I feel the change, yea
Coming over me
I feel the rains, babe
Coming to set me free
-Lyrics to 'Change' performed by Kimberly Locke
Crimson Ties Part 72
Something was wrong...
...something was terribly wrong.
Her closed eyelids squeezing in her intense concentration, Dorothy frowned deeply as she worked the tentacles of her unique vision. Lost to the world around her, she expanded her sight to very, very far away to a place that she had seen once before. Now that she knew where the cluster of mansions stood, she should be able to recognize the presence of one of her own.
But Justin was gone. At least, the Seer could no longer sense him, even with Duo moving away from his home to lift the veil that constantly shrouded him.
Where there should have been a clear picture of her fellow Other, there was nothing but an empty void.
Of course, there had to be a reasonable explanation. There were plenty of theories to what had happened to Justin. Not one of the possibilities boded well for her Master or his cause.
All that Dorothy knew for certain was that Solo was not going to be happy when he found out about this if he was not already aware of it.
* * * * * *
Trowa frowned deeply in worry as he read over the text message that had been forwarded to him. "That's very strange," he murmured. Shaking his head, he commented, "I wonder what came up that Wufei and Anna had to see to on such short notice."
Across from him, Zechs commented, "Whatever it is, it would have to be important or they would not have missed this meeting."
Gathered at the round table in the Khushrenada's dining room, they were joined by the Preventer Commanders, Perry and Tilly. And waiting before each of the Vampires was a glass of Duo's blood.
Now filled in on the events leading to their arrival of the States and shown Noin's unique talent, the British Infected appeared the most fixated on the crimson fluid before them. Both anxious and nervous, they did not hesitate to volunteer enhancing themselves for the better of their kind when it came to their chances in the war in which they were engaged.
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Khushrenada announced regretfully, "Though I wish that they were both here for this, time is of the essence. We are going to need to grow accustomed to the gifts we acquire once we drink."
Lady Une looked on Barton, adding, "You also need to make this quick if you are to catch up with Relena. She'll need your help to keep an eye on Duo, Quatre and Catherine while they're on campus."
The agents nodded firmly and took up their cups.
Each pausing when they brought the rim of their glasses to their lips, they closed their eyes and focused on their desired abilities before taking the Reformer's blood in.
* * * * * *
Silver-and-violet eyes coming to the end of the message that he had received from Wufei, Duo turned his cell phone off. Having read the words over and over now, he stared at the road ahead of him while silently willing away the concern that began to rise in him.
Peering over at his lover, the Companion noted how especially pale Heero's knuckles were as he gripped the steering wheel. Since reading their brother's text, the Original had become distant... distracted over the possibilities that had their siblings disappear as they had only a couple of hours ago.
As he drew a deep breath, Maxwell reached over to squeeze his Vampire's shoulder. "I'm sure that whatever it is, they're fine, 'Ro," he said softly, trying to keep his own longing for reassurance of that from his voice. "You know every bit as much as I do that they would have filled us in on what's going on if there was anything wrong."
Heero went on staring ahead, replying in little more than a whisper, "Yea. I'm sure that they would have, as well." There was still a strong tinge of concern in his voice.
Swallowing roughly at that, Duo lowered his hand and bowed his head. When it came to Anna especially, Yuy never liked being in the dark if there was anything troubling her. It was one of the qualities that his Companion loved so much about him, his profound care for the Vampire that he'd created and adopted as his sister.
Already, there was enough on their minds over what changes they would find in their Infected friends by the time they were all together again. Well aware of how Trowa and the other Preventer agents were drinking the Reformer's blood, it was going to be interesting to find what abilities they took on.
The fact that Wufei and Anna had run off when they were fully aware of the meeting only made their disappearance all the more unsettling.
Quatre and Catherine stayed silent in the back seat of the car, their own thoughts wrapped around any number of things besides their classes.
When Heero pulled into the library parking lot, there was little surprise in finding the small crowds that were gathering when students and staff around spotted the dark car.
Particularly unhappy over having to deal with so many eyes at such a time, Duo groaned as he stepped out of the vehicle. Immediately, he moved to the driver's side before his lover had the time to close his door. Wrapping his arms tightly around his Vampire, the Companion whispered, "Try to not worry today."
Even as Yuy's deep timbre rose to chuckle by his ear as he returned the embrace, Maxwell knew that the request was a pointless one. Of course Heero was going to be worried about their sister... just as Duo knew that he would until they had the confirmation that all was well.
"I'll stop by as soon as I get a break between my classes," the hybrid promised. Pulling back, the couple shared a sweet kiss in which Heero poured all of his gratitude for the understanding and comfort shown him.
When their lips broke away, the Infected smiled, "Miss you already. Have a good day, love." Nodding firmly to their mortal friends, he released his lover and shoved his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket on his way around to the front of the library. At the pair's separation, the small crowd dispersed quickly.
Physically feeling the weight of those stares leaving him, shoulders sagging heavily, Duo sighed deeply. "Thank God," he muttered, dry-washing his face with his hands. "I don't think I could handle a whole day of oglers at a time like this."
Flanking either side of him, Quatre and Catherine gave their braided friend small smiles and a couple pats to the back as they headed for the cafeteria together.
* * * * * *
"Oh thank God," Sally sighed deeply in relief when she entered her office to find a familiar pair seated before her desk. Her shoulders sagging, she quickly closed the door and approached the Vampires as they rose to their feet.
Wrapping her arms around Anna in a tight embrace, the braided doctor told her, "When you weren't picking up my calls, I was afraid that you wouldn't get my message before my shift was over."
As she pulled back, the redhead snickered, "Well, that wasn't from lack of trying on your part considering how many times you tried to reach us while we were without service in Treize and Lady Une's basement." Her concern catching up, she frowned deeply, "What's going on?"
Sitting at the edge of her desk, Sally held a hand out to offer the chairs back to her friends. "It's been a hectic night, but we're getting by," she smiled tiredly. "I only had that small window of time to try and call you and I do apologize if I caused any worry, but I promise that I had good reason for my sense of alarm."
Po met the scaly Infected's eyes, stating, "I wanted to make certain that I stopped you from drinking Duo's blood. You did get my message before the Preventer meeting, then?"
His confusion only etching deeper into his brow as he and his wife returned to their chairs, Wufei nodded, "Yes. We came straight here."
Physically melting in relief, the braided doctor ran a hand over her head and laughed, "Oh, good. I knew that I'd be cutting it close." Her friends turned towards each other, blinking their gold-rimmed eyes with small frowns. Waving her hand in the air, the mortal shook her head, "This is all going to sound very crazy, but I have a theory that I'd like to confirm."
Relaxing a bit more at that, Irish Infected looked on her friend and boss with a quiet, "Oh?" She bit her lip and tilted her head of red hair, asking, "What theory would that be?"
Sally rolled her shoulders back and took a deep breath. "Anna, dear," she began, reaching forward to take one of the nurse's cold hands into hers while keeping their eyes locked. "What is the one thing in this world that you have wanted more than anything? Something that you never thought you could have?" she asked softly.
At the intensity in the doctor's gaze and inquiry, Wufei slowly turned to watch his tensing, wide-eyed wife. "I-I don't understand what you're asking that for," the redheaded Vampire frowned deeply. Shrugging, she grinned to her husband, "Besides, I have everything that I want." Chang gave her a loving smile in response.
"You never felt as though something was missing from your existence?" Po asked, a bit more of a push in her tone. "If you could have one wish that could be granted to you, there is nothing that you would think to ask for?"
Gold-and-blue eyes growing with a soft gasp, Anna's skin paled as her entire demeanor changed into one of reined in panic. Swallowing roughly past the lump that formed in her throat, she breathed, "That... that's a very personal question, Sally."
All too aware of that secret wish, Chang released a deep sigh as his body deflated in his chair. Stretching a hand out, he squeezed his lover's trembling shoulder. "Children," he whispered to the living for her, his voice thick with emotion. Whimpering, the Irish Vampire turned her head away as her eyes shimmered over with tears.
The scaly Infected cleared his throat before he could tell their friend softly, "It's been a wish that we have both shared... to be able to bring our own little ones into the world. But we know that it's not possible since our kind are unable to reproduce. Duo's mother was a rare case, and even then she conceived with a mortal mate. It's very likely that there will never be another baby born to a Vampire."
When Anna sniffled and reached up to wipe her tears away, her husband wrapped her up and pulled her close to kiss her head. "I was jealous of her," the redhead admitted in a broken whimper as she clung to Chang. Trembling, she all but wailed, "Ever since I heard about how Duo's birth mother was able to have her own children, I've envied her."
"Oh, sweetheart," Wufei sighed to her, losing his hold over his own emotions as his eyes began to mist. Resting his forehead against her temple, he told her quietly, "I had a feeling that her story would hit you hard." Closing her eyes, his partner buried her face against his shoulder to cry silently.
Leaning back, Sally drew a shaky breath and commented, "Well, I'm wondering if that dream might not be so far out of reach for you. We've seen how a Vampire's evolution is enhanced when drinking Duo's blood with a decried change in mind... it could stand to reason that the very anatomy structure in an Infected can be changed to conceive."
Their eyes widening, the Vampires pulled back to stare on her in shock and disbelief over the idea. "I was unconscious when I drank from Duo," Anna murmured, her hands coming up to fold before her face. "My God," she whispered, "if I had no control over my thoughts or desires, the only wish I had could have been what was answered."
Sally beamed as she nodded, "That's my thinking as well. Simply being an observer to how natural you are with the babies and children that come in as patients here, I knew how badly you've longed to be a mother."
Gripping his wife's hand in his own, Chang stammered, "H-how can we find out for certain if that's the case without subjecting Anna to a battery of tests that might put her in danger? Word of a fertile Vampire won't stay quiet, regardless of the patient-doctor confidentiality laws."
"Ah," the surgeon grinned. "That's where you come in. Seeing how Noin got more than she bargained for through her gift, I'm hoping that we could bypass having to risk that very thing." Gazing on her redheaded friend, she questioned, "Have you bitten Wufei since you drank Duo's blood?"
Realization filled Anna's eyes, a light shed on the doctor's train of thought. "I have," she replied. "And so if I am able to reproduce, perhaps I was able to make him fertile as well."
Slapping a hand over her mouth at the sharp gasp that broke from her, she exclaimed behind her palm, "And if he is not, then we might have lost our chance if Wufei did drink our brother's blood as that would have been the one time he could change!" The scaly Infected beside her froze, the gravity of the situation truly taking hold.
Po's hands waved over her head as she cheered, "Exactly!" Raising a finger when she calmed herself, she warned, "Now, of course this is all still a theory and might not even be the case, but it's something that I want to look into before anything is done that either of you may regret. If there is any way you could have children but only one of you remains capable of producing them, I can only imagine how devastating a thing that would be to the two of you."
Unable to trust their voices as their arms slowly looped around each other, the Vampires nodded solemnly. All of a sudden, the doctor's urgency in trying to reach them was not only grasped, but it was deeply appreciated.
It was all still too overwhelming a notion to wrap their minds around... the possibility that they might be able to conceive. Wonderful as the thought was, neither Infected was ready to raise their hopes too high until they had more to go on... some solid proof that such a miracle could ever happen.
"There is a very good likelihood that you might still be able to use Duo's blood to take on whatever ability you had originally planned to take on," Sally continued when she focused back on Chang. "But, we need to get to the bottom of this first. And there is only one way of doing that while keeping your identities completely hidden from the lab specialists." The corner of her mouth curling up, she reached into the pocket of her white lab coat and held out a plastic, lidded container to the wide-eyed immortal.
Shrugging, the surgeon declared, "If it turns out that you're fertile, we can only assume that Anna is as well. This could end up saving us a whole battery of tests on her that would be hard to cover up."
Were he able to blush as he blinked at the innocent looking sample cup, Wufei would have been as red as his wife's hair. Her own surprise fading, the Irish Vampire smirked wickedly at him, "Need me to disappear with you to drum up some inspiration?"
Huffing out a sharp laugh, Chang looked to her and grinned, "Thank you, love, but I think I can manage." Slowly rising from his chair, he cleared his throat as he took the container from the grinning surgeon. Well aware of the hospital's layout, he disappeared in a blur of himself for the private patient rooms.
Once the door was closed behind her husband, Anna lost her humor as the mind-numbing reality of what was taking place came rushing back. "How long do you suppose it will take for the results of the fertility test to come back?" she asked, rubbing her hands together in her lap.
"I have a lot of pull, so I can have the sample expedited the moment the lab opens in an hour," Sally reassured. "We could have our answer before my shift's up. You're both more than welcome to stay here and wait out the call with me if you'd like."
Taking a deep breath, the redhead lost her focus as she stared ahead into the void that was the center of her swirling thoughts. "Thank you," she managed quietly.
* * * * * *
Relena stared into the cafeteria windows from the tall tree that she was perched atop a few feet from the building. Having the perfect vantage point to see the whole room, she was able to watch the table where Duo, Quatre and Catherine were sitting amidst their usual company with the exception of a certain young Hunter.
Trent's absence from the lot left the Councilwoman unsettled. Being the only one watching her charges, Peacecraft was unable to move about and look into his whereabouts. And faced with having to decide whom she should keep a closer watch over, there was no thought needed in choosing her loved ones.
Still... the lookout mission would have been nicer were she not on her own.
Crouched down low on the thickest part of the branch that she had made her post, Relena caught the sudden materializing of a creature on the limb to her right. With a sharp gasp, she spun towards the tall figure as she removed the pistol that was hidden inside of her coat to take aim.
When the muzzle came up to settle on the smirking face of the creature that had literally materialized before her eyes, the blonde Infected froze with another pull of air that filled her lungs. "Trowa?" she breathed in disbelief.
Quietly snickering, the Latin replied, "Sorry for the startle, Relena." As his wide-eyed friend's arm fell away to lower the weapon, he peered around to their surroundings. "It works!" he laughed triumphantly. Shaking his head, he muttered in awe, "Just focus on a location and that's where I'll be when I want to go there."
Only then understanding what had just happened, Peacecraft's free hand shot up to cover her opening mouth. "Teleportation," she realized aloud, dropping her fingers from her face and quickly replacing her weapon. Giggling, she praised, "Very smart choice for a gift, I must say."
Barton gave her a wide smile in appreciation and quickly reached out to take hold of her shoulder. Relena did not even have a second to ask what he was doing when the world disappeared in a flash of lights and color. Just as quickly as the brilliant array came on, it vanished.
A bit off balanced, the Councilwoman steadied herself and blinked to focus on the new stretch of trees where she and Trowa were standing... at the complete opposite end of the ten-mile-wide campus.
Had they run there, it would have taken several minutes to reach that spot from where they came from. Instead, they bridged the gap in seconds.
"O-oh my God," the blonde Vampire whispered as she gazed around their familiar, wooded surroundings. Meeting the green-and-gold eyes watching her, she giggled excitedly, "So you can bring as many as you want along as well?"
Nodding, Trowa answered, "So long as someone they're holding onto is hanging onto me. I've had a few fun trial runs before reporting in here." That said, he took hold of the other Infected's hand and they returned in their perch above by the cafeteria.
Quickly adjusting to the shift now that she knew how it felt, Relena fought to keep her voice low as she cheered, "This is amazing! I can't wait to get back to my family and see what abilities they have."
"Oh, I won't ruin the surprise before then," the Latin Vampire grinned. "However, I will tell you that they'll all be valuable in the war. If we're lucky, we can solve this whole mess with as little violence as possible."
Peacecraft sighed, "Wouldn't that be nice?" Turning on the branch to gaze back on their charges as they continued to laugh and talk amongst themselves, the Infected resumed their lookout duty.
Inside, Duo leaned back in his chair at the end of the planned agenda that his classmates had come up with to attend the services that were scheduled the next day. "I know this isn't exactly the way any of you would like to spend a weekend," he began, "but it really means a lot that you're all coming." Catherine nodded to back the sentiment without having to trust her voice.
Across from them, Alex shrugged, "Like we've been saying, what are friends for?" Seated at either side of him, Sylvia and Mueller smiled. "Trent texted me to say that he overslept, but one of us will fill him in on the game plan," the junior informed.
Just the mention of the Hunter's name rocked the Duo back on his heels. Silently grateful for the small miracle that he didn't have to face Trent right then, the Reformer cleared his throat and made a quick glance to the clock.
There was still plenty of time to see Heero for a bit before he had to get to his first class. Along with wondering if perhaps his lover had heard anything more on Wufei and Anna, the hybrid simply needed Yuy's presence.
"Well, I'm going to get a move on," Maxwell announced as he rose from his chair. Grabbing his backpack, he slung the strap over his shoulder and waved with his other hand with a smiled, "See you all at lunch."
At their exchanged good bye's, the braided Companion spun on his heels and headed from the cafeteria. Stepping out into the hallway, his violet eyes fell on the teenager that was rushing down the hall from the opposite direction.
Instantly recognizing the figure, Duo's eyes grew then narrowed when their gazes locked as his whole body tensed. A message needed to be sent. And he was going to make sure that it was understood loud and clear.
His pace slowing considerably, Trent frowned deeply in concern. Never tearing their stares apart, the classmates walked past each other and continued to watch the other from over their shoulders until they had to round the corners at the end of the corridor.
Once he was free of Maxwell's cold stare, the young Hunter turned to lean against the nearest wall. Practically panting from the panic that had built in him at the sight of the demeanor in his friend, he shuddered.
There was no warmth in those violet eyes for Trent... only a silent promise of a violent end should he ever cross the line that had been drawn.
Sweat forming on his brow, Catalonia whispered to himself, "Fuck me."
Duo knew.... he knew everything.
* * * * * *
In Sally's office, Anna and Wufei sat in an anxious silence. The braided surgeon had run off following a certain call from the lab only moments ago. And what she was about to discover could very well change their existences forever.
Resting a scaly hand on his wife's bouncing leg, Chang squeezed it and their golden eyes locked. "You know that even if we are still unable to bear children, nothing will change between us," he vowed softly.
The redhead smiled lovingly, resting a hand over his as she nodded, "I know, love." The leaned in and shared a soft kiss when they heard the door behind them opening.
Spinning in their chairs, the nervous couple watched Doctor Po enter with a closed folder in her hand. Her head lowered as she closed the door behind her, she held the test result against her chest and proceeded to sit on the edge of her desk before her friends.
The couple gasped when the surgeon's head slowly lifted to reveal her watering eyes and wide smile. In little more than a thick whisper, Sally told them, "You are both going to make wonderful parents."
TBC...
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