* * * * * * * * * * *
2 Months Later
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Mr. Yuy. Who killed your parents?" Romefeller stopped his pacing in the courtroom and looked directly into Heero's eyes. Well into his 60's, the old defense attorney did not lose the touch of his authoritative tone.
"Zechs Merquise." Heero replied, sitting solemnly in the witness stand. To say the name with such calmness was surprisingly easier than he had previously thought.
"What was your relationship with Zechs Merquise?"
"He was my boyfriend."
"What was the age difference between you and your boyfriend?"
"5 years."
"How old were you when you started your relationship?"
"14." Heero replied impassively.
Romefeller smiled. Glancing at the jury, he was sure that they were shocked by Heero's answer. "Did your parents approve of your relationship with Zechs Merquise?"
"No."
"How did they react to your relationship?" Romefeller knew to win is to hit at where it hurts. He smiled at Heero's controlled expression.
"Objection. The parents' reaction to the relationship is irrelevant to this case." Prosecutor Noin Lucrezia rose from her seat. She new that Judge Novinta probably would not agree with her but it would buy Heero some time.
"I am just trying to establish other possible motives behind Zechs Merquise' action."
"Overruled. Mr. Yuy, please answer the question."
"They discouraged it." Heero finally said quietly.
"Discouraged? As simple as that?" The lawyer smirked. Walking back to his desk, he picked up a file. "According to the police report, two weeks before the murder took place, a neighbor reported a violent commotion in your house that night." He paused, eyeing at Heero coldly. He was pleased to find him tensed. "Please tell us what was the commotion about?"
"We had a fight." Clenching his fists beneath the witness stand, Heero replied calmly.
"A fight. About what?"
Heero glared at Romefeller. "They wanted me to break up with Zechs."
Romefeller raised his eyebrows. He walked quickly toward witness stand and shoved a stack of papers in front of Heero. "According to the police who arrived at the scene of your so called "fight", isn't it true that your parents were in a state of hysteria?" Romefeller paused for the effect to settle in. " And you. You had sliced your own wrist and because of that, you were hospitalized for 2 days?"
Heero only bit down his lips. His hand unconsciously brushed over the healed wound.
"That was a question." Romefellor arrogantly prompted Heero for the answer he wanted.
"Yes." Heero shot a murderous glance at Romefeller. How dare he taint his memory of his family like that.
Romefeller was satisfied. He turned his back to Heero and gracefully walked toward the jury stand. "Ladies and Gentleman. The death of Senator HeeroYuy and his wife was unfortunate. However, this crime has nothing to do with my client. As I have established earlier, the only connection between Zechs Merquise and my client, Quinze, was that my client was Zechs Merguise's direct commanding officer. That was all. There was no indication of my client ordering Zechs Merguise to kill Senator Yuy and his wife. In fact, my client ceased to be his commander two years BEFORE the murder took place. Zechs Merquise killed Senator Yuy and his wife because of their violent objection to his relationship with their son. Ladies and Gentlemen. This crime has nothing to do with my client as Ms. Lucrezia was telling you. This is only a crime of passion. An act of a man who was driven by his love of this witness."
Heero suppressed the urge to get up from his seat and knock down the irritating lawyer. His fingers dug into his pants, bruising his already healed body.
"No more questions." Romefeller said as he returned to his seat. Victorious smile lingered at his mouth.
* * *
Merian sat quietly on the bench just outside of the courtroom. She couldn't stand to see his cousin under the scrutiny of that bastard. She had heard of Romefeller's name often on TV. He was a big shot lawyer in the city, who was both annoyingly smart and irritatingly arrogant. He fit the image of a blood-sucking lawyer perfectly.
Suddenly the door flung open and people started to walk out for a break for lunch. Merian hastily stood up on her toes looking for familiar faces.
"Dad! How did it go? Was Heero holding up okay?" Merian shouted as she waved her hands in the air. Her petite figure did not help when it comes to making people noticing her.
But Odin did. Pushing away from the crowd, he walked toward his adopted daughter. "That Romefeller was a bastard. Intelligent but a bastard." Odin reached Merian's side. "But it will be okay. We will nail Quinze with the evidence you helped find." Odin placed his hands reassuringly on Merian's shoulder. "Did I tell you that you did a good job?" Odin looked at Merian with love and pride. "I knew you would make it on time."
Merian blushed. "I didn't do much... and I felt bad that I..."
"Merian!" Quatre called out and rushed toward the Chinese girl while Wufei and Heero trailing behind him. "I am so glad you are here!"
Merian suppressed her snickers as she saw Wufei trying to avoid looking at her. Behind that badass attitude of his, he was in fact a very shy guy after all.
"Wufei and I are heading to a café nearby for lunch, would you like to join us? Merian?" Quatre gave his trademark sunshine-smile. His innocent gesture betrayed nothing in his private mind.
Merian barely held back her chuckle as she caught Wufei elbowing Quatre mercilessly from the back. "Sure. Dad, you want to come too?"
Odin patted Merian's head with affection. "That's all right. You go ahead. I have some business to take care of."
"Heero, you are not coming either?" Watching her father's retreating back, Merian turned her attention to her cousin.
Heero only lightly shook his head.
Merian took a long look at her cousin. Romefeller must have been very tough on him
during the cross-examination. "You are going to the cemetery?" Noticing
that he was holding a dozen of yellow flowers, Merian gently asked. "Do you
want me to drive you there?"
Heero shook his head again. He leaned toward Merian and gave her a light kiss on the
cheek. "Thank you Merian. Thank you for everything."
Merian smiled as Heero started to walk away. Heero was strong. It didn't
matter the outcome of this trial, he would be fine... because a whole new beginning was
just waiting for him around the corner.
* * *
"May I help you?" General Lowell's secretary asked politely. Secretly, she thanked to the dim lighting in the office for she was blushing very badly due to the handsome man standing in front of her. She was mesmerized in his long golden hair and crystal blue eyes. How old could he be? Maybe in his mid 20's? The secretary involuntarily shifted in her chair.
The man only smiled. "I have an appointment with General Lowell. If I could just wait in his office, that would be great."
"Sure. General Lowell just called and said that he will be back in 5 minute or so. Please go ahead and make yourself comfortable."
The man gently nodded and started to head toward Odin's office.
"Sir?" It took a few seconds for the secretary to finally return to her normal self as she called out apologizing after the handsome visitor. "I am so terribly sorry but I forgot to take your name down." The secretary silently berated herself. How unprofessional of her to let a man into the office without actually checking for his name on the calendar?!
The man paused and turned around. His face was as serene as the surface of a lake on a quiet summer night. "Milliard Peacecraft."
* * *
"Were you under Qunize's command when you were still part of White Fang?" Noin looked at her key witness. She knew that if she played this card right, they would definitely win this case. No doubt about it.
"Yes." The young witness nodded and gave a verbal confirmation.
"Were you giving a direct order from Quinze to track Heero down?"
"No. Quinze did not order me to track down Heero. He approached Duo to do the job."
Noin nodded. "And let us clarify. Duo Maxwell was your partner during the years when you belong to White Fang under Quinze's command? And when he approached Mr. Maxwell, you two already broke away from his team?"
Trowa nodded and gave a verbal confirmation again.
"What did he ask Duo to do?"
"He had threatened my former partner to track down and murder Heero Yuy." Trowa said impassively.
"How did he threaten your former partner?"
"He told him that he would reveal his identity as a government assassin." Trowa looked at Quinze. His barely masked the hatred in his tone. "He threatened him with the orphanage that we were running. He knew Duo wouldn't risk that."
"Did you notify Odin Lowell about this?"
"Yes. I told him that Quinze was behind the assassination of Senator Yuy and his wife and that he was tracking down Heero Yuy as well."
"And you have provided hard evidence for that?" Noin asked.
"Yes. Zech Marquis' diary, the computer print out of Quinze's secure email from Duo's computer and a tape of Quinze and Duo Maxwell's phone conversation are in your possession."
Noin nodded. "For the record of this courtroom," Noin picked up the mentioned evidence to show to the jury, "Trowa Barton has provided these evidence to support his statement. I will present the diary later when I do cross-examination with Quinze but for now," Noin took the computer print out and brought it in front of Trowa. "Please read what's on this paper."
Trowa nodded. "Shinigami, track down Heero Yuy, Quatre Winner and Wufei Chang ASAP. Signed White Fang."
"Thank you. Was shinigami Duo's codename?"
"Yes."
"And what was on this tape?" Noin picked up the tape and started to insert it into a tape player.
"It was a conversation between Quinze and Shinigami. Quinze had asked Duo to terminate Heero Yuy and kidnap Quatre Winner and Wufei Chang."
Noin nodded. She played the tape after the judge approved the action. The voice of the defendant was unmistakably played from the tape.
"Did Duo Maxwell obey the command?" Noin asked.
"He tried. But he couldn't do it." Trowa paused and lowered his eyes. "He ended up killing himself."
Noin flipped through the pages of the file in her hand. "According to the police report, you found Duo Maxwell's body in the school on the night of November third. He had shot himself in the temple. Died instantly. Heero Yuy was found in the same room, beaten. Was that correct?"
"Yes." Trowa gave the confirmation for the record of the court.
"No further questions." Noin sat down. Trowa was a strong character. Romefeller would meet his challenge for the day. He could argue the authenticity of the email and the tape all he want. Noin glanced at the jury and inwardly smiled. She knew that she had the jury wrapped around her fingers. All she had to do was to establish Quinze's motive behind the murder with Zechs' diary.
* * *
Heero opened the car door and stepped out. The cemetery was quiet. The wind blew across his face, tossing his messy brown hair under the bright sun light. He brought his hand up immediately, protecting the fragile flowers in his other hand.
"You want me to come with you?" Heero's driver lowered down the window glasses and called out after Heero. "You know, to keep you company and stuff." His elbow rested on the window frame.
Heero shook his head. "No. I'd like to go alone."
The young driver shrugged carelessly. "If you say so." He lowered the driver seat and leaned back. "I will just wait here for you then."
Heero nodded and turned, starting to pace down the small trail.
* * *
"How is Heero?"
"He is holding up all right." Odin closed his office door behind him and then started to walk toward the bar. "Some wine?" Without waiting for his answers, he opened the cabinet and retrieved two crystal wineglass.
Sitting on the sofa, Milliard only smiled faintly. "I am glad Trowa came forward. Otherwise Quinze might have slipped through your fingers."
Odin poured the wine into the glasses. "We will get him. With your diary and Duo's evidence, I will make sure he won't see the daylight for the rest of his life."
Milliard said nothing. Instead, he gracefully accepted the wine as Odin sat down on a chair next to the sofa. The two men sipped the wine in silence as soft piano solo was played in the background.
After it seemed like an eternity, Milliard put down his glass on the table and looked squarely into Odin's eyes. "Are you sure you are just going to let me go like this? I was the one who killed your brother. Not Quinze."
"Did you have a choice when you killed my brother?" Odin asked calmly. Sincerity and understanding radiated from his gaze.
Milliard looked at the composed man for a long time before he lowered his eyes. "No. I didn't."
"Quinze was responsible for the murder. Not you. You were only a nineteen year old child who tried to save his sister." Odin brought the glass near his lips. "Besides, without you, I wouldn't have suspected Quinze. He covered his track well. You led me to him. You gave us the evidence we needed to convict him. That was enough."
Milliard stared at his wine glass. "It still won't bring the dead back. What I did to Heero was..."
Odin threw his head back and laughed. "My apology." Odin steadied himself. "When you showed up in my office few months ago, I thought I saw a ghost." Odin finished the wine with a gulp. "Believe it or not, Heero is resilient kid. He will be fine. Though the past three years were confusing to him, he has picked up his life again."
Milliard smiled.
"Still no sign of your sister?"
Milliard shook his head. "No. I have a bad feeling that Quinze had already brainwashed her."
"I am sorry."
Milliard accepted the sympathy with a gentle nod. "What would be my next mission." He stood up gracefully and held out his hands to Odin.
Without hesitation, Odin returned the handshake. "Do you want me to tell Heero that...."
"No." Milliard shouted out uncharacteristically before he realized his action. Feeling the sudden adrenaline rushed through his veins, he fought hard to return to his graceful self. "Zechs is dead. As simple as that." Finally after recomposing himself, he added softly.
Odin looked at the killer of his brother for a long time and was surprised that there was no hatred on his part. "All right then." Odin said quietly and watched Milliard strolled out of his office, disappearing into the crowd.
* * *
"Isn't it true that you have detained Zechs' Merquise's sister, Relena Peacecraft, so that Zechs Merquise would follow your order?" Noin pressed her question. Her gentle voice and her patience were already eradicated by Quinze's stubbornness.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"According to Zechs' diary. You threatened him to murder Heero Yuy and his wife with the life of his sister, Relena Peacecraft." Noin held up an old diary and faced the jury.
"Anyone could have faked a diary."
"Our experts had already checked the handwriting in this diary. It matched perfectly with Zechs Marquis' handwriting. And we all know that Zechs is dead. The dead doesn't fake his own dairy." Noin took a deep breath. " I will remind you that you are under oath. Did you or did you not kidnap Relena Peacecraft in order to persuade Zechs Marquis to murder Senator Yuy and his wife?"
"Why would I do that?" Quinze smirked, not intimidated by Noin's firm voice. "I have no reason to kill them."
Noin looked at Quinze and hated him for lying so easily. "Very well. Why don't we start establishing your motive for the murder?" Noin started to walk back to her table.
"If you are going to say it's due to the political reason, you are wrong. His policy did not affect the funding to my department. I have no reason to go against him." Quinze smiled.
Noin turned and to Quinze's surprise, she did not show any signs of distress. "No." Noin smiled back. "I don't believe it's due to political reason either. If it were only politics, you would have order a quick assassination and plucked him off easily. Instead of making up this elaborate plan....."
"Objection!" Romefeller broke his silence. "Ms. Lucrezia is ....."
"I withdrew my statement. I am sorry." Not even looking at Romefeller, Noin cut him off. She cleared her throat and took a short time to recollect herself. "Mr. Quinze, where were you born?"
"Objection." Romefeller stood up, irritation shown on his face. "How is this relevant to this case?"
"I am trying to establish the motive of murder." Noin quietly retorted.
"Please get to the point quickly." Eying at the young prosecutor, Judge Novinta said.
Noin nodded. "Where were you born?" She repeated.
"Wakefield, Colorado." Quinze tossed her the answer without care.
"Heero Yuy and Sophia Yuy were also born in Wakefield, Colorado, weren't they?"
Quinze shrugged. "The town is not that small. How should I know?"
Noin smiled, holding up a thick book. "I did some digging in your past and came across this high school yearbook." She flipped through the pages and brought it up in front of Quinze. "Was this you?"
Quinze spared a glance. His easy attitude was slowly fading away. "Sure, that's me. What do you want?"
With the yearbook still stayed on the witness stand, she flipped the pages again. "Please read out this student's name."
This time Quinze didn't even look at the yearbook. "Heero Yuy." He slightly trembled as he said the words.
Noin flipped the pages again. "How about her?"
"Sophia Davitt." The name rolled out his tongue in a whisper.
Noin leaned toward Quinze. She looked at Quinze for a full second before she asked softly. "Were you, Heero Yuy and Sophia Yuy childhood friends?"
Quinze did not look back at her. He gazed at the clock in the back of room.
"I could call up the people in this yearbook one by one and they will all testify the same thing. Don't make me go through that trouble." Noin stepped away from the witness stand and started to head toward he jury. "Were you all childhood friends?"
"Yes." Quinze quietly said.
"Did you and Heero Yuy served in the same unit when you were in the army?"
"Yes."
"You were friends. Best of friends." Noin returned to the witness stand and flipped the pages of the yearbook again to show Quinze a picture of young Heero Yuy.
"Why? Love? Jealousy? Betrayal?"
Quinze continued to stare at the clock.
"Objection." Romefeller called out.
"Sustained. Ms. Lucrezia, I see what you are doing. But please clarify your question."
Noin nodded. "Heero Yuy turned to politics after his military career and married Sophia Davitt only one year after." Noin paused, making sure the jury was following her words. "Were you jealous of him? Were you in love with Sophia? Or did you feel betrayed when Heero Yuy left the military and turned to politics?"
"Objection!" Romefeller did not hide his angry in his voice. His face started turning a shade of crimson red. "She is making...."
Noin impatiently cut off Romefeller for the second time. "I am trying to show the jury why Quinze wanted Heero Yuy dead."
"Overruled. Mr. Quinze, please answer the questions."
Quinze averted his gaze and looked at the picture in front of him. Memory of Heero and Sophia flooded his mind, triggering a part of him that he had tried so hard to forget.
"Mr. Quinze, please answer the question." Judge Novinta prompted the defendant.
Quinze sat rigidly in the witness stand and lowered his head. Only the rise and fall of his shoulder indicated that he was still breathing.
Silence roamed in the air, threatening to suffocate the people in the courtroom. Noin only stood near the witness stand. She looked at the deflated defendant impassively.
"I plead guilty for conspiring to kill Heero and Sophia." Finally Quinze broke the silence. A drop of tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.
* * *
Heero brushed the snow-covering tombstone and kneeled down by its side. He gently placed a single yellow flower on the white grave. He gazed at the words on the stone as the cold winter breeze blowing across the trees quietly for the leaves were already gone. Though Heero was only wearing his thin trench coat, he was not bothered by the freezing weather of January. There was only one thing on his mind. He closed his eyes.
Few minutes pasted in silence before Heero stood up. "Sleep well, love." Casting his last glance, Heero turned and was surprised to find his driver standing a few feet away from him.
"Sorry. But Quatre called. And I just couldn't wait for you to come back to tell you that Quinze pleaded guilty." The driver smiled. "That Noin is something isn't she?"
Heero didn't say anything. He only looked at the young driver with a serene expression.
"That was him?" The driver looked pasted Heero's shoulder.
Heero nodded.
"Hum....." The driver walked toward the grave and stared at the words on the tombstone. "I only met him a couple times. He was actually one of the handsome type." The driver turned his attention back to Heero. "You know, the ones that knock you down with a smile first before they blow your head off." The driver grinned. "Just like me."
"Are you jealous?" The corner of his mouth slightly lifted as Heero asked.
"Me? Jealous? Are you kidding?" The driver shook his head wildly, causing his long chestnut braid blown in the gusty wind. "I am the best you can get, baby."
"I thought you don't lie."
"I don't. No one can be jealous of a dead corpse." The driver glanced at the grave. "This is your first time visiting his grave?"
Heero shook his head. "No, the first time I came was right after the hospital." Heero gazed at the tombstone. "I could finally face him."
"What did you tell him? You were sitting there for a while."
Heero only smiled. "That I fall in love again. With a baka."
The driver pouted. His violet eyes comically showed the disapproval of the word "baka".
Heero only chuckled and held his hand. "Let's go, Solo. It's getting cold."
'Solo' pouted again. "You know, I really don't like that name. Feel like I am Harrison Ford in Star War or something."
Heero leaned toward 'Solo' and placed an affectionate kiss on his lips. "What's wrong with Harrison Ford? He is a popular guy. Rich and famous too."
"He is SOOO OOOLLLLD." 'Solo' made a face. "How about Van. I like that. You know, from Vision of Escaflowne. He kicks ass."
"Anything is fine with me. Your old name is off the limit though."
"I hate lying."
"'Duo' was not your true name either." Heero was amused. "You thought of that name because you knew you had a dual personality."
"I still do. Hence I should get my old name back. 'Solo' is misleading."
Heero laughed this time. "A couple years later maybe. When there is less publicity."
Duo smiled. Honestly, he didn't really care what his name was. What mattered to him the most was that Heero was with him, that Heero loved him. "I never had a chance to say 'thank you' to Merian." Duo pulled Heero in and encircled him with his arms. "I never thank her for giving me the second life to love you."
Heero rested his head on Duo's shoulder. He inhaled his special scent and purred in content. "I already told her. She knew." Heero paused. "How is your hand?"
"It's okay. I probably won't be able to hold a gun for a while with that hand. But I can still protect you with my other."
Heero smiled. "I think Merian felt bad that she shot your
hand. There was no time for her to aim accurately at the gun. "
"Screw my hand." Duo looked into Heero's eyes. "I would risk
anything to be with you. I am so sorry that I actually wanted to kill myself.
I..."
Heero cut off Duo's words by sealing their lips together. He felt Duo's soft lips succumbed underneath the kiss. They would find happiness together. Heero knew that for a fact.
"Will you love me?" Heero broke away the kiss and stared into the violet eyes.
"As long as you love me, Heero."
"What if I decide to love you forever?"
"Then forever it is."
* * *