* Duo, no baka!* The braided pilot groaned as he struggled to wake up. *This is what you
get for drinking so much last night. Serves you right* Duo scolded to himself. As he got
to his feet he muttered under his breath, "yea, yea, I know, but man! Did I have
fun!" Now fully awake he dressed quickly and headed to the kitchen. The other pilots
were already up and eating their breakfasts. Heero didn't' even cast him a glance as he
scolded him. "It's about time you woke up. The enemy could've attacked us and -you-
would still be sleeping."
"Oi Heero, lay off a bit! I had a hard night. I deserved a little sleep didn't I?
Nani! Have you guys ate ALL the food?! What am I supposed to eat, I'm staaaarving!"
Duo put on his most pathetic orphan-in-the-dirt-streets-and-hungry look on his face.
Quatre just laughed and gave him a plate of food.
"Here ya go Duo, I saved you some."
"Quatre! My lifesaver! Remind me to save your life sometime. Thank you for the
food!!" With that Duo attacked the plate with great fervor.
"You can't save his life Duo," said Trowa calmly.
"Nani??" asked Duo and Quatre in unison.
"That's MY job" he said as he wrapped his arms around the blonde
pilot…Quatre blushed.
"oh…heheh. don't worry Trowa I wouldn't think of takin away your job! " Duo
smiled at the cute couple.. and then continued shoving food into his mouth. With his mouth
full of food he asked, "So what's on the agenda for today?" He look to Heero for
an answer. Heero didn't' even give him a glance, he just continued typing away at his
computer. So Duo looked to Quatre. "Well?"
"Well, we aren't really sure. We haven't received a mission for
a few days, so I guess we just stay here and wait."
"Aw, man. I don't' want to have to sit around here all day and stare at HIM"as
he pointed to Heero, "again! Can't we -do- something?"
"Well I suppose we could go riding or something" As Quatre spoke he was
interrupted by the beeping of their wrist units. Heero was the first respond, "come
on , we have a mission."He went over to the computer to see what it was.
"There's an Oz mobile suit factory not far from here. We are to destroy it."
"Jeez! First mission in FOREVER. And all we hafta do is go in….BOOM..and we're
done? That's no fun" whine Duo. Heero glanced at him sharply and spoke in a sharp
tone that made even Trowa wince. "No matter what the mission is we do it. A mission
is a mission. They are not supposed to be 'fun'. You must always be alert no matter how
'easy' the mission may seem. There is always a chance of something going wrong! Especially
when YOU'RE around. Remember that." Duo eeped and moved away from Heero.
"OK, OK I get the message don't go postal on me."
All the pilots huddled around the computer for the briefing on the mission.
"Everybody clean on what they must do?" the pilots nodded. "OK then,
prepare for the mission." With that Heero closed the computer and went to go prepare.
Later. Outside the Oz base…..
Heero spoke to the group of pilots in front of him. "OK I'm going to go in and lay
the explosives in the foundation. Trowa you'll come with me. Duo you stay here and watch
for any people coming. Wufei you and Quatre stay out side and wait for my signal. When I
tell you to, fire your gundams at the fuel tanks and ammunition warehouses here and
here" Heero pointed to the map , "Got it? Is everyone clear on their job?"
Heero looked at the pilots and scowled as he saw Duo start to speak. "What do you
want me to do if anyone comes?"
"Kill them".
"Oh…..OK.. got it."
"OK now everyone set your watched, if we have not given the signal within 15 minutes,
I want all three of you to fire at the base with your gundams until it is destroyed."
Quatre broke in, "But Heero, what about you and Trowa?"
"Just do as I say, if I haven't given the signal it means something has gone wrong
and you are to proceed with the mission, do you understand?" Quatre started to
protest but was silenced by the look on Heero and Trowa's faces. "Ok, we'll do
it."
"Ok, now everyone go to your spots. Trowa, let's go" Heero and Trowa quietly
slipped into the building. Duo sat on his Gundam and watched. " Man is this ever
boring. I HATE missions like these." Movement around the corner of the building
caught his eye. He mumbled to himself.."hello, what's this? I'd better go take a
look." He made sure his Gundam was still hidden from view and went to investigate. An
Oz soldier was around the corner, standing watch. "Sorry buddy, but I can't risk
you." Duo mumbled as he took aim. As he shot the gun he thought to himself *It's a
good thing this gun has a silencer, or I'd have half of Oz over here by now* He sprang out
of the bushes and dragged the soldier's body in to the forest. *Hmm.. Maybe I should keep
his clothes. I might need them sometime. Duo removed the guy's clothes and went back to
his Gundam. *Only 7 more minutes, C'mon you guys, hurry up.*
Meanwhile, inside the base…..
"All set on the North side" came Trowa's voice from the headset "Ok I'm
almost done the South side, Just one more. You go and watch with Duo and I'll be right
out"
"OK"
*C'mon Heero, why're you so slow? Trowa's already done setting his explosives. Why're you
behind?* Heero thought to himself as he made his way down the dark corridor. *Oh yea,
there was that trouble with the guards in the basement, that took a few minutes to hide
the bodies* Heero saw the place where he was to put the last bomb and hurried over. His
fingers worked quickly to set it up. He glanced down at his watch. 2 minutes left. As soon
as he finished he started to make his way out. "Quatre, Wufei, are you two
ready?" He waited for their answers.
"Yes Heero, I'm ready whenever you are" came Quatre's soft voice over the
headset.
"Affirmative Heero, just give the signal." Came Wufei's reply.
"Ok I'll be giving the signal any time now, so be ready to shoot."
"OK"
*Good I can see the door now, almost there* Heero thought as he saw the door leading
outside a short distance in front of him. Suddenly he heard the familiar click of a gun.
He froze. From behind him came a voice." Well, well, if it isn't Heero
Yuy."*Trieze!* Heero slowly turned around.
"Now just where do you think you're going Heero?" Trieze approached Heero with
his gun aimed at Heero's head.
"What do you want Trieze?" Heero said calmly through his clenched teeth. He
quickly glanced at his watch …..only 30 more seconds.
"You know what I want. You. Dead." Trieze started to squeeze the trigger.
"Well then why don't you join me in hell!" Heero yelled as he grabbed the
explosives detonation device form his shorts. Trieze's eyes widened. "no! wait!"
Heero stared him in the face as he calmly pushed the button.
Outside the base…….
Quatre and Wufei looked at their watch and saw that time was up. Just then there were
explosions inside the base. "That must be the signal! Fire away" Quatre and
Wufei proceeded to annihilate the base.
From his watch post Duo saw Trowa run out of the building. Relief washed over him. *Good
they made it in time. But wait! Where's Heero?* As soon as Trowa reached Duo the braided
pilot started to open his mouth, but Trowa just grabbed him…."Come on
……MOVE!!" and duo felt himself being dragged from the
base……….. When they were a safe distance away, Duo caught his
breath….."Where's Heero? Why did you leave him in there?"
"Heero told me to leave, he one more to set up and was going to follow. He'll be
out." As soon as the words left the green eyed pilot, they heard the explosions start
and watched horrified as the base went up in flames under Quatre and Wufei's attacks.
"Heero! Nooooooooo!" Duo yelled. He started to run towards the base, but was
stopped by Trowa. "No, you'll get hurt I you go there now."
Duo out of his grip."No, let me go I have to find him!"
"No, Duo wait!" Duo ignored him and ran towards the base.
Quatre and Wufei were pleased with their accomplishment and hid their gundams by Duo's.
When Quatre got out of Sandrock and reached the ground, Trowa was waiting for him. Quatre
was so happy to see the pilot had made it out alright. "Trowa, you're ok.i'm so glad!
You made it out in time. Wait, where's Heero and Duo?"Trowa just looked to the now
smoldering base. Quatre paled. "What? You mean they were in there?" The ground
was beginning to feel unstable, and Quatre felt queasy…
"Duo wasn't, he was here with me. Heero was inside when he started the explosives.
Duo just ran off to find him." Trowa said in a calm voice, but Quatre could see the
worry in his green eyes. "What? You let Duo go in there?" Quatre looked like he
was about to cry. "No I didn't' -let- him. I couldn't stop him"
" Well let's go and get them!" Quatre yelled as he broke into a run towards the
base, Trowa and wufei close behind. *Heero, Duo please be alright, you have to be ok*
Quatre worried to himself as he ran harder.
When Duo reached the base he was completely out of breath and everything hurt, his legs,
his heart, his lungs, everything. But not from running. "Heero, how could you do
this? Why didn't you come out?" Duo mumbled softly as he searched for a door in to
the still burning wreckage. Suddenly his eye caught movement. Duo could see into a
corridor through the burning doorway. "NOOO! Heero!" Without thought to the
flames around him, Duo rushed throughout the doorway and ran to Heero's side. *He's still
breathing! I've got to get him out of here!*
"Come on Heero, we're blowin this joint!" Duo grunted as he picked up the
unconscious Heero and ran back through the burning door. Duo got a safe distance from the
fire before he put Heero down. Duo looked at him. "Heero.." *He's hurt so bad.*
"Heero, you can't leave me." He whispered.
Duo crumpled to the ground next to Heero, cradling the barely breathing pilot in his arms.
*I never go to tell you…how I feel Heero, Please…..don't' die!* Tears trickled
down his face.
The three other pilots rushed up to the base. "Look!" Quatre cried pointing to
where Heero and Duo lay on the ground. They ran over. The pilots just stared at one
another in silence. Trowa broke the silence. "Is he?" Duo shook his head.
"No, he's still breathing…..barely." Tears welled up in his eyed again and
he lowered his head shamefully at having the other pilots see him cry.
Quatre, was the first to take action. "Well what are we waiting for?! Let's take him
to Dr. J!" Trowa reached to take Heero from Duo's arms."No, I want to."
"But Duo, you're hurt. You can't carry him all the way to the Jeep." Duo looked
confused. Trowa pointed to Duo's hands and arms which were burned and cut badly. *That's
weird I didn't' even feel that* Duo thought to himself as he let Trowa take Heero and
allowed Quatre to help him up. Duo sat next to Heero in he Jeep. The other pilots could
hear him mumbling under his breath."Heero.." suddenly Duo wasn't mumbling
anymore. The others looked back quickly. Duo had passed out, either from loss of blood or
pain. Trowa sped even faster along the road to Dr. J's
Duo's eyes shot open *where am I?* Then he remembered……"Heero!" Duos'
yell brought the other 3 pilots out of their sleep. Quatre went over to him. "Duo!
Thank God you've finally woken up!"
"Where's Heero?" Duo asked, searching the faces of the 3 pilots in front of him.
They all looked at their feet. "Is he…..?"Duo couldn't finish the sentence
as he face crumpled in agony.
Trowa broke the silence. "No, but he's still very badly injured Duo. It's still
possible he might not wake up." Duo jumped up from his bed, wobbling unsteadily on
his weak legs. "I want to see him" He started to take a step but fell to his
knees. Quatre rushed to help his friend. Duo looked up at him with watery violet eyes.
"Please, Quatre" Duo's voice broke, "I need to see him." Quatre
couldn't' resist Duo's pleading look. He sighed, and looked at Trowa. Trowa gave a slight
nod of his head, then he walked over to Duo and picked him up . "Come on Duo, I'll
take you to see him." Duo, flushed from his exertion just sunk into Trowa's arms and
murmured, "Thank you." as he blacked out.
When Duo came to he was in a chair next to a hospital bed. Then he realized its' occupant
was Heero."Heero!" Duo exclaimed as he moved the chair closer to the bed so he
could look at him. *He look so peaceful when he sleeps, like an angel* Duo took Heero's'
hand in his an was surprised it felt very warm. "Heero, please wake up" he
whispered pleadingly to the unmoving figure. Duo traced Heero's hands with his fingers.
*Such strong hands. So strong, so much stronger than me* He leaned his head down and
kissed the back of Heero's' hand lightly. The braided pilot almost jumped as Heero's'
thumb moved "Heero?" Duo looked at the face searching for any kind of movement.
Then the eyelids flickered a bit and suddenly there were two blue eyes staring at him. Duo
put the most cheerful smile that ever crossed his face onto his pained expression. He
wanted the first thing Heero to see was his smiling face. "D..Duo?" Heero
whispered. "What are you doing here?"
Duo tried to put his most nonchalant sounding voice on and said "Well, I had to come
and make sure you didn't self-destruct and blow us all up or anything." Duo hope
Heero wouldn't' hear the forced cheerfulness Duo was talking with. But Heero wasn't the
perfect soldier for nothing. He could see the pain in Duo's eyes and hear the anguish in
his voice. He stayed silent. Just then the others came in….."Oi! Heero you're
awake!" Quatre exclaimed as he rushed over…the others nodded in approval. Heero
looked at Quatre and asked "Did the mission get completed?"
The question caught everyone off guard…..of course…this was Heero. He didn't'
want sentiment he wanted results. "Yes Wufei and I destroyed the base"*and
nearly killed you* Quatre continued in his head. "Good, no loose ends to tie up
then"
"To tie up…..Heero!God you just woke up and is that all you can think of? "
Duo exclaimed.
Heero just looked at him silently and then said, "I think it is best if you all leave
now, I'm sure I need some rest." Heero winced inwardly as he saw the hurt expression
sweep across Duo's face…to be replaced with his usual cheerful mask.."Oi sure
Heero, you go to sleep now,,,and dream of all these nurses!" Duo joked as he and the
others went out the door. Heero stared at the door for a few minutes, almost half
expecting that baka to come back in … when he didn't' Heero closed his eyes as he
realized that maybe he DID need some rest after all. *He would sort things out later,
right now he was tired * Heero thought to himself as he closed his eyes.
* * *