Duo picked up the communicator with a faint frown. "Hello?"
"Duo, it's me...I'm so sorry if I woke you."
"Its fine, Quatre...what's wrong? You don't sound too good." Duo's frown deepened - it was true. The Arabian's voice was tight with repressed pain.
"I'm not feeling well. That's a bit of an understatement. I...don't know what to do, Duo. The last couple doctors I went to did some tests and blood work, said I was fine, gave me prescriptions for...Allah only knows what. The point is...I keep getting sharp pains and I just spit up blood. I'm worried that...that I caught something on a mission or...or maybe when we were...Elsewhere."
Duo threw an alarmed look at Zechs, clearly worried for his friend. His lover was already up and getting dressed. "Zechs and I are going to head out there right now. Are you still in Egypt? Did you call Iria? Or Sally?"
"Iria's on a mission in the colonies somewhere and I couldn't track Sally down. And yes, I'm in the estate in Egypt. Thank you both."
"No prob, Q. We'll be there as soon as we can." Duo clicked off the device and hopped up, rapidly getting dressed himself.
"I'll prepare the jet," Zechs said with a nod.
// I guess this being rich thing has its perks...private jet at your beck and call. Not to mention anything else you could ever want... // Duo mused as he tugged on his boots. He grabbed a couple more things.
A few minutes later and he and Zechs were in the air, heading with all speed towards Quatre's estate.
The trip was uneventful, and the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when Zechs and Duo arrived. Rashid met them at the door and ushered them inside. "It is good to see you both. Master Quatre is expecting you. Thank you for coming."
"Hey, no problem. Q's one of my best friends, I'm not gonna leave him hangin' when he needs me." Duo said with a faint grin.
Zechs merely nodded in agreement. Rashid led them to Quatre's office and showed them in. The 'office' took up most of the estate's uppermost level, the walls more window than actual wall. Duo silently thanked the powers that most of the heavy draperies still shrouded the windows and that it wasn't quite dawn. Quatre's desk was at one end of the room. The other end had a semi-circular sitting area, and Quatre was huddled miserably in the curve of the couch. He lit up when he saw his friends enter. "Duo! Zechs!"
Duo scurried over and sat down next to his friend, giving him a tight but careful hug. "Man, I missed ya, Q. Jeez. You've lost weight. And here you were the one accusing me of being too skinny if I recall."
Quatre frowned miserably. "I know. And the worst part is I'm constantly hungry and eating all the time, its just not doing any good."
Zechs looked Quatre up and down. The Arabian had lost a lot of weight, as Duo had pointed out. He looked slightly feverish, and his eyes were somewhat sunken as if he hadn't gotten much sleep. "The doctors you saw must be idiots. There is clearly something wrong."
Quatre nodded. "Yes. And sometimes I get this horrible...squirmy...feeling in my stomach. Or sharp little pricks. Today it was worse, though...I felt like I was stabbed and started coughing up blood. And you know, with things how they are and being who we are...I can't just go to any hospital out there. Even my money can't erase everything."
Duo peered at his friend for a long moment. "Do you...do you think maybe when we were over There...that maybe you picked something up?"
"That's what I'm afraid of. My symptoms aren't' matching up to anything I've been able to find. Oh...and my empathy has been...strange."
"How so?"
"I'm picking up on random things...never enough to get a hold, but enough to give me a jolt. It's...not pleasant. If the pain doesn't keep me awake at night, then all these violent little quirks keep me so rattled that it's impossible to sleep."
Duo nodded. "Alright. I want you to lie down. I'm...I've got an idea. I'll be back. Zechs...can you stay with him?"
Zechs nodded. Duo flashed Quatre a reassuring smile. "I'll be back in just a minute." Before the Arabian could protest, Duo slipped out the door.
The braided teen made his way out of the room and wandered until he found an unoccupied bedroom. He shut the door behind him and locked it before lying down on the bed and closing his eyes. He allowed himself to relax and then began to concentrate.
Duo had been told that he would always have a bond with Rook, and that if he ever needed to reach him, all he had to do was concentrate on their link. Duo was unfamiliar with the ability - he hadn't tried it yet - and wasn't really sure how to initiate contact. But he was determined to figure it out.
It took a long while and several colorful mental curses before Duo finally got a response. Rook's smooth, rich voice echoed in his mind. ~ Duo, is that you...? ~
~ Yes. ~ he responded. ~ Darian, I need your help. I think. I don't know. My friend Quatre is sick. We think he might have caught something when we were over in...y'know. Your world. ~
~ A disease with a gestation period that long? What are his symptoms? ~ Rook responded, although Duo could sense the doubt in Rook's tone.
Duo hastily related everything that Quatre had told him. Rook was silent for so long that Duo feared he'd lost their connection. ~ Darian? ~
~ I'm...still here. Duo, I need to ask you something. You may not know the answer. If you don't, I need you to find out. Exactly...how friendly...did Quatre get with Ayrchad while you were away? ~
Duo blinked, startled by the seeming irrelevance of the question. He thought back to the trip, unable to hide a faint grin as he recalled the memory of returning unexpectedly early to the cave and finding Quatre and Chad curled up under the fur blankets together. They had both blushed so cutely... ~ Er, I'm not sure. All I know for sure is that they were both blushing, neither one of them would look at me straight, and there were no clothes involved. ~
Duo arched an eyebrow as he felt as much as heard Rook's mental curse. ~ Duo, it is very important that you do a few things for me right now. ~
~ Yeah, sure. You know what's up? ~
~ Make sure Quatre is eating plenty of solid food. Even if he doesn't want it. I can't help with the empathy problems. I... will have to make a short trip and get back to you. I need to barter for a favor. You still have the amulet I gave you? ~
~ Yeah, sure... what kind of favor? ~
~ The sort that will save your friend's life. Things... have changed here, in this world, since you were here. Otherwise, I'd be unable to do a thing. But as it stands...I know one person that may be able to help in the only way Quatre is going to find acceptable. ~
~ What in the hell do you mean? We're going there? ~
~ Yes. I should only be a couple hours, and then I'll call you. So set your affairs in order and grab anything you may need to bring. ~
~ You still haven't told me what's wrong with Quatre. ~ Duo frowned as he got up.
Rook heaved a mental sigh. ~ Duo, for all intents and purposes, your friend is pregnant. If it's not dealt with immediately, it will kill him. ~