth to say something more when his brow wrinkled, as if in pain. He raised his hand to massage at his temple.

"Howard?" Zechs reached over the counter to steady the swaying man.

"Someone… some… thing came the other day." Howard lowered himself into his chair. "No, not the other day, longer… It was dark being…" He squeezed his eyes shut, his face lined with agony. "It asked me, it entered…" Haunted eyes looked up at Zechs and Heero, who had sidled closer to hear this piece of news, while they both wondered at the significance. "It entered my mind, took knowledge from me." It was a realisation, a memory long forgotten, or buried.

"Knowledge?"

Howard let out a shuddering breath. "It took things from me. It took the things Treize told me, about Duo, his baby, his bastard brother, you," he looked at Heero. "How you saved Duo from his brother. It was so angry," his voice dropped to a frightened whisper. "I could feel its pain, its rage at the world, at Heero. For killing Solo, for killing that stupid bastard!"

The two Shifters exchanged worried glances, finally understanding the importance of this news.

"I felt it wanting revenge, against Treize, against anyone who had tried to hurt or did hurt Solo."

"Treize's dead," Zechs said quietly, his tone still held the pain Duo's didn't.

Howard's head snapped up in shocked. "Oh my God! Sorcery, the sorcerer! It was a dark sorcerer!" He looked at the two strong young men in front of him, terror shooting through every part of his body and it was reflected from the other two in the room with him.

And the sorcerer was after Duo.

tbc…

Okay, this is new for me, ten chapters and only is the plot starting. Those wants to shoot Tsu, please put up your hand. *prepares Treize's antique pistols*

Looooong weekend!! Be having fun. Yay!!

All reviewers, THANK YOU!!!!!

Annie Maxwell = Fabulous beta = Thank you = Write your fic!!