Disclaimer: so do not own Gundam Wing…wouldn't that be great though? But I just write fan fiction…very self-explanatory title: Fan Fiction.

Ok, so I took a break to add another chapter to Locked Doors, but now I'm back to write another one for Scars! I had spring break and I got sick, so I didn't have it typed up as quickly as I could have. So here goes!

Scars

Part ten: End of Deception

Duo rolled over in bed, he was too hot one second and too cold the next. His sheets covered half of him, and his other half was tucked under the comforter while his left leg stuck out into the cool air. He kept flipping his pillow over and over, trying to find a comfortable position before the pillow heated up and got soaked with sweat.

Duo felt a twitch start under his right eye and let out a great gust of air in exasperation. He had to get up, had to walk something out of his system. He was worried, he was sick, he was sure he had a fever. But he couldn't go to Quatre or Heero; he had to wait it out. He wanted to take a pill. That would get him to sleep right away, it would ease the jumpiness he felt, it would fight off this darkness within him, but he didn't feel right taking one if he was sick.

But a little voice in the back of his mind kept asking if he was sick because of a virus or the pills. He felt awful, pain kept washing over him in small waves and then every once in a while he would get a really big one and he was sure he'd already passed out at least once, but he'd woken again, even more uncomfortable.

Duo stumbled out of bed and braced himself against the wall; he padded to the door and shoved it open. The hallway was blessedly cool, but he got chills up his back as his toes turned to ice. Duo cursed his body and kept going. He used the wall as a guide and as a support, he wondered down the hallway, fighting slight dizziness, and then made it to the stairs. Duo listened closely, was someone down there? Who would be down in the living room at this time of night?

Maybe it was one of the maids or something, maybe Quatre was working. Duo didn't care at that point; he was going to the kitchen, one way or another. He took the steps one at a time, holding to the railing with a death grip and leaning back ever so slightly so that if he did fall, it wouldn't be a dark pitch forward. He made it down halfway when he missed a step and slid down three stairs before he caught himself. Duo froze and tried to breathe normally. He was scared and in the dark and wished he had hit a light switch somewhere along the way. Screw waking anybody up, he'd be lucky to make it to the kitchen alive.

Dou waited and then started down the stairs again when he was sure he wouldn't fall again. He made it to the landing and congratulated himself. He looked around and found that the light down here was brighter from the moon streaming in the large windows and he could see the door beyond the overstuffed furniture to the dinning room. He started out, sticking close to he windows and the small spots of wall in between them.

Duo shivered again and again, but he made it to the dinning room without incident. He pushed open the swinging door to the dinning room and started around the long table. About half way along Duo suddenly rammed into something. He stubbed his toe and felt a tug on the nail as he shot his arms out to catch himself on something before he fell. Before him there was a deep thunk as something hit the heavy rug and Duo stopped himself by grabbing the table. Duo cursed in a loud whisper and squashed his toes under his foot against the rug to try and stop the pain. He bit his lower lip and waited.

When Duo reached down to pick up whatever he'd run into, he found one of the heavy chairs. Duo realized that for him to run into it, the chair must have been pulled fully out from the table and left in the middle of the pathway round the table. Duo put the chair back where it should've been and felt along the table. Sure enough, he found stacks of strewn papers, pen, and a few folders. He could barely see them in the dim light now that he knew what he was looking for.

Duo realized that someone had gotten up out of the chair in either a hurry, or had just neglected to put it back. And considering who was sleeping upstairs, anal-retentive weirdoes, he was betting that someone had left in a hurry. Maybe Quatre wasn't even here anymore; maybe he'd been called away for some reason. Duo wouldn't have known if he had been, he'd been in his room asleep most of the evening until about five hours ago when he'd woken up to this fit. And it had already been late then, now he was sure it must be early morning.

Duo continued to the kitchen and turned on the light. He covered his eyes quickly for the stark brightness of the light against all the tile and clean appliances. Everything was impeccably clean and Duo kept his eyes half lidded till his eyes adjusted to the intensity of the light.

He went over to the sink and leaned against it, a tick starting in the muscle of his upper arm and making him worry again. Duo turned on the water and put his hands under the cold flow. The water went form cool to freezing in seconds and Duo quickly pulled his hands back. He didn't dry his hands, but put them to the back of his neck and then against his cheeks and forehead. He felt a little better.

Duo went to the refrigerator. It's endless shelves of well-stocked food called to him. Duo took out some supplies for a sandwich and grabbed some flavored carbonated water; he was starting to prefer Quatre's choice drink to his own. The carbonated water was easier on his stomach than soda syrup was. Duo took a hearty sip and then opened cabinets till he found plates. He already knew where to get a knife, and then he opened everything and began to fix his dinner. He'd missed the meal earlier, and he could feel his body reprimanding him for it.

Duo had a strong stack of meats and cheese along with some lettuce and tomatoes. He squashed the sandwich as flat as he could, smiling at the slight squish it made an the overflow of ingredients that fell onto the plate around it. Duo took it to the breakfast nook and used both hands to get his concoction to his mouth. Duo polished off the sandwich and felt like his old self. He remembered sitting at home having such a sandwich before…before everything happened.

Duo smiled, but it was sad. He got up and began cleaning up after himself. The only remains he left that showed he had eaten at all was the dirty plate in the sink. He took the half gone drink with him and turned off the kitchen light. He waited till his night vision returned and he could see the door in front of him.

Duo went back around the dinning table, careful this time, with his hands out in front of him a little. He made it safely this time and found the swinging door on the other side of the room without incident. Duo pushed through to the living room. He froze as he thought he heard something. Every sense was alert as he retraced his steps. Duo was almost halfway across the room when he saw the dark spot in front of him on the floor. Duo stopped and stared at it.

Was it a stain? It hadn't been there the first time he'd been through the room. Duo reached out with his foot and prodded it. The spot gave and it was soft against his skin. Duo reached down and grabbed it. The spot was cloth. Duo fought with it, it was all tangled up, and he pulled until he found that he was holding a turtleneck. Duo heard muffled laughter and a sharp intake of breath. Duo hurried across the room in long strides and hit the light switch.

The living room was flooded with light and Duo felt his mouth open in surprise at the scene in front of him. Trowa was sitting on the sofa, shirtless, with Quatre sitting in his lap, also missing a shirt that was on the sofa next to them. There was only one word for what they had obviously been doing judging from the hickys. Necking.

"Duo!" Quatre squeaked in alarm and fell right off of Trowa's lap and onto the floor. Duo couldn't help it, he laughed. It started in as something he tried to hold onto, but it got away from him and he was laughing so hard that he had to use the wall to support himself. He dropped both Trowa's shirt and his drink and let out his laughter.

Duo couldn't get the look on Quatre's face out of his head. They looked like two teenagers caught by dad in the basement. Quatre stood with nervous laughter and Trowa just sat there smiling in his quiet way.

Duo finally got a hold of himself and picked up the shirt and his drink. He tossed Trowa his shirt and let out a little more of his amusement at this whole situation.

"Sorry Duo, did we wake you?" Quatre asked while pulling on his shirt.

"No, no. Don't stop on my account, I just came down for a midnight snack." Duo smiled gleefully at them. "Please carry on."

Blush rose in Quatre's cheeks and he ran a hand through his hair.

"How ya doing Trowa?" Duo asked, leaning easily against the wall.

"Good, and yourself?" Trowa also proceeded to pull on his shirt.

"A the present, couldn't be better!" Duo chuckled. "But I'll leave ya to it, I still need my beauty sleep." Duo saluted them and turned for the stairs. "See you at breakfast!" Duo called over his shoulder.

Duo trotted up the stairs. He could hear whispering behind him and smiled to himself. He closed his bedroom door but stood just beyond it listening. He head them come upstairs, he could hear them in the hallway, they could barely keep their hands off each other before they reached Quatre's room and the door shut and Duo heard the lock click into place.

Duo grinned devilishly to himself and turned on his bedside lamp. He was still thinking about the look on Quatre's face when he found himself opening the pill bottle by his window. Duo paused, staring at the HGL in his hand. He felt better, and his shivers were gone. Duo popped the pill into the back of his throat and took a drink from the bottle. He put everything away and crawled back into bed. The sheets had cooled down while he'd been gone and felt good against his skin. Duo drifted off quickly.

In the morning, Duo got dressed quickly after a shot shower and opened his door to the smell of bacon wafting up the stairs. Duo descended into the living room and made a beeline for the dinning room. Duo opened the door to find everyone there, just starting with breakfast.

"GOOD MORRNING!" Duo cheered as he bounded into the room and sat down cross-legged in his chair. "No breakfast nook today Quatre?" Duo asked as he was giving a plate by one of the staff.

"I thought it might be nice to have a big breakfast here where we can sit comfortable. The breakfast nook would have been too cramped." Quatre passed Duo a bowl of oatmeal and the butter and brown sugar.

Heero put down the newspaper and took a long sip of coffee while he watched Duo load up on pancakes with bacon and sausage.

"It's good to see you Trowa!" Duo said past a mouthful of syrup and pancake. "Did you just get in last night, or did I miss you at dinner?" Duo asked.

"I came in late, you wouldn't have seen me till this morning had you not ventured out so late." Trowa smiled as he took a bit of his own pancakes.

"You should eat something besides sugar and starch." Heero lectured Duo as he gave him a cup of fruit.

"Yes mom!" Duo laughed, but he took and offered fruit and popped a strawberry and banana piece into his mouth.

"What're we gonna do today Heero?" Duo asked, he showered the fruit onto his pancakes and dribbled more syrup on them.

"I want to make sure the interior lining isn't damaged in the back seat." Heero said as he finished his coffee.

"Alright." Duo shoveled oatmeal into his mouth. "Let me get my shoes!" Duo rushed out of the room, leaving his meal half finished. Quatre shook his head, but he smiled too. Duo seemed really good today. And he had been worried that Trowa's presence might've upset him. He seemed undaunted to the change, and some of his old self was shining through.

Duo came back down the stairs loudly and Heero stood up.

"What time is lunch?" Heero asked as he piled his dishes into a pile to be taken away.

"How about twelve thirty?" Quatre asked.

"Hn." Heero grunted as Duo came back, shoving his bangs out of his face just so they could fall back into place.

"Ready." He followed Heero out with a backwards wave to Quatre and Trowa.

"He seems a lot better than what you described over the phone." Trowa said as he sipped orange juice.

"Yes! He's doing much better." Quatre smiled at Trowa. "He's also hiding a lot less."

Trowa nodded, in his head he counted the days that had gone by since Quatre had first called him about Duo, and the number of days since the doctor. He didn't let Quatre see his small frown, but something seemed off to him. That was an awful short time for a victim to recover so much from.

Duo stood quietly behind Heero, he'd gotten better about moving around so much, it seemed to distract Heero when he wondered about the garage while Heero did a lot of the work. Duo looked down at his arm, a lot of the bruises he'd had were finally fading. Some had turned a weird shade of yellow, but it looked a lot better than it had.

"Pliers." Heero grunted and Duo jumped to the tool bench. There they were, with red rubber handles, Duo picked them up and turned and abruptly dropped them. Duo quickly bent over and picked them up and in one fluid motion passed them into Heero's waiting hand.

Duo went around to the other side of the car to watch. He leaned in across the back seat and watched Heero begin to rip up the floor. They found mold underneath the lining.

"That's where the smell was coming from!" Duo exclaimed as Heero stared harshly at the mold. "You know staring's not gonna make it go away." Duo smiled.

Heero looked up at him and Duo laughed. "Although I could be wrong, with a face like that!"

Heero looked puzzled so Duo made a face back at him, mimicking Heero's stare. Heero relaxed his face into a smirk. Duo smiled again. "What shall we do about the mold?"

"Grab another pair of pliers and start on that side, we're ripping up all of the floor." Heero began to pull. Duo left and searched a toolbox for another pair of pliers. He was riffling through it when he dropped a hammer. Duo reached down to pick it up, he was holding a jar of nuts and bolts in his other hand when he heard them rattling. Duo stood and stared at the jar.

Panic rose in him as Duo saw the jar shaking. He ordered it to stop, but it didn't. Duo slammed it down on the counter and put both his hands firmly on the bench. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes tight. Duo then lifted his hands and stared at them in front of his face. Both his hands began a slight tremble. Duo couldn't even feel it, but they were shaking right there in front of him. Duo's eyes went wide.

Maybe he was getting sick. Maybe he should tell Heero. Duo quickly shoved the thought from his mind that was the last thing he should do. Duo rummaged around till he found another pair of pliers and then went back to help Heero.

He kept his hands busy all afternoon, during lunch, Duo set down his glass suddenly when he saw the water inside rippling. When he got looks from the guys he smiled nervously and muttered. "Bathroom." And left the room quickly.

Duo rushed the stairs and shut his door firmly behind him. He quickly rummaged for a pill. Duo took his HGL to the sink and used the faucet to swallow it. Duo stayed up in his room, watching his hands. After a while or staring at them and then putting them between his legs to stop the movement when he couldn't look at them anymore, he finally saw the shaking slowing.

When Duo finally went back downstairs he had his best Shinigamii mask on and the shaking had stopped. Duo finished his lunch, trying to ignore the looks he was getting from Heero. He was also pretty sure that now Quatre and Trowa were worried and giving him concerned faces too.

"Too much breakfast!" Duo laughed loudly as he sipped his water. No ripples this time. His heart beat eventually returned to normal and he went back out to the garage with Heero.

"What are we using on the mold?" Duo asked as he put on plastic gloves that Heero handed him. "The weather isn't going to help us."

"We're using some solution and heat fans." Heero pulled out a bucket and two spray bottles from a utility closet. He sent Duo to fill the bucket and get two rags from the staff while he searched for some steel wool for them to use.

Duo returned and they each got a rag and a scrap of steel wool. Heero showed Duo the areas he would be covering and then went to the other side of the car. They started scrubbing away the mold. Duo kept trying to shove his bangs out of his face, but it wasn't working. He was sweating hard after only an hour and sat back on his heels, breathing hard.

Heero was suddenly standing next to him with a hat in his hands. Duo looked up and smiled gratefully. He stripped off the gloves ad tucked his bangs up under the cap and set it in place.

"You should rest." Heero grunted.

"Are you going to take a break?" Duo asked. Heero shook his head. "Then I don't need to either. I'm ok!" Duo got back to work with a bit more vigor. Heero watched him for a bit and then went back to scrubbing as well.

Duo stopped again, he'd gotten a lot of the mold off, and he sat down and admired his work. He tossed his rag into the now dirty water and took off his gloves.

"I'm gonna change the water." Duo told Heero and then stood and picked up the bucket. He went outside and dumped the water down the drain near the outside faucet. He rinsed out the bucket and refilled it. He paused before he took it back inside. The cool air felt good on his face.

Duo took off his hat and raised his face to the sky. There was only a slight drizzle today that came and went. It was almost like a mist and Duo ruffled his long bangs.

Duo sighed, back to work. He went to put his hat back on and found it gone from his hand. Duo frowned and looked around. It was at his feel, the bill sticking into a puddle of mud. Duo didn't remember dropping it. He was sure he'd had a good hold on it.

Duo felt his pulse quicken as worry seeped into his stomach and he lifted his hands. Duo felt brief relief as his hands held steady before him, but it was short lived. They began to shake very subtly and then grew to a steady tremor. Duo gasped for air. He grabbed up his hat and knocked it against his leg to get the mud off. He stuffed it in his back pocket and picked up the bucket.

Duo took the fresh water in to Heero and set it down near him.'

"Hey, I think I'm spent for the day." Duo spoke quickly. "Is it ok if I cop out?" Duo stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Heero stood up. "Are you feeling well?" Heero asked, worry coming into his eyes. Duo felt his heart skip.

"Yeah, just tired. I think I'll take a nap." Duo shrugged, trying with all of his being to come off as nonchalant about it.

"Ok. I'll come up for you at dinner." Heero watched as Duo left quickly. He nearly ran from the garage.

Duo's heart pounded as he skirted through the kitchen and dinning room. He dashed up the stairs, not sure if his feet ever actually touched the steps and shut his door tightly behind him. He held up his hands again and watched them shake against his will.

"Please stop!" Duo begged in a whisper. He walked briskly across the room and ripped the cushion off the window seat. He listened in trepidation to the pills shake in their bottle as he tried to open them. Duo tried to reign in his labored breathing, but he was starting to panic.

He finally got the lid off and poured out a pill into his hand. He left the bottle open on the floor and ran to take it. He swallowed and stared at his hands. He felt doubt and shame creep into his face.

It's only temporary, Duo told himself. As soon as I don't need them I'll flush them. I wont even need the rest of the bottle; I was doing so good today. Duo sat back against the door to the bathroom. I'll be better soon, almost there.

Duo waited and waited, his hands continued to shake. Duo wanted to scream at them. He was too young to be getting shakes. He shoved his hands between his knees and held them there. He could still feel the tremor coming down his arms and into the bones of his legs.

Duo held on tighter, held on till his hands hurt from the pressure and his knees pleaded with him to stop. Duo took his hands out and let his legs fall limp to the floor. He looked at his hands, waited. It must have been an hour since he took the HGL. Duo waited, color was coming back into his hands and they were going all pins and needles after he had lost feeling in them probably fifteen minutes ago.

He waited. They held still. Duo let out a nervous laugh, slowly got to his knees and stood up. He walked over to the window but as soon as he picked up the bottle he heard the pills start to rattle. Saw his hand start to shake.

"NO!" Duo told himself loudly. He reached in a pulled out another pill. He went back to the bathroom and popped it. He went back and stood in the middle of the room waiting. He watched his hands shaking.

"Please stop. Please stop." Duo realized he was whispering under his breath while he stood there and waited. Duo saw the tremors slow and then pick up again and again, hoping that each time they slowed that they would stop, but each time they picked right back up again.

"Damnit!" Duo yelled. He balled his hands into fists and clenched them there till his nails bit half moons of white into his hands and then blood began to seep between his fingers. Duo felt a spasm in his stomach. He staggered.

"No!" Duo recognized that feeling. He looked around desperately. His eyes caught the pill bottle still on his floor. Maybe another…yes! Another pill!

Duo lunged for the pills as another spasm racked his body. He fell to his knees, hard. He felt the bone ache and knew he'd have bruises, but he kept going for the pills. Duo screamed as he got hold of the bottle and the pills scattered in his hands that were now shaking violently. His body protested and sent pain through him again.

Heero had heard the thud from upstairs, he'd frozen, worry and anxiety overcoming him. Then Duo had screamed. Heero didn't pause, he ran for the stairs. He took them three at a time and heard Quatre call out behind him. But that didn't matter; he had to get to Duo. He found Duo's door locked and shoved it till the wood splintered and the lock gave.

Trowa was behind him when Heero stepped in and found Duo on the ground. Heero's heart clenched hard in his chest at the sight. Duo was curled into a ball on the floor. His hands were pulling at his hair, tearing out bloodied clumps as his body jerked in seizures. His legs twitched violently and he was covered in sweat.

Heero was at his side before he'd realized that he'd moved. He grabbed Duo's hands and fought to get them out of his hair before he hurt himself more. Duo grasped at his arms and dug in his nails. Heero grimaced but let Duo hang onto him.

"Heero." Towa said. Heero tore his gaze away from Duo's face, pain filled and eyes shut tight, and found Trowa kneeling next to him, holding something small and white in his hand. Heero looked at the floor and found small pills scattered across the carpet and an empty bottle, cracked, and open next to Duo.

Duo screamed and Heero called his attention back to Duo. His eyes opened wildly, looking around, not seeing him at all.

"Duo!" Heero commanded his attention. Duo's violet eyes snapped back at him.

"Another!" Duo said hoarsely to him.

"What?" Heero asked.

"Another pill! I need another pill!" Duo yelled at him. His nails ground harder into his arms.

"No Duo!" Heero held onto him tightly as another spasm rode him and pain made him close his eyes again. Duo screamed, his throat raw and ragged so that it came out sounding more like an animal than any sound a human should make.

"Please Heero!" Duo begged. "Make it stop Heero!" Duo held onto Heero like he was the last solid thing in the world, and maybe for Duo he was.

"Hold on Duo!" Heero ordered him. Trowa was gone, he'd left the room, Quatre stood at the door with a cell phone pressed to his ear and tears flowing down his face.

Trowa returned as Duo screamed again. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant vice, he gasped for air trying to get his lungs to work.

"Hold him still as you can." Trowa told Heero. Heero shifted so that he was hold Duo almost completely in his lap and strove to keep him still.

Duo's body shivered and convulsed as he held onto Heero, his eyes were going dark; it was a battle just to keep them open.

"Duo!" Heero called him back again. Duo opened his eyes forcibly and stared up at him.

Trowa had a stethoscope and Duo couldn't help but wonder where it had come from. His mind jumping about, never staying on one thought more than a few seconds. He was reeling, he felt his stomach pulsate in time with his heart, knew a moment before it happened that he was going to puke.

Heero still held onto him, ignoring everything else that was going on. Duo's eyes became bloodshot, vessels bursting. Bruises appeared under his skin on his arms.

"His hearts beating too fast for this!" Trowa looked calm, but his eyes darted around in anger and worry. "His body's being torn apart form the inside out!"

"An ambulance is coming!" Quatre said from the door.

"Hang on Duo." Heero's voice reached Duo as he coughed violently, blood spattering his lips. "Duo, look at me!" Heero ordered.

Duo tried to focus on Heero's face. "I just-" Duo began coughing again.

"Don't." Heero told him as Duo's body shook.

"I just wanted to get better!" Duo cried, his tears coming out tinged in red.

Heero looked up franticly at Trowa and Quatre, pleading with his eyes, but they had no answers for him. Emotion took over his face and Heero couldn't hold onto his calm anymore.

"DUO!" He yelled as Duo's eyes fluttered again. Another violent spasm made Heero fear that Duo's muscles would rip apart, he could feel them jumping below his skin. "Duo, look at me!"

"Heero, I…" Duo felt himself sinking, he didn't even feel the spasms anymore.

"DUO!" Heero screamed for him, but Duo couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.