Tapestry, Book 2

Chapter 2

Turkish coffee used to be difficult to find in Luxembourg. Only a few small cafés brewed it the right way; hot enough to burn your tongue, strong enough to make your eyes water.

"More coffee, miss?"

I smiled, tugging my hood closer to my face. "Oh, no. Not yet, thanks."

It wasn't hard to find anymore, though - not since Treize and his entourage moved in. Apparently, all the Specials and many of the OZ soldiers drank nothing but Turkish coffee, which made the Middle Eastern merchants happy. The aroma of dark, rich beans floated through the air, mixing with cinnamon and cloves. I inhaled deeply, enjoying the heady scent as much as the incredible jolt of caffeine that kept me awake. During the past 72 hours, as I traveled from northern Africa to Luxembourg on my quest to find Wufei, it was the caffeine as much as the danger that kept me frosty and alert.

While intellectually I knew - I knew! - that not all OZ could possibly be looking for me, I was seriously starting to doubt my own sanity. Every highway I traveled, every corner I turned, wherever I looked, it was always the same. Someone from OZ had been there before me, but not in a good way. Now they were mingling with the locals, chatting up informants, going to restaurants, and discos and local pubs ... and gods. They were all looking for and talking about me.

Me.

Friendly, intimate conversations. Flashing a smile, a recent photo of me and my stats. "Have you seen this woman? When? How long ago?"

Things were bad when I was with Quatre - but when I was with him, at least, I had been with a resistance group, and we had been doing things that merited attention. Now I was simply traveling by myself, and suddenly people were coming after me with a vengeance.

I hardly knew what I was doing; I felt like I was groping, moving on intuition alone. A terrible foreboding and sense of urgency was drowning me; I knew where Wufei was, who he was with, because I saw it in my dreams. I was so sure that I needed to follow my instincts, go to Luxembourg and get Wufei out of there. Take him away from the most powerful man-demon on earth; go right up to that - man's - home, and take Wufei away, if for nothing else than for his own good.

And it was all due to my dreams, those horrid, prophetic dreams I had every time I closed my eyes, where Wufei looked so weary, so drained, so unlike himself. He was ill, and I had to go to him, to help him, to heal him ...

I dropped my head into my hands, closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. Maybe I should have more coffee.

Considering the 20 minute power naps in doorways as people strode by, believing I was a vagrant, or the 5 minute catnaps I snatched on the undergounds, I think I slept for a total of eight hours as I stumbled to Luxembourg. At one point I took a two hour nap on the floor of a flatbed truck, snuggled up to some loose turnips, covered by a burlap bag. We bumped our way toward the Alps, the turnips and I, across the back roads of Italy. I only remember becoming terribly cold; that finally shocked me awake. I hardly stirred when the truck veered off the road into a large ditch, turnips flying all around.

When I walked on the street I kept my hood up, my hair hidden, my eyes sharp and my mouth closed. That's what a guerilla fighter did; she blended into the crowd, faded into the background until she was indistinguishable from the regular population. It was an effective strategy; no one recognized me. Now, as I listened to snatches of conversation from the OZ soldiers around me, I realized with a sinking sensation why it worked so well.

"Nah. Last time they actually saw her was outside Cairo, like a week or so ago," a large, affable OZ sergeant remarked to his companion. They walked into the café, two large, burly men in flak jackets with rifles and ammunition, and sat down at a table next to mine. I turned slowly so that my back was toward them. The bigger man unslung his gun from his shoulder and leaned it against the table, close to me. "Her and about fifty other rebels."

"So why are we on high alert?"

"Oh, you know. Protocol, that sort of thing. She's unpredictable. But there's no way in hell that she'd actually come here. I mean, c'mon - look at this place. She'd have to be crazy." He chuckled, and the other man joined in.

I looked into the dark liquid in my cup, wondering. Am I completely crazy?

"What would she want?"

"Who knows? Like I said, she's wild. Unpredictable. But remember - if you see her, don't do anything. Call the Specials. They're the ones trained to deal with her."

I almost spit out my coffee. Gads - the Specials? Regular OZ wouldn't do?

"Right. They'll do the job. Probably call the General, too."

Oh. Fabulous. I made a mental note to myself not to get caught. The General was the last person I wanted to see.

After a while, their conversation wandered off into other areas. Quietly, discreetly, I got up from my chair, left enough money on the table to cover the bill and the tip, then slipped out the front door, never looking back. I made sure that I walked out at the same time a larger party left and a new party arrived.

Mingle with the crowd, Sally. Just get out and get moving. You don't have much time.

Forty-five minutes later I stood across the street from a magnificent, four storied town home in the middle of Luxembourg, hands jammed inside my pockets, a hollow feeling in my gut. Its graceful spires reached for the night sky, while its clean lines and symmetric style bespoke hundreds of years of tradition. That style and elegance carried through all sections of the deceptively long building, as far as I could see down the street and from the ground to the roof. Second and third story balconies, with both granite and iron balustrades, were full to overflowing with roses, peonies, hydrangeas, and a host of other foliage. It looked beautiful. My fingers clenched.

A small, narrow alley beckoned on my left, inviting me to inspect the house from another angle. Several quick glances assured me that no one was following my movements - indeed, for a main residence, Treize was taking remarkably few precautions. It seemed that he only had a squadron of Specials with him, unless he had a contingent of them in the basement.

Ah. The basement. I shifted uncomfortably at that, recalling the house on the island and what happened during my foray into its basement. That was the night Une loosed the dogs in the house, the night I found myself trapped in the small library with one of the hounds and no way out. I was nearly killed; the only reason I was alive was because Wufei saved me. Now it was my turn to save him.

Determined, I stayed in the shadows, studying the house. I could feel Wufei; in fact, it felt as if he was sleeping. There was a small, slight energy surge that recognized as his, regular as a heartbeat, not excited, not slow. Tilting my head to the side and closing my eyes, I tried to imagine where he was, and realized I could pinpoint his exact location.

"There," I murmured, opening my eyes and looking up at a darkened room on the third floor. "Right ... there. And I know how to get to you."

His room did not have a balcony attached to it, but there was a room close to it on the third floor that did. Ivy covered that part of the house; its tendrils crawled up the wall from the first to the second story. It was an easy climb from the second to the third story as well, since the ivy worked its way up the side of the house as well as decorative ironwork. Strategically camouflaged by a large potted fir and ivy on the second story balcony was a lovely Athenian trellis.

I pulled myself deeper into the gloom and watched the foot traffic. Wealthy, well-heeled pedestrians strolled back and forth, doing their business, either completely oblivious to the sharpshooters on the roof or totally nonchalant about it. Not a raised eyebrow anywhere - and that was unusual, indicating that these people were used to that kind of protection.

Hmm. I chewed on that for a few moments. The fact that a high level of security didn't merit a passing glance from anyone gave me a moment's pause. Security wasn't something they questioned. They accepted that Treize had that level of defense, and that most people in that area had some type of personal protection; for them, it was simply the status quo.

On the other hand, I did notice that no other home in the neighborhood had sharpshooters on their roof. That meant that when I got Wufei out, no one else was going to be shooting at us. Good.

The home detail changed several times while I waited. The security squad walked two circuits of the mansion, then disappeared around the back of the building. Two people were visible on point by the glint of the moonlight off their night goggles. It was odd; their lines of sight were limited, obscured by the very foliage that made the mansion so attractive from the street. In fact, the longer I thought about it, the more I had to chuckle. OZ gave me an unintentional gift; a breach in their own security, a hole large enough to drive one of their own armored trucks through. Even with all their soldiers on premises with their sophisticated weaponry, I estimated it would take me between 60 to 90 seconds to cross the street, scale the wall and get into the building undetected. The jeweler's cutting tool in my pocket was light, along with the suction cup and the small electronic deadening device Quatre gave me when I worked with him. I wasn't taking any chances. I was getting in, grabbing Wufei, and getting out.

One by one, the house lights dimmed. I thought I saw Treize's shadow once, and I froze; but I sternly told myself that even if he was there, it didn't matter. I was simply going in, grabbing Wufei, and leaving. That was it. I hadn't clearly worked out the "leaving" part in my mind, but figured that I'd improvise once I was inside. I wasn't there to fight; I was a guerilla. This was a 'snatch and grab' mission - that was all. In and out, period. No one would see me.

Right. That's why my heart was beating so hard I swore the people across the street could hear it. I shoved my hands deep in my jacket pockets, clenching the jeweler's tool and suction cup, and moved deeper into the shadow. I stood there staring at the mansion for a good hour after all the lights had been extinguished. Just to be sure, I told myself. Just ... to be sure.

Coward. He knows you're out here. You know that. He feels you, the same as you feel Wufei. He's waiting for you.

I hated that little voice of mine. Hate, hate, hate. I glanced up at the roof; the point guards were looking at the opposite side of the mansion. I realized the other guards had just completed their circuit. It was time to go.

Fuck off, voice. I'm no coward - I'm going in now. It's the right time.

Silently I ran across the street, caught the ivy with one hand and literally walked up the wall, hand over hand, to the third floor balcony. Dropping lightly on the balls of my feet, the electronic silencer was out and installed on the door in seconds. Quatre was as good as his word; there was no popping, no hissing - only a small snick and the security system for that door and window was disabled. It couldn't pick the lock, though - it wasn't that sophisticated.

Immediately, I set to work with my other tools. In seconds, I removed a small pane of glass from the door that allowed me to open it from the inside. No fuss, no muss, no noise. I slipped inside unnoticed, a tiny spore floating on the breeze.

My eyes were accustomed to the dark. I was lucky; I was in an unused bedroom. Breathing a sigh of relief, I walked over to the main door and cracked it open an inch or two. Light streamed into the room; I blinked, then knelt down and peered into the hall, holding my breath.

No one was there. At least, no one was on this floor that I could see. The furnishing was opulent, but tasteful, with large, thick golden rugs and stylized paintings. The lighting was dim and the hallway was wide. It gave me the feeling I was in the first house - the country house - and the island mansion at the same time. And that feeling - it was ... ah ... it was confusing ...

I shook my head rapidly, blinking. No - no, that wasn't good thinking, not good thinking at all. Gads, what was wrong with me? I needed to focus on Wufei, getting him and getting out. That was the plan, and that was all I needed to think about. Not about anything else, no, not at all.

Breathing deeply, I pushed the door open a little wider, my gaze darting about. No one was in the corridor. The Specials were in the house, but certainly weren't geared up for any kind of intruder or attack. I closed the door quietly and started off toward Wufei - or, more accurately, where I thought Wufei was being kept. His room was at the end of a long hallway. I was halfway there when I heard talking and laughing directly behind me.

Without hesitation I opened the first door on the right and plunged behind it, praying it wasn't hiding only the shelves of a linen closet. It was wide and pitch black behind the door. Immediately, I flattened myself against a side wall and silently pulled the door closed, praying they were unobservant enough to hear nothing. I sagged a little in relief as the Specials passed me seconds later, their voices muted by the thickness of the mahogany door. I let out a little sigh and relaxed my shoulders. Thank the gods ...

"I was wondering when you'd come."

The sound of that particular baritone was enough to stop my heart. My body automatically snapped back against the wall as if jerked by strings. I froze in place and stopped breathing completely.

... ohgodsno ... this can't be real ... ohgodsno please tell me I didn't just walk into this man's bedroom OHGODSNO...

My leap from the bright light of the hallway to absolute darkness had forced my eyes to dilate. I had been blinded for a few precious seconds, and never noticed the irregular shape of an overstuffed chair several paces to my left.

A large figure rose with effortless, leonine grace and took several easy strides across the deep pile carpet toward the door, passing close enough to me so that the faint aroma of roses tickled my nose. He opened the door, tilted his head and regarded me with an unreadable expression, broad shoulders silhouetted against the hall light.

...ohgods. It was Treize.

We stared at each other for a full minute. I'm not sure why, other than he was allowing me the luxury of thinking about my incredibly stupid plan and how I avoided considering ... him.

In fact, that was the incredibly stupid part of my plan.

"Are you coming?" he asked gently.

I finally found my voice. " ... yes. I - I'm coming."

We walked down the hallway together. Treize deliberately guided me right past the hallway guards, the very same ones who had walked by the bedroom, his hand on the small of my back. They started at me, completely taken aback; I raised my chin at them and sniffed a little.

Ha. Someone's head's gonna roll tomorrow, you betcha.

As Treize opened the door of the last bedroom to usher me inside, I found enough courage to glance up at him and raise an eyebrow. "You should do something about your security around here." I shrugged. "Almost anyone could just - walk in."

"Indeed." He gave me a meaningful look as he beckoned me into the room. "I had no idea you were so protective of my interests."

I had something caustic to say to him, right on the tip of my tongue, but all my words died there. Instead, cold horror squeezed and twisted my heart, burrowing into me as I tracked his gaze to the bed. I tried to push past Treize because Wufei was there - and I had to reach Wufei, I had to, he looked so -

"Wufei ... oh, Wufei ..."

Treize caught my shoulders and held me fast, forcing me instead to take a good, long, look from the doorway. Wufei was asleep in the darkened bedroom, sprawled in his bed, his sheets and covers strewn about. He was always a lean but sturdy boy, a golden sheen of skin taut over tight sinews and muscle. This Wufei, however, had a pale, sallow complexion, dark circles smudged under sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, and dark, fine hair lying limply across his neck. He looked ghastly. At least his breathing was regular, but now that I was closer, I could hear that he was hitching a little.

And the dragon ... gads, the poor little thing looked exactly as he looked in my dreams. Tired, dispirited, its color no longer a proud reddish gold, it simply lay on top of Wufei, as thin as my arm, undulating a little but otherwise hardly moving.

"No! What're you doing? What's wrong with him? Let me go, I have to go to him - !" I tried to pull away from Treize, but instead he turned me around to face him, his hands firmly on my arms, his stare uncomfortably intense.

"He needs you," he said evenly, never taking his blue gaze from mine. "Do you plan on leaving him again?"

I looked up at him, open mouthed, astonished. Do I plan on ...? "What? Well, no, I - I ... no. No. I - I don't."

Oh, but now my mind was catching up with his words, and their true meaning was penetrating my self-induced fog. If Treize had Wufei, which he unquestionably did - and Treize had me, which was thoughtless on my part, but all the same was true - and now Treize asked me if I planned on leaving Wufei again, and I had just replied no, then essentially I had just said - and I was finding it harder and harder to breathe - ohgods, please tell me I hadn't just done this, too -

That horrid little voice of mine taunted me, laughing. Oh, yes, Sally Po, you did. You just agreed to give up your freedom forever for Wufei, self-sacrificing cow that you are. You just agreed not to try to escape from him again. Ever. Now aren't YOU a clever little human?

All that passed through my mind in the blink of an eye. I could have screamed.

In the next blink, I found what I hoped was the loophole.

SHUT UP, you nasty thing. I never said I wouldn't take Wufei anywhere. I simply said I didn't plan on leaving him again, and I won't.

Something flickered deep in Treize's eyes as he gazed at me, something that pinned me in place and made me acutely aware of how incredibly powerful he was and how terribly weak I was. I blinked a little and shrank back, afraid.

"Good," Treize said softly, bending close so that his face was even with mine, "because, Sally Po, I will not allow you to leave again."

"I ... you won't ... oh ..." I swallowed and felt my eyes widen in response. I froze in place for the second time that evening. That was very clear. He had just closed and tied my loophole for me, very tidy, very neat. Almost as if he had heard me thinking - but no, that was impossible ...

He looked back, smiling slightly. "Shhh, now. He needs you." Releasing my arms, Treize turned me around and slid my coat from my arms at the same time, then gave me a gentle shove in Wufei's direction. "Go to him."

I looked back and nodded, still spooked, swallowing hard. Cowardly wasn't an adjective that I normally associated with myself, but this man, or demon, or whatever he was, scared me right down to my bones. The vision of him rising over the blazing island inferno, his wings spread, laughing, was one that was literally burned into my brain.

Then I turned and looked at Wufei. Once I saw him, my fear dropped away as if had never existed; he was the only thing that filled my mind. Feeling a little schitzoid, I staggered a bit, blinked, and made my way over to the bed. I never looked back.

Carefully, carefully, I sat down, trying not to disturb him. Wufei turned his face in my direction, his eyes tightly closed; the dragon was snuffing, its muzzle waving up and down a little. I pushed my shoes off and drew my legs underneath me as I reached for him, pulling him into my arms. I lay next to him, smoothing his hair away from his forehead. He was clammy to the touch, restless in his sleep.

"Wufei," I whispered, holding him.

He made a soft sound and rolled into my embrace, like a child. The dragon did the same thing. In fact, the dragon wrapped himself around me several times, and then dipped inside me.

"Aaahhhh," I gasped, shocked, the world going white for an instant. That sensation - of the dragon diving through me, not penetrating my body per se, but penetrating my soul - was electrifying, akin to orgasmic pleasure. I lay next to Wufei for several minutes, his warm breath in my face, trying to regain my equilibrium.

Here he was, Chang Wufei, the person I had been dreaming about, sleeping and secure in my arms. And now I ... I was warm and secure, too, just like Wufei. It was oddly comforting; and without warning, my eyes closed of their own accord. I forced them open, and realized someone had covered us with thick, soft blankets. Someone was watching over us, protecting both of us, keeping us safe. I tried to speak, but didn't even have the strength to open my lips, I was so tired.

My last coherent thought before I fell asleep. ... was ... that ... ?

Sleep, Sally. Sleep. You need it. You both need it.

My eyes closed again, and this time I couldn't reopen them.

At some point during the night? day? I had no idea - I woke up and realized I needed to use the bathroom. At first I was disoriented, as I had no idea where I was or how to move out of Wufei's iron grip. Once I figured out how to wiggle out of bed, I padded through the room and found the door I needed to get into the attached bath.

Blinking, I shuffled inside and found it was just as luxuriously appointed as I thought it would be. Not only that - it had sets of men's white Chinese pajamas, for which I was eternally grateful. I had been wearing the same rumpled shirt for the last 72 hours, and ached for a good long soak and clean, warm clothing.

"Ah," I sighed in happiness as I turned on the hot water full blast. I was going to get this room as steamy and hot as possible.

The towels were just as soft and warm as I expected, and the mineral scrub was exactly the same type as I had used on the island. My skin was tingling and warm, and I was sleepy again, ready to crawl back into bed.

As I padded back to bed, I happened to glance toward the doorway to the rest of the house. While I was bathing, someone came into the room and left crackers, fruit and tea on the table by the door. How did I know when it happened? Only because the tea was still steaming ...

I stared at it for a few moments, considering. Then my stomach, sick to death with my balky mind, overruled it and growled, loud enough for the entire third floor to hear.

"Fine. I'll feed you. Geez, you'd think I hadn't put any food in you for a week with that kind of noise."

That was very nearly true, but that wasn't the point. Making a wry face, I padded across the carpet to the table, made myself a plate of fruit, cheese and crackers, poured some tea, then sat down to eat in the half gloom. In just a few minutes, the fruit and cheese were gone. Vanished. And my stomach was clamoring for more. Gads.

It felt like someone was chuckling, right in back of my shoulders. Annoyed, I shrugged and reached for more food.

Yes, well ... fine. So I'm hungry ... so what? I can eat more if I want to. The food's here. Leave me alone. Feh.

If I could scowl and eat, I would. I ate most of the fruit and cheese and drank all the tea, it tasted so good. At the end, it felt as if something was petting me, stroking me like a favorite cat, from the crown of my head to the middle of my back.

Good girl.

Long strokes, down the center of my back, right down my spine. Warm, comforting, throbbing pulses moved along tiny muscles; I was relaxed and drowsy, my head was nodding and my eyes were closing. I needed to go back to bed.

It was hard, but I stiffened my arms, pushed myself out of the chair and tottered back to bed. Apparently, Wufei had noticed I was gone; he had wrapped his arms around my pillow and was nuzzling it a bit. I smiled, climbed in and murmured, "Give me back my pillow, Wufei. I want to use it."

"Mmf?"

"Pillow, Wu." With my eyes slits, I gently unwrapped his hands and reclaimed my pillow, then snuggled next to him. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around me at the same time the baby dragon wrapped itself around and around me. This time, though, the dragon did not dip inside me. I was braced for that weird, pulsing shock, and felt both bereft and relieved that it didn't happen.

We lay together like young siblings, wrapped around each other for support and comfort and warmth. The last thing I remembered was Wufei breathing lightly on my neck, his arms and legs snaking easily around my back and hips, a soft comforter covering both of us. My head was in the hollow of his shoulder, and I felt safe for the first time in ages.

And then I drifted off to sleep.

"S - sally?"

My name was whispered in hushed tones, right in my ear. I murmured and tried to burrow farther into my pillow which had inexplicably turned bumpy and hard. Comfortable and warm, I really didn't want to get up.

No, no, not yet ... it's not time to get up yet. Let me sleep. Go 'way.

Something nudged me, something that felt shivery and good and weird right at my shoulder. "Sally - is that really you?"

Now there was a cool rush of air across my cheek, a feather light touch brushing across my face. Blinking, I slitted my eyes open and saw two dark, ebony eyes staring at me. Eyes that were familiar.

"... Sally." It was Wufei. His smile was wide, incredulous, happy. He looked and sounded as if he didn't believe as if I was there, that it was the most amazing thing to see me lying next to him.

I smiled back, relief and genuine joy flooding through me. I wanted to reach over and hug and squeeze him until there was no breath left in his body.

"It's really me, Wufei. I'm really here." With a sleepy grin, I reached over and playfully tweaked his nose. The dragon snorted and bumped his head against mine, telling me in no uncertain terms that he was thrilled. I chuckled. He nuzzled my hair, and there it was again - that weird, tickly feeling that woke me up, as if the dragon was next to me and inside my head at the same time.

"You - you're really ..." And just as suddenly as joy spread across his face, horror replaced it. Wufei rolled over and sat up, looking down at me, his mouth a tight, narrow line. "Oh gods, he got you ..."

Lifting myself up on my elbows, I sighed, squinted and shook stray pieces of hair out of my eyes. "Wufei ... I came back to rescue you."

We stared at each other for several moments, neither moving a muscle. It felt as if we were taking each other's measure; in fact, it felt as if Wufei was weighing something, deciding whether or not to speak.

"Why?" he finally asked.

"Because - " I shrugged, helpless to explain, "because - I - had to, Wufei. I just had to." It wasn't a satisfying explanation, but it would have to do. I couldn't even explain it to myself; it was a compulsion, something that tugged at me, pulled at me from the inside out, an invisible tether that tied us together. It was weird; but there was no denying that I felt much better when I was with him than away from him.

After a while, he dropped his gaze and frowned at the French doors of the room. "I'm not leaving, Sally, but you should. Does anyone else know you're here?" The dragon, poor translucent baby he was, had huge, panicked eyespots. His smooth, reddish gold head was undulating, darting and weaving furtively from left to right, as if searching for an exit for me.

First reactions were telling; I felt my cheeks burn as last night's memory played out again in my mind. "Um ... well ... yes. Treize - ah - caught me after I snuck into the house."

Hah - watched you stumble into the house was more like it, my mind chortled. Wanna tell him how you walked right into his BEDROOM where -

Shut UP! That doesn't help! If I knew it would get rid of that sarcastic, mouthy little voice in my head, I'd gladly beat myself senseless.

His shoulders slumped and his face fell. "Damn it," he sighed, sliding for the edge of the bed. "Maybe I can talk him into letting you go."

"I don't think that's going to be possible, Wufei."

He wasn't listening to me. By this time, Wufei was out of bed and hunting around for his clothes. I sat in the middle of the bed and watched, disturbed. If I hadn't been absolutely sure he wasn't well before, this clinched it; the Wufei I knew and had lived for months was neat almost to a fault. He would never have left his clothing strewn about his room haphazardly, dropped all over the furniture and the floor. It was odd, as if I was watching another person walking in Wufei's body.

"Wufei," I said, keeping my voice pitched low, "Wufei, listen. Treize - he already told me last night, he's - he won't allow me to leave again."

That did get his attention. He stopped gathering clothes and stared at me, his eyes very large and dark, then sat down abruptly on the end of the bed.

"...shit."

Sighing, I slid over to him on my knees, the silk of the pajamas moving easily over the bed sheets."Really, I suppose it could be worse. I could be locked away in a prison somewhere, but instead, I'm here with you." I patted his arm, right by his shoulder, giving him a tiny smile. "That helps a little, you know. But you, Wufei - I do worry about you. You had a choice. You left - but you chose to come back here, back to Treize. And now you've just told me that you're not going to leave." I forced myself to keep my voice mild and even. "Why, Wufei? Why?"

Of all the things that happened - and lately, there had been so many - that one, in particular, really did hurt. I was mystified. Wufei had had a choice, and he chose to return to Treize. Not only did he choose to return, he returned without telling me or Heero or Duo, or anyone who might have actually been able to help him cope with whatever was bothering him. Why?

On the other hand, maybe there wasn't anyone else who could help him cope. I vaguely remembered Trowa saying something at one point:

Indeed. Sally - Treize woke the dragon - something that is intended for a life mate. Erasing that bond will be difficult, if not impossible.

What are you telling me, Trowa? That - that Treize, whatever he is, is NOW Wufei's life mate? WHAT?

I had been so aghast that anything else he said at the moment had been lost, crushed beneath the weight of his nonchalant words. Trowa habitually did things like that - telling me important, gut-wrenching information and then leaving me stranded, dumbfounded and overwhelmed, stuck on my own to sort things out. Yet another aspect of Trowa's nonhuman nature; he didn't know how give me information at all.

Clearly, Wufei steeled himself before he said anything to me; his shoulders were back, his jaw set and his expression was blank. "I'm where I belong, Sally," he replied with an effort. "At least for now."

"But how do you know?" I pressed.

"I know," he said, turning away. "I just know. I don't want to try to explain it right now. I wasn't expecting to have to excuse myself to anyone. Let me think about it for a while, then I'll give you your answer." He turned back, his expression strained. "But I know I'm right. This is where I belong, at least for now. He knows it, too. That's why he hasn't made me promise anything this time around."

Stung, I could do nothing but stare at him in silence. I dropped back and sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed, trying to project bland mildness, even though a ragged hole had been ripped right through my chest and heart.

Duo and Heero and I took you away from him, away from him and the pain he caused when you wanted it and needed it, but you came back anyway. And I knew you needed me - I could feel it, it was so strong - so I came back for you, to rescue you. And now - now I'm trapped, probably forever, and you're telling me I shouldn't have bothered.

"Oh ... I - see. Well." I shook my head from side to side. My voice sounded raspy. Swallowing past unfamiliar bitterness that almost closed my throat, I looked down at the comforter. "Don't justify yourself to me, Wufei. It's your decision, not mine."

"But I want to justify myself to you. I'm just not going to do it now."

"... fine, Wufei. Fine. Whatever you say. When you're ready, tell me."

There was nothing else to say. I slid to the opposite side of the bed, combed my fingers through my hair, and sighed. What a mess.

We were both silent. "Are you hungry?" Wufei asked after a few moments..

I shrugged, not looking at him. "A little, I guess. Someone left some fruit and cheese last night while I was bathing. It's over there."

At least it used to be - the table where I ate was now clean, bare of china and utensils, not a crumb or a napkin in sight.

"Oh. I guess - someone came in and cleaned up," I said, bewildered, glancing at him.

Wufei barely nodded in acknowledgement. "Right. They do that," he agreed, abstracted, still looking at the other side of the room. He stared over there for several minutes more, then took a long, shuddering sigh and gazed right at me.

"I'll have to ask him what he wants, Sally. I don't know what he wants to do. You can come with me if you want. "

Chilling words, words that cut right to the bone and sliced my hope to bits. Incongruously, I sat at the end of the bed, looked into his face and thought how ridiculous I must look - dressed in a pair of men's white Chinese pajamas, with no slippers and my hair finger combed, tousled over my shoulders, not even in proper braids. And now I had been invited to go find Treize so we could discuss my fate. Gads, how lucky could one girl get?

Embittered, I thought again how Jouten had a terribly sick, twisted sense of humor when it came to me and my life. Previously - before the war, before Wufei, before Treize, before any of this madness began - I never thought about a spiritual side of life. This must be Jouten's revenge, I figured, because at this point, I would never be free of thinking about it, no matter how long I lived.

If that's the way things were, then Jouten, I decided with some heat, could just go pound sand. I didn't think it was very funny.

"Sure, Wufei," I said, unenthusiastic. "I'll come with you. We'll find Treize."

We made an odd couple padding down the hallway together. The only difference between us, other than my blonde hair and his dark hair, was that his pajamas were orange while mine were white.

I couldn't tell what time it was, other than it was some time during the day, probably the afternoon. Sunlight was streaming though the windows of the bedrooms he opened. They looked pleasant, sparkling and sunny. I wished I felt as cheery as they looked.

As Wufei opened each door and stuck his head inside, looking for Treize, the dragon did the same thing. Curled around and around Wufei, he stretched his neck into each room as far as it would go, searching.

I hung back in the hall and watched him methodically go from room to room, knock, open the door and then look inside. There were marked differences in the appearance of the dragon from the poor, dispirited thing I saw when I arrived and the cute little translucent thing wrapped in and around Wufei right now.

"Ah - Treize." His voice floated out to me from a room at the end of the hall, near the front of the house.

Eyeing the room with trepidation, I squared my shoulders and stepped lightly to the door. To watch and listen, I told myself. Please. Try not to say or do anything else terribly stupid.

This room appeared to be a medium sized study, with bookshelves, several comfortable couches, a large desk in front of a set of beautiful French windows and a stone fireplace set into a side wall. Treize was there, of course, smiling at Wufei. As I watched them, I could immediately see that their relationship was different, although I couldn't quite put my finger on what that difference was. Wufei looked and acted more at ease right now than I had ever seen him. Treize simply looked like a great, satisfied cat, one who had hunted and caught his prey, and was now looking forward to playing with and enjoying it.

Gaaahhhh. I shuddered involuntarily as I watched, the tremor rippling across my shoulders and down my arms. Scenes from the dragon's birth flashed across my mind, one after another, each more vivid than the next. Not thoughts I especially wanted to dwell upon, oh, gods, no, not at all ...

As if he heard my musing, Treize's gaze drifted toward the doorway and locked onto mine. "Ah, Wufei - I see you've found our vagabond. Don't stand at the doorway, Sally. Please, come inside."

I blinked, glanced over at Wufei, then back to Treize. His smile was pleasant enough, but I knew he wasn't making a request. Slowly, I walked into the room and stood behind Wufei, still several paces from Treize, keeping what I felt was a prudent distance between us.

"Treize - be serious," Wufei replied, frowning.

"Well, we have an odd situation. Technically, neither of you should be walking around free. And while I know I can trust Wufei not to do anything rash ... well ..." He raised his eyebrow, shrugged, and gave me a meaningful look, allowing his last few words to hang in the air, unanswered. Obviously he felt he couldn't trust me not to do something rash; my presence with Wufei was proof enough of that. A slow, hot flush worked its way across my cheeks as I swallowed and held my tongue, cursing the day I had ever heard Treize's name mentioned, let alone wondered who he was.

"Don't you DARE disrespect her, Treize!"

"Tone, Wufei," Treize replied, his voice mild, "and I'm not. I'm simply pointing out the facts. While I don't want to actually imprison anyone ... well ..." Again, his implacable blue stare bored into me, this time more intense, if possible, than the last time. I couldn't stand it. I had to speak, had to say something to account for myself.

"Treize," I said, stepping forward, "Don't. Please. There's no need. What - what do you want me to do?" I dropped my gaze to the carpet, examining the fibers on the rug by his feet, willing my heart to stop pounding so hard. Get hold of yourself.

"It's very simple, Sally," he replied, stopping until I looked up at him again. The smile he gave me was friendly enough; I almost trusted him. Without warning, though, something about the expression in his eyes changed and pinned me firmly in place, making it impossible for me to look away. Leaning forward, he tilted his head to one side and regarded me as if seeing me for the first time, his eyebrow raised. "Avoid the impulsive decision to run like an animal being chased. If you can manage that, then you won't be chased." Then the expression in his eyes intensified and changed again, and I felt as if he was chiding me, reprimanding a wayward child. "Didn't you realize that running was the best way to attract a predator?"

My cheeks felt as if they were on fire, my entire face engulfed in flame, and I still couldn't look away. "I - I - didn't think I had much choice, Treize, but - but I understand what you're saying. I'm not running now."

Satisfaction practically radiated from him. Treize nodded and continued, his tone now a little gentler than before, "I have managed to keep your escape relatively quiet. Those who have been looking for your practice discrete silence, so theoretically, you should be able to stay with me without too big of a jolt to the rest of the world."

Wufei was watching us closely, the dragon tense, his head bobbing when either Treize or I spoke.

"Ah ... thank you," I murmured, forcing myself to nod my head a little at Treize. Polite, polite, be polite. "So ... this ... means ... that nothing has really changed - at least, my status has not changed - as far as most people are concerned, is that right?"

"Correct," he replied, watching me. A little too coolly, Treize smiled and asked, "Haven't you always accused me of having a - what was it, now? - a gift for manipulating the media, hmm?"

Gads, we're back to this, are we? He's making me look like a total idiot in front of Wufei again, just like the island. I swallowed and took a deep breath before I answered. "I wouldn't say ... that I accused you of anything, Treize. But you do have a gift for having the media say whatever it is you want them to say."

"Treize - " Wufei stepped closer to Treize, looking up at him, his eyes large and dark. The dragon, meanwhile, was bobbing about his shoulders, becoming agitated.

Seeing that, Treize relented a little and relaxed; his smile became more genuine and his gaze less laser sharp and incisive. "So does every single leader in every part of the world, Sally. But now - enough of this. What about some breakfast?"

I slowly exhaled, closed my eyes for a moment then looked at Wufei, silently giving thanks for that reprieve. Getting mentally beaten up takes a lot out of a person. "Ah ... well ... yes. Thank you."

"Then follow me, please. Wufei - you too, if you will."

Wufei looked pleased with this turn of events, but he still refused to look at me. Instead, he trotted obediently after Treize, leaving me to trail after them. Sighing, I fell in step and left the room.

Treize was talking gaily about who knows what as we walked down the stairs to the first floor. It was warm enough that I didn't need any shoes or an extra wrap; I was lucky. Otherwise, I would have shown everyone just how cold I was as they were eating their cereal; and while Treize would have simply been amused, poor Wufei would have died of embarrassment the first time he saw my nipples pushing out of the silk pajama top.

Face it. He's not going to leave with you, my nasty little voice whispered in my head. He's going to stay with Treize. That's why he's acting so odd; he's already made up his mind, and he just doesn't want to tell you. That means that you're going to stay with Treize just as long as Wufei is! Isn't that fabulous?

Fabulous. My stomach turned over, and I felt sick. The facts, unfortunately, were speaking for themselves.

The dining room, as was everything else I had seen in the mansion, was decorated in a tastefully understated and elegant style. Crystal glasses, china plates, servants waiting at a discreet distance - all was exactly as I remembered from the island. Fruit platters were already on the table, along with yogurt and several different kinds of bran cereals and muffins, everything in lovely silver serving dishes. It looked and smelled wonderful.

But I didn't care. I didn't feel like eating, didn't want to eat, and didn't want to pretend. Why should I? Deluding myself into believing that 'everything was fine' was not something that I could do. I knew it wasn't true. I couldn't think anything that would possibly compel me to eat breakfast when I didn't want to eat.

Besides, I rationalized, I could watch Wufei and Treize from here, and perhaps I'd get a clue as to why their relationship had changed. Specifically, what Treize had done to Wufei to make him so ... docile. It was terribly odd.

Right. You just keep thinking that.

Lingering near the back of the room, I gazed at the spray of fresh cut flowers on the sideboard. Their reds and golds accentuated the perfect decor and complemented the table setting. Something wasn't right, thought - something was missing. After a few moments, I realized that Treize had disappeared. Where, I wondered, could he -

"Oh!"

Without warning, two large, strong hands settled on my shoulders and held me fast; warmth spread from his fingers through the silk of my pajama top. Twisting first to the left, then to the right, I realized there was nothing I could do; I was helpless, caught in Treize's iron grasp.

"Have some breakfast, Sally," Treize said, bending close and murmuring into my ear, his breath tickling my cheek. Goosebumps ran across the back of my neck and down the back of my arms as other sensations pounded along my nerves. "You must eat, whether you wish it or no. Remember, the best way to attract a predator is to run - so stop running."

With that, Treize guided - or rather, very steadily pushed me - over to the dining table, never taking his hands from my arms, his body very close to mine. My feet automatically moved, unable to do anything else, needing to keep pace with the rest of my body.

I wasn't frantic, but it was close. I'd forgotten what it was like to be handled and manipulated so much by that man. Had I been an antique Moorish carpet, the type Treize had in his home, I would have been frayed and unraveling, I was so upset.

Wufei certainly didn't look happy, either, but he didn't protest. He watched from the other side of the room, the dragon bobbing and weaving around his shoulders. It didn't look happy, either.

As soon as we reached the table, Treize pulled out my chair and politely waited for me to take my seat, one eyebrow raised.

I did so, as fast as I could possibly manage. "Thank you, Treize," I said in a near whisper as I sat down.

"Of course, Sally." His voice was velvet rich, sensual and amused. He kept his hands on my shoulders, and I heard him say above my head, his tone markedly different, "Wufei?"

Wufei marched across the room and slid into the seat next to mine with no comment, expressionless.

Obviously, HE didn't want to get pushed to the table, now, did he? Feh.

"Shall we begin?"

Treize sat at the head of the table and served us, smiling and chatting the entire time.

Blueberries, strawberries, mangos and peaches splashed color over the bananas and creamy vanilla custard on my plate. It looked lovely; and if I had any appetite, probably would have tasted exquisite. Unfortunately, my stomach turned at the mere thought of food. However, I didn't dare not eat - not after Treize's little power demonstration in getting me to the table.

Therefore, since I had to eat, I came up with my own 'language.' If anyone actually heard our conversation, they would simply need to substitute the phrase like cardboard for wonderful in my responses to understand how I truly felt.

"How is your breakfast, Sally?"

"It tastes wonderful, Treize, thank you."

"And the blueberries?"

"Ah, they also taste wonderful."

The rest of the meal went on in the same vein. I was polite and pleasant and spoke when spoken to - otherwise, I kept my mouth closed and my opinions to myself. I had no desire to provoke any kind of reaction from Treize. I felt a presence - an enormous, ferociously large presence, barely restrained, somewhere close to me - that had to be Treize. That conclusion - and the fact that I could actually feel it flexing, moving, breathing - was frightening. My stomach gurgled and churned again. Gaaahhh...

"Perhaps I should let you two talk."

I looked up from my peaches in total surprise. Treize smiled and nodded at us perfunctorily, as if concluding a business meeting, then rose from the table, turned and walked out of the dining room, closing the double doors softly behind him.

Astonished, my mouth slightly open, I stared at the doorway, waiting for him to reappear.

He didn't. The room reverberated in silence.

Did he - did he really just do that? Did he really just leave us alone? Twisting to my left, I found Wufei looking after him with that same bewildered, wide-eyed expression.

Well, well, well. Surprises all around. Guess Wufei didn't expect him to leave, either.

Our glances met; Wufei held mine for a moment, before his skittered away and landed on his fruit plate. He stayed mute, inspecting his food, poking at it with his fork.

I sighed. That wasn't a good sign. "Wufei. Have you - have you had time to think about things? Anything?" Like, can we PLEASE leave here NOW, get out of this lunatic's house NOW -

He continued to look at his plate and poke at his strawberries while the dragon twisted around him. "I don't know yet, Sally. That's what I'm trying to decide. I'm staying here until I know for sure. You, though - you don't have to stay."

Without thinking, I rolled my eyes in frustration, grabbed his shoulders and pulled him around to face me. He pulled back in shock and surprise; gently, I patted his shoulders, then ran my hands down his arms and ended up squeezing his hands, looking into his eyes, resolute, urgent. Lives hang on your words, Wufei, yours and mine ...

"Wufei - no, Wufei, listen, you don't understand, you really don't understand. I can't leave, don't you see? Treize asked me if I would ever leave you again, and I said no, and that means that I will NEVER leave you again - never. I Will. Not. Leave. You." Each word was punctuated with a squeeze to his hand. "So that means I won't leave here, at least not without you. Gods, Wufei - please ... I'll take you wherever you want to go, we'll see whomever you want - all you have to do is tell me when you want to leave. Just say you'll come WITH me. Please, Wufei. Please. Come with me

I was begging, practically begging for my life. Please come with me leave with me give me hope give me strength we can do it together -

Wufei sighed and reclaimed his hands, at the same time dropping his chin to his collarbone, his hair falling in delicate strands about his face and neck. The silence in the room was punctuated only by his breathing; Wufei had pulled his arms back and folding them protectively across his chest while he considered what I said while the dragon coiled and twisted about him, appearing to be in agony. When at last he lifted his head and spoke, he looked right at me, unflinching, his words heavy, slow and deliberate. His eyes were pools of sorrow. I knew what he was going to say before he said it.

"I don't think so, Sally. I can't. I can't leave. At least ... not yet."

My eyes closed briefly; then I forced them open and looked at Wufei, really looked. I realized at that moment, even if he didn't, that he would never leave. There was no 'maybe we'll leave in a week' or 'perhaps we'll leave in two months.' This was 'we're here for the rest of forever.'

Wufei continued, his voice low. "I know how this must look - and how it must sound. Ungrateful, at the very kindest. But - but when I tell you that I have to be here - " Wufei sighed and looked away from me, unable to keep my gaze any longer. "I don't know. I just know that I have to be here. I have to understand this, Sally, and I don't right now. I can't live with myself if I don't figure it out." His voice dropped in pitch and volume; I had to strain to catch the last few words. They were soft and bitter. "It isn't as if there's anything left for him to take away. My colony's gone."

" ... oh." Air exhaled out of my collapsing lungs and found its way across my vocal chords, whistling past my teeth. Something sucker-punched me in the gut, and I couldn't breathe. I was numb, crushed, defeated, rejected. There was nothing left for me to say or do. I had bared all, begged him to leave, pleaded for my life and his, and he said no. Treize had won, hands down.