Chapter 6 / 20
Written by Jessi Maxwell - send C&C to Megami_no_Remon@hotmail.com
When morning came, Heero and Trowa were called off on a mission. Duo knew it would be foolish to search for Quatre alone or even with Wufei; if something went wrong, it could be disastrous. 2 pilots were far easier to take out than 4. Duo curled up in the corner of the couch, staring out the window. Wufei watched him silently for a few minutes, and then went outside to meditate and practice.
Sometime later that afternoon, Wufei returned, too distracted by the melancholy state of Duo Maxwell and the loss of Quatre to possibly practice. He walked in, and glanced at the couch. Duo wasn't there. Slightly curious, half wondering if the not-always-so-sane braided pilot had run off anyways, he began looking around. He peeked in Duo's bedroom, and smirked at the sight of Duo lying there, sprawled out, eyes shut, mouth open. He smiled slightly and closed the door. // Oh well. Nataku only knows that the baka needs his sleep. Not like he had any yesterday. // he thought as he went into the kitchen to get a drink.
Wufei went into the kitchen, lost in thought. He grabbed a glass and turned to head for the faucet, when his eyes flew open wide. Empty pill bottles. 4 of them. And at least 2 had been brand new. Wufei whirled and ran for Duo's bedroom, dropping the glass and not heeding it's shattering. He tore into Duo's room and leaped onto the bed next to the still form. His fingers flew to Duo's neck, feeling for a pulse. Duo's heartbeat stuttered beneath the pads of his fingertips. Wufei cursed violently and grabbed the phone, typing in the emergency numbers and swearing viscously as he dialed it wrong twice. He finally got it right and waited. Before the woman on the other end could say anything, he was all over her.
"Get an ambulance over here now! My friend downed four bottles of pills. Damn it!" The lady took his address, and told him an ambulance was on its way. Wufei threw the phone on the floor and returned to Duo. His breathing had stopped, but his heart was still beating, just barely. Wufei thought for about three seconds, then decided Duo needed air or he would die. Wufei struggled to remember all he had read about rescue breathing. Pinch the nose, head back, and then breathe. So, he did.
The ambulance arrived six minutes later.
~ ^ * ^ ~
Heero and Trowa were almost back home, driving a huge truck that had their Gundams strapped on the back under some canvas tarps. An ambulance screamed past them, flying down the narrow dirt road that led towards their own safehouse and a few other small residences. Heero and Trowa exchanged a glance, and Heero shrugged. His heart dropped to his stomach when he saw the ambulance parked outside their safehouse, saw the men loading someone into the ambulance on a stretcher, saw the braid dangling over the edge of the stretcher. Wufei was pale with frustration and worry. Heero half-walked, half-ran up to the Chinese pilot.
"What the HELL happened to Duo?!" he said, grabbing Wufei by the shoulders and shaking him. Wufei swatted at his hands.
"Lemme go, dammit. Duo tried to commit suicide! He swallowed four bottles of pills!"
"Shimatta..." Heero said, taking a step back. "Duo no baka! Doushite?! DOUSHITE!" Heero slammed a fist into a tree, feeling wood and bark crunch under his fist. Trowa didn't really know what to do to calm the frustrated, very upset Japanese pilot. Wufei's stomach was churning. He was worried for Quatre, now he had to be worried for Duo, and the way Heero was acting...Oi!
Wufei hopped into the back of the ambulance, despite the protests offered by the paramedics. One glare silenced them. The doors were shut and the ambulance tore out of the driveway. An oxygen mask covered the braided boy's face. His lips were turning from their shade of light blue back to their normal color, but it was by no means over. Wufei hesitated as he sat next to Duo, then reached out and grabbed Duo's hand. The other boy's hand was cold as ice. Wufei gave it a squeeze. "Come on, you baka...we might have lost Quatre...we don't need to lose you too..."