Te Amo Part 21
"The Prince found the Princess on the highest tower and woke her up with a kiss. The evil sorceress had gone and the whole kingdom rejoiced. The prince and princess got married and they lived happily ....ever after."
The soft voice flew into Duo's ears as his awareness returned. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the white ceiling above him.
"...Duo?"
Duo turned to the voice and saw Heero sitting next to him, one hand holding a small book. A little girl he recognized as Gillian slept soundly on Heero's lap. He turned his head and caught Heero's eyes. The Japanese boy watched him, worry evident in his Prussian blue eyes. Slowly but surely, his memories returned to him. The scream, the shot..... "Are you okay?"
Heero nodded.
Duo smiled and lifted his hand in silent gesture that Heero answered by putting his free hand against it. Duo held his lover's hand tightly. "I can't bear losing you again, Heero." Feeling relieved, Duo closed his eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep, his hand never losing its hold on Heero's.
They would live happily ever after from now on......
Heero watched Duo sleeping for sometime before he leaned against his seat and closed his eyes. "I can't bear losing you either." The Japanese boy murmured softly and followed his older lover to Morpheus's world.
~*~
Around 8 PM the same day, Mariemeia went to hospital straight from her office and found her three friends in the corridor leading to Solo's room. She quickened her steps and joined them in a few seconds.
"Hi, Sis." The trio greeted her.
"How is Solo?"
"He and Uncle Duo were still sleeping last time we saw them." Milliard answered. "Heero is awake and babysitting Gillian right now."
Mariemeia blinked. "You let a soldier look after your sister?"
Milliard was startled. Midii protested. "He isn't a soldier anymore."
"Last time I saw him before today, he was pointing a gun at me, acting every inch a soldier." Meia retorted.
"He may be a soldier but he is also a kind boy, you know." A new voice came up behind them.
The four of them were startled and turned around to see a white bearded old man wearing sunglasses smiling at them. "Long time no see, brats."
"Grandpa!" They exclaimed simultaneously. Midii then stepped forward and hugged the old man. "I thought you were in the colonies."
"I just arrived on earth today." Howard hugged the girl back. "Imagine my surprise when I learned what happened from the maids at Duo's house."
"Who told you it was this hospital?" Meiran asked.
"I called Zechs and got the rest of explanation." Howard released Meiran and approached Solo's room. "Is Heero really in there?"
Milliard nodded. "He is."
"The hero you kept praising all this time is trying to break Uncle Duo and Aunt Hilde apart, you know." Meiran said.
Howard looked at them sadly. "It's about time...." He then opened the door and entered the room where he would see the boy he had wanted to meet again for this past fifteen years.
"I don't believe this. You side with Uncle Quatre too, Grandpa Howard." Mariemeia spoke but she stopped when Howard gestured them all to be silent. She looked to where Howard was looking. Her other friends seems to be looking at the same thing.
There next to Duo's bed, Heero was sleeping soundly. One of his arms encircled Gillian, keeping the girl from falling down. The other hand was entwined with Duo's.
"He will have cramp if Gillian isn't moved." Milliard whispered and approached the sleeping boy. He slowly extracted Gillian from Heero's arm and what happened next surprised them all.
"Don't take him!" Heero's eyes snapped open as he shouted and pulled Gillian back to him. Milliard and the others could see the rising panic on his eyes before he bent down and shielded Gillian with his body. "I won't let you take Solo from me again!"
All of them were stunned at Heero's reaction. Midii was the first one who recovered and she tentatively called the Japanese boy.
"Heero?"
Heero shied away from the voice.
Midii gulped and stepped forward. "Heero, it's Gillian, not Solo."
Heero's shoulders tensed at her words.
"Solo is sleeping in the middle bed now." Milliard added.
Slowly the Japanese boy's head turned downward and then to the middle bed. Midii, Meiran, and Milliard didn't miss the relief in those Prussian blue eyes when they landed on Solo. The trio looked at each other, all thinking of the same thing. Was it really a coincidence that Solo looked like Heero?
~*~
Howard watched as the Japanese boy slowly straightened and reluctantly gave Gillian to Milliard. He now could see the boy clearly. Same face, same expression as last time he saw the Japanese boy. Tired, sad, and longing. He had regretted that day. He regretted it every time he saw Solo smile, realizing there was another boy with same face who could only smile like that when Duo was with him; the boy who would never smile like that anymore because Duo had been taken from him.
Howard had been there when Duo first opened his store.
He had been there to see the Japanese boy smile happily for the first time and Duo smile back in the same amount of happiness.
But yet, Howard was too stubborn to admit that a boy, raised as a soldier and weapon, could make Duo happy.
He thought it was too late to fix his mistake, but now that he was given second chance. He wouldn't throw it away. Howard watched as the Japanese boy finally noticed him and the boy's hand tightened his hold on his lover. He stepped forward and noticed the boy lean closer to his sleeping lover.
"Can you leave us alone please?" He spoke to the teens.
Frowning, Mariemeia, Midii, Meiran, and Milliard complied with his request. Once they left, Howard stood on the other side of Duo's bed.
"I'm not here to separate you." Howard spoke slowly and looked at Duo, the man he had considered as his son. "I'm sorry. I was wrong back then. I thought Hilde could make Duo happy so I helped her to be with Duo." The old man looked down at Duo's sleeping face and smiled bitterly. "Finally after fifteen years, I can see his contented smile again." Howard turned to the Japanese boy. "No matter what happens, don't let him go. If you need some help, call me."
Heero watched Howard for a moment before nodded his head and kissed Duo's hand. "I won't let go."
Howard nodded back. "You look pale, Heero. Rest now. I'll be back tomorrow." He then turned away and headed toward the door.
"Howard."
Howard paused.
"Thank you."
Howard turned toward the Japanese boy. "It's me who should be thanking you." He then left the room without waiting for a reply. God's truth, he was thankful now that he could die without regret.
~*~
In a lab quite far from the hospital, an android with goggled eyes stirred to life. Its white haired head turned toward its mechanic.
"You."
"Yes, it's me, Dr. J." The man in front of the android nodded.
Android J moved and straightened his limbs slowly. "So how much time has passed?"
"Fifteen years."
"Is that so......." The android frowned then. "I just reviewed the last video from the lab."
The man paled and the android used the chance to strangle the man's neck with his metal hand.
"Where's Heero?" The android asked dangerously. "If he is dead, you and that bitch will die as well."
"He is alive and okay. I'll take you to him tomorrow." Dr Philip said a little strangled.
~*~
He stared at the sleeping man on his side and turned to his son on the next bed.
Never.
He would never let them go again.
They were his life.
They were the reason he stayed alive.
He had come close to losing both of them this morning.
Even though everyone else scorned and looked at him in disgust, he would never let them go.
He knew he was being selfish because by staying with Duo and that he turned Solo's life upside down.
He knew he would be hated by the boy.
But he didn't want to waste any time he had left just watching Solo from afar.
He had missed a lot of events in Solo's life. He didn't want to miss a single event in the future.
Standing slowly, he walked toward Solo's bed and pulled the blanket up so it covered Solo's shoulders. He had said he would do anything to make Solo happy. He reached out slowly and caressed Solo's cheek gently before walking back to his seat.
He would try to make Solo happy without having to leave them.
For once....... Just let him be selfish.
Maybe someday, Solo would see his genuine intention.
He didn't stay with them for glory and wealth Duo had.
He hadn't needed those things before.
He didn't need those things now.
He only wanted to live with his family.
If only he could tell them about what happened to him fifteen years ago....but that would hurt Solo more. He had hurt his son enough by staying with Duo.
Who would want to have a male mother anyway?
Resting his head on the bed, he sighed and closed his eyes.
Someday.
Maybe someday.........
Solo would see him and smile at him like he used to do.
It was enough.
~*~
Solo was Heero's child with Hilde.
Trowa mulled over his daughter's conspiracy theory while Ramsey was sleeping peacefully in his arms. Although he dismissed the theory in front of the kids, he filed all he had heard and now was processing it bit by bit.
Actually, if Midii's theory was right, it could explain so many things.
Solo's traits....
And why Hilde didn't like Solo to be compared to Heero.
And why Hilde was hysterical when she saw Heero.
But his heart told him that Heero would not cheat on Duo. Heero loved Duo, not Hilde. And not to mention the DNA test that stated Duo was Solo's father. It was an indisputable fact.
He should let this theory drop, but why did his instincts tell him not to?
Trowa was thinking of another solution when four of M5 barged into the room. He scowled to let them know that they were too noisy but they seemed oblivious. Midii and Milliard told him what had happened when they went to retrieve Gillian while Meiran explained the theory to Mariemeia whose eyes got bigger and bigger.
What Milliard and Midii reported made Trowa frown. "Father, Heero's behaviors show that Solo means more for him than a mere lover's son." Midii concluded her explanation, a bit too loud unfortunately and woke Ramsey up.
"You woke him, you calm him down. Take him back home. It's late at night. You all also have to go home or your parents will have your hides." Trowa gave Ramsey to his daughter and ushered the four teens out. "Don't tell your theory to anyone else. It can cause a great uproar."
"I know that, but what do you think about it, father?" Midii asked between Ramsey's cries.
"It's nonsense." Trowa then closed the door in front of his daughter and friends. Of course it wasn't nonsense, but he could let the children spread the theory when it still had many holes in it.
'I won't let you take Solo from me again!' Those words could mean a lot of things. But whatever they meant, the words showed how much Heero cared for Solo. How much Heero didn't want to lose Solo.
Trowa massaged his throbbing head. It was impossible to imagine Heero and Hilde together. From what he had seen, Hilde hated Heero with passion. The proof was this morning's incident. Hilde shot Solo who she thought as Heero and called him slut.
Maybe because he slept with her?
Trowa dismissed the weak reason quickly. Even if he assumed Heero slept with Hilde, the DNA test couldn't be denied. The advanced technology had allowed the scientist to determine more detail about their blood relationship.
The tall man groaned. He had been thinking for hours and still he couldn't conclude anything. Maybe he could think clearer if he got enough sleep. One thing for sure, Solo was Duo's son.
That was absolute.
From physical appearance however, it was easy to conclude that Solo was Heero's son instead of Duo's.
It was impossible for a child to have two fathers.
At this thought, Trowa heard something click inside his mind.
Was it really impossible to have a child with two fathers!?
Trowa paced around the room as a new theory was formed inside his head. Because of the advance of technology, they never thought to check Hilde's DNA as well.
They should have checked hers. Trowa cursed himself.
Heero's reactions and behaviors were easily explained with this theory and so were Hilde's. Trowa stopped dead in his tracks when he thought about the woman. If this theory was right, then how could she........
Wait a second.
The tall man paled as some more facts clicked into place.
Duo told him that he hadn't witnessed Solo's birth.
Heero also disappeared around Solo's birth.
Trowa became paler as he remembered yesterday's conversation with Duo about how Heero was found.
'Heero's arm and legs had been shot and his stomach was cut wide, leaving a big gap on it.' These were Duo's exact words.......
"No." Trowa was horrified with his own conclusion. Hilde couldn't........
The shaken man pulled out his cellular and dialed the phone number he had memorized long ago. The phone number of a man who had helped him and Quatre find their children. A man he wasn't sure was a good man anymore.
~*~
Solo heard Heero's breathing slow down and knew the Japanese boy was falling asleep. He slowly turned around and noticed a bundle of chocolate hair resting next his father's right arm. Pleasant warmth tingled on his cheek, the same cheek Heero had caressed a moment ago. Odd that only with that simple gesture, he felt warmed and cared for all over.
Everyone thought he was sleeping, but the truth was he had heard every conversation in the room. Those conversations had given him a lot to think about and he mulled them over inside his head.
Even Grandpa Howard supported the Japanese boy right now. Was his mother really bad for his Dad? He reached up and touched his own cheek where Heero had touched it before. His mother never touched him as gently as Heero did. When he was a child, he often envied his other friends for they had both parents that hugged and kissed them. He only had his Dad. His mother rarely hugged him, let alone kiss him.
He wasn't blind. He merely denied having noticed his father's changes. He had seen how his Dad smiled more often since Heero had been found. The contented smile Howard had said. He knew his Dad had to force a smile when his mother was near. Dad wasn't happy with her.
Solo had wanted to jump up and approach his Dad when he heard his voice. But he restrained himself and heard how his father's voice filled with longing and love when he talked to Heero. He never heard his father talk to his mother in that tone.
A tear rolled down on his cheek as he realized his parents would never make up. His mother had gone too far trying to shoot Heero and accidentally shooting him and father. Father wouldn't let it pass easily when it came to the people he loved and cared for. Solo still remembered when his father showed his dark side. He was six years old back then when he tried to protect Midii from being robbed by a thug. His father saw the thug punch his cheek and the next thing Solo knew, the thief was sprawled on the ground, bloodied and beaten. He still remembered how his father's eyes turned to dark violet at that time.
His mother had a zero percent chance in repairing the relationship with his father. Solo knew it. He himself doubted that he could accept his mother back with a smile. His mother had shot his Dad, almost taking him from his side. She also shot her own son. Solo wiped his tears angrily. Granted he and Heero looked alike but Dad didn't have problem recognizing both of them. How could a mother mistake her son for another person?
Solo looked at the joined hands of his father and Heero. He didn't feel the anger like he did when he saw Heero lying on top of his father. He realized he was selfish back then. He loved his father and didn't want to share his father with anyone else, especially a boy as old as himself. He cared for Heero as well and he thought he would be Heero's best friend. But then his father was the one Heero liked most, not him.
He felt betrayed.
However, when Gillian talked about being Heero's bride, Solo felt an instant dislike at the idea. He was confused at his own feelings at first until he realized he didn't like imagining Heero marrying someone else. In the bottom of his heart, he cared for Heero and didn't want to lose him.
And the way Heero reacted when his friends tried to take Gillian. He still didn't understand fully why Heero reacted and shouted like that but one thing for sure, he knew Heero cared for him. Heero didn't want to lose him either.
Solo took a deep breath and came to a decision. He would learn to accept his father's relationship with Heero.
Feeling relieved now that he had decided how he would act tomorrow, Solo straightened and decided to sleep for the real now. He arranged his pillow to get better leverage and frowned when his hand touched a hard surface. He sat up, lifted the pillow up, and found a blue book beneath it. Still frowning he took the book out and examined it. It was worn out, indicating it was quite old.
Who had put the book here?
Solo wondered and felt curious. He flipped the book open from the front. As he turned the first few page, he noticed the book didn't have a name or any other things that could identity its owner. Then he came to the written first page.
2nd of May, AC 195
Hello Odin.
Duo gave you to me.
Solo's eyes widened at this. This was a diary of someone who was close to his father.
That baka said that I can write whatever I think or feel to you so I think I'll make use of my first birthday present.
Baka. Solo knew the word. His father told him that Heero often called him a baka when they were in war. Solo held the book shakily and stopped reading as he realized who its owner was.
This was Heero's diary.
The person, who put this diary beneath his pillow, must have mistaken him for Heero. Solo knew he didn't have any right to read this diary but he was curious.
Though he didn't once think Heero wanted to be with his father for money, but who knew what a person was thinking? By reading this diary, he would know Heero's intentions and true feelings. He could know how much Heero loved his father...
Leaning against the headboard with a pillow propped up behind him; Solo started reading the blue book.
Little did he know that the book would tell him more than what he wanted to know......
~*~
"Hello?"
"Dr. Philip, this is Trowa Winner."
"Mr. Trowa, what can I do for you? Did something happen in the hospital?"
"No..... I want to ask you something."
"Yes? What is it?"
"You are the one who helped Solo's birth, aren't you?"
".............You know I am."
"Who's Solo's mother?"
Trowa could hear a loud gasp in the end of the phone. "It's not Hilde, right?"
There was a quite long pause before the doctor spoke to the phone again. "I'll tell you tomorrow."
"I want to know now."
"Mr. Winner, it's late at night. I swear I'll tell you tomorrow. Meet me in Maxwell's room in the morning."
"No, I..."
CLICK
"Damn!" Trowa cursed as he closed his cellular. He considered pursuing the doctor right away but he didn't want to leave Quatre unattended. He supposed he could wait until morning. If the doctor planned to escape, he only needed to call Relena and Une and then the doctor would have entire Sanc and Preventer soldiers hot on his heels.
~*~
Red......
Pool of blood....
The bloody claws were chasing her.
They closed over her and...
"NOOOOOOOOO!!" She opened her eyes in terror. White ceiling. Where was she? She tried to move, only to find her hands and feet were bound to the bed. What had happened? She panicked and tugged at her restraints frantically. She had to get away. Fast!!
"You're awake, huh?"
She stopped her struggling and turned toward the voice. The claws slowly faded from her head. A man with black hair and eyes stood next to her. He looked tired. "Wufei! Release me!"
Wufei blinked in surprise. "You recognize me."
"Of course!" She frowned and tugged at her restraints. "Please release me. Why I am being bound?"
The Chinese man looked hesitant. "Did you remember what had you done?"
She forced a gulp and nodded. "I do. I was hysterical back then."
"Hysterical? You shot your own son." Wufei glared at her.
She didn't look at him and tugged at her restraints again. "I thought it was him. He tried to take my family away from me."
Wufei sighed. He didn't need to ask who she referred as 'him'. "I can understand your fear, but you didn't have to be that extreme. This is another problem we have to discuss. Why are you so afraid of him?"
She tugged at the restraints again. "I'll tell you after you release me."
"No, you ...."
"Wufei, please, I need to go to the toilet." She sounded frantic.
The Chinese man reacted quickly, not wanting to witness the woman wetting her bed. He undid the hand restraints and turned his back to her to undo her ankle ones. Something hard struck his head then and he was out within second, falling down on to the floor along with the broken pieces of nightstand's flower vase.
She panted from her attack and watched the Chinese man until she was sure he was out. Then she quickly freed her legs and snatched the butter knife from her dinner tray. She opened the door and noticed it was early in the morning. Hiding the knife in her pocket, she walked out and locked her room, leaving the unconscious man inside.
She could feel the red claws starting toward her so she hastened her walk and searched for the devil.
She would make sure he was dead this time.
~*~
30th of June, AC 197
"I think I can have Solo in my arms soon, Odin. He became more and more vivacious as if trying to come out from his cocoon. I can't wait to have him, Odin.
My son.... My son will be born soon.
I wonder what he will look like. Will he have his father's eyes? Will he have that silky chestnut gold hair?
I have so many things I want to do with him. Eating ice cream, playing basketball, going to Wonderland.... so many things..... I hope he will laugh like his father. ..... I hope I won't fail to make him happy.....
The diary ended there. It was morning already. Solo hadn't slept a wink. His eyes were wide in shock and his hands shook violently.
Tearing his eyes from the blue book, he looked at the sleeping boy near his Dad.
Heero was the one who gave birth to him?
It was impossible! Men couldn't get pregnant!
This book must be a fake. Heero must have written it to get him on his side.
Solo didn't want to believe what he had read. He couldn't afford to believe it. Heero was too young and he was a male on top of it. Heero couldn't possibly have been pregnant...
IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE!!!
Solo took a breath, trying to calm down. The last date of the diary's entry showed 30th of June, AC 197.
It was his birth date. Heero couldn't have given birth to him while writing the diary. He had learned in school that contraction could last for about ten to twelve hours or longer before the baby was delivered. Yes, that was right. He couldn't be Heero's son. The date didn't match. Moreover he had a mother. He had the pictures of his pregnant mother. His father had taken a lot of them and told them how many cravings his mother had. His mother gave birth to him, not Heero!!
So why he and Heero had similar look then? His mind popped out the question. Solo was shaking violently then. He had heard so often how similar he was to Heero. How people mistaken him as Heero's son.
No..... NONONONO....... Solo gripped the blue book tightly, feeling his world crumble around him. He wasn't Heero's son. He had a mother. He had a father too. Heero COULDN'T possibly give birth to him.
Could he? And if it weren't him whom Heero gave birth, that meant Heero was lying. He only fantasized in writing this diary. He dreamed about having a child and produced this bullshit excused as a diary.
Oh, how Solo wanted to believe this diary was a huge bullshit. However, the intense emotion he felt from reading the diary made Solo doubt that this diary was forged. He could feel Heero's happiness and also despair contained in the blue book. He looked at the diary, studying it carefully. Its edge has been dog eared and it looked so worn out; a fact that it had been opened too many times. So if the diary was true............. There were two possibilities. Solo felt sick at the knowledge that both possibilities would make big impact on him. The first one was the one he tried hard to deny. The one where he was Heero's son. And the second one was ....... He had a step brother, which was supposed to be almost in the same age as him.
Solo trembled, not knowing what do. He didn't like both possibilities.
One of the possibilities was having a step brother. But where was this said brother at the moment? Who had taken care of him in the years Heero was frozen?
The other possibility was being a child of Heero, who was a soldier. If this was true....... what should he call Heero? Mother? His mother was Hilde. Father? His father was Duo........
BAM
The door slammed opened and Solo turned his head in surprise to see the intruder.
"There you are."
Solo knew that voice. "Mother?"
~*~
"There you are." She grinned happily. Finally, she had found him. The devil even still had the blue book he had thrown to Philip in order to escape years ago. She shouldn't have left him dying. She should have waited till he stopped breathing back then. It was time to make sure he was gone forever. Then she could sleep without fearing about the red claws chasing her.
"Mother?"
"I'm not your mother, slut!" She shrieked and took the knife out of her pocket. "I'll kill you for sure this time!"
Then she lunged, knife pointed straight to the devil's heart.
TBC...
*hides inside her turtleshell* Put down all the rotten tomatoes please. I'm writing the next part, I'm writing!
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