Conversation with Death Part 5
Heero put his feet up on the desk and flipped through the pages of the journal that Chang had brought him. He scanned the pages, agreeing mentally with his partner's assessment- this guy was seriously hung up on duty and honor.
Some passages caught his eye.
Yuy won't be facing a hearing- the internal affairs department merely gave him a warning. They can't be mad. We all know how those two feel about each other- once that guy hurt Maxwell, I knew that Yuy would hurt him. I didn't stop him. It was only justice...Maxwell was bouncing around the office today. Yuy was finally coming back from his mission. Thank gods. No one but his lover can control that maniac.
Went over to Yuy's and Maxwell's for dinner this evening. I hope someday when I find my other half that we suit each other as well as those two do.
So they had been lovers... and everyone had known it. Heero frowned at the book in his hands. But then why had he married someone else?
And he'd died right afterwards.
Was that why Duo had killed him? Had he- had that Heero betrayed his lover?
He didn't like thinking that.
I wouldn't do something like that. If Duo had been my lover I never would've done that to him... but this has to be me. Why else would I have Duo as my Death? Maybe that's it. Maybe he hates me so much that he agreed to...
No! Heero remembered the brush of fingers along his cheek. He doesn't hate me. I know he doesn't. He loves me. Then why...?
He turned back to the book, flipping pages looking for the right date...
It was easy to find, the handwriting was darker- as if the pen had been pressed deeply into the page- the writer had obviously been upset as he wrote- things were crossed out, the words were scribbled illegible in places.
I still can't believe that Heero's dead... and Duo- the story he gave Une doesn't fit. He's a better marksman than that- he wouldn't make such a mistake! When I confronted him about it, he agreed- he said it wasn't an accident- cried, screamed, cursed Heero and then himself- I wanted to push for more, but Quatre wouldn't let me.And then we found out that Heero had married Relena... I don't understand! Relena refuses to explain- she claimed to be too upset to discuss it, but I find that highly illogical! It doesn't fit her personality... Why would he MARRY her?
Duo still insists that all was right between them- even with the revelation of Heero's marriage to Relena. Keeps saying that Heero had to do it, there was no other way... even as he curses himself for killing his lover... I fear he has become unbalanced...
Heero's funeral was today. I can't believe he's really gone- and poor Duo... I fear for Duo... He told me today that he had made a deal with Shinigami, that the payment would be hell... I want him under care, in a hospital, but Relena blocked my efforts. She says that Duo doesn't need to be in one- but she looked so sad when she said it... I swear that woman knows something!
A deal with Death? What had Relena known? Then, a few pages later...
I found Duo today. My friend was lying in his own blood... a smile on his lips... it will haunt me forever...
There were splotches on the page as if water had blurred the ink.
Heero closed the book, rubbing at his eyes. What the hell had happened? Chang obviously didn't know. What deal had Duo made with Death?
But Duo was Death now... or at least Heero's death.
Just like he had been last time.
Heero shook himself. He needed to get going. They had an assignment this morning- guard duty, easy enough. Another diplomat worried about his safety after a few threats.
~*~
"Man I hate these jobs," Chang remarked as they pulled past the gatehouse and onto the grounds of the Vice-minister's estate.
"Why?"
"Nothing ever really happens. It's just some wackjob trying to freak out a politician they don't like."
"Would you prefer it if something did happen?"
Chang snorted. "There you go again, Yuy, being all logical. Just shove it, all right?"
"Shove what where?"
"Ah, shut up. And try not to frown at the minister or his staff okay? No more unfriendly complaints this time?"
"Being friendly is not part of my job." Heero stopped the car and turned off the engine. "If it makes you happy, though, I'll try not to scare the natives."
"Thanks." Wufei followed him up the front steps. "Your concern for my happiness thrills my heart."
The door of the mansion was opened by a slender blonde-haired young lady, probably in her late teens, Heero decided. She smiled politely and Heero blinked. She looked kind of familiar... where had he seen her before?
"Oh, the Preventers agents! I'm so glad you're here. Come in." She waved them inside and closed the door behind them.
"Miss Lena! You aren't supposed to be opening the door!" A decrepit looking old man in a suit scolded.
"It's okay! It's just the agents. Daddy's waiting for them." She turned and the smile widened into a grin. "Well actually, you'll be waiting for him- Daddy is not the most organized of men. Follow me please?"
She led them up a wide staircase, talking nearly nonstop. "Daddy is worried about all these threats- mostly since they seem to be aimed at my sister and me... otherwise he wouldn't have bothered you. I'm sure you gentlemen must be very busy..."
"It's all right, Miss..." Chang assured her.
"Lena. Relena actually. I'm named after our illustrious ancestor. I wonder if she hated her name as much as I do?" Lena winked at them.
"As someone else named after an illustrious ancestor, I sympathize."
"You too? Agent..."
"Chang. Wufei Chang. This is my partner, Heero Yuy."
"Oh, I'm sorry, how rude!" Lena stopped for a moment and offered her hand to both of them. Heero shook hers with a faint smile. The girl was obviously not destined for a politician's career. Too flighty.
On the other hand, she had the talking thing down well...
"Hm," Lena released his hand. "You look really familiar... I wonder why?" She shook her head. "It will come to me eventually I'm sure." She started walking again. "It always does. Daddy is in his office getting ready. His meeting today is very important..."
They reached a large door, which Lena threw open. "Daddy! The agents are here! Are you ready yet?"
"Just about angel." The blond man behind the desk flashed his famous smile at the two agents in the doorway. "Nearly so, anyway. I can't find that one file..." He looked back down at his desk, a long strand of hair falling over his shoulder. "I know it was here somewhere..."
"I'll look." Lena went to his side and started rummaging.
"I really appreciate the two of you coming out today." The vice minister moved away from his desk and went to offer his hand to the two agents. "I'm hoping that it will all come to nothing. I'm Duo Peacecraft, by the way."
"Duo?" Heero repeated, surprised into speaking.
"Yes, old family name. We have several- all very traditional and loaded with significance. I'm named after Relena's first son. I'm thankful I didn't get stuck with Treize or Millardo, but I could've at least gotten Zechs." He smiled.
"I'm Chang Wufei, and this is my partner Heero Yuy."
"Those names sound familiar..."
"I'm a descendant of Pilot 05."
"That explains it! How extraordinary! Our ancestors knew each other."
"Ah hah!" Lena clapped her hands together. "That's it!" She turned away from the desk and moved to a bookcase where she snatched up a picture frame. "I knew you looked familiar!"
She put the picture into Heero's hands. "This was the first Relena's, she kept it on her desk all the time. Supposedly, whenever she had a tough decision to make, she'd pick it up and stare at it. Is this guy your ancestor?"
Heero stared at the picture. Duo- his Duo, braid falling over one shoulder, grinning and winking at the camera, himself- or the other Heero, also smiling, leaning on Duo's shoulder, and Relena Peacecraft in the middle, leaning back on them both, laughing.
Across the bottom of the picture someone had written: Never forget.
Never forget what?
He realized Lena was still staring at him, waiting for an answer. He wished that he had one.
"I don't know."
"He must be. He sure looks like you! Do you know anyone that looks like that cutie?" Her finger tapped Duo and Heero nearly laughed. How should he answer that?
A timely interruption saved him. The door swung open and other blonde girl entered, this one slightly older.
"Father aren't you ready yet? You'll be late. And Lena is supposed to be at Senator Une's office in 20 minutes. Good thing you're both going to the same place..."
"Yes, yes, Doro, I know. But I can't find that file."
The girl sighed, went to the desk and after a quick shuffle of the contents, pulled out a folder from underneath a pile of other ones. "Here it is. Now go on."
~*~
HQ had decided to throw off would be attackers by sending several cars out and splitting up father and daughter. Which is how Heero found himself sitting in the back of a car with Lena Peacecraft, hoping that she wouldn't ask him anything else about men with braids. Any other topic would be better...
"So, you're cute in a broody kind of way. Do you have a girlfriend?"
Okay, this might be worse.
"No."
"Boyfriend? Like that adorable partner of yours?"
Chang? Adorable?
"No." Heero cast around for something to throw her off. "What do you do for Senator Une?"
"Oh, I'm her aide. I want to go into politics, so I'm majoring in polysci at the university, but practical experience is always best, isn't it? And Senator Une is one of the best. She comes off as a very military "take no prisoners" type in the media, but in private she's a doll. Which is really different than Daddy, who is always himself, but that just puts his opponents off balance."
"Hn."
"Isn't it great that our ancestors knew each other?" Lena smiled. "Kind of like fate, don't you think?" Her smile faded a little. "Though I hope things don't turn out the same..."
"What do you mean?" Did this girl know something?
"Oh, well, I used to wonder about that picture- you know- that never forget thing? Relena didn't keep any journals so I went hunting around..." she shivered. "The two of them... died tragically."
"I've read that. I also saw that she was married to..."
"Oh, I know!" Lena nodded. "Her first marriage. So sad isn't it? To lose your husband right after you married him? Though she married my great great grandfather not too much later after that. I do wish she'd left something. Obviously she didn't want to forget him- and he must have been such an inspiration to her- since she kept the picture so long and looked at it whenever she needed guidance..." Lena sighed. "It sounds all very romantic and tragic doesn't it?"
It did, Heero admitted. But for who?
They reached the government buildings. Heero went first, scanning the area before he let Lena get out of the car. As he escorted her towards the building, a movement to the left caught his eye.
A shadow moving in another shadow, a glint of a gun barrel...
Heero moved quickly, putting himself in between the girl and her attacker.
The gun went off, Heero's firing in quick reply. He saw the other go down, even as the pain blossomed in his own chest.
Blackness crept up the edges of his vision...
TBC...
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