Trial by Fire
Part 2
by SkyLark


In the deepness of his sleep, Heero was not tortured by the images or sounds
of the past that he tried to forget so long ago. It was a nice change after
two sleepless nights in a row that he had previously. Though there were not
any sights or sounds, he was able to feel somehow. He was warm and almost
happy. Something in him knew that he was safer than he had been in a long
time. In his sleep, he was questioning whether everything that happened the
last two days was just a dream. There was a lot that he was questioning. He
wouldn’t let these questions bother his peacefulness for long, however. He
was content with the security and warmth he felt. Regardless of the answers
to his questions, all Heero wanted was to stay where he was right now, never
waking.


Heero fought not to wake. He didn’t want to. But something told him that he
needed to do something and someone was waiting for him so open his eyes.
That same person was the one who allowed him to sleep so well. Finally, he
wanted to open his eyes, hoping that his feeling was right. Slowly, his eyes
began to open. ‘Thank God for miracles.’ he thought just before fully waking
up as he began to sense two arms wrapped tightly around him.


Duo felt the Wing Pilot begin to stir as he looked to him. He had been awake
for a long time now as it was late in the morning. His hair was out of its
braid as it fell all around. He smiled as he watched Heero’s eyelids begin
to flutter. When the cobalt eyes were looking into his own, he whispered,
“You’re alive.”


Heero looked to his lover almost in wonder. He slowly brought a hand up to
the American’s cheek to make sure that he was really there. When he was
assured that he was really there holding him, Duo almost missed him sigh,
“Duo.” The other pilot held him tighter as he asked quietly. “Do you feel
all right?” Just from the bed alone, Heero knew that he was back in the
hotel room that he left to get some drinks in him. Trying to raise his head
a little to make sure his body wasn‘t out of commission, Heero felt to room
spin a bit.


“I’m okay, just a little dizzy,” he answered. Duo smirked as he sat up and
reached over to the desk next to him. He left a bottle of aspirin and a
glass of water there just in case. “I came prepared,” he responded as he
handed two pills and the glass to Heero. The Japanese pilot accepted them.
Once he chased the pills down with the water, Duo placed the glass back on
the table.


“Thank you,” Heero whispered as he leaned his cheek against Duo’s bare chest
again. He turned his gaze back up to the braided pilot’s face. The awe in
his eyes was still there as he struggled to say, “Y-You came out all this
way for me?”


Duo chuckled, “You didn’t think I would?” Heero closed his eyes as a sad
expression spread across him. “I’m not sure what to think right now,” he
admitted quietly.



Duo’s gave a concerned look and after a silent pause, gently kissed Heero’s
forehead. “What’s wrong, love?
I came as soon as Trowa told me that you came to this Colony. He wasn‘t sure
why, but he knew that it had something to do with the two guys that were
arrested and are awaiting trial here.”


With his eyes still closed, the other pilot stayed silent. However, he did
tighten his embrace and buried his head further against his lover’s chest,
taking a deep breath and releasing it with difficulty. That was all that Duo
needed to know that he hit the nail on the head.


“How did you find me once you got here?” the young man in his arms asked.
Duo answered, “I didn’t know where to start looking, so I landed not too far
from where the main courthouse. I checked out some of the hotels around.
When I got to this hotel, the guy at the desk said he saw someone by your
description sign into this room. You weren‘t here, I was walking towards
that bar just as three big guys wearing ski masks and carrying guns flew
inside. You know the rest from there...I found the key to the room in your
windbreaker.”


Heero opened his eyes and looked back up to Duo. “Thank you for going
through all that trouble to find me.” A warm smile grew on the American’s
face. “I’d walk through Hell and back for you if I had to, Heero,” he
whispered. The pilot’s cobalt blue eyes softened even more as those words
registered. He raised his hand to gently run his index finger against Duo’s
lips. Tired of denying his mouth the feeling of those lips, Heero leaned up
and gently pressed his lips against those of the other pilot. The couple
kissed like that for a minute before separating their lips, reluctantly on
both parts.


Seeing the clock, Duo sighed, “Man, it’s almost noon.” Both pilots sat up
and stretched. When they dressed, Duo opened the windows to let the light
from the clear day into the room. The bed was made as the two young men sat
on top of it. Duo then handed Heero some breakfast bars that he brought into
the room. They began to snack on those for their first meal.


The Deathscythe then pilot threw the newspaper with the cover photo of the
Commander and Lieutenant in
between the two of them. “So, what is it about these guys that would make
you come this far to see the trial?” he asked finally.


Heero lowered his head and looked to the newspaper cover. Seeing that his
lover was hesitant to answer, he knew that he needed to be careful not to
force Heero to remember something too painful. After all, whatever the
reason was, it was enough that it made Heero feel he needed to drink himself
away from the pain. After a long pause, Duo gently rested a hand on Heero’s
shoulder. When their eyes met, he assured him, “You know that you can tell
me anything. Please, just let me help you.” Heero nodded and quietly began,
“I knew them from when I was being trained by Doctor J. They helped him keep
my cousin and myself ‘in line,‘ as they always said.”


Duo gasped, “Cousin? I didn’t know you have a cousin.”


“She’s the only family I have. We were born an hour apart from each other
and were taken to be trained by Doctor J not long after that. Doctor J said
that he was obligated to train us to become the Perfect Soldiers. Our
training began when we were five...Anyway, Kumi and I were separated to
fight in different places. I was to be sent to Earth as part of Operation
Meteor and she was sent to fight in the furthest reaches of space, where
many Colonies were fighting each other in a long war of their own that
lasted as long as the one we fought against OZ and Miliardo‘s crafts. It was
thanks to her the all of the Colonies finally worked together as one when we
needed it the most, just before the end of our war.” [1]


His lover‘s eyes widened, “That’s when we were heading back to Earth and the
Colonies came over the airwaves to announce their support towards us.” Heero
nodded, “That was just after she and a friend of hers were able to stop the
war amongst the Colonies. We would have not won the war if it wasn’t for the
both of them.” Heero fell silent as his head dropped, “I haven’t seen Kumi
since the day we were ordered to fight separately...I miss her.”


Duo lifted his chin. “I’m sure the feeling’s mutual on her part. If she‘s
anything like you, I know she‘s just fine.” Heero’s smile grew as he began
chuckled, “She’s exactly like me.”


Duo rubbed his head as he jokingly whined, “Oh God, two Yuy’s! Just what the
world needs!” Heero laughed harder at the overdramatic performance Duo
continued. When his display ended, he laughed with Heero.


Once the laughter died, they both became a bit more serious. “So, you’re
saying that you could be a witness against these guys?” the braided young
man asked cautiously. Heero’s eyes hardened as well as his whole expression.
He got to his feet, turning his body from the other pilot, he bit his lip
before answering.


“I didn’t see any of the stuff that they did. I don’t even know why I came
here in the first place,” he remarked harshly. He felt the other young man
standing in front of him.


“Heero,” he said quietly and gently. “Look at me in my face and tell me
that.” Heero did as he said, but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth.
He just stood there looking at the innocent face of his lover. Again there
was a silent pause. “I thought so,” Duo sighed. “You don’t have to tell me
everything that happened if you don’t want, Heero. But, if you could help
convict these guys of the crimes that they’re being charged of, you must
know that testifying against them is the right thing to do. They’ve murdered
thousands of people. They have to punished for their sins.”


He held Heero in a soft embrace and closed his eyes as he whispered to him,
“I’m here with you every step of the way. But I won’t force you to do
anything you don’t want to do.”


Heero was speechless as he closed his eyes and gently wrapped his arms
around the body of the other pilot. His lover continued to whisper, “Just
know that I’m not going anywhere now or ever. If you want to go through with
taking a stand against them, just give me the word and I’ll do whatever I
can to help you.” Heero breathed in Duo’s scent and responded softly, “I
don’t think I can go through with it, Duo. Just thinking back to that
time...”


He broke from the embrace and looked out the window that overlooked the
peaceful city. After a long pause, Duo hugged him tightly from the back, not
saying a word. He was just comforting the man that he loved with everything
in him as he wrapped his arms around the front of his chest and neck. His
action was welcomed with Heero’s arms folding over his. Duo kissed his right
temple and lied his forehead against it.


“What do you say we get out of this room and get some air,” Duo offered
quietly. “It’s a beautiful day and I know there’s a huge park not far from
here. Might as well sightsee while we’re here.” The thought was more than
pleasing to the Wing pilot as he gave a small, but kind smile. “I’d like
that,” he replied. The pair left just as it was agreed upon.


************************************************************************


In their lone jail cell, Reinhart and Starks were lying on their beds and
discussing the situation they were in, and how they could get out of it.
“They have nothing on us,” Reinhart harshly stated as he stood and leaned
against the cell wall closest to the bars. “With the few witnesses they
have, and they are easily persuaded, we’ll be out of here in no time.”


“True. The only thing they have on us is the computer logs stating that we
were near each of villages that were wiped out,” Starks sighed.


“Tomorrow is the last day that anyone who can stand against us has the
chance to tell the prosecutor. And as I said, the few witnesses that claim
they did see out suits fly to and from each of the sites of destruction are
easy to persuade. We have Davis, Matthews and Johnson here to do just that
while we’re stuck here,” Reinhart said as he lied back on his bed.


Just as he lied down, a guard came to the cell’s opening. “You have a
visitor,” he told the two of them. “Only one of you is permitted to speak to
him.”


The two prisoners looked to each other. The Commander nodded at his
Lieutenant who rose to his feet. Reinhart smiled, “Thank you, officer” as he
opened the cell door and led the man to the visiting room after locking the
cell behind him again. Having the right to privacy, the Lieutenant was
allowed into the small alone to speak with the man who came to see him as
the guard stood close to the door of the soundproof room.


When the door to the visiting room was closed, Reinhart saw a young soldier
in military attire stand and salute him. He had a black eye along with
several deep cuts and bruises on his arm that were hidden until he came in
close proximity of him. For a second, the Lieutenant was almost worried at
the sight of the man’s state, but quickly put that aside as he nodded, “At
ease, Matthews.”


The man loosened as the two soldiers sat at the table together. “What
happened to you?” he asked with a hint of anxiousness.


“Sir, last night, I was trying to help some friends of mine who were in a
bind for money,” the young man answered sheepishly as he looked with
frightened eyes to his leader.


“Meaning you tried to rob a place again, right?” the older, more powerful
man began to ask with a heated tone. The younger man dropped his shaved
head, admitting, “Yes, sir.”


“God Damnit, Matthews! We can’t afford to blow this! Starks and I are
awaiting trial and you go and pull a stunt like this! From the looks of
things, you were stopped.”


“Yes, sir. But I need to tell you-”


“I don’t want to hear it! If you were caught and arrested, you would have
left Davis and Johnson the burden of convincing the witnesses that will
stand against myself and your Commander that it is not in their best
interest to do so. They would have had their hands full. You need to be more
responsible than that, young man,” the Lieutenant yelled as his face grew
red.


Matthews lowered his head more and pleaded, “I am aware of that, sir. I
apologized to Davis and Johnson for my behavior. We are all prepared to do
what we must to see that you and Commander Starks are not convicted. You
have my word.”


The Lieutenant’s face returned to its normal shade as he sighed deeply.
“Fine,” he snapped. “Now, what were you trying to tell me just now?”
Matthews’s head snapped up as the look of fear was back in his eyes. Unable
to help his fear, he shouted, “Sir, Heero Yuy was one of the men that
stopped me and my friends last night!”


The older man’s face fell once these words left the other’s mouth as his
face turned white now. He fell further back into his chair. “W-What was
that?” he asked, barely able to make his voice very audible. Matthews
continued, “Sir, Heero Yuy is here on the Colony and he was one of the men
that stopped us last night.” The Lieutenant couldn’t move as he gasped, “My
God.”


His look of terror faded as he snapped and yelled, “That son-of-a- bitch!
So, he thinks that he is going to stand before a jury and tell them
everything that he knows about us, does he?” He paused as his look of rage
returned. He looked to the other soldier and ordered, “Find him, Matthews.
Right now, do whatever it takes to kill him.”


“Sir?” the young man asked with concern.


“If Yuy testifies, Starks and I are doomed. It’s going to take every effort
of the three of you to kill him.” Matthews nodded, “Yes, sir. We will do
just that. Yuy will never live to testify against you and Commander Starks.”


He rose and saluted. “Very good, Matthews. Our time to talk is almost up.
Return to Davis and Johnson, give them the order I just gave you.”


“Sir!” the man agreed. Just then, the guard entered the room calling,
“Time’s up.”


“Oh, it Yuy’s time that’s up, not mine,’ Reinhart thought to himself.


************************************************************************


In the park, the two pilots walked arm-in-arm. They already had lunch and
were enjoying the quietness of the town they were in. The newspaper stands
that they would come across had more front-page coverage of the approaching
trial. Duo stayed true to his word that he wouldn’t force Heero to do
something that he didn’t want to do as he gently kept him from having to
look at the images of the soldiers. It was a difficult task to do so, since
this trial was the biggest thing to have come since the end of the war. The
two men were loose for years before they were finally apprehended. Heero
appreciated Duo’s concern to keep his word as the American’s actions never
went unnoticed. ‘What have I done to deserve you, Duo?’ he would constantly
ask himself. He would just smile and wrap his arm tightly around his lover’s
waist.


Finally it was getting dark and the couple dined at a restaurant not far
from the park before returning to the hotel room. That night, Heero watched
Duo as he was prepared to undo his braid. “Can I brush your hair, Duo?” he
asked, almost pleading. Taken back by the question, Duo looked to the Wing
pilot with wide, soft eyes. He then smiled and nodded, “Sure, if you’d like
to.”


Heero smiled and took Duo’s brush from his hand and sat behind him. Removing
the band that held the end tight, he gently loosened the hair until it fell
loose down the other pilot’s back. Then, he gently began to brush the soft
strands from the top to the ends. The experience was soothing and pleasant
for both of them. Duo kept his eyes closed the whole times with a huge smile
on his face. Heero began to smile again before too long as he felt the
tension and fear he had for a while now begin to vanish. Heero brushed Duo’s
hair for quite a while. It was the first time he had the courage to ask for
the chance to do so. The whole experience was even more wonderful that he
imagined before now. Duo’s wish for his lover to brush his hair for him came
true as well. That whole time, the two of them felt like they were in
heaven.


Finally, Heero knew that it was getting late and he forced himself to lie
the brush down. Duo turned and smiled, “Thank you.”


Heero returned the smile and kissed him. “Thank you,” he echoed. The lovers
removed their tops and pants as they put their boxers on. They both got
under the covers, positioning themselves so that they could hold each other
through the night. Duo turned the lamp out and wrapped the arm around
Heero’s waist. “Good night, Heero,” he whispered as they kissed each other’s
lips. “Good night, Duo,” Heero replied just as quietly. They were both
asleep before too long.


    @        @         @        @         @


The younger Heero was back in the room that he had been in when he and Kumi
were being punished for his ‘mistake’ of trying to stop Starks and Reinhart.
Again, he was in the center of the room, under the only source of light.
Reinhart came into the light as Starks was right behind him. Their faces
bore the smiles of men possessed as they leaned down and got into the boy’s
face.


“Did you like that, last night?” Reinhart asked with his voice low and
threatening.


“Not a bad fuck, from a little kid like yourself,” Starks laughed cruelly.
The boy did not respond at all. He just sat there, watching them with an
empty stare. “Just as I thought,” Reinhart grinned as he stood straight
again.


“Just make sure that you stay empty like that kid, to everything,” Starks
warned. “Just wanted you to know that you and Kumi will be leaving for your
missions soon. The doc will be happy to give you both your missions within
the next week,” he continued.


“We’re real proud of you both, kid...Real proud,” the Lieutenant chucked
deeply as he placed a hand on one of the child’s shoulders. Starks placed
one of his hands on the other shoulder. “We’re off, Heero,” he stated.
“There’s no need for me and the Lieutenant here to stay around since you’ll
both be on your own soon.”


“Hn,” Heero responded.


“Looks like we’ll have to find out own fun elsewhere else. I’ve have a taste
for more action after we destroyed that village,” Reinhart mentioned.


The Commander nodded, “You’re done good, Heero...Real good. So, the Perfect
Soldiers will be loose soon. God help anyone that stands in your way.” The
two men laughed loudly as they removed their grips on the young pilot’s
shoulders.


Starks had left the room with Reinhart right behind him. Before leaving the
room, he called from the dark. “Oh! By the way, Happy Birthday, Heero.” With
that, he laughed feverishly as the door closed loudly behind him.


@        @        @         @        @


Heero jumped from his bed, right out of his embrace with Duo as a terrified
cry escaped him. Duo was awaken and startled by Heero’s sudden jump from the
bed. When he sat up, he found his lover sitting with his back against the
wall opposite of the bed, hugging his legs close to his body. His head was
down and buried in the gap between his knees and his chest. Duo jumped out
of bed as he landed right next to him.


“Heero!?!” he gasped as he looked at the shaking form beside him. He could
hear the other pilot’s heavy breathing and small, almost nonexistent,
whimpers. He never brought his head up.


“Please, God, I can’t-” the Wing pilot pleaded hoarsely. “Heero,” Duo
whispered as he wrapped his arms around the fragile form of the Japanese
soldier. Somehow, he managed to get both arms all the way around him.


“Shhhh. It’s okay, Heero. I’m here, hon. Shhhh,” Duo coaxed quietly as he
continued to hold the trembling pilot. Slowly, Heero’s grip in on his legs
loosened as he allowed them to relax just a bit, enough for him to lift his
head. His whole body, especially his face, was drenched with sweat again.


“It’s happening again,” he finally whispered. “What, love? What is it that
you see?” Duo asked lovingly as he ran his fingers gently through Heero’s
hair to keep his bangs out of his eyes. The Japanese pilot turned to look at
Duo.


“I...I keep seeing them,” he struggled to say. “Those guys that were
arrested?” the American questioned, even though he knew what the answer was.


Heero nodded slowly and turned his face away, almost ashamed by his actions
just now. He knew that he must have frightened Duo. But he couldn’t tell him
what it was that had him so worked up. He might lose the man that he loved
if he learned that he was...”Heero?” Duo interrupted his thoughts.


He looked back into his violet eyes again. “I’m sorry, Duo,” he sighed
deeply. “It was just a nightmare. It happens.” “I know,” Duo nodded. “I’ve
held you countless times up to now when you had nightmares.”


“I never had them until after the war. Why now? Why do they follow me around
and torture me when I least expect it?” Heero asked, almost wishing that his
lover would have the answers.


“I don’t know, I wish that I did,” he answered softly and places several
soft kissed on Heero’s cheek and forehead. He sighed deeply again as he
looked into the cobalt eyes that he loved so much. “I wish with all of my
heart that I could take all of the pain away from you, Heero. If I had that
power, these nightmares would never have begun. But I can’t do that. All I
can do is listen, if you ever want to tell me what you see.”


Heero let his legs stretch out as he sat up straight against the wall
looking to the window straight ahead at the other end of the room. After a
long pause, his head lowered and his eyes closed. “Okay,” he agreed. Duo’s
eyes lit up with surprise as he heard this, He sat up straight as well,
folding his legs together in front of him, never taking his eyes off the
face of the pilot before him. He never told the braided pilot what he saw in
any of his nightmares. For some reason, he considered the thought that just
maybe talking about them might help them both. Still, he wasn’t sure if he
was able to look at him when he shared some of the terrible things that
haunted him at night.


“Those two men...I watched them destroy a town near an OZ base that I was
ordered to take out. It was one of my last missions before being to sent to
Earth for Operation Meteor. I tried to stop them, they were innocent people
in that city. They had done nothing to deserve that fate. But I was held
back by the Commander and Lieutenant. They said that I was weak and
insubordinate. The ’Perfect Soldier’ can’t be like that, they’d constantly
tell me, along with Doctor J. They said that I could never feel. Before
long, I believed them and I was forced-” he bit his lip, almost unable to
get the words out. He felt Duo’s hand rubbing his back slowly, getting the
tension out as best he could. He opened his eyes and looked to him. “They
raped me, the way they always would when I made a mistake.” Duo gasped,
“H-Heero.” He wrapped both arms around Heero’s body again and held him
tight.


“They did the same to Kumi. Anytime either of us made a mistake, the other
one got punished, too. She was raped and they pumped her body with a form of
bleach, knowing it wouldn’t kill her since our blood is immune to any
contamination. Up until then, her hair was the same color as my own. After
that crap was injected in her, it changed to silver...It was my fault. I
couldn’t stop them from hurting her and I couldn’t stop them from killing
all of those innocent people in that village.” He was becoming hysterical as
he began to shake in Duo’s arms again. “I’m was supposed to be the Perfect
Soldier from birth and I couldn’t stop them from hurting and killing so many
people. It was all my fault.”


“No it wasn’t Heero,” Duo said with almost a harsh tone to his voice. He
placed his hands on Heero’s cheeks and turn his head so that he looked right
at him. “None of that was your fault. You have to know that. You did nothing
to deserve the torture that you and Kumi faced, no matter what you might
have been told.” He was now on the verge of fighting tears. “I-I can’t
believe that anyone could have hurt you like that. It’s inhuman that they
could do that to two beautiful people- children no less- and not think that
they were wrong. ..God, Heero, I always knew that you must have been through
a lot in your training. I just never thought...” He stopped to get his
composure back and managed to keep the tears back.



He looked into Heero’s eyes once he was able to speak again. His lover’s
eyes, his whole face, looked so lost, as if he was a small child again as he
continued to shake. “You were never the Perfect Soldier in my eyes, Heero,”
Duo admitted. Heero’s face went from a lost expression to complete shock and
disbelief that he really heard what the braided pilot just said.


“What did you just say?” he gasped as he searched deeper into the other’s
eyes.


His lover answered, “I never thought of you as anything but a human being,
just like myself. So you had some training that made you a hell of a
fighter. But you’re still flesh and blood. The only thing that’s perfect is
God. While I’m not sure that I still believe that He exists, I know that
there is nothing on Earth that’s perfect. You’re no different, neither is
your cousin. I knew that regardless of the fact that you never opened up or
showed emotion, there was something in you that knew how to feel. It was
just buried. There is still so much that you’re holding back when it comes
to your feelings and opening them up to the world, but I know that you’ll
let it out when you’re ready. But, no, I never thought of you as more than a
human, even when you took the two bullets that I shot at you when we first
met.”


He then rested his lips softly on Heero’s forehead. After the gentle kiss,
he rested their foreheads together and smiled warmly. He whispered, “You’ve
always been Heero to me...Just Heero.”


Now Heero couldn’t breathe, he was so taken back by the heartfelt
confession. He saw and heard such love coming from the Deathscythe pilot
that he was floored. He never heard anyone call him a human being before. He
was so used to being known as nothing aside from flawless, unblemished,
immaculate, perfect. Now here he was, looking into the face of Duo Maxwell,
who he had feelings for before he even knew what real feelings were. And the
beautiful words that came from him were beyond anything he could have ever
wished or dreamed he’d hear.


Raising a hand to gently stroke his lover’s cheek, Heero couldn’t help but
whisper in all seriousness, “Are you an angel?”


Duo’s smile returned as he whispered back, “Nah. I’m just Duo.”


Heero smiled and closed his eyes. “You have no idea how much I’ve needed to
hear what you just said,” he replied, never able to add volume to his voice.
When he opened his eyes, his angel was still there, smiling. Heero threw
himself into Duo’s arms as they held each other tightly. Heero buried his
face into Duo’s chest and could hear his heartbeat. Still breathless, he
whispered, “I’m so glad you’re here...I love you so much, Duo.” The
American’s smile grew, “I love you, Heero...I always will.”


They looked to each other and kissed sweetly and softly. Heero then asked,
“Will you come with me to talk to the prosecutor tomorrow? I don’t think I
can get through this without you.”


Duo nodded, “Of course. I’m here for you every step of the way.” Heero
sighed as he smiled again, leaning his face against the other pilot’s chest
again. As he did this, he felt Duo lift him into his arms as he carried him
back to the bed, lying him down ever so carefully. He slipped into the bed
beside him and they took each other into their arms again. Just before
drifting of to sleep, Heero heard Duo whisper, “Sweet dreams, my love.”


TBC