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 26

General Quatre had seated him in a corner of the Healer's communal dwelling on a comfortably padded chair while he was explaining the mechanisms of childbirth in Shifters to a young couple who was looking decidedly nervous. Keiran had yet to learn how to differentiate bearers and sires by sight, and although Heero had insisted it was practically impossible, he knew Quatre was able to; it was something he learned after Duo had pulled the wool over his eyes three years ago. His friend had explained the difference in aura around each, but Keiran was still having problem tapping into his Healer side and was blind in that aspect. He guessed it was because of his own mental barriers more than anything. He had decided to follow Heero to the ends of the earth and he had to let go of what he thought was his human side forever. There was no turning back.

"This is your first child, I assume?" Quatre smiled encouragingly at the couple. With Gee currently on house arrest, Quatre had taken on the role as lead Healer for the tribe until a new one could be chosen. Under difference circumstances, Keiran knew he, no Duo, would have been the perfect candidate for it, but these were definitely not a normal set of circumstances.

Twin nods of apprehension. Keiran remembered them vaguely, Altes and Garren, he believed their names were. He wondered which one would be going through extended torture for the next eight or nine months or so. The babies, as if resenting being called instruments of torture, moved abruptly and strongly. Keiran gasped involuntarily, bringing his hand up to his protruding midsection.

Quatre swivelled a look of alarm at his friend. "Keiran?"

Keiran shrugged and laughed weakly. "Babies decided that a jig would be fun for their Daddy."

"Jig?" Quatre shook his head. "You know what? Never mind, I really don't understand your human references anyway."

Keiran slumped into his chair, wishing for probably the hundredth time that afternoon that he was comfortably ensconced in Heero's arms enjoying a mid afternoon nap. Cuddling and kissing would definitely be on the agenda as well. He listened with half an ear at Quatre explaining the stages of pregnancy, the complications, how to alleviate morning sickness, so on and so forth. As the afternoon progressed, Keiran was more than willing to kill Quatre for causing him such discomfort. The ache in his back had gotten worse and he fervently wished now that he hadn't eaten that last piece of roasted meat. It was causing severe indigestion and he felt horribly nauseated for some reason. He used his training as a doctor to try to think of a remedy but his aches and pains were interfering with that. He would ask Quatre for something later.

"I think what we would really want to know what happens during the actual birth of the child," Altes asked, gripping his mate's hand tightly. Keiran assumed he was the one pregnant.

"Well," Quatre said in an overly loud voice, bringing Keiran back from his half drowse and finally the heavily pregnant Healer understood the purpose of this torture. He was trying to explain to Keiran in the most diplomatic way, how exactly he was going bring the children into the world without embarrassing his tender 'human' feelings. "There are a few symptoms that maybe an indication of labour, backaches…"

Present, Keiran thought peevishly and before his actual due date as well.

"… Stomach cramps, sometimes that can be mistaken as indigestion of sorts…"

Present.

"… Water breaking…"

Nope.

"… Some people experience nausea, but…"

Keiran sprinted out of his chair and started heaving into a bucket by the side of one of the beds. Gods, he felt his stomach was on fire. He continued to dry heave for a few more moments before he felt a soothing hand rubbing his back and Quatre's concerned voice asking of his welfare.

Present.

"Keiran," Quatre exclaimed, alarmed. "You're water broke!"

Okay, so that one was present as well.

Keiran looked down, just realising the unpleasant wetness that was spreading down the material of his pants. He stared at it uncomprehendingly until Quatre and someone else, Garren, he guessed, pulled him to his feet.

"Keiran, snap out of it," Quatre ordered urgently. "You're in labour."

Labour, the babies, giving birth, not yet time! Panic assailed him as Keiran realised he was at least two months early. "No," he moaned. "It's too soon, the babies, they… please, Quatre, stop it!"

The blond eased Keiran into a bed, and a look of utter helplessness crossed his handsome features. "I'm sorry, Keiran, but with your water broken there's nothing I can do." He started taking off Keiran's drenched pants. "We will just have to hope for the best. Not all babies born early die, Keiran." He laid a hand on the top of Keiran's rounded belly. "Yours will be strong enough to survive," he said, but lacked the conviction in his tone. "Someone get Heero back here, quick!" The two Shifters fled out the door, spreading the alarm that Keiran's babies were arriving a month and a half too soon.

Keiran didn't care what Quatre did anymore as he fell into a pit of despair. He knew from experience, and probably from his spun out memories that most babies born prematurely inevitably didn't survive past the first few days, if they survive the birth at all. He knew it was silly, but he already loved his unborn children as much as he had come to love Odin. Losing them would be more than painful, it would be like losing a part of his soul. He barely heard Quatre telling him something about leaving for a while but he was beyond caring.

He was going to lose his babies.

A sharp pain radiated from his back to the middle of his swollen stomach, tightening it painfully. He gritted his teeth as he rode out the first painful contraction.

…Heero holding him, begging him to hold on. He tried to, but his chest hurt so bad…

…Him arguing with Heero, trying to get Heero to kill him with an ornate knife…

…Odin in his arms, him in Heero's arms. Heero whispering Odin was his life's fire, while he was Heero's heart's fire…

As the pain faded, Keiran flopped back onto the soft mattress, panting softly.

What was that? His confused mind asked.

XXxxXX

Heero watched his son carefully as Trowa taught him how to track animal and other sort of trails on the ground. The little boy was lapping everything up eagerly, eyes bright. He remembered the time when Odin was just born and Duo had still been confined to his bed to rest after the harrowing experience. He had commented that his violet eyed mate had never been so alive. Heero had teased him that now he had a new source of fire burning within him and didn't need their love to give him his never ending energy anymore.

He called Odin Duo's life fire.

Duo had pouted then, not taking well to his teasing and Heero had quickly smoothed over the rather rough patch by stating that whatever it was, Duo would always be the pounding of his heart, his heart's fire. It was the origin of the rather silly endearment that held so much meaning between them but Keiran had absolutely no recollection of that sweet time together.

Odin suddenly rose to his feet and stared in the direction of the village. Instinct took over as Heero followed his son's attention with wary caution.

"What's wrong?" Heero asked Odin. Over the past weeks, he began to trust his son's instincts more implicitly.

"I wanna go home," Odin told Heero, and without waiting for his father, started off back to the village.

Heero and Trowa exchanged looks of confusion but followed Odin. Before long, he saw someone running at them at full speed. Trepidation rose, knowing it had something to do with his mate.

"Heero!" A young Shifter came panting towards them. "Your mate, he's…"

He didn't even finish his sentence before Heero flew past him, running with all his might toward the village, towards his mate, towards his heart fire.

"Daddy will be fine," Odin said with extreme confidence before continuing back to the village at a more leisurely pace.

XXxxXX

The labouring Shifter squeezed Zechs fingers tightly, panting raggedly through another painful contraction. When it finally ended, his cousin eased him back onto a pile of pillows. He felt his sweaty face being wiped by a cool cloth and he hummed his gratitude.

"Thank you," he murmured softly. The pains were coming extremely fast and after that first few, the bombardment of images had stopped, so had his panic and fear. He was now merely riding the contractions as best as he could. He didn't remember it being so painful the first time, or it being close together so fast. He gripped his belly as another contraction built. How he wanted Heero right now to be by his side.

A commotion at the entrance admitted Heero, gasping for breath and deathly pale. He took in his mate bent over in agony, trying to breathe at the same time and rushed to his side, taking Zechs' place. The platinum blond graciously released his cousin in Heero's waiting arms.

His mate slumped into his arms and tried to relax once the pain released him from its agonising grip. He tilted his head back and gifted Heero with a smile. "It'll be fine."

Heero nodded, more to convince himself than his mate but looked to Quatre for confirmation who shrugged, shaking his head uncertainly. He leaned over and kissed his mate's forehead, brushing away long strands of golden brown hair sticking to his sweaty face.

Long strands of…

Heero felt his eyes widen to an impossible size as he felt his mate's long lush locks brushing against his arms. "Your hair," he whispered reverently and heard a stunned sound from both Zechs and Quatre. In their concern for his mate, they hadn't paid much attention to the fact that the labouring Shifter's once short hair was now as long as it once were.

His mate tilted his head back, smiling through the pain. "Heart fire," he whispered.

"Oh Ancient, Duo!" Heero embraced his mate tightly, careful not to hurt him and kissed him, partially sobbing. He continued to rain kisses anywhere he could reach, tears falling unheeded down his cheeks. Duo was back, his heart fire had come back to him.

Trowa was worried and wanted to just grab Odin and sprint home. However, the little boy had other plans and was setting a leisurely pace, stopping every so often to chase a butterfly or to smell a flower.

"Odin," Trowa barked. "We need to get back to the village now." Without further warning, he scooped the protesting boy into his arms and sped all the way back to the village.

He found a growing crowd outside the Healer's dwelling and from the pained cries coming from within, the birth was well underway. He felt a stab of sorrow for his friends. They had already gone through so much but losing the babies would be the last straw for Heero. Duo was forever gone and the only part left of his history with Duo was also in jeopardy at the moment. He walked over to Wufei who was staring at the closed entrance with worry.

"Where have you been?" Wufei snapped. He flinched as another cry of agony filled the air.

"Little prince here decided to take a stroll!" Trowa glared at Odin who was grinning gleefully in his arms. He sighed. "How is it going in there?"

Wufei shook his head, shrugging. "I don't know. It's too soon for the babies to be born."

"No, it is not," Odin told them with a wide smile.

A thin wail filled the air as a sigh of utter relief swept through those gathered. If the baby was alive now, there would be a better chance of it surviving.

"My brother," Odin announced triumphantly throwing his little arms around Trowa's neck in a choke hold hug.

XXxxXX

Duo grunted with effort as he pushed with all his strength, holding onto Heero's hand. His mate couldn't seem to be close enough by his side, sidling up as tightly as possible. Heero was whispering soft words of encouragement as Duo gathered his strength before the next wave of agony came.

"You're doing fine, Duo," Quatre encouraged. "The head's already out. A while longer and it will be all over. "

The next wave crested and crashed into Duo as an involuntary scream ripped from his throat. He braced himself and with all his might, forced the child from him. He felt the baby exit with a burning rush and suddenly felt blessedly empty. He sank into Heero's arms, panting harshly before being thoroughly kissed by his mate.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Heero repeated over and over. "You came back, Duo, you came back."

"I didn't go anywhere," Duo chastised softly, not having much strength left for speech. "I'm still Keiran, love," he reminded Heero.

Heero nodded vehemently. "I understand. I love you so damn much."

Duo turned his head tiredly toward Zechs who was gently rewrapping their older wailing son in swaddling clothes. "How is he, Zechs?"

The blond Shifter smiled. "A little small, but has a healthy pair of lungs. Not too bad for one born early, I guess."

Another soft wail caught their attention as they turned toward Quatre. The blond Healer was staring at the baby he held in horror. He appeared frozen in place and from where Heero was, he could see Quatre shaking almost uncontrollably.

"Quatre, what's wrong with the baby?" Heero asked in alarm and he felt Duo struggling to get up to have a look at their child. He was crying, so he had to be fine, right? "Duo, please rest."

"No," Duo was crying out hysterically. "What's wrong with the baby?"

XXxxXX

Cheers erupted when another infant's cries joined the first one.

Wufei sighed in relief.

Odin clapped his hand in glee and announced cheerfully. "My sister!"

"What the hell is wrong with the baby, Quatre?" Heero yelled before emitting a string of virulent curses at his almost catatonic Healer.

Quatre grimaced and Duo stiffened abruptly in Heero's arms.

The blond Healer looked up at Heero and told him in a dazed voice, "The Ancient says it is unseemly for her father to curse in front of her. She is just a baby after all."

…tbc…

Dum, dum, duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!

I think only ONE person guessed this so far. I really can't remember who. But you left me a review much earlier in the series and you deserve a cookie!

Okies, as promised. The next chapter of Reflections is up. While I am off, enjoy the story!