[If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me]
--- Lyrics from 'Stand By Me' by Ben E. King
A Silver Lining Part 23
"You know what I miss more than anything right now?" Duo sighed deeply from where he lied on his back, staring up at the high ceiling of the cell that he and Heero had shared for several days now. If anything, he did not mind the captivity so much since he had someone else to talk to. The fact that that someone else was his best friend just made the situation that little bit more tolerable for the time being.
Rolling his shoulders as he adjusted himself in the corner where he sat, Heero snorted, "A few things come to mind." Rubbing the back of his neck to relieve the creek there, he smirked, "The refrigerator, the television, the leather recliner, shall I continue?"
Duo chuckled deeply, his gaze still turned up to the ceiling, and he replied quietly, "No. I miss being able to see the stars at night." Genuinely surprised by that answer, Heero blinked his slightly widened cobalt eyes. Without even having to look back at his friend, the braided pilot grinned, "Never saw that one coming, huh?"
Heero stretched his legs out from under him and admitted, "I never pictured you as the star-gazing type." When he really thought about it, the ex-Wing pilot did note to himself that there had been several nights when Duo would disappear for a while after they settled into their new house. He never thought to ask what the other Preventer had been doing in that time.
The braided teenager finally sat up to turn and meet his partner's gaze. "It's kind of been a habit of mine ever since I was a kid," he stated with a wistful smile on his face, seeing and yet not really seeing the other pilot. His eyes regained their focus on his friend and he grinned, "You should try it when we're finally out of this place."
With a shrug, the Japanese pilot commented, "I've seen enough of space since the war and over the years to feel the need to gaze on it in my own time." Had he not been watching his partner as closely as he had been in the faint light that peeked under the door to their cell, he would have missed the quick flash of hurt in those violet eyes. Duo's mask fell back into place and he just shrugged before lying onto his back again to stare at the ceiling.
Realization set in and Heero mentally winced at how badly he had come across just then. Over the course of the last few days, he had come to find that Duo was the only person who really understood who he was beyond the 'Perfect soldier' persona that everyone else had labeled him to be. He was the only person who seemed to really care to look past all of that.
As it turned out, the ex-Wing pilot came to learn that he was not the only person who was given a character that everyone expected him to live up to. Duo suffered from his own label in being the jester, always with a smile and a way to lighten any situation. Heero had become the first person to see through that, and the first who the American ever shared his other side with.
In recalling the stories that Duo had told him of his life on the streets of L2 and in the Maxwell Church, Heero could only imagine that stargazing was one of the few things that gave his friend any peace at those times.
The images of a much younger Duo watching the stars with Solo and the other children that he came to know as his only family filled his mind. Perhaps there were other nights he would gaze on the heavens with Sister Helen and Father Maxwell in the short time he was able to live under their care.
Suddenly, Heero felt very small in thinking of how harsh his statement must have been. He basically brushed off Duo's one and only joys in life as if it were some foolish thing, a waist of time. That was where the flash of pain had come from when he watched the other pilot's eyes...
He felt very small, indeed.
Clearing his throat, the sound echoing off the walls of the silent cell, Heero said quietly, "Then again, I never did actually watch the stars from a distance." It was difficult for him, this trying to communicate beyond mission tactics and escape plans. However, somehow, it seemed to become easier for him every time he tried to make that little bit of effort.
His words seemed to be making the desired impact and Duo's head turned to face him-his violet eyes wide with disbelief that he had heard him correctly. With a small, nervous smile, Heero stated, "The next time you go stargazing, maybe... well-"
"You'd keep me company?" Duo spoke for him when he realized that the normally stoic pilot was struggling with the words. He couldn't keep the hopefulness tone in his voice from carrying over, nearly echoing off the walls.
Silently grateful that his friend once again had come to his aim, Heero nodded, "If you'd like." In that moment, he knew that he would never be able to deny Duo anything as long as he had that pleading look in his eyes.
A sincere, warm smile of appreciation tugged at the braided pilot's lips as he replied softly, "Thanks, Heero." Looking back to the ceiling, he commented, "Who knows, maybe you'll get something out of it, like I do."
From where he sat in his corner, Heero couldn't help but grin to himself. Somehow, he was pretty sure that his friend was right in that assumption. More and more, he was looking forward to when they would finally be freed from their captivity.
* * * * * *
Peering through the hospital room window out to the endless sea of stars, Heero's reflection mirrored off the glass as his mind drifted off to that memory of so long ago. At the sound of the door opening, he turned just as Duo entered, pushing a wheelchair. Grinning from ear to ear, his braided partner announced, "I personally tested every chair in storage and this is by far the best of all of them."
The ex-Wing pilot chuckled deeply, "Well, knowing your test process for anything on wheels, I'm certain that you made the right choice."
Duo winked at him before steeling the chair beside his partner's bed. As he watched the other pilot set about his work of prepping the seat, Heero sighed quietly in relief of knowing that he was finally going to see more than the same four walls he had been staring at since he woke following the mission. Sally had reassured him that he would no longer need to be monitored as he had been the last few days.
As if reading his koi's mind, Duo smiled, "I'm just as anxious to have you out of this place as you are to be free from it, pal." Heero give him a small grin of his own. It never ceased to amaze him at how easy it was for the other pilot to read him. Looking back, he supposed that they always had that connection between them.
"I'm more anxious to get into some normal clothes as opposed to these damned hospital gowns," Heero admired with a slight grumble. Duo chuckled deeply and nodded in understanding, having been in the same situation on several occasions in the past.
After brief moment of silence, Heero said quietly, "You know, I have yet to keep that promise I made to you." At the confusion in the eyes that looked up to him, he clarified, "About stargazing with you one day."
The shock was evident in the wide, violet eyes as Duo sputtered, "Y-you remember that?" When Heero just smiled and nodded, the braided teenager brightened, "Well, there'll be time when we get back to the Earth, if you still want to try it."
With a firm nod, Heero answered, "I'd like that." Returning the nod, Duo went back to his task of fixing at few adjustments, his posture and his movements much lighter now.
Finished with his work at last, the American opened his arms and carefully assisted Heero in sitting up and off the side of the bed so his legs could dangle towards the floor. "Your chariot awaits, my love," he grinned. With a small snort, the ex-Wing pilot leaned his right side against the other teenager when he went to his feet.
With little difficulty, Heero settled himself into the wheelchair while his partner placed a blanket over him. Placing his hands over the large wheels, he rolled the chair back and forth a few inches for a feel of the traction. With a satisfied smirk, He nodded up to the expectant face watching him, "Not bad."
Duo beamed and replied, "Cool. Shall we, then?" Heero didn't even wait to voice his answer and began moving his chair towards the door. With a fit of laughter, the braided pilot had to run to keep up, calling, "Hey, wait for me!"
* * * * * *
Two days later...
"Finally," Lady Une sighed deeply in relief, falling back in her desk chair. Looking over the layout of the large estate that she had found, she smiled to herself. It had been more of a challenge to find a secured location than even she had estimated.
The accommodations needed to house more than a dozen people played a large part in that challenge, considering there was no telling how long they would all have to stay there together. Along with that, this was an interesting dozen to have to throw together for an uncertain amount of time.
She removed her thin wire glasses and rubbed her weary eyes. "Hopefully, it's big enough that it'll give them enough space to keep them all from killing each other before this is all over," she commented to her empty office.
Patching up her connection to Quasar, she tapped into the radio of the cockpit that she alone had from her station. The male voice that answered greeted politely, "Good afternoon, Commander Une."
With a small grin, the brunette woman answered, "Good afternoon, indeed, Agent Sheer. I am happy to announce that you have clearance to land Quasar early this morning. I will have a crew awaiting your arrival in our hanger at 0100 this morning."
She was grateful when the young pilot did not ask for the need to land at so late in the evening. Obscurity in moving the Gundam pilots and those staying with them was vital. From the hanger, she would lead them, herself to the new residence as not to risk having anyone they did not want learning of the location.
"Understood, Commander," Agent Sheer's voice replied. "We will be docking at that time, then. I will advise the crew and guests."
With a nod, Lady Une smiled, "Very good, soldier." With that, she cut the connection through her laptop. Not allowing herself a moment to rest, she set about looking through her files in alerting the placement agency that had been working closely with the Preventers in finding work and homes for the people rescued from the White Out Organization.
Set in her work, the young Commander resolved herself to the tasks she needed to oversee for the next few hours. Rest was for the weary. And there was a great deal of work that needed to be done before Quasar landed back on the Earth.
* * * * * *
Anna laughed loudly as she watched Duo play 'giant' and carrying two armfuls of children while other kids piled onto his back. All shouting and laughing in their game, the orphaned youths were having their time of their lives. Yuuki yelped excitedly as she ran around the room, chasing her owner and the swarm of children following him.
Over their stay on Quasar, Duo had latched onto those poor children orphaned by White Out. He made regular visits with the youngsters and was more than happy to have Yuuki stay in their large quarters during the duration of their journey through the vastness of space. The pup certainly seemed to be enjoying it as much as the little ones.
When the announcement came that they would be returning to the Earth that night, Duo rushed to the children's quarters with an invite to his friends to join them.
Rachel was lying on her stomach between Heero's wheelchair and where Anna was sitting. On occasion, the little girl would look up from the coloring book that she was wrapped up in to watch the scene and giggle. "He certainly has a way with children," the redhead smiled, shaking her head in amusement.
Contenting himself to just watch his partner with a warm, wistful smile on his face, Heero nodded, "He always did." He chuckled deeply when Duo suddenly cried out in false agony, collapsing onto his back to be tackled by the army of youths.
From where he was leaning against the wall with his arms folded, Wufei shook his head, "I still can't believe that he brought and managed to train that damn dog up here, too."
With a sharp gasp, Anna covered Rachel's ears and glared at the Chinese pilot, "Not around the kids, Wufei." The little girl just looked up at the red-haired Preventer in wondering why she covered her ears.
Blushing slightly at his slip, Wufei cleared his throat and gave a small nod in apology with a sheepish grin. Removing her hands from Rachel's ears, Anna smiled and watched the little girl in her efforts of coloring a scene of 'Cinderella' with her magical coach.
As he spun his chair to meet his friend's gaze, Heero frowned and asked, "You would rather he leave the puppy without either of us to watch after her for days? She'd be scared to death."
His dark eyes widening, Wufei blinked in shock before huffing, "I should have a talk with Sally on the drugs she used on you. These last few days, you've been... different."
"It's called love, Wufei," Relena chuckled deeply. She, Quatre and Trowa were at one of the tables enjoying a game of Michigan Rummy. Looking up from her cards, she winked over at a wide-eyed Heero.
Trowa, Wufei and Anna all looked to the Foreign Minister with shocked faces before turning to the Japanese pilot. With a deep sigh, Heero nodded, "All right, Duo and I were going to announce it over dinner; but, yes-Relena's right."
Quickly lowering his hand of cards, Trowa asked insistently, "How long ago did this start between the two of you?" Both Anna and Wufei nodded their own wish to know the answer to the question.
With a raised eyebrow, Heero answered, "The day before we left for the mission. Why?" Instead of answering, the trio of shocked pilots instantly reached into the pockets of their pants and feverishly unfolded papers that had been store there.
The blonde Arab just chuckled deeply to his friends, "I already checked, everyone. Wufei won the pool." Looking over to his lover, he sighed deeply, "Relena and I were off by a week." The young politician frowned in dramatic disappointment as she nodded.
As the others confirmed the announcement with their own sheets, both Trowa and Ana sighed deeply, their shoulders slumping. Smirking triumphantly, Wufei ordered, "Everyone pay up." With grumbles, the two couples reached for their wallets. As each of his four friends handed over a twenty dollar bill, the Chinese pilot gave a gloating, "Thank you."
Shaking his head in amusement, Heero asked, "You all had a pool as to when Duo and I would get together?" Five enthusiastic nods answered.
Normally, something like this would normally infuriate him- the fact that all of his friends could sense something between him and Duo before even he could-and their not bothering to fill him in, Heero couldn't help but laugh. The situation really was quite humorous.
"Well, we had to have something to occupy ourselves while the two of you continued your dance around each other," Trowa smirked as he returned to his seat at the table. "It's about time the two of you got a clue."
Pocketing his winnings, Wufei nodded, "No shi-" He stopped himself just in time, Anna and now Trowa's fiery glares already on him in warning. "No kidding," he corrected, earning a relieved smile from his friends before they returned to what they had been doing. "I thought that eventually, we would have had to order an intervention for the two of you."
The Chinese pilot raised a dark eyebrow and smirked, "At least I can rest assured in knowing that your change in behavior is not due to your pain medication." Heero just rolled his eyes with a snort. In all honesty, he was thankful that he apparently had the support of his friends in regards to his relationship with his partner.
In the middle of the room, Duo's face was red from laughing so hard under the tickle attack that he was receiving from the children all around him. "All right! All right! I give up!" he yelled in between his fit of hysteria. "You all win!" The kids cheered in victory and finally allowed the braided pilot to sit up while he tried to catch his breath.
One of the younger of the children, a little girl with blonde hair and green eyes, sat in the American's lap. Looking up, the child asked, "Mister Duo, will we see you again at the orph- orph-"
A little boy, only a few years older than the girl in Duo's lap, helped her by saying, "Orphanage, Megan." His own brown eyes looked up to the violet watching all of them. "Will you visit us there, Mister Duo?" he frowned.
Gently hugging the girl in his lap and rubbing the top of the dark hair of the boy as he ginned, "As soon as I get the chance, Megan and Jordan. Somebody has to make sure you little ankle biters stay out of trouble."
At the nickname that he came to use for all of them, the children all laughed-the relief clear on all of them in knowing that this would not be the last time they would see the nice man that came to play with them.
Rachel swallowed hard, knowing that she would be sent off to the orphanage with the others. A hand gently ran through her hair. Looking up, she met Anna's sad smile. Both she and Trowa had told Rachel that it was for her own safety that they had to have her go with the other kids. She knew they cared about her and only wanted her to be safe. Maybe some day, she would find a new home with a new family that could be hers. Still, it would be hard to say goodbye to the nice Preventers that had been taking care of her.
A red-haired girl who could not have been more than eight shouted, "And Yuuki, too?" she was already gently petting the collie lying beside her, panting happily.
Duo laughed, "Yes- and Yuuki, too, Bridget." With that, she children all cheered again and piled onto him to hug him fiercely. From under the pile, the pilot's laughter was muffled. However, he could hear the loud laughter of all his friends from where they were watching the sweet scene.
* * * * * *
At 0100 that morning, the Gundam pilots along with Zechs, Noin, Relena, Sally, Anna and Scott were rushed out of the ship first. Three unmarked cars awaited just beyond the parking lot. Lady Une led the way to take the drivers seat of the lead car while Zechs and Duo took the others. After everyone piled in with their belongings, the lead car pulled off with the other two following closely behind.
During the four hour drive towards the mountain ranges to the northwest, Lady Une communicated with everyone via radio in the cars as to how she wanted everyone to stay at the residence and work from there. No chance in risking anyone commuting to and from the safe house and headquarters and adding to the risk of someone picking up on their course.
The Gundam pilots, for their part, had been extremely impressed in the Commander's precision in seeing that there was no way anyone would be able to follow them, let alone guess where they had been moved.
One thing that could never be said was that Lady Une was not efficient in anything that she oversaw. She made sure that no stone had been unturned in seeing that the location that they were heading to stayed secured. The roads that they were taking had already been blocked and those that were not, they took the back roads that few people knew of. The vehicles had been scanned thoroughly to be certain that a tracker had not been placed in any of them.
In the car that he shared with Zechs, Noin and Sally, Scott felt safest in being away from the Gundam pilots for the trip. Heero and Duo had been the most standoffish towards him, not even so much as looking at him when they had learned of his involvement with those who had turned against them. The white-haired pilot couldn't blame either of them, considering they had been the most affected by the White Out Organization and those helping them.
Taking a deep breath in the backseat of the car that he shared with Heero and Duo, Trowa reached over and squeezed his quiet lover's hand. Neither of them had an easy time of parting with Rachel when Quasar landed. At least now the little girl had a chance of starting a new life with a new family.
"We did the right thing," Trowa reassured quietly.
Tight squeezing his hand back, Anna nodded, "I know." She turned and gave him a small, forced smile. The puppy curled in her lap sighed deeply in her sleep. With a deep chuckle, the red-haired Preventer gently brushed her fur.
Finally, the cars pulled up to the hidden estate in the side of a low mountain range. The only light that they had to go on were the headlights and moonlight pouring through the clearing in the trees to try and make anything out. Everyone was far too tired to really pay any mind to what the cabin looked like to really pay any mind. When everyone got out of the cars with their bags and shuffled into the house single-filed. With a farewell to the guest of the large cabin, Lady Une returned back to the city.
The first to enter the estate, Quatre sighed deeply, "Well, home sweet home away from home."
Scott pushed ahead of the pack and moved to head upstairs in seeing to which room he would claim as his. As his friends entered behind him, the Arab frowned, "Hopefully, these arrangements won't be needed for too long." All around him, the others grumbled their agreements to the sentiment.
* * * * * *
"So what do you think?" Duo asked quietly after about an hour of companionable silence as he nestled closer into Heero side.
A small smile played on the ex-Wing pilot's face and he replied sincerely, "Actually, it's kind of nice." Turning his head, he placed a soft kiss atop the other teenager's braided head. There was another long pause before he breathed, "It puts things into perspective... It reminds me of just how small we are in the grand scheme of things."
With a small grin of his own, Duo nodded, "Everyone gets something different out of it."
It had been a pleasant surprise when Heero had asked if they could watch the stars on the first night following their first day at their haven. Lying on the roof of the large estate just beside the window that led to their bedroom, the young couple made a comfortable perch for themselves.
Considering how serene the entire scene was, it was almost ironic when they thought of the storm that continued to brew and swelter around them.
Looking up to the star-filled night through the round clearing in the trees that surrounded them, Duo commented softly, "For me, it gives me a sense of peace that I never had before." With a deep chuckle, he looked back up to his partner and added, "Well, before I met you of course."
"You mean when you shot me? Twice for that matter?" Heero smirked. "You know, you were closer to me than Jessica was when she shot me and her two hits were much more effective than yours." He laughed when Duo lightly hit him on his good side.
As he settled his head back against his love's good shoulder, he grinned, "Yea, well, I wasn't aiming to kill you, remember. You were too damn hot in those spandex shorts for me to take you out." The chest beneath him rumbled with the chuckle that bubbled from the other pilot.
Propping himself up, Duo captured his partner's lips in a deep kiss that was returned with just as much fervor. When they finally parted, the braided pilot smiled and whispered, "Thank you for keeping your promise. This has been nice."
"Yes, it has been," Heero replied with a warm smile of his own. "I think that I could get used to this." At that, his best friend's violet eyes lit up, shimmering from the moonlight that reflected in them. Swooping his head up, Duo pulled his koi's head down to kiss him fiercely.
From within the house, Wufei's voice shouted, "Who the hell used up the hot water in this wing of the house!?" Their moment broken, Heero and Duo parted with heavy sighs.
Shaking his head, Duo smirked, "Yep. We're back to being one, big, happy family."
TBC...
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