Haunted Life
Part 9
by: Tigress Pern
Archive: GW Addiction (thanks Tyr!)
Warnings: Alternate Universe
Disclaimer: I don't own GW.
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Part Nine

"Are you sure about this?" Heero asked over the
phone. He glanced about to see if Trowa was around.
"Yes. Look, I've come to realize some things and I
want to help." Heero smiled.
"Then be here at eleven thirty."
"That won't be a problem." Heero hung up the phone
feeling victorious. Hiroshi Yuy's mission would end
tonight. It would all end tonight. Catherine would
be home and together they would send Duo Maxwell on
his way. Walking down the stairs to his room, Heero
smiled.
"I'll do this Grandfather. I'll do this for you."

* * *

Wufei scowled. Next to him Meiran gave him a smile
of encouragement.
"It's not your fault that my grandmother wants us to
keep an eye on my little cousin's Halloween party. If
Lien weren't living with her, then we wouldn't have to
be here."
"She's only two years younger than we are." Wufei
pointed out. "She and her friends could watch
themselves and we could be over at Trowa's." Meiran
sighed.
"There's nothing we can do. Grandmother will be back
at ten. That will give us plenty of time to get over
to Trowa's. If you're that worried, you can give him
a call."
"I just hate to miss an opportunity such as this.
I'd like to meet Duo."
"You're not the only one." Meiran told him giving him
a look that told him that she was as anxious as he was
to be done with this babysitting. "Lien isn't that
bad."
"No, it's her six friends that I'm worried about.
They keep looking at me as if I'm available or
something."
"But you are available, but only for me." He smiled
then and took her hand. Just as they were about to
kiss a crash from the other room shook them both.
"LIEN!" Meiran shouted just as someone cried "oops".
Wufei sighed deeply. This was going to be a long
night.

* * *

Quatre sat on the floor of Trowa's room staring
about. The room was neat and tidy; everything was in
the proper place. Even his laundry was put away.
Quatre was impressed. His room was never this clean,
even if his father wanted it so. Trowa entered
looking weary.
"Wufei and Meiran are still there." He said.
"They're stuck babysitting Meiran's little cousin's
party until her grandmother gets back. There was some
sort of emergency at the hospital."
"Meiran's grandmother is still a practicing nurse, in
the Emergency Room. How does she do it?"
"Beats me." Trowa replied sitting down across from
him. They were both hiding out in Trowa's room until
because Catherine was guarding the stairs to the third
floor. She didn't want them up there. "I'm sorry we
this hasn't gone as smoothly as I'd hoped. Of course,
I didn't think Catherine would be barring passage to
the third floor. She is convinced that if I have any
more contact with Duo, that I'll become his slave."
Quatre shook his head.
"I don't think that's the case. But, maybe they are
right about him moving on."
"Quatre?"
"When we started talking to him, we wanted to know
why he'd killed himself, and then we learned that his
death had been an accident. After that we wanted to
know why he couldn't move on and we found out about
Hiroshi Yuy. But Hiroshi Yuy is dead and therefore
Duo will never find peace. That's why we should help
him."
"Quatre?"
"Look, hasn't the underlying goal always been to help
him move on to the next plane of existence?" Trowa
stared at him. Quatre's eyes were pinned on the floor
as he spoke. "I mean, I know he's nice and all, but
don't you think it's time for him to go? This place
is for the living."
"But he can't move on. Hiroshi isn't here for him to
confront, nor is Heero willing to listen to the other
side of the story."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that Heero refuses to think of Duo as
anything but bad. It is so ingrained in him that he
isn't willing to listen to what Duo has to say. If
he'd listen, then maybe Duo would have his peace."
But I wouldn't want him to go, Trowa thought. I would
miss him terribly.
"But Duo's problem lies with Hiroshi Yuy, not Heero
Yuy."
"I know, but I'm beginning to think that as long as
the hatred is there, in what ever form, then Duo can't
leave. Heero is the only link, if he'd just listen…"
"I think you're wrong." Heero stated entering the
room. Trowa glared at him.
"Knocking would have been polite." He told him.
"What do you want?" Catherine strode in behind him.
Quatre gave Trowa a saddened look.
"I'm sorry Trowa, but we have to do this. I don't
agree with their views on Duo, I'm his friend too. I
know how much he means to you, but he is dead. I've
watched you become attached to him and I don't want
you hurt when he leaves. If he goes now, then it
won't be as painful. Please believe me that I don't
want to injure him, but help him and you." Quatre
choked on his words staring at his friend's shocked
face. "I don't agree with Heero and Catherine in most
respects about Duo, but I agree he needs to move on.
His spirit should be at peace. Not trapped here, not
here to torment you with what can never be." Trowa's
jaw dropped. Eyes wide he looked from Quatre's
anguished face to his sister's stern one. Slowly the
realization of what was about to take place hit him.
Heero pulled out a length of rope from his jeans
pocket.
"NO!" They grabbed him and tied him to a chair.
Shaking with rage, he glared at them. Quatre couldn't
meet his eyes, which screamed betrayal. He averted
Trowa's gaze and slunk to the door. They left him in
his room and proceeded upstairs. Trowa could hear
their footfalls on the wooden staircase and screamed.
Quatre paused, but Catherine urged him onward.
"Am I doing the right thing?" he asked glancing back.
"He'll thank us later." She assured him.
Quatre didn't know, something told him he'd never be
forgiven for this.

* * *

Struggling in his bonds, Trowa tried to free himself.
His hands tied in front of him and rope holding the
rest of him to the chair, Trowa was beyond mad. He
cursed loudly and thought of hundreds of awful things
he'd do to Quatre. Catherine and Heero he'd expected,
but Quatre? He thought he was helping Duo move on
that it was his time, but who gave him the right to
decide that? Fuming and madder than he'd been in
memory, Trowa glanced momentarily at his clock. It
read 11:28 PM. Duo had promised to meet them at
11:30PM. God! They'll catch him before…
Trowa struggled more. Heero was bent on sending Duo
to Hell and Trowa wasn't about to let him. Duo was
his friend, the most understanding friend he'd ever
had. He couldn't let him go without at least saying
good-bye. Wait! He couldn't think like that. Duo
wasn't going to leave, he couldn't just yet. There
were things that Trowa needed to say, to ask, before
Duo moved on. Those bastards weren't even going to
give him the chance to do that! Tears welled up as
Trowa fought the bonds that held him. There had to be
something in his room to cut them with.
Looking around, Trowa didn't see anything at first
then he spotted the framed photograph of his mother,
father, and himself sitting on his computer desk. It
had been taken when Trowa was only three. He was
sitting on his mother's lap playing with the stuffed
lion. His father was laughing at his son's antics.
"Mother, Father, forgive me. I couldn't save you,
but I have a chance to save someone else I love." He
scooted the chair over to the desk and reaching
forward as far as he could, he managed to grab the
picture with his teeth. Dropping it to hands, he
fumble trying to get to the glass. Once he had it, he
leaned down and took the pane in his teeth. Swinging
back over his desk, he closed his eyes and dropped it.
It shattered. Opening his eyes, he selected the
largest piece he could find and reached down to pick
it up. Blood trickled down his lips as he held the
glass in his mouth. He gently released it where his
hands could retrieve it without breaking. Licking his
lips, he winced as he grazed over the new cut. Pain
didn't matter, he had to get free and help Duo.

* * *

Something was wrong and Duo knew it. Quatre being in
his room was normal, Heero and Catherine wasn't. All
three together without Trowa, most certainly was not
normal. He hovered over them as they began to set
candles on the floor. They weren't putting them there
for a séance, but something else. Duo knew what was
going on. They're here to banish me, but why would
Quatre help them? Realizing that this wasn't the
best place to be, Duo took off. He glided through the
house, invisible to all. He needed to find Trowa. On
the first floor he found him, tied to a chair and
intently concentrating on something in his hands.
"A little more." Trowa hissed urging his hands to dig
further into the rope with the shard of glass. Duo
materialized. He could feel the energy pull and bend,
creating the outline of his body. Slowly it was
filled in and Duo Maxwell stood, or rather floated in
Trowa's presence. The bound boy didn't appear to
notice the drop in the air temperature. Instead he
continued muttering to himself. Duo swallowed. If he
could sweat, he bet his palms would be damp. Why was
he suddenly feeling nervous? Other people had seen
his human form, why was appearing to Trowa any
different?
"Are you all right?" he asked. Shit, why was he so
nervous? Trowa's head shot up at the sound of Duo's
voice. His eyes widened as he took in what stood near
his bed. Dressed in black slacks, vest, and a red
shirt, Duo stared back at him with blue-violet eyes.
He was just as gorgeous as his photograph despite the
fact that he didn't have any feet. Ghosts don't have
feet, Duo reminded himself as he took a cautious step
towards Trowa. Only live people do.
"Duo?" The ghost nodded. "Thank God! They haven't
started yet. You have to find some way to stop the
ceremony! They plan on exorcise you!" Duo halted and
stared dumbstruck at Trowa.
"What?"
"They tied me up so I wouldn't interfere. Look,
Quatre is helping them, he thinks this is for the
best. I don't exactly understand what he meant, but I
have a good idea." Duo strode over, determined to at
least free Trowa first before figuring out a way to
stop them. Trowa watched him.
"There's got to be a way to get you loose." Duo
muttered.
"Forget about me and go."
"No, if there are two of us, then we have more of a
chance. Let me see what I can do." Ghostly hands
reached forward and passed through the rope. Duo
swore. Concentrating as much energy as he could, he
tried to solidify his hands enough to untie Trowa.
Studying the knot, he closed his fingers around the
rope and tugged. He could touch it, but he couldn't
feel anything. His eyes alone told him that he had it
in his grasp.
"Duo."
"Shh. I need to concentrate. Untying you is more
complicated than throwing a chair across a room.
Minute movements require lots of energy." As the knot
slowly loosened, Duo noticed thin lines of blood
seeping from half a dozen tiny cuts on Trowa's
fingers. He'd been using glass to cut himself free.
Where had he gotten it? Duo glanced down past Trowa's
feet and noticed the discarded picture frame. The
photograph was squished beneath it, but enough showed
that Duo could make out an older woman, a little boy,
and what was probably an older male. The little boy
had a stuffed lion. Duo remembered Trowa's stuffed
lion and glanced up at the bookshelf. It was sitting
on top as usual. He destroyed a picture of him and
his parents to try to free himself? To try to help
me. More determined than before, Duo pulled at the
knot.
"I've almost got it." Duo said. Trowa glanced at the
clock, 11:41PM. He looked down at the top of Duo's
head and realized he could barely see his legs through
the ghost. Duo had enough energy to make himself
almost completely solid. Trowa was amazed that this
was the same spirit that he'd met a month ago. He
began to study every inch of ghost's body, memorizing
it all. If Duo was exorcised, Trowa wanted to
remember every detail of him.
Suddenly Duo faltered. His hands became transparent
and slipped through the rope. "Shoot!" He collapsed
to his knees.
"Duo!"
"My energy, it's being pulled away."
"Fight it!" Duo struggled to stand; he had to keep
his form. He couldn't do the tiny manipulations of
the rope if he didn't. He needed hands. "Is there a
way to draw essence from me?" Trowa asked. Duo's
eyes widened.
"I don't know. Trowa I can't do that to you anyway."
"No, if it'll help, attempt to please. Heero said
that by being around you gave you energy. There has
to be a way to draw energy from the living to the
dead. It might hold them off." Duo was about to
protest, but the look in Trowa's green eyes halted any
thoughts.
"I'll try." Not sure how to proceed, Duo closed his
eyes and did what came natural. He placed one hand
over Trowa's heart. He felt a slight tingle.
Concentrating as he did when creating his physical
form, Duo began to draw Trowa's essence into him. He
heard Trowa gasp and it nearly caused him to move his
hand away. He couldn't though; Trowa was counting on
him to release him from his bonds. Trowa's energy
trickled into him, renewing his strength. Duo could
feel whatever was draining his own energy halt and
fish about trying to find his energy. The
introduction of Trowa's energy was confusing it and
buying them time. How much, Duo didn't know. Neither
Duo nor Trowa knew how much timed passed, before Duo
finally moved his hand away.
Breathing hard, Trowa looked pale and Duo feared he'd
drained too much. Not knowing how much time they had,
Duo quickly tackled the knot again. His fingers flew
with the speed and accuracy he'd known when he was
alive.
"Trowa, are you okay?" He asked as he gave one final
tug.
"I'll be fine. I just feel weak. How about you?"
"I think we confused whatever was sapping my power."
He threw the rope that bound Trowa's hands on the
floor, then started on what held him to the chair.
"There, one down, one to go."
"Hopefully Wufei and Meiran will get here. I could
use the support."
"Me too. Once midnight hits, I'm back to where I was
when I met you. We ghosts are at full power on All
Hallows Eve. November first, our energy is all tapped
out and we have to recuperate." Trowa glanced up at
the clock, 11:56PM. "There got it." Duo announced
tossing the rope aside. Trowa rose slowly. Duo
smiled. Trowa smiled back.
"Maybe with my energy in you, Heero can't send you
on."
"I hope so, I like it here with you." Duo said
smiling even broader. He wished he wasn't a ghost, he
wished he hadn't died, but then he never would have
met Trowa. Suddenly a strong force hit Duo. He
collapsed to the floor. Whatever it was that sought
him had found him despite Trowa's essence being mixed
with his. Duo struggled to hold on. He didn't want
to be taken away, he wanted to stay. His energy was
flowing out of him again. He was being pulled away
from Trowa, he could feel it. No! He screamed
mentally. The pull increased. Duo was barely hanging
on.
"Trowa." He whispered, his voice becoming strained.
"They're pulling me. Upstairs."
"Duo!" Duo shook his head and realized he couldn't
fight the force anymore. He let it pull him away.
The last thing he saw was Trowa bolting out the door.

* * *

Trowa had just reached the staircase when he heard
the doorbell. Knowing whom it was, he rushed towards
it. Throwing it open he found Wufei and Meiran
standing there.
"In! Quick! We have to stop them!" he said
urgently.
"Trowa, God, you're as white as a ghost. What the
hell is going on!" Wufei yelped as Trowa hauled him
inside.
"Heero is sending Duo to Hell. Catherine and Quatre
are helping him. I can't let them do that!" Meiran
and Wufei exchanged surprised looks.
"Quatre? He's helping them?" Meiran asked. Trowa
nodded. "Oh my…"
"KISAMA." Wufei growled. "What is he thinking? I
bet all those talks with Heero have warped his mind."
"I don't care why he's doing it right now. Duo is in
danger. Please." They'd never seen him like this.
Meiran and Wufei nodded.
"Where are they?" Meiran demanded.
"Duo's room."
"Ikimashou!" cried Wufei.
"Let's go!" Meiran chorused. The three sprinted in
the direction of the stairs. Outside, lightning
flashed and thunder rumbled. Duo Maxwell only had a
short time left and they weren't going to let him go
without a fight. Wufei and Meiran would see to that.
They didn't want Trowa hurt and if that meant going
against his sister, Heero and Quatre, then damned be
all those who got in their way.

On to Part 10

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