Disclaimer: The beautiful boys of Gundam are not mine unfortunately.

Checkmate

Chapter 7

Wufei and Zechs were walking through the corridors, discussing the progress of the security team when the alarms blared. Wufei pulled his com link and inquired of the bridge.

"This is Commander Chang. What is the source of the alarm?"

Intruders sir! Three groups of approximately seven men each breached security on levels two, five and eight. Security has engaged two of the three groups on levels five and eight.

As Wufei listened to the voice on the other end, he grabbed Zechs' arm and pulled him along. He heard a protest from the platinum blonde but he ignored it. He had a job to do and part of it was to make sure Zechs was safe.

"Dispatch blue and orange squad to levels one and three. Let security on two engage the intruders. Red, yellow and green teams levels four, six and seven. Check in on schedule. Chang out."

He placed the com link back on his belt, pulled his gun, and ran his plan through his mind. They were close to the hanger. All he had to do was get Zechs in a suit and get him off the ship and then Chang could worry about dealing with the intruders. Suddenly he felt himself jerked backwards.

"Chang! Stop! Where are we going?"

"I'm getting you out of danger. What the hell does it look like I'm doing? Now follow me."

"I am not some helpless diplomat Chang. I know how to fight and protect myself."

"Then why did you request a bodyguard!"

"I did not request a bodyguard. I requested someone to train the security forces assigned to me because they were severely inadequate. You took it upon yourself to become my bodyguard Chang."

Wufei opened and closed his mouth, speechless. He didn't know if Milliardo was right or not. He didn't have time for this right now. He needed to get him to a safe location before—

"Get down!"

Before he could respond with more than wide questioning eyes, Milliardo threw himself at the Preventor and tackled him to the ground, just as gunfire rang out in the hallway. Wufei landed with a thud, and all the air was pushed out of his body when Zechs landed on top of him. The former OZ soldier had grabbed his gun and was already firing at their assailants. When the last of the two attackers went down, Zechs turned his attention to the man under him.

"Are you alright?"

Wufei looked up into concerned pale blue eyes. "I'm fine. Get off of me. We need to get---" Wufei's words were cut off as he grimaced, clutching his ribs as he stood up.

"Let me help you. It's my fault."

Milliardo reached out to help Wufei, knowing his weight landing on the man was the cause of the Preventor's most likely bruised ribs, but Zechs' actions had saved his life. The proud man batted his hand away.

"You're damn right it's your fault but I don't have time for this right now. Follow me."

Zechs watched in awe as Wufei straightened and fixed hard onyx eyes on him. He looked as if nothing had happened. He grabbed his gun from Zechs and started running down the hallway.

"Move it Peacecraft!"

Zechs felt the anger and indignity of the situation welling up inside of him. Yes, his role in life was now that of a diplomat, but he was by no means helpless. He was a former soldier of OZ and Gundam pilot. There was a reason he was known as the Lightning Count.

Wufei raced towards the hanger, hoping to get there without too much interference. He inwardly cursed himself for being too caught up in his accusations of Zechs to notice the intruders behind him. He could have been hurt and it would have been my fault. As he turned the corner, he saw the armed men before they saw him and he easily took care of them, clearing the way.

"We're almost there! I'll get you in a suit and you can go straight to the Centurion base until I contact you!"

Milliardo was about to argue with Wufei when the Preventor turned towards him, wide eyed, and shoved him to the side.

"Get back!"

Milliardo watched as the Preventor was blasted down the hallway by a tornado of fire as an explosion ripped through from the nearby hanger. He was saved from the brunt of the explosion by Wufei, but he was still thrown back several feet and slammed into a wall, his mind quickly going black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sir? Chancellor Peacecraft? Yell if you can hear me sir!"

Zechs groaned as the voice penetrated the blackness of his mind.

"Chang? Is that you?" He slowly picked his way out of the rubble, his body screaming with every movement. "Chang!"

"Sir! Are you alright?"

He looked up to see two of his security team gingerly making their way over to him over the scattered debris. Zechs leaned against the wall to catch his breath and he scanned the destroyed hallway.

"Where's Chang?"

"We haven't seen him sir. He's not with you?"

There was a coldness in his stomach that told him Wufei was in danger. He was suddenly very aware of his surroundings and he began to interrogate his men.

"There was an explosion. Tell me exactly what happened."

"The intruders made it into the hanger and sabotaged several of the suits to explode. Arnold thought he saw Commander Chang right before the explosion. But that was over twenty minutes ago. We managed to capture three of the intruders. They're in lockdown now."

"So nobody has seen Chang since the explosion?"

"No sir. But I'm sure he's fine. We need to get you to a hospital sir."

"Nobody goes anywhere until we find him. If the last he was seen was here in this hallway…."

Zechs looked around him, but the only thing he could see was debris. If Wufei was here when the explosion happened….

"He's buried!" Zechs sank to his knees and began digging through the debris. "You! Start digging! And you! Go get help!" He tossed back pieces of drywall and pipes and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Chang! Answer me damn it!"

Zechs was so intent on his mission, he almost didn't hear one of his men shouting that he had found Wufei. The panicked diplomatic made his way over to the semi-buried Preventor, pushing someone out of the way to kneel by the unconscious man's side.

"Wufei…"

He reached a trembling hand out to Wufei's chest and visibly relaxed when he felt his chest rise and fall. Zechs cleared his throat, unsure of how steady his voice was going to sound.

"I want medical here now. Nobody touch him until they arrive."

"Sir. They're on their way."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Wufei slowly opened his eyes to the dimly lit room. It only took him a few moments to remember what happened and for him to realize he was in the infirmary. Zechs! What happened to Zechs? He reached around and found the bed controls and slowly raised his upper body so he was in an almost-sitting position. He pressed the call button and soon enough a nurse arrived with a warm smile and a chart.

"Finally awake? Good. How do you feel?"

"Ze-, uh, Chancellor Peacecraft. How is the Chancellor?"

The older woman chuckled as she approached him. "He's fine. Especially since I kicked him out of here to get a shower and some sleep." She checked his blood pressure and used a flashlight to look into his eyes. "Honestly, you men can be so stubborn."

"I don't understand."

The nurse made a few notes on the chart then put it down and pulled back the covers to examine Wufei's midsection and leg. "From the moment the med unit showed up, he wouldn't leave your side. You'd think he didn't trust us to treat you." Her eyes went wide as she examined his leg. "This gash is healing a lot faster than I thought. She looked up at him with that warm smile again. "I guess it's true what they say about you Gundam pilots."

"How long---"

"About ten hours. I finally got rid of the Chancellor about half an hour ago. Come to think of it, he was right. He said you would be waking up soon and he wanted to be here when you did but I assured him that if you hadn't woken up by now, you would sleep through the night. But here you are, awake!"

The nurse made a few more notes on the chart and headed for the door. "I'll make sure to let the Chancellor know you're awake. Goodnight, Commander Chang."

"No, wait!"

But the nurse was already gone, not paying him any mind. Wufei growled and glared at the closed door. Why the hell did he stay with me? I wonder what happened with those intruders. He reached over and hit the call button again and the nurse appeared right away, her smile still in place.

"Yes, Commander Chang?"

"I need a communicator right away."

"The Chancellor left one for you on the table to your left. But surely you're not going to call anyone at this hour. Get some sleep commander. Whatever it is can wait until morning."

Wufei ignored the nurse and craned his neck to find a communicator sitting next to a glass of water. After draining the glass he commed General Hazuma.

Hazuma here.

"General, this is Commander Chang. I'm sorry to disturb you but---"

But you just woke up and couldn't rest for ten seconds without doing your job. Right?

Wufei glared at the comm unit and the jovial laughter it emitted. "I will have you know I've waited fifteen minutes General."

I stand corrected.

"Were there any casualties?"

Only on their side thank goodness. Of the nineteen intruders, twelve are dead and the remaining seven escaped.

"Damn."

It's not that I don't enjoy our little conversations commander, but I'm going to disconnect now so you can rest. Stubbornness will not heal you any faster.

A smirk appeared on Wufei's face and he let out a chuckle, instantly regretting it as his ribs screamed in protest. It's a gods damned plot. Am I the only one who sees that I don't have time to rest?

"Thank you General Hazuma. I am sorry if I have disturbed you. Goodnight."

Goodnight, Commander Chang.

Wufei sighed and laid his head back, staring up at the ceiling. I can't believe I let myself get caught in that explosion! I should have known they would sabotage the hanger. Stupid! His only consolation was knowing that Zechs had escaped unharmed. Maybe I should just call him so he doesn't show up here and---

"May I come in?"

Zechs entered the dimly lit room and found his Security Commander staring right at him, onyx eyes glinting. He received nothing but a nod in answer. He made his way over and sat in the chair he had occupied for hours waiting for Wufei to wake up.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine."

"The doctor told me you were lucky that you didn't---"

"Why did you stay here with me?"

"Excuse me?"

"The nurse told me that you stayed here in my room for hours and refused to leave."

"I was worried about you."

"I do not need to be coddled."

"I was not---"

"I don't need anyone worrying about me."

Zechs placed his hand over Wufei's and lowered his voice, sincerity in every word he uttered. "Chang, it was my fault you got hurt. The least I could do is watch over you."

Wufei felt his whole body get warm at the simple contact from Zechs. Why? Why does this happen when I'm around him?

"It was my fault. You have nothing to feel responsible for. I should have anticipated their sabotage at the hanger."

Zechs smiled and squeezed Wufei's hand just a little and chuckled. "I hate to tell you this but you are not perfect. You can't know everything all the time."

"That's my job!" Wufei pulled his hand away and looked away from Zechs. He hated people seeing him when he was injured. Especially if it was his own damn fault.

"Chang….you're job is to train my men so they can protect me as well as you would. Your job is not to protect me. I'm sorry I have put you in such a position."

"Of course it's my job to protect you! What do you want me to do? Just stand by and let you get shot or kidnapped? That's not who I am. You need protection Milliardo. I am your protector!"

Zechs could feel the hairs on his arms stand on end from Wufei's passionate words. "You just called me Milliardo."

"What?"

"You just called me Milliardo and said you were my protector." And I liked it. I want you to be my protector Wufei. My friend and protector. You remind me so much of him, and yet you're so very different. "And I accept. Wufei."

Wufei was stunned into silence as Zechs stood up and reached out, his hand gently smoothing down his ebony hair which was currently hanging loose around his face.

"Goodnight. Get your rest while you can because I have a feeling things are going to be getting very interesting soon."

As Zechs made his way to the dining room, a small smile on his face, Wufei lay in his bed, his heart and mind in turmoil. That small touch. His touch. It affects me every time. Why?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Shit 'Fei, are you ok?"

Wufei lay in his bed, his body one big throbbing mass of pain after walking from the bathroom and back. He had been given a bedpan, but there was no way he was going to use it. He had two legs that worked well enough and that was all he needed.

He had decided to call his best friend and let him know he was ok and tell him exactly what happened so he wouldn't worry. He knew how the news reports could blow things out of proportion.

"I'm fine, Maxwell. That's what I was calling to tell you."

"You don't look fine. What happened?"

"I got caught in an explosion and was buried under some rubble. Slight concussion, cracked rib, a gash on my leg, some cuts and scraps, nothing major."

"When I heard the report--"

"That's why I called you as soon as I could. I didn't want you to worry about me."

"Thanks, 'Fei. I've been going crazy for hours. Une wasn't in and no one else was around to authorize the communiqué to your ship at the time. I was this close to hacking the system and calling you."

"Sorry it took so long for me to reach you."

"Don't apologize. I'm just happy you're in one piece. I don't know what I'd do if--"

"Maxwell!"

"W-what?"

Wufei sighed at the mollified face on the screen. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. But there's no reason to finish that thought. I'm fine, ok?"

"Ok."

Wufei settled back into the large pillows behind him and slowly blinked, fatigue taking over. "So tell me what you've been up to Maxwell. There's nothing else I'd rather hear right now."

Zechs listened as Duo went on to detail the happenings in his life and at work for the past month or so and Wufei would interject every now and again with a comment. He didn't listen to the friends talk for too long. It wasn't his style to eavesdrop. He had just come by to give Wufei a small bowl of ice cream that he'd pilfered from the kitchen when he heard his voice and stopped to listen. Besides, listening to the pair talk made his heart ache. He suddenly missed Treize very much and by the time he settled into his own bed to go to sleep, he was jealous of Duo for having Wufei's true friendship.

To be continued….