Disclaimer: I am a poor, poor child who can't even buy a piece of candy. Not a moment in my life had I owned Gundam Wing or even touched the cash load it's brought to the people who do own it. I don't own the song or song title "Bed of Roses" by Mindless Self Indulgence.
AN: Let's all spell it out! R! E! V! I! E! W! Review!
' ' are Thoughts
Italics are Past events
Italics in bold are Song lyrics
Bed of Roses
Chapter 8: "Rise Up"
"Don't feel sorry for me (Hey...) feeling sorry's been my last emotion (Hey...)
Anyway...
Anyway...
Yeah..Ohhh..."
Quatre had only gotten a few hours of sleep once again. He was still nevertheless bursting with energy. He was ready to launch his plan into action and get to the bottom of this mystery surrounding Dorothy.
He hadn't organized a visitation with Dorothy today, but had instead come into work early so he could leave sooner and further perfect his plan.
He dropped the pen he was chewing on and picked up his video phone. He glanced at the clock above his file cabinet. It read 8 am.'She's up,' he thought and dialed in her more secure number used for military matters.
Une never let her phone ring more than once and as expected he was soon he was peering down at her.
Quatre realized that no one had really been thinking of the toll this would be taking on Une as she looked visibly tired. She still managed however to look very put together and gave Quatre a gracious smile.
"Hello Une. How are you? Truly?"
"Running like a well oiled machine Quatre. You're calling in early. You're lucky I'm a military brat," she smiled.
Quatre returned her smile then cleared his throat, his tone becoming more solemn. "I have something important to relate to you."
"Is it about Dorothy?" Une asked calmly enough but from her eyes he could see a mixture of both hope and fear.
"Yes it is, but don't be alarmed," Quatre reassured her and he witnessed a significant relaxation in her shoulders. Quatre decided it was time and finally related yesterday's events and then his plan of action.
"And so…you want me to get a hold of some nursing papers and background information for Hilde? But, even with the papers, how is Hilde going to perform things she really has no idea about? Don't you think it would be better if Sally went into disguise?"
"Well, you know, I might consider that Une. I just wasn't sure how we could explain her sudden absence you see…"
"I see what you mean. But we could say, for instance, Sally's had an emergency call at home in China since she had gone there before for other work, but this time it's for her mother or father and she would need to nurse them for some time."
"Wouldn't it be easier for Hilde to act undercover? She's had prior experience. Also, Hilde will just be a nurse's assistant, not an actual nurse," Quatre reminded her.
"You're right. Okay, Hilde it is. I'll speak to Sally about collecting those papers as soon as possible. Good luck with the rest of it Quatre."
"Thank you Une." The two closed their connection and Quatre sighed. He picked up the phone once again and dialed in Sally and Wufei's number.
Within a couple rings, Wufei appeared on the phone but he was obviously fighting off Sally.
"Woman! Let me handle this for once! You gossip on the phone enough as it is!"
"Don't you woman me! I'm the one with the medical degree!"
"It's Quatre. Just wait a minute!"
"Fine," Sally conceded and settled behind him with her arms crossed.
Quatre shook his head and grinned. "Ready Wufei?"
"Yes, yes. Speak," Wufei frowned, still a little annoyed.
"Alright, tell Sally that Une will be contacting her shortly anyway. But for you, well I have this plan…"
Quatre explained everything down to the minutest detail for Wufei, momentarily leaving out his part in the equation.
"Alright, I understand everyone else's roles, but where do I come in Winner?"
"Well," Quatre began slowly, already fearing his reaction, "you or Heero need to do the detaining of one of the original nurses."
"Alright, consider it done," Wufei nodded, already about to hang up.
"Wait! However, you or Heero will need to be in disguise…as a woman."
"I'm competing with Yuy to dress up as a drag queen? Is this a game Winner? A joke? Has your brain gone soft too?"
"I'm serious Wufei! And this isn't just about dressing up as woman. In fact I think you'd be best—"
"WHAT are you implying!"
"Er," Quatre blushed, "I meant that your hair and more delicate features would be easier to manipulate," he continued, smothering a chuckle.
"I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT!"
"Hey! There's no need to shout Wufei! I'm sorry, just, Heero is really against this and—"
"AND YOU THOUGHT I WOULDN'T BE?"
"What's going on Wufei? Why are you shouting?" Sally yelled from the background.
"Nothing woman! Mind your own business!"
Sally soon entered the room and physically shoved Wufei out of the way. Wufei let out of torrent of protest but Sally calmly ignored him.
"What's up Quatre? What do you need?"
Quatre explained to Sally his need for Wufei and Heero's obstinacy.
Sally half grinned. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he does it. Take care!"
"What do you mean I'll do it? Are you INSANE? GIVE ME THAT—"
And with that she promptly hung up to the noise of Wufei's shocked voice.
Quatre chuckled and leaned back in his chair smiling. 'It's all coming together now.'
Relena had attempted to read the health care policy and failed. She was supposed to summarize it in her own words and return the document with feed back for her council.
The entire morning had seemed to drag on. She'd assaulted Heero with questions at lunch until he'd finally given in and explained his and the others' suspicions. He then explained Quatre's plan and Relena was convinced Quatre was a genius.
Heero warned her afterwards to stay out of it and she told him 'she'd try.' He'd frowned and she'd laughed and told him she'd see him at 1:15 to leave to see Dorothy at 2.
"Jeeze, this just isn't working. I'm too anxious about that appointment today." She glanced at the clock.
"Finally! 1:10!" she jumped out of her desk chair and buzzed Okiko.
"I'm going down now! I'll be with Heero! I'll take care of anything when I get back!"
"But Miss Relena—" Relena hung up on her before she could be hit with anymore work. She quickly exited her office and darted past Okiko to the elevator. Heero was already there waiting for her.
They arrived at the hospital at about the same time as Hilde and Duo did. They met Sally, Wufei, Une, Mariemaia, and Noin at the elevator. When they were all safely inside, Duo said what was on all their minds.
"I wonder if they're going to pull any funny business today. If they do, Heero you just give them your infamous death stare and I'm sure—"
"Shut up Maxwell. We're here," Heero interjected, stepping out of the elevator. Duo grinned and followed him along with the rest.
They headed up to room 510 with their visitors' passes and sat down on the same bench they'd all been weeping on not too long before. The wait for Dr. Sterling and Dr. Cadan left all of them tense and quiet. Quatre wasn't here this time to provide a gentle smile or level headed guidance.
The two men seemed to be in a heated discussion upon their arrival. Sterling glanced towards the group and the two fell silent. Heero looked up at them and did not hide his open distrust.
Duo fell right into character and rose to his feet. "Yoo hoo! Dr. Sterling! Cadan! Afternoon! Got any news for us?"
Dr. Cadan blinked and smiled with some confusion and Dr. Sterling eyed Duo with annoyance.
Dr. Cadan came forward and offered his hand to Relena. "Hello Miss Peacecraft and friends. What can we do for you today?" Heero stood up and moved in front of Relena going straight to the point.
"There's going to be tests today a nurse told us. Who will be allowed to sit in for this?" Heero glared, crossing his arms.
Dr. Cadan smiled easily, holding Heero's gaze with an air of challenge.
"No one of course. It is a medical procedure done by medical personnel. We can't have any interruptions during the cognitive tests, especially since we need her to focus on just her caregivers, not her friends."
"But I thought you said before that talking to her and holding her hand—us as her friends—would help her recover more quickly," Une exclaimed.
"Also, I am familiar with these tests to a degree gentleman, and it entails with completely responsive level testing, such as eye contact, touch, etc. I'm sure the familiar comfort of her friends and not strangers will improve Dorothy's response chances," Sally added, rising to her feet also.
"And it says here," Hilde butt in, tapping a clipboard she'd brought along with notes she'd taken earlier, "that you said quote, "Miss Catalonia opens her eyes in response to painful stimuli (eye opening scale), she pulls her body away from painful pressure purposely and appropriately (motor scale), and she makes sounds on the verbal scale."
"Now I'm sure you can perform all of those types of tests involving touch like what Hilde said," Relena began smoothly, ending their plan to attack the doctors as a team, "because I must say all of the actions seem like things we could simply watch in silence since there's really no closed environmental critera mentioned."
"And also, on your "Rancho Lose Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning" scale, you're only studying her level of awareness and interaction with her environment. Now, why couldn't we even help in that aspect?"
"Yeah, why not?" Duo smiled, giving his best confused expression.
Noin kept her hands in her lap and watched the doctors' faces closely. For a moment she swore she saw the deepest fury on Dr. Sterling's face but it quickly collapsed back into a blank mask.
She glanced at the others to see if they saw anything, but their eyes all seemed to be trained on Dr. Cadan. Noin frowned slightly, deciding she'd be the one to keep an eye on Sterling.
Dr. Cadan waved his hands, keeping his smile of boyish charm. He didn't seem to be taking this seriously at all and this bothered Heero to no end.
"Whoa whoa, slow down everyone! Yes, I remember what I said, and yes the Ranchos Lose Amigos testing is measuring interactions with her environment, but you must realize the environment we are going to be testing in will be under the closed conditions of just our supervision."
"Your role in interacting with her to help her recover lies in your visits, not in hospital procedures. Now, as my good nurse said before, only family may be present anyway. Are any of you family?"
"I am," Mariemaia said suddenly, and everyone looked at her, forgetting she was present.
Dr. Sterling scowled. "And how old are you?"
"I'm twelve," Mariemaia answered. Unbeknownst to him, the child who was small for her age and had acted so childishly at her last visit, had analysis and cognitive skills that rivaled his own, and was a genius in her own right.
"I'm sorry, but you're under the age of sixteen."
"Meaning, she'll need to only be accompanied by an adult. But Dr. Sterling, there are no age restrictions for family members." Sally grinned, catching the doctor and revealing information he had conveniently left out.
"I'll accompany her nevertheless if that will satisfy you. She is my adopted daughter," Une stated, looking at Dr. Sterling expectantly.
Dr. Cadan smiled and shrugged. "Dr. Sterling, allow the young woman and her daughter to be present during the procedure, but no one else."
With that, Dr. Cadan turned away and walked down the hall to leave the rest to Dr. Sterling.
"We'll be back to inform you when testing is to begin," Dr. Sterling said with controlled anger and stalked off.
"Woo hoo! One to zero!" Duo shouted and the rest laughed. Their plan had worked after all.
Dorothy sat up in her hospital bed, a faraway expression on her face. Upon seeing her, Une put a hand to her mouth to smother a sob, tears quickly springing to her eyes.
Mariemaia squeezed her hand reassuringly, frowning in thought at the look of upon Dorothy's face.
Dorothy's arms lay docilely at her sides, her long hair pulled back in a pony tail a nurse had made for her. Her face was completely emotionless and for moments on end she would narrow her gaze, blink, and then return to her impassive expression. She finally closed her eyes as if exhausted by the smallest of actions.
Dr. Sterling sat down on a chair beside Dorothy's bed. "Dorothy? Please open your eyes Dorothy and look at me. It's your doctor—Dr. Sterling."
Dorothy's eyes slowly came open and Dr. Sterling smiled.
"Good, good Dorothy," he said, scribbling on his clipboard.
Lady Une was about to ask a question, but kept quiet. She didn't want to give the doctor any reason to eject her.
"This first test is the Glasgow Coma Score. As you've just witnessed, Dorothy has opened her eyes in response to a verbal command. However, since her eyes were already open, she is showing signs of opening her eyes on her own spontaneously. She's scored 4 out of 4."
Une put a hand to her lips and smiled with tears in her eyes, glancing at Mariemaia excitedly. Mariemaia smiled back up at her; her face was the calm visage of a woman and not a little girl not yet convinced, but happy so far.
"Dorothy, I'm going to cause you a bit of discomfort now. This is all done to test how well you are now, okay Miss Catalonia?"
"I'm going to press gently on your side Dorothy, where your broken ribs are." With that, Dr. Sterling slowly reached forward, allowing her to watch his movements.
Une almost stood up to shout at him to stop, asking why he couldn't choose a spot less painful, but Mariemaia this time squeezed her hand softly, frowning as she watched the doctor.
Immediately as he pressed his hand into the bandages at her side Dorothy cried out and jerked away from his hand.
"Dorothy, I know that hurt and I'm sorry. But I had to do it. Now Dorothy, can you tell me where that hurt? Where was my hand just now?"
Dorothy's face, usually devoid of emotion, was filled with a look of hurt, like a child who had her toy taken away from her. She was still pulled away from the doctor and looked at him in confusion.
He repeated his question and pointed to her right side. "Was it there Dorothy? Is that where it hurt?"
Dorothy looked as if she were about to answer then soon her hands just simply fell back to her sides. She slowly seemed to be collapsing back into the pillows, a look of complete lassitude coming over her once again.
"Dr. Sterling…is Dorothy still affected by her tranquilizer? Pain medication?" Mariemaia frowned, feeling Dorothy was being tested unfairly.
Dr. Sterling did not answer her and instead scribbled on his clipboard.
"Hey, Dr. Sterling, my daughter asked a question and—"
"I know she did," Dr. Sterling replied coldly. "May I please concentrate on my patient or will I have to have my nurse ask you to leave?"
Une looked as if she were about to speak, but Mariemaia looked up at her pleadingly. "It's alright," she whispered. Une sat back, a silent look of fury on her face.
"That was testing her best motor response. She still flexes away from pain, but cannot quite localize it. Her score is still 4 out of 6."
Lady Une scowled, wanting to mention that Dorothy had attempted to "localize her pain" but some damn drug knocked her out.
"Okay Dorothy. This is your last test on the Glasgow scale. This is testing your verbal response."
Dorothy looked back at him in a calm daze. Dr. Sterling smiled almost connivingly back at her, his face hidden from the two women.
"Dorothy, I'm going to ask you a simple question and I want you to answer me as best you can. Alright? Okay. What color is your hair Dorothy?"
Dorothy blinked, suddenly rousing from her almost sleepy state. Her lips moved to form the words, but all that came out was a choked sound. She grit her teeth in frustration and looked the doctor in the eyes, almost silently pleading for him to provide her with the word she needed.
Une watched excitedly. "Blond Dorothy! Blond!" she exclaimed without warning then she gasped softly, realizing what she had done.
"Bla..Bla-ond," Dorothy said slowly, a look of absolute joy coming across her face.
"Miss Une!" Dr. Sterling shouted, rising to his feet in a fury and turning to give Une of what could be described best as a look of absolute hatred.
"I thought I told you not to talk! I will not count that response! I refuse! Miss Katherine! Escort these two out of here, RIGHT NOW!"
"But Dr. Sterling! She only looked to be supplied with the word! She spoke! She spoke damn it!" Une protested heatedly.
"To you and not to me!" he shouted.
Dorothy was looking at him and Une and Mariemaia with wide eyes, confusion and fear written all over her face.
"You're scaring her! You stupid monster! You're scaring her!" Mariemaia cried out, staring back at Dorothy. She broke away from Une's side and wheeled herself to the opposite side of the hospital bed from Dr. Sterling.
She took Dorothy's arm by the wrist, remembering her broken hand. She lay her hand gently against her cheek, the tears now spilling freely from her eyes.
Dorothy looked down at Mariemaia with the smallest look of confusion before the most beautiful smile came to her face. It was like an infant's, totally devoid of any other notion than to depict her absolute joy.
Mariemaia laughed and shouted, "Dorothy!"
"Marie—Marie—"
"GET AWAY FROM THE PATIENT!" Dr. Sterling shouted, overcoming his shock.
"She spoke!" Une yelled, the tears flowing freely from her eyes. "She remembers you Mariemaia! She remembers! Dorothy! Dorothy it's me Une!"
Dorothy broke her gaze from Mariemaia's and looked up to smile at Une.
Her lips seemed about to form her name also but Dr. Sterling began shouting for his nurses and buzzed security, and whether Dorothy spoke again or not was lost in the noise.
Dr. Cadan came into the room, his face momentarily dark with anger but quickly a look of perfect calm cam to him once again. Several nurses filed in behind him and too soon security entered the small room.
"What's going on in here Dr. Sterling?"
"These two women interfered in the testing! Interfered in the testing!" Dr. Sterling continued to yell, his face red with anger. Une glared at him, seeing him as being more of a spoiled child than a doctor at that moment. She just waited for the old man to begin jumping up and down to finally achieve a real tantrum.
"Quiet down Dr. Sterling, you're scaring the patient," Dr. Cadan said tranquilly, his eyes looking past Cadan to the child and Dorothy.
Mariemaia had been speaking to Dorothy urgently. Throughout the melee, Dorothy's eyes had been on Mariemaia's as she struggled to comprehend her.
"Away from the patient please miss," Dr. Cadan said smoothly, quickly moving forward to pick up the red-haired girl and firmly place Mariemaia in the hands of security.
"Let me go! Let me go! She's understanding!" Mariemaia shouted, writhing as the large security guard wrapped her small body in a vice grip.
"Let my daughter go," Lady Une said icily, daring the other security guard to touch her. She forcefully took Mariemaia from the guard and as she was placing her back in her chair she heard more commotion outside the door.
Heero ran right into the room and soon the rest of Dorothy's friends arrived in the room followed by more security and nurses.
"I'm sorry! We tried to stop them Dr. Cadan! But that one in the front there especially was attacking security—" a flustered young nurse began.
"Une, what's wrong?" Heero asked calmly, and security stood back, unsure what to do. They had already seen the chaos this one had left in his wake upon anyone who dared get in his way, along with the other two men in the room.
"Yeah, what's going on here?" Duo asked, looking around with utter confusion, pretending he had not just kicked and elbowed two men into unconsciousness.
"Lay one hand on me and lose it," Wufei warned, giving every guard the fiercest look of detest. He himself had done his own amount of damage and the guards heeded his warning.
Dorothy looked up at her old friends, and she blinked, looking to form more words on her lips.
"Dorothy?" Sally and Hilde asked, pushing past everyone and going to her side.
"This is an unspeakable breech of—!" Dr. Sterling began angrily again.
"I'll have to ask all of you to step away from the patient," a gruff male voice interrupted. Everyone looked to the door.
There stood several men, who looked to be more than the normal police officers. In fact, they looked like a cross between storm troopers and FBI agents. Each wielded a large magnum and aimed it at the young group with apathetic looks.
"Gentlemen, there is no need for weapons here," Relena said, glaring daggers at the menacing men. Relena stood to her fullest height and the command in her tone was felt all around the room.
Dr. Sterling and Cadan looked at one another and then Relena, remembering just who she was.
"Put away your weapons gentlemen. But we still need you all to leave. My deepest apologies Vice Foreign Minister," Dr. Cadan said coolly, bowing his head ever so slightly.
Relena looked back at him dispassionately. "Let's go everyone."
Relena turned to look back at Dorothy and smiled at her broadly. "We love you Dorothy. We'll see you soon."
Dorothy returned her smile and for a moment looked like her old self again, but happier. Then disturbingly, the look of blank detachment suddenly came to Dorothy's face once again.
"Dorothy?" Relena gasped, making a moment toward her.
Relena however felt a soft but strong hand on her arm. It was Heero.
Relena looked at her husband with hopeless tears in her eyes but nodded her acquiescence.
"Let's leave everyone, let's go," Relena said softly once again. The six friends moved past the silent nurses and guards.
Without warning Heero punched one guard in the stomach as hard as he could and he promptly fell to the floor.
"Don't ever try and touch my wife," Heero said in monotone.
Wufei swept the other guard who had made the slightest movement of wanting to attack him earlier to the floor easily. He punched him in his solar plexus, knocking the air out of him. The unfortunate guard gasped in pain, not even allowed the opportunity to shout out his agony.
"Weak," Wufei spat and made his way out.
"Wow guys! Awesome punches!" Duo shouted and walked out with a silly smile on his face. Dr. Sterling frowned angrily and as the guards moved to follow the two culprits, Dr. Cadan commandingly put up one hand. The superior officer who had spoken earlier ordered his men to remain where they were.
This had all happened in the span of a few seconds. Before the guards could react anyway the group was already almost out the door. Hilde smirked up at the men on her way past and snuck out her tongue. Duo did the same and one of the men grit his teeth, barely able to control himself.
Noin watched the doctors through the corner of her eye, silent during the entire ordeal. She saw Dr. Cadan whisper quietly into Sterling's ear and turned away before he could catch her looking at him. She waited just outside the door until Sally was safely out with Mariemaia.
The rest of the group was waiting for them down the hall. They gathered in front of the elevator to leave.
All looked to Une's and Mariemaia's faces and saw a look of anger, confusion, and anguish.
"Let's all go out for lunch. We'll talk there," Duo suggested, looking at everyone's distressed expressions, his own face twisted bitterly.
"I agree. Let's." Heero responded and stepped into the elevator once again, leading Relena gently inside with an arm around her shoulders.
"Well that's a first! Heero "I'll Kick Your Ass" Yuy agrees with me!" Duo commented, grinning as he followed the silent man out once again.
"Shut it Maxwell."
Storm trooper:
A member of the Nazi militia noted for brutality and violence. One who resembles or behaves like a member of the Nazi militia. A member of a force of shock troops.
Did I ever mentioned I hold a soft spot for Wufei? -huggles her Wufei plushie- So cute! Especially when he scowls!
La la la! Review!
Angel of Mirth