Disclaimer: I do NOT own Gundam Wing! I do NOT claim to own them. I'm just borrowing with every intent to return. I also don't own the song. Bon Jovi does.

This has floated around in my head for a while. It's angstish, but 99 of what I write is. Hope you likes!

These Days

I was walking around, just a face in the crowd,

Trying to keep myself out of the rain.

Saw a vagabond king wear a Styrofoam crown,

Wandered if I might end up the same.

There's a man out on the corner, singing old songs about change.

Everybody got their cross to bare, these days.

She came looking for some shelter, with a suitcase full of dreams

To a hotel room on the boulevard,

Guess she's trying to be James Dean.

She's seen all the disciples and all the 'wanna be's'

No one wants to be themselves these days

Still there's nothing to hold on to but these days

Duo drowned the rest of his Jack and Coke and threw a tip in the jar after paying his tab. It was well passed one on a Friday night, but the club was still jumping with sloshed patrons. He shouldered his way through the crowds and out into the cooling night. He swayed slightly as he walked, but didn't feel like hailing a cab. This had become routine. Every Friday and Saturday he graced the club with his presence. On other nights he settled for drinking at home. It had become the only thing that kept him going through the day.

The streets of downtown were filled with drunks and druggies, all searching for the same thing he was. Mindlessness. Looking forward to that moment where reality disappeared under the weight of intoxication. Their eyes said the same thing as his own: There was nothing left to hope for.

He had fought for peace. He had had dreams of what it would feel like. But in the end, it was not what he'd hoped it would be. He was empty. His cell phone rang and he looked down to the screen to see who was calling. With a grimace he flipped it open.

"Yeah."

"Where are you?"

Duo looked up to the nearest street sign. "Court Street."

A sigh. "I just got a very worried phone call from your boyfriend."

Duo sat on a bench and tilted his head back. "He knows where I am. There's no reason for him to worry."

"Duo, he said you've been drinking every night. You're turning into an alcoholic."

Duo barked a drunken laugh. "Drunk."

"What?"

"Alcoholics go to meetings."

There was silence for a moment. "Maybe you should."

"And get the pleasure of having people I don't know, don't think I care to know, stare at me as I say: Hello, my name is Duo Maxwell? Nope, don't think so, Heero. Mind your own business." He pushed from the bench and continued toward home.

"You're my friend, Duo. You are my business. And what about Wufei?"

Duo groaned and kicked some trash on the sidewalk. "What about him?"

"Duo-"

"Just stop already. You sound like a nagging mother." He looked up to the night sky. "Are you happy, Heero?"

There was a pause as the quick topic change startled his friend. "Yeah, I guess."

"How?" Duo started down the street where he and Wufei lived. "Look around, Heero. What's left for us?"

"To live."

"Live." Duo looked up to the two bedroom house from the shadows. Wufei stood in the window, arms crossed over his chest. A pang of guilt ran through Duo. Wufei looked tired, and Duo knew it wasn't just physical. Duo wanted to see what they did. Where did they find hope? Where was the good? The war was over, but it never really ended. Theft, murders, rapes. It all still continued. It seemed civilization was falling apart at the seems and half the world and the colonies just chose to ignore it. Duo stepped into the light and Wufei looked at him. Those same onyx eyes that used to hold Duo captivated. The same face that had made Duo's chest clench and pulse race. But now, he felt nothing.

"What is there to live for, Heero?" He hung up and moved up the steps. Wufei met him at the door, searching his eyes. Duo didn't know if his lover found what he was looking for, but shutters seemed to fall over black eyes and Wufei silently went to the guest bedroom and shut the door. With mild regret, Duo padded to their bedroom and passed out on top of the comforter.

These days – the stars seem out of reach

These days – there ain't a ladder on the streets

These days – are fast, love don't last in this graceless age

There ain't nobody left but us these days

When Duo woke, the sun was shining brightly through the open curtains and he could hear Wufei rummaging through pots in the kitchen. He rolled over and looked at the clock. Just passed ten. He usually hated sleeping late, but made exceptions on the weekends. He took a shower and brushed the foul taste from his mouth before going to the kitchen.

Wufei stood leaning on the counter, eyes fixed out the window. A barely touch cup of tea was quickly cooling on the table. They stood in silence, both painfully aware of the others presence. Duo frowned slightly.

"Why are you wearing your uniform?"

Wufei turned and grabbed the tea from the table, putting it in the sink. "Une called Heero and me into work. I'll be gone a few days." He looked up to Duo as he was about to leave the kitchen. "Can you…" A small sad smile came to his lips and fell quickly. "I'll see you when I get back."

Duo stood, leaning against the wall as Wufei grabbed his back and left the house. Duo couldn't quite explain the feeling in his chest as Wufei walked silently out the door. For the first two years of their relationship, neither would leave to even run to the store without telling the other they loved them. When had that changed? Duo couldn't remember the last time he'd told Wufei he loved him. He turned and walked aimlessly about the house. Hundreds of memories flooding his mind. The day the moved in. The parties they'd had with the other pilots and all their friends. The quiet moments he and Wufei had spent curled up on the sofa. He shook his head. The memories were pointless. They were just moments spent trying to fill the void that was existence. That's all….Wasn't it?"

Jimmy shoes busted both his legs, trying to learn to fly

From a second story window, he just jumped and closed his eyes

His momma said he was crazy – he said momma, "I've got to try"

Don't you know that all my heroes died

And I guess I'd rather die than fade away

Heero leaned against the wall of the warehouse. Wufei was a few feet away keeping a lookout. Now they just had to find the men who were collecting all these weapons. Everything had gone so well, until the man in charge tried to run. Heero followed him up the stairs to the roof. Wufei and several other Preventers had the rest of the gang in custody. Gun shots rang out from the roof and Wufei looked up sharply, onyx eyes widening in horror and Heero and the man toppled over the edge of the roof. The culprit landed on the ground with a thud. Wufei looked up to see Heero hanging precariously on the ledge, trying to pull himself back up. Blood dripped from a wound in his stomach and his arms shook and he pulled with all his might. Wufei knew he'd never make it in time, but he ran as quickly as he could and reached the ledge just as Heero's fingers gave out. He grabbed Heero's wrist and glazed blue eyes looked up to him. Wufei pulled him up as gently as possible and laid him down. Wufei ripped off his shirt and pressed it into Heero's stomach.

"Medic!" Wufei screamed. "Hold on, Heero. Help is on the way."

Heero coughed and blood dribbled down his chin. "It's…ok, Fei."

Wufei looked up into his pale face. "Don't you dare give up on me, Yuy. Blowing up your gundam didn't kill you. I'll be damned if I let you die from a stupid gunshot wound."

Heero sucked in as much breath as he could. "Isn't…your…fault."

"Just, save your strength." Wufei looked up as paramedics came on to the roof. "You'll be fine."

Heero smiled softly and Wufei almost cried at the sight. It was still rare to see Heero smile, and it was a precious vision to his friends. "We need you, Heero. Duo needs you. Please, just fight with all you've got." He moved aside to let the medics work on Heero.

The Japanese Preventer nodded to Wufei. "I always…do."

These days – the stars seem out of reach

But these days – there ain't a ladder on the streets

These days are fast, nothing lasts – in this graceless age

Even innocence has caught the midnight train

And there ain't nobody left but us these days

I know Rome's still burning

Though the times have changed

This world keeps turning round and round and round and round, these days

Wufei was pacing the waiting room as Quatre and Trowa came racing in. "Wufei. How is he?"

"In surgery. They haven't said anything to me, yet."

Quatre sat Wufei down and Trowa went to get him some coffee. The blonde sat next to Wufei. "What happened?"

"I don't know. He was following the leader to bring him into custody. Next thing I knew they were on the roof and Heero was shot. They both fell over the edge." Wufei dropped his face to his hands. "If he'd have fallen, he never would have made it."

"He didn't fall." Quatre looked around. "Where's Duo?"

Wufei heaved a sigh. "I don't know. I couldn't reach him. He's not answering his cell."

Quatre pursed his lips, but decided he'd talk to Duo later. It was almost an hour before the surgeon came out to speak with them. Wufei sighed in relief when he said it was a success and that they could go see Heero. It was a discomfiting thing to see the Perfect Soldier so pale and still in the sterile room. Trowa had seen Heero in a state close to that, so it wasn't quite as hard on him. Wufei sat next to the bed and stared at the machines hooked up to his friend. The room was silent as they waited for Heero to wake up.

Finally, blue eyes peeked open and Heero looked over to them. "Hey, guys."

"Heero." Quatre smiled with tears in his eyes. "Don't you ever scare me like that again."

Wufei nodded his agreement. "It was close, Heero. That bullet hit you lung. You're lucky to be alive."

Heero shook his head. "Luck had nothing to do with it. Where's Duo?"

"On his way." Wufei frowned at Trowa and the taller man shrugged. "I finally reached him when I went to get some more coffee."

Wufei looked down to the ground, anger building in his chest. "Where was he?"

"Home. He said he never heard his phone ring."

The door burst open and a haggard Duo came into the room, eyes wild and hair falling out of his braid. Wufei turned to Heero. "I'm going to get some air. I'll be back." He brushed passed Duo without a word.

"Fei?"

Wufei froze, but didn't look back. "I hope you took a cab. It's illegal and stupid to drive while drunk."

Duo looked back into the room as Wufei disappeared down the hall. The looks Quatre and Trowa gave him were conflicting. Trowa looked angry while Quatre looked like he pitied the state his friend had dropped to. Duo ignored both of them and moved to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been shot."

Duo snorted. "I guess getting shot will do that to you."

Heero took Duo's hand. "You're screwing up, baka."

"Not now, Heero. Do you really think this is the place?"

Heero's lips twitched slightly. "Surely you won't ignore me while I'm in my hospital bed." The semi-smile faded. "How bad do you have to hurt him before you'll wake up?"

Duo looked away. "I'm not trying to hurt him."

"You don't have to try." Quatre whispered. "When you hurt, he does. He loves you."

"Then he should stop. What's the point? Look around, Quatre. Did what we went through have any meaning? People still kill others. They still look for ways to hurt others. They didn't learn anything. It seems everything is falling apart around us and no one even notices. There's no war to fight, but the crime rate is on the rise. It all seems so stupid and a waste of time! Why are we even still trying?"

"Because, there are still things to live for." Heero said, pointedly trying to answer Duo's question from the last time they had talked. "Love. Those times spent with friends and your loved ones. Those are times to cherish, Duo. Think of all those memories we have of the good times. Don't they give you some sense of fulfillment?"

Duo thought for a moment and frowned. Shouldn't he have had some sort of reaction? Some sign that he was alive? But he didn't. He felt nothing. "No."

"Is that really how you feel?" Duo looked to the door. Wufei was leaning against the frame. Watching him with a closed expression, but his eyes couldn't completely mask his hurt. "Does our time together mean nothing to you?"

Duo wanted to feel something, but he never lied and Wufei would have known the truth anyway. "It used to. Now… I don't feel anything." The room seemed to start spinning and Duo brushed passed his lover. "I don't know how to anymore."

These days – the stars seem out of reach

But these days – there ain't a ladder on the streets

These days are fast, nothing lasts – in this graceless age

Even innocence has caught the midnight train

And there ain't nobody left but us these days

These days – the stars seem out of reach

But these days – there ain't a ladder on the streets

These days are fast, nothing lasts

There ain't no time to waste

There ain't nobody left to take the blame

There ain't nobody left but us these days

Tbc…

R&R Pretty please