Haunted Life
Part 8
by: Tigress Pern
Archive: GW Addiction (thanks Tyr!)
Warnings: Alternate Universe
Disclaimer: I don't own GW.
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Part Eight

"They're doing what?" Meiran asked as the four sat at
lunch. Trowa swallowed the bite of sandwich he'd been
chewing.
"They're convinced I'm possessed." Trowa repeated.
"So they've been trying all sorts of things to
exorcise Duo."
"I thought Catherine didn't believe in ghosts." Wufei
commented lifting one ebon eyebrow.
"She didn't. I guess my little outburst convinced
her or Heero did." Meiran was trying hard not to
laugh.
"So that's why you smell of garlic."
"Catherine's handy work. She got ghosts and vampires
mixed up." Trowa said. Quatre was trying to hide his
smile behind a turkey and lettuce sandwich, but it
wasn't working.
"I don't think you have much to worry about from
Catherine's remedies. She can't seem to get them
right."
"I think Duo's getting a good laugh out of provoking
her too." Trowa said grinning. "He keeps moving her
car keys and turning the radio from one station to
another. Last night he even learned out to program
the VCR. Instead of 12:00 AM blinking all the time,
it's now 1:23 PM."
"This I have to see." Meiran giggled. "How are you
holding up against Heero?"
"He hasn't done anything yet. I think he's waiting
until Halloween. Whatever he has planned, I hope it
doesn't hurt Duo."
"Me too." Wufei said. "He seems like a real nice
guy…well nice for being dead. I know we only know him
through the ouija board, but still it feels like he's
a friend."
"An odd friend, but a friend none the less." Quatre
agreed. "Still, maybe it is time for him to move on."
"He hasn't finished his business with Hiroshi yet."
Meiran argued. "He can't leave until then."
"Hiroshi Yuy is dead." Quatre reminded her.
"Well, maybe his grandson will do. Do you think if
we tie up Heero and stick him in the room that Duo
could finally find peace?"
"We'd have to gag him." Trowa joked. "Otherwise he'd
be spewing out all sorts of quotes from his
grandfather. You know, I never met the man, but I
don't like him."
"Me neither." Meiran said. Wufei nodded in
agreement.
"You can't make a judgement on a man from a singular
incident." Quatre told them. "He practically raised
Heero. His parents were always concerned about money,
especially after they won on the stock market. Heero
was their only child, but they hardly paid attention.
After Hiroshi died, they tried to buy his happiness,
but that wasn't what he needed. He's trying to pay a
debt to his grandfather, we should be respectful of
that fact, even if it goes against what we think is
right." Everyone stared at Quatre with wide eyes.
"Quatre, how do you know that?" Trowa asked quietly.
"Heero has never mentioned it." Quatre suddenly
squirmed uncomfortably. Three pairs of very shocked
eyes trapped him.
"I've run into him a few times down at the music
store on 5th and Webber. It turns out he likes
classical music too. We've talked about family and
such. I wanted to know why his grandfather hated Duo,
so I probed. At first he wouldn't say, then
eventually he admitted that he really didn't know. I
must admit he is very hard to get him to say more than
a few lines." Quatre stared at his sandwich guiltily.
"It's okay, Quatre. I understand." Trowa said
softly. "Thank you for bringing us back into
perspective. You're right, we shouldn't judge a man
on one act alone." Quatre sighed with relief.
"This still doesn't change the fact that Heero might
send Duo to the other side before he's finished his
business." Meiran reminded them all. "Trowa, I'll be
there on Halloween. If nothing else, to see that Duo
isn't sent before his time."
"Count me in too." Wufei stated firmly. "Besides,
didn't you say we'd have a good chance of seeing him?"
Trowa nodded. "I'd like to say that I've not only
spoken with, but actually seen a real ghost."
"Maybe we can convince Heero to wait until Duo is
ready to send him on his way?" Quatre said. "What if
we introduced them?"
"I don't know." Trowa admitted. "But we could try."
He glanced up at the clock. "Lunch is almost over and
I have English. I'll see everyone at my house in two
days."
"Right." They all chorused.

* * *

Sitting in the living room, Heero read. The hardback
book was wrapped in a black paper cover with a picture
of a starship on it and red lettering stating "Web of
Stars". His eyes lazily ran over the page until one
paragraph. After which they hungrily devoured each
sentence. The book was getting really interesting.
He licked his lips as he read on. Suddenly a light
breeze entered the room, reducing the air temperature
by at least ten degrees. It flitted about, wandering
around each chair, pausing by the window, then over to
where Heero sat on the couch. He knew it was the
ghost. Every hair on his neck told him so. Just then
the cover was pealed back off his book, as if someone
were carefully peeking at the hardback underneath.
Heero glared, but there was no one there. It defeated
the purpose, so he tried Trowa's approach with dealing
with the curious ghost.
"Do you mind?" The cover was released. "Thank you."
The breeze twirled around him and he felt one side of
the couch sink as if someone were sitting down near
him. Goosebumps were running up and down his arms.
Heero silently cursed. He wouldn't be that scared six
year old on that Halloween night. No, he wouldn't.
The ghost would not frightened or intimidate him.
"I will exorcise you from this house or we'll get a
priest to. Either way, you can't stay. You've caused
enough trouble."
Heero felt the temperature drop even further.
"You've possessed Trowa in some fashion, that he
defends you and even turned against his sister." The
air about him froze and Heero got the distinct
impression that Duo was getting mad. It didn't
matter; Heero was going to have his say now then he
was going to get rid of him, once and for all.
"My grandfather said you weren't normal, that you
were ill."
"ILL?" a voice practically shrieked. "Is that what
he called it?" Heero's eyes grew wide. He hadn't
expected the ghost to speak at least not coherently.
Weren't ghosts just supposed to moan and wail? "That
little cretin, how dare he! I'm dead and he is
spreading rumors!" The ghost was on a tirade and
Heero felt that it was best for his safety that he
didn't interfere. Self-preservation being high on his
list of things to achieve currently. "If I ever get
my hands on his back stabbing, cowardly, spirit…."
"Anou…"
"I'll make him wish he was reborn someplace far away
from me! Like Tibet!" Heero watched as several
pillows flew off their chair and slam into the wall.
"Imagine, saying I'm ill. I'm NOT!" The chair
wobbled back and forth and raised off the ground.
"All I did was buy him a few presents to show my
appreciation for being my friend and he flips out!"
The coffee table was now also floating about the
floor.
"What's going on in here?" Trowa asked entering the
room. He took one look about the room and then he
realized he could hear Duo ranting on about something.
"DUO!" All ranting ceased. "Put the furniture down
and then calm down." All the furniture dropped to the
floor at once and Heero bounded off the couch.
"That ghost is dangerous." Heero stated firmly
looking Trowa in the eye. "It needs to go."
"Whoa, wait."
"No, I can't. Halloween night, he's being sent on
his way. My grandfather's wish to end this will be
done."
"Wait, please. I haven't gotten angry in a long
time." Duo pleaded. "Don't send me away."
"You're dangerous." Heero snapped. "You always have
been since I first met you."
"What? Wait, we've never…."Duo began. "That little
boy…you were that little boy that Hiroshi grabbed that
one Halloween!"
"What Halloween, when?" Trowa asked suddenly
realizing that there was even more to this than he'd
once thought.
"About ten years ago, I snuck in here to see what a
real ghost looked like. Grandfather had claimed this
place was haunted, but I hadn't believed him. I came
face to face with the ghost. I'd never been more
frightened in my life, then it approached me."
"My name is Duo." The ghost snapped.
"It tried to touch me and that is when Grandfather
appeared, yelled at the ghost, made a sign in the air
and grabbed me. I was carried out the door and back
home. After which, I was told exactly what had
transpired and why you were an bad spirit."
"I'm not a bad spirit." Duo protested. "And I
wouldn't have hurt you. I was going to ask if you
needed some help, but then Hiroshi showed up and…I
never realized that you were that little boy. Over
the years other kids have snuck in here on Halloween
when the house isn't occupied. I've never hurt them,
yet they go running away in terror at the sight of me.
I assumed you were one of them." Heero crossed his
arms.
"You tried to buy my grandfather's friendship with
gifts."
"We were already friends and I bought them to be
nice." Duo replied. "I have no idea what Hiroshi told
you about me, but I can assure you that they are
biased."
"Okay, hold on." Trowa interrupted. "Before this
goes any farther, I think we need to lay all the cards
on the table, as it were. I think there has been a
mistake made here…"
"That's right." Heero agreed, his eyes narrowing
dangerously. "The mistake is letting that ghost
remain. Tonight is your last night you'll haunt this
house. Tomorrow night I'm sending you to Hell
personally." With that he stomped out of the room.
Trowa looked after him; dumbstruck by the surge of
emotion Heero had shown.
"Quatre was right, he is devoted to Hiroshi."
"Nani? What, could you repeat that?" Duo asked.
"I said that he is devoted to Hiroshi. Over the past
couple weeks, Quatre has spent some time with Heero
and told me that Hiroshi practically raised him. He
was devastated when he died. I think this is his way
of paying tribute to his late grandfather."
"What, by getting rid of me?"
"Yes. I think it is a mission that has gone
unfinished and he aims to finish it."
"Great, lucky me." Duo growled. Trowa felt the air
temperature rise as Duo vacated the room. One more
day, he thought. And then maybe we can solve some of
these problems.

* * *

It was nearly one in the morning and Trowa couldn't
sleep. He was worried. Worried that Heero would
succeed and he's loose Duo. Worried that he'd be
alone again. He'd found a kindred spirit in Duo.
Someone who'd been lost and floundering in a world
they didn't understand. Yes, despite the fact that he
was dead, Trowa considered Duo one of his closest
friends.
Rolling onto his back, he wondered what would happen
if Heero succeeded and Duo ended up in Hell. Was
there even such a place? Trowa didn't know, nor did
he want to imagine Duo there. He opened his eyes and
stared up at the ceiling. If Duo was exorcised it
would be another death in Trowa's mind. Like my
parents. He'd be gone forever, no coming back. It'd
be like my parents. I'll be alone. Catherine is my
sister and I love her, but she can't be here all the
time. Mother used to always have time to talk, same
with father, but Catherine barely does. Duo is the
only one I feel free to share everything with. Duo, a
boy who died before his time and had had so much to
live for. Why had he died? Duo never said a word
about it, but whatever it was, it was embarrassing
enough to keep him silent. What had made Hiroshi turn
against Duo as he had? If Duo had only been…Had
Hiroshi found out Duo's secret and that is why….Trowa
prayed that Duo would be looked after while he was
away tomorrow morning. That Heero wouldn't skip class
to exorcise him. Trowa knew he'd never forgive
himself if something happened while he was at school.
Laying one arm over his forehead, Trowa wished he
knew more. Removing his arm, he turned and stared at
the glowing red numbers on his clock. He had school
in the morning and he needed his sleep. I need some
music to take my mind off things, he thought. Sliding
the covers back, he slipped out of bed and felt in the
dark for power switch to his stereo. Turning the
volume down so that only he could hear it, he pressed
play. Climbing back in to bed, he lay back down.
Letting himself get absorbed in the music, Trowa felt
his body relax.
"No I would not sleep in this bed of lies
So toss me out and turn in
And there'll be no rest for these tired eyes
I'm marking it down to learning
I am" Trowa hummed along as the soft rhythm eased
his troubled mind.
"Don't think that I can take another empty moment
Don't think that I can fake another
Hallow smile
It's not enough just to be sorry.
Don't think that I could take
Another talk about it." As he drifted off to sleep,
he thought he heard a voice join in the chorus of the
song.

* * *

Rain poured down the window. Trowa sighed and wished
the weather would clear up. He didn't want to be in
class, he wanted to be home. He was excited and
nervous at the same time. Tonight he was going to see
Duo's human form. No ball of light, no wind, no
pressure, tonight he'd have a body. Trowa wondered
what Duo could do with that body. Was it solid or
could objects pass through it? Once more Trowa's mind
made that leap from G-rated to X-rated. He really
needed to stop doing that; it wasn't like they could
do anything. Duo was dead. Nothing Trowa did or
thought could make a difference.
Tapping his pencil methodically on his desk, Trowa
wished once more that the rain would stop and that he
could go home. Three seats behind him, Quatre watched
his friend anxiously. Quatre was beginning to suspect
that more was at stake tonight than just one ghost.
He didn't want to see Trowa spiral down into a pit of
despair again, he'd do anything to avoid that. Quatre
remembered the days and weeks after Trowa's parent's
deaths and how he'd wander the halls in a daze. There
was nothing behind those glazed green eyes except
misery. Now he was more alive, more vibrant than he'd
been last year, but how long would that last? What
would happen when Duo finally moved on? What if the
bond growing between them became as strong as the one
between Trowa and his parents? Quatre tried not to
think of what would happen. Yet he knew what the
results would be and it ate away at him. He couldn't
stand to see his friend like that again. Not that
empty shell of what used to be.

On to Part 9

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