[When your night grows dark
And you can't find your tomorrow then you can follow me
Oh, we can be each other's guiding light
Through this long and winding life where your road leads]
--- Lyrics to 'Where Your Road Leads' performed by Trisha Yearwood
Ray of Hope Part 19
Darkness was all that surrounded him as he remained lost to everything on the other side. Still, a few things made him aware that he wasn't alone. Just as the last time he was drifting in a dreamless sleep like this, a soothing and now familiar voice was gently speaking to him. The worry and encouragement was the same as before, quietly urging him back to the world of the living and telling him that everything would be all right.
What was different was the undeniable fear and loss that was in the voice this time. "Please wake up," the young man pleaded brokenly. "I don't want to lose you." His consciousness must have been returning as he could distinctly feel his hand being squeezed tightly.
A small, white light broke through the pitch to reveal the hazy image of the blonde girl that he had seen before. Once again, he was not able to completely make out her features, but he could see that she was smiling to him. "Wake up, Odin," she grinned, "This is no time to be caught daydreaming when you have so much to do." And just as quickly as the vision appeared, it was gone again to leave him in the darkness.
Once again, the voice from the beyond whispered urgently, "Please wake up. I need you."
Finally, the disorientation of fighting through the void that threatened to choke him began to clear as he recognized the voice. Duo. With that, he forced himself to break through the blackness to console his distraught partner.
Slowly cracking his cobalt eyes open, Heero winced at the bright light shining down from the ceiling. With a deep moan he turned his head towards the person beside him as they continued to grip his hand. At the wide, familiar eyes that met his gaze, he couldn't help but give a small smile as the concern on his visitor's face melted instantly into relief.
A sharp gasp was all that Duo could manage as he leaned forward and brushed back the long bangs out of the young sailor's eyes. His mouth opened and closed, but he was not able to find his voice at that moment.
In a rush, Heero recalled everything leading to his blackout. Just the vivid memory of the pain caused by the headache he suffered threatened to send him reeling back into the oblivion.
His vision focusing more clearly on the lighthouse keeper, the Japanese young man could see the small shimmering drops in the relieved violet pools watching him. As he opened his mouth, Heero could feel how dry his throat was, but he still forced himself to smile weakly with a croaked, "Duo."
Instantly, the braided young man snapped from his shock and he turned to the table beside him to pour a cup of ice water. Carefully holding it out, he urged gently, "Easy. You took quite a fall, so your stomach might not be up to being too full right now."
With a grateful nod, Heero slowly raised his head to take a few small sips. Even though his stomach was a bit upset, he was thankful to be able to swallow without pain at least. As he handed the cup back, he rubbed his eyes roughly while he asked, "What the hell happened back there?"
Biting his lip nervously, Duo shook his head, "I don't know. You've only been out for about four hours. Sally is still looking at the scans she ran while you were out. We're still waiting to hear the results."
'We.' Just as the sailor was opening his mouth to ask exactly who 'we' referred to, the door to the hospital patient room opened. Duo automatically pulled his hand away, as if it had been burned within Heero's grasp. The American flashed an apologetic look at his partner for the abrupt move as he looked over to the opening door.
As she peeked her head into the room, Noin smiled warmly in relief when she looked to the alert young man in the bed. "You're awake," she sighed deeply as she stepped into the room to sit beside her son. Gently resting a hand on her husband's namesake's arm, she asked, "How are you feeling?"
Heero gave her a firm nod and answered honestly, "I'm all right now, thank you." An overwhelming sense of guilt washed over him and he frowned deeply, "I'm sorry to have ruined your first night visiting."
Snorting, Noin waved her hand and smirked, "Nonsense. You certainly could not have helped this, and you have not ruined anything. The most important thing is that you're all right." Heero could not help but smile at the young mother. Rising from her seat, she announced, "I'm going to get a hold of Sally to let her know that you're awake." That said, she stepped back out of the room.
Once the door was closed after her, Duo sighed deeply with the breath that he had been holding after their close call. Taking the sailor's hand back into his own with a firm squeeze, he frowned, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to think that I'm ashamed of-"
With a sympathetic smile, Heero nodded, "It's all right. Your family just met me. I understand that you want them to get to know me better." Squeezing the hand in his, he lied back in his bed and grinned, "I can wait."
The small tears that had been fought from the cobalt eyes of his partner returned once more as Duo quickly wrapped his arms tightly around him. Their lips meeting in a fierce kiss, the lighthouse keeper poured all of the things that he wanted to say. When they finally pulled back for air, the young sailor cupped the side of his love's grinning face.
At the sound of the door opening once again, the braided young man sat up and watched as Sally entered the room. Smiling when she met the anxious cobalt eyes watching her, she chuckled deeply, "We really have to stop meeting like this." At that, the young men's shoulder sagged as they relaxed in knowing that if Heero's condition were threatening, she would not be poking jokes at that time.
The braided doctor unfolded her arms from behind her back to reveal the folder held securely in her possession as she turned to her weary-eyed ex-boyfriend. Kindly, she smirked, "Duo, you look like hell. I would suggest visiting the cafeteria while I wrap up a couple tests with Heero now that he is awake."
Despite his wish to protest leaving his partner's side, Duo could not deny his growling stomach as it had been some time since his last meal. Along with that, he was not about to test Sally's patience and risk her getting his mom involved in seeing that he took care of himself. Reluctantly rising from his seat, he squeezed the sailor's shoulder in a gesture meant to support the both of them. "I'll be back soon, then," he said quietly before steeping from the room.
When the door closed, Sally sat at the side of the bed and lowered the folder of reports and x-rays that she had examined onto the empty chair. Removing a small flashlight from the breast pocket of her white coat, she flashed the beam into her friend's cobalt eyes. Humming to herself, she examined the sailor's ears and mouth.
Her tests completed, the young doctor nodded, "Your scans all came back clean and with all that I see here, all is as it should be. The headache that you experienced is a common symptom for global amnesia as the condition heals." Sally's expression grew from casual to serious as she inquired, "Have you been experiencing any more visions since the last time we talked about this? If you have, I need to know how often they come and how they come to you so that I can help as best I can."
Swallowing hard, Heero nodded, "They come and go, but they have been a more regular occurrence lately." As he continued, the braided young woman jotted down notes on a small notepad. "Usually I have one or two of them a week. Sometimes, it's just voices saying something, or its hazy images of people that can't be made out." His throat dry once more, he took up the cup of water that was waiting on the table before saying, "I had another one of those while I was unconscious."
"Once or twice a week," Sally repeated quietly to herself as she looked up from her notes, "That would explain the severity of the headache you suffered if they're coming back so quickly." The doctor tilted her head and asked, "Have you been able to piece anything of your past together yet?"
Heero sunk into his bed with his head lowered, reluctant to answer. Finally, he met her gaze again and frowned deeply, "My name is Odin. I have not been able to learn my last name, but I am certain with the first."
Sally's eyes widened, her pen pausing after she finished writing down the name. Reading it aloud, she breathed, "Odin." The elated smile that spread on her lips threatened to split her face as she looked up and exclaimed, "That's wonderful! Even without a last name, Wufei will be able to narrow down the search of missing persons that he has been in charge of."
At that, Heero sat up instantly with wide cobalt eyes. "Please don't tell him, Sally," he begged urgently. "I still don't think that I am ready to come to grips with who I really am." Wringing the white sheet that covered his hospital gown, he lowered his head and whispered, "Things have changed since I've been here."
"Changed?" the braided young woman questioned. Her eyes widening anew, she turned to the chair beside the bed that Duo had occupied. As she shifted to lean in closer, she gently lifted her patient's head until their eyes met. Slowly, a small smile lit her face and she breathed, "You love him."
Blinking in surprise at the statement, the young sailor considered her words. In the end, there was no point in denying what he already knew. With his chin caught between her fingers, he nodded firmly with a whispered, "Yes... I do. And I'm truly happy here with him." His eyes filled with resolve, Heero told her, "And I can't help but have this feeling that I'm happier than I have ever been in my life. I don't want to lose the life that I have now by having to be forced back into the one that I left behind."
With a deep breath, Sally grinned, "Very well. No one but you will ever know what is best in this situation. So, as your friend, I will support whatever decision you make." Gesturing to the chair, she suggested, "But I wouldn't keep this a secret from Duo forever, if I were you."
Heero nodded fervently, "Of course."
Taking out another small pad, Sally wrote down a few numbers and a name that Heero could not quite make out. Folding the small paper, she handed it to her patient and stated, "This prescription won't keep you from having headaches like the one you suffered tonight, but it will keep the pain down to a dull roar until it passes. From what I researched, they only last a couple minutes when they do come on, so now you'll be able to stay on your feet when you have them again."
As he accepted the prescription, the young sailor smiled, "Thank you, Sally... For everything."
"Just take care of Duo. You're already showing that you can handle that with the way that you managed to get his family here," she replied. Raising an eyebrow, she smirked, "But, you would not want to know me if you ever hurt him."
His smile growing, Heero chuckled deeply, "You don't have to worry about that."
Shaking her head, Sally grinned sincerely, "No. I'm pretty sure that I don't have to worry about that at all." With that, she gathered her notes and folder as she rose to her feet and stated, "You're a free man once more. I'll get Duo and Noin while you get changed." Her hand on the doorknob, she winked over her shoulder before stepping out into the hall.
Alone once more, Heero sighed deeply as he lowered his head on the bed. Looking up to the ceiling, he silently wondered over the inevitable talk that he would need to have with Duo. There would be time for that, he concluded.
There was more than enough time for that.
TBC...
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