Trowa paced the room Paul had shown him to. First Duo, now Quatre where everyone was going? He ran battle scenarios in his head, fearing the worst when the door opened and Wufei stepped in. "Barton."
"Chang." They bowed to each other. "I asked my sister to come, as you requested, but she has yet to show."
"She's at my apartment, as is Duo. They found each other while roaming the streets hereabouts."
The door burst open and a breathless Quatre ran in, bowing. "Sorry I'm late, Wufei."
"Ohaiyo, Quatre-kun." Trowa said, causing the blonde boy to blush as he stood upright.
"Trowa-san," Quatre said, smiling. "It's been awhile. How's Iria?"
"Pregnant with my son. Had to give our girls a boy to play with." Trowa's eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "Though he's taking their mother away, any day now."
Quatre blinked. "How? Why?"
Trowa looked shocked that he did not understand. "Her carrying this baby is a seven to nine month death sentence, just like it was for your mother, Quaterina."
"But I..." Quatre started to protest, but Trowa held up his hand to silence him.
"Quatre, it is about time you realized that you aren't from a test tube like your sisters. Your Mother and Father tried twenty nine times for a boy, but it was never possible, so she had you the way Iria is having our son." Trowa said, turning to look at Wufei, hoping to get his support. Wufei was no where to be found in the office, and neither realized when he had left the room.
Duo and Noin were sitting in the hotel restaurant of the Drake, waiting for the marquis to show up. "I still don't understand why you wanted to bring me here." Noin said, taking a sip of her mocha latte.
"You'll see." Duo said, looking past her to the entrance of the restaurant, where the marquis was standing along with a petite blonde woman, her figure swollen by pregnancy, and two little girls, who fortunately enough had their father's brown hair.
Miliardo waved to Duo at the table, before bringing the whole entourage with him to their side. "Look who I bumped into in the lobby. I hope you don't mind them joining us." Miliardo said, as the two little girls began to pull on his hands, trying to get him to sit down.
"I hope you don't mind, I've brought a guest as well." Duo said, gesturing to Noin.
"Good morning, Zechs." Noin said, realizing why Duo had insisted she come. "It's been a long time."
"Lady Noin, I thought you were terra forming the moon." Miliardo said, taking his seat between Duo and Noin as the waiter helped Iria settle the two girls on the other side of the large round table.
"Trowa called me, said that Duo was missing and asked for my help in finding him." she said. "As you can see, I succeeded in my mission, but I have a feeling he wasn't really missing in the first place."
"I told Quatre as much when he suggested we look for him, but he insisted on sounding the alarm." the marquis laughed. "I really think that he was just looking for a reason to find Wufei."
"There's something I still don't get. Why, when I was the one that was missing, did everyone decide to find Wufei first?" Duo asked, no one in particular.
Iria smiled, her mirth filling the room. "It's simple. Everyone knows that Wufei would go to hell and back to find you. He'd risk everything, do anything, to make sure you were safe and well. He's always been the one to do that, Duo. He loves you."
Miliardo laughed, "All you have to do is look around to see that."
"How goes the project on the moon?" Duo asked, not liking the turn of the conversation.
"Yes, how is my sister's pet project?"
Noin blushed, "It's been going well, even after Preventer Wind left us at a crucial part of the project."
"I had to go back. They needed me since Wufei was leaving." He didn't bother to look up at her, knowing he would regret everything if he did. Lt. Zechs Merquise belonged to her, the marquis, Miliardo Peacecraft, belonged to Quatre, and that was the only way he could justify anything in his head. They were indeed two different people, the lieutenant would have never understood the heart of space, and the marquis would never be able to take up arms against anyone.
"But you didn't take his place at Preventers' Headquarters, you didn't even become a Preventer when you got back to earth." Iria said, remembering those first few months well. He had adopted the title marquis, and was like some foreign dignitary, moving into her brother's house, where she was living at the time, along with Heero and Trowa. It was a very confusing time for everyone in the house. Trowa had moved out of the main wing, where he had been staying in the master suite that connected to her brother's room. Heero and the marquis then moved into that room, since it was the grandest room in the house. That was when Catherine moved in as well, living in the guest wing with Trowa, and Trowa began to court Iria, pressing for a speedy marriage.
She looked over at her girls, Serenya and Crissa, smiling wistfully at them. She would never see them grow up, fulfill their destiny, live. Her mother had endured it giving her Quatre, the best brother anyone could hope to have, and so she would do the same, and her Helios would live on for her, less than one more month to go, not that she would tell Trowa she was further along that he knew, no need for him to worry quite yet. She felt him kick and winced, her face betraying her yet again, the sound of her gasp stopping the conversation at the table.
"That boy trying to bruise you on the inside?" Miliardo said, laughing as she nodded. He looked at Duo, "He's the reason I invited her to our little tete-a-tete, she had that same look when I found her in the lobby."
Lucrezia looked at her closely, though nothing seemed amiss other than the boy kicking her on the inside. "Is it always that painful for you when he kicks?"
"I'll be fine, Lady Noin. I was going to take the girls out today, so if you will please excuse us, we'll leave you to your coffee." Iria said, getting up from the table and promptly sliding down to the floor.
Duo was at once beside her, pulling her upright to rest against him as Noin got the girls and took them to the gift shop in the lobby while Miliardo joined Duo at her side. Her eyes opened, looking up into the marquis' eyes, "I need to talk to Quatre before I go anywhere else."
He nodded as Duo pulled out his phone, calling the blonde Prince. "Q-man, please come to the Drake now. It's really important." Duo said before calling Wufei's phone.
"Where are you, Duo?" Wufei asked.
"Where's Quatre?" Duo asked.
"In my office talking to Trowa, why?"
"Iria wants to see him, the sooner the better. I called his phone, but it went straight to voicemail. We're waiting at the restaurant in the Drake hotel."
"I'll get him and we'll arrive at the Drake shortly."
Wufei opened the door to his office, finding the Trowa holding Quatre in his arms while the blonde man cried. Having finally come to terms with his part in his mother's death, feeling her loss again the way only the heart of space could, he was a wreck, only still standing because Trowa held him. "I need to see Iria." He was beating Trowa's chest as he said it over and over again.
"Trowa, she's asking for him." Wufei said, picking up the blonde's coat.
"Not while he's like this, especially in her condition." Trowa said.
"The way I see it, you don't have much of a choice. They are both being very insistent, so if you don't want to help, give him to me and you can stay here. It's immaterial to me what you do." Wufei said, draping the coat about Quatre's shoulders.
"I'll carry him." Trowa said, reluctantly, as Wufei left the room ahead of him.
"Miss Noin, is Mommy going to be alright?" Serenya, the oldest at the tender age of eight, said, coming up to her even as she held her five year old sister's hand.
She chuckled at the little girl's serious face. "She's just having a little trouble. Your little brother is being like all boys and creating a fuss where none needs to be."
Crissa's eyes lit up as she looked at the entrance to the gift shop. Freeing her hand from her sister's, she started to run towards the door. "Uncle Me-yard-oh!"
"My little Crissa. Mummy said we should go upstairs and wait for her while we play with your dollies. Should we ask Lady Noin to come, have a real life Lady play the lady of the manor?" He asked, scooping her up into his arms.
"Will you come be the Lady, Lady?" Crissa asked from the safety of her favorite uncle's arms.
"I would be honored." She said, and Serenya led them all to the elevators, back to their rooms.
"This is Uncle Quatre's dolly, but I don't think he'd mind you using it." Crissa said, handing Noin the blonde doll in her red dress, before handing her uncle the doll in the tuxedo with the long platinum hair, and mask over his head.
"I'm a Lord and you are a Lady, and we live in this fine castle with the two most beautiful princesses in the land." He whispered to Noin as Serenya helped Crissa set up the doll house. "I've missed you, Noin."
The girls were immersed in their play, they didn't notice as the grown-ups left their side and went to the couch to talk. "Is that why you're with Quatre?"
"No. They're why I'm with Quatre. I wasn't lying when I said they needed me. The ceremony, everything, was just a facade to make sure Trowa would be happy, and he is. He's married, has the children he's always wanted, and soon his son will be born and his life will be complete."
"Do you love him?" She asked, looking at the doll in her arms, a miniature Quatre in drag.
"Yes. But who wouldn't. It's impossible not to love him."
"Duo, what's going on?" Trowa asked as the American stopped him from going with Quatre into the room Iria had allowed herself to be brought to. It was her brother's hotel room, the penthouse suite.
"She knows that's the last room she'll ever see. She's dying, Tro. I didn't want to believe it, but her water broke. We called, and emergency teams are waiting, but she won't let them in until she's talked to her brother." Duo explained, looking at his hands in wonder, as if he could still feel the essence of the dying woman on them.
Trowa looked at the door closed off to him, it felt very much like a mission, and his job was to stay put and keep quiet until summoned. He accepted his role, taking a seat in the chair Wufei had brought for him before the Chinese man had gone to check where the medical personnel were.
"I'd like to thank you, brother, for the eight happiest years of my life. Now you must promise me one thing." Iria said, her voice sounding weak as her body was wracked with the pains of labor.
"Anything for you." Quatre said, bringing the her hand that he held to his lips. He was sitting next to her on the bed, showing her his bravest face, even while inside he was scared to death.
"Take care of Trowa and our children. You gave him to me once, so I'm giving him back to you." She smiled at him, even through the tears he could feel her joy. "Now you will have the children you could have never bore him. I will be happy knowing you are happy."
He nodded. "I will. I promise."
She nodded, and as she did her whole body broke out in a sweat, the pain she was trying to ignore causing her to become as white as the sheets she lay on. "You can let them in now. I'm ready." She managed to get out before her grip on his hand went slack and her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
He looked at her on the bed, not believing she was dying, not wanting her to go. He stood up, balling his hands into fists, wanting to fight the unseen force that was stealing his sister. "TROWA!" He screamed at the top of his lungs as he himself sunk to the floor, exhausted by all the drain of the emotions he felt today.
The door opened and he entered at his summons, the medical personnel following him through the door as he was instantly at Iria's side, holding her hand even while the doctors were trying to push him out of the way. She opened her eyes, smiling at him. "Let them bring our Helios into the world. We knew this day would come. You need to be strong now, for our girls, for our son, and for Quatre. He needs you now."
"I love you, Iria." He whispered, bending to her lips to give her one last kiss before he allowed the medics to move him out of their way. He found Quatre still sitting on the floor by the bed, the medics were just moving around him, so he picked his small frame up, carrying him to the plush chair that was nearby, Trowa sat on it, Quatre in his lap, and they waited for the sound of Helios' cry.
"What's going on?" Wufei asked, putting his hand on Duo's shoulder.
Duo was sitting in the chair Trowa had vacated and was staring at the closed door much in the same way Trowa had while he waited to go in. Duo looked up at the Chinese man. "Iria is in labor. Trowa and Quatre are in there, as are the medics. Your tampering with fate might just pay off, I think there are two couples that are going to be reunited because of this."
"Only two?" Wufei asked, raising an eyebrow as Duo got up from the chair.
"We're in the way here. It's been a long morning, a draining morning. Let's go home." Duo said, pulling Wufei away from the door to the elevators.
They arrived at the apartment, finally quiet and empty, a sudden shyness coming over both men as they removed their shoes and blazers, hanging them in the closet next to the door. Both had removed their ties earlier, due to the stress that made them feel like a hangman's noose around their necks.
"Would you like something to drink?" Wufei asked, leading him from the foyer to the living room, which they had yet to spend any time in during the past four days.
Duo took a seat at the end of the very plush, purple couch in the center of the room. "I'm fine."
Wufei took a seat next to him, bringing his legs up to sit Indian style as he buried his hands in his lap. "I hope Iria's son is alright."
Duo moved to fully face his host. "Why do you let me touch you. You let everyone think we are a couple, yet you don't try to touch me, to take me."
"I want you, but it wouldn't be right to just take what I want. I want you to want me too. I don't want it to just be one sided. If you really must know, I have waited for you to be free, all these years, hoping you'd feel even just a little about me the way I feel about you. I love you, Duo."
Duo inched a little closer. "I do love you, Wu-chan. I thought, well, you were married, you had to be straight."
Wufei looked up from his lap into the American's face, shocked as the American ventured closer still, closing the distance between their faces, but not aiming as usual for his cheek or forehead, his lips brushed against Wufei's briefly, pulling slightly back to see if there was going to be any protest before he again moved in, his tongue darting out to run along Wufei's lips, silently asking for entry into his mouth.
A bit awkwardly, Wufei opened his lips, his mouth, letting Duo wander and explore his warm moist cavern with his tongue, sensations running all over his body just from where their mouths touched. He felt Duo's arms come up, embracing him as the American pushed him backwards, so he lay down the length of the couch, his hands trapped between their two bodies as Duo continued his assault on his mouth.
Somehow, Wufei freed his hands, and found Duo's braid, running it across his right hand until he found the end, and the elastic that held it together. After removing that, he worked his fingers along the length of it, freeing the long, silky locks from their prison. "Why'd you do that?" Duo asked, ending his assault for the moment, even as he still pressed the Chinese man to the couch.
"Your hair has always captivated me." Wufei said, bringing a lock up to brush against his lips, swollen by Duo's kisses.
Duo began to get off of Wufei, arranging them so they were once again sitting on the couch. "Take yours down too."
Wufei got up off the couch, reaching back to the nape of his neck, he began to pull his braid forward, it had been hidden under his clothes, the shorter ponytail that everyone could see that went to about the middle of his back being only a fraction of his real hair, which was about as long as Dewei's. Freeing the long ebony locks he remained standing, extending a hand to the American. "I want you to hold me. I want to feel your warmth, and I don't want anyone walking in and disturbing us while I show you everything I've wanted to do since the day I met you."
Duo stood up, bringing Wufei closer for another kiss, scooping him up into his arms to carry him to the bedroom, ending the kiss while he opened the door. "I want to show you first." He said, putting him down on the bed before going back to lock the door, taking off the rest of his clothes as he walked back to the bed, removing Wufei's clothes before he laid down next to him, pulling him close for another kiss. He was going to enjoy showing Wufei how to love.
----end Chapter Four----
Original Date Posted: November 2, 2005
disclaimer: I do not own the GW characters, or any other commercially released thing mentioned in the contents therein. I do however own the personas of the characters contained within, and any resemblances to any other author's characters (of the same name or real life persons for that matter) is purely coincidental and is not done with that intent in mind.