AN: Well, here ya go people. Chapter 17. This story is coming to close real soon. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a little longer than my other ones have been. Please read and review. I want to know what you all think.
Special Thanks to:
Marauder Heir: Lol, but don't you think the desperate side is so cute? And well, it's not really Kurama's fault if you think about it.
Modified Tam: Thanks for another review. Smiles. And Duo does eventually start feelings slightly guilty. Hehe, you'll see.
Kami-Crimson: Don't worry. Everything will be happy in the end. Hehe. Just wait. And thank you for another review. Happiness is me.
Luv to all! And if you enjoy this, for those of you who haven't already, please check out my other 1x2 fic called To Be Free! Thanks for sticking with me for so long!
Chapter 17
The next day Lily didn't make breakfast. She had woken up late and found just a few people downstairs eating cereal. Her head was pounding, and her eyes will still red from crying so much. Wufei looked up at the girl and sighed when he noticed she was in her school uniform.
"You're going to school?" he asked the girl and she nodded.
Sakura offered the girl some cereal but Lily only shook her head. "What happened?" Sakura asked.
Lily shrugged and sat next to her friend, burying her face into her arms.
"Duo and Kurama already left for school," Sakura explained. "Hiei went to escort them and Yukina left with them so Hiei could also escort her to school." There was no response from Lily and Sakura could see the worried expression on Wufei's face.
"Lily, you need to eat something," Wufei told her. "What do you want? I'll make it for you."
Heero walked into the kitchen and glanced over to his sister. He shook his head. "I'm heading out already."
"Already?" Sakura asked, blinking at the boy. She sighed. Usually everyone in the house would walk together to school, and then Hiei and Yukina would separate so she could head to school. Never had she seen the group so torn up since everyone moved in, and not to mention Quatre and Trowa had moved out the moment they got their apartment. Things were being torn apart. Heero nodded and grabbed his coat as he walked out the door. Sakura looked to Lily and sighed when Yusuke placed his bowl into the sink.
"Sakura, let's go," he called out and grabbed his bag and coat. Sakura nodded and stood from her seat. She glanced over to Wufei who only nodded that things would be okay. Accepting this, Sakura ran over to Yusuke and the pair left quickly.
Finally alone with the girl, Wufei moved over to sit next to Lily and placed a hand on her back. "Lily, come on, you need to eat something."
"No!" She sat up glaring at the boy. "I don't want to eat. What do you care anyway?"
"I just do, okay? You're my friend."
Lily stood from her chair, practically knocking it back. "I don't want to be your friend. Why can't you just understand that?" Wufei stood reaching out for the girl, but Lily just knocked his hand to the side. "God Wufei, what is wrong with you? Just leave me alone!" She turned and grabbed her school bag, leaving to head to school.
Wufei sighed and fell back into his chair. He had wanted to help Lily and now she was mad at him. What could he do to help her? Lily was in pain and he could do nothing for her. Maybe he should just leave. Maybe that would make things better. Maybe he could just return to his fiancé. And so that's what Wufei decided. There was nothing more that he could do here besides cause more pain.
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Heero walked into class and spotted Duo in a different seat than usual. Sighing, the boy took his usual seat and stared up to the front of class. The day was lonely being as Duo would always make a quick getaway when the bell would ring. As soon as the last bell of the day rang, Heero rushed out of class and after Duo. He stopped the boy at his locker and slammed it shut, causing the boy to face him.
"I know you hate me right now, but I don't see a good reason for it. I know you're hurt that I can't remember, but I'm trying my hardest. Give me time Duo."
Duo stared at the other boy, eyes wide from shock at the sudden attack. Finally he shook his head and started glaring. "You don't know anything."
"That's exactly my point," Heero started. "Help me know… Help me remember. You may not want me right now, but I guarantee I will win your heart again. I did it once. I don't see why I can't do it again." And so Heero left a stunned Duo as he headed out of the school and over to the orphanage.
Hilde had been waiting at the front for Heero and smiled upon the boy's arrival. "So, did you talk to him today?" the girl asked and Heero nodded. "Good." The pair walked to the back where Heero once again admired the amount of flowers that grew. He rushed across the field and twirled around under the warm sun. A vision of him chasing after a boy with a blurry face flashed through his mind and Heero smiled as he was one step closer to figuring out his past.
He fell back onto a patch of flowers and stared up at the sky. Looking near him there was another vision of that same blurry faced boy pointing up to the sky. Heero reached out to that vision and it quickly disappeared. Shaking his head, he was determined to remember everything.
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Duo was the first to arrive home. He had wanted to go see Wufei and question the boy as to why he hadn't been at school, but when Duo pushed the boy's door open there was nothing in sight. Wufei had packed everything up and was apparently gone.
Turning to head to his own room, Duo found Lily standing behind him, staring wide eyed into the Chinese boy's room. She shook her head and stepped back, not caring that she had just bumped into another wall. Turning towards the stairs, she ran down them and past the living room into the kitchen. Duo heard the front door fly open and then slam shut. He winced as he realized just what had happened here.
Duo threw his bag into his room and dashed down the stairs, bumping into both Sakura and Yusuke. He quickly apologized and headed out the door after Lily, or so he thought. Reaching outside, he wondered which way Lily had gone.
"Sakura!" Duo ran back inside and shouted up the stairs. "Sakura!"
The girl peered around the corner angrily, glaring down at Duo. "What?"
"Did you see Lily?"
Sakura blinked and then nodded. "Yeah. She burst into the kitchen when I'd first arrived."
"Did you see which way she went?"
"Iye. Is everything alright?"
"Look into Wu-man's room and see for yourself." Duo then ran back out.
Curious as to what the boy meant, Yusuke shoved the Chinese boy's door open and his eyes widened. Sakura shoved Yusuke away and peered in herself. There was nothing. She turned back to the stairs and it finally dawned on her why Lily had run out so fast. But how did Duo expect to find the runaway girl? Lily didn't have a cell phone. She figured if people really wanted to get a hold of her, they'd leave a message on the home phone. Sakura felt an arm wrap around her and she turned her gaze up to Yusuke.
"Don't worry babe. Everything will be fine."
Sakura sighed and nodded. "I hope you're right. Lily can be pretty stubborn."
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Heero had been walking home when he ran into a frantic Duo. "Duo, what's wrong?"
"It's Lily," Duo said, taking deep breaths. "I think she just ran away."
"What? Why? What reason does she have to run away?"
"I don't know. You tell me," Duo growled at the boy. "I got home and saw that Wufei had moved out. I found Lily behind me."
"Wufei moved out?" Heero grabbed the boy's shoulders. "Why? Why would he move out?"
"Why the hell are you asking me?" Duo shouted. He pulled away from the boy, glaring at him. "Ask the people actually involved."
Heero stumbled back and ran past the boy to the house. He burst inside and up to Wufei's room. Sure enough, the boy had moved out. Heero ran back downstairs where he spotted Duo just entering the house.
"There's a dance studio she goes to here every now and then, right?" Heero asked the boy and Duo nodded. "Where is it?"
"It's about a fifteen minute walk from here."
"Show me." Duo nodded and the boy ran out of the house, Heero close behind. They arrived to the dance school and Heero asked the lady at the desk about Lily.
"Yes, she's one of our best students," the lady pointed out. "But I haven't seen her today."
"Thank you." Heero turned back to Duo. "I just came from the orphanage. I know she's not there. What about school?"
"It's possible that she would go back," Duo agreed and the two boys headed for the school. But she wasn't there either. After awhile, the two finally returned to the house only to learn that Lily hadn't returned yet.
Kurama walked into the house and noticed everyone gathered in the living room… except for Lily and Wufei. Hiei rose an eyebrow at the group, and Yukina walked up to all of them.
"What has happened?" the girl asked.
"Wufei's moved out," Sakura explained. "Lily found out and we think she ran away. She just ran out and nobody knows where she's at."
"What do you mean she ran away?" asked Kurama, eyes wide. He sank to the ground, not being able to fight off the feeling that part of this was his fault. Apparently everyone knew what the boy was thinking and Heero walked up to the red head.
"Damn straight it's your fault. If you weren't going to marry her, you should have never asked."
"Heero!" Sakura ran to her friend, pulling on his arm. "Isn't that a little harsh? It's also Wufei's fault if you ask me."
"She's my sister damn it!" Heero shouted. "I will find her." He glared around at everyone in the room and his eyes landed on Duo. "If it weren't for her, I never would have met you… again."
Duo blinked and looked away a little ashamed of himself. He knew it wasn't Heero's fault, but he just wished the boy could remember. Duo had spent all these years searching for someone who had forgotten him and while it wasn't Heero's fault, it still hurt Duo.
Heero blinked when the phone started ringing and he walked over, answering it. "Moshi moshi?" It was Quatre. "What is it?" Heero asked. The blonde had had something important to tell him. Heero had wanted to tell him about Lily and Wufei, but knew better than to trouble the blonde with something else when he had his own things to worry about. Hanging up the phone, Heero checked his laptop and sure enough, there was an email waiting for him. He was being called on a mission, only his partner, Wufei, was gone.
Heero turned to Duo. "There's a mission. My partner is gone."
Duo blinked and nodded. "I'll go, but we need someone to look for Lily."
Heero nodded. "And I know just the person."
"Wufei?"
"Hai. If he returned to China like I think he did, then he won't be back till late tonight. We'll call him first thing in the morning and then we'll head out for our mission."
Duo nodded and the both decided it was time for them to head to bed early. When the two boys left everyone else turned to Kurama. Smiling, Sakura walked over to the boy and offered a warm hand out to him. Looking up at the girl, Kurama slowly took that hand and she helped him up.
"Kurama, it's not your fault," Sakura explained. "You of all people should know that. If anyone is to blame it's Wufei and that's why he's the one that needs to find her." Kurama blinked and nodded at the girl. "She's loved Wufei for so long now and she tried to ignore it but then he comes here and the girl doesn't know what to think. Sometimes he's kind and sometimes he's just really mean. Wufei had told Lily that he wanted to be with her as long as possible and then there's the breakup between you and Lily which was inevitable. She foresaw it but chose to brush it aside. She hoped that things would work out. But even so, there was Wufei by her side… her best friend. She comes home from school and today and he just up and left? Not or word or anything? How's she supposed to feel?"
Kurama smiled slightly at the girl. "You really do know Lily, don't you?"
"Besides Heero, I'm the only other one who grew up with her," Sakura pointed out. "No one knows her as well as we do."
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Heero sat in his room, staring out the window into the darkness. It had been a long and tiring day yet he could get no sleep. He was worried about his sister, who was missing. Heero at least had an idea where the Chinese boy was heading, but with Lily it was a whole other story.
He rolled out of bed and climbed out onto the balcony. It was cold out tonight but for some reason Heero didn't care. So much was happening at the moment, he wasn't sure what to deal with first. He was worried. There was a mission he and Duo had to head out for, yet someone close to the both of them was missing. Sure it was Wufei's fault, and he should be the one to find her, but that still didn't stop Heero from worrying. And then not to mention that him and Duo were still apart. While he was remembering a few things from his past it still wasn't enough. What if he couldn't remember everything? What would he do then? Heero wanted more than anything to be with Duo again. And if regaining his memories was the key to regaining the boy, Heero would do anything to do that, but who's to say he would succeed? Heero curled into a ball and practically screamed out. He jumped up when he heard someone else crawl out onto the balcony. Was it Lily? Did she return?
Heero looked over to find Duo staring at him. He blinked and the boy crawled over, throwing a blanket over the both of them. Duo placed his head on Heero's shoulder and sighed. He had missed this.
"You said you'd win my heart again, ne?" the braided boy asked and Heero nodded. "You said to give you time to regain your memories." Duo sighed and pulled away looking into Heero's Persian blue eyes. "Then I'll wait." Duo slipped his hand through Heero's. "The day that you regain your memories I'll be yours once again." Heero's eyes widened as he realized what the boy was saying, and Duo smiled. He leaned over and kissed Heero on the cheek then left the boy to sit alone.
Happiness and hope filled Heero's heart to the point where he felt just a few tears fall. There was a chance that he could win Duo back and just that gave him the courage to work harder to regain his memories.
After awhile, Heero finally returned to bed and he slept peacefully for the first time since him and Duo had broken up. Sweet dreams filled his mind of his love and Heero couldn't wait to reclaim that love that they had not that long ago.
AN: Funny thing… I started crying as I was writing the last bit of this… one of the saddest yet happiest songs I know of started playing and it brought this scene to life for me for a moment. I know… I'm such a baby. Sighs. I hope you all enjoyed it just as much as I did. Please review.