Well, here we go...this is it. The grand finale. I hope everyone has enjoyed it!
"Insolent fool! Stand aside!"
"Wufei, back off! Don't make me kill you."
"Both of you, stop it! This is no way to handle a disagreement! Sally!"
Duo made it up the walk to his house as Sally whisked past him in a huff. "Huh? What the heck...Relena?" Duo stood in the middle of the walk, puzzled, as Relena hurried after the rapidly departing figure of Sally.
"Sally...wait!"
"I have nothing to say to you, Miss Darlian," sneered Sally. "I don't know what's going on, or what just happened. All I know is that you've somehow managed to steal Wufei from me!"
"Sally, listen to yourself! I did no such thing!"
"Oh, really? Then who am I supposed to believe? After all," she spat, "you're a politician!"
Relena stopped, stung by Sally's words. Sally turned and stalked down the street.
"Relena!" Wufei hurried past Duo to her side. "Relena..."
"Why are you doing this? What is the meaning of this?"
Wufei stopped, shocked. "Must I express my love..."
"This isn't love!" she cried. "This must be some kind of joke. This whole thing...the meal, the...the...love, it all has to be part of some elaborate practical joke! I don't know what else to think of it!"
"My love is not a joke..."
"I don't know who put you up to this, or why, but I don't find it very funny! Let me go!"
Heero muscled past Wufei and tried to take Relena in his arms. To both Heero and Duo's surprise, she pulled away. "You...you must be in on it, too!" she said, pointing an accusing finger toward Heero. "How can you do this to me?" She hurried down the street after Sally.
"Hey guys, what did I miss?"
Both Heero and Wufei looked up, startled, as Duo approached.
"This ill-mannered lout was trying to interfere with me and my--"
"Your? Your? You are gravely mistaken if you think so, Wufei."
"Think? Is that even a part of your vocabulary?"
"Yes, it is. Along with thief..."
Duo backed away. This was not going according to plan...
"Quatre! You've got to help! This whole plan backfired! I--" Duo stopped cold as he saw the look in his friend's eyes.
"Duo, what have you done?" Quatre said quietly.
"What do you mean?"
Quatre didn't answer. He merely backed away from the screen. Behind him, Duo could see Noin and Howard, locked in an embrace.
"Oh..." Duo chuckled nervously, "...that. Well you see..."
"Don't say it, Duo. Just get down here."
"But what about the others?"
"I know. But the sooner we get them the antidote, the better."
"There's an antidote?"
"Yes, there is. Just be glad that my scientists had the foresight to make it."
Quatre sighed, shook his head, and handed Duo a vial of clear liquid. "Just make sure that Wufei drinks this. It'll undo the effects of the potion and make him forget about Relena."
"This is gonna take care of this whole mess? How?"
"Basically, it will erase Wufei's memories back to the moment when he woke up after taking the potion. He shouldn't even remember being in love with Relena after he sees Sally. And that brings me to my next point. It would help this time if you make sure Sally is nearby when he does. I'll take care of Noin myself."
Duo stared into the vial skeptically. "Sally should be with Wufei when he drinks this?"
"Yes. Lock them alone together in a small room, if you have to. And make sure Relena isn't nearby."
"What about Heero?"
"Well, once Wufei stops chasing after Relena, then things should calm down somewhat."
"I don't know, Quatre; Relena seems to think the boys are playing some sort of prank on her."
Quatre grimaced. "I didn't anticipate that," he said softly. He looked at Duo. "But I don't think it will be too big of a problem. Just keep them out of the house. I know Heero, and I know Relena. He'll be able to convince her otherwise."
Duo took the vial of liquid and turned toward the door. "Oh, Duo..." Quatre stopped him and gave him a look. Duo fished the pouch of powder out of his pocket. "You looking for this?" he asked.
"I think it best if you leave that with me, Duo."
Duo chuckled. "Any time you need me to run an errand, Quatre..."
"Consider any debt you may have owed me paid, Duo," Quatre said with a slight smile. "Now hurry, before Wufei and Heero kill each other!"
When Duo returned to his house, Wufei and Heero were still standing in the middle of the street. Heero was preparing to pull out a gun. Wufei had already started to unsheathe his katana. "Whoa whoa whoa...there's no need for that. Wufei, will you go in the house for a second? I'll go find Relena and tell her you're waiting for her."
Wufei seemed about to protest, but Duo gave him his best "trust me!" look, and he shuffled toward the house, grumbling under his breath the whole way. Heero started to follow him, but Duo stopped him, glanced over his shoulder to make sure Wufei was out of earshot, and spoke quietly so that only Heero could hear him.
"Heero, go find Relena and Sally. Send Sally back to the house. Keep Relena away from the...away from Wufei."
Heero nodded, and turned in the direction the girls had departed.
Duo sighed and turned toward the house.
"Women. Gotta love 'em, eh Wufei?"
Wufei only grunted noncommittally.
Duo returned from the kitchen with two glasses of soda. He had carefully poured the antidote into Wufei's glass. Wufei glanced at it suspiciously, but sipped from it.
"When did you say Relena was coming back?"
"Ah, any minute now. I sent Heero to go get...Sally. Relena is coming back...here."
Wufei raised his eyebrows but said nothing. He took a sip of his soda.
"Will you go away, Relena? I have nothing to say to you."
"But I have something to say to you. Will you just stop and listen to me..."
Sally stopped so suddenly that Relena nearly ran into her. "Fine," she hissed, "I stopped. But I will...not...listen!" She turned around, brandishing a small but wicked-looking knife.
Relena backed away. "Sally..." she gasped, "I don't want to fight with you!"
"No, that's right," sneered Sally, advancing with the knife held in front of her, "you're Miss Relena Peacecraft. You stand for pacifism, with your little smiles and simpering politeness. You don't fight, you just weasel in and steal other people's significant others!"
"Sally, that's not true! I did not steal Wufei away from you! If you'd just stop and listen to me..." She slowly backed away, trying to think of a way to escape. "How can I convince you that I'm not lying?"
Sally opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the arrival of Heero.
"Relena!" She turned as Heero hurried up behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, then looked over at Sally. "Sally...Wufei is waiting for you," he said.
Sally didn't look convinced, but she turned back toward Duo's house and walked away.
Relena didn't meet his eyes. "That was a cruel trick, Heero."
"It was no trick. I am not playing games."
She turned and looked at him accusingly. "Why should I believe you? I don't know what to believe any more..." She looked at the ground, tears forming in her eyes. How foolish, how naive of her to get her hopes up like this. She knew Heero. Didn't she? She should have known better.
"Relena," he said gently. She did not look up. He took her chin firmly in his hand, and forced her to look at him. She gazed into his eyes, and saw no deception there. He stared right back, not willing to let her break eye contact.
She looked at him as if for the first time. "Heero..."
Sally was in ill spirits when she arrived back at Duo's house. She allowed the guilty pleasure of letting the door slam as she entered. She heard Duo's voice filtering in from the kitchen area, "Ah, that sounds like her now!"
She stalked into the dining room, ready to give Wufei a berating he would never forget.
Wufei stood up as she entered, an unreadable expression in his eyes. At first, it was clear he'd expected someone else. But then his expression changed from annoyed disappointment to surprised awe as he got closer. He didn't say anything at first.
"Wufei..." she started.
Wufei bowed low and kissed her hand gently.
Duo leaned back and propped his feet on the table.
"I just can't believe they decided to do this together! I mean, didn't Sally and Relena want separate ceremonies?"
"Guess not. They're better friends than they ever were, soon as Sally was certain that Relena really wasn't after Wufei."
Quatre glanced in the mirror one last time and straightened his bow tie. "You'd better go catch up with Heero before he backs out of this."
"Are you kidding? The way he was carrying on, I think he would've rather eloped!"
"Then why didn't they?"
"Because Miss Relena insisted on a ceremony."
Quatre chuckled, and checked his watch. "Oops, I'd better go find Wufei." He hurried toward the door of the dressing room.
"Oh Quatre," said Duo casually.
"What is it, Duo?"
Duo smirked. "I told you you'd be hearing wedding bells!"
Duo walks onto the stage, and turns to face the audience. He is carrying an untidy stack of papers, which he shuffles around nervously until he finds what he is looking for.
"Achem...let's see here...oh yeah, here it is:
"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but--ah, forget it."
Duo tosses the papers on the floor and walks off the stage.
hee hee...this was kind of fun...hmmm...maybe I'll have to try and write another fic that mirrors a Shakesperian play some other time!