Duo, Queen of Hearts (parts 11 - 15)

Raihne

After their. . . refreshing bath, Heero helped Duo get dried and dressed. As Heero was slipping his clothes on, Duo pulled him down onto his lap.

  The assassin turned so that he was straddling the boy and grinned, "Hai?"

    "I love you." Duo smiled, "You know that, right?"

    Heero placed a warm kiss upon his lover's lips and then buried his face in the crook of his neck,
"I love you too."

    "Lets just stay in here together all day."

    "We have to look at the house Wufei found."

    "Wubear can wait a day."

    "Duo. . ."

    The boy grinned roguishly, "Ok, but I warn you, you're going to ride on my lap most of the day."

    "Duo!" Heero chuckled and looked up from his spot at Duo's neck.

    "Tell you what. You ride on my lap until noon, then We go house hunting, and when we get to the first hotel, we have dinner privately, and I'll ride on your lap for a while."

    Heero kissed Duo's slender neck, suckling on it until he knew he had left a mark to label the Violet eyed beauty his. "Sounds like a plan."

    "Mission accepted?"

    "My only mission now on is to make you happy."

    "Mission accomplished." Duo cheered and threw his arms around Heero.

    "You are in a playful mood today." Heero observed, "What's going on?"

    "What's going on? I just gave and got deep throat by the man of my dreams for the first time I can
remember! That's what's going on!"

    Heero chuckled and hugged Duo back, both chuckling together until it escalated into full blown
laughter.
 
     Wufei shot from his chair when he hear a ruckus upstairs. "Duo! Heero!" He raced up and threw
open the door to their room. What he saw froze him in his tracks.

    Duo sat there in his chair holding a half dressed boy who was laughing uncontrollably with him.

    "Duo! How could you betray Heero!" Wufei admonished.

    The boy stopped laughing and glared at Wufei, "Betray me?"

    "H. . . Heero?!" He couldn't think of anything else to say. Heero Yuy had been laughing! Smiling!
And nothing was blowing up!

    "Yes?"

    "I. . . I didn't recognize you."

    "Get glasses." He turned his attention back to Duo and Wufei groaned and walked away. He
didn't know what had gotten into the perfect soldier, but Heero and Duo were so sweet with each
other they were giving him cavities!
 
     Duo grinned and pulled Heero's shirt over the shorter boy's head. "Well, shall we go?"

    Heero threw his arms around Duo's neck and nodded and the boy sped out the door and down
the hall to the dinning room.

    Relena was sitting at the table glowering at them through the whole meal. "There are chairs here
you know."

    "Thanks, I brought my own." Duo grinned.

    "Heero." Relena hinted.

    Heero snuggled closer down on Duo's lap, "I'm fine."

    Duo smiled and peeled a section of orange for Heero. He slipped it into the other boy's waiting
lips, letting his fingers linger before pulling back and sucking the orange juice and Heero's saliva from
the digits.

    Relena almost screamed.

    Wufei looked up from his plate with a knowing smile, "So are we going to see the house today?"

    "Yes." Heero nodded, slipping a piece of orange into Duo's mouth and then kissing him sloppily.

    "And are you going to be riding with Duo all day?"

    Duo grinned and licked Heero's ear thoughtfully, "We came to an agreement."

    "Oh."

    "Aa." Heero nodded, leaning into his love's lips.

    "So you will be walking through the tour."

    "Mhmm."

    "Are you listening to me."

    "Hn."

    Wufei glared, "Duo how do you ever know he's listening?!"

    Duo grinned and asked Heero, "Are you listening to Wufei?"

    "Hn."

    "Do you love me?"

    "Aa."

    "Do you want me to. . ." His voice tapered to a whisper.

    Wufei and Relena watched Heero's eyes widen and his mouth fall open. Duo of course took
advantage of the opportunity. When they finally broke apart Duo smiled, "Yep, he's listening."

    "Mm."

    Duo just threw his arms around the boy in his lap and giggled, "I love you Heero."

    "Please refrain from taking your misplaced pleasures at the table!"

    All three boys turned to glare at her until the queen of the world felt two inches tall.

    Wufei cleared his throat, "Shall we. . . ah. . . go?"

    Heero nodded and scooped Duo up into his strong arms, walking toward the door, "You bring the chair."
 

    Hell is only a shadow until you've ridden in a car with Duo for a whole day. Somewhere between the time he finished singing 1000 bottles of non alcoholic beverage on the wall (Rugs howling right along),  finding out how many ways he could mispronounce Wufei's name, and breaking the record for the biggest bubble gum bubble blown (Which incidentally popped all over Wufei), the Chinese man decided it was time to stop for the night.

    Heero held Duo in his arms, nibbling his neck tenderly while Wufei got their rooms.

   When the other pilot finished arguing with the manager that they only wanted two rooms and that the dog was staying too, he walked over to his friends with a frown, "Could you refrain from doing that in public?"

    "No." Heero answered.

    The boy sighed, this was Heero, there was no point arguing with him.

    Duo giggled and reached down for Rugs who immediately jumped onto him almost causing Heero
to stumble.

    "Heero what kind of dog is that?"

    "Irish wolf hound."

    The china man choked and turned to his friend with wide eyes, "Heero! Do you know how big
those things get!"

    "Couple feet." They told me this one is already a year old."

    Duo smiled and stroked the puppies fur.

    Black eyes glittered with mirth, "Heero, you've been had and Duo obviously knows it."

    "Hn?"

    "Irish wolf hounds are bigger than Mastiffs, bigger than St. Bernards, this one must have just been
weaned. He's only a couple weeks old."

    Heero's eyes grew a size and he glanced down at the puppy in his lover's arms, "Hn?!"

    Wufei was loving this. "They can grow to be four or five feet tall on all fours."

    "Nani?!"

    Duo hugged the puppy and Heero sighed, he couldn't sell it now. Duo had already formed a bond
with the creature.

    "Duo."

    "Nani koi?"

    "Did you know how large this would get?"

    "Well. . ."

    "Duo."

    "Yes?"

    "Did you know?"

    Duo hugged the puppy close and giggled when the tiny thing licked his face. Heero melted.

    The perfect soldier sighed and cuddled both of them to him, "Alright, I wouldn't make you get rid
of him anyway, you know that."

    "Oh Arigato Hee-chan!" Duo through his arms around the blushing assassin.

    Wufei rolled his eyes and went into his room.

    "Wufie?"

    "My name is Wufei."

    Duo smiled sweetly and held out the puppy, "I promised Hee-koi something that young eyes
shouldn't see. Could you take him for me?"

    Chang was about to say no, but then he made the mistake of looking into Duo's eyes. "Grrrrrr,
fine." He took the puppy and slammed the door.

    Duo grinned at Heero and nuzzled his neck, "Well, what are we waiting for?" He smiled, "You
promised I could ride on your lap now."

    ". . ."
 
     Around three am the phone rang. Duo turned over sleepily and lifted it, "Mm, din' ask fo' a
wakeup call."

    "Duo."

    He snapped awake, "Who is this?"

    "A friend. Listen, I don't have much time. Heero isn't in love with you."

    "Who is this?"

    "He feels sorry for you. You don't remember your past together but he hates you! He beat you all
the time. You had bruises all over your body."

    "Who is this?!"

    "Don't trust him Duo, you're just another mission to him."

    "Damn it who are you?!" Duo screamed. Tears streaming down his face.

    Heero woke up with a start and gathered Duo to him. He snatched up the phone and slammed it
onto the table. "What happened Duo? What did they say to you?"

    "N. . . nothing." Duo sobbed and Heero held him closer.

    "Duo. . ."

    "Did you hit me when we were pilots together?"

    Heero stiffened, "Who was that?"

    "Din' say. Did you?"

    Heero swallowed and nodded slowly, "I was lost Duo. I was trained only to kill and you made
me want something more. I didn't know what to do so I took it out on you. But you never gave up
on me."

    "You hurt me?"

    "I would never do it again Duo. I'm not the perfect soldier anymore."

    "But you. . ."

    Heero made Duo look at him and tried to project all of his love through his eyes. "I was a mess
Duo. I was trained not to feel or care, I kept trying to self destruct, I didn't think my life meant
anything to anyone, but it did to you. I meant something to you. You saved me from myself, from my
training."

    "Heero."

    "Please Duo, believe me. I love you more than I can say. I'm not whole without you."

    "Heero, do you pity me?"

    "What?!"

    "Do you pity me because I can't walk?" He shivered slightly, "Is that why you're marrying me?
Because you pity me?"

    "I love you chibi-baka!" Heero held him so close they were almost one being. "That's why I'm
marrying you! I would never marry anyone for pity. If that's who I was I would have married Relena,
but I'm not like that. Do you really believe I would do such a thing?"

    "No." Duo kissed him softly, "But the person on the phone, they sounded so sure."

    "You remember Wufei right?"

    "Hai."

    "Would he help us if he thought I was going to hurt you?"

    Duo chuckled, "He would rant about the injustice of it."

    "Then trust what you know." Heero asked softly, "And trust me."

    He closed his eyes as Heero kissed his tears away. "Heero."

    "I love you Duo. Whatever else you are told remember that."

    "I love you too Heero. I love you so much!"

    They held each other, the emotion flooding over them so thick they couldn't do any more than hold
each other and let it run.

    Heero looked at his beloved and smiled, "Now about that dog."

    "Anou. . . oh look at the time! Gotta sleep!"

    Heero chuckled and snuggled closer, the last thing in his mind before he slept was Duo.
 

    Relena hung up her phone and smiled, "Plant a seed and watch it grow."

<Part 12>
 

    Heero woke up long before Duo. He smiled down on his lover but pain crossed his face for all of the hate the beautiful pilot had to endure. "Duo." He whispered, "I wish I could make the world better for you."

    He reached into his boxer's pocket and pulled out the good luck coin Duo had given him all those years ago, "Maybe with this you'll get a little of your luck back." He placed it on the nightstand and stood careful not to wake his lover. Rugs would need to be walked.

    The assassin slipped into his clothes and went to Wufei's room for Duo's dog.
 

    When Duo woke up Heero wasn't beside him. He looked sleepily around the room, but when his eyes fell on the coin, a memory flashed through him. //I. . . I gave that coin. . . to Heero!// His joy at the memory's return was squelched by the cold glint of silver and Heero's absence. Last night's conversation filled his mind. . . //**Don't trust him Duo, you're just another mission to him.. . . he hates you!. . . feels sorry for you.**// "H. . . He paid me. He paid me like a cheap whore. With my own coin!" Tears streamed down his face as he slipped his clothing on and used his arms to get to his chair, pulling himself into it. "I am not a whore Mr Yuy. Especially not yours."

    He threw his clothing into a bag and wheeled himself into the lobby.

    "May I help you?" The desk clerk asked.

    "Can you call the cab company for me?"

    "Sir?"

    "I need a ride to the airport."

    The boy nodded and dialed up a cab while Duo waited.

    Once he was loaded and ready to go, Duo turned back once more to the hotel and Heero,
"Goodbye Heero. It was a wonderful dream, but it's time to wake up." More tears slid over his
cheeks as they left the place and all of his dreams behind.
 
     Heero dropped the dog back with Wufei and slipped quietly back into the room. His eyes found
the bed, empty! "Duo?" He checked the bathroom, empty. "Duo!" All of the braided boy's clothing
was gone, "Duo what did I do? Why?"

    Wufei slammed into the room, "Heero what's wrong?!"

    "Duo. He left me." The mask slid back into place. He had been right, love was a dangerous thing,
he had been better off dead to the world.

    "What did you do?!"

    "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

    Wufei moved to the nightstand and lifted the coin that still sat there. "What is this?"

    "A coin Duo gave me during the war. A good luck charm. I thought it would help keep him safe."

    Wufei's eyes widened in realization, "Heero, in America, people leave money on the dresser for
Whores when they're through with them."

    The Japanese boy stiffened, "He thought. . ."

    "He thought you were paying him for whatever you two did last night. He thought you were calling
him a whore."

    "I would never do that."

    "Well you had better go after him baka!"

    Heero nodded and ran out the door calling back, "Wait for me here."

    "Good luck!"

    The desk clerk glared at Heero when he approached, "What do you want?"

    "Where did he go?"

    "Why should I tell you? He was almost crying when he came down."

    "Where is he!" Heero aimed his gun at the suddenly white boy.

    "He. . . ah. . . he went to the airport."

    "No." Heero ran outside and gunned the engine of Wufei's car, he had to get there in time! //Duo
no baka! Why would you think I would do that?// "That phone call! Damn it when I find out who did
that Omae wa Korosu!"
 
     The shuttle rocketed back toward L2 and the only home Duo knew. //I hope Joe will take me in again. I know I'm not much good to anyone like this, but maybe he'll let me work as something else.//
 
     Heero slammed into the port just as the intercom voice announce, **"The 7:00am shuttle for L2 has left the atmosphere safely, 8:00 shuttle for L2 now boarding on gate F73."**

    "NO! Damnit!" Heero slammed his fist into the wall then ran to the ticket counter, "I need to be in the 8:00 to L2."

    "We only have first class left."

    "I'll take it."

    "It's expensive."

    Heero slammed a large wad of hundreds down, "I said I'll take it."

    "Yes sir!"

    //I'm coming Duo. Please don't give up on me. I'm coming.//
 

    Duo arrived dirty and hungry to Joe's bar. He couldn't get his chair up the stairs and since he had left Joe had dismantled the ramp. "Joe! Joey!"

    When no one answered he decided the music must be too loud. He slid from the chair and used his arms to climb the front steps, then reached down and pulled his chair up behind him.

    He rolled up to the bar. "Hi Joe."

    "Duo!" The man cried, "I. . . I thought you were living with Heero."

    The name brought tears to Duo's violet eyes and Joe's face became protective, "What did he do?"

    "H. . . He paid me." Duo sobbed and accepted the older man's hug, "He only wanted a whore."

    Joe soothed the boy and brought him up to his old room, nothing had been changed, "Shhh, Duo, I'm sure there must be some explanation. You two were so happy here. I know you don't remember, but you really were."

    "Someone called me." Duo sobbed, "They said Heero just felt sorry for me, that he used to hit me and he hated me. I was just another one of his missions."

    "I don't know who that was Duo, but when you saw him again for the first time here you ran up to him with the biggest, dumbest smile on your face I had ever seen and said he was your best friend."

    "What did he do?"

    "He knocked you away from him but you got right in his face and told him to stop squirming."

    "Why?"

    "He was bleeding."

    Duo grinned slightly, "Yeah, he does that a lot."

    Joe rolled his eyes, "He asked you why you were dressed like a woman and told you 'I don't squirm.' then when he found out you were aiming to be a whore, he hauled you right up one handed and got real upset, but you kept egging him on, I though the was going to kill you!"

    "So it was true."

    "But he only did it because he loved you."

    "Sure."

    "Duo I mean it. He didn't want you to be with anyone but him. He was eyeing the dress you were wearing like Heaven had sent him a blessing and the look on his face when Joey told him you liked his ass! He almost died right there. You guys were perfect for each other."

    Duo's face went from sad to ecstatic to hopeless in a matter of moments, "And now I've blown it."

    "Are you kidding? That kid's crazy for you! He'll be coming after you."

    "You think so?"

    Joe smiled and winked, "Just don't make it tooooo easy for him."

    Duo smiled and Joe turned to go back to work. "Joe?"

    "Yeah buddy?"

    "Thanks."

    He smiled, "No problem Duo. It's like living a soap opera. I haven't had this much fun in years."

    "As long as no one ends up dead."
 
     In a plane bound for L2, Heero had other plans. He was hacking into the phone company to trace a call, and planning a very bloody death for a certain mystery caller.

<Part 13>
 
 

    After a quick shower, Duo Slid down the handrail and landed right the wheelchair he had left by the bar.

    "Duo!" Joe ran over to him with an angry look on his face, "I told you to call us when you were
ready to come down and I'd bring you!"

    "I'm down aren't I?"

    "Duo do you want to get hurt? You could have broken your neck!"

    "Ha! I'm Shinigami! I can't die!"

    "Don't die or lie, to you have some kind of fixation with words that end in -ie?"

    Duo stuck his tongue out at his older friend and wheeled his way to the bar, "Joey! How 'bout a
cold one buddy."

    Joey giggled and slid a mug down to the waiting pilot.

    "So. . ." Duo turned to Joe, "What can I do here? I don't think you want me to dance again."

    Joe smiled sadly, "Ah but I wish you could." He shook his head, "No, I don't think you'll cut it as a
dancer but how's about a piano man?"

    Duo grinned, "I know a perfect song to start with."
 
     Nine o'clock rolled around and the bar began to fill with the regulars. There was a crowd
surrounding the piano to great Duo back and talk. Duo was smiling and laughing just like old times,
but Joe watched him carefully, He saw the pain flash over those too bright eyes once in a while, and
the glances Duo threw toward the door. //Heero Yuy, you had better get here soon.//

    When Duo began to play, everyone fell into their old routines and soon they were laughing along
with Duo's doctored lyrics of 'Piano Man' and cheering when he pulled them into the song. Duo
could charm anyone. The crowd loved him.

    "It's nine o'clock on a Friday." Duo grinned and winked, "The regular crowd shuffles in, There's
Jean Luc sitting at the bar, making love to his God awful gin."

    Jean Luc raised his glass in a mock salute and sang off key, "Kid could you play me a memory,
I'm not really sure how it goes, but it's sad an' it's sweet and I knew it complete. . ."

    The whole crowed joined in, "When Duo wore ladies clothes."

    "Hey!" Duo laughed, "La de da diddy daaaa, la la diddy dum, da da."

    Joe watched Duo work his magic with a smile on his wrinkled face. The kid's smile was
contagious. The old bar had really missed his energy.

    A few of the patrons were singing the chorus while Duo played the piano and harmonica for them,
"Sing us a song you're the piano man, sing us a song tonight, well we're all in the mood for a melody
and you got us feeling alright."

    Duo grinned at Joe and he knew something was coming. "Well Joe at the bar is a friend of mine,
he gets me my drinks for free. Well he's quick with a joke and to light up your smoke but there's
some place that he'd rather be."

    Joey sang back to Duo when he realized his father didn't know the words, "I say Duo I believe this
is killing us, chasing the smile from his face, well I'm sure daddy could be a movie star. . ."

    The whole bar, egged on by Duo answered, "Sure, If it'll get you out of my face!"

    Joe laughed, shook his head, and continued wiping down the bar.
 
     Heero almost ran up the steps of the bar, He heard the music and the laughter, Duo had to be
here! He had too!

    When he opened the door he was greeted by the most welcome site he had ever seen. Duo was
playing the piano with a huge smile on his face, his fingers flew over the key board as his soft baritone
filled the smoke perfumed air.

    "Now Jimmy's a struggling novelist. . ."

    ". . . Who just got kicked out by his wife." Jimmy sang.

    Duo chuckled, "And he's boinken Mic' Hale who just got out of jail. . ."

    Mic' Hale grinned and answered, "I've been in der most a me life."

    Duo's laughter bubbled up over his playing and he crowed out, "And Now he is practicin' politics
instead of just getting stoned. . ."

    The bar answered, "We're all sharing a drink they call loneliness!"

    Heero flinched as he watched Duo visibly wilt at the piano. A quick glance at Joe the barkeep told him he saw it too. The next line was almost sobbed as Duo answered, "But it's better than drinking
alone."

    His fingers kept playing as fast as ever and the customers sang the chorus for him, giving Duo time
to collect himself enough to continue.

    Heero was calling himself every name he could think of. //How could I have hurt him again?! He
looks so happy, does he even want me anymore?//
 
     Joe approached Duo slowly and sang to him, giving him more time to collect himself, "It's a pretty
good crowd for a Friday, I can't help but smile, cause I know it's you, they come to see Duo, to forget about life for awhile."

    Duo smiled gratefully and finished the last verse with a flourish, "And the piano sounds like a
carnival! And the microphone smells like a beer and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and
sing. . ."

    "Duo it's good to have you back here!" They all yelled and Duo broke down laughing.
 
    //I should go.// Heero took a step to leave but Duo caught the motion and his eyes shot across the
room. His lips parted in a soft whisper, "Heero."

    When Heero turned away from him, Duo tried to stand, to chase after him, but his legs betrayed and the braided boy fell to the floor painfully. The crack of his head hitting the floorboards resonated
through the bar. "Itai!" He cringed then pushed himself up with his arms, "Heero! Heero please don't
go!"

    "Hn." The assassin wouldn't look back, but he quickly found his way blocked by the bar patrons. "Let me pass."

    One very large man stepped forward, "Look at him."

    Heero glared and refused to turn.

    "Tears aren't needed to cry. In his own fashion he's been crying for you all night, see for yourself.
Look at what you're doing to him."

    A soft, half hearted curse cause the soldier to turn and his heart clenched as he saw Joey holding
an ice pack to Duo's head, the boy he loved so much sprawled across the floor where he had fallen.

    "He forgot." Heero breathed, "Duo no baka, you can't walk."

    "He doesn't need to." Joe walked up to the confused boy. "Every man here would gladly carry
him."

    The perfect soldier shook his head, "No, Duo would never allow that. He likes to carry himself."

    "No one likes to carry themselves all the time." Joe placed a hand on Heero's shoulder, "Duo told me what happened."

    He stiffened, "I didn't mean it as he thinks."

    "I thought not." Joe nodded, "We wouldn't be keeping you here if we thought you were bad for
him. Duo is precious to every person in this bar. We're like a family here."

    "I would never hurt my Duo."

    The big man gave him a shove in Duo's direction, "Tell him, not us."

    "Hn."

    Duo looked up when Heero neared and threw his arms around his beloved's neck, "You can' t
leave again Heero I won't let you leave again!"

    Joe laughed from across the room, "So much for playing hard to get."

    Heero smoothed his lover's hair and murmured to him softly, "Duo I am so sorry. I didn't realize,
that coin, it was your good luck charm, I wanted you to have your luck back."

    "I have you." Duo sobbed, "What else do I need baka?!"

    The mob blocking the door thinned and went back to their tables, and Heero and Duo remained
where they were, unwilling to let go.

    "Heeeeeero."

    Duo looked at Heero in shock, "It couldn't be. . ."

    "Heero I heard what that awful Duo did the cab company said you were here so I. . . you!"

    Heero pulled out his gun and aimed it at the queen of the world, "You."

    "Heero! What are you doing?" Duo grabbed his gun arm but Heero wouldn't budge.

    "She made the call at the hotel, she's the one who started this whole misunderstanding. Ever since
she tracked me down again she's tried to break us apart. I won't allow this to continue."

    "Heero. . ." Relena looked so lost Duo almost pitied her.

    "Wait. Heero she's the queen of the fucking world man! You can't just cap her! You'll get the
death penalty!"

    "This is the only way she'll leave us in peace."

    Duo moved himself in front of the gun, "No."

    "She planned this Duo. She won't rest until she gets what she wants or dies."

    "Hee-koi." Duo pleaded, "Give her one more chance, she wont do it again, will you ojousan."

    Relena's hand slipped into the pocket of her coat and then things seemed to go in slow motion.
Relena fired and Duo felt a searing pain across the back of his skull. Heero fired and Relena's scream filled his ears.

    The last thing Duo saw as he slipped to the floor was Relena's death and Heero's pain filled face.
"Duo! Duo! Don't , You can't leave me! Duo!!!"

<Part 14>
 
     Darkness. All around darkness.

________
 

    "Heero Yuy, you have been charged with voluntary assault and attempted murder. How do you plead?"

    "Guilty."

_________
 

    Confusion, fear, //Heero where are you?!//

_________

    "You are aware that you have the right to an attorney?"

    "I don't want one."

    "Mr. Yuy this is a serious offense."

    "I know."

    "How old are you mister Yuy."

    "legally, twenty."

    "And why did you shoot Relena Peacecraft. We have it in our files that you were her friend and protector during the war."

    "She shot first."

    "Ah yes, Duo Maxwell."

    "Aa."

__________

    //Heero! Heero why can't I see you?! Why can't I feel you? Heero don't leave me!//

__________

    "So you are pleading defense and just cause."

    "Aa."

    "Do you have any witnesses?"

    "He is in a coma." Heero's eyes showed the first spark of emotion the judge had seen.

    "From Relena's shot."

    "Aa."

    "What is your relation to the young man?"

    "Best friend. . ."

    "Uhuh."

    "And fiancé."

    Old eyes shot up, "Care to repeat that?"

    "We are going to be married."

    "Mmm."

____________

    //HEERO! I'm cold! Please come back and warm me! I'm lost! Please find me! I'm empty, Gods please come fill me. I need you! Heero please don't go away again!//

____________

    "We have signed witnesses by everyone in the bar that night that she was mentally unstable."

    "Hai."

    "You know she might as well have died from your shot."

    "I didn't survive the wars by missing."

    "Oh."

    "Hai. Oh."

____________

    Freezing. Burning. Wanting. Waiting. Loving. Hating. Needing. Crying. Dying. Sobbing. //Heero.//

____________

    "Well mister Yuy it appears to me that the only reason this trial is taking place is the defendants social stature."

    "Aa."

    "There is one more thing though."

    "Hn?"

    "She seems to have left a great deal of money in the bank under your name."

    "Nanda?"

    A nod. "It is obvious to me you didn't know this and that the shot was fired in defense of your fiancé. Since you did have a permit for the weapon and are of legal age to have been in the bar, there is nothing to hold you here. You are a free man."

    "Arigato."

    "Oh and Mr. Yuy."

    "Hai?"

    "Congratulations on your upcoming marriage."

    "Hn."

    The old judge only smiled.

_________

    Duo slowly became aware of a dull pain throbbing all through him. He tried to sit up and quickly decided it was such a good idea. "Oi! Musta been some party!"

    "Hn. Baka." A familiar voice answered.

    His eyes shot to the boy sitting beside his hospital bed, "We gotta stop meeting like this." Duo
chuckled.

    Heero smiled, "How do you feel?"

    "Like I got shot in the head. . . again. What happened to Relena?"

    "She's a vegetable. She will never harm you again."

    "Heero! Are you in trouble?! You could be. . ."

    Heero shook his head, "It was already ruled as defense. No charges against me. We're free Duo."

    Duo smiled, "Free. I like the sound of that."

    "The doctors have been running some tests to make sure you're all right, the results will be in soon
and then we can go home."

    "Home?"

    Heero nodded, "While you were sleeping I bought the house Wufei was talking about and he's
there now fixing it up and watching Rugs for us."

    "Will I like it?"

    Heero chuckled, "It's full of hidden rooms and nonsensical design. Much of it has absolutely no reason to it."

    "In other words. . ."

    "It's perfect for you."

    "What about you?"

    "Anywhere you are is perfect for me."

    "Why Heero Yuy I do believe you're flirting with me." The injured boy quipped.

    "Hn."

    Duo reached up and Heero bent down to hug him, "I missed you."

    "You scared me."

    "S'rry."

    "Let's not make a habit of this."

    Duo smiled into Heero's neck, "But don't I look sexy in these hospital gowns?"

    Heero groaned and Duo grinned.

    "Oh doctor, I need my temperature checked."

    "You talk too much."

    "I guess you'll have to use the anal route then."

    "Do you carry medicare?"

    "Nope just a big stick."

    Heero chuckled and Duo grinned, "You never even smiled during the war."

    "Now I have a reason to." Heero's smile dropped in surprise and he looked at Duo with thinly
veiled hope, "Duo! You remember?!"

    Duo giggled and nodded, earning him another hug.

    "How?!"

    "I guess that second bullet knocked it back into me."

    Both boys had happy tears running over their faces. When the nurse came in to tell Heero visiting
time was over, he bid Duo a fond goodbye, "I'll be back soon Duo."

    "Bearing gifts?" Duo asked.

    "Maybe."

    "Tease."

    "Hn."

    "Could you bring Rugs?"

    "Dogs aren't allowed."

    "But I miss him so much Hee-chan!"

    Heero melted under Duo's sparkling gaze, "We'll see."

    "Yosh!"

    "Hn, baka."

    After the door was shut Duo looked at the nurse hopefully, "Well?"

    "It's positive Mr. Maxwell."

    "Honto?!"

    "Honto."

    "Honto honto honto ni?!"

    "Reeeeeally."

   " Hont. . ."

    She covered Duo's mouth and nodded. The moment her hand was drawn back, Duo whooped for joy.

    "When can I . . ."

    "Today of you want. We can begin today."

    "Heero's going to be sooooooooo surprised! Don't tell him ok? No one can tell him. It's a secret for now."

    She nodded and giggled when Duo kissed her cheek, "Do you want to begin?"

    "Oh Yeah! Send them in!"

    "Good Luck."

    Duo winked and flashed her a V for victory then lay back and grinned like a fool while he waited.
//Heero is going to be soooo surprised!//

____________

    Heero was definitely surprised when he returned the next day only to be turned away at the door.

    "I am here to see Duo!"

    "He's with the doctor."

    The assassin lost all color, "What happened?!"

    "Don't worry. He isn't in trouble, but he has asked that you don't visit."

    "He doesn't want to see me?"

    The orderly shrugged.

    "I'll wait for him."

    He nodded and walked up the stairs to Duo's floor. "Mr. Maxwell?"

    A soft cry answered him, "What?!"

    "I'm sorry did that hurt?"

    "You did that on purpose!"

    "Maxwell-san you are just an oversized child. Shut up and hold still."

    "Hn!"

    "Yuy-san is downstairs."

    "Does he have a dog with him?!" Duo grinned hopefully.

    "You can't bring a dog into the hospital Duo."

    "P~L~E~A~S~E~?"

    Both of the nurses, male and female glanced at each other for help, "NO!"

    "I wanna see Heero."

    "Do you want to meet him in the lobby? You can see the dog there."

    "Yeah!" Duo slid into his chair and was out the door and bouncing down the stairs before anyone could stop him. When he reach the bottom he launched himself from the chair and into Heero's arms, "Heero!"

    The shorter boy grinned, "Hn. Miss me?"

    Duo was too busy covering his face with kisses to reply.

    Rugs' bark grabbed Duo's attention and all three of them fell to the smooth floor when the huge puppy jumped up onto Duo's lap. Duo giggled and hugged dog and master so excited to see them both.

    "Maxwell!" The nurses rushed over and pulled him back into the chair, "We have told you a thousand times te elevators! Take the damn elevators!"

    Heero smirked at the evidence of exhaustion in the nurses' voices. "I came here for a special reason Duo."

    "More special than me?"

    Heero smiled and got down on one knee, "This is the third time and you have the ring this time already, but will you marry me?"

    "What brought this on?!"

    "I don't want to give fate a chance to take you away again."

    Duo was in tears, "Yes!"

    "We can get married here!"

    "In the hospital?!"

    "I don't want to wait!"

    Duo laughed and hugged Heero tight, "Give me two months."

    "Fine."

    "Mission Accepted?"

    Heero shook his head, "You are more to me than any mission."

    "Coming from Heero Yuy that's a great honor."

    "I honor you Duo, more than any one or thing in my life."

    "I love you too Heero."

    Rugs backed and wagged his tail. Feeling the joy of his humans.

    "Mr. Maxwell, you need to rest."

    "Yeah yeah." Duo rolled his eyes and kissed Heero tenderly, "Until later Koi."

    Heero held Duo's hand until he was forced to release it and then watched until the crippled boy was out of sight before giving an excited whoop and running out to call their friends. "We're finally getting married!"

<Part 15>
 

Quatre and Trowa took over all of the preparations the moment they got the news and Heero and Duo watched with barely held excitement and joy. Still the day of the wedding snuck up on them and suddenly Heero found himself standing at the alter awaiting his bride.

  The assassin stood at the front of the hospital chapel with Wufei. He loosened the collar of his green shirt nervously and waited for his bride. After all they had been through, the assassin had decided to marry Duo the moment the braided boy would allow. His heart was beyond joy when Duo agreed to marry him for the third time.

    "Heero?" Wufei whispered.

    "I'm fine." He assured his friend, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "How was Duo?"

    Wufei grinned, "Last time a saw him, he was in heaven and ready to marry his personal guardian
angel."

    "How can people where these ties?"

    The Chinese man smiled, "Calm down Heero."

    "I am calm!"

    "Then stop straitening your shirt and quit biting your lip."

    Heero was about to retort when the wedding march started. He looked down the short isle and
saw Duo, dressed in a beautiful white wedding gown complete with veil and black lace up combat
boots. He had to chuckle, it was so typical of his Duo.

    The chuckle stopped when Duo braced himself on Quatre and Trowa who stood on each side of
him, and pulled himself to his feet.

    Wufei caught him back, "Wait."

    Heero could barely breath as Duo let go of his friends helping arms and began to walk slowly
forward.

    The smiling bride made it up to Heero before he stumbled and was caught up in strong arms,
"Surprise."

    Heero had tears running over his cheeks, "How? Duo I thought. . . they told me you. . ."

    Duo kissed the tears away softly, "When Relena shot me, her bullet pushed the nerves that had
been displaced back into position and fused them. The doctors couldn't believe it when they saw.
They said it's a miracle."

    "What do you say?" Heero asked roughly.

    Duo smiled, "I do."
 
     Heero watched from the front porch as Duo wrestled and ran from Rugs, the Dog was already the size of a small pony, but Duo still treated her like a puppy.

    The 'puppy' knocked Duo head over heels and then playfully yanked at his shirt.

    "Ok! Ok! You win!" Violet eyes flashing with mirth turned to Heero. "Oi Hee-chan! Help me!"

    He patted his thigh and Rugs leapt from Duo and ran to Heero happily.

    "Hey!  The knight is supposed to rescue the damsel, not make nice with the dragon!" Duo chuckled.

    Heero grinned and walked out onto the yard then flopped down on Duo, stealing a kiss, "And
what about happily ever after?"

    Duo grinned, "Ours?"

    "Yeah."

    "It's just like the energizer bunny."

    Heero arched a brow in question and Duo giggled, "Explain that to me?"

    Duo smiled and caught Heero's lips to his again, "Mmm."

    "What about our happily ever after?"

    Duo smiled and snuggled up to his husband, "It'll keep going and going and going. . ."

    "Forever?"

    "MmMm."

    "No?"

    "Much longer."

    "Promise?"

    "I run and I hide but I never lie."

    "Aishiteru Duo, my queen of hearts."

    "Zutto Heero?"

    "Hai."
 
 
  ~Owari~

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