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Love That Was Never Meant To Be
Written by: Minky (January 2000)
//..........// denotes dreams
// Those strange voices just won't go away. Like little insistent pests
that one could never get it out of the house. They just kept coming and coming
…… ceaselessly…… " Hm!! You brat!!" " NOOOOOOOOO!" " Ah..ah…Good…very good… Struggle, more…" " NO… Let me go… Please… please…. Onegai…." Over and
over again, the voices ranted… " Oh God…. This feels so good!! So tight…." " No… please…… somebody, please help me………."// " No…… Please… please… please…" cried out Duo
piteously. " Let me go…" Suddenly, those flashes of memory had switched to one that was
tantalizing…. tormenting. Those vague kisses, those teasing touches……
/ Who is it?? /
But the face remains unrevealed.
Just
then, the focus was shifted to him being in a party. There were others around
his age. / Oh!, it’s so confusing… Who are these people anyway ?! / Other times, there were glimpses of vague images that came and went too
quickly for him to grasp at them, to hold them and examine them. He saw the
faces of several boys flashed before him. A blond boy was smiling at him,
calling out, "Come on, Duo." while another taller boy stood beside
him. He saw another Asian looking boy nearby. The blond boy kept calling out to
him. He was happy to see friendly people. He
tried to reach out for them but they seemed to be moving away from him.
Suddenly, everything was gone; those faces, those voices were gone. He looked
around him and noticed something in the shadows. A silhouette of a person, a boy
whose face he couldn't see. The boy pointed a gun at him. In a cold, harsh
voice, the boy spoke. "Omae o korosu." A shot rang out. // "Don't kill me! Don't kill me!" "Duo, Duo!" Heero was shaking him, lightly. He had been woken up
by Duo's sudden screams. "Don't kill me! Don't kill me!" The boy kept screaming. He
opened his eyes slowly, trying to focus his vision "Duo! You…you can talk again!" Heero almost shouted, surprised
yet delighted. He held the boy tightly in his arms and buried himself into the crook of
Duo’s nape, breathing in deeply of Duo’s scent. Two years. That was how long
he had waited for Duo to speak but for two long years, the boy had not uttered a
single word. These two years, he had been living in a world of his own with no
regards to the happenings around him or the ones who cared and loved him. Heero
did not know what to do. So many times, he had fallen into despair over Duo’s
condition. He had lost count of the number of times he wanted to tear his heart
out when Duo did not respond to either the treatment or him. / I’ve almost lost you…/
Heero hugged him tighter as the thought flashed into his mind for a
fraction of a second. "Oh Duo, you have finally come to your senses." Heero kissed the
boy's ear, grateful to the gods above for answering his prayers. "Let go…let go of me." Duo pushed him away frantically. Eyeing
Heero with a bewildered look, his next question threw Heero into dismay. "Who are you?"
===================
The telephone rang shrilly in the middle of the night, waking up the
room's occupants from their blissful sleep. Muttering a curse briefly at the
person who called at such ungodly hours, Trowa reached for the telephone.
"Hello?" he mumbled sleepily, holding the blond boy in his arm.
Suddenly, he sat up. "What?! You mean he……Ok, we will meet you at the hospital." Quatre rubbed his drowsy eyes. "Who is that?" Trowa replaced the receiver onto the phone.
"Heero." "Oh." Then Quatre blinked again. "Oh…..what happened? Is
it Duo …..?" Trowa nodded in silence. ===================
Duo sat uncomfortably at the couch, glancing around him. This person named
Heero had dragged him to the hospital despite his protest. / Just who the hell is he? / He wondered angrily to himself as he watched
Heero walked out of the room. Though he was angry with Heero, he still felt
strangely touched and an odd sense of happiness. / What is happening to me?? Why should I feel so happy that he is caring
for me? /
Before he could ponder over that, the door opened and several people
walked in including that strange boy, Heero. "What the hell...." Duo started to speak when a woman sat down
beside him and interrupted him. She looked at him, a calm expression on her face
as she began to introduce herself.
"Hello, my name is Sally Po. I am a medical officer. I have some
questions for you and you must answer me honestly, ok?" Duo nodded at her while eyeing at the rest curiously. / Just asking me some questions?? You need so many people to be present? /
He thought sarcastically but he held his tongue. Sally began to question him.
"Do you know your name?"
"Is….is it Duo or something? You people kept calling me that." "Where do you come from?" Duo shook his head. "Do you recognize any of them?" Sally pointed to the rest. Duo blinked, then frowned before pointing at Quatre. "Him….." Quatre's face lit up immediately.
"Oh Duo, you remember me?" "I think I have seen you before…… in my dreams." "Him? What about him? You know who he is?" Quatre pointed at
Heero eagerly. He thought that the sight of Heero might evoke some sort of
reaction or at least made him recollect his memory. But unfortunately, it was
not the case. Heero’s and Duo’s eyes met but there is no sign of recognition
in the latter’s eyes. / Is he insane or what?? How can I possibly know this guy?? /
He stared hard at Heero, attempting to recall his memory but nothing came
up. Yet, there was a perplexing sense of familiarity with this boy before him.
Just then, he shook himself hard, mentally.
/ How can I possibly be friends with such a dull person? He neither jokes
nor laughs…./
But somewhere, deep in his heart, there was a little voice screaming out
to him,‘ Don’t you remember him?’ "Duo? Do you know him?" A voice pierced through his thoughts. In
a flat, emotionless voice, Duo replied, "No, I don't know him at all." Heero almost doubled over with pain when Duo said that. Every word pierced
him deeply in his heart, producing such deep wounds. / Nazi?? Nazi?? /
He could not bring himself to accept the truth.
/ Why does Quatre appear in his dreams and not me? Why?? / All went deadly silent after Duo’s proclamation. They had never thought
that Duo would sprout out this denial. All recalled how Duo was always chasing
after Heero, trying to get his attention, how when Heero showed him the slightest
attention, he would immediately be in high
heavens. This was so strange, to see Duo not acknowledging Heero. Sally gave a
little cough, signaling for their attention. " I think we need to examine him further……"
All turned to her and nodded gravely. After further questioning, Sally
finally came to the conclusion that Duo had lost his memories of his past,
including him being a gundam pilot and his love for Heero. To him, Heero was a
complete stranger. Stunned by this unexpected turn of event, Heero had backed
out of the room.
In the hallway, he slammed his fist rapidly against the wall. Never in his
life had he ever felt such deep frustrations. Anger washed over him like
waterfall plunging into the crevice below. For the past two years, he had never
stopped hoping for Duo to awaken, to be his laughing angel again. But now,
though Duo had awakened, he did not remember who he was or how much he loved him
and that was tearing at Heero's heart. "Duo!! BAKA!!" He swore softly but grievingly to himself. / Oh God, please bring him back to me. / ====================
A few days later, Duo was allowed to be discharged from the hospital
though Sally wanted him to come back for weekly psychotherapy. Quatre then
suggested that Duo stayed at his estate to recuperate. He wanted Duo there
badly. He did not wish for Duo to be out of his sight. He knew he was being
unreasonable but he felt it was his duty to do so. After all, he was to be
blamed for Duo’s plight. He shuddered as the memory of what had happened to
Duo flashed into his mind. / It’s all my fault... / he thought miserably to himself and felt even
more guilty as he saw the tired but pained expression on Heero’s face for
these past few days. Heero, on the other hand, was quietly thankful for
Quatre’s offer and also for the fact that Duo did not object. He was rather
worried about Duo’s accommodation should he be discharged. He knew that no
matter what, Duo would not leave with him. But now that Quatre had offered, he
knew the boy would be safe at Quatre's place and also, he had the excuse of
being there with him since he was Trowa and Quatre's friend. It felt strange
having to resort to such means just to be with the long braided pilot.
As time passed, Duo had gotten along very well with Quatre. They were
talking like old friends, just like before. He didn't talk much to Trowa but was
polite enough. With Wufei, he still pokes fun at Wufei’s sense of justice,
just like in the old days. But with Heero, he was always wary, whether it
was out of fear or dislike, Heero was not sure. / Duo, it's me. Don't you remember? I'm the one you love. / On the other hand, Duo did not know how to treat Heero as well. He had
qualms about him allegedly liking the grim looking Heero. He just cannot bring
himself to believe them. How could he like Heero, how could he?? It was
impossible!! Besides, he knew his own sexual preferences. He would never be a
gay!! He liked girls more. This was reaffirmed when he had met Quatre’s
sisters. But should he ever fall in love with a guy, Quatre would be the most
likely choice.
/ How could I fall in love with him?
Impossible!!!
/
But he had this strange tug in his heart whenever that Heero was around.
He was so attuned to Heero’s expressions. He knew when the wing pilot was
upset about his aloofness. That blue cobalt eyes told him the sting of his
rejection. What was happening to him?? / No…. no, I mustn’t think of him……… /
====================
Quatre began to fill Duo with all the detailed events and happenings of
his forgotten life but he had carefully evaded the incident where he was
captured and raped. The boy listened with rapture and fascination as Quatre
related how he was an excellent gundam pilot, taking down mobile suits after
mobile suits with his deathly energy scythe, blowing up OZ's bases. "Wow, I really did all that?" Duo exclaimed. "Cool,
man." He believed every single word Quatre had said. However, he looked dubious
when Quatre told him about his relationship with Heero, the love and admiration
that he had for the Wing pilot. "You were always hanging around him, clamoring for his
attention." "Can't believe myself being so silly doing all that." Duo
frowned. "Trust me Duo, you love him very much." Quatre tried to convince
him. "But even if I did love him, that was in the past. I don't feel
anything for him now." Duo answered coolly. Quatre was speechless at that
remark, not knowing how to react. He searched keenly for any signs that Duo was
just making a jest but the seriousness of his expression convinced him
otherwise.
/ It’s all my fault…… I had hurt Heero and Duo…… All because I
was not by his side. If only I was there……/ " Du…Duo…" ==================== During those times Duo was at Quatre’s place, Heero came every day just
to be with Duo. He had spent so much time there in the hope that Duo will
regained his memories. He showed Duo some of their photos. Duo studied them with
a quizzical yet skeptical look. / Are you sure I was your koibito?? If so, why can’t I remember a single
thing about you?? Not even the tiniest shred of memory of who you are and what
you had meant to me……/ he thought to himself as he watched Heero flipping
the old photo album and trying his best to make him remember. Nonetheless, they
didn't mean a thing to him. How was he supposed to regain his memory when there
wasn’t much to see? He looked at the little photos the album contained and
glanced at Heero. "Let’s just stop, all right? There is nothing to see here! How am I
supposed to remember?!"
With that, he got up and walked away. Heero was very disappointed. So
little yet so much… / Though these were little photos but they mean so much to you,
Duo. Don’t you remember your treasure box? /
He put away the album and hid his face behind his hands. Duo’s rejection
was mentally exhausting him. What a paradox indeed.
Quatre saw what had transpired between Heero and Duo…… he didn’t
mean to spy but he was just coming out of his room when he heard the exchange of
words. He saw the anguish briefly on Heero’s face before he had hid
his face behind his hands. He felt really bad…… Suddenly, he felt a hand on
his shoulder. He turned and looked... Trowa. Strangely, he felt comforted.
He placed his hand over Trowa’s and leaned back into his comforting warmth. " Oh… Trowa….."
====================
Days became months; it became clear to Heero that Duo was feeling very
uncomfortable and unease around him. He would try to avoid Heero as much as
possible. He only enjoyed Quatre's company. It hurt Heero's feelings very much
but he tried to be patient about it. "Don't rush him, give him time. He is just recovering from a trauma
of memory loss." Trowa had advised. "I'm sure he will regain his
memories gradually. You have to be very patient with him." / How long?? / Heero wondered. "But what should I do to make him accept me into his life
again?" "Start over, woo him again. Win him back." Trowa and Quatre had
encouraged him. / Yes, I will win him back again. We will be together again. / So, one day, Heero decided to approach Duo with a pair of tickets. He
gathered all his courage together and asked, "Would you like to go to a
movie tonight? We…we could get some pizza afterward." Duo wanted to turn him down. He didn't want to go out with Heero. The
thought of it worried him. There was an unsettling feeling in his heart. "Why must I go out with him? I don't want to." Duo pleaded.
"Give him a chance, Duo. Try to get to know him." Quatre urged,
wanting to help them reconciled. So, in the end, he relented since Quatre was
very insistent about the whole thing.
They were quiet throughout the whole movie. As they sat across each other
at a pizza restaurant, the silence was getting more unbearable with each passing
minute. Heero looked at Duo who was gazing out of the window at the passing cars
on the road. Duo was bored, he knew it. He knew every little action Duo had when
he was bored but was trying to hide it. / What shall I do? / Heero decided to try striking a conversation for starters. "You enjoy the movie?" "Hn…ok." "Er…you like pepperoni pizza or you want something else?" "Anything." Heero grimaced as he thought of this irony situation. Duo used to be the
one to carry the conversation while he just gave grouchy replies. Now, he was
the one who has to come up with conversations and receive these short,
uninterested responses from Duo. He realized how Duo must have felt previously
of his cold response and his heart twitched at the thought of his previous
treatment towards this boy. Their places had been switched…. What an irony
this was. / This must be my retribution. I have been so insensitive to his feelings
and mistreated him previously. Now God is punishing me with this. /
Heero looked guiltily at the boy sitting across him, the boy who used to
love him so much, adore him to the high heavens, who gave anything just to see a
smile on his face…… whose love was unrequited. Heero couldn't help as the
feelings of guilty conscience grew in his heart. / Please forgives me, Duo. Give me another chance and I promise I will
make it up to you. Just give me another chance. / They continued to eat in silence. Duo looked distracted, munching his
pizza rather reluctantly. / Oh God…. How long must I stay here?? He is so damn BORING!!!! /
He really began to doubt Quatre’s words about him being madly in love
with this block of wood.
~Trust me Duo, you love him very much. ~
The conviction in Quatre’s words made him thought harder, trying to
recall how and why he could fall in love with this grim looking, uninteresting creature, but to no avail. Nothing came up…… / How could that be?? Do I really love him?? Why is it I cannot remember a
single thing about him?? Why I seem to have vague remembrance of the rest except
him?? Why?? /
Heero just observed and kept quiet. He cannot think of anything to say.
What can he say?
While walking back to Quatre's house, Heero wanted very much to hold Duo's
hand, yet was afraid of Duo’s reaction. But when their hands accidentally
brushed against each other, he finally could stop guessing about Duo’s
reaction. The boy had shoved his hands into his pockets quickly at that
slightest touch. The moment they reached the
house, Duo quickly fled back to his room. Heero couldn't helped but noticed the
relief look on the boy's face as they stepped into the house. / How long?? / he wondered again. Yes…… how long must he wait before
Duo finally regained his memory??
/ How long? /
Though Duo wasn't showing much interest or response to him, Heero made it
a point to continue with the 'dates'. He made that a daily routine. Trowa and
Quatre were very encouraging of his moves. They motivated Heero not to stop
trying while they hoped these 'dates' would enlightened Duo, would changed his
impression of Heero.
Heero sometimes, would take him for a stroll in the park, catch a movie or
just simply go down to the beach to enjoy the sea breeze and listen to the
waves. Heero was willing to try anything to bring the love and laughter back to
his beloved Duo again. But there was little improvement.
These 'dates' went on for a few weeks. Although Heero set out to reawaken
the love in Duo, he couldn't see any results of his effort. He was getting
disappointed and discouraged. He also had to put up with Duo's erratic behavior
and emotional outburst. Duo's continual confusions over the life that he had
forgotten, over the relationship with Heero that he had no recollection of, were
causing temper outbursts that were never found in him before. The once cheerful
and fun-loving boy was now moody and temperamental. Duo was angry with Heero for
forcing him to go on the 'dates'. Heero only wanted to help Duo regained his
memories; to make him remembered who he was and how much he loved him. But to
Duo, he felt that Heero was controlling his life.
This led to a heated argument one day and Heero's patience was wearing
thin. In a fit of anger, Heero did something that he regretted very much later.
He slapped Duo hard across the cheek. It was only when Duo hit the floor that he
realized what he had done. "Oh my goodness….." he stared at his shaking hand.
Stunned by the unexpected assault, Duo sat on the floor with eyes wide in
astonishment. Heero quickly pulled him up on his feet. "Duo, I am sorry. I shouldn't have hit you. I …." Duo shoved him away and screamed out angrily. "Go away! Stay away
from me!" Duo began to throw everything he could get his hands on at Heero. Pillows,
alarm clock, vase……Heero dodged all the flying articles when suddenly he
yelled out.
"Duo, don't!"
A photo frame came flying at him. The frame that held their photos which
Heero found in Duo's treasure box. The frame hit the wall and on impact, dropped
to the floor with a loud crash, shattering the glass. Heero stared at the
destroyed photo frame, the one thing that changed his life, the one thing that
he cherished so much during Duo's years of silence. "I hate you! Why don't you just get out of my life?!" Duo cried
out. "Because I love you," Heero whispered to himself as he left the
room with a heavy, dejected heart. He cannot bear to stay in the room. That
photo frame… it symbolized their love, it was one thing that kept him going
but Duo had thrown it at him carelessly. Duo cannot remember. Their love
was not that strong as he had thought initially. He thought that their love
could transcend all boundaries, difficulties… But apparently, it was not the
case. Those photos were the ones Duo cherished so much. He even put them
beside his computer console in his gundam. But now ? He had even discarded
them. That one action had wounded Heero’s heart
more severely than other wounds he had sustained.
Just then, Quatre and Trowa came running upon hearing the commotion and
saw Heero standing outside the room.
"What happened?" Trowa asked a distraught looking Heero while
Quatre went into the room to look for Duo. "We had an argument and I....I hit him." Trowa remained silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "This is getting very stressful for you, isn't it? And Duo isn't
making things any easier." Heero nodded miserably and replied in a choked voice, "He just can't
accept me. I don't know what to do anymore." In the room, Quatre tried to comfort the sobbing Duo. "I'm sure he didn't mean to hit you. He loves you too much to hurt
you. He is just getting emotionally upset." "So am I. It's not my fault that I can't remember who he is. What
gives him the right to boss over my life?" Duo brushed away the angry tears
in his eyes. "I hate him." Quatre shook his head immediately. "No, you don't mean that,
Duo." "I hate him! I HATE HIM!" Duo continued to shout angrily.
Outside the room, Heero leaned against the wall weakly, fists clenched
tightly at his sides as the shouts came through the door clearly. Trowa stood
there, helpless in this situation. Not knowing what to say to Heero. What
does one say to a person when his lover does not remember the love they once
shared? What does this mean?? Was their bond that fragile? He had no
idea. Heero stared at the door for a long time. Many thoughts were swarming in his head. Every word coming out from that closed
door was like little sharp arrows piercing through his already bleeding heart.
It was painful, hot and fiery, like the burning sensation one gets from taking a
long draft of martini. / Maybe he will be better off without me. / ==================== It had been a week since Heero left. He had contemplated to leave for good
but Trowa and Quatre dissuaded him from doing so. Heero was reluctant to leave
too but those words that Duo had muttered, it was a driving force for him to get
out. Finally, he had reached a compromise with Quatre; he will put up at
Quatre's vacation house temporary while they tried to persuade Duo.
Duo didn't say anything or show any concern when Quatre informed him about
Heero's departure. / I will be happier without him. / Or so he thought. He began to feel
empty and lost and he didn't understand why. / Shouldn't I be feeling happy now that Heero is gone? Why am I feeling so
empty and lost? Do I miss him already? / Duo went to the park and the beach where Heero used to take him to but the
feelings were just not the same. The feeling of one person by your side,
blocking the wind that blew over the park, keeping you warm and cherished just
by that little action. It felt odd to be there alone when previously it was
filled with Heero's warm presence. Sitting at a bench in the park one day, he
observed a couple at the next bench. Seeing the loving exchange between them,
Duo began to ponder of the times Heero was with him. At that time, Duo was
practically ignoring him, wasn't paying any attention to him at all. Now as Duo
thought back, he began to notice how loving and gentle Heero was towards him.
How he had to put up with his unreasonable temper outbursts and was still very
patient with him. Duo gradually realized that he had fallen in love with Heero
unknowingly. / Is it possible that I...I actually love him? Is that why I am feeling
so empty and lost? / That night, Duo wrote him a letter after obtaining the address from Quatre. Quatre was delighted by Duo's change of heart. ==================== It had been a fortnight since Duo mailed out the letter to Heero.
Everyday, he was expecting a reply from him but there was none. Duo was getting
more and more despondent. / Why had he not reply?? Why?? /
He wondered anxiously, thinking of many reasons why Heero had not replied. / It's my entire fault, I chased him away. Can't blame him for deciding
not to come back anymore. / Seeing the depressed Duo, Quatre was worried. He tried to call Heero but
he just couldn't get through. "Come on, Heero. Don't ruin this chance." Quatre prayed. ************* After waiting about three weeks for Heero’s damn reply, Duo finally gave
up. Three weeks of pointless waiting, Duo was getting very
angry and very disappointed. / What is this?? All the fancy claims about you loving me. Are they
some fancy words that don’t mean anything?? Why have you not reply me?? Why?!
YOU BAKA!!! / Quatre watched Duo getting more and more upset with each passing week. He
knew that Duo was getting more unsure of Heero and the love Heero claimed to
have. He decided to do something to stop Duo from thinking too much. He will
take Duo to the city to shop. Shopping, he
knew, was one of Duo’s pastimes. He remembered how Duo used to drag reluctant
Heero to the city and window-shop. He recalled fondly how they had came home
with bags of goodies which Heero had grumbled about them being useless but had
indulged Duo with his spending spree. / Ah… those good times…… /
He looked at Duo who was getting ready to leave the house. He wanted to
accompany the long braided pilot but Duo wished to be alone. Quatre had no
choice but to send him off on his own. "Be careful, Duo!!"
Duo just smiled and waved goodbye. Suddenly, Quatre felt a chill running
up across his spine. He felt something bad was going to happen….. / Masaka…… No..it can’t be…I’m just being ridiculous… /
He shrugged off the nagging feeling and went back to his chores.
The sun was scorching and the air felt dry. But it had no effect on Duo
who was roaming aimlessly on the street. His thoughts were on the one person who
was absent from his life, who he had chased away. / Why am I feeling so helpless? Can't I handle my own life without him? / "Hey, watch out!" Someone shouted. "Get out of the
way!" Duo glanced back to see a runaway car coming straight at him. The driver had lost control of the vehicle and was horning and shouting at pedestrians to dive out of the way to safety. Acting on reflexes, Duo quickly jumped out of its way onto the sidewalk. He staggered backwards and tripped over a protruding brick on the pavement. He fell back and his head hit against the window glass display of a shop. Blood stained the broken glass as the unconscious body slumped to the ground. Horrified crowds gathered around the injured boy as blood began to pool around him. ==================== Heero dropped the grocery bag on the kitchen table and removed his coat. "Darn this weather." he cursed. The place had been hit badly by
a snowstorm for three weeks. He couldn't even go out to replenish foodstuff. The
phone lines were cut off too. As he opened the cabinets to stock up the can
food, he heard a knock on his door. "Good day to you, Sir." the postman greeted. "Due to the
bad weather, all the mails are delayed. Here you are."
The postman handed him a letter and left. Closing the door, Heero looked
at the letter quizzically. "Who could have send this?" he wondered.
Looking at the envelope again, he recognized Duo's handwritings. Tearing
the envelope with shaky hands, he took out the letter nervously. His expression
changed from surprised to elated by the time he finished reading the letter. " Dear Heero, Gee… I do not know what to write. It feels so strange, you know... I
mean, after what I had Signed, Duo."
"Duo, oh Duo, I missed you too." Heero muttered, clutching the
letter tightly in his hands. "I am coming back now, Duo. Wait for me." He ran to his room and began to pack his stuff. Halfway through, the phone
rang. He picked up the phone impatiently. "Hello?" "Heero! Oh, thank God the phone lines are restored." It was
Quatre. "Heero, I…..I have a bad news for you." As he listened to the
phone, his face turned deathly pale. He felt the world shattered around him. His
knees buckled, he dropped the phone and sank to the floor numbly. "Heero? Heero?….." The phone receiver was left hanging from the stand. ==================== The car sped faster and faster, ignoring the blasts of horns and
screeching brakes from oncoming vehicles. Heero only wanted to get to the
hospital fast. Quatre's words rang painfully in his mind. "Duo had an
accident. He is in the hospital now. Brain hemorrhaging, the doctor said." / Why must this happen to Duo? My poor Duo. I'm coming Duo, hang on. I'm
coming. /
Heero thought wildly. / How could this be happening? Oh God, is this a cruel joke ?? Why is this
happening to me?? Oh God, I beg of you… please give me a little more time, I
want to be there…. To be there with my Duo….. /
Heero slammed the accelerator pedal to the floor, forcing the car to go to
its full limit. / Duo, I am reaching there… Hang on… You’ll be fine….. /
The car lurched forward; its engine whirred furiously. Heero's mind was so
preoccupied with thoughts of Duo; his heart so worried about his condition that
he wasn't paying attention to the road. Tears in his eyes blurred his vision. He
didn't notice a big truck rounding the curve. An air horn blasted. Coming to his
senses, Heero quickly spun the wheel hard. The tires screeched in fury as he
struggled to keep the car away from colliding with the truck. The truck driver
hit his brakes. Not in time.
Crash!!! Bang!!! The big rig squealed to a stop while the impact of the collision sent Heero's car crashing into the road divider. The highway stood quiet. The rasp of crickets and the faint hum of power lines provided the only sounds. ==================== Trowa and Quatre waited anxiously for the ambulance at the main entrance
of the Accident & Emergency section of the hospital. Both of them were on
tenterhooks. Earlier, Sally received information that Heero was involved in a
head on collision with a truck while on his way to see Duo. Paramedics were
rushing him to the hospital now. Trowa and Quatre held each other tightly for
support. It was so very stressful for them to see two of their good friends
suffering like this. Why, oh why must God be so cruel to both of them? A loud
siren was heard. Doctors and nurses pushed the stretcher forward as the
ambulance pulled up at the curb. "Heero!" Quatre called out when he saw the paramedics lowered
Heero onto the stretcher from the ambulance. Heero looked disastrous. He had
cuts and bruises on his face and arms with blood oozing out from his wounds,
staining his shirt and denim jeans. The doctors and nurses quickly rushed him to
the emergency room with Trowa and Quatre closed behind. In the emergency room, the doctor checked his injuries while the nurses
attached an I.V. bag on the stand, jabbing the needle with the tube into his
arm. According to the rescuers, it took them a half-hour to extract Heero from
the crumpled metal. Sally came into the emergency room. Seeing Heero's
unfavorable conditions, she turned to the doctor. "How's he doing?"
The doctor kept shaking his head. "Bad, very bad. Broken ribs,
puncture heart and he is suffering a precipitous drop in blood pressure," he
muttered. Trowa and Quatre exchanged worried looks. The doctor ran out of the
emergency room, shouting at the nurses to bring in the adrenalin.
Heero had regained consciousness briefly. His weak hand kept pulling at
his oxygen mask. Trowa rushed to his side.
"Don't, Heero. You need this."
Heero was whispering something that was barely audible. Trowa leaned down
and placed his ear near his mouth. "Du…Duo…..see…..D…Duo….." Heero gasped breathlessly. "You want to see Duo? Ok, we will take you to see him." Trowa
replaced back the oxygen mask and turned to Quatre. "Quatre, quick. Let's get Heero to Duo's ward."
Quatre nodded and began to release the brakes on wheels of the sick bed
while Trowa removed the I.V.bag from the stand. Together, they wheeled the bed
out of the emergency room, ignoring the doctor-in-charge's angry shouts. "Hey, what do you think you are doing? Come back here!"
The doctor was about to go after them when Sally stopped him.
"No, let them go. This is the least they can do for him now." They pushed Heero into the intensive care unit, placing his bed next to
Duo's. Heero turned his head with great difficulty to look at his beloved. Lying
unconscious on the bed, Duo had IV tube sticking from his arm, its flow
regulated by a small computer. There were some wires attached to his chest from
the heart monitor and his breathing was assisted by an oxygen mask. The boy had
no idea how much it hurt Heero to see him in such a helpless condition. Heero
tried to reach into his pocket. "What is it, Heero?" Trowa asked.
Heero gestured at his pocket. Trowa reached into his pocket and took out a
small ring case. In the case were two glittering platinum rings. Heero held up
his hand to Trowa. Trowa nodded, he understood what Heero wanted him to do.
Removing the rings from the case, he passed one of the rings to Quatre. Trowa
slipped the ring onto Heero's finger while Quatre slipped the other one onto
Duo's. Time stood still for all present. Heero smiled weakly. Though he had
not the chance to speak his vows to Duo, he knew Duo would understand. Heero
gave them a little gratified nod. He reached out for Duo's hand. Summoning all
his strength, he gave Duo's hand a squeeze. / Duo……… Will you marry me? / he gazed fondly at the seemingly
lifeless figure on the bed. / I do…… / A little content smile appeared on his lips. He tried to raise Duo’s
hand to his lips but his grip slowly began to loosen. Suddenly his hand fell
limply to the side. His labored breathing had stopped. "Heero!" Trowa shook Heero's
unresponsive
body.
At about the same moment, Duo’s heart monitor stopped beeping, a single
solid line running across the screen with a low monotonous sound. "Duo!" ==================== It was drizzling that morning. Despite the raincoat, Trowa's lanky body
shivered in the damp wind. Holding a sobbing Quatre, he turned to see the
workers from the funeral parlor shoveling mud onto the two caskets in the graves
where a pair of star-crossed lovers laid. They were devastated by Heero and
Duo's untimely deaths. A cruel twist of fate had turned a promising relationship
into a sad ending in life. After the workers had finished lying the graves,
Trowa and Quatre walked forward and offered their flowers, silently saying a
prayer in their hearts. "Both of you had so many misses during life. We sincerely hope that
you will be united in death."
~~~The End~~~ Copyright © 2000 Minky |