Author's Note: Hey, guys! Wow! I got reviews! I'm so happy! This time, though, I am not going to update until I get at least 10 reviews, ok? Is that too much to ask? So, if you're a lurker, but you really like this story, REVIEW or you don't get more chapters! Got it?
Chapter Three
I sit here, hypnotized by the ECG, the heart monitor. The green line spikes up, down, up, down… a regular pattern in a sea of uncertainty.
I blink trying to clear my vision. Surely I'm wrong. In one cold sickening moment, I realize I'm not.
I cry for help, repeatedly pressing the nurse call button on the phone. The beeps of the heart monitor are faster, more urgent. The spikes of the green line are irregular, jumping all over the screen. Duo convulses.
A horde of nurses bursts through the door and I am pushed out.
I sink to the floor in the hall. 'Dear God, what's wrong now?' I lean my head back against the wall, closing my eyes against tears. Three sets of running feet come toward me. Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei kneel around me.
"Heero? Heero, what happened? Did he…" Quatre trails off, the ending too horrible to even think of. It doesn't matter; I know what he means.
What scares me is… I have no clue. I don't know if he's alive. I shrug, my body shaking with held back sobs. "I don't know. I was sitting there and—" My voice cracks. "The ECG went nuts. He had a heart attack or something." I choke back a sob. "Guys, what am I going to do? I can't lose him. I just told him I love him. What if he didn't hear me? What if he dies without knowing I love him?"
The door opens and the head nurse steps out. The others leap up. I can't find the strength to move.
"How is he? What happened? Did he—"
The nurse shakes her head. "No. But he did come pretty close. The drugs he took affected his heart, making it beat irregularly. As of now he's breathing. But the chances of him surviving are greatly diminished. I won't lie to you. His chances of living through the week are a thousand to one. Literally. And even if he does live, he may never wake up."
"What can we do?"
'That's Wufei for you. Always on the attack.'
"Just talk to him. Tell him how much you want him to come back. Maybe he'll hear you. Don't lose hope."
"Kind of hard not to," I mutter.
She seems to see me for the first time. She crouches, so she's on eye level with me. "My parents were both alcoholics and druggies. My grandmother raised me. I grew up hating my parents. Granny was the one who told me not to hate them, to pity them. They had lost hope for their lives, so they had turned to alcohol and drugs to fix it. 'They died inside,' she said. 'The minute they lost hope. Don't ever lose hope. If you don't have hope, you don't have anything.' If your friend still had hope, he wouldn't have tried to commit suicide. I don't mean to be blunt but it's true. If you have hope, hope will grow inside him." She stood. "I'll clear the room then you guys can go back in." She went back into the room and a moment later, the nurses streamed out. "It's all yours. Remember… hope." With that she went down the hall, disappearing into the nurses station.
The others head towards the door.
"Hey, guys… um…" I fidget. "Would you… mind if I had about… ten minutes… alone with him?"
They nod silently, and I go in. Duo is lying on the bed, pale. I kiss his forehead. It is sweaty. Gently I wipe his bangs away. "Duo, I love you. You need to come back. I need you. Can you even hear me? I can't believe you. How could you do this? You really scared me! I'm sorry… I shouldn't snap at you. It's my fault you did this. I'm sorry for leaving you. I won't let it happen again." I'd asked for ten minutes and not even three minutes in, I'm out of things to say. I hold his hand. "I don't know what the future has in store for us. I don't care. Just as long as I can spend it with you. You mean so much to me. If—no, when. When you're better, we'll sort this out. And I won't leave you."
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People are yelling, giving orders. They are beyond the darkness… I can't find them. Their voices mix together, making it impossible to pick out who is who.
"Duo, what are you doing? I wish you'd just make up your mind! Live or die! Decide! I can't stand this! Quit it! Damn you! Why won't you just die!"
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I tap on the door. When there is no answer, I enter Duo's room, Trowa and Wufei behind me.
Heero has his elbows on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. I've never seen him like this. He's a broken man.
Heero looks up at us as we walk in. His eyes are dull. There is no trace of the spark that was always there in the war.
"I can leave… if you want to be alone with him," Heero offers.
The look in his eyes is so sad, I want to cry. Even offering to leave obviously took a lot of his courage.
Trowa puts his arm around me. "It's okay," he tells Heero. "Duo would want you here."
I look at Trowa. Instantly, I feel better. I rest my head on his shoulder.
Heero watches us for a minute, then looks down at Duo. "You know, that's the kind of relationship I want with Duo," he admits. He looks up at us again. "With one look, I want to be able to tell him every thing will be fine. And even if it's not, I'll always be there to make it better. I want him to be able to tell me. I want to hold him, and know he loves me. I want to be able to open up… to show emotions. I want to go out in public and not be embarrassed when he acts like a complete idiot. I want to be able to pick him up when he's down, make all his hurt go away."
"You will be able to do all that, Heero," I assure him.
He looks back down at Duo. "I hope so."
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All right that's it for chapter three! Remember… 10 REVIEWS!
Courtnee: Thank you for the wonderful praise! I'm glad you like the title!
Elemental Alchemist: Here's your update!
Black-Angel-001: Thank you for the wish of luck and the list of possible titles! It means a lot that people are taking such an interest in making up for my lack of creativity! Lol. And I'm glad you like it, even if it is 1x2x1.
GundamPilot03: Yes, I know. Poor Heero. Here's the update.
Amri: I continued! Yay! Anyway, I'm glad you like how I tell the story. I was kind of hesitant about switching POVs too, at first. Then I figured, 'Hey, more stuff to write!'
'Lizabeth: I'm glad you like it! Thanks for the review!
Shinigami's Forlorn Angel: I didn't want to do this to our poor Duo. I love him. But, as I'm sure you know, once the idea gets a hold of you (or your muses get a hold of it) it just won't let go!
Yazzy: I didn't want to be mean! As I said to Forlorn Angel, evil ideas/muses!
.at least I know I'm a sinner.: Yayness! I'm so happy you like it!
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