Honor and Justice

Chapter 12

By Aryn

Mei had just fallen into a light sleep when a loud knock on the door woke her up. Wufei had insisted on cleaning up the dishes before he left and she had tried to keep him company. But nodding off to sleep didn't make for good conversation.

Dragging herself out of bed she made her way to the door, thinking that perhaps Wufei had forgotten something and had come back for it. But he knew that she was sleeping, so why would he even knock? Her mind too groggy to even think about the possibilities, she opened the door.

Something pushed her the ground before she could even see who it was. Mei looked up in time to Shen locking the door behind him. Mei jumped to her feet, not even bothering to temper her rage.

"How dare you!" she yelled. Shen backhanded her with such force she was knocked to the ground again.

"I thought I told you never to speak to me that way." Shen said, grabbing her by the back of her shirt and hauling her to her feet. He slammed her into the wall with such force, Mei couldn't even get her breath to reply.

"Now, Miss Ling, please tell me what your relationship with Mr. Chang is?"

"He's a friend." she managed to whimper.

"Wrong answer. Let's try it again." Shen said, backhanding her again.

"What do you want me to say?" she yelled.

"The truth."

"That is the truth."

"Oh." he responded, walking away from her. She saw her family's honor sword, still on display in the corner. While Shen went into the back rooms, most likely looking for Wufei, she grabbed the sword and hid in the shadows. Shen came back out and noticed that Mei was gone.

"Mei!" he called. She leapt out of her hiding place, bringing the sword down between his neck and shoulders. The blade shattered in her hand. Shen regarded the dazed woman with a sickening grin.

"Gundanium?" she whispered.

"I'm afraid so." he answered. Mei dropped the broken handle and ran for her bed room. Shen just shook his head and calmly followed her into the room. When he got there, he was faced with the barrel of a gun pointed directly at his eye.

"Go ahead Mei, shoot me." he challenged.

Mei cocked the hammer. "Don't tempt me."

"If you kill me, that won't stop the horror that will still come to your life."

"What do you mean?"

"You think that you are alive this day because of your cunning? OZ has let you go, punishing you ever step of the way."

"I don't understand." Mei said, confused by his talk.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this Mei, but, what better judgment, than to see those around you lose their lives just because they are related to you. Your parents, Mei."

"What?" she asked, lowering the gun slightly.

"I'm afraid they were killed by OZ. Mr. Wu, and that unfortunate accident at his restaurant. And Deshi. Dear, sweet, darling Deshi."

"No..." she breathed.

"I'm sorry, but, his death was your fault too. And now Mr. Chang and what's the name of that darling couple that has Hana? Oh, yes, the Winners. Your fault too. But if you just tell me where the disks are, all these innocent, dear lives will be spared."

"No!" she screamed, firing off three rounds of ammo. Shen ducked them and pulled out a dagger. Mei twisted out of his attack, but not without getting sliced halfway across the stomach. Realizing that she was no match for him, she jumped on the bed, and crashed through the window, landing on the cold metal of the fire escape. Without a second thought she jumped over the railing and landed softly on the pavement below. Before Shen could catch up with her, she bolted down the alleyway. She had to get to Wufei, but not until she was sure Shen didn't follow her.

_____________________________________

Wufei was in the throes of a nightmare. It was such a recurring dream now, he wasn't even sure it should still be classified as a nightmare. But each night as of the past few weeks, it had robbed him of sleep and given him cold sweats. The place was too familiar, as was the scene that constantly played before him. Merian's mobile suit crashed to the ground as the familiar heart rending feeling of sorrow already filled his chest. The run to the fallen machine always seemed to get longer and longer each night and the sight that greeted him seemed to get more grotesque. He could practically feel the metal slice his hands as he desperately pulled at the metal fragments so he would be able to get to his beloved wife. He could feel the weight in his arms as if this event had happened merely hours ago. He could even feel the grass underneath him as he collapsed to his knees, cradling her head in his shaking arms.

"Merian..." he rasped out, emotion crowding his vocal cords.

"I die....honorably." she answered. "Don't...grieve."

"No, you won't die at all." he said, knowing the truth of the situation.

"Yes, I...will. You...know this." she gasped, trying to lift a feeble hand up to his face. He could feel the slight brush of fingertips across his cheek. "It was...an honor to be....your wife."

"Merian, please, don't leave me." he pleaded, tears coming to his eyes.

"I love you." she told him, before gasping for her last breath and relaxing in his arms. The tears poured down his face unheeded as he clutched her close to him and wept.

"I'm not worthy..." he repeated between sobs.

And there it would end. He would wake up, clutching his bedsheets and sobbing quietly, the loss of her so painful he could barely breathe. He would allow himself a brief grieving time before attempting to go back to sleep. Just as the tears subsided and he closed his eyes, he heard it. Faint at first, but the second time it was louder.

"Wufei!" a woman called.

<Not again already.> he thought to himself, believing the nightmare had returned.

"Wufei!"

Once again he ignored the call.

"Chang Wufei!"

Realizing that it was not his late wife calling him back into the nightmarish scene, he got out bed and went to the window. Wufei opened the window to see who it was on the street calling him. When he looked down, he was surprised to see Mei. She looked as if she was barely standing. Her black hair was plastered to her pale face, giving her a ghostly appearance. Her white clothing was bright red on one side and looked to be growing still. She panted for breath as a look of relief spread over her face.

"What happened to you?" he called down to her.

"I need your help." she called up, practically weeping with joy that he had finally answered her desperate plea.

"Get up here." he shouted, closing the window and went to gather some dry clothes for her. He opened the door as soon as he heard her quiet steps up the stairs. He had to practically catch her as she stumbled through the door and collapsed. She just leaned against him, buried her head in his shoulder and cried. As he attempted to hold her, he checked her shirt to see where the wound would be.

"Mei, I have to see your wound." he said gently pushing her away.

Getting a hold of herself, she hastily wiped her eyes and sat back. "It's right here." she said, lifting her shirt on the side to reveal a nasty gash that ran from the middle of her stomach to the beginning of her back. The wound was deep and was still oozing blood.

"Come here." he said helping her to her feet and leading her into the kitchen area of his apartment. He disappeared for moment and came back with various bandages and antiseptics. Mei obediently held the shirt up for him as he poured the solution along the cut, trying to ignore the hiss of pain that she emitted between gritted teeth.

"You're going to need stitches." he stated.

"Don't take me to a hospital." she pleaded.

"No, I can do them." he replied, leaving once again. He was back with a clean rag and dipped it in the antiseptic and handed it to her.

"Sit on the counter." he told her. Mei looked at the waist-high counter with concentration. Wufei realized that she probably couldn't pull herself up even that high. Carefully he lifted her and set her gently on the top of the counter.

"Thank you." she mumbled. But Wufei had already started to stitch up the wound. They spent the next two and half hours that way. He would make a few stitches and she would dab the blood away for him to continue. After the job was completed, Wufei stood up and stretched his sore muscles.

"Those should hold for awhile." he said, gently pulling her off the counter and setting her on her feet again. "Lift up the other side of your shirt." he told her. She immediately did so as he wrapped a good layer of bandages around her waist to cover the wound.When that was done, he stepped back as she lowered her rain drenched shirt.

"Are you hurt any place else?" he asked.

"No, I'm not." she responded.

Wufei eyed her sternly. She had an angry red welt on both sides of her face. It was obvious that she had been struck across the face. Twice.

"Honest. That was the only place." she said defensively.

"Here, change into these." he said, handing her a pile of dry clothes, deciding to let it pass for now.

"Thank you." she said taking them.

"You can use my room." he replied, pointing back towards his bedroom. He watched her leave, noticing she was limping slightly. Shaking his head, he cleaned up the make-shift operating room.

Mei relaxed slightly as she carefully put Wufei's clothes on. Thankfully he had given her a long sleeved shirt and a pair of well worn jeans.

<Funny, I've never seen him in jeans before.> she thought to herself, as she rolled the legs of them up to where she preferred them. Gathering her wet clothes in the towel she had used to dry herself off with, she headed out into the living room. Wufei was already seated on the floor by the low coffee table with two cups of tea on the table.

"Just drop it there." he told her. She did so as she made her way over to him. Just as she about to sit down on the floor, Wufei stopped her.

"No, sit on the couch. If you sit on the floor you might not get up." he explained.

Mei took her seat on the couch and found sitting to be quite painful due to her stitches. Wufei handed her the mug of tea.

"You think it hurts now, wait till tomorrow." he solemnly told her.

"Can't wait." she replied, inhaling the calming steam.

"Now what happened?" he asked.

"Shen." she answered.

"Shen did this to you?" Wufei asked, a flash of anger passing over his face.

Mei wearily nodded her head.

"Why? I thought he wanted to marry you." Wufei tried to hide the bitterness in his voice, but it managed to leak out.

"I think that was just a rouse." she answered.

"For what?"

"He works for OZ. He was in a gundanium body."

"They must want you really bad."

Mei nodded her head. "They don't know that I gave the disks to Noin. They still think I have them."

"Did you tell him that?" Wufei asked.

"No, as long as I can keep the focus off of Noin and the Preventers, I'm going to. I want them to believe I still have the disks."

"And continue to get beat up like this?"

Mei got very quiet and solemn. It was as if someone had dropped a dark veil over her face. The instant change in her countenance worried Wufei. He could tell it was a very pained expression, but whether it was internal or external, he couldn't decipher. But he didn't like it.

"We have to get in contact with the Winner's." she said hollowly.

"Why?"

"Shen knows where Hana is. He also knows that I would do anything to get my daughter back. And in the process, he will kill whoever stands in his way."

"The Winners can handle themselves. They have a whole army surrounding them." Wufei told her.

"But I have to go and make sure. Hana is all I have left. I can't lose her, not like this." she pleaded.

"You're in no shape to fight. One good hit to your side and you'd be done. What good are you going to be to Hana then?"

Mei hung her head in defeat. "You don't know what it's like when someone else depends on you for protection."

Wufei felt like someone had hit him full force in the chest. "Yes, I do."

The seriousness of his tone caught Mei by surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Merian." The name seemed to sting, even as he said it. "I was there when she was shot down. By the time I reached her..."

"It's okay." Mei said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to tell me anymore."

"I never answered your question on the Preventer's ship." he said, his voice losing it's hollow sound.

"What question was that?" she asked, removing her hand from his shoulder.

"Why I fight. I fight for her. She died fighting for her ideals of honor and justice. I carry on those ideals and justice."

"You've carried on the ideals of justice and honor extraordinarily. I believe your wife would be proud."

"Thank you." he responded, so quietly Mei could barely hear him. He turned and looked at her and she could see his eyes shine with tears that he had willfully stopped before they fell. "Your husband would be proud of you as well. Hana is lucky to have a mother as brave and dedicated as you."

"I don't feel so brave sitting here knowing he's out there looking for her."

"Sometimes being brave means trusting other people. I've been with the Preventers and the other pilots for five years now. If anyone can do it, it's them." Wufei assured her.

Mei just nodded her head in accepting the fact there was nothing more she could do. Wufei watched her as a small smile crept across his face.

"What?" Mei asked him.

"I took a safety precaution that I didn't tell you about." he said. "Do you know where the Winner's are with Hana?"

"Yes, the L-4 Colony Cluster." she replied.

Wufei shook his head. "No, they're not there."

"At the desert base on Earth then."

Wufei once again shook his head. "They're in Ireland. At Nari's family home."

Mei breathed a sigh of relief. That at least bought them some more time.

"Thank you." she told him. "I owe my life as well as my daughter's to you."

"You don't owe me anything." he said, standing up. "But you need rest right now."

"I'll sleep on the couch." she replied.

"No, you'll be too uncomfortable with you stitches." he told her, helping her to her feet. "You'll sleep in my room, I'll sleep on the couch."

Realizing she was in no shape to argue with him, she relented.

"Just one night." she firmly told him.

"I know." he responded, watching her carefully get into bed. They had to leave for Ireland tomorrow, but he wasn't about to tell her that. He probably didn't have to.

"Good night, Mei." he said quietly, shutting the door. But she had already fallen asleep. Walking back out into the living room, he grabbed a blanket and curled up on the couch. He couldn't get out of his head how much she reminded him of Merian. She was focused on the protection of not only her daughter, but the Preventers themselves, that she would sooner die than tell anyone any kind of information. That was why he had to make sure she never had to go through anything like that again. From now on, he would not leave her side until the battle was over and peace and safety were a promised thing for her and Hana. Wufei vowed this to himself as he drifted off to sleep. Only this time, the nightmare didn't plague his dreams.