Metamorphosis Part 9
Trowa sat on the floor leaning against the wall by Duo's bedroom door. His long legs were bent to his chest, his hands folded loosely over his knees. He stared at his boots quiet and unmoving. His fellow pilot's approach rallied his attention. Impassive green eyes rested on Quatre.
"How is he?" Quatre whispered not bothering to hide his fear.
Trowa took a shaky breath fighting his own emotional upset. His eye's stoical gaze hid well his underlying pain over Deathscythe master's steady decline. "It's not good." He stood up placing a hand on his lover's shoulder, "Try to be strong." he encouraged following Quatre inside.
*********
Sally Po slumped in her chair resting her head on Duo's bed. Throughout her faithful vigil she had cried until her tears dried up. Feeling helpless to stem the ruthless tide swamping Duo's frail system, Sally's emotions had run the gambit from worry to fear and now, rage. Her fingers clutched the bedcovers in an anger-clenched grip. "DAMN OZ!" she hissed.
Dark purple blotches under Duo's eyes were the only color in his ashen, angelic face. Stringy chestnut bangs caressed his long eyelashes closed in comatose sleep.
Sally's trembling fingers lifted the wet mop of hair from his forehead burning with fever. "Duo please don't give up."
At ever turn OZ's deviously cleaver "Brain Benders" has strategically placed cerebral "blocks" to hinder and frustrate the medical staff's efforts to reverse Duo's downhill slide into death's moribund darkness. The demented Manipulators had designed their psychic obstructions so that the hindrances produced a prolonged but relentlessly persistent deterioration. Just simply letting Duo die peacefully and painlessly was not in OZ's vicious nature.
*********
Footsteps caused Sally to turn toward the door. With the Medophene beginning to take affect Zechs was not as dependent on his helpers as he walked through the door. Quatre, Wufei and Trowa came after.
Heero paused to summon up his courage. As the ominous foreboding plaguing his soul swelled inside he fought to control the breaths stabbing through his heaving chest.
Sally's puffy eyes held Heero's stress-worn features in their misty gaze. "Heero." her bottom lip quivered, "Oh Heero." she whispered as her tears flowed freely. She stood as he reached the bed. "I'm so sorry." she sighed embracing Heero's trembling body, "he's dying."
Jerking away Heero shook his head. He did not want to listen...would not let himself believe that Duo was too far gone to know he was there.
"NO!" he screamed staggering backwards.
An indomitable glare replaced the despair in the Heero's brooding sight. This time instead of dispensing the Grim Reaper's justice, the Perfect Soldier was going to fight the Soul Harvester with all the venomous tenacity he could muster.
Carefully sitting on the bed he took his lover's hand and was shocked by how cold it was. "Duo." his grief-chocked voice whispered.
Sally sat down beside Heero lightly rubbing his back. "Duo "dreamed" all day after you left, tossing and shivering, fighting the demons OZ left to torment him. Every time he'd open his eyes he would call your name but..." a shaky breath trailed off her words.
"I suppose when you didn't answer he gave up and allowed himself be carried off by a languishing current. He gradually became quiet, sedate, then just stopped fighting altogether."
Sally lowered her eyes not wanting to see the desperation in Heero's misty pupils. "We've done all we can, tried everything, but OZ won't let us in."
"Not everything." Zechs announced angrily. Just like Heero's dogged determination this was one battle that the Lightning Baron was not going to lose.
Heero leaned over pushing aside sweat-soaked bangs, resting his cool hand on Duo's hot brow. "You hold on!" he ordered, "Damn it, Duo, you hear me! Hold on!"
Lovingly Heero gathered up his lover enfolding his arms tightly about Duo's too thin frame. If the will to live could be inspired by sheer moral courage then Heero would give Duo all his soul, use all his strength to guide him back home.
Zechs touched Heero's shoulder. "We have the solution, I know we do." he stated with utmost surety, "Come on, let's get to work."
"Hold on." Heero implored gently kissing Duo's sallow, damp cheek, "Please." he whispered brushing his lips over his beloved partner's mouth.
Suddenly Heero didn't want to let go. He was afraid if his and Duo's physical bond was severed again that Duo would perish from the rending disunion. The Gundam pilot that once believe that "life was cheap" was now frightened that the breach between their hearts might grow too wide to cross. But he had to take the chance and let go because if he didn't Heero knew that Duo would indeed die in his arms.
*********
Duo's saviors wasted no time. Inside Wing Zero's cockpit Heero downloaded the Integration Data letting his "perfect grade" Gundam and an external computer communicate in their own electronic language.
Zechs and Wufei manned the main terminal, reprogrammed the incoming data. The computer hummed as it reconfigured the thousand bites of information cascading through its system. Trowa, using Quatre as a test subject, check out the practice sensor-pads making sure they were operating correctly.
Even with the Medophene's aide, Zechs found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Quivering fingers more and more punched the wrong keys. Finally he turned the process over to Wufei then gave explicit instructions as the Lone Dragon finished the job.
Heero, too, was fighting his own scattered attention. Visions of Duo lying so pale and motionless kept reappearing in his mind. But he could not dwell on those frightening pictures. He knew a single mistake could be catastrophic. Everything, every detail, had to be perfect. There was no room for error, not with Duo's life hanging in the balance.
*********
Two hours later, with the prepared programming fed into the Zero System, four resolute soldiers encircled Deathscythe master's bed. Sensor pads were attached to Duo's temples and various pulse points. As Zechs ran a final system's check Wufei and Trowa held Duo's legs, Heero and Quatre his arms.
Zechs was not certain what responsive transformation that another intrusion into Duo's battered brain might produce, what reflexes might or might not be stimulate and he certainly didn't want Duo hurting himself should the reprogramming trigger a violent reaction.
"Ready?"
Everyone nodded affirmatively. Heero placed a comforting kiss on Duo's cheek. "I'm here." he whispered close to his lover's ear.
"I'm going to gradually pace the input." Zechs informed. "Duo's system can't absorb too much at a time so don't be overly concerned if it is awhile before we see any concrete results." he warned.
Zechs closed his eyes, took a concentrative breath and exhaled as his sight returned to Duo's frail form. Poising his finger over ENTER the converted Rogue Ace depressed the key and prayed all their efforts had not been an exercise in futility. Duo twitched. Everyone held their breath.
*********
The first forty-five minutes were unbearably slow. Time passed without so much as a flicker of awareness. Heero held Duo's hand hoping that through the familiar touch his partner would sense that he was there. During the next thirty creeping portions of time Heero thought he felt an ever so slight pressure increase in dear partner's fingers. Twenty more painfully extended divisions and a low moan sounded.
Duo's eyes moved jerkily under his eyelids as they viewed the Zero System's kaleidoscopic waves in his "mind's eye". Fifteen minutes, muscles stiffened. A loud groan proceeded a sharp intake of air. The sudden rush of oxygen made Duo's entire body tense. Fingers curled and arms and legs fought against his comrade's gently but firm restraint.
"Duo." Heero called close to his ear. His lover's lips parted. A wispy sigh blew on Heero's cheek as Duo relaxed.
Heero repeated the calling and was rewarded when Duo firmed up the pressure on his hand. "Duo." Heero replied to the squeeze. "Follow the sound of my voice." he pleaded, "Please come back."
Then leaning nearer still, Heero Yuy readily made his committed feelings clear. Unashamedly he confessed himself before his loyal friends. "Duo I love you."
Weakness-laden eyelids fluttered twice before they opened to find Heero's concerned cobalt sight gazing lovingly back. Without hesitation Duo's soul mate closed his mouth over his precious partner's pale lips. With a surprisingly strong response Duo returned the kiss.
"Heero." Duo barely breathed out his lover's name.
Duo's voice's soft tenor was the sweetest sound Heero had heard since his childhood. Not since Odin Lowe tucked the frightened young boy in bed and told him everything would be all right, had Heero felt that someone cared.
Heero bent over his newly awaken lover. "Welcome back koi." Then sealed the greeting with a second warm kiss.
"Good." Zechs smiled obviously pleased with Duo's "rebirth". "Now let's get that damn chip out of his neck." he instructed as he began unhooking the sensor pads.
*********
An exhausted Heero shared Duo's bed cradling his more alert lover against his chest. As his fingers fumbled with Duo's heavy braid the slow metered strokes brought on the urge to sleep in both Gundam masters.
As soon as Zechs was sure that Duo was all right he had stayed true to his word. He weaved once to give Quatre and Trowa fair warning then collapsed just like he had promised he would.
With his silver hair spread out over the pillow and the refreshingly cool sheets covering his naked chest Zechs rested in an adjacent bed. Sleep also crept in like a comforting friend. Just before he gave into the Sandman's invitation to slumber he offered a satisfied smile to the reunited lovers then drifted off into perfect nothingness.
*********
The next morning:
For the first time since his reclamation from the OZ-induced demons Duo slept peacefully. The Medic had established an IV to replace fluids and provide nutrition for his starved body. His temperature was normal, his breathing regular and his cheeks were a healthy shade of pink.
After sleeping soundly through the night, Heero, too, was feeling stronger. He had eaten a hardy breakfast and was now propped up on several pillows beside Duo watching his soul mate in his restful slumber.
Zechs had felt well enough to go to the mess hall and share his morning meal with Trowa, Quatre and Wufei. Refreshed and well fed the rebel quartet quietly entered Duo's room.
Heero checked his lover and eased out of bed to join his friends. "Please sit down," he urged with a wave of his hand at a nearby table.
Admitting to anyone that he was wrong went totally against Heero's nature nevertheless Zechs Merquise and the other Gundam pilots were about to have the rare opportunity of hearing Heero Yuy recant his pervious mistrust of the Lightning Baron.
Since Heero's answer to any attempted interaction usually manifested itself by refusing people's care, rewarding their concern with indifference and displaying an attitude that bordered on pure rudeness to have Heero rescind any opinion, especially one rooted in suspicion, was a landmark event.
"Zechs I was wrong." he stated solemnly, "Even when you offered to exchange yourself for Duo I still believed that you would betray us. I thought that you would use Duo to get back in OZ's good graces.
But there is not a trace of doubt in my mind now. You suffered terribly and put your life on the line for Duo and me. You are a soldier in every way that matters and I am honored to call you my comrade. Can you ever forgive me for my skepticism?"
Zechs was gracious in his acceptance of the Perfect Soldier's apology. "Remember our battle between Wing and Tallgeese?" he asked as he mentally recalled his and Heero's first encounter.
Heero nodded. "I remember that day."
"It was a shame that then the only common ground we could find was our Gundams." Zechs declared.
Leaning nearer Zechs continued. "That day you told me you had never shaken anyone's hand before you shook mine. Would it be possible to bend your rule one more time?"
Heero Yuy locked his blue eyes on his former opponent with renewed conviction that with a united effort OZ could be defeated. One day, he now believed, their world would be whole and at peace.
Heero reached across the table gladly offering his hand. "Arigato." he replied to Zechs' congenial reception of his apology.
"You are welcomed." the Lightning Baron smiled as he firmly shook his comrade-in-arms hand.
TBC...
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