Love-child fic Part 5

"Duo?"

Heero was in the doorway, looking concerned. I glanced at the monitor beside me. When had I last looked at it? The crate was still there, exactly the same.

Heero frowned a little and moved into the room. "Anything yet?" He asked as he sat down beside me.

"Sort of." I frowned at the small pile of tools I had on the bed. I had spent hours trying to modify a few of them to replace my old set of professional b&e tools. "If I do have to break in I won't be able to hide it well."

Heero looked at the monitors. "Well- it seems quiet."

"Let's hope it stays that way. Hopefully the customer will be ready and waiting on the other end when we get there and we can just dump it and go."

Heero lifted an eyebrow. "Don't want to stick around to say hello to Quatre? He said you always drop in when you are on L4."

I didn't always, but Quatre didn't know that. "After we get rid of the crate, sure."

"How's your knee?" Heero leaned over and poked at the heating pad that was hanging off the side of the bed. I didn't remember taking it off. "This won't help if you don't use it."

"It's fine." I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him. "See?" I flexed it for him, ignoring the slight ache.

"Hn." He didn't look convinced. "Once we get your stuff put away we can go back to half-grav if you like for bed."

I blinked at him. "Bed?"

Heero rolled his eyes at me. "Yes, you know, sleep? Do you ever think about going to bed?"

I had to bite my tongue on my first response. Mentally shaking myself, I glanced at the clock. He was right- it was later than I thought. "It's hard to keep track on a ship," I defended myself and he laughed.

"You mean it's hard to keep track when you're trying to solve a problem." He shook his head and reached for the plate beside the bed. "Was dinner better than lunch?"

I ate dinner? I glanced at the plate and tried to remember. Heero had brought something in- but I had been right in the middle of adjusting one of the pliers... I couldn't remember eating it.

"It was fine."

He looked amused. "Should I put the toolbox back?"

"Yes please." I picked up the pile of tools from the bed and put them carefully into the top of the box. "Let's hope we don't have to use these."

Heero nodded. "Anything else before bed?"

"No," I shook my head. "Not unless you can think of something?"

Lifting the toolbox up, he shook his head. "Not a thing. Good night Duo."

Flopping back against my pillows, I closed my eyes. I needed to make one last round of the ship before I went to bed. I knew Heero would too, but she was my ship and I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't.

Leaning over the control panel near my bed, I looked at the crate again. No change. With a start I realized my launch play list was still going- I had left it on all day. Not that it was unusual- thus the reason I hadn't noticed it, but Heero hadn't said anything.

The stars are waiting, so grand and wide...

I switched to my night play list and turned the volume down. Then I got to my feet and headed down the hallway. Heero's door was closed and I made my way past it as softly as I could.

Once I had assured myself that all was well- except for that crate in my hold- I went back to bed. I stretched out and dimmed the lights.

I hadn't wanted to tell Heero, but I truly didn't like to sleep. I did put it off as long as I could on these shuttle runs. Sleep meant dreams, and my dreams were never pleasant. When I was on the sweeper crews, I'd take a sleeping pill- but you don't dare do that on your own ship when there is no one around to shake you awake when the alarms go off.

Though now that Heero was here, maybe I'd be able to again. Course, then I'd have to confess why I did it... and that wasn't a comfortable thought. Not that I didn't think he'd understand. He lived through the war too.

I shouldn't have thought about the war before closing my eyes. Shouldn't have thought about Heero and the war.

The Libra was falling towards Earth.

No, not this dream. Please not this one.

Wing moved to intercept it- the beam cannon swung into place.

No, please-

The beam cannon fired- Earth was saved- and yet Wing continued to fall....

Scythe couldn't move. His panels were dark beneath my hands.

NO!

Wing turned molten, began to break up...

HEERO! NO!

Don't leave me....

"I'm here."

Where did that come from? I looked at the speakers by my chair. Was Heero still alive in that thing? My screens had gone dark, I couldn't see Wing. But Heero had...

"I'm here, Duo."

"Where?" I asked.

"With you. You saved me."

"I don't see you." Everything had gone dark. Was Scythe damaged that badly?

Was I even in Scythe?

"But I'm here." A gentle touch on my forehead. Why couldn't I see? "I'll be here as long as you want me to be."

"No one stays-" I started.

"I will." Another soft touch. "I won't leave you. I promise."

I reached out in the dark and found that he was reaching back. He was warm against me, his body curled around mine.

Lips brushed mine. "Rest, love. Everything is fine now."

I woke up when the buzzer sounded and sat up. I was alone in bed and for a moment my chest ached.

What was wrong with me? It had only been a dream. My old nightmare- but the ending...

I shook myself. I was being stupid. Heero was here on the ship with me. My subconscious had to know he was safe. That's all that ending was. Just a reminder- and a damn cruel trick of my brain.

I shook it off and got to my feet, grabbing for clothes. I'd go take a cold shower. That usually did the trick. I glanced at the monitor and my heart stopped.

The crate was open...

TBC...

**Quote from Rocket Ride by Tom Smith.

 

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