Blood, Sweat and Tears Part 59
"You're both going to miss the game?" Zechs blinked in shock to the vidphone. "But... but why?"
Displayed on the monitor, Heero answered, "Duo and I need to be here with his family and I need to be with him right now. One of his closest relatives is in the hospital here in Chicago and will be for weekend." Frowning, he stated, "Zechs, you know that as important as we both know this game is that we would never stay behind if it wasn't for a good reason."
A sad smile tugged the head coach's lips at that. "No. I don't doubt that for a second," he replied. "Family is far more important than a game. Have you contacted Dorothy to advise her, then?"
Nodding, the quarterback responded, "I spoke to her just before reaching you. Think you'll have enough time to bring Austin and Fellows up to speed that they'll be playing tomorrow?"
Zechs shrugged, "Shouldn't be a problem. Thanks to you and Maxwell, I don't have to worry about them trying to leave the state in panic when I tell them the news." That last sentiment was shared with a smirk that quickly faded as he requested, "Please tell Duo and his family that I send my best and to keep me posted if you need anything."
The team captain smiled sincerely, "Thank you, Zechs. I'll be sure to tell them. We'll be back the middle of next week, once his relative is back home from the hospital."
After an exchange of farewells and well wishes, the coach and quarterback disconnected their call. Staring at the dark screen, Zechs leaned back on his coach and sighed to himself. A family man himself, he couldn't argue against his players' decision to stay with Maxwell's family. It wasn't their fault that the timing for a family emergency to come about.
He could only hope that the Pittsburgh fans would be as forgiving over losing their two key players for a critical game.
* * * * * *
Marcus looked up from the hand-held game that he had been playing with wide eyes. "You're not going to the game?" he gaped. "Dad, this is like one of the most important games of the season! You can't just skip out! I'm fine and you could go and be back in plenty of time for the hearing the next day."
Sitting beside the bed, Duo lowered the same gaming device that they had been networking through and shrugged, "I'm not leaving while you're still here. Even thought you're fine, I won't be happy to leave until you're back home safe and sound. Everything else can wait."
Unable to trust his voice, the teenager just smiled widely with small tears in his eyes. There really was no need for words at that moment. Chuckling deeply, the running back leaned in and kissed his son's head quickly before smirking, "Now, let's get back to my kicking your butt in 'Gundam Wars'."
"Yea, uh, who's about to kick whose butt?" Marcus snickered. With a wink, he added, "I've just been taking it easy on you, old man."
Duo's braided head fell back as he laughed, "Old man!?" looking back to their game, he grinned, "That's it. You are so going down, kid." They continued to chuckle throughout the remainder of their little battle.
In the end, they called it a draw.
* * * * * *
It was early afternoon when Karen finally pulled into the parking lot of Pittsburgh's Patriot stadium. After a long, roundabout way of reaching the Wolverine team owner, Leona was finally able to get a hold of the young woman. Briefly talking to Dorothy, the journalist decided it best that they discuss the matter at hand in person. Thankfully, her office was only a couple of hours away from the arena.
Security escorted the reporter to the elevator and up to the top level, saying that Catalonia had informed them of her pending arrival. On the ride up to the administrative floor, Karen swallowed to dampen her dry throat.
While never having met Dorothy before, it was known through their brief talk how protective she was of her team and all involved in her organization. It was a trial for Clarkson to keep her from disconnecting the call when she announced herself and her connection to Nathan Gallow.
Little was discussed in that conversation, only that they needed to meet and discuss something vitally important involving Duo Maxwell. The specifics of that were not going to make Dorothy very happy.
The doors to the elevator opened and Karen was led down the hall to the closed office door with the team owner's nameplate shining in the sunlight that peered through the large windows overlooking the football field. Slowly taking a deep breath, the journalist tried to calm her escalating heart rate as the door slid open at the guard's knock. Stepping aside, her escort gestured for her to enter.
Karen forced one foot to step before the other. Before the large bay windows was an ornate desk. Behind that sat none other than Dorothy Catalonia. Grinning to her security guard, the young woman nodded, "Thank you, Damien." Her eyes narrowed and locked onto the reporter as she said, "I certainly hope that you don't mind waiting outside in case I need to have Miss Clarkson removed from the building if I don't feel like listening to her."
Freezing at that, Karen's brown eyes widened. Damien, his body broad in every way, smirked, "I'll be waiting." With another smile and word of appreciation to the guard, the team owner pressed a button under her desk to close the sliding door.
A forced smile spread on Dorothy's face while she held a hand out to the chair before her. "Please, have a seat, Miss Clarkson," she offered. Despite the smile, there was a bite to the tone of her voice. "I must say that your article on Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell's relationship a few weeks back was an interesting read. Congratulations on intruding in on their lives and making things difficult for them."
Once more, the reporter swallowed roughly. Oh, Dorothy was indeed protective of her team. This could be even more painful than she had originally thought.
Taking her seat, Karen informed quietly, "You have every reason to not like me, Miss Catalonia. What I did by spying on them was wrong and I am sorry for my actions. I was acting under orders of Nathan Gallow and-"
"You do have a mind of your own, do you not?" the team owner was quick to cut off. Folding her arms, the blonde young woman glared, "I know of Yuy and Maxwell walking out on Gallow's interview when he crossed a line that he should not have. But for you to go along and try to dig something up on them makes you just as guilty."
Dorothy's icy blue eyes bore down on her visitor as she continued, "I have very little patience for people like you, Miss Clarkson. So-called 'journalists' like you and Gallow and the lowest walks of live where I am concerned. The only reason that you're here is because you believe that there is trouble coming for one of my players. Now, I suggest that you get to the point before I have Damien come back in to show you the door none too kindly."
Not willing to test that threat, Karen nodded, "Very well."
If she was going to be taken seriously, she needed to prove that she knew something. Nathan had mentioned that Maxwell's son was going to be in the hospital until the following week. She couldn't imagine the running back anywhere other than his son's side after he'd been shot.
Taking a deep breath, the journalist stated, "I believe that by now you would have received a call from Heero or Duo saying that they will not be playing in tomorrow's game against New York."
With a small gasp, Dorothy's eyes widened in a sure sign that such a call actually had taken place. Pressing a button for her intercom, she stated, "Thank you for waiting, Damien. You may return to your post at the front gate."
"Yes, Miss Dorothy," the man's voice replied.
Releasing the button to her com, the team owner fixed her guest with a firm gaze as she leaned forward. "All right," she began. "I'm listening."
* * * * * *
Visits at the hospital for the remainder of that day were made in shifts just as before, only this time the kids were able to tag along a few at a time. Actually seeing their brother smiling and faring well, considering, had done wonders on the children. For Marcus's part, he was happier than he had been since first waking up after the shooting in being reunited with the others.
News of the fatal attack came and went as it was an almost common occurrence in that part of Chicago. The investigation for the people involved was ongoing, but Duo wasn't about to hold his breath in waiting for the killers to be found. He knew they never would be. Instead of dwelling over that, his focus was on getting himself ready for the upcoming hearing.
Iria had been as attentive an aunt as she was a lawyer during her stay at the apartment complex. If she was not working on details of the case that she was building following her own visit to the hospital, she was spending time with her nieces and nephews to give her friends a break when she could.
As Solo and Hilde went about preparing dinner, Duo headed up to his room for a shower in an effort to try and relax. Worrying over what might or might not happen in court was beginning to wear on him, and there was still another whole day to get through before it actually took place.
Once he entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him, he was surprised to find Heero sitting on the edge of their bed with a small smile for him. "I was hoping that I might be able to join you for your shower," he said quietly.
Rising, the team captain slowly crossed the room and kissed his partner soundly. "Or at the very least, I could help you actually need to get cleaned," he offered in a husky voice with their lips brushing together when he spoke.
Duo shivered at both the tone and the suggestion. His body aching for release of tension as well as the want to just escape from the world for even a moment, he knew that he would never deny such a proposition. Rather than answer with words, he leaned in to claim his lover's lips in a fierce kiss.
In moments, their clothes were removed and their bodies moved to the bed. Straddling Heero's waist, Duo shifted himself into a position where he could both move easily and hold onto the quarterback tightly. A rhythm was soon found and breaths panted heavily as they worked up their love making.
The coupling lasted a long time, neither one of the players looking to separate from their tight hold on each other anytime soon. Finally, the urge to find release pushed them on until they were both crying out in release at the same time. Slick from sweat and an added mix of semen, they shared another deep kiss before reluctantly separating to shuffle into their adjoined bathroom.
Soft words and more kisses were shared under the warm spray of the shower. Lovingly cleaning each other, the couple stepped back into the bedroom to change. Rejuvenated from their little 'escape' from everything, there was a wide smile on the running back's face for the first time in a while.
The first to throw his clothes back on, Duo began to twist his wet hair into a braid when there was a knock at their door. Being the closest and the most decent for viewing, he winked to his boxer-clad partner, "I'll get it." Heero smiled in appreciation as he grabbed a fresh shirt.
When he opened the door, he frowned when he found his 'sister' waiting on the other side with a concerned look.
Frowning deeply, Hilde held out two cell phones and announced, "Both your lines had been ringing off the hook just a moment ago. Since it seemed urgent, I checked the caller id and it's-" She was not able to finish her sentence before Heero's phone rang loudly.
Fully dressed, Heero quickly came around to take up the call. Together, he and his lover checked the glowing caller id. Sharing a wide-eyes look, they said in one voice, "Dorothy."
A concerned look on is face, the quarterback opened the flip and pressed the phone to his ear to greet, "Hello?"
There was a sigh of relief on the other line as the team captain muttered, "Thank God. I'm sorry to make this short, Heero. If Duo is there with you, I need you both to get to a private room with vidphone and call me at my office as soon as possible."
Stomach unsettling at the pressing tone in her voice, Heero eyed watched his partner bite his lip while answering, "All right. We'll call you back in less than five minutes." An affirmative was given before Dorothy disconnected. Closing the cell phone, the quarterback announced simply, "The den downstairs."
Together, the couple was off and stepping into the small room. Closing the sliding doors behind them, they sat at the couch before the vidphone there and dialed their owner's office. It only took one ring for Dorothy to appear on the screen with another young woman sitting beside her that they had never met before. The worry on both of their faces did not serve to help either football player's anxiety over the urgent call.
First to speak up, Dorothy smiled sadly, "I am very sorry to be interrupting you both like this, but we have a serious matter to discuss and not much time." Gesturing to the woman beside her, she introduced, "This, my friends, is Karen Clarkson."
Eyes widening, the pair looked to the nervous reporter. The shock wearing off in a heartbeat, Duo glared on her heatedly and spat, "You're the one that works for Gallow's agency that wrote that article on us weeks ago. What the hell do you want?"
Raising a hand, Dorothy soothed, "It's all right. She came to see me in hopes that I would be able to reach you to warn of something that is coming. I've listened to what she's had to say and I'm convinced that we can trust her."
Heero and Duo shared a glance. They knew how seriously their friend and team owner took to protecting them. If there was any reason to doubt this Karen, she would have shown her the door none too kindly. Knowing that, they took a deep breath and looked back to the screen. "Okay," the quarterback nodded firmly. "What is this all about, then?"
Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, the reporter swallowed roughly before stating, "Nathan knows of your family, Duo. He followed you and Heero to Chicago when you rushed to be by the child that had been shot Thursday night."
There was a long, stunned silence as the two athletes stiffened with wide eyes and paling skin. Heero's hand covered Duo's and squeezed tightly. Of all the people to find out about the children...
Unable to handle the silence and those shocked faces, Karen locked eyes with the running back and continued, "He's building up a story to be featured Monday morning. The things that he intends to accuse you of, I..." her voice trailing off and tears shimmering in her gaze, she shook her head. "I just couldn't sit back and let it happen without warning you."
"What accusations will he be making?" Duo gritted in a way that a chill ran down the spines of his listeners. Hands clenching, he was almost starting to hurt Heero in forgetting that he was holding on to him. Turning to his partner, the quarterback held his tongue as he frowned in worry.
A small moan left the reporter at the question. Dorothy lowered her head and closed her eyes. Shaking her head again, Karen replied quietly, "I-I don't think that will help-"
The running back cut her off as leaned towards the screen and repeated in a yell, "What accusations will he be making!?" Heero winced, Dorothy's head snapped back with wide eyes, and Karen jumped in her seat. Despite his pretty sure assumption to what the answer to that question was, Duo wanted to actually hear it.
Gasping in a sharp breath with tears running down her face, Clarkson replied, "He's going to call the incident proof to child abuse and neglect." Her mouth opened and closed with no sound before she managed to squeak out, "He may even try to suggest molestation."
On his feet instantly, Duo started pacing vigorously back and forth. Heero fell back into the couch with his hands covering his face. While they knew not a one of those charges to be true, the public at large did not. As far as they were concerned, the running back still had his 'bad boy' and 'rebel without a cause' stigmas on him. Anyone outside of their little bubble would be more inclined to believe that he was harming the kids.
Finally pausing in his irate walking around the room, Duo sat back down beside his silent lover. Heero reached his arm around to massage the back of the American's neck soothingly. "I need time to think this out," his voice grated out, shoulders sagging and arms folding together where they hung over his knees. "I need to talk to this over with Heero and my lawyer to what I should do."
Nodding, Dorothy requested, "I would like to fly out there, if I may. If there are any others that you would like to have come along, we could all be there for the both of you through this. You've already been dealing with enough."
Moved beyond words by the offer, the running back bit his lip and nodded back. Lowering his head when his eyes filled with tears. Heero turned to kiss his partner's braided head and told the team owner, "I'll forward the numbers of who to reach and we can make arrangements so that we can get you at the airport."
Brief farewells were exchanged between Dorothy and Heero before the call ended. Sighing deeply, the team captain rubbed his distraught lover's back while feeling completely helpless in how to best help the situation.
For almost two years, Duo had managed to keep his children safe from the world's prying eye. Now, it was only a matter of days before everyone knew about them. It was bad enough as a young adult celebrity to handle the pressures of the press... but for a child... the quarterback shuddered at the thought.
Unsure of anything else to say, the quarterback and asked softly, "Is there anything that I can do?"
Duo looked over to him with a tear-dampened face. Brokenly, he pleaded in little more than a whisper, "Can you just hold me for a while?"
Tightly wrapping his arms around the smaller athlete, Heero answered softly, "Come here." Pulling his sniffling lover close, he kissed the top of his brained head once more and rested his chin atop.
For a long moment, they just clung to each other... silently willing for the storm raging around them to give them a reprieve that was nowhere in sight.
TBC...
NOTE: Love scene inspired by one of many wonderful pics by ASIA. To see pic, click here. *NOT WORKSAFE*
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