Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing, etc, etc. or the song "Bed of Roses" by Mindless Self Indulgence.
AN: I guess just plain old procrastination or lack of motivation.Review though, that always helps with motivation!
Inform me of any grammar or spelling mistakes as I correct my own work.
' ' are Thoughts
Italics are Past events
Italics in bold are Song lyrics
Bed of Roses
Chapter 6: "Note of Discord"
"Hey...Hey...
Hey...Hey...
Hey it's alright my life has never been a bed of roses"
Milliardo threw himself onto the comfort of his large, canopy bed, happy to finally be home.
His mind was on one long-haired blond woman who hadn't left his conscience alone since that morning.
'Her state is so fragile,' he sighed, not really sure of his own feelings at the moment.
'I really think I'd just upset her if I went to visit her again.' Milliardo rolled onto his back after crawling further up the bed to lay his head upon the pillows.
Not many saw Milliardo like this, his mask down, letting himself openly ponder over something with clear confusion on his face.
He was usually cold, forceful and decisive. But Dorothy was his match if there ever was one.
She was too cold, forceful, decisive and unreadable at times, calculating but at the same time talented, intelligent, beautiful, strong, yet weak.
'I don't know if I'm really capable of love Dorothy…You always asks the impossible of someone, don't you?' he closed his eyes, sliding his hands behind his head.
He soon fell asleep, a dream invading his senses. Dorothy was smiling at her reflection, kneeling before a lake and she turned to him...a true smile upon her face.
She looked like the little girl he once knew with that smile and Milliardo felt his own lips curl. He moved towards her and stood before her kneeling form. She stood, sliding long, creamy arms around his waist. She laid her cheek against his chest, and slid her hands up his back to his shoulder blades.
She nuzzled his chest and looked up smiling again. He smiled back and moved to speak but she only grinned and placed a finger to his lips. Her fingers traveled across the expanse of his mouth and she pulled him down to her, and began kissing softly around his mouth.
He tried to connect his lips with hers but she skillfully turned her face away, laughing. His grip tightened around her and he growled a warning, her name crossing his lips.
She moved to pull away but he tugged her back to him. Laughing, she leapt up, gripping her legs around his waist and hugging her arms around his neck.
He chuckled in spite of himself, and slowly kneeling, gently lowered her to the ground, his body above hers as he laid her onto her back.
She shivered beneath him; her thighs warm around his sides. With her ice blue eyes and lips slightly parted, and her head tilted back, she looked both impish and flirtatious. Milliardo burned that look into his mind, bending towards her to capture her lips—
"Mr. Peacecraft, sir?"
Millardo's eyes popped open and he groaned softly, rubbing at his face.
"Yes Janine?"
"Lunch is ready."
"Alright. Thank you."
"Yes sir."
'Ugh, great timing,' Milliardo groaned once more, climbing out of bed. 'But why was I dreaming about that anyway?'
Dorothy screamed and immediately the nurses and doctors already present at the door rushed into the room.
"Miss Dorothy what's wrong?" each of them questioned seemingly one after another.
"She can't talk. Goodness, where are the usual nurses? Ah, there you are ladies. Yes Miss Dorothy, everything will be OK," Dr. Sterling said to her soothingly, the most Quatre had ever heard the man say.
"What's wrong doctors? Dorothy! What's wrong?" Quatre asked anxious, reaching for her hand.
She screamed again, jerking her hand backwards, her face paling.
"Nurse! Fetch Dr. Cadan please. Mr. Winner, I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave, you're causing her a great deal of fear," Dr. Sterling said firmly, grasping one of Quatre's shoulders.
"But why? She was so happy earlier!" Quatre exclaimed and tried to look at Dorothy who seemed to try and shrink back into the pillows, a fearful moan escaping her lips.
"I'm sorry, we won't know that until later. Please leave."
"But--"
"Nurses, please escort this young man out. It is in the best interests of the patient."
Quatre bowed his head and conceded, docilely allowing the nurses to escort him out of the room.
"The rest of you also out. I will only need the nurses assigned to Miss Catalonia here. Thank you."
"Ah there you are Dr. Cadan," Dr. Sterling replied, almost impulsively allowing the young doctor to take charge as he entered the room.
"Hello Dorothy. How you are you today? Nothing to fear here beautiful," Dr. Cadan began soothing, placing a warm hand over Dorothy's.
"What happened here?" he asked as he motioned for one of the nurses to administer a sedative.
"The young man was playing some classical music. Miss Catalonia had not seemed to have minded until the young man ceased playing and she opened her eyes again. Her face became one of horror and she was pointing at him and began to panic."
"Hmm, perhaps the young man triggered a horrible memory for her. We'll have the nurses administer the sedative and hopefully she'll begin speaking soon. We'll need to check her again for responses. She seems more and more aware every day but still won't talk."
"Yes this puzzles me too," Dr. Sterling agreed, taking a few notes.
Quatre felt absolutely puzzled as he sat outside room 510. He could have sworn she seemed so blissful and happy earlier.
That smile…What did he do?
"I'm sorry but Miss Catalonia has had a relapse. You'll have to come back another time."
"A relapse!" Duo exclaimed, running a hand over his hair.
"Yes. She seemed to be allergic to the sedative she was administered earlier and her heart had begun to palpitate at an alarming rate. We eventually slowed this down but we're keeping her in as little lighting and the most quiet as possible as she will need even more rest."
"Why was she administered a sedative?" Heero asked, his tone relapsing into one he only used for questions of an enemy.
The nurse was rapidly become more and more nervous under Heero's steady gaze. Luckily Relena smiled assuredly at the woman, calming her nerves considerably.
"She had a panic attack of some sort. Mr. Winner came by and was playing some lovely classical music when suddenly after he stopped Miss Catalonia screamed and became hysterical. Dr. Cadan then motioned for one of the nurses to administer a sedative and without us knowing she was allergic she began to convulse.
We eventually remedied the situation but she's slipped a little more out of awareness once more. We'll be conducting more tests to see where she is on the Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning scale once again," the nurse finished, and soon grew pale again as the one called Heero's gaze seemed to be boring into her again.
"May someone be present during this "testing"? Who will be administering this again? And why didn't you know her allergies?" Heero asked again, growing annoyed at the lack of information.
"I-I believe only family may be present sir," the nurse replied, ignoring his last question and her face growing red.
Sally took control of this one. "Well, to be honest, Dorothy doesn't have much family to speak of other than the young child from the other day Mariemaia. Surely close friends like us may be allowed to observe in her seemingly non-existent family's place."
"I'm sorry, you'll have to ask Dr. Sterling," she replied.
"But--" Sally began.
"Ask Dr. Sterling. Good day to you all," and with that the nurse escaped down the hall.
Hilde frowned. "I don't like this. I'd rather speak to Dr. Cadan rather than Dr. Sterling."
"Same here. Dr. Sterling didn't seem to be in charge the other day anyway," Duo added.
"I wonder what made Dorothy panic around Quatre of all people," Relena stated to no one in particular.
"Something is not right here," Wufei muttered.
Noin frowned with worry. 'I think it's my job first to find out what that is above all. It's the least I can do for her now,' she told herself silently.
Eventually a nurse had come out to Quatre and gently told him to go home. Dorothy would not be allowed any other visitors for the rest of the day. He'd questioned why but she'd only shakened her head.
Once Dr. Cadan and Dr. Sterling had emerged finally after an hour and a half, Quatre stood, rapidly firing questions at them about Dorothy. Dr. Sterling had stood by and let Dr. Cadan do all the talking.
"I'm sorry Mr. Winner. We can only disclose her condition to family members."
"But you told us her condition the other day."
"A decision I regret," he replied smoothly.
Quatre was bewildered. What was going on here?
"Mr. Winner, you should go home. Tomorrow you can see her if all is well," Dr. Sterling replied.
"But I want to see her now. What's so different about now, I don't get it, I--"
Dr. Cadan placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder. He was so much like himself that Quatre felt himself finally giving in.
"Go home please Mr. Winner. Get some rest. Your worrying will solve nothing. Tomorrow," he said gently.
Quatre sat alone in his library, searching his memory for answers. He didn't remember ever doing anything violent or shocking to Dorothy to cause her to fear him so.
But maybe he aroused something that she feared in herself. A memory?
Then it hit him!
Libra.
Hadn't she forgiven herself yet? He had.
'But how did I look to her? When on Libra did I look so god damn ghastly!?' he thought angrily, punching his fist into his palm.
'I can't do this on my own. I need to talk to someone.'
'Trowa.' And with that thought he picked up the phone and dialed his best friend's number.
"Hey Trowa--"
"Hello Quatre. I was just about to call you. Dorothy had a relapse."
"What?! Relapse?!" Quatre exclaimed, gripping the receiver tightly.
"Yes. Earlier today. After your visit actually," Trowa continued calmly.
"So that's what happened," Quatre said softly, a frown marring his face.
"Quatre?"
"Well, that's actually what I was calling you about today. After my visit, well you know Dorothy was upset for some reason and I guess she had her relapse soon afterwards. I wonder why, but anyway, they wouldn't tell me about it for some reason. But you remember the other day; they both told us such an extensive amount about how she was doing."
"That's strange," Trowa commented.
"Yeah, I know. And it seems that Dr. Sterling has a stronger hold over things than we thought originally. Dr. Cadan seems to just be a symbol. Dr. Sterling's the one controlling the music. He was the one who had ordered me out."
"Other than the fact you're the head of Winner Corp., it's also always been a common fact in the public that you've always been a friend to Dorothy and I doubt she'd have that big of a problem with you being concerned about her well being. I know she'd do the same for you, at least now. I really wonder what's changed too," Trowa stated rather than asked.
"Have you spoken to Relena and the others yet?" Quatre asked.
"No, but will do," Trowa replied.
"Me too. Call me back later or I'll call you. Later Trowa."
"Later," Trowa replied, hanging up.
Hmm, something is wrong here, but what? I know what I want to happen but I have no idea who my villain will be. E-mail or leave any ideas in your review! Thanks!
Angel of Mirth