Blood, Sweat and Tears Part 55
"So you drove all this way to tell me face-to-face that there is nothing more for you to find on Yuy or Maxwell?" Nathan frowned behind his desk. "Nothing at all?"
Karen shook her head, "I've followed them everywhere they went and listened in on every conversation. I have nothing to work with that would be of any interest." Brushing back the dark bangs from her eyes, she shrugged, "Sometimes celebrities are not nearly as interesting as we assume them to be."
His frown deepening, Gallow thought aloud, "But there's that apartment that you saw them enter in Chicago. There has to be something to that worth our looking into."
Folding her arms, the young woman glared heatedly at her associate. "And I already told you that I am not going back there," she stated clearly. "Besides, the place has a security grid outside that only allows residents to enter. I'm not about to try breaking and entering just to see what's inside the place."
The disappointment grew on the wiry journalist's face. "There just has to be something else," he muttered. "Some other angle that we're missing here."
With a sigh, Karen rose from her seat and commented, "You've known me for years now. If there was anything story-worthy here, I would have found it by now. You need to let go of this obsession to get back at them for walking out on your interview. A lot of time and energy's been wasted here when we could be focusing on someone else that could be making our headlines a lot more interesting."
Leaning back in his leather chair, Nathan propped his elbows on either armrest and folded his hands before his face. He took a long moment to consider his colleague's words and finally relented, "All right. I'll take your word on this one." He locked eyes with hers and nodded firmly, "I appreciate all of your efforts in this. Shift gears onto something else."
Karen fought back the relieved sigh that nearly left her at that order. Bowing her head, she grinned, "Thank you, Nathan." She turned on her heels and stepped from the office with the door sliding closed behind her.
Eyes narrowing, Gallow spun his chair to look out to the distant skyline of Pittsburgh through his large windows. "If you want something done, you just have to do it yourself," he proclaimed quietly.
Closing the door to her own office closed behind her, Karen finally was able to release the breath she had been holding. Dry washing her face with her hands, she headed for her desk and lowered herself into her leather chair.
Silently, she thanked whatever deity was listening for having the meeting go as it had. Now that she was able to hold Nathan off and convince him to just drop the whole 'getting even' bit, those children of Maxwell's were going to be left alone.
While she knew it would come as a shock to most, Karen actually did have a conscience when it came to kids. Celebrities and professional athletes were used to the goods and bads that came with fame. Children were an entirely different matter. They never asked or wanted to be the focus of millions of people's interest. And they certainly did not deserve the harsh things that the press could bring on to them.
The whole experience of seeing Maxwell with his children put an entirely new light on him where the reporter was concerned. Instead of the selfish, cocky bad boy persona that followed him around, he genuinely seemed to love and care for those little ones. All it took was an instant to see him with them to know that beyond any doubt.
A small smile tugged Karen's lips in recalling the touching scene.
Shaking her head to return to the present, she looked to the pile of rumor-filled story tags that had been faxed in and waiting on her desk. The young woman smirked to the ever-growing lot of papers and removed a few sheets from the top. "Hello my lovlies," she grinned. "Let's see what lovely bit of juicy news you have for me today."
* * * * * *
Thanksgiving afternoon found Lady Une entering the kitchen as Heero, Duo, Solo and Hilde finished their preparations for their large meal planned. Dressed in a long, emerald green dress that hugged every inch of skin it touched, her hair was pulled up and a few pieces of jewelry were in place to finish the exquisite look.
Inhaling a deep breath, the young maid smiled, "It smells delicious in here."
Gaping, the foursome eyed their friend up and down. Whistling through his teeth, Duo complimented, "And you look good enough to eat." Lady Une blushed and snickered as she lightly hit the running back in the shoulder.
"You really do look beautiful," Heero stated with a small grin. "Trent's a lucky man." Hilde and Solo both nodded vehemently. Folding his arms before the flattered maid could respond, the quarterback asked, "You know to call if you're going to be out too late, right?" He snickered when his old friend rolled her brown eyes and ignored the question to check the turkey in the oven.
Carefully inspecting the temperature of the bird, Lady Une closed the over door and announced, "It should be ready to pull in about fifteen minutes. I've made enough of these to know." When she straightened, she frowned to the running back, "I hope you don't think of me as rude for having dinner with Trent and his family."
Waving his hand, Duo reassured with a wide smile, "Are you kidding!? Of course not! You should be with him for Thanksgiving. I wasn't upset when Quatre asked if he could spend the day with his family and Trowa's, either. Just have a good time."
The maid smiled warmly and kissed his cheek before hugging him tightly. Doing the same with Heero, Hilde and Solo, she moved to the living room where the children were gathered before the television. The lot turned to her with wide eyes, gasps and quiet 'ooohhhh's.
Still not used to receiving such attention, Lady Une felt her cheeks burning once more. "I hope you all have a wonderful dinner and a happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I'll see you all in the morning." All of the children rose to offer embraces and kisses.
One of the last to reach her, Carissa grinned, "You look like a fairy princess."
Her eyes widening and burning with a few tears at the sweet sentiment, the maid wrapped the little girl up in her arms tightly and kissed her head. "I will never receive a better compliment, little one," she breathed.
At the sound of a car horn beeping outside, Lady Une hurried to finish her goodbyes before taking up her leather coat and purse. With one last wave back to her friends, she headed outside to meet with her lover.
* * * * * *
Turning towards his family, Duo informed, "Dinner is going to be ready in a few minutes, everyone, so make sure your hands are clean before you start passing food around. Marcus, Tai and Flora, we could use some help setting the table."
Marcus moaned, "Aw, but Dad, the last Thanksgiving day game starts in about thirty minutes. It's San Francisco against Chicago. We're going to miss the kickoff." His fellow teenage siblings nodded and pouted.
Duo's violet eyes widened at being reminded of just who was playing that afternoon. Shaking his head, he folded his arms and stated, "As much as I'd like to watch that one, this is Thanksgiving and we're going to enjoy dinner as a family."
* * * * * *
Everyone was gathered in the living room at the large table that had been moved before the television. Humms and sighs of content filled the air as the family enjoyed their food. 'Compromise is a wonderful thing,' the running back thought to himself.
Heero was more than willing to allow the moving of furniture since he was also interested in the game. San Francisco was at the top of their game and anything that he could learn by watching them could only help in the end.
Eyes widening, Tai pointed to the screen and cried, "It's starting!" All eyes turned to the television as Tim and Adam appeared with bright smiles.
As the commentating introduction began, the youngest of the group occupied themselves by playing with Mary. Duo never really condoned their watching football, as violent a sport it was. The rare times they would catch a glimpse was only when he was playing.
The time that Jamie had seen Heero kicked in the back by Simpson was just because she happened to look up at the wrong time. Even as she played, the little girl stayed as close to the quarterback as she could.
Thanks to so many hands helping, the table was cleared and the dishes were cleaned and sorted away not long into the second quarter. During the half-time intermission, the table was moved back to its original spot and everyone spread out in the living room.
Hope, Jamie, Carissa, Sun and Omar were playing a board game on the floor as the others sat on the couches and chairs around them.
Leaning up close against his lover as the Cougars came up with another interception, Duo shook his head and muttered quietly enough that the younger ears couldn't hear, "Damn those bastards are good." Cobalt eyes glued to the screen, Heero nodded in agreement.
Bottom line, the Cougars were damn near poetry in motion as far as football teams went. There was not an opportunity wasted or an ounce of energy spent in vain. Never was there a lapse in the communication between the players so every play was executed perfectly.
Flora leaned her head back to smile at the football players, "I still think they're overrated compared to the Wolverines. They just got really lucky when they beat you during the preseason."
Chuckling, Duo reached over to pat the top of her head in appreciation as he replied, "I wish that I could agree that it was just luck, sweets. But they were the better team that day." A thought crossing his mind, he looked to his partner and shrugged, "Though we have been improving as a team since then."
"That we have," Heero replied. "Not many people expected us to get as far as we have, including some of our teammates at first." Smiling, he took the running back's hand into his own and said quietly, "We have you to thank for a lot of our success this season."
Duo shook his head, "Nah. I just lit a little of a fire under the ones that needed it. Everyone had to actually do the work, so I have no credit there."
Any and all further discussion ended when the offensive line took their marks in preparation for a snap. The ball was tossed back beautifully to the quarterback and handed off to Alex to be run in. Instantly spotting a hole in the wall before him, the running back charged through while knocking a few opponents out of his way to make the hole bigger.
"Denton breaks away!" Tim's voice cried over the roar of the crowd. "Unbelievable! I didn't think that there was any way that he would make it through that line!"
Both Heero and Duo watched with impressed expressions as the former Wolverine charged down the field with incredible speed. Any lineman, tackler or blocker who tried to keep up could not get close enough to bring the running back down. "He's at the twenty yard line!" Adam's voice exclaimed.
On Alex's way down the field, the announcers shouted together, "The fifteen! The ten! The five!" Unmatched, the athlete took the last five yards at a leisurely stroll into the end zone. "Touchdown, San Francisco!" The hometown crowd in the stands were on their feet cheering and applauding the efforts of their own.
Removing his helmet, Alex smirked to the camera and slammed the ball to the ground. Mueller and the remainder of the offensive line joined him in the end zone for a celebration before heading back to their sideline. Arms folded and a smug grin on his face, Treize nodded firmly to his team as they ran past him.
An impressed look on his face, Duo spoke quietly, "I have to hand it to the guy, that was pretty good. He made the break away and run look pretty easy. And his numbers have been right behind mine all season long. Who knew he had it in him?"
Heero had a small smile in place as he responded, "I'm happy for him. Alex was a good guy and he worked as hard as he could to improve every year. Looks like he just needed some motivation for the last push. The trade must have done the trick." Frowning, he muttered, "Though he does seem to have grown a pretty big head now that he is performing so well. He wasn't like that before."
"Well, success will do that to people," the braided running back responded nonchalantly. "And he is a man with a mission to prove that he is someone to be reckoned with on the field."
Seated beside the quarterback, Tai turned his head towards him and informed, "He's bound and determined to beat Dad's records. It's all he ever talks about when he's interviewed. I don't think that he cares about anything else."
Marcus smirked from around his Flora's shoulder, "That's because Dad's the best running back that ever lived. But he'll never beat him." His brother and sister both grinned and nodded their agreement to the sentiment. Heero chuckled warmly at the children's unwavering faith in their father-to-be.
Duo smiled to his kids, "Well, I would never say that I'm the 'best that's ever lived', though I appreciate the compliment." Turning back to the screen that was now showing Alex talking with Treize at the sideline, he stated, "As far as the numbers for the season go, I always did like a challenge. It keeps things interesting."
It came as no surprise to anyone that San Francisco ended up winning the game by more than fifteen points. There was never a chance for Chicago to catch up at any point in the face-off with the gap between them widening each time they lost possession of the ball.
With Alex and Mueller being the youngest players on the team, the Cougars as a whole made the Wolverines look like children in a big man's sport. Then again, most of the other teams in the league made them look like that. Dorothy and her father had purposely structured a young team that would be fresh and anxious to prove themselves.
After the Chicago quarterback took a knee to end the game, Tim and Adam reappeared on the screen. "Well, San Francisco just showed everyone in the league how it's done," the latter smirked. "This team is in the best form I have ever seen it in. I don't think-" his words were cut off when Heero turned the television off.
Rising from the couch, the team captain stretched and thought aloud, "I better keep my arm warmed up." He turned to the teenagers to ask, "Anyone up to catching a few rounds out back?" Instantly springing to their feet, the threesome charged from the room to get into some warmer clothes.
Solo raised his arms over his head while pushing himself onto his own feet. "If it's all right, I'd like to have a go at that." Heero scooped up the football at his feet and lightly tossed it to his blonde friend with a smile.
The running back snickered as he lowered his stomach onto the floor to join in on the board game that the smaller of the lot were playing. "You all have fun," he grinned with the wink of a violet eye. "I have to see if I can't beat these little monsters in a game for a change."
"Now that's more up my alley," Hilde chuckled. She moved from the soft mattress beneath her to sit at the board game across from her 'brother'.
Those activities eventually turned over to dessert and then movies. Each in their own sleeping bag, the family was sound asleep on the floor in the living room with the television still on.
* * * * * *
Following their Thanksgiving meal with their families, Trowa and Quatre stepped from the center's house hand-in-hand. "I hope that your sisters don't mind that it will take me some time to remember all their names," the Latin smirked.
The agent snickered, "Don't worry. They're used to it. Catherine seemed pretty excited at there being so many of them."
"She always wanted a sister of her own, now she has plenty," Trowa grinned. Reaching his lover's car, he pulled his lover close and kissed his lips gently. "You were nervous about meeting my family, weren't you?" he asked quietly.
Nodding, Quatre admitted, "I didn't know what they would think of me. And I didn't want you to be in an awkward spot if they didn't like me." His partner opened his mouth to speak so he cut him off in a rush, "I know it was silly but I couldn't help it. Duo talked some sense into me before we went to pick your family up from the airport this weekend."
A relieved smile warmed the center's face as he nodded, "Good. Because my family does love you, just like I knew they would. They told me, themselves. But, even if they didn't, that wouldn't matter. No matter what anyone thinks of you, and that includes my family, that I would never let that change my feelings for you."
Trowa gently brushed back a few long bangs from his lover's face and whispered, "I love you and I don't plan on going anywhere."
Deciding against saying anything further, Quatre threw his arms around his partner's neck and poured all of his feelings and words into a fierce kiss.
* * * * * *
When they returned to the estate early that morning, Quatre and Lady Une peered in on the sight with warm smiles. Lightly tiptoeing around the wrapped little ones, the maid turned the television off before rejoining her friend in the doorway.
"Adorable," the young woman whispered with a wistful smile. Quatre just grinned widely and nodded. Together, they moved away to head for their bedrooms.
Slightly stirring when the drone of the television was no longer there, Duo sat up a bit to get his bearings on where he was. Quickly recalling the late-night movies and scanning to see that all of his sleeping children were accounted for, he smiled and lowered his head back down.
Just before his eyes closed, his smile grew when an arm from behind snaked around his thin waist and pull his back up close to a strong chest. Heero leaned over to kiss his lover's cheek with a whispered, "Happy Thanksgiving, Duo."
Turning to pull his partner's head down to brush their lips together, the smaller athlete breathed, "Happy Thanksgiving, Heero." They snuggled close as their eyes drifted closed to return to the world of dreams.
TBC...
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