Title: ESO
Author: bonnejeanne (bonnejeanne@yahoo.com) and vonceia (vonceia@yahoo.com)
Archive: GW Addiction http://www.oocities.org/fenris_wolf0/
Category: yaoi, AU? Epic Saga...
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5x?
Warnings: Yaoi. Old guys. Original characters. AU? You decide... OOC? Same.

E.S.O. - by bonnejeanne and vonceia -

Part Fourteen: Last minute words, leavetaking...

About ten minutes before the two-hour mark, there was a tap on the door belonging to Heero and Duo.

Immediately afterwards, Wufei's voice could he heard. "I apologize for intruding, but I only need a moment of your time, Heero."

Duo walked in from the bathroom, drying himself with a towel.

Heero jumped up off the bed and opened the door. "Come in," he said. "I was actually thinking about you."

He then stepped back away from the door to allow Wufei to pass. Wearing only the black bike shorts, his signature piece of clothing, Heero went back to the bed and sat. "What did you need?" he asked.

Wufei stepped inside the room, and then his eyes caught Duo, naked, toweling his hair. Wufei's eyes widened and then he dropped his glance, feeling a flush rise in his cheeks that he wished he could hide somehow. Swallowing, he leaned back against the wall, folding his arms, trying to school his expression.

Duo caught the look, as well as the downcast eyes and the flush. It surprised him. It almost looked like... he glanced down and the Chinese pilot's lower half and thought, well, damn... Dropping the towel, he began rebraiding his hair, deciding not to get dressed just yet.

Wufei glanced up at Heero. His eyes flickered towards Duo but he did not allow them to actually go there. "I'm sorry... I regret interrupting you, I know the time is precious. There was something I wanted to tell you, Heero. Then I'll be gone." He'd somehow imagined Duo to be elsewhere when he decided to do this, and realized that was pretty foolish. But it was important to him, so he continued.

"I wanted to tell you... that... once before, I told you... it was a weakness," he said, looking at Heero, knowing he was saying the words badly, and hoping the other boy understood what he meant. "You remember?"

Heero watched Wufei. His eyes and face were un-readable, but inwardly, he was finding it quite amusing watching Wufei avoiding the obvious picture that Duo was presenting. He also felt a bit relieved at the fact that Duo seemed to be displaying himself quite openly to Wufei. It confirmed several thoughts he had been thinking while Duo showered. He nodded to Wufei. "I remember," he said.

"I wanted to tell you..." Wufei said, looking into Heero's eyes, remembering also the precious time on the abandoned colony, when they both thought they were going to die. "...that I found out something. I found out that it is *not* a weakness. It was... put into our makeup by design. Alfa told me this. "It... probably doesn't make any difference to you, but it did to me, and I felt I should... I wanted to tell you that I was wrong."

Could I have stumbled over that any more badly? Wufei thought. Well at least it's done. He stood away from the wall, preparing to go. He glanced once more at Duo, who was pulling on his black pants. He met the braided boy's eyes, still showing a bit more color in his face than normal, and said softly, "We may not come back... some of us... I wanted to tell you, Duo... thank you."

Duo stood up, staring at the Chinese boy, nonplussed. "For what, Wufei?" he asked gently, genuinely puzzled.

"For making Heero happy," Wufei said simply. Then he bowed slightly to each of them, the impulse of formality coming to his rescue, and turned to leave.

Since both boys were not looking at Heero Yuy, a rare opportunity to see the Perfect Soldier totally taken by surprise was missed. Without speaking, Heero moved quickly and quietly to stand a short distance away as he listened to the exchange between Wufei and Duo. As Wufei turned to leave, Heero stood in front of him, blocking his way to the door.

Wufei jumped slightly, suddenly almost nose to nose with Heero. He stopped, waiting.

Duo said, "Wufei..." he didn't know what else to say but he suddenly did not want the L5 pilot to leave this way. There was such naked emotion in him, yet he was trying so hard to keep it in check, to keep his dignity. Duo swallowed a lump in his throat.

Heero took a deep breath, looking at Wufei. "You come to tell me that you love me and then you leave? No, Wufei." he said and reached up to touch Wufei's cheek.

Blinking, Wufei said, "That's not... what I said..." He felt his posture becoming brittle. Any minute he knew he would shatter into a thousand pieces. "I need to go now... I must make my last preparations."

Heero nodded. "I understand that." he said, "Now, may I have a moment of your time before you do?"

Wufei took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Does it have to be now?" His hands were fisted to keep from showing that they wanted to tremble.

Duo watched the exchange, wondering if Heero was deliberately being cruel to the Chinese pilot. He too had understood the words as well as the emotions... Wufei might not have said it in so many words, but it was clear that he did love the Japanese boy... how was it that he, Duo had not realized how deep Wufei's emotions ran, and how deeply they'd been hidden?

Heero looked down. He felt the tension in the room and knew the great strength it took for Wufei to stand before him. "If I die, and I don't want that, but.... it's that important to me, so I would prefer to say it now." he said quietly.

Wufei held himself still by sheer will. He nodded once, shortly.

Duo walked over to the two and simply took Heero by the shoulders and moved him back about two feet. "Let the poor guy breathe," he said softly.

It seemed to help, in fact. Wufei did breathe in and out several times and opened his eyes. Yes... the deep blue gaze of Heero Yuy was not quite so close... it was bearable. Mentally, he acknowledged his gratitude for Duo's intervention.

Heero glanced up at Duo and then looked back down. Suddenly, he found himself in one of those emotional situations and with everything he knew and had learned, this was still new ground for Heero. He had said what he thought to be the truth and that had hurt Wufei, which was the last thing he wanted to do. His own hands balled into fists and Heero resisted the urge to punch out the nearest wall.

"It's not you, Heero," Wufei said quietly. "It is my fault for not being more... centered. I had a long talk with Alfa just a little while ago and she told me a number of things... I would not have come here until I had better control of my emotions, but we are unfortunately short of time. I am all right. I can listen to whatever you wish to tell me."

"Talk with Alfa," Duo muttered softly. "Yeah, I know how those can be unsettling..."

Heero growled a little where he stood. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again. "I wanted to thank you," he said. "Because of you, I now know the difference between me and the Wing Zero. I know what its like to... feel, to touch, to be touched. I could never have had or understood Duo or you." Heero shook his head. "I hate words sometimes."

Wufei looked back and nodded to the last remark. His eyes were very open and vulnerable, but his expression was calm now. "Thank you," he said. "For telling me that. Though I know you are doing me too much credit, it is still something I will be able to think of as one of the few things I've done that brought about good rather than tragedy."

Duo suddenly turned his back to both of them, placing one hand over his face, trying to stop the water that leaked from his eyes at hearing these words spoken so quietly. Damn... Wufei. I thought I had demons to battle with.

Heero looked up and turned to Wufei. He took a breath and nodded in understanding. He saw Duo with his back turned and it was clear to him just how much life had taken them all through. He walked over to Wufei and placed his arms around the Chinese boy, holding him against his body. "We have one more thing to do. Maybe it will help us all. We need help," he said, as water fell from his eyes, unchecked. 'So, what.' Heero thought.

Wufei stood very still in Heero's embrace. Then he relaxed slightly, and put his arms around the other boy. He tightened them quickly, then released him and moved away. He laughed, shaking his head. "I really do need to go. We are supposed to meet in the hangar in two minutes."

"Have you got a clock in your head or what?" Duo said in a strained voice. Wiping his face, he turned around and walked up to Wufei, scowling. He locked eyes with the Chinese pilot. "When we get back, and we *are* *ALL* going to get back, you and I are going to have a conversation. Until then... don't do anything stupid!" He placed his hands around Wufei's face and kissed him, quick, but right on the lips. Then he walked away, grabbing his shirt and throwing it on.

Wufei blinked, his face showing a predictable shock. "Uh... sure... Maxwell." Shooting a look at Heero, he bowed quickly and ducked out the door.

Heero folded his arms over his chest as he watched the door close. "All three of us will have a ..conversation," he said.

Walking over to Duo, Heero hugged him from behind.

Duo made an exasperated noise but did not try to get free. "I swear... to... any god you care to name... I knew he liked you but I had no idea... Now I feel really stupid. What the hell has he been going through? Something tells me there's a lot more too it. I never thought I understood him... suddenly I feel like I'm plugged into his head, and it scares me."

"Good," Heero said, evenly. "And now I don't have to hold you both at gunpoint. That makes it easier."

Craning his neck to see Heero's behind him, Duo snorted. "I don't need a roadmap to tell *you* have something evil on your little mind, Heero Yuy."

Heero tried for his best scowl and then gave it up. Trying made his face hurt. "I do." he said, "And by the way, everybody loves you Duo... whether they want to or not. They'd just better not fuck with you or I'd have to take action."

Duo turned around, not bothering to loosen Heero's arms, just turning in them. "What the *hell* does that mean?"

"What does what mean?" Heero asked, then kissed Duo deeply. After a moment or two, he broke the kiss. "We'd better get out there," he said, then turned to retrieve his shoes and shirt.

Duo shook his head. "Heero no baka," he said under his breath, pulling his boots on. "Me, the group punching bag... yah... well, I'm ready. Let's go kick some alien's ass."

"Confirm that," Heero said and stood.

"Hey..." Duo said as they left the room, "What did he mean... designed that way...?"

By the time Heero and Duo got there, everyone else was in the hangar and busy. Supplies were being loaded on Howard's shuttle to be taken out to the Mantasail, and the scientists were completing last checks and signing them off. Wufei was there, checking the Golden Dragon, as he'd christened the new Altlong, since its maker was somewhere under lock and key.

There were new flight suits laid out for each of them, dark, midnight blue with silver piping. There were small patches on each that simply said, "Protecting Humanity". Quatre had his on and Trowa was taking his from the table where they were laid.

"I like the title, 'Protecting Humanity'. Feels right," Trowa said, putting the suit on.

Alfa looked up from a checklist she was going over with Howard. She nodded to the ones who came in. "When your Gundam is ready, let me know. When they're all set, you'll launch and go out to the Mantasail. I'll be the last off here. We get underway as soon as everyone is secure."

"Fine," Trowa replied, fastening his suit. He then ran over to where Alfa was and looked down at her. "I just wanted to say thank you." he said. "For the second chance."

Alfa looked up at Trowa and shook her head, then simply touched his cheek. "You don't get it - but that's okay. Just go out and do they best you can - we all will. We know what is at stake. All of you have a track record that proves there could not be a better group of people going out to do this... there could be a huge army and that would be cool too... but if we had to have five, you are the best. As my old flight instructor used to tell me, 'don't get dead'."

Trowa smiled. "Ok, Alfa." he said. "Don't get dead, yourself. We're all good at what we do and we got that. We're all a bit broken inside too. This will help us to heal some." He leaned down and kissed Alfa on the cheek. "And we've needed you. Glad to meet you."

Alfa stared at him and then simply nodded. Damn kids. Then she looked over and saw Oma entering the bay with her own checklist. Oma was wearing a flight suit also.

"What... the... fuck... do... you... think... you... are... doing...???" Alfa said, eyes blazing.

Oma looked back unfazed. "Get your fur down. I'm coming."

"N....O..."

Oma put down her checklist and walked over to Alfa. She put her hands on her hips and faced her nose to nose. "I am coming and that is the end of it. I am not going to sit here on this rock while everything I have worked towards for almost as long as you have, happens a million miles away! I am a doctor and you may need me. I am coming."

Alfa did not want to back down. She wanted at least one person that she loved to be here... and she did not want Oma watching her from so close... things might happen.

Oma looked at Trowa.

"You need her as much as Quatre will need me. She is your edge in case something happens out there, especially if you are not one-hundred percent." Trowa said.

Alfa turned and looked at the pilot with a much different expression than the warm one of a few minutes ago.

"Get over it, Alfa," Wufei called across the hangar from the Dragon. "Let her come. We'll all need her."

Quatre said, "I know how you feel, really, but I do think she would be considered necessary personnel."

Alfa's head whipped from person to person, her scowl increasing.

Heero walked over and saw the expression on Alfa's face. 'So that's what I look like when I'm pissed off... pretty frightening.' he thought. Moving to Oma, he leaned up and kissed the dark skinned woman on the cheek. "Thank you for taking care of my mother." he said and then turned to Alfa, looking at her with the same expression. "Either she goes or you face a mutiny. I won't go unless she does and the dominoes fall from there." he said.

Staring at her son with a look that would melt several inches of gundamiun armor plate, Alfa said, "Fine. Fine. You win, she wins, you all win. Now get away from me, far away from me, and no one come anywhere near me until we are ready to leave."

"That's my girl," Oma said, planting a kiss on Alfa's forehead. "Come on children, let her sulk for a while in peace. We have work to do."

Heero looked over at Alfa. Quickly, he darted over to her and gave her a kiss. "I think I love you," he said. "You should know that in case anything weird happens."

Grabbing him with hands almost as strong as his - stronger than any grip he had ever felt - she shook him, hard. "You were a headstrong brat when you were a year old and you are still a headstrong brat!" she hissed. "I love you too, you son of a bitch, now get out of my face!!!" And with that she kissed him on the forehead - it was a bit like being hit by a quick punch - and pushed him away, running over to the Tallgeese. "Jacob! SHUT UP!" she yelled.

Heero turned and went to check his craft. He looked up at the monster and smiled. "One more time." he said and went to work.

Duo shook his head, watching the whole thing. "Bunch of loonies," he said, smiling. "I finally fit in."

Checked completed, the bay was cleared and depressurized and the Gundams began to launch, heading for the Mantasail. The shuttle with Howard and Oma on it had already left, to get there first.

Wing Alpha and Deathscythe Alpha were on board and the others coming when a ship approach, hailing them.

"This is Milliardo Peacecraft of the Preventers," Milliardo said. "We are here to give you a hand. The group working to destroy your project is no longer a threat. I send you greetings from Vice Minister Relena Dorlan. Confirm."

From the Tallgeese, Alfa responded. "Peacecraft... couldn't stay away, could you?"

"No Alfa, I couldn't, especially since you're driving my car," he said with a smile.

"It was my car first," Alfa growled, still smarting over the 'mutiny'. "We're getting loaded. We had some... trouble after you left, but we also had some help from old friends. Let us get everyone boarded. What kind of a hand do you have in mind?"

"Alfa, this is Lady Une. We have not met, but I have heard of you and your project. We are equipped to monitor and relay. Our firepower is limited, but we do have some capabilities. Noin is monitoring a possible projected path of encounter. Any coordinates you have will be helpful. Sally Po is ready for short range should you need a pick up. Otherwise, we look to your instruction," Lady Une said.

Alfa stared at the comm. "Lady Une... are you telling me this mission is now sanctioned by the Earth Sphere?"

"Sanctioned and will be transmitted back to Earth, ma'am," Noin replied. "I'm Lucrezia Noin. Strategic."

"Well I'll.... transmit this: It's about FUCKING TIME you people woke up and got on the stick!" Alfa said with no softening of her tone. "Damn RIGHT we'll take your help. Where the fuck were you a year ago? How about ten? Let's see, a year ago you were all trying to kill each other and doing a damn fine job, and ten years ago most of you were in knee pants!!!!"

"Mom!" Heero said, cutting in. "We're all really sorry, now shut the hell up and get on with this. We got a date with some aliens."

"BRAT!" Alfa hissed at the comm. "Tell me to shut up one more time and I will kill you. Is everyone on board? Fine, I'm coming in. Get out of my way!"

She brought the Tallgeese into the Matasail's bay. Climbing out, she yelled, "OMA! Make yourself useful... go talk to the damn dignitaries! Give them the low down. If that puny little boat they're rowing will make it to the Belt, they can come but tell 'em to stand off behind us just outside Mars orbit."

"Yes ma'am," Oma sang melodiously. From the control room of the Mantasail, she activated the comm.

"Lady Une, Preventer Peacecraft, agents Noin and Po, nice to meet you. Here are the facts as we know them," and she rattled off the information about the new rendezvous point and what pertinent facts they had.

Listening to Oma's account, each member of the Preventers took the information they needed and went to work updating and coordinating with what they had managed to piece together. Lady Une waited until they were done, then she turned to Oma. "We've heard of your work as well, Doctor. I must admit, I am impressed with both you and Alfa." she said.

Oma smiled. "You might want to not mention that to Alfa right now, she's had a rough day," Oma said. "When she morphs into a human again, I'm sure she will tell you she is extremely relieved that she doesn't have to finish this as a fugitive and a criminal, and even more so, that if anything does go wrong, at least someone will know what happened."

Lady Une smiled. "Believe me. I understand her quite well. I'm just glad to be here to help." she said, then sighed as she recalled her own dance through hell.

Wufei walked up to a comm in the control room. "Sally Po," he said. "This is Chang Wufei."

"Yes, I know," Sally said back, inwardly relieved to see and hear him again.

"I wanted to say I am glad to see you. And I am sorry I had to leave when I did," he said.

"It's all right, Wufei," Sally replied. "You deserve some time away from all of this."

Wufei grimaced, thinking of what took him away from the Preventers. "Thank you for understanding," he said.

"Besides," Sally replied. "Lady Une has you listed as Absent on Official Sanction... Just in case you ever want to come back, we haven't rented out your locker yet."

Wufei smiled slightly. "That's good to know," he said.

Then he looked at the blond who sat at the controls of the other ship. He looked at him for a long moment, and then said, "Zechs... there is something I need to tell you. It can wait till we are underway, but it might be best if it were before we reach the Belt."

Without a word, Milliardo leapt from his seat. Wufei had given him a good excuse to do something he'd wanted to do and he took it. The sight of all of the suits and the preparations and the fact that he was ship bound was nearly driving him nuts. He hit the comm. "Where do I meet you?" he asked.

Howard smiled, hearing the exchange. "Hey, Peacecraft... you have two minutes to shuttle yourself over here before we get underway! I'm sure the ladies can handle the piloting duties on the other ship."

"I'm on my way," Milliardo said, moving fast.

"We just lost Milliardo," Noin said in a resigned voice.

"It's a man thing," Lady Une said, shaking her head.

Elsewhere in the big ship, Quatre stopped, reaching out to touch the wall beside him for balance. He steadied, then took a deep breath and straightened. "They are coming," he said aloud. "They are approaching Jupiter orbit. We'll make it if we do best speed."

"Copy that!" Trowa called back. Moving over to Quatre, he hugged the other boy hard. "When we get back, I'm going to teach you how to wire walk," he said.

Quatre smiled. "After this, it should be easy," he said. "We better find acceleration couches."

Trowa nodded.

Zech's shuttle made it to the bay of the Mantasail as the big ship's engines fired up. The bay was sealed and the ship moved, starting the slow build of acceleration that would continue for almost half the trip.

It made movement in the ship problematic, but everyone there had had some kind of experience with similar flight so they all knew how to operate.

Most of the pilots were in the main control room, which had more acceleration couches than crew. Duo had gone there first and Howard promptly gave him a list of duties as first mate. He then gave another list to Heero, and looked around to see who else was slow enough to get caught.

Milliardo looked around and found Wufei. He was more curious and wondered what information the Chinese pilot could have had for him. "Wufei," he called and moved towards him.

Howard spotted him. "Peacecraft!" he called. "So, I seem to recall we have some unfinished business from about a year ago... your antics cost me a perfectly good ship... and I don't recall that you ever visited me or apologized or offered to pay for anything..."

Milliardo looked down at Howard. "You are right," he said. "I would like to apologize and ...."

"How about apologizing for letting me think you were dead all this time until the Barton thing," Howard said. "Hey, I thought you and me were buds! Who was there for ya when no one else was? Old Howard, that's who! And then you go joining up with White Fang and trying to destroy the Earth! That hurt, man! I mean that really upset me! Not to mention scared billions of people and messed up zillions in hardware..."

Milliardo lowered his head. He felt as though all of things no one had said to him were embodied in the words spoken by Howard. He smiled a little as he noted that he did not feel quite as tortured as before. It freed him to listen and understand Howard and gain a perspective he had not been aware of before. Stepping forward, he embraced the small, frail looking man. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Howard," he said. "Believe me, now I'm even more sorry than before. It was wrong to do that and my Father would have been extremely upset with me as well, had he lived to see it."

"Oh well, we were all upset with you," Howard said, and winked at Duo who was watching this with his head propped on his hand. "However, since you're man enough to apologize, I guess I can let bygones be bygones. But if you ever try and destroy the Earth again, that's going to be the end of our friendship, you hear?" he finished, deadpan.

"I understand," Milliardo said, and then spotted Duo on the acceleration couch.

Duo shrugged. "Don't look at me, man," he said.

"Well since we're friends again," Howard said, "And now you're hitching a ride on my boat, here's a few things I need you to do for me... okay?"

Milliardo looked over at Duo. Then he looked back at Howard, taking the list from him. "Sure Howard," he said. "Fell for it, didn't I?"

Duo grinned. "At least he's not makin' ya swab the decks," he said.

"Oh no, we have robots to do that," Howard said.

Wufei smiled slightly. He looked at Zechs. "I'll find you later," he said.

Milliardo shrugged. "Okay," he said, and then scanned the list and began his duties.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and the rest of you rabble, we are now leaving the area of the Earth Sphere. Next stop... the Belt," Howard said, leaning back in his seat.

Alfa strapped herself into a couch in one of the alternate pilot's lounges. A little quiet before the next bout of insanity. 'Remember to check on Quatre,' she thought.

We are, at last, on our way. My god, it's really happening. My twenty-year nightmare is about to come to its climax.

Next... Wufei's secret, Quatre's mission...

Comments eagerly welcomed!

bonne & von

Comments? Email bonnejeanne@yahoo.com or vonceia@yahoo.com

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