Well, pikeebo raised the bar with her knowledge of gun wounds – so what I had written sort of. . . needed to be changed. . . But – unfortunately, I still am not an expert on health issues. . . sorry!

CHAPTER 6

Heero watched Duo sleep. Duo was strong, Heero knew that. But he worried none the less. His face was flushed, and it looked like Duo might have a fever. Which worried Heero because that would probably mean that Duo's leg was infected. He had rewrapped his leg, and it looked like the bleeding was stopping. He had fortunately been able to get a hold of someone who could pick Duo up. He was on his way right now, but it would still be seven or eight hours until he arrived.

Unexpectedly, Duo sat upright in the bed and looked around. "What are we doing here?" He asked, his voice raspy and – god-help-him – very, very sexy.

"Waiting for someone to take you to the hospital, Duo."

"Oh?" Duo smiled, an evil little grin, "How long until they get here?"

"Eight hours."

"Will you come and sit next to me?" Duo asked, his eyes radiating innocence and need. Heero felt his body get up and move next to Duo, despite his self-made agreement to . . . not. "That's better, isn't it?" Duo purred into his ear. Heero shifted uncomfortably.

"Duo, you need to rest. Your leg. . ."

"My leg is fine. . . don't worry about it." Duo slowly pushed Heero down.

"Duo. . ." Heero growled in concern. "Now is not the time." Duo was completely ignoring him. His hands had already made short work of Heero's shirt.

Duo threw himself back on the pillows and looked Heero straight in the eye, "Your turn, Heero." Heero hesitated, "Don't worry – we are still angry at each other, it's just that right now – I need this." Duo grinned wickedly, "You owe it to me."

"How so?"

"It can be your thank you for me coming to get you!" Duo laughed, delighted in his own cleverness. Heero shook his head. His lover had lost it. "Come on. . . I dare you?" Duo taunted.

Heero looked into Duo's passionate eyes and stopped resisting. Ever so carefully he undressed his braided spouse and then proceeded to devour him with his kisses. Duo's fervor seemed insatiable, but Heero had never been so gentle as he was now.

Later, as Duo lay inert, but breathing heavily in happiness, he pulled Heero close to him. In his mind he felt the irrational, fever-induced thoughts intruding on his semi-rational mind. "I'm going to have your baby one day, Heero Yuy. But you have to promise to come home, or it will never work." Heero grunted. Duo didn't think he really understood what he was saying. "Who else would deal with a crazy pregnant person like me anyway?" When Heero didn't respond, Duo gave into his body's demands and drifted to sleep.

XxXxX

Duo smiled in his sleep, dreaming wild crazy dreams that were full of excitement. Except that someone kept calling his name, and he didn't know who. He looked around, but no one was there.

Suddenly, he was alone. He spun in circles. "Heero!?" He called out.

"Duo, wake up!" Duo opened his eyes blearily. Heero looked down at him in concern. "Your ride is here, Duo. Time to go. He's going to take you to the hospital."

"What?" Duo awoke completely. "I don't want to go to the hospital!"

"You need to, your leg is infected. You need some antibiotics." Stupid, logical Heero. Why did he always have to make sense.

"Fine – but I won't stay." Duo looked around. "Who's taking me again?" His voice was confused as he tried to reorder reality again.

"Sam," Heero answered. Sam was one of Duo's mechanics and a good friend. Sometimes his younger sister, Charity would come over and help take care of Camille.

"You made Sam drive all the way out here to get me? That was a waste, because I am not returning until you come back with me. I didn't come here to be sent home."

"I don't see how you have a choice in this matter. You need a doctor, and I can't take you."

"Can't? Or won't?" Duo asked.

"That is not an appropriate question."

"I want you to take me to the doctor. Have I ever said that before? No, never. I hate doctors. But, I will go to the doctor's if you take me." Duo smirked.

"No, Duo. It doesn't work like that." Heero countered, refusing to even consider Duo's proposition

"Why are you trying so hard to get rid of me, Heero?" Heero could hear the hurt in Duo's voice.

"Because you can't be here. You aren't meant for war, Duo."

"What makes you so sure you are?"

Heero looked down at Duo, "I was made for war." All other protests Duo had disappeared under Heero's bold, dark statement. Heero once again picked Duo up, this time he carried him to Sam's truck. Sam had already secured Duo's motorcycle to the back of the truck. He set Duo into the front seat of the car and buckled him in. Then he covered Duo's leg with a blanket, stolen from the hotel room.

As Sam got into the driver's seat and started the car, Duo stopped Heero from shutting the door. "I didn't come all the way out here to just be sent home again Heero!"

"You're sick. You need to go home."

"If I shoot you, will you come with me?"

"Duo. . ." Heero began impatiently.

"You care more about fighting than me? Is that it? There are plenty of soldiers. They can't rely on you for everything! Teach them to survive without you! Come home with me."

Heero's eyes flashed, "I am fighting to protect you!" He yelled uncharacteristically. "I am out here so that the fragile peace that keeps you and Camille happy doesn't break! Do you understand? It's not just some cheap thrill; I have to be here."

There was a long pause. Heero wondered if it was the fever that had quieted down the beautiful, braided man. He started to shut the car door again, but was stopped. "Six weeks."

"What?"

"You have six weeks to finish this war, Heero. Because if you think I'm angry now – it will be nothing to if you come home late. So in six weeks I'd better see you again." His voice grew stronger as Heero pushed the door shut. "This isn't a request. It's an order."

XxXxX

It was late morning when Duo was able to escape the hospital's walls. The doctors had wanted to keep him there longer, but when Duo – who had arrived unconscious – woke up with needles sticking into his arms he had made as hasty a getaway as possible. Trowa had been waiting at the hospital for him and Duo insisted that he be taken home immediately. The doctor gave Duo some antibiotics to take home.

Duo was exhausted, but his leg wound would not have been that serious if it had been able to be treated immediately. When he arrived back at his and Heero's home Trowa offered to carry him, but Duo declined and instead used Trowa as a crutch.

"Duo!" He heard Quatre before he actually saw him. As he waddled into view, Trowa lovingly came and took Quatre by the arm. Duo had made it to the couch and had no plans of going any further. He still felt hot and sticky, but most of all he felt exhausted. He wanted almost nothing more than to go to sleep, but there was one thing he wanted more than that even.

"Is Cammi sleeping?" He asked.

"Yes, but I am sure she wouldn't mind seeing you. I can bring her down." Trowa offered.

Duo nodded and felt the couch sag next to him. "I couldn't make him come back Quatre." He heard the resignation in his own voice. "I'm not going to see him again for six weeks." He laughed, "It wasn't even that long when I was kidnapped. . ."

"Duo. . ." Quatre didn't say anything, and there was nothing he could have said that would have made Duo feel better. Just having someone next to him, trying to help, meant the world.

Duo rolled his head toward Quatre, "Thanks, Quat." He smiled, "You look ready to pop you know. . . careful not to get to close to anything sharp – you might explode."

"Greater men have died from such comments. But I'll excuse it just this once – we'll blame it on the fever." Quatre laughed gently.

Duo must have fallen asleep, because he woke up to soft, fuzzy hair brushing his chin. He looked down and saw his daughter's perfect little head resting on his chest. He was laying down on the couch, and Trowa was keeping guard. Duo gently rubbed her fragile back. She was so beautiful. Duo smiled, and then asked Trowa to put her to bed. He watched Trowa ascend the stairs. As he drifted off to sleep once more, he thought maybe he should get the nursery moved downstairs.

XxXxX

It had been five days since Duo left, his command of ending the war in six weeks, hanging in the air. They had attacked the enemies base in Preen. Very few injuries on his side. Many of the few had been Heero's. He had never learned to avoid injury, just to deal with it. He healed quickly though. They had decided to move out of Preen and forward into the neutral ground, pursuing the enemy. Whenever he was asked his opinion, he chose to pursue rather than wait. When asked why, Heero always responded, he just wanted to end the war. Relena had sent down a message to Heero. It seemed he was attracting a lot of her attention lately. She asked to meet with him. She said if Heero wouldn't come to her, than she would go to him.

Heero couldn't let her risk her life, and after Duo followed him in, he didn't doubt that Relena would as well. He had backtracked past Preen, into the small town of Ada. They weren't really prepared for a visit from Relena Darlian right now, so Heero ended up meeting her in an aircraft she had landed just outside the small town.

He bowed stiffly and formally before entering the craft, just in case someone was watching. As Heero walked in, Wufei appeared around the corner. Heero nodded to him and then followed Relena to the mini conference center she had in her plane.

"How are you, Heero?" Relena asked politely.

"Well," He said gruffly. He had matured out of the grunting phase, but seemed still attached to the monosyllabic answers.

"I've been hearing some strange reports Heero, and I just want to – that is, I am worried about the fervor you seem to be showing. . ."

"I'm just trying to end this war quickly."

Relena's eyebrows furrowed, "The more you attack, the more they will try to attack us Heero." She bit her bottom lip, showing the uncertainty that only her friends were allowed to see, "Peace talks do no good if while I am asking for a truce, you have convinced the entire army to surge forward and attack them."

"I don't have that long left."

"What?" The Vice Minister asked, again, uncertainty showed on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Duo told me I had to be back in 6 weeks. I only have five left."

A smiled tugged at Relena's mouth, but she controlled it. "Do you think fighting is really going to finish this war so quickly? Fighting just causes more fighting. I know it is not in you to trust someone else, but can you at least try? Have a little more faith in me."

Her words were so sincere and heartfelt, that Heero felt himself wishing he could trust her. "Relena. . . I want to trust you, but Duo wouldn't accept that as an excuse if it took more than six weeks."

"Heero, you can't end something like this in six weeks. It's impossible! Duo doesn't understand –"

"I shot him."

"What?" Relena said, completely thrown off by Heero's quiet declaration.

"I shot Duo. He came looking for me, and I shot him."

Suddenly, Relena saw what was making Heero so reserved. It was guilt. "Finishing the war in six weeks isn't a way to make up for that." Her voice was soft and it had lost it's edge. "If you kill yourself trying to end this war, Duo will never forgive himself or you for listening to him." She smiled, "If you come back late, he'll probably forgive you in the end. Especially if you return in one piece, instead of two."

Heero nodded. "For peace's sake, and yours, I will cease my constant advances. I will allow the General to make these decisions."

Relena looked at him warmly, "Thank you, Heero."

Once Heero was clear of the aircraft, he heard it start up immediately. The ride back from Ada passed quickly. His mind was busy with thoughts and scenarios and even the occasional 'what-if'. Maybe it wasn't Duo's retribution that made him desire to return home, perhaps it was Heero's desire to please Duo. He didn't return to the base tonight. From now on, he was going to gather intelligence. All the knowledge he could get to keep the fighting to a minimum. That was his new goal.

tsutsuku. . .

XxXxX

thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

Annie