Innocence Reclaimed Part 11
"Heero?"
"Hn..."
"What were you wrong about?"
Blue eyes flew open to look down at the chestnut head resting on his chest. "What?"
"You said you were wrong."
"Ah..." Everything. "About your singing."
"Was that all?"
*Sigh* "Go to sleep Duo."
"But, I'm not tired."
"I can fix that!" Heero growled, rolling over and pinning the American under him.
~*~
Duo threw an arm over his face, trying to block out the bright sun that hit his eyes. "Mmm... Heero... turn the light out, willya?" He muttered.
Silence.
One violet eye popped open and peered out from under his arm. "Heero? Shit! It's daytime!"
He sat up and looked around. "How the hell does he do that without waking me up? He's always done that to me!"
Duo got up and pulled his clothes on. Padding barefoot to the living room, he grabbed Heero's note from the table and headed for the kitchen. "Bless you, Yuy!" Duo chuckled as he discovered Heero had left the coffee maker on.
Pouring himself a cup, he sat at the table to read.
Coffee in the kitchen. I seem to remember you needing something to get going. Go talk to Meia today. DON'T cook. I'll take you out tonight.
That was it... typical Heero... short and too the point. Almost rude. Duo smiled as he set down the note. All the traits that he'd loved about him all those years ago... he still had, whether he knew it or not.
He finished his coffee and grabbed his jacket. Better go see Meia... she was about the only one who knew everything. Then he'd go find out about what Heero had told him about Quatre booking their flights home.
He didn't know if he wanted to return with his friend. He wasn't too sure the states were home anymore.
~*~
As the chestnut haired American approached the small cottage at the edge of town, the door opened and the flame haired waitress stepped out to greet him.
"Duo Maxwell," She murmured, her brilliant blue eyes searching his.
"Meia 'Khushrenada'." He emphasized her last name, then more softly. "Mariemeia Maxwell-Yuy."
She choked back a sob and flung herself into his arms.
"Meia," He soothed. "What did you do?"
"I-I tried so hard to make things right..." She cried against his chest. "I wanted you all to have another chance! I-I didn't think you'd ever come together again."
He stoked her short flaming hair, his eyes gentle. Gone was the tough, mysterious waitress from town. A young woman who shared with no one, who talked in riddles and mysteries.
In her place was a frightened girl, a girl who had made a terrible mistake. In her place was Mariemeia Yuy... his child. The daughter that Heero and he had adopted and raised as their own.
Almost seven hundred years ago.
After she stopped crying, she led him into her home. Sitting him on her small sofa, she pressed a cup of tea into his hands and sat beside him.
"So, you've known all along?" He finally asked.
Meia nodded silently.
"How, Meia? Were you born with full knowledge of the past? Or did it come to you, like it did to us?"
She studied him for a moment and then stood. "Stay put... I want to show you something." She told him and disappeared into the back of the tiny cottage.
The girl returned a few minutes later and held something wrapped in cloth out to him. He looked at it and then up at her, his violet eyes full of question.
"Take it," She said softly.
He set his cup on the coffee table and took the object from her and unwrapped it. He stared at the shining dagger in his hands, unable to speak. It was thin and sleek, its silver handle studded with amethysts; not a mark marred it's perfect blade. He lifted the blade from the cloth and held in front of his face.
It was the dagger that Heero had given him. Sort of a "wedding" gift when Heero had become the Baron. Duo closed his eyes, he could almost hear Heero's voice from then. Telling him that he'd bought the blade because the jewels reminded him of Duo's eyes.
Opening his eyes, he looked up at the girl. "How did you get this?"
She didn't speak as she took his hand and led him down the hall to a small room. Opening the door, he gasped, swaying on his feet. Five glass cases sat around the room, in each one was a stand. One stood open and empty... it had held his dagger.
He walked numbly into the room and to each case. Heero's sword, the falcon hilt gleaming brightly in the room's light. Trowa's sword, bearing the head of a lion, it's blade intricately engraved with exquisite scrollwork, he remembered the day that Quatre had given it to his lover. A shorter sword, it's hilt golden the symbol of a rearing stallion carved into it... Kyle Peacecraft's sword. A small silver dagger, a single sapphire adorning it's otherwise undecorated hilt... the dagger Quatre had used to defend himself with.
He turned to Meia. "How, Meia?"
"I brought them with me." She said evenly.
He looked at her more closely. Her face was that of any seventeen year-old girl, but her eyes were different. Her eyes... were... tired... He blinked and stepped back. "You mean,"
"I've never died. My punishment for casting such a spell." She said quietly. "I am almost seven hundred and eighteen years old. And this is the first time that I've returned to this place."
It was too much for Duo. Without a sound he slumped to the floor, unconscious.
~*~
Trowa huddled in his chair in the study as Catharine checked the bruises on his back. "I still can't believe you weren't both killed!" She said standing back. "You'll heal... but you'll be sore for a good while. And you deserve it if you ask me!"
"What was I supposed to do, Cathy? Watch him die again?" The slender brunette asked as he shrugged on his shirt. "You've been lecturing me for two days about it. You never would have done that before."
"You were my liege before... NOT my brother."
"I'm not so sure about that," Trowa muttered.
"What?" Catharine asked whirling on him.
"I said I'm not so sure about that."
"Why would you say that?"
"Think about it, Cathy. Every single time we've been born as half siblings... for one reason or another. Doesn't that make you wonder sometimes? Originally, I didn't know who my father was... neither did you for that matter."
She stared at him in shock. "I-I never thought about it."
"Maybe you should." He said walking towards the door. "I'm going riding."
"Trowa?"
His hand on the knob, he turned and looked at her.
"Be careful. I don't want to lose you again."
"And I don't want to lose him." Came the flat reply as he opened the door and walked out.
~*~
"Hey, Yuy! You got a phone call!" A voice bellowed through the building.
Heero looked up from the computer he was working on, surprise evident on his face. Nobody ever called him at work... very rarely at home. Duo, maybe? He reached over and grabbed the phone, punching the line that was lit up on its face.
"Heero?" Meia's frantic voice came over the phone. "Heero, you've got to come over here... now!"
"What's wrong, Meia?" He asked, frowning. She sounded hysterical.
"Duo! Please... he's passed out... and I can't wake him."
"What happened?" He stood up, pinning the receiver between his ear and shoulder and grabbing his coat.
"I-I told him too much." Her voice broke. "I don't think he could take it... he just... shut down."
"Alright. I'll be right over." Heero said fighting down an unfamiliar feeling of panic.
Slamming the receiver down, he told the other man he was working with that he was taking the rest of the day off and walked out without even explaining.
When he got to Meia's house, she had managed to move Duo into her living room and onto the couch. Heero strode across the floor, laying a hand on her shoulder, his eyes on the man before him.
Meia looked up and for a split second she saw the man the he used to be reflected in his eyes. Then the mask was firmly in place once again.
"What did you tell him?" He asked as he knelt beside the couch, laying a hand across Duo's forehead.
"Everything. Things I haven't even told you yet." She replied miserably.
"Maybe you better tell me the rest now." Came the cool reply.
"I-I'm afraid to."
"Meia..." His voice held a warning. He'd had enough of all these secrets.
"No, Heero. I can't... not now." She insisted.
He fixed his cold cobalt glare on the red headed girl, his voice icy as he spoke. "I've had more than my fill of all your mysteries. You either tell me everything, now, or I walk out that door and you'll never tell me anything again."
"Don't be so hard on her, Heero." Duo's weak voice floated from the couch. "She's suffered more than any of us ever did."
"Duo!" Meia gasped, leaning forward.
He reached up and lay his hand over hers. "It's alright, Meia."
Heero leaned over him. "How do you feel?"
"Lost... confused... but I'll be alright. It's just going to take time for me to absorb everything." The American said, sitting up. "I think that tonight, we should all remain here this evening and let Meia tell you what happened and what price she's paid for it."
"Hn." The cobalt eyed men scowled at the girl. "Yeah. Maybe."
Duo watched Heero sadly. For a brief moment... they'd had the old Heero back. Now, he was retreating into himself again. Duo knew that he loved Heero, regardless of what he'd become over time. He also knew that although Heero loved him, he could never admit it. And in the end...
He'd go home.
TBC...
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