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 25

It had been almost two weeks since Duo had returned to being Keiran once again. The loss of his braid when Dorothy was killed by Odin was very painful to Heero, but he did his best to keep the pain from Keiran. He appeared more affected by the seeming loss of Duo Maxwell than Keiran had, but then, in Keiran's perspective, he was Duo Maxwell. Heero would just have to get used to it. Keiran, although in full possession of his human part of his memories, had been made another Healer of the Shifters, largely due to the fact his Healer tattoo adorning his shoulder. Of course, Heero had been livid that Keiran said nothing of its return, but Odin and him shared a secret smile. While Quatre had insisted that Keiran's ability to use his talents given by the Ancient was intact, the pregnant Healer wasn't allowed to use it as yet. Keiran had, of course, pouted insisting that if he could have pulled his lover from the dead he could do anything without hurting his babies. He hadn't expected mild mannered Quatre to turn into General Quatre with a glare more frightening that Heero Yuy's. He had left the Healer's communal dwelling severely chastised and looking like a child who had been berated for stomping mud all over the floors.

Odin, of course, was there every step of the way, egging his 'Daddy', as he now called Keiran, for being afraid of Quatre, someone who was smaller than him. Of late, the boy and he had developed an odd relationship. Keiran understood that with his braid lost to the fire and the sorcerer dead, there was no one to reverse the spell for him, thus he was forever doom to have his memories erased and replaced with ones that never existed. He could never be Duo Maxwell, the Healer and mother but Odin had seen that as a small detail. He still went around calling him Daddy and treated him as such. While he listened to Keiran, there were times when the Healer realised that Odin got away with more than usual, especially when Heero marched in to provide discipline of his own. Still, it warmed Keiran to accept have the little boy accept him as his father, despite Duo Maxwell being long gone from this world.

He knew that this fact hurt Heero more than anyone else. Apparently, Duo and Heero were something more than mates, they had a deep connection that Keiran could never hope to achieve with him. However, Heero had been willing to accept Keiran, to love him, to treat him in the same special way that he treated Duo. He had thought that Heero was somewhat cold and unemotional, but he had seen nothing except love and devotion from the tribe chief since he had admitted his love for him. Heero had understood how much it had cost Keiran to admit loving another man due to his planted human memories. Keiran had a natural aversion to what he called homosexuality, but his love for Heero had helped him overcome it, although he still a little uncomfortable with public displays of affection, even when the rest of the village was doing it.

"Keiran," Heero called to him, still stumbling over the name once in a while, despite of him being suggesting calling his mate that.

Keiran stood in front of the mirror, studying his reflection in annoyance. "What?" He snapped over his shoulder at Heero, who had just innocently entered the dwelling. His mate's arms came around to hug him, his hands clasped over his swollen abdomen, rubbing gently to calm the active children within.

"What's wrong?" Heero whispered into Keiran's ear, his breath tickling the other Shifter's.

"Look at me," Keiran pointed at his reflection irritably. "I'm as big as a house! I have to get new clothes every two weeks or so and I still have weeks to go before I can get them out of me!" He shrugged off Heero's embrace. "My ankles are swollen, my back hurts, I have to pee every five minutes, I eat more than an army, I doubt I can get through the door anymore and you stand there and ask me what is wrong?" He turned to face Heero, turning a frosty look on. "You did this to me!" Keiran gestured vaguely to the hard ball that was now his stomach.

Heero suppressed the urge to roll his eyes in exasperation. Keiran was having one of those moods again. No matter how much his mate though he didn't act like Duo Maxwell anymore, Heero was continuously surprised at how many Duo-characteristics that were still present. Like the way Keiran tilted his head adorably when he wanted something from Heero, or the way he blew up when he was going through mood swings. These provided a balm to Heero's soul. He had failed his mate by not being able to retrieve his braid from Dorothy, he didn't have any right to demand anything of Keiran. It was his fault Duo was forever gone and Keiran could never regain his memory again. It wasn't that he was with Keiran because of guilt; he genuinely loved Keiran for him, despite how alike he was to Duo sometimes, but sometimes he found himself trying to atone for his gross mistake through Keiran.

Then there was Gee, they still didn't know what to do with him. Of course, he had been part of Dorothy's plans in the past; however, he had tried to right his wrong this time. Gee was also he respected lead Healer for the tribe and all they could think of doing now was to keep him locked up until a better course of action could be found.

And finally, there was his young son, Odin. He found it odd that Odin, his sensitive little son was so accepting of Keiran. It was as if the boy knew something they didn't. He had been shocked when Odin had shown certain talents that no other Shifter could ever possess. He didn't understand, none of them did but he suspected that Duo would have known what was happening. Right now, all of them waited around for Odin to perform the next miracle. It was something that no one was really surprised with, as Odin was the son born of a Healer. It looked like miracles weren't too far from Heero's life just as yet. He stifled a smile as he watched his still ranting mate, his middle rounded adorably, but large for a seventh month pregnancy; probably due to it being twins. No, there were two more miracles on the way in a few months.

"Stop smiling!" Keiran growled, wincing at the pain in his lower back. He started rubbing at the aching spot, resisting Heero's attempts to lead him to the bed. "What the hell are you doing?" He yelled as his mate swept him off his feet and into strong arms.

"You talk too much," Heero complained, gently laying Keiran down on the bed. "Where does it hurt?" He asked, taking off Keiran shoes, noting the painfully swollen ankles. Damn, it must be hurting quite badly.

"Everywhere," Keiran wailed seconds before bursting into tears. He felt stupid, he was man and men didn't behave like women, crying at the drop of a hat.

Heero shook his head, recognising all the signs of emotional storm related directly to advanced pregnancy mood swings. He gathered the distraught Healer in his arms and let him weep his hearts content. He felt the front of his shirt getting more and more drenched by the minute as his thread his fingers through Keiran's short locks. He felt a pang of loss that the beautiful russet hair wasn't long and tied into a braid. It still hasn't grown an inch, even after the sorcerer's death, a clear indication that his mate was still caught in that evil spell. He wondered what he missed more, Duo calling him 'heart fire' or the feel of silky chestnut strands entwining their bodies when they made slow sweet love. Keiran had never called him 'heart fire' and that was something Heero had promised himself early on he would keep as a precious memory of his long dead Duo.

Long moments passed before the wild sobbing passed into soft hiccoughing and finally slow even breathing. Heero resisted the urge to laugh when he realised Keiran had cried himself to sleep. Right now, his mate was nuzzling his chest comfortably, making small sounds of contentment. This action was so Duo that amusement slowly faded away to pain. While Keiran looked so much like Duo and sometimes acted as such but Heero knew he wasn't Duo and he would never be again. Duo's body, yet not Duo, never again would he be Duo. Now, Heero himself was overwhelmed by the desire to weep.

He dropped his gaze Keiran's distended belly, seeing the slight bumps and movement made by their over active children growing within his mate's body and took comfort in the one thing that lived on of Duo. He lowered his hand to caress the tightly stretched skin and had to smile when a foot or a hand pushed into his open palm. He could almost imagine one of his sons stretching within the tight confinement. He wondered if Keiran felt that.

When a low moan of discomfort issued from Keiran, Heero realised that his mate definitely felt that. Keiran's hand came up to rub at the abused spot and encountered his hand already there. Violet eyes peeked open as Heero soothed the spot lovingly, dropping a long kiss on his stomach before smiling up at his mate.

"Had a nice nap, love?" Heero asked, picking up a small bottle of medicated oil he asked from Quatre a few weeks ago after noting Keiran's ankles for the first time. After all the fuss that went on after that, he wasn't able to properly pamper him with it. But of course, there was no time like the present.

Keiran yawned, stretching his limbs before grimacing at the lingering ache in his back. "Nicer before twin monsters here decide to dance on my spleen. Ow." He smiled gratefully when Heero helped him sit up more comfortably against a mound of pillows. "Heero, what are you doing?" He squeaked in surprise when Heero lifted one of his feet and pushed back the leg of his pants.

"Making you feel better," Heero quirked a small grin. He poured a small amount of oil onto his hand and worked at gently massaging the swelling at his feet. "Feeling better?" He asked as his mate started moaning in pleasure.

Keiran had his eyes closed in ecstasy as he hummed his approval. He rested his hands on the mound of his overgrown stomach and enjoyed his mate's ministration. He wondered if Heero could perform such magic with his back as well. He truly appreciated women right now. He had seen some of them having child after child after child with apparent ease while he was reduced to a whining baby with only one. Well, he couldn't remember how he was with Odin, but seeing Heero's expertise at handling his tantrums, he guessed it was probably the same as it was now.

"Glad I could be of service," Heero teased, stretching out next to Keiran. He propped his head up on one arm and proceeded to bath his mate in a hot, teasing stare. All too soon, it evoked the reaction he wanted as Keiran flushed hotly under the loving regard.

"What are you staring at?"

"How beautiful you are," Heero admitted.

Violet eyes narrowed with disbelief. "I'm fat! And I'm a man. Men are not beautiful."

"You're pregnant and what are men called?" Heero replied, leaning in for a quick kiss. Apparently, Keiran's Human memories were still interfering sometimes.

"Handsome," Keiran answered petulantly, deftly evading the kiss. "Pregnant equals fat."

Heero reached over to stroke Keiran's stomach lovingly and leaned over his mate. "Fine, you are my fat, handsome, husband?" He wasn't used to these human terms yet, but after weeks of Keiran ranting at him using them, it was either learned them or be constantly baffled by it. To prove his teasing, Heero leaned in, fusing their mouths in a wet hot kiss, leaving Keiran no doubt of his desirability.

There was a long moment of silence where the both of them strove to bring their pulses back under control. Both knew at this point, doing anything would be a pain and a huge attempt at contortion. So, it was abstinence for now and for the next two months or so.

Two months, Keiran couldn't believe from the size he had grown that there was still a two month journey for him. He looked about to burst with babies at any moment and whether it was hormones or nerves, fear sparked within him.

"I'm scared Heero," Keiran admitted, a definitely shakiness in his tone.

"About what, love?" Heero pulled Keiran in close, trying to dispel any of his mate's fear.

"I'm going to explode," Keiran whined plaintively. "Another two months and I won't be able to move!"

Heero managed to suppress his laughter before he got seriously injured by an overly sensitive mate. "Then I'll carry you, love." He decided that Keiran's pouting lips were just to irresistible to be left alone and capture those pink lips in another sweet kiss, more to silence further protest.

"Eeeeew," a childish voice jeered from the door as both his parents sprang apart, eyeing Odin wearily. The boy ran to the bed with short stubby legs and flung himself onto the bed in glee, trying to burrow in between his parents but finding a large lump that was his future siblings in the way. With a sigh of resignation, Odin placed an ear against Keiran's rather large belly and listened with a small smile on his lips. Then he raised his head abruptly and stared at Keiran accusingly. "Babies kicked me!" He cupped one cheek with his palm and glared at Keiran's pregnant stomach.

Both parents exploded into laughter.

"Aren't you supposed to be learning tracking with Trowa?" Heero admonished Odin gently.

Odin pouted. "Well, 'Tre sent me here to pick Daddy up."

"Pick me up? Why?" Keiran asked surprised.

Odin shrugged. "Something 'bout giving advice." He tugged at Keiran's hand. "Come on, come on! Hurry up, Trowa promised to show me the fairy ring! 'Tre won't let me go until I bring you. Come on, come on."

Heero rolled his eyes in exasperation as he helped his over-burdened mate up. "Don't look at me like that, he got that energy from you."

Keiran suppressed a sigh. As he got up, he felt the same stabbing pain in his back once more and repressed the urge to wince. "Let's go see what General Quatre wants."

…tbc…

Even better, no cliffie at all. Things are getting back to normal. Somewhat…