Alone Part 2
That last whisper nearly undid me permanently. I almost jumped down from the tree, to hell with the guards, to hell with the mission. Quatre needed me. Quatre was trying to slip back into the man that had destroyed a colony, the one who wanted to die rather than see me hurt.
Now he wanted to die rather than see me at all. I saw how he had avoided looking at me; saw the pain in his eyes when he had to. I heard the sound of his voice when he'd said that he couldn't get out, for us to leave him behind. There was resignation, yes, but also a dark kind of joy. We'd handed him a way to leave. Quatre wanted to go, and we had just given him a perfect opportunity.
It was Duo that stopped me from running after him then and there. Duo's message over the Preventer- issued communicators that we all wore on our right wrists, all of us except Quatre.
03 Tro- don't move. We'll figure something out. Keep reporting. Tell us when the gate is clear. 02
It was hard to remain in place. Harder still to sit and listen to Quatre's harsh breathing over the comm., to know that if we failed then that breathing would stop. I had to trust that Duo and Heero would get him out. It's not that I didn't trust them, but when your life is in someone else's hands, you want to reach out and cradle it yourself- that whole if you want something done right- do it yourself. Duo and Heero were closer to me than brothers, but still I fretted over leaving Quatre's safety in their hands.
Quatre didn't talk as he set the charges. Only the rough sound of his breathing told us that he was still alive. I could hear other voices as well over his mike, as the people arrived on his floor for the meeting. More people meant more guards, more people that would try and hurt Quatre if they survived the initial blast, more people between him and the others.
I wanted to add my voice to theirs, to tell Quatre that he'd- that we'd made a horrible mistake. I should've told him about that assignment with Wufei. I should've argued with him when he sent me away, instead of reacting to the fact that he'd doubted me with anger.
Yes, I have been attracted to Wufei. And Duo and Heero as well. But I didn't act on those feelings. I never would've betrayed Quatre like that. Never would've even thought of it. But he'd been thinking that I had. Never confronting me, never saying anything- just letting his doubt tear apart his confidence in my love for him.
It had hurt. It still did hurt. I had been angry with him. I still was, even now.
And maybe I was guilty as well. Maybe I had felt something, something that showed in my face or voice or touch. Something that caused Quatre to doubt me in the first place. Maybe I felt guilty over the attraction to begin with, enjoyed the playacting more than I should have. When Quatre tossed the envelope at me and told me I was free- for a moment I was happy. And that made me angry. And I turned my anger on him.
And now- now I might never get the chance to speak to him again. To tell him about the nights I had spent on Duo and Heero's couch and then in my empty apartment without him. Now we might never get the chance to try and at least mend the friendship that had been between us. But I couldn't speak. He couldn't be distracted now, I knew that.
But to let him die without knowing...
"The last of the charges is set around the meeting room," Quatre spoke softly. "I will set them off, then take a sniping position. That should keep them busy long enough."
"Be sure you're far enough away," Heero cautioned. "The explosives are small, but powerful."
"I only used a few." Unspoken was the 'I have plenty more'. Quatre was trying for a distraction, trying to get the guards up to his floor.
The explosion came next; echoing over the comm. Windows on a floor close to the top of the building blew out in a shower of glass. The guards at the gate abandoned their posts, some running towards the building, others away- either they were cowards or they were going for reinforcements. Over the headset I heard the sharp crack of gunfire.
"The gate's been abandoned." I said into my mike. "It's pandemonium."
"Now's your chance," Quatre's voice. "Get out guys." Another crack of gunfire.
"We're not leaving, Quat," I heard Duo's cheerful tone as another different-sounding crack echoed over the mike. Duo had brought a rifle and I recognized it's sound with glee. "We'll keep these bastards busy with you while Trowa is going to find us an exit. Right?"
"Right." I agreed and swung out of the tree, relieved to be moving at least. Anything was better than waiting at this point. Even my patience has its limits.
Another explosion blew some more windows out a few floors down. Things were crazy. I bet I could've strolled right up to the damn building and inside without being challenged. I wasn't going to try of course, though the idea was amusing.
"Quatre, get over to the stairwell, we'll clear the way for you." Duo told him as the rifle thundered in the background.
"What the hell are you guys doing?" I heard the exasperated tone in Quatre's voice.
"We aren't leaving you behind, Winner," Wufei's voice snapped suddenly over the comm. "So follow orders, damn it! Preventers units are on their way."
About damn time. Once we'd discovered the information that had apparently been enough of a scare for Lady Une to get more units over here. Our job was now legal.
I listened with half an ear to the battle taking place over the comm. They were headed for the stairwell, so the easiest thing to do would be to clear the stairwell for them. I flipped my gun out of its holster and set out to clear them a path. I tried to knock out as many as I could on the way, killing only when I had to. Trying to stay on the lighter side.
I had managed to make it into the building and was halfway up the stairs when I heard it.
"C'mon Quatre! You're almost to us. Just run for it, we'll cover you." Duo urged.
"Duo! They're right..." More gunfire. Heero cursed.
"Trowa- are you close?" He asked.
"Halfway I think."
"Get up here. They shot Quatre. You're the medic. We need you."
I increased my speed. Gods help anyone who crossed my path now. I was not feeling merciful anymore.
TBC...
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