I'm on your side when times get rough
And friends just can't be found...
Like a bridge over troubled water... I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water... I will lay me down
-Lyrics to 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters' by Simon and Garfunel performed by Jacob Lusk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHfiYR7M86g
Crimson Ties Part 100
An anxious pack of Companions and Hunters were seated in the Bartons' main living room when their hosts appeared carrying large trays of warm beverages and homemade soup. They were also sporting a fresh pair of bite marks in their necks following the recent private moment to join in a desperate connection once more before the attack.
Trent was one of his first to his feet. Adjusting the guns at either of his hips, he walked up to accept a steaming cup of hot chocolate from the 'little mother' and sighed deeply after his first sip of the soothing concoction. As he lowered the mug, he smiled warmly, "You're the absolute best, Midi." Everyone in earshot expressed much the same either with nods or actually echoing the sentiment aloud with a few 'we love you' comments mixed in.
Against her defenses, the Latin Infected's gold-and-brown eyes shimmered as she replied softly, "I'm just happy to help however I can." Her tray quickly emptied and lowering it to her side, she reached up to brush her free hand against the shimmer in her gaze.
Laughing softly, she vowed to her friends, "I promise that when you've returned I'll have a feast waiting for all of you with anything you want." Snickers, quiet applause and more grins spread throughout the room at that.
Trowa smiled sadly as he wrapped his own free arm around his bride's shoulders. Leaning heavily against him, Midi closed her eyes as he pressed a kiss against her temple. "Sally is going to need this space before long. We better finish with our last rounds here so that we can check on the rest of our family," the Original suggested in a whisper by her ear. With a shallow nod, the slight brunette followed him from the room to fill their trays again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Brushing the back of her hand against her dampened brow, Sally scanned the layout before her for a quick inspection. "That should just about do it," she muttered. The whole first floor of Wufei and Anna's home was now officially a medical ward. From the make-shift beds, IVs and bags of emergency gear from syringes to scalpels and buckets to collect blood, there could be dozens of injured treated in the vicinity. Before long, the Yuy and Barton estates would look the same.
And even then, there may not be enough beds or equipment.
Where the staff was concerned, however, Doctor Po made sure that there would be plenty. At the sound of the front door opening and the appearance of Relena leading in the wide-eyed faces, the braided woman brushed down the front of her green scrubs and white coat before rushing to greet them. Weaving around the beds, she approached the stunned nurses from the hospital and smiled, "Thank you all so much for coming here on such short notice."
One of her longest standing medical assistants, Mary, a woman in her mid-fifties with flecks of gray mixing into her short dark hair, turned to meet the doctor's eyes. Blinking in shock, she breathed, "Sally... what is going on here?" The fifteen other nurses, all in their own scrubs and medical kits, faced their supervisor with the same question in their enlarged eyes.
"I wish that I had the time to explain everything," Po replied. "But we have so little of that to work with and we have two more mansions to suit in this fashion. You were all picked because I trust you to keep this between us, though I would rather that after today this not even be discussed that far again out of precaution. You're all my best when it comes to caring for patients both Vampire and living. We are going to see a lot of both today."
Weary eyes glanced amongst themselves as her designated crew began to fidget nervously.
Taking a deep breath, Sally frowned, "We all came into the medical field to help save lives. Who you will be treating today will be the most important beings you have and will ever serve. In our field, we're not given the luxury of understanding everything. We just have to fall to our instincts of wanting only to help our fellow creatures the best way we know how."
Mary looked back to the long stretch of beds and IV's. By her grim expression she was able to weigh just how bad whatever this was would become. Then, after a moment of chewing the inside of her cheek in consideration, she focused back on the braided doctor and nodded firmly, "Alright. We better hurry and arrange the other homes if there's not much time." Following her lead, smiles and more nods ran through the remainder of the crew.
Her whole body sagging with the sigh released, Doctor Po took her friend's hand in a tight squeeze. Meeting all of the eyes on her, she whispered a sincere, "Thank you."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Wufei was completely aware of what to expect when Treize and Lady Une reemerged from their closed off study along with the team that they had set aside. But prepared as he was, his still heart wrenched in his chest at the brave and knowing smile that confirmed his fears when she appeared and looked on him. Heero, Trowa and Midi physically slumped just behind the scaly Infected as they took in what had just been silently announced.
"They gave me the option to back out," Anna shrugged as she neared her family, that smile never slipping. "But I've got this," she reassured. There was no change in the sad expressions that had settled on her and she shook her head, frowning, "I've got this. There's no need to worry about me."
Biting his lip, Chang's gold-and-onyx eyes lowered to take in his lover's flat abdomen and a shiver ran through him. It was an innocent and easy slip that anyone in his shoes would have made. Any other day, another situation, no one else would have caught what he had done... they never would have read into it...
...only Heero was watching. And he understood exactly what that glance had meant.
"Oh my God," the Japanese Vampire breathed, his skin paling and eyes widening on his sister. In a flash, he gripped her wrist and they were off in a bolt until they were standing in the first empty room. Wufei, Trowa and Midi were fast on their heels to materialize just as the door slammed closed behind them.
Frantic over his mistake, the scaly Infected tried to speak but was stopped when Anna caught his gaze and raised a hand. There was no anger or frustration to be found, only reassurance and acceptance for whatever was about to come.
Swallowing roughly, Chang eased as best as he could. Meanwhile, the Bartons watched their cousins in confused concern in those quickly passing seconds. Before either of them could raise their questions, they were answered when Yuy closed the distance between himself and the redhead.
Practically trembling and keeping his face expressionless, the Original demanded in a whisper, "How far along are you?"
Shoulders rolling back and her frame straightening, Anna answered simply, "A little over a month now. Wufei and I only found out a couple days ago." Midi gasped sharply, cutting off the startled cry that began to rupture from her. Jaw falling open, Trowa's gold-and-emerald eyes grew along with hers as he froze where he stood.
"A couple days," Heero managed softly after he took a reeling step back from his sister. By the distance that clouded over his irises, it was clear that he was already working out the math on that timeframe. It had been the day that Solo had arrived. The day Duo was taken away from them.
What should have been one of the happiest days in announcing the arrival of a new member to the family had been shattered by that. A gust of air rushed from the Infected as though he had received a sharp blow to the chest, his body contorting from that shot before he stammered softly, "Oh, Anna, I... I'm so-"
Shaking her head, the redhead ordered, "Don't be sorry over that, brother. It was no one's fault. And this baby isn't going anywhere for another eight months anyway, so there's plenty of time to be thrilled over them." She gripped her creator's shoulders, forcing his gaze to clear as she declared, "Right now, we have to keep our focus on saving Duo and stopping Solo."
At those words, Yuy and his cousins fell into a new ocean of worries. His eyes narrowing fiercely in a renewed strength of command over himself, he growled, "There's no way in hell you're going to act as a Runner when we get to that island. It's bad enough how I know I can't make you stay here as it is, but you are not putting either of you in that kind of danger. It might as well be a suicide mission!"
Glaring at that, his sister snapped, "It's far from that, considering the team Treize and Lady Une chose. We're fast, every one of us. That's why we should be the ones to do this. Besides, you'll be in the air to provide cover and those behind the shields on the beach can still fire out of the protective bubbles. Not everyone can scale those cliffs quick enough to avoid behind hit."
Dumbfounded, Heero turned his growing eyes onto his scaly brother. "You actually approve of this, Wufei?!" he all but shouted. "We're talking about the safety of not only your Chosen, but your child as well!"
Chang forced a deep breath and looked on his wife, his face blank of emotion but with a real confidence there. Slowly turning to face the Japanese Infected, he commented, "It's really not anyone's decision to make but Anna's. She knows what she is capable of and I have every faith in her that she would never put herself or our baby at risk if she did not think she was up for this."
Shoulders shrugging, he stated, "We need the fastest and the boldest Vampires running. You know as well as I do that Anna is one of the fastest and most daring Infected in our ranks."
Those words earned Wufei a loving smile from the Irish immortal as she mouthed an 'I love you,' to him. The corner of his mouth curling up at that, he added to his brother, "Besides, you of all creatures should be aware that she is too stubborn to be talked out of anything she sets her mind to." He snickered at the indignant 'hrumpf' from his wife as she folded her arms and stuck her tongue out at him.
Reluctant as he was to say anything, Trowa sighed to his fellow Original, "He's right, cousin. As badly as they have wanted a family of their own, you do not really believe that Anna would endanger her and Wufei's baby, do you?"
Defeated, Heero's whole posture sagged and his eyes began to shimmer as he continued to stare at the expectant mother. Her own eyes watering, the Siren cupped his face in her hands as she whispered, "We all have to do our parts in this siege, big brother. This is mine. Not only do I accept it, but I want it because I have something to offer in saving Duo."
Wrapping his hands over hers, Yuy shook his head, breathing brokenly, "You're every bit as dear to me, Anna. I love Duo more than anything, but I would be just as lost in this world if anything ever happened to you. You're my best friend."
At that, Wufei sniffled and bowed his head as the tears began to roll down his scaly face. Trowa and Midi flanked him in an instant to wrap their arms around him in support even through their wracked emotions.
"I know. But you're going to have to let me go," the redhead whimpered softly, a sad smile tugging her lips as her brother rested their foreheads together. Taking a shaky breath, she smirked, "Because at some point here, you're just going to have to admit that you may be stronger than me, but I'll always be faster than you."
Try as he might have to hold onto his pain, Heero couldn't. He laughed. And with it, the tension ebbed just a bit. Pulling back, he sniffled and gave her a brave grin through his streaming tears as he whispered, "I do love you so, little one." Anna beamed at that.
Moving as one, they wrapped each other tight and pressed their cool lips together in a sweet, innocent kiss. For a silent moment, they just clung onto their sibling, burying the sides of their damped faced against a shoulder.
Unable to take her excitement any longer, Midi practically bounced on her feet when she released Wufei to smile, "I'm going to be a grandmother." As her family laughed, she swooped in to pull the redheaded Infected into a fierce hug. Pulling back to take her cousin's face in her hands, the 'little mother' promised, "I'm going to set to work right away in sewing up enough baby clothes and booties. By the time you're back, I'll probably have a few complete outfits ready."
Anna snickered, "That wouldn't surprise me in the least, mom." She was released with a quick kiss to her forehead before the Latin Vampire hurried back to Chang's side to properly congratulate him at the end of her husband's one armed-embrace with the scaly Infected. Giving them their space, Trowa strode up to the Siren.
"Congratulations, little mother," Barton smiled lovingly as he wrapped her up in his arms. Kissing her temple, he vowed solemnly by her ear, "I'll be on the ground watching you in your run. No one will get close to touching you."
Anna nodded against his shoulder, unable to trust her voice, but tightening her hold on him to convey her deep appreciation. Cupping her face in his hands when he began to back away, Trowa rested their foreheads together and said, "You be our anchor in the waters and we'll be your bridges over them." He was given a bright smile in response.
Biting his lip when his cousin stepped away, Heero neared his sister once more. He came to a stop just before her and dropped to a knee to run a hand over her abdomen. "You be good to your mama, tiny one," he asked softly.
With a brief pause, he sighed, "I'm looking forward to becoming an uncle, so make sure that the both of you come out of this." Whimpering, the redhead ran a hand through his unruly hair. All but jumping to his feet, the Original scooped her up in a bear hug and kissed her cheek as he settled her back down.
"There's not a lot of time before we leave," Anna frowned deeply. With a longing in her eyes, she peered at the sadly grinning face across the room from her. "May I please have some time alone with my husband?" she requested. Chang was at her side before the next tear could fall, a scaly hand reaching out gently brush it away.
Bowing his head, Heero replied, "Of course." Trowa and Midi moved to flank him in a reassurance to the Irish Infected that they would keep their watch over him. When his brother-in-law approached, Yuy took the time to exchange a tight one-armed embrace with him, offering his warm wishes over the baby in a whisper before they parted.
Anna swallowed roughly as she nodded her thanks and linked her hand with her lover's between them. Together, they headed for the door. When the couple had disappeared from sight, Yuy sighed deeply and leaned back against the wall behind him when he felt his knees begin to buckle from the overwhelming weight of his emotions.
Slowly draping an arm around the other Original's shoulders, Barton urged quietly, "Come on, cousin. We best get your Gundam suit ready for the strike." Such had become the name of the winged armor that Catherine had created, inherited by the unique armor that the ensemble had been etched from.
Happy to have a direction and a purpose at that suggestion, Heero nodded shallowly.
* * * * * *
Catherine had been running ragged throughout the night in dispersing every weapon that she had to provide to the soldiers that came and went from her station. Once the last of her tools was handed out, she collapsed into her office chair with a deep sigh. Running the back of her hand over her damp brow, she smiled up at her assistants, "I appreciate the help clearing this place out."
"Glad to be of service," Quatre grinned as he sat at the edge of his classmate's desk. Eyeing the empty display cases and shelves that filled the room, that grin faltered at reality setting in once again to what was unfolding. "This is just eerie," he commented softly, trying to ignore how his voice echoed off the metal casings around the empty room to only emphasize the hollowness.
Shivering at the cold feeling that had settled over her, Relena rubbed her arms and leaned against the scientist as she sat beside him. Her lips curled up in a small smile when Winner draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple.
Bloom shook her head, giggling, "It's about time the two of you worked your feelings out." At the deep blush that colored her fellow living's face and the embarrassed duck of the Councilwoman's head, her head fell back with her loud laughter which she cut off the second she picked up on the echoing ring of the sound.
Once more, the chilling truth of their situation set in...
Within hours, the estates would all be this empty and the three creatures that sat together now would be forced to wait and hope for their army to be successful in their attack on Solo's lair. And there would not be as many soldiers returning as how many were about to leave.
Biting her lip, Peacecraft stared ahead without really seeing what was before her as she muttered, "I need to see my family and friends before they're off." Quatre and Catherine were on their feet along with her in a silent agreement to the sentiment and followed her upstairs.
Many clusters of Vampires, Companions and Hunters were gathered throughout the mansion when they reached the first floor.
Perry, Tilly, Anthony and Josh made up one of the circled groups. As expected, the handsome English patriarch of the Clan was the one surrounded by his family as they all came to grips with his being named as one of the Runners. His arms around his trembling wife of centuries, there was a calm about him in light of the perilous situation he was up against.
The scene was a similar one throughout the whole of the Khushrenada home- including a ring of Kristy, Sharon and Jacob huddling around Amara. From one group to the next, there was nothing but arms being looped around a loved one and soft words of reassurance.
It was a horribly heartbreaking sight to take in.
Lady Une, now well beyond the spell of Anna's singing, finally gave into the tears that had wanted to fill her gold-and-brown eyes earlier. Sniffling, she turned to bury her side into Treize as she whimpered, "I hate this." She was pulled into a tight embrace, feeling her husband nod against the top of her head as he couldn't trust his own voice at that moment.
A smile that was both sad and relieved spread across Zechs' face at seeing his sister walking up towards him. Kissing her cheek and hugging her tightly, he whispered by her ear, "I am not about to say 'goodbye' to you. I'll only tell you that I see you again soon, love."
Laughing through the shimmer in her gaze as she returned the fierce embrace, Relena replied in kind, "You had better. Your home won't look the same if you take too long and I become like Midi in fretting so badly that I start redecorating." Her brother snickered and pulled back to place a quick peck against her lips when Noin stepped up to wrap them both in her arms.
* * * * * *
"You don't have to do this," Dorothy insisted, her face wet from the drops that continued to fall from her eyes as Solo finished the last tight knot of the ropes binding her wrists behind her. Peering over her shoulder, she all but begged, "Duo's friends and family may know of a way that you can be saved. If not, I can't imagine them not working to find something to help-"
Solo cut her off with a loud, animal snarl when he whipped around to face her. Fangs growing in, he leaned close to her wide-eyed face, snapping, "You expect me to believe that after everything that I've done they would care at all about me? They'll be all too happy when I am dead! Anything that you may have picked up from my dear brother as kindness was nothing but lies to win you over!"
Raising a finger between their nearly touching noses, he warned, "They'll see you as every bit as much a monster as they see me. You'll likely be taken before the Vampire Council for trial to either be sentenced to death or to rot the rest of your days in that icebox of a prison they have in Antarctica. And that Rosshe you think so highly of will never give you so much as a thought. He'll never lift a finger to help you."
Catalonia held her tongue to keep in the harsh words she wished to say. But her silvered eyes still narrowed in a heated glare as she took in a deep breath to calm herself as best she could.
Duo had only spoken the truth to her in the little time that she had spent with him. It was Solo who had nothing but lies to offer. They were all that he had to try and keep his control over his puppets. Of course he would resort to trying to make her afraid that there was nothing in the world for her beyond what she had known with him.
After a failed attempt to wiggle her fingers, the Seer was silently grateful that her blood was not circulating the same in her body now that she was an Other. Tight as her wrists were bound, her fingers would have been tingling painfully at having their blood cut off. However, she could feel the bruises setting into her flesh.
Whatever more Dorothy wished to say was silenced by the gag that was roughly forced between her teeth and tied at the back of her head.
Stepping up to the railing of the catwalk that they were standing on, Solo peered down to the hundreds of Others and Wilds that were waiting for his final words before the strike. "What happened with the arrival of those two Vampires cannot happen again!" he bellowed in a thunderous voice, keeping his fangs in plain sight. Deep in the audience, Kristin and Manuel ducked their heads.
"Those Infected are only out to finish what their own had started with each and every one of you!" the Reformer shouted. "Your lives would have been forfeit had I not intervened and I will not be able to do so again if you let those creatures anywhere near you and this base! Failure will literally be the end of you! Kill or be killed! It's as simple as that!"
Some of those beings watching and listening swallowed roughly. Many wrapped their hands tightly around their weapons. Some shivered in building worry. But all bore grim expressions of understanding and acceptance of what was being told to them. Every one of them truly believed that they were being hunted. If there was to be any chance for them, they had no choice but to use everything within their power to destroy the Vampires that were coming.
Drawing a deep breath when he was content that he had said all that he needed to say, Solo gave a firm nod and ordered, "Get to your stations!" A deafening roar of battle cries rose and his army charged from the facility, coming out of every nook and cranny of the refinery to spill from the lair.
And deep within his cell, Duo blinked widely at the muffled clamor beyond his cell door. His back straightening where he sat on the floor, he whispered to himself, "It's beginning."
* * * * * *
Anna made quick work to pull her long red hair in a high ponytail. With a fresh pair of bite marks in the nape of her neck, she searched through her dresser. Pulling out a pair of socks, tight, black running pants that bore a thick white stripe down either legs' side, a simple lilac workout T-shirt and a deep purple, long sleeved hoodie, she tossed them into a short pile beside her bodice and weapons on the strewn bedding.
Clicking the roof of her mouth with her tongue, the Irish Vampire appraised her outfit for a moment. It was the perfect attire for a run... one that she would have worn for a brisk jog on any given morning. Now she would be wearing it for the run of her existence.
When she reached for the corset, her hand was intercepted from behind just before she was spun to face her husband.
Locking into a passionate kiss, the couples' eyes closed and they wrapped their naked bodies together as tightly as they could. Slowly coming apart at last, Wufei sunk to his knees and ran a hand over his wife's abdomen. Biting his lip, he leaned in to press a soft kiss there. "You stay as brave as your mama, tiny one," he breathed. "She'll make sure to take good care of you and bring you both back to me."
"Damn right I will," Anna smiled, her voice soft and thick as a couple stray tears rolled down her face. Running a hand through the scaly Infected's loose hair, she sniffled and dried her eyes with the other. She did not have a second to blink when she was suddenly lifted off her feet by his strong arms for another heated kiss.
Their matching bite marks illuminated in the brightening natural light from the sunrise beyond their closed drapes, Chang lowered his lover back to her feet and their foreheads rested together as they whispered at the same time, "I love you." Snickering, they closed their eyes and simply reveled in holding each other for a moment.
Reluctant as they were to break away, they knew that the time to leave was quickly approaching. Replacing their weapons and changing in a companionable silence, their minds swirled with all of the possibilities of what may or may not come to pass. Careful not to allow those drifting thoughts drive them mad, they were banished so that the Infected could focus on what it was they needed to do.
Dressed in a simple pair of black pants and a deep blue, long-sleeved shirt that clung to him, Wufei pulled his hair back with a form nod in appraising Anna's wise choice in her sporty outfit for its functionality. Clearing his throat, he reached a scaly hand out that she quickly accepted. Without another look back at their room, they stepped out into the hallway and descended the stairs until they stepped out onto their front porch.
Freezing just beyond their front door, their growing eyes took in the masses gathered out on the enclosed street. Even though they knew they had nearly two hundred beings living in the great estates, it was a sight to behold all of those soldiers at one time. And this was just a scratch of the surface to how many would actually be coordinating the transport to Solo's secluded island.
Standing at the top of their steps were Heero and Trowa. Wearing the Gundanium armor that covered his chest and back with its wings folded neatly from sight, Yuy sighed in relief at his siblings' arrival. He pulled his sister into a tight embrace and kissed her cheek while Barton rubbed the small of her back and wrapped his free arm around Chang's shoulders.
Midi, Relena, Quatre, Sally and Catherine hurried up to offer their embraces and tearful wishes for a safe fight to their family and friends that they were saying farewell to. Even Doctor J came to offer firm handshakes.
The Bartons in particular took as much time to embrace, whisper their love and reassure each other as they could. Peacecraft had a hard time pulling away from Anna as the last to reach her, knowing the danger that her dear friend would be one of the first to face. Bloom handed over the Gundanium helmet that they had just finished touching up together to Heero. And Winner gave Wufei a tight hug when they made the end of their rounds.
At that moment, Treize's voice spoke to the lot through their minds by means of Noin's gift.
'Everyone, be sure to link arms with each other as our Teleporters will be focusing on our destination," the Commander began. "Shields, you are all spread out enough that your protective barriers will overlap one another to keep a firm blanket barrier. Have your powers up the moment we begin to materialize on the beach. Runners, you know your roles and will have that measure of safety until you see an opening to act on. The rest of you cover the rock formation with as much fire as you can to keep those charging ahead of us safe."
Lady Une's voice took over to advise, 'We are coordinating with our other camps to leave in two minutes. Those of you Vampires that are exposed beyond the shelter of a Shield, take to the water right away and wait for a break in the strike on the sands to come in."
For those two minutes, everyone stood in complete silence. Both as long as a brief eternity and as short as a blink, that time passed by before Khushrenada announced softly through his agents' minds, 'This is it. Everyone link up. God speed to you all.'
Their hands linking in a line across- Heero, Anna, Wufei and Trowa- the family took a deep, collective breath.
Yuy muttered sincerely, "It is an honor fighting alongside all of you."
"I love all of you. Keep courage on the other side," the redhead whispered.
Softly, Barton commented, "May be all be standing together like this in the end, only with Duo when the fight is over."
Chang murmured, "And for countless more centuries after all of this."
The family closed their eyes and lowered their heads as the world began to fade away in a brilliant display of color.
TBC...
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