[No more lonely nights
You're my guiding light
Day or night I'm always there
May I never miss the thrill of being near you]
--- Lyrics to 'No More Lonely Nights' performed by Paul McCartney
Ray of Hope Part 38
Alive.
Duo was shocked to realize that he was still alive as he clawed through his haze of unconsciousness. A sharp pain in his chest with every breath was the first things that he noticed before opening his eyes. Thankful to be feeling anything but cold water around him after his boat was shattered around him, he slowly opened his violet eyes.
Wincing at the bright light that assaulted him when his eyelids lifted, Duo attempted to raise his right arm to shield his vision, only to realize quickly that it would not move. Slowly, against the stiffness in his neck, he looked down to find his arm bent at the elbow and in a cast.
Instantly recalling some of the last moments on the ship, the lighthouse keeper remembered hearing and feeling the snap of bones breaking. The heaviness of cloth wrappings over his chest and the sharp pain he had when breathing deeply were clear signs of injured ribs.
Despite the aches, the bandages and the cast, Duo couldn't have been happier. Somehow, he'd managed to survive his ordeal. Lying against the head-raised bed, the braided teenager closed his eyes with a heavy sigh of relief.
When the American opened his eyes once more, they widened as a sharp breath hitched in his throat. Sitting beside his bed, arms crossed and head lowered and closed in sleep, Heero was slouched in the visitor chair.
With a soft moan, the young sailor's own eyes blinked open, widening when he looked up to find his lover awake. Throwing off the blanket that was draped around his shoulders, he quickly closed the distance between them and covered Duo's opening mouth with a finger. "Before you say anything," he began in a rough voice, "I need to explain something."
Blinking in suprise, the braided lighthouse keeper hesitated before nodding. His shoulders sagging in relief, Heero sighed deeply, "Thank you." Slowly, he removed his hand and pulled his chair closer to the bed. When their eyes locked once more, he stated, "I know what you think you saw before you left the hospital. At that, tears filled his partner's violet gaze as he opened his mouth to say something. Raising his hand quickly, the Japanese sailor told him, "Let me finish."
Duo bit his lip and swallowed hard, but nodded and remained silent. Just then, the door to the hospital room opened and Dorothy stepped inside. In finding the young man in the bed awake, she grinned widely, "Well, good morning. You know, you gave us all quite a scare. I thought I might have to sedate Heero as frantic as he was after pulling you into Howard's boat."
As the blonde young woman sat beside Heero, Duo's face was one of confusion and surprise looking from one face to the other. Chuckling deeply at the expression, the unruly-haired teenager grinned to his lover, "Like I said, things are not as you assumed." With a smirk to his childhood friend, he asked, "Shall we finally clear all this up?" Her own smile warming, Dorothy gave him a firm nod.
When he turned back to face his injured boyfriend, Heero said softly, "We'll start from the beginning..."
"You mean that for two years you just pretended to be He-" shaking his head, Duo continued, "I mean, Odin's fiancée? And it never bothered you?"
Shrugging, Dorothy answered, "Odin was my closest friend since kindergarten. I was the only person who knew his secret and was well aware of the trouble he would have been in if his father ever found out. So, it only seemed natural to look out for him." She chuckled deeply and nudged the sailor beside her. "I gave him a time of it, though, just for fun. I'd tease him if we could hold hands or have a quick peck when we were in public." Heero mumbled something under his breath that caused her to laugh.
Quickly sobering once more, the long-haired blonde frowned deeply, "I wasn't aware how convincing we were until I got wind that Odin's parents were planning a surprise wedding for us. I wasn't surprised to find that he had disappeared a few days after I told him."
Heero met her gaze and said quietly, "I couldn't put you through a false marriage. And I couldn't come forward with what I was, either."
Patting his arm, Dorothy grinned, "I know. And here for a long time I was pissed that I never got a call from you to know that you were all right, not having a clue about your accident." Heero chuckled deeply and shook his head in amusement.
The lighthouse keeper sighed deeply and lied back in his bed. "I was so convinced that I had the story straight," Duo frowned deeply, shaking his head. "I should have known better than to just jump to conclusions and run off like that, but..." His voice trailed off as tears began to fill his gaze once more. "God, I was so sure that I lost you," he breathed as he turned to face his lover.
At that, Dorothy smiled and rose to her feet. "I'll leave you two alone for a bit and get Sally," she announced quietly. Reaching out, she lightly wiped away the couple stray tears that were rolling down her new friend's face. "We simply must get to know each other better later."
With a sincere smile of gratitude, Duo nodded and whispered, "I'd like that. Thank you, Dorothy." He winced, "And thank you for taking care of me after my stunt back there." The blonde girl winked at her and squeezed her childhood friend's shoulder before slipping out of the room.
Just as the door closed after her, Heero leaned forward and kissed his partner soundly. Gasping against his mouth, Duo's eyes widened before closing while he returned the exchange. When he pulled back, the young sailor's own eyes were shimmering as he breathed, "God, I was so scared for you. When Howard found that the Atlantis was gone and you were out in that storm..." Unable to continue with his thoughts, he just bit his lip and lowered his head.
Whimpering softly, Duo moaned quietly, "I'm sorry. I know how stupid that was."
Once again, Heero raised his hand and shook his head. "It's all right," he reassured him. "It doesn't matter." He took his lover's left hand and squeezed it tightly. "You're safe now. That's all that matters," he stated before he looked hopeful. "And we're all right?" Having trouble finding his voice, Duo's brilliant smile returned and he nodded excitedly through his tears. That said, they leaned in for another kiss.
Much to their regret, the door opened once more. Stepping into the room, Sally made her way right to the monitors and went through the motions of checking her best friend's vitals without a word. As soon as she was finished jotting the results down on the tablet in her hands, the braided doctor's right hand flew to hit the lighthouse keeper upside his head. "Ow!" Duo cried, rubbing his head and glaring at his ex-girlfriend. His anger quickly faded and he lowered his good arm. "All right, I deserved that," he pouted.
"Glad we agree," Sally nodded firmly. Bending at the waist, she kissed her patient's braided head and told him, "Your family is on the way now. I'll go wait for them in the lobby to bring them right in." Smiling in silent appreciation that needed to words, Duo took her hand in his and squeezed it before she left the room.
Heero rose to his own feet before slipping into the left side of the bed to pull Duo close. Humming in content, the lighthouse keeper rested his head against his partner's chest and closed his eyes. For a moment, the pair remained silent as they just held onto one another for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Resting his chin on his love's braided head, the young sailor closed his own eyes.
After a long, companionable silence, Duo suddenly started laughing. Pulling his head back, Heero raised an eyebrow in question. "Just thinking of how ironic it is much we have in common after all, considering how we started off," the braided teenager grinned.
"Indeed," Heero chuckled deeply before kissing the top of his love's head once more. "When I was a child, my parents brought me to this island and I never forgot about it. It was the first place I thought to run to when it came time. So, I reached my destination, just not quite the way that I had planned." They both laughed at the last sentiment. "Still," the sailor shrugged, "it all turned out for the best."
His violet eyes widening at a thought, Duo looked up to his lover and asked, "So what do we do about your parents? Even if Dorothy paid off the officer that contacted her about Wufei's search, I'm sure that your mother and other relatives will do whatever they can to get answers for your disappearance regardless of your father."
A smile tugging at his lips, Heero replied, "Don't worry. I already thought of how to handle that."
* * * * * *
Despite the fact that it was his idea, Heero still couldn't help but cringe at seeing the deep blue urn with his birth name engraved in the side. "Well," he nodded, "at least it'll work to end the search and keep the press off your back."
Gently lowering the urn into a marble box set aside along with her bags, Dorothy smiled, "That it will. A tragic end to the missing son of a Senator. Killed on his first boating trip alone, his remains unidentified until his fiancée happened to vacation on the same island he washed up on."
Straightening, the blonde girl wiped a stray tear that she managed to drudge up as a practice for her act to come when she reached the States. "And the hopes that his father had of Presidency are about to be devastated by an anonymous tip to the journalists." Her blue eyes narrowing, she smirked, "Too bad your father is such a friend to my parents. I've been able to dig up quite a bit of dirt over the years."
Both Heero and Duo grinned at the thought of the old man getting what he deserved. Frowning deeply at the sight of the ship nearing the dock, the lighthouse keeper stepped forward and kissed the young woman's cheek. "I'm sorry that you have to go," he told her sincerely. "It's been great having you stay these last few days."
Tightly hugging him, Dorothy smiled warmly, "It's simply been lovely meeting you, Duo." Pulling back, she rubbed the braided teenager's cast and winked, "Now I can rest assured knowing that my dear friend is in good hands." She raised a long eyebrow and commented, "And, I certainly don't plan on being a stranger."
"You're more than welcome back anytime," the American reassured her before they pecked each other's cheeks again. Stepping forward at the end of the embrace, Heero wrapped his own arms around his childhood friend.
When he lowered her to the ground again, Dorothy cupped his cheek and smiled, "Take care of yourself, Heero." At her using his new name, the sailor's cobalt eyes widened. Gesturing to the marble box, the blonde girl stated, "Odin Lowe is no more. Besides, I must say that I quite like Heero better for you."
Chuckling deeply, the Japanese teenager kissed her cheek and whispered, "All the best, Dorothy. We'll look forward to seeing you again soon."
That said, the boat pulled in and the travelers gathered at the dock picked up their belongings. With her friends' assistance, Dorothy boarded the craft. As the boat pulled away, she stood at the edge and waved farewell to the couple. Waving her off until the boat faded from sight, Heero and Duo wrapped their arms around each other's waist and headed back towards the parking lot.
Before they reached the car, the lighthouse keeper suddenly turned and his good arm around his lover's waist. Leaning in quickly, he kissed him excitedly. As he pulled back, he smiled to the wide cobalt eyes watching him, "Well, Heero Yuy, welcome to the first official day of your new life."
"I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather spend it with," Heero whispered as he brushed back his partner's bangs. Straightening, he grinned, "Let's celebrate somehow, just the two of us. We still have a few hours before sunset before we have to be back at the lighthouse."
His smile widening, Duo nodded, "You're on." Taking his lover's hand with his own good one, he pulled him to their car.
Off in the distance, the tall tower of the lighthouse that witnessed all shimmered under the bright sunlight as a flock of white seagulls floated around it on the gentle breeze.
TBC...
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