Wootwoot, chapter 5! Alright, we are rollin' now. Wabam! Kk, don't own GW- it sucks though cause I wannaaaaaa- but enjoy!
Five sets of eyes stared blankly at a very dark and empty cell. One pair in particular turned and glared at the braided boy beside him.
"What did you do?"
Duo put his hands up in mock defense.
"Hey, c'mon now. Why do you think I had anything to do with this?"
"You were the last one to see her. It was you. You let her out."
"I didn't let her out! I was only gone for a little bit and when I came back, poof! Gone!"
Heero's eyes narrowed in annoyance, "Why did you let her out, Duo?"
"I didn't!"
"Guys, guys, guys, what's fighting about this going to solve?" Quatre butted in.
Heero grunted and pushed past Duo, making a bee-line for the door. As he opened it to walk out, he paused.
"I'm going to find her."
Quatre and Duo's mouth dropped as the door slammed shut. Wufei shook his head and made his way to the door as well.
"Vile creatures women are. She won't get far, he'll make sure of that."
As he left, Trowa was alone with the two shocked pilots. He sighed to himself and approached the two boys.
"So tell me, you two let her out didn't you?"
And, as if on cue, Quatre started bawling. He tried explaining the situation to Trowa, but it was difficult to understand him between the constant gasps for air and hyperventilating.
"Calm down, man. Here, I'll explain," Duo began, "Alright, Trowa, here's what happened. I'm always the one who got stuck guarding her right? Right. So, after awhile we started talking about random stuff, you know, getting to know each other, and I started feeling really bad for her, man. I talked with Quatre about it too, but just talked. He didn't give me any ideas about letting her out. But, she's been through some tough shit and I thought I should help her. I mean, it's not like she hurt us or anything. Besides, we caught her, she's not going back to whoever sent her. I don't see why Heero is so mad. Geez, that guy really needs to lighten up. You know what I think? I think he needs to get laaaaaaaaaaaaaid," he started to giggle.
Trowa raised an eyebrow at the man, wondering how he could get so off-track.
"So, let me get this straight. You just wanted to help her?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"So you helped her escape?"
"Right."
"Alright, so tell me, why is Quatre so upset?"
"Oh, pssh. He's just upset that you found out, Trowa. He thinks you're gonna hate him now or something."
Quatre blushed uncontrollably. He had to admit that he really looked up to Trowa for strength, in a completely non-homosexual kind of way. Tee.
Trowa half-smirked and turned back to Duo, "So how did you let her out?"
"Bobby pins. I have about four thousand in my bathroom cabinet."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
"I put one in her sandwich and I'm glad she figured out what to do with it."
"But Duo, she was a prisoner. What you did was illegal."
He averted his eyes back to the cell, "I know, I know. But I had to step up and do something. I couldn't watch her rot away in here just because she wouldn't tell us anything."
"I still don't understand. We've captured prisoners before. Women, even."
"I understand, Trowa," Quatre finally spoke up, "Duo has a crush on her."
"Oh be more fifth grade, Quatre," Duo retorted.
The blonde man smiled, "It's true though!"
"Nu-uh!"
"Ya-huh!"
"Nu-uh!"
"Ya-uh!"
"Shut up!"
Duo and Quatre immediately clapped their mouths shut and look up at the other pilot.
"Good, ok," Trowa breathed, "Listen, guys. This is not good that she is out."
"Why?" they asked together.
"Because, Heero knows who she is. All he had to find out was her last name and he got that out of her finally."
"How did he do that?" Duo rose.
"He just…did. Anyway, she a danger to us if she finds out who we are."
"You mean her association threw her in here blind?" Quatre inquired.
"Yeah, if she knew we are Gundam pilots, she would kill us all."
Duo was afraid to ask, "…Why is that, Trowa?"
Trowa sunk his head down, "Because she's the little girl from the M.A.C. Crisis. She's Jessie Murphey."
Meanwhile (12:45am)
Jessie ran down the darkened city streets blindly. She had never been on this colony before. L2. That's what it was called. She had been running for so long now, just trying to get away from those men. From her captors. From her savior. She kept going until she found herself standing in front of a shady looking bar. This colony was a dump, but she needed some kind of shelter for just a little while. Maybe they even had a room available. Jessie pulled open the door and almost immediately started coughing because of the thick, grey cloud of smoked that encompassed the entire space. Waving her hand in front of her face, she headed over toward the bartender- a scantily clad woman who was well endowed, wearing a poor excuse for a dress. It looked more like a stretched out piece of cloth. She sat down and the older woman leaned over the bar to talk to her.
"Now, what's a sweet, little thing like you doing in here?"
Jessie didn't look up at her, "I need a room for tonight."
She raised an eyebrow, "A room? Honey, we just serve drinks and some mild entertainment for the regulars."
Jessie shot her head up, her eyes filled with tears, "Please, I have to have a room! I need to get away."
"From?"
"From," she bit her lip, "my crazy boyfriend. This is the only place he wouldn't look for me at. Please, you have to help me," she shivered a little.
The woman took the young girl's story to heart. She knew what it was like to be an abusive relationship. Knew all too well in fact. She put her hand on Jessie's shoulder.
"Alright, sweetie. We have a room above the bar here. It isn't much, but it can be your refuge. Here's the key."
Jessie took the key from her and thanked her emphatically, then stood and headed for the stairs.
"Hey," the woman called, "What's your name?"
She turned and gave a small smile, "Oh, sorry. I'm Jessie."
"Jessie, cute name, honey. My name's Gwen. I'll be up in a little while to see if you need anything, ok?"
"Thanks, Gwen."
She went ahead up the stairs and into her small haven.
Outside the Gundam's base (1:30am)
Duo walked down the metallic halls searching for Heero. He had called him about something when he returned from his futile search for Jessie. It didn't take Duo long to find him in his gloomy room, typing away at his laptop as usual. Sometimes he wondered if he was really typing anything, or just hitting the keys with his hands.
"You called for me, master?" Duo asked in a poor impression of Igor.
Heero stopped, "Why is everything a joke to you? This is no time to be laughing."
"Yeesh, sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood of your cave back here."
He stood up and walked over to the door where Duo was.
"I couldn't find her."
"Yeah? I didn't notice."
He frowned, "Listen, Duo, I'm sure Trowa told you about the security threat this girl poses."
"Yeah, he told me."
"We have to find that girl at all costs."
"Ok, cool. So, you goin' back out again?"
Heero smirked, "No, but you are."
"What? Why me, man?"
"Because, out of all of us, you know her best."
"That isn't saying much."
"It doesn't matter. You have a better chance of finding her than we do."
Duo rolled his eyes, "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiine, I'll look for her."
"Don't just look, find her."
"Fine."
He spun on his heel and left the other man at his doorway. This was ridiculous, why did he have to go out into the night and find some girl? Lame, that's what it was. As he stepped outside, he noticed two things: it was freezing cold and they had decided it was a good nice to make it rain. Lovely.
Duo groaned, "What. Ev. Er. I don't even care anymore. I'll just find her, and come back home."
He forced himself out into the rain and started his search.
The Pussycat Bar (2:10am)
Duo pulled open the door of his favorite bar. It wasn't the nicest, or the cleanest, but he had a lot of good memories here. It was the first bar he legally went to, and when he had turned eighteen, his friends had brought him here for some good old fun. Yeah, those were good times for sure. He went straight for the bar and sat down, grinning at the barmaid who stood before him. She smiled right back.
"Well, hey there stranger! Long time, no see."
He chuckled, "Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, Gwen, I know I should stop by more."
"Damn right you should! Now, what'll it be, sugar?"
"No drinks tonight, babe, I'm on a top secret mission," he proclaimed proudly.
"Ooooooo, a mission huh? Maybe I can help you."
"Well, I suppose it would be alright. I'm on a search and rescue mission."
"Those are so much fun! Who are you lookin' for?"
He smiled, "A young girl."
Gwen pouted, "Aw, that's too bad. Well, I guess it's my civic duty to help you. What does she look like?"
"I doubt she'd come here."
"And why is that? I run a perfectly fine entertainment facility here, Duo Maxwell."
"Well, I know that. But she might not."
"Oh come on. We had quite a few people in here tonight, maybe I saw her."
He nodded, "Ok. She's got dark, dark hair- I'm pretty sure it might be black, creamy, pale skin, and these intense blue eyes. Kinda like Heero's."
Gwen just eyed him for a moment, "Is she just a little shorter than me?"
"Yep."
"Tattered clothes?"
"Mhm, how did you know?"
"Name's Jessie?"
"Yeah! That's her! Do you know where she is?"
"You bastard!"
"What?"
POW. Gwen's hand came full-force into the side of Duo's face, leaving the nastiest red mark in history. He fell to the floor and stayed down there in shock for a moment.
"How could you do that to her? I never thought you'd be like the others, Duo!"
Wearily, he pulled himself up with help from the bar and clutched his cheek.
"Are you crazy? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Am I crazy? You're the psycho, beating that poor girl like that. How could you?"
"Beat her? I've never laid an angry hand on any woman before. You, of all people, should know that. Did she tell you some lie?"
"She came in here needing a room to get away from her crazy-ass boyfriend, which is you I assume."
"Boyfriend? Listen, Gwen, I am not that girl's boyfriend!"
"Then why did she say that?"
"God, what's all that racket?"
Duo and Gwen's eyes were drawn over to the stairs, where a very sleepy and weak Jessie stood. She had found an oversized t-shirt to sleep in and their fighting had caused her to wake from her restful slumber.
"Duo? What then hell are you doing here?" she walked over to him.
"Jessie, you have to come back with me."
"No!"
Gwen butted-in between them, "Leave, Duo. She doesn't want to go with you."
"You don't understand, Gwen. She's an escaped criminal. I have to take her back to our base."
"What?" she turned around to Jessie, "Is he serious?"
She looked from Gwen to Duo and frowned, "He's lying, Gwen. That bastard just wants me to come home so he can torture me more."
She started putting on the fake waterworks and Duo knew he couldn't win then.
"I think you better go, Duo," Gwen said calmly.
He just stood and watched Jessie cry into Gwen's chest. He had saved her life and now he was coming out to get her. She probably felt betrayed. Duo sighed and started for the door. As he opened it, he paused a moment.
"Goodbye, Jessie."
The heavy door shut behind him and Jessie's tears were real as he walked out of her life.
Teeheehee, I like Gwen. She's all motherly with Jessie. I think the ending was a little sad though, poor Duo. I don't know what to do now. Comments are very welcome! Thanks for reading!