Note: Another standalone fic, unrelated to my other writing. I thought of this while watching first period hockey, and I'm hitting publish before second period even starts.

Hostages

Things weren't looking good, and time was running out.

Everything began with a ransom call. One threatening call that came from Heero's phone, which had very specific demands if he wanted to see his lover again. But there simply wasn't time to procure the requested goods. Instead, he called it quits on that front and decided to go directly to where Heero was being held.

He hadn't jumped through so many hoops since the war. First there was the bomb. He had to diffuse it by mixing liquid substances in just the right quantities. While he much preferred a standard setup with circuits and wires he didn't have a choice in the matter and had to pull on long forgotten knowledge to succeed in his endeavor. Once it was diffused, he walked straight into a mine field.

This was, admittedly, easier than the bomb. Why he had to first diffuse and bomb and then navigate a mine field, only the sadistic mind who kidnapped his lover would know. But he was a master of stealth and made good time, making up for his earlier delay as he tried to remember color theory with the mixing of liquids.

Worst of all were the henchmen. No matter how good his marksmanship, they were well armored and took a great deal of work to take down. In the end he ran out of bullets and had to throw his weapon, angled just right. But the entire time he was acutely aware of the countdown to Heero's death.

He would not let Heero Yuy die.

It didn't matter how little time he had, he would never let some sicko kill the love of his life, all for an undeliverable ransom.

"I see you made it."

Heero was tied up to a chair. He didn't look beaten, but his hair and clothes were a mess and he'd certainly put up a fight. His captor stood nearby, casually swinging a gun in the air as she spoke. She wore a sadistic smile.

"Where's the package, Maxwell?"

"You already know I don't have it."

He watched her closely. That almost sweet demeanor of hers changed on a dime. She stared at him with dark, intense eyes.

"You blew the mission."

"It was never a mission! It was extortion!"

"Silence! Or I'll blow his head off!"

The gun in her hands pointed to Heero and Duo froze. His lover's blue eyes focused on him, daring him to try something while unarmed and outgunned. He shot a look her way, then met Heero's eyes again. The ex Wing pilot understood what he intended to do, and shook his head.

Message received. Don't tackle the assailant.

"What do you want from me?"

She laughed, and it was high pitched and maniacal.

"I want everything, Maxwell! And I want you to suffer like I have!"

The rest happened in the blink of an eye. She turned her gun to Heero and Duo simply reacted. It was all instinct. One moment he was talking to her and the next he was shot, having taken multiple bullets meant for Heero. She'd emptied her clip into his chest.

Eyes wide in shock, Heero broke free of his restraints and reached for Duo. He turned him onto his back and held him close. Duo's breathing was labored, and his hands shook as he reached for Heero's.

"I love you."

"Don't say goodbye."

"I'm sorry. I love-"

The shaking stopped, and his quivering breath was silenced. Heero watched as Duo's eyes glazed over and rolled upward. Then his tongue stuck out at an odd angle.

Heero looked up when he heard giggles.

"Uncle Heero! Now it's your turn to rescue Uncle Duo!"

Mei-Lin was holding a plastic gun, with all her foam darts on the floor next to Duo, who was beginning to break character and smile.

"Again! Let's play again!"

Amused violet eyes looked up to him, and Heero helped Duo upright. They collected the foam darts from the floor as Mei-Lin spun herself in a circle, bursting with energy. Suddenly, she ran over to her henchmen and put them back onto the dining table. The action figures were lined along the edge. Duo was supposed to shoot them to the floor using foam darts but they were metal, and the flimsy foam darts shot from plastic toys with safety mechanisms to prevent too much firepower just couldn't knock them down.

She began to talk again.

"Daddy doesn't like me playing assassins. I only ever get to play with you."

Duo smiled as he reloaded the toy gun.

"Your daddy just doesn't want you to grow up into a super villain. We already knew one little girl who tried that, and it didn't end well. But that means we have experience. And it's okay. Because if you do take up a life of villainy, we'll stop you. Right, Heero?"

"That's right."

"I might hesitate, but Uncle Heero will shoot you on the spot."

Heero took the toy gun from Duo's hands and silently shot a foam dart directly into Mei-Lin's chest. She giggled, grabbed it off the floor, and tossed it back to them. It landed barely an arm's length away from her but she ignored it and went into the kitchen. With the open floor plan of Wufei and Sally's house they could watch her as she frowned up at various bottles of juice and tea.

"You need to get a cup! I can't reach them."

"It's okay, dear. Uncle Heero can use mine." Duo whispered to his partner in a low voice "she won't be satisfied that the bomb is diffused until she likes the color of the drink. Don't worry about taste. And I already checked the garage, Wufei isn't hiding her favorite RC car there. I think it's in his and Sally's room, and snooping there's just wrong."

Heero smirked.

"You worried I won't find her ransom demand? Or that I'll die for you?"

"I'm worried Wufei will kill us if we screw up his house even more while babysitting."

"Okay! Places, everyone!" Mei-Lin impatiently clapped her hands and ordered Heero to tie up Duo. He complied with a loose knot and a kiss to Duo's forehead.

"Don't worry. I got this, Love."

"You know it, Babe."

Heero spotted Duo's discarded weapon behind the dining table, along with his foam darts. He was halfway to retrieving them when Mei-Lin screeched, "DON'T STEP ON THE LAND MINES!"

Duo barked out a laugh from the living room, and Heero tip-toed around a field of building blocks scattered on the dining room floor. When he had two fully loaded weapons, he snuck into the kitchen. After handing Mei-Lin her gun, he stayed put while she ran back to Duo.

"Phone, please!"

With the way Heero "tied" him up he could easily reach into his pocket and hand it to her. She frowned and rolled her eyes.

"Unlock it, Uncle Duo!"

When he did, she checked his contacts list and dialed. A vibration was heard from the kitchen.

"Yuy here."

"Hello, Mr Yuy. I have something precious of yours that I think you'll want back."