Genre: AU, Romance
Pairings: 1x2, 3+4
Warnings: Serious fluff, sap, silliness, animals talking, adult situations, some language
Disclaimer: Forgot it in the first chapter, so here it is. Don't own nothin' but these words!
A/N: chibigirlflower is absolutely right—it's been awhile. WAY too long a while. Forgive please. And hugs to you, chibi, for getting on my case and getting my brain in gear!
Additional disclaimer: I have very little realistic idea how the court system works. I've seen small claims court on TV, so that's my only reference . . .
Fighting For Duo
"What are you going to do?" Quatre asked.
Heero's cobalt eyes burned. "Make them wish they never found me."
"What can we do?" Trowa inquired, voice softer than usual.
"I'll need everything I can get to throw against these people," Heero said coldly. "I will not let them take Duo away from me. Quatre, I'll need your professional opinion as Duo's vet. I'm also going to contact the animal shelter and ask the director to appear on my behalf."
"What did you find out about those people?" Trowa asked.
"Nate's got a criminal record six miles long," Heero replied. "I'm going to print that file and bring it as well. He's been busted before for illegal dog fighting."
"We'll do everything we can," Quatre promised.
After they left, Heero remained sitting on the couch for a long, long time. His mind wandered to Duo, upstairs sleeping under the influence of sedation. He didn't want his little love involved anymore than he had to be, and the stress was getting to him in a big way. Quatre had given him an injection when he'd arrived a few hours ago.
Nathaniel Gavon, Heero thought. What do you know about Duo? I don't care. I'm going to make your life a living hell for what you did to him. A dark, vindictive smile full of gleeful malice crossed Heero's lips. And I know just how I'm going to do it.
- - - - - - - -
Heero, who had spent a great deal of time around law-types, knew just how to approach the judge. He was a little surprised to see Gavon and his thug sons looking somewhat decent and even mostly hygienic. Well, maybe miracles did happen. Then again, they did have to make a good impression on the judge. Unfortunately for them, Heero knew how to make a better impression.
He arrived with a folder of everything he'd compiled, both on Duo and Gavon. In short, he wasn't at all worried. Even if the judge for some unknown reason did not rule in his favor, he would simply vanish, taking Duo with him.
"Well," said the judge, "this is one of the more unusual cases I've seen. We're here today to dispute the ownership of 'Duo,' a purebred German Shepherd approximately one year and six months old. Nate Reid, you purchased Duo at the age of five months for the amount of . . ." He rifled through some papers. ". . . two-thousand, one hundred dollars, from top breeder Lucrezia Noin. Is this correct?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Gavon said in an obsequious, sycophantic voice that Heero supposed was meant to sound respectful. It did not. It sounded wormy. "His dam and sire were both AKC registered champions, which is the reason for the somewhat exorbitant price."
"If you feel it's exorbitant, why did you pay it?" the judge asked, head canting to the side as though he were sincerely curious.
Heero bit back a slight smile. Well, it was a good question.
Lana, standing right beside her husband, shifted. "Nate and I don't feel the price was too much," she explained in a smooth, velvet voice. She lifted her chin a bit. "Others may have."
Heero was a little surprised to hear it. She did not sound stupid like her husband. Huh. How amazing. He wondered what Gavon had done to rustle up over two-thousand dollars when he looked like he couldn't afford a good bar of soap.
Something flickered over the judge's face that Heero nearly missed. Nearly. Perhaps he was having similar thoughts. About Lana, anyway. He didn't know if the judge knew of Gavon's criminal record. Well, then it was Heero's intent to educate him.
"I see," the judge said. "Well, then. Why don't you tell me how the dog came to be no longer in your care."
"Ain't it obvious?" Gavon blustered. "That sonuvabitch stole 'im from us!"
"Restrain yourself, Mister Reid," the judge warned, looking unimpressed.
Lana put a hand on her husband's arm. "We do believe he was stolen from us, Your Honor," she said in that wonderfully modulated voice. "I'm not trying to blame young Mister Yuy, because frankly we don't know. But one day Duo just vanished. We'd had him for about two months."
The judge pursed his lips. "I see. Well, 'young Mister Yuy,' why don't you tell me how Duo came to be in your care."
"I rescued him from an animal shelter," Heero replied without hesitation. "It's about an hour south of here. I have both the adoption papers and the director of the shelter here with me today."
The bailiff took the papers at the judge's nod, then the judge looked at the director. "Ma'am, can you tell me how the dog in question came to be in your shelter?"
"An elderly couple brought him in," the director said. "They told me they found him on the side of the road. The poor thing was in the worst condition I have ever seen a dog in. Broken bones, gashes, severely emaciated, starved, and dehydrated. I didn't think he would live the night. In fact I had planned to euthanize him."
Heero listened to her while watching the judge. He had never heard her use such a cold voice. Apparently, she blamed the Reids for Duo's condition. And was very angry about it.
"Why didn't you?" the judge asked.
"Heero came in the next morning," she replied, "and as soon as he saw him wanted him. I don't blame him for wanting to save the poor thing. I wanted to myself, but I hadn't the financial resources."
The judge nodded, pursing his lips while looking over the adoption papers. "Mister Yuy, can you tell me why you wanted Duo so badly? It sounds to me like it must have cost you a great deal of money to get him well again."
Heero shrugged. "It wasn't a concern. I only wanted to see him well again. And he is well again, though it took two months and much time on my part. If you saw him, you would understand. Duo is a beautiful dog, and he's my best friend." More than that. I love him with all my heart.
"Actually, I have seen your dog," the judge said. "I watched the last dog show you two competed in. He won, as I recall. Best in show." He steepled his fingers. "Mister Reid, can you tell me how Duo came to be in such a terrible condition? And so far from your home in Arizona?"
Lana smoothly interjected here, not letting her husband speak. "We were on a trip to see my family," she said. "Duo was riding in the back of the truck, and even though we had him secured down with a safety harness, somehow it wasn't enough. All I can guess is he fell out of the truck."
"There was evidence of that sort of trauma," the director of the animal shelter piped up.
The judge cast her a quick look before turning back to Lana. "Go on."
"After that there's not much to tell," she concluded. "We went back over every inch of the road, but we could never find him. We've had an ad on the internet for eight or nine months, hoping someone had seen him."
For a moment the judge was silent. Then he looked at Heero. "Who is your witness?"
"Doctor Quatre Winner," Heero said, "Duo's vet."
"Ah. Doctor, what can you tell me about Duo's condition when Mister Yuy first brought him in to you?"
Quatre rose to stand beside Heero. "The director is right, Your Honor. Duo's injuries were grave. I advised Heero to expect him not to live the night. Some of his injuries could have been caused by a tremendous impact, such as falling out of a truck. But there was also ample evidence of injuries not caused by accidents."
Again the judge paused. "Are you telling me this dog was abused?"
"That's exactly what I'm telling you," Quatre confirmed, holding up a folder. "These are Duo's medical records. I've highlighted the relevant sections in green."
Silence reigned for a moment while the judge read the files Quatre had provided. Heero watched in satisfaction as the man's eyes grew darker and darker. Eventually he looked up again.
"In your professional opinion, these injuries could not have been caused by accidents?"
Quatre didn't hesitate. "They could not," he confirmed.
Now the judge's eyes turned to the Reids. "Well, what have you to say about that?" he inquired.
A little too politely, Heero thought.
"I hope you are not implicating we abused our dog," Lana said somewhat frostily. "We treated him with absolute love and affection."
"Your Honor?" Heero queried respectfully.
"Yes, Mister Yuy," the judge acknowledged.
"Your Honor, even if the Reids didn't abuse Duo as they claim," Heero began, resting his left hand atop the folder containing Nathaniel Gavon's colorful past, "they are not fit to have any pet, let alone a high-maintenance animal like Duo. I have here the criminal record of one Nathaniel Gavon, the name by which Nate Reid was born. He changed it to Sorenson to buy Duo under the guise of an innocent man, then changed it again shortly after Duo turned up missing."
All four Reids burst into noisy protest, causing the audience to murmur amongst themselves. Most of Heero's friends were present, including Hilde, Wufei, Trowa, and Catherine. Lucrezia Noin was also present, and she looked like a thundercloud.
After a few moments of gavel-thumping, the judge quieted the courtroom, sending his bailiff to retrieve the documents. "Mister Yuy, how did you access these records?"
Heero shrugged, trying not to look smug. "I work for the United States Government. I have access to that and much more."
The judge perused the new papers in front of him. Finally he looked at Nate. "Your record is against you, Mister Reid. I should say, Mister Gavon. I do not believe your wife when she says you are not responsible for the dog's injuries. Ownership of the dog is awarded to Heero Yuy. You, Nathaniel Gavon, and your wife Lana will be tried for animal abuse." His gavel thumped once more.
Heero's friends rose at once, clamoring and exclaiming. Lucrezia Noin watched the Reids with contemptuous eyes.
"Thanks to you, Heero, Duo has a wonderful home and it will stay that way. I'm going to see to it that breeders do a more thorough background check before selling anymore puppies. No dog should have to go through what Duo went through."
Heero nodded, smiling his appreciation. As soon as he exited the room the media intercepted him, eager for his take on the story. Knowing this would be broadcasted to the public, Heero let the commentator stall him.
"You and Duo have received much public attention thanks to your recent shows," he said. "How are you feeling now that he's well and truly yours with the support of the entire AKC breeding network?"
Heero raised an eyebrow. "How do you think I feel? Duo will stay where he belongs, and those people will finally be put where they belong. The judge made the right decision."
"Can we expect to see you and Duo competing in the AKC Championship next month?" the man asked.
Smiling, Heero looked into the camera. "Count on it."
-
Duo leaped off the bed the moment he heard the familiar sound of Heero's car pulling into the driveway. He raced on all fours down to the door just as Heero stepped inside the house. He didn't care what the judge said. If he was to go back to those people, he would never again assume his canine form. He would just stay a person, and no one would be the wiser.
Before he had any conscious notion to do so, he had jumped into Heero's arms, entire body shaking. He changed form mid leap, his arms locking around Heero's neck and legs wrapping around his waist. Heero caught him with ease, shutting the door.
"You're mine," he whispered. "You're still mine, Duo. You will always be mine. The judge had those people locked up. They can't hurt you anymore, my love. I would never allow them to touch you again, no matter what the judge said."
Duo couldn't help it. He started crying. He broke down in Heero's arms, all the tension bleeding away and leaving him feeling completely worn out. He was sure if Heero wasn't holding him, he would have collapsed.
Back up to the silent safety of their bedroom Heero carried him, his strong and reassuring presence all around as they sank down onto the soft mattress. Warm fingers stroked through his hair, soothing and comforting.
"Don't cry, my pet," Heero whispered, the soft warmth tickling his ear. "It's all right now, it's over. I'm going to make sure they never bother us again, I promise."
Duo didn't know what his master had in mind, but he didn't care. There was an ominous quality to Heero's voice, but that only comforted him, too. He buried his face in Heero's neck, not trying to pull himself together. His parted lips panted, tasting the heat of Heero's skin.
The next instant his relief bled into something altogether different. Straightening, he leaned up and pressed his lips against Heero's. Mouth already open and seeking, he plunged his tongue into Heero's mouth when his master made a soft sound of surprise. The long line of his body melted against his master's, seeking his heat, seeking his love. Every inch of him was insistent and urgent, his kiss deep and desperate.
Heero broke it first, grappling with Duo for a moment before locking him in a hold Duo could not break free from. "Stop it, Duo," he murmured, his deep blue eyes so affectionate, so understanding, so reassuring. "Not like this. I'll make love to you when you're ready, but you're not. Just let me hold you right now."
For several moments Duo tried to squirm free from his hold, but after a few tries his remaining resistance seeped away. His tense body went limp, and Heero gathered him in his embrace once more. For a long, long time he rocked him, humming quietly in his ear, his fingers stroking through his hair. Every pent-up emotion he'd felt for the last week finally went away, leaving him peaceful. Exhausted, but peaceful.
"Heero . . . ?" he queried faintly.
His master shifted a little. "Go to sleep, my love. I'll be right here when you wake."
Duo was helpless to disobey.
Any guesses as to what Heero will do to punish those terrible people? Or any suggestions from you guys? I'll take any grisly and gruesome ideas! XD
I'm thinking about writing a sister story to this one entitled "Heero, My Pet."
Hehe, can you see where that one will be going? It will not be based on this one, nor even similar except for one thing. What do you guys think?
Heero: You plan on making me a dog?
Duo: Kyaa! (Glomps madly)
Heero: . . .
Heh heh . . . (evil plans)
Heero:I'm going to kill you!
You know, he's not as frightening as he thinks. I know his secret. He is really a teddy--
Heero: (GUN)
(Runs away screaming)