favorite characters died, please, PLEASE don't read this. I really don't have enough tissue to pass around. *sweat*
// 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...” Duo cried out 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 was 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.
/ Naze?? Naze?? /
He could not bring himself to accept the truth.
/ Why does Quatre appear in his dreams and not me? Why?? /
All was deathly silent after Duo’s proclamation. They had never thought that Duo
would sprout out this denial. All recalled how Duo was always chasing 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 in to 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 aggrievedly 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’s 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
him, the ex gundam deathscythe pilot 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.
(flash back…)
~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. Duo quickly shoved them
into his pockets. 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 Duo 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 can 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 for a short 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 all my 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 theletter 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 treated you... But, to say frankly, When you are around, I find you very annoying.
Constantly bugging me to go out with you... But strangely though... I was actually looking
forward to those special treats. Whenever the doorbell rang, I felt my heart leapt a
little, knowing its time for you to pick me. But mind you, I was not overly elated or
anything, just felt this strange happiness, knowing you want me. I tried to clamp down the
little feelings. I... Heero, I had no idea why I just cannot remember you... This gave me
much frustration... I mean... we were once madly in love, right?? Even if I had lost my
memory, I should have at least remember you instead of Quatre, right?? Even if I had
really lost all my memory, I could still fall in love with you all over again, right?? But
I didn’t feel that that way at all.. But when you left, I begin to feel a part of me
was missing... My life is so empty without your presence. I felt lost. I guess I do need
you to guide me along in my life. Please come back. I will be waiting for you.
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's 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."
* * *