"Don't you die on me. Don't you dare." Duo squeezes the limp hand before letting go as Heero is wheeled out of his reach. "You hear me?" he shouts. "You promised! Don't leave me, Heero!"
"Please, the doctors will do their best." A nurse blocks Duo's efforts to follow Heero past the closing doors. "You'll have to wait over here," she says, trying to lead him towards the waiting area. "We'll let you know..."
Blood on a light grey jacket, staining pale hair an odd rusty color sends Duo running towards the man already standing there. "Where's all this blood coming from?" he asks, frantically. His hands frisk briskly across a broad chest and down the sides to slim hips.
"I'm fine." Zechs tries to catch the fast moving hands. Failing that, he attempts to step out of reach.
"Bullshit!" Grabbing a wrist, Duo jerks hard in a downward motion, unbalancing the man trying to get away. They both tumble to the floor and he has the blond stripped to his waist searching for injuries before Zechs manages to blink.
"Duo!" A brief struggle ensues and the larger man manages to pin the whirlwind, named Maxwell, down. "I'm fine."
Looking at bloodstained pants, Duo's eyes narrow suspiciously but the blonde straddling his hips and grasping his arms refuses to let him move. "Then, where's all this blood come from?" he hisses.
"Heero. I carried him part of the way here. Remember? I am fine." Feeling the lithe form beneath him relax, Zechs tentatively loosens his grip and slowly stands up. It's a move he regrets almost immediately as shafts of pain shoot up his left leg. He sighs, shifting to take weight off the ankle.
"You're not fine!" Duo bounces up to support the taller man.
"I was fine before," grumbles Zechs. The arm about his waist is sending shivers up his spine. "I can manage," he insists without making any moves to dislodge the man at his side.
Maneuvering them to a chair, Duo sits his precious burden down. "Everything would've been fine if you had let me check you out like I wanted to." Glancing up, he notices the long fingered hand in front of a bright red face, hiding behind a long fringe. "What's wrong now?" he asks.
"Find my shirt." Zechs's head lowers even further, more hair tumbles over his shoulders to curtain his face.
Turning around, Duo comes face to face with their audience. "Oh..."
"Thank you for your aid, Mr Barton," Relena Darlian addresses the Winner bodyguard beside her.
Trowa nods. Ensuring that there is no one else within hearing range, he says softly, "Mr Winner sends his regards."
Smiling sweetly Relena queries, equally softly, "Mr Winner? I'm in the process of indicting half a dozen people for his assassination and he sends his regards along with your rescue effort?"
"And his apologies," Trowa adds rather belatedly.
"And what is he hoping to achieve by this... this... resurrection?" Maintaining a calm façade, Relena decides against ranting and raving at the messenger.
"Nothing, that hasn't already been done. The Romefeller Syndicate is cleaning house. You won't have anyone left alive to prosecute by the end of this day. Mr Winner changed his mind about staying dead and wishes to make your acquaintance."
"I see," Relena murmurs with a distant look in her cornflower blue eyes. "Why?"
"He considers you a most worthy, if inadvertent ally." Trowa pauses, considering his response. "Beyond that, you'll have to ask him yourself, Ms Darlian."
"Fine." Relena reaches into her handbag for her cell phone. "He may contact me tomorrow to make an appointment, after I've had a chance to verify your prediction regarding my Romefeller cases."
"Chang," Trowa greets the approaching detective. "How is Heero?"
"He's with the surgeons. It's wait and see, for now." Recognizing Relena's expectant look, Wu Fei continues, "Zechs is going to wait with Duo. He said something about trying to keep him from harassing the nurses."
Relena arches an eyebrow. "You believe him?"
"No," is the curt answer.
Sighing in defeat, Relena begins dialing her cell phone. "Well, I have matters that need to be dealt with. Good day, Mr Barton." She starts walking toward the elevators with Wu Fei beside her. Detectives Poh and Noin quickly fall in step with them. "Zechs," she says into the cell phone, "please keep me informed about Heero's condition." The elevator arrives while she is listening intently and Noin holds the doors for her. "Of course, I care. I just refuse to sit around watching you watch Duo wait for the doctors when I have work to do." She steps into the elevator. "I do want you to let me know as soon as you hear anything though. He is a very good friend." Frowning, as the doors close, she ends the call, "Thanks." Looking at Wu Fei, she asks, "He'll be alright, won't he?"
"He'll be fine," is the less than convincing reply.
[Don't you dare die on me. Don't you dare. You hear me? You promised. Don't leave me, Heero.] The words echo in his mind, dragging him back to consciousness. Something sounding suspiciously like a sniffle draws him closer to the present. The blur, that is his vision, slowly clears as his eyes eventually focus on the owner of the wet nose pressed into his palm. "Duo," he murmurs.
"Heero," Duo gasps, moving closer. His tentative smile getting brighter by the moment. "The doctor said that I can give you some ice..."
A slight nod and something cold and wet touches Heero's lips, melting in his mouth to ease a parched throat. Movement at the far end of the room allows him a glimpse of pale blonde hair as someone exits the room. "Leaving," he manages to say.
"Shhhh, I'm not going anywhere and neither are you," Duo tells him firmly. He is gently brushing the hair from Heero's forehead when the doctor arrives.
"It's settled then?"
Quatre sighs, drops his robe on the chair and falls backwards onto the bed. "It's over." Rolling to face his shadow, he smiles. "After two and a half months, it's all over."
"..."
"Don't give me that look," Quatre says, pouting. "It wasn't a waste of time and effort."
"What happened to, we'll take a vacation?" An emerald green eye flashes briefly with something akin to anger.
"We will, eventually. New businesses take time to establish," is the patient explanation.
Trowa turns off the light.
"Well, the dance was worth it."
"Was it?"
Gathering Trowa into his arms, Quatre inhales the scent of his hair and whispers, "Yes. Yes, it was. Winner Enterprises no longer exists. My sisters, all, have their own share of father's empire to do with as they please. Our current business is entirely legal. We are no longer targets of the Romefeller Syndicate, and last but not least, Heero and Duo have committed themselves to working exclusively for me. Shinigami is mine. Definitely worth it, wouldn't you say?" He feels the warm breath of his lover's sigh against his throat. "I'm sorry about the delayed vacation. I'll make it up to you, I promise. I'll try to convince Duo to learn business management, then we can take turns having time off and the business will always have someone in charge. Will the prospect of regular vacations make you feel better?" The gentle kisses on his lips effectively silence him and communicate approval of his plans.
"Nice bouquet," Poh whispers to Noin, stirring the contents of her mug.
Replacing the pot on the coffee machine, Noin studies the ginger haired man making his way to the Lieutenant's office, his arms full of yellow roses. "He's nice too. I met him last week," she says. "Really soft-spoken. I kept thinking I've seen him somewhere before."
"Now that you mention it, he does look familiar." A speculative look in her eyes, Sally asks, "Any idea who he is?"
"He's from Chicago, I think. Moved here about four months ago." Noin starts walking back toward their desks. "Widower of three years, has a daughter."
"You seem awfully well informed." Glancing sideways at her partner, Sally sidles closer. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"I'm getting there." Noin winks barely containing her smirk. "His name is Trevor Kendrick and look where he's headed."
"Oh..." Sally struggles to keep from grinning as understanding dawns.
"Uh-huh." Nodding, Noin smiles rather smugly.
"Hey," Alex calls to the two women as they pass his desk. "Isn't that DA Khushrenada?" He gestures to the man entering Lieutenant Une's office. "I wonder what's the occasion."
Sally and Noin exchange startled glances and hurry back to their desks.
Mueller shrugs at the confused look Alex throws his way and picks up his ringing phone. Hanging up without saying anything, he turns to Alex. "It's not the DA."
Zechs leans against a rather large oak, his long, silvery blonde hair cascading down his back. In the distance is the reason for his presence in the park. A group of children are playing tag with a chestnut colored braid. The very fiber of his being urges him to join them; to chase that braid and catch the man attached to it. [He'll come when he's ready,] he reminds himself. So he watches the game and waits, folding his arms across his chest. [It's been almost three months, I wonder what he wants.]
Children surround Duo. "You can't catch me!" he taunts them. They laugh and scream chasing his flying braid around in circles. Keeping it just beyond their reach, he weaves among them daring the more adventurous ones to greater efforts. A mother's authoritative voice rises above the din and the little ones reluctantly obey, waving goodbye to their playmate. He stands there alone as they leave, raising his hand to wave with a smile on his lips and sadness in his eyes.
While waving to the departing children, Dou notices his observer. [He came. He's here. After all this time and he still looks so sad. I'll fix it. I'll spend the rest of my life fixing it.] He slowly starts walking toward the tree, a different kind of smile playing on his lips. His large violet eyes burn with a slow fire, which kindles a sympathetic flame in the icy blue depths of his love's gaze. The ice begins to melt and he finally dares to hope for the second chance he craves. Stopping when he gets close enough to touch, he barely manages to keep his hands to himself. "Thanks for coming. I was beginning to think you might never show. I left that message three months ago."
"I haven't been home to check my messages. I'm sorry," Zechs apologizes his eyes widening. "You've been here everyday for three months?"
"Um... yeah," Duo admits, grinning. "Those kids think I live here, like the trees and the squirrels. Three months, three years, three decades, as long as it takes, I'll be here waiting for you to come talk to me."
"Why?" the breathless question is finally asked.
"Because you're worth the wait. You're worth the rest of my life. I'll wait forever for you." Duo takes a step closer to his dreams and asks, "What happened? Zechs, you stayed with me for almost seventy hours in that hospital. You held my hand and kept telling me everything was going to be fine and as soon as Heero wakes up, you disappear. Where did you go?"
Realizing that an answer is expected; Zechs breaks the rather awkward silence between them. "Home, you didn't need me there anymore."
"Like hell. I didn't!" Duo snaps back at him. "Ten minutes... I turn around and you're gone. I try your cell then left messages for you, at home, at Relena's, at Relena's office, at the police station; I ran out of places and people to leave messages with and not a squeak from you. Since I'm not Relena's favorite person, she wasn't going to tell me anything. She wouldn't even tell Heero where you went and she tells him just about anything."
The reply is so softly voiced that it is almost unheard, "I didn't tell her."
"Oh..." Duo almost reaches out to touch the man in front of him but puts his clenched fists in his pockets instead. "So, what happened?"
"I went home. I was in the shower when you left your first message. I thought about going back to the hospital. I was on my way there when I turned onto the freeway and just kept going." Zechs's knuckles turn almost white from his grip on his arms. "I couldn't face you... and Heero... and I guess I was trying to be strong or something. He needed you and I wasn't going to come between you."
"I needed you. There's no space between Heero and I. You couldn't have come between us," Duo tries to explain. "I still need you."
Zechs lifts his gaze to meet Duo's again. "What's wrong now?"
"Wrong?" Duo asks. "What's wrong is that look in your eyes that's breaking my heart because I put it there. I need to make things right between us, you and me."
"You still want me back?" The ice slowly returns to Zechs's eyes. "And Heero doesn't mind?"
"I don't think you understand," Duo says, attempting to touch the man so close to him.
Zechs flinches and the hands stop, just short of touching him. "I understand," he mumbles, his eyes locked on those hands. Taking a deep breath, he continues, "I've had time to think about this, time to miss you; so much." Releasing his arms, he opens his hands, palms facing upward and offers them to Duo. "Let me offer you my heart, my body and soul; again." He sighs. "I'm sorry I refused the last time you offered to have me back." Swallowing, he refuses to look up. "I guess I was being stubborn. I'll be fine with whatever you can spare of yourself. Just love me a little, please."
Duo tentatively lowers his hands into those waiting just below. "I love you more than just a little and I'll spend the rest of my life showing you how much." Leaning toward solid chest before him, he slips his arms around the slim waist and holds the other man close. "I love you, Zechs Merquise. The first time we met, we were so young and I didn't know what we could mean to each other. I walked away from you the second time you offered me yourself and I didn't realize the lines you were willing to cross to be with me." He feels Zechs's arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling him close. "This time, the third time, will be the last time 'cause I'm never leaving you or letting you go again. I'll make this work. No matter what I have to do or how many lines I have to cross, I'll make this work." Tilting his head upward, he finds slightly parted lips hovering above his, ice melted in a liquid blue gaze filled with unspoken promises.
As the small heartshaped face lifts to look up at him, Zechs tenderly captures those delectable lips with his own. He hungrily tastes the tongue flicking over his lips begging admittance. His lips part further and Duo plunges in devouring his moans and allowing his own plunder of sweetly breathed purrs.
Heero sighs with relief when he sees Duo and Zechs finally embrace. ~ Three months is a long time to spend waiting in a park. Didn't think Duo had it in him to wait this long. Glad Lena warned me that Zechs got back last night. Wouldn't want to miss this. ~
"You don't look very upset for someone who's watching his boyfriend try to climb down another man's throat," a vaguely familiar voice comments.
Whipping around, furious at not noticing someone so close, Heero finds himself facing Zechs's handsome Chinese partner. "Hn." He shifts along the bench to allow the man to sit beside him. "Strange how everyone assumes he's my boyfriend."
"Isn't he?" Wu Fei asks with an eyebrow raised, curiosity lively in his onyx eyes. "You seem inseparable, what else could he be?"
"Zechs isn't a cop anymore, yet you still cover his back. Does that make him your boyfriend?" Heero asks, watching the couple stroll towards the car park, arms around each other's waist.
"No, I'm just a friend trying to help him pick up the pieces." Wu Fei smiles, contemplating the two men walking away from them. "So, what does that make you?"
"If we had the same parents, Duo and I would be twins." Heero leans back and casts a sidelong glance at the man beside him. "How's your new partner working out?"
"He's a pompous jackass. I'm starting to see how Zechs managed to get his reputation for being a hard cop to work with." Wu Fei chuckles unexpectedly. "I just have to find out how he got rid of the ones he didn't like."
Heero stands and traces a line in the grass with the toe of his shoe. "I'll probably be needing a new partner, soon." He takes a few steps backwards. Smirking, he asks, "Join me for some coffee and doughnuts?" The speculative gleam in his cobalt eyes belies the lightness of his tone.
Wu Fei stares at the line of crushed grass between them. "I'm not fond of doughnuts but I wouldn't mind some coffee," he eventually answers with a smirk of his own. Confidently, he strides forward to catch up with Heero.
Together, they walk along the path out of the park. "I don't like doughnuts either but Duo insists that they are a stakeout requirement."
"Remember the last time we were at this window?" Duo asks, placing his hands on the panes of glass.
Zechs, beneath the fall of chestnut hair, pauses in his gentle suckling on the back of Duo's neck. "You were watching the lightning." His hands find their way along the bare chest to a taut abdomen and into the waistband of faded blue jeans. "I was trying to dry your hair." He returns his attentions to the red mark he is encouraging. "I can't see what I'm doing," he grumbles.
Chuckling, Duo undoes the buttons of his jeans to allow wandering hands greater access. "That's because you have your eyes closed."
"Hrr drm rnmm mmmh?" vibrates against pale skin. Long fingers lightly stroke a fast hardening member inside the tight jeans.
"Cause, I can feel your lashes tickling my ear," Duo reveals as his breath hitches, coming in erratic gasps at Zechs's tender ministrations. "We're not going to make it to the bed."
"We will."
Strong arms wrap around Duo's waist molding his back to a solid chest and lifting him off the ground. Kicking off his shoes, he proceeds to wriggle out of his skintight jeans, lifting his legs to pull them off by the hem. The movements of his butt against a rock hard arousal elicit muffled groans from the man holding him. Dropping the garment on the floor, he reaches back to fumble unsuccessfully with tailored pants, stretched tight from his activities. "Your turn, Zee. You have to put me down so I can get your clothes off."
"Zee?" Zechs emerges from the cover of chestnut tresses. "Where did that come from?"
"Zechs is such a harsh sounding name, I wanted to call you something softer." Duo turns around in the circle of loving arms and leaning back, he begins undoing buttons. "I like Mill but you don't." Grasping the shirt, he pulls moist lips closer for a taste. "You always taste so good, like milky white chocolate. Did you know that you were my first?" The dark blue shirt falls to the floor.
"No..." Zechs combs his fingers through Duo's hair from the sides of his face to the nape of his neck. "I didn't realize..." His thumbs caress delicate ears as his belt joins his shirt. "You seemed..." The memory blurs when a hand reaches into his open pants and cups his balls. "Ahhh..."
Duo's soft chuckle is punctuated by a gently suckling on Zechs's lower lip to match the caressing actions of his hand. "You were so worried about how young I was, I figured that if I didn't take charge I'd never get a piece of your ass and I wanted that piece so bad." Looking into glazed eyes, he finally realizes that the man he is caressing isn't listening. Placing his hands on his lover's slim waist, he waits until those light blue eyes focus on him again. With an impish grin, he continues, "Well, you were my first; and you'll be my last. My A to Z." Kissing the stunned man for emphasis, he concludes, "My Mill to Zee." In a single motion, he hooks his thumbs onto the waistband of both, pants and boxers, and drops to his knees dragging the garments to the floor. A quick flick of his tongue licks precum from the erect member, temptingly close to his face.
Zechs finds himself falling forward as his knees buckle at the wet caress of his arousal. Spreading his legs as far apart as the garments around his ankles will allow, he grabs for Duo's shoulders. Sure hands on his butt stop the fall before his knees hit the floor.
"Gotcha!" Duo lowers his man onto his lap. "You're looking kinda pale, Zee" The grip on his shoulders loosen and he tucks a trembling blonde under his chin. "Shhhh...." Easing back to lie down on the floor, he gently strokes down the length of Zechs's back. "I caught you, didn't I?" The head on his chest nods. "So, what's wrong?"
"Did you mean it?" The words are muffled against Duo's chest.
"Every single word." Duo threads his fingers into light gold tresses and lifts up Zechs's head. He removes one hand to tilt his chin to look into downcast eyes. "With all my heart. Gonna let me call you Zee?"
Placing his hands on the floor, Zechs pushes himself upward before diving in to claim Duo's lips. A timeless eternity later, they part for air. Lips still brushing, he breathes, "Could I stop you?"
"No." Slim hips lift off the floor to grind hardening arousal together as legs tangle and Duo rolls them over. "I want you, now." He sits up and rubs his butt against Zechs, grinning when pale eyes cloud with passion and the body beneath him lifts off the floor in reaction. His laughter echoes throughout the house while he shouts with glee, "Oh Zee, we're not gonna make it to the bed again."
"Later," is the last coherent word heard between them for quite some time.
The morning light falls across the bed, chestnut hair is tangled with platinum gold, spread over crumpled sheets, barely covering the two men on the bed. "Morning," Duo's voice is low and sleepy, his breath ticklish on Zechs's ear. A rumbling mumble is all the reply he gets. "Love you." Eyelashes flutter against his cheek. "I know you're awake." Fingers tighten in his grasp, a thumb caressing the back of his hand. "Aren't you going to say it?"
"Morning," a whisper, barely audible, breezes past Duo's ear. Pushing upward slightly to come nose to nose with the one under him, he stares into sleep drowsy baby blues. The lick if a tongue on his lips spoils the effect of his scowl. Giving in he lowers his head again and tries a different approach. A stirring against his abdomen signals success.
"Well?"
"Guess I could get used to Zee."
"Really..." Amethyst eyes narrow and glint dangerously only to be met by a languid smile in a sky blue gaze.
"Really. Don't you think Zee Maxwell sounds nice?"
With a sigh Duo curls up, once again, beside Zechs, resting his head on a comfortable shoulder. "Yeah, sounds really nice but you're not going to say it, are you?"
"Love you," is whispered as lips brush Duo's cheek on the way to claim his mouth.
The slow languid kiss starts their brand new day.
Take my hand and step into the light
As we touch our hearts will open wide
Kiss my lips and hold me now
And lie here by my side
Help me find the place where love hides
We will find the place where love hides
The End