Wait. Oh, I'm sorry, I don't know why it did it, but putting all the chapters in one was not the plan! Stupid fucked up computer... Rrrrr

Tainted for life

Chapter 8

Duo stared up ahead with mixed feelings. The past few days he had felt like he had been riding the rollercoaster, with all it's twists and turns, non stop. The nights were sleepless, for every time he closed his eyes bloody mental pictures made him shiver and he just could not keep them closed. So instead he just stared at the door of his hotel room.

He looked to his left, where his family sat. Hilde, looking coldly up ahead. Thus far he had not been able to read her. Did she act this cold because she hated her father, or because she hated them, her brother and mother, for suing him. Then again, Duo could not blame her, Hilde had always been blind to the world, she didn't even notice what was going on in their own house.

Next to Hilde sat his grandmother, silently sobbing into a tissue, his aunt, from Duo's mother's side, sat next to the old woman. Trying to comfort her while she herself was also shocked.

More of his family member, al from his mothers side, had came. To support them in these horrible times.

He looked to the front again. To the judge and the council, who all listened to his mother's heartbreaking stories as she was on the witness stand. He had long stopped listening. It was just to much. Two night ago his mother had come to his hotel room and already told him the entire story, not wanting her son to hear it in court. She had told him about the beating, that had been going on since not long after he was born. She had told him about the therapy his father took, but that it only made him more angry. She told him she tried to run away, taking him and Hilde with her, when they where still young, but he tracked her down and lured her back 'home' with empty promises she should have never believed. Since then, she was a captive in her own home.

His father sat on the Defendant side, looking coldly at his mother. It didn't make it easier for her to tell her story and once in a while she had to stop and take a deep breath to hold down the sobs.

He felt his own tears welling up. Hurt and anger, but also guilt. Who sues his own father! What had he done! But at the same time, it felt like he hadn't done enough. Everyday he had came to this court for the many trials, with his skin looking pale and his hair a mess, he had wanted to fly over to his father and hurt him as much as he hurt his mother and he.

He flinched as a hand came to lie on his leg. He looked to his right, where Heero sat. The smaller man smiled reassuringly. His blue eyes said that all will be alright. He was grateful Heero had decided to come with him to New York for his fathers trial. He and Cat and Frankie, who called him twice a day, were a great support. The best friends he could wish for. Though he wasn't sure if Heero was just a friend, or more. After that day in the hospital they just fell back into their friendly behaviour, aside from these intimate moments.

He took a deep breath and looked back to the front again. He looked at his father, who didn't even seem to listen to what the judge had to say.
He hated that man.

'- With that I declare the Defendant Guilty of all complaints: Continuous physical and verbal Ill-treatment of Helen Rose and Duo Maxwell. Beating, locking up and disparage. And guilty on physical abuse on Heero Yuy. With the power that the law gives me, I sentence you for seventeen years in jail and intense therapy.' The judge rose and so did all the others in the court. Two guards came up to his father, immediately cuffing him. His father did nothing, he was just a mindless zombie, being taken away. He gave Duo one last pleading look, but he will not fall for that.

Just to annoy him he wrapped an arm around Heero's shoulders and placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek. He didn't know how Heero would react to it, but the look his father gave him... for the first time getting that look felt good. Because he knew that for all those seventeen harsh years, he would be thinking of that moment, when he had kissed Heero.

His father was quick to look away. Red, either with anger or shame.

He got a hug from all his family members who were here today and they congratulated him like it was his birthday. He decided to stay silent, he did not want to cause an argument, but he also could not except their congratulations. This was not a festive day.

His mother did the same. She had a sad, tormented look in her eyes as she watched her ex-husband go. Maybe it was a festive day. To Duo it felt like new years eve. He left one life behind, to go the next. But he wondered how much better it would be.

'Duo?'

'Door's open, come in.' He called from where he lay on his freshly made hotel bed. He put away the book he was reading and looked up as his mother came to sit on the edge of the two-person bed. Her shoulders were slumped and she had dark circles under her eyes. This trial had been sucking up all their energy. Duo could see it in her eyes, but also in his own. The dullness and the ugly black circles. He was just silent as he watched her. He noticed some grey hairs and lines on her face he did not remember from before. She looked more miserable now then she ever did.

'We got everything.' She silently said.

He nodded, he already knew. They got the house, the car and fifty percent of the multibillion dollar company his father owned.

She looked back at him, with the same sad, tormented, look. She swallowed. 'I don't want it... I don't want the house. I don't want the cars. I don't want the company.' She admitted. 'All I want is a new life. Don't you agree?'

Duo nodded. She was so right. He could not stand that house. Every time he came downstairs his father would be there in the hallway, to see where he was going. Even though they had a butler, his father always opened the door. During dinner he would sit at the head of the table and occasionally look up to see if everything was how he wanted it. His father ruled that house and everything in it and he still did, even though he wasn't there.

'I want to sell our part of the company. That will bring us enough money to last more then one lifetime.'

He just nodded, absentmindedly as he stared at the sheets on the other side of the bed. 'We will move to a smaller home, no maids, no butlers, no cooks.'

He nodded again. He wanted that, he wanted a new life. And he wanted... he wanted Heero. Now that his father was gone he could finally be with Heero. He just hoped Heero wasn't lying about his feelings for him. That would break his heart more then anything. He reminded himself that he had to talk to said object of affection.

'Do you agree?'

He nodded eagerly and he wanted her to go away so that he could call Heero and ask him to come to his room. He wanted, needed, to know where their relationship stood.

'... I'll make the arrangements... I missed you.' She bent over to lightly kiss his forehead, something she used to do when he was little.

He had missed her too.

He wanted to call Heero but it felt like a load was off his shoulders. A very heavy load. All he wanted to do was sleep. His mothers voice was so comforting. She described the house where they would live. She had already seen it and it was perfect for them. She talked about the interior and sometimes asked him simple yes or no questions but he didn't answer, way to tired.

While she described his room he dreamed of how Heero and he will lie on the bed, with black sating sheets, she said, his favourites. While she described the house with herself, Duo and Hilde (die bitch! Die!) in it, he mentally added Heero. Even though his mom said 'small' he knew she wouldn't want anything smaller then a mansion and maybe... maybe they'd have a spare room left, for Heero. Oh how he prayed his perfect life would soon be so much more then his mother told him while he leaned against her, with her petting his head.

Too bad he fell asleep before she said the next sentence. If he was awake, he would have protested, but now he was oblivious...

'A new home, a new life, far, far away from our old one.'

Crimson Waterfalls twin: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Crimson Waterfall you fucking bitch! Do not DARE to make this a non-happy-ending story! CW: grin
Twin: Now what is that look supposed to mean! You evil bitch!
CW: silences the other part of her split personality. This chapter has been sitting in my computer for a very long time and i though I should finally reveal it to the public. I'll try to write another chapter tonight to go with it, but I do have somewhere to be tonight (winks) and I have lots and lots of work for tomorrow... and monday... and tuesday... In either case, if it is not up within the next two hours... don't hold your breath for it. Please understand, I like to finish school graduated... instead of dropping out...

Well, It's been a while since I updated, you should really tell me what you think of it and most importantly, what you want to happen! Remember, I might be a bitch, but I still listen to my readers!

PS: (no I am not done yet) I've been working on two stories, well, more like one and a half and I hope this is not too much to ask for but I just want to know if I should do something with it. Here is the summary for one:
AU Five boys live scattered across the globe. But for some reason they all end up in America, where they meet and become best friends. But they all still bear the secrets they took with them from their home country. Would it tear them apart?
Angsty huh? I'm not gonna tell you more, you know me, I dig mystery. Tell me: Should I give it a try or just kill myself?

Okay and the other story... well I don't really have a plot for it yet, but I'll think of something. But, as a teaser, what do you all think of Heero being half french?
(I don't know why but it just sounds so sexy and perfect!)

Yes, now I am done.