Chapter Fourteen
Heero jumped up and pushed Relena and Odin over to Duo and Quatre, taking a defensive pose in front of them, quickly pulling his gun out and pointing it at the figure. Wufei pulled his sword and stepped up next to Heero while Trowa pulled out his knives. The figure laughed and waved his hand at them, as though laughing. He snapped his fingers and several other men appeared. Two large men were a roped and gagged Sally and several others held her operatives.
Wufei tightened his grip on his sword at the sight of his best friend in danger. He stepped forward and glared at the figure.
"Reigo, I presume?" He hissed.
The figure laughed and stepped forward, coming into the light. His hair was white and his body was lean, but his face was aged. He grinned evilly at Wufei and bowed in mock respect. "Of course." He creaked.
Heero glared, his gun still pointing at the man. "Why us?" He asked.
Reigo chuckled. "Why not?" He shrugged. "I've done my research, Mr. Yuy." He grinned, walking forward. "The war did not start until the Gundam's came to earth." He looked at each of the men in turn. "My family was killed in the war." His eyes focused on the baby's. "So, I will destroy yours."
In the blink of an eye, Reigo had pulled a gun and fired it straight at the baby in Duo's arms. It was barely enough time for Trowa to react and shove Duo out of the way. With a shout, Trowa crumpled to the floor, bleeding from his arm. Duo looked over at him in shock as he clutched the baby too him. Odin and Katrina started to cry at the loud sound and Heero glared, firing his weapon as quickly as he could. Reigo wasn't surprised, and easily sidestepped the bullet which embedded itself into one of his men. The silence that followed was the loudest thing anyone had ever heard. A man approached Reigo and whispered something into his ear.
Duo glanced at Quatre. "I don't think they expected to die." He chuckled.
Quatre nodded, but didn't smile. He was looking at Trowa, who was holding his bleeding arm on the floor, and holding Katrina tightly to him.
Suddenly, as though all at once, the men dropped the captured Preventors and started to run. The pilots took advantage of the chaos and ran as well. Wufei urged Relena, Duo and Quatre ahead of him with the baby's and yelled at them to run without stopping. Heero fired off several shots and the men running away and Trowa dispatched of others with his knives, despite his wounded arm.
Reigo stood in the middle of the drama with a glare that could kill, staring at Heero. The stoic ex-pilot returned the fierce gaze with equal hatred.
"You've threatened my friends." Heero said, taking a step forward. "And you've threatened my family." Another step forward. "Neither can be considered wise decisions."
Regio's glare seemed to shift, and suddenly he was smiling. "Did you really think defeating me would be that easy?" He asked and Heero noticed a slight flicker in his eyes. Suddenly he vanished.
"A hologram!" Trowa shouted.
"The babies…" Heero breathed and he and Trowa sprinted down the beach at top speed.
Off in the distance they could see Quatre, Duo and Relena with the babies in hand, running along the beach with Wufei a few stepped behind, holding off the remaining guards. Suddenly, in front of them, Reigo stepped out from behind a rock with a gun in hand aimed right at Relena.
"Relena!" Heero shouted and ran harder than he ever had in his life. "It's taken me this long to find a family…" He muttered and then glared. "And I won't let you take it away!" He shouted, diving forward and tackling Reigo to the ground.
Relena screamed when she saw Heero tackle her enemy and she held Odin closer to her while Quatre and Duo copied her. Wufei remained behind to watch their backs as Trowa tried to assist Heero.
"You will not stop me this time, Heero Yuy!" Reigo shouted, still struggling with the abnormally strong "Perfect Soldier". The gun was still in his hand as he tried to aim despite Heero trying to knock it out of his hand. "I hope…you've settled your debts with God." He chuckled between pants. "Because, you're about to meet the reaper." Out of no where, he pulled a second gun and fired it before Heero smashed his hand, shattering the bones.
The gun shot echoed through the area, followed by a heavy thump. Once Heero had Reigo pinned he looked up. His eyes traveled immediately to Relena, then to Quatre, Duo, Wufei, Sally…but no Trowa. Trowa lay on the ground, bleeding profusely from his stomach where the bullet punctured him.
"Trowa!" Duo shouted and dove to him, followed quickly by Quatre and Wufei. Duo lifted the man into his arms and looked over his wound.
"It…it's bad…" He muttered.
"Yeah…it is…" Trowa coughed.
Duo turned to look at him and curled his lips in a strained smile. "Hey man, we've seen worse right?" He tried to chuckle but it came out forced.
Trowa smirked and nodded. "Yeah…too bad it's something simple that's taking me out now…"
Quatre shook his head over and over again. "No Trowa, you're…you're going to be fine." He tried to smile and he turned to Sally. "Right?"
Sally knelt down and looked over his wounds. "He'd bleeding pretty badly." She said softly. She rolled him slightly to feel along his back. "The bullet didn't go through…it must be lodged somewhere inside him." She looked back at the front of the wound. "It…it hit in a very bad spot." She looked up to Quatre. "It probably hit major organs." Her voice was almost a whisper.
Quatre's eyes were tearing up and he shook his head harder. "No! You have to do something!" He shouted at her, causing Katrina to cry.
Wufei knelt down and took the frightened baby from him, looking into Quatre's eyes. "We all knew our time would come in battle, Quatre." He said softly.
Quatre stared at him and turned his eyes to Trowa, who tried to smile.
"Don't worry…Little One." He smiled. "I'm…I'm fine…" He coughed again, leaving blood spots on the sand.
Quatre clenched his eyes shut and shook his head over and over again until Wufei forced him to stand and walked away with him. It was only then that Quatre allowed himself to break down in tears.
Duo looked down at Trowa, his own eyes close to tears as he chuckled. "You sure have an affect on people." He joked.
Trowa smirked. "I suppose so." He looked up at the braided man and his smirk vanished, leaving only a sincere smile. "Duo, I have to tell you something." He whispered.
Duo nodded, helping Trowa to lean up. "Me…me too." He smiled a bit sheepishly.
Trowa smiled and chuckled. "Me…first." He panted.
Duo nodded quietly and prepared to listen.
"I should…have told you…a long time…ago." Trowa said, his voice seemed to be fading. "I…I love you." He breathed.
Duo froze. He had not been expecting that. "You…you love me?" He asked, bewildered.
Trowa chuckled which turned into a cough. After he settled down he looked back up at Duo. "Yes."
Duo blinked. Trowa loved him? How could he not see that before? He smirked. "You hide it well." He teased, but inside he felt like an idiot.
Trowa smirked. "I try."
Duo shook his head, desperate to shake the tears away. "I…I never knew…" he muttered.
Trowa shook his head. "You were never meant to." He muttered.
Duo looked down at the pained eyes of his friend and felt guilty for his own confession. How could he tell him now? After what he just said? Finally, he smiled and nodded. "I…I'm glad." He said and leaned down, kissing Trowa softly on the lips.
Trowa smiled and nodded. "It's…It's been fun." He smirked and coughed again.
Duo chuckled and shook his head. "It's been an adventure…that's for sure."
Trowa smiled and glanced down at the baby. "Take…take care…of her…okay?" He asked, looking back at Trowa.
That did it. The tears slowly fell down Duo's cheeks as he chuckled. "Of course." He whispered, cuddling the baby closer to him.
Trowa smiled and nodded as the light in his eyes seemed to fade. Then suddenly, he stopped moving all together, and his eyes gained a far away look to them.
Duo clenched his eyes together to keep more tears from falling as he held his baby girl to him.
"You didn't tell him about Catherine."
Duo looked up at Heero's steady voice and he chuckled. "No…" He looked back down at the still body of his friend. "I wanted him to die happy…he deserved that much." He smiled up at Heero, who returned it with a nod.
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The four men stood together with their fallen comrade in silence. All around them was silent chatter about how "Trowa was a good man" and "He was always so kind". The four friends knew better. Trowa was a fighter; and a good one at that. He fought for the freedom of others without any selfish interest. He was a scholar, a hacker, a solider…but most of all, he was a friend.
"I always thought I would be the first to go." Heero muttered into the silence.
Duo chuckled. "I did too." He teased, provoking a glare from Heero.
"I can't believe…he's gone." Quatre said softly, cradling Katrina in his arms.
"He knew what was at stake." Wufei said, placing a comforting hand on Quatre's shoulder. "Now he doesn't have to fight anymore."
Duo nodded. "Yeah. He's the luckiest one of us all." He joked darkly, patting his baby's back softly.
Quatre turned to him and smiled, softly. "Duo, what are you going to name her?"
Duo smirked and turned back to the rosewood casket before them. "Cathy and I have been talking about that…" He turned back to his blond friend. "I think we've decided on Trinity; Trin for short." Duo looked back at the peaceful body of his friend and father of his baby. "Trowa may be gone from this world…but he'll never be out of her life." He smirked and turned back to his friends. "And neither will Cathy and I."
Quatre smiled. "I think that's a great name."
Wufei nodded. "Very honorable of you." He said, bowing his head.
Duo smirked. "I do try." He chuckled.
Katrina began to fuss and Quatre smiled at her. "I think it's time to go." He looked up at Wufei. "Kat needs a nap."
Wufei nodded and turned back to Heero and Duo. "See you at work." He said and turned to leave with Quatre.
Duo smiled, nodding his good-bye, as he turned back to Trowa's body. Heero remained by his side for a moment before he spoke.
"Do you want me to stay?"
Duo smirked and turned back to him. "Naw. I'm okay." He turned his back to Trowa and found Cathy speaking excitedly with Relena, no doubt about the baby's. "I have Cathy." He looked to Heero. "We'll be fine."
Heero bowed his head and wandered over to Relena, gently nudging her to signal it was time to go. She smiled and waved to Catherine before leaving the cemetery. Cathy smiled and walked over to Duo, lacing her arm with his and looking down at Trinity.
"So…what now?" She asked, her face still tear stained.
Duo smiled. "Now? Now we live." He smiled, wrapping his arm around her and looking up at the sky. "Now we live…"
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Okay, that's chapter 14. What does everyone think? I know, it's a sad ending (I tried to warn you in the beginning...). Up next is the epilogue. If I get at least five reveiws then I'll post the epilogue tonight. If not, I'll post it Friday. Sound fair? I just want to thank all my reveiwers. You guys are awesome and I really appreciate the support. Happy Reading!
