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

Catherine stared at the huddle of relieved teenagers
in the center of the circle. They were talking
excitedly. She couldn't believe what she had
witnessed, but a lot of her beliefs had come under
fire recently. Near her Quatre looked pensive. He
wasn't sure what his place in the group was anymore.
He'd betrayed Trowa and Duo and he felt like an
outsider. Heero was now leaning against the far wall
looking too shocked even to speak. No one could
believe it was possible.
"Nothing is impossible." A kind voice said.
Catherine jerked and whirled around nearly falling
over. "Not when your heart leads you." Lenore smiled
at her daughter.
"M-mother?" Lenore nodded.
"Come now Cathy, don't look so surprised. You just
witnessed a ghost come back to life. You shouldn't be
surprised by any supernatural occurrences."
"How did this happen?" she asked indicating towards
Duo.
"My dear daughter, it's November 1st. All Saint's
Day, the day of miracles. That reminds me." The
spirit dug into the pocket of her long coat. "These
are for Duo. It's a birth certificate, social
security card and any other paper work he'll need in
his new life. You are his legal guardian and your
father and I want you to take good care of both of
them. We're trusting you." Lenore handed Catherine
the papers, which became solid in her hands.
Catherine stared down at them in amazement.
"Mother, I…"
"Tut-tut. Don't say anything. You'll be all right.
Just think of it this way, you'll have an extra set of
hands to help out around the house." Lenore smiled,
closing her eyes at the same time. "We love you
Catherine. Remember that, we'll always love you."
"Oh Mother." Catherine sobbed. "I promise to keep an
eye on them."
"Don't forget Heero though. His parents will be
happy to hear that he's in good hands. They did love
him, although they didn't know how to show it.
Sometimes worldly possessions get in the way, but they
did love. Tell him that." Catherine nodded. "I
can't stay much longer, I used up a lot of energy
helping with Duo's transformation, but it was worth
it. Good-bye Catherine. Remember our love, remember
it always." She hugged her daughter then faded away.
Catherine was left holding the papers and the memory
of her parents. A new purpose instilled in her,
Catherine turned towards her brother and his friends.
"Why don't we all go down stairs and have something
to eat. I'm sure Duo is hungry after all it has been
fifty years since you last ate." Duo's cheeks
reddened. With the help of Trowa and Wufei, he stood
and managed to stay upright. Catherine turned to
Heero. "You too. I want to talk to everyone." The
silent boy nodded his head.

* * *

Trowa, Duo, Wufei, Meiran, Quatre, and Heero sat at
the kitchen table as Catherine fishing in the freezer
for some ice cream. She was had told them what her
mother had said on the way down. Duo wasn't too
steady on his feet yet. He pointed out that ghosts
flew rather than walked down stairs. Quatre and Heero
had hung back letting everyone else enter the kitchen
first. They didn't feel as if they were part of the
group. Duo had paused, turned around and watched them
for a moment. Then he'd grabbed a hold of both of
them. Giving them his award-winning smile, he ushered
them into the kitchen.
"So as of today, I'm your guardian Duo." Catherine
concluded. "I'm going to put in for being Heero's
guardian too since he has no living relatives."
"You don't have to do that." Heero said. Catherine
shook her head.
"I think I need to. You need a family and if Trowa
and Duo don't mind, you can be part of ours."
"I hold nothing against him." Duo said firmly
swinging his legs under his chair and hooking his feet
on the chair legs. "He was doing what he thought was
right. As were you and Quatre. I'm a pretty
forgiving person." Trowa didn't say anything for a
moment, then nodded his head.
"I don't mind at all. It'll be nice to have more
than just the two of us." He said. Heero wasn't sure
what to say. After all he'd done, he didn't deserve
this, but he accepted it. He'd finally found a home.
"Uh, Duo, Trowa." Quatre began. "I think I owe you
both a huge apology."
"Quatre, you've been apologizing." Trowa said. He
sighed. "I'm mad at you, but in light of how it
worked out, if you hadn't Duo wouldn't be human
again."
"Trowa."
"Can I trust you from now on?" Quatre nodded his
head eagerly. "Then we can still be friends. We've
had our problems in the past year, but I think we can
still make this friendship work."
"Me too."
"If Trowa forgives you, then we can too. Ne Wufei?"
Meiran said. Wufei nodded. "You're such a sweetheart
Quatre, I hope you find someone who appreciates that."
"Like Heero." Duo stated triumphantly. Heero and
Quatre's eyes widened. "Hey, I was a ghost.
Invisibility was just on of the perks. So I
eavesdropped on a few phone conversations, I was
bored."
"I'm going to strangle you." Heero growled. Quatre
was blushing horribly.
"See, don't they make a cute couple already?"
"Well…" Trowa began.
"Look, even Heero is turning red. It's a sure sign!"
Duo exclaimed feeling more sure of himself.
"God! Were you like this with my grandfather?"
"No, not nearly. Although I did used to play
matchmaker for half the girls in school." Heero
rolled his eyes. Wufei chuckled; something told him
that the Barton household just got more interesting.
He and Meiran would have to come over more often.
"Here we go. In honor of this miraculous day."
Catherine said holding up a box. "I bought these
originally to celebrate our purchase of this house.
We never ate them, so I thought we'd have them along
with some ice cream."
"What are they?" asked Heero skeptically.
"Chocolate truffle bon-bons." Catherine replied
smiling. Suddenly Duo started laughing. "What is so
funny?"
"I'm sorry. I'll have to pass on the bon-bons
Catherine."
"Why?" Duo bit his bottom lip.
"It's a bit embarrassing, really."
"You're allergic to chocolate aren't you?" Wufei
inquired. Quatre was giving him sympathetic look.
Duo shook his head.
"No."
"Then why?" asked Trowa as Catherine opened the box,
offering it to everyone. Duo was fidgeting; he looked
like a little kid who'd done something naughty.
"Duo?"
"Well, you always wondered how I died. I told you I
choked."
"You mean it wasn't suicide?" Catherine said. Duo
shook his head.
"I hadn't been feeling well that night. So I took a
few aspirin and climbed into bed. My parents went out
to a party and left me home alone. I wanted something
to nibble on and I remembered my mother had bought
some bon-bons and put them into the freezer. I snuck
downstairs, opened the box, took about five and went
back upstairs. We didn't have television at that
time, but we did have radio. I was listening to a
comedy sketch and eating frozen bon-bons. One joke
was especially funny and I started laughing while
popping a bon-bon in my mouth. It caught in my throat
and I choked on it. As I struggled to get it out, I
knocked over the bottle of aspirin, which I hadn't put
the cap back on and it spilled. I died of
suffocation, not an overdose of aspirin."
"You choked on a bon-bon and died?" Trowa stared at
him in bewilderment.
"I told you it was embarrassing." Duo was trying to
hide, but not doing a very good job of it.
"No wonder you didn't want to talk about it." Wufei
muttered. "Baka mono."
"Yes, I am the world's biggest idiot." Duo announced.
"I'm glad someone figured that out." He smiled
happily.
"Well, no bon-bons for you." Catherine said moving
the box away from him. "Trowa would kill me if
anything happened to you, not to mention my parents."
Red tinted Duo's cheeks. Catherine smiled and moved
the box back, but Duo shook his head.
"I think I've had enough for two lifetimes."

* * *

Trowa glanced at the clock. It read 2:4 1AM.
Sighing he couldn't believe how his life had changed
in one night. Beside him, Duo cuddled up against him.
Everyone had been forced by the rain to stay the
night. Meiran was in Catherine's room. Wufei and
Quatre were both on the floor in Heero's room and Duo
had been on the floor of Trowa's room. He hadn't been
comfortable, so Trowa had let him sleep with him in
the bed. Duo deserved a soft warm mattress after all
he'd been through. It wasn't everyday that he became
human.
Catherine had decided to call in sick tomorrow. She
was going to take Duo shopping. He needed some
clothes or he'd be stuck borrowing from Heero or
Trowa. Since school had been canceled, everyone had
insisted going along with them. Meiran wanted to show
Duo the best shampoos and conditioners for his hair.
She didn't want it getting any split ends. Neither
did Trowa. Duo shifted and one arm crossed Trowa's
stomach.
"You're still awake." Duo said sleepily. Trowa
nodded. "I hope you don't mind sharing the bed."
Trowa shook his head. "Good. You're warm." He
snuggled closer. Trowa rolled over and kissed him on
the forehead.
"So are you." Duo snickered. Trowa smiled. He has
his mother's smile, Duo thought. I hope to see it
often. Then he caught Trowa's lips in a kiss that
lingered for a few moments. Releasing him, Duo rested
his head on Trowa's shoulder.
"Good night Trowa."
"Good night Duo. I'm glad you're alive."
"So am I. Otherwise I'd miss out on a golden
opportunity."
"What opportunity?" Trowa asked.
"The chance to do this!" Duo rolled over and pounced
on Trowa, pinning him to the bed.
"ACK! DUO!" Duo laughed and lay on top of him
grinning. Trowa scowled then smiled as Duo gently ran
his fingers across his cheek.
"I love you Trowa." He whispered as he bent down and
kissed him.
"I love you too, Duo. May you live a long happy
life."

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