A Silver Lining Part 3
Heero turned to stare at the closed door for a moment, breathing in slowly and deeply as he focused on keeping his emotions in check. Releasing the breath, he managed to lift his arm to push the door open and stepped inside.
When he stepped in, his eyes went right to the young man sitting up in the hospital bed in the center of the room. Duo's hair had been cleaned and braided, no doubt with Sally's help. For some reason, Heero felt a bit of jealousy about that. Duo never let anyone handle his hair unless he could not do it himself.
Before Sally, Heero had been the only person who had the opportunity to touch his hair when Duo had been injured on a few of their missions during the war. For some reason, Heero always felt that that was some special bond between them.
Now, Heero actually had the opportunity to take in just how thin his partner really was. Under the light green hospital gown, he could see how little mass was beneath the material. Duo's face gained a little color back, but the dark circles under his eyes still stood out, along with the long cut that ran down his left cheek.
When he looked to his arms, Heero had to fight the wince of the sight of the many puncture wounds left on the inside of his elbows. The medical gown's short sleeves did little to nothing in concealing the healing holes left from the many syringes used to test who knew what on him.
As he entered the room, Duo's head was turned to gaze out the window to his right. Hearing the door opened, he turned to see who was entering. The large bruise on the other cheek was bandaged over, nearly covering the right side of his face. There were few times that Heero could recall where he looked worse.
Then, when those violet eyes widened at the sight of him, it was all Heero could do to keep from losing control of the emotions he was trying so hard to keep in check. Duo whimpered and it seemed he was struggling to speak.
Finally, the voice that Heero had been longing to hear again whispered brokenly, "H-Heero." As rough as his voice was, Heero could only assume that it was due to the fact that the American had been screaming for quite some time in his cell.
Before the door even had the time to close behind him, the Japanese Preventer crossed the room, sat at the edge of the bed and wrapped his arms around his best friend as he whispered the same, "Duo." Before he even fully sat on the mattress beside him, Duo had lunged forward to throw his arms tightly around Heero's neck, burying his face in his neck as he cried with almost violent sobs.
Biting his lip to keep the tears from filling his own eyes, Heero kept telling himself that this was Duo's time of need. But his resolve quickly faded as he clung onto his best friend after such a long time of hoping against hope that he would find him. The reality that his search was finally over, the tears finally broke free as he bit back a small sob.
"God, I missed you so much, Duo," he whimpered as he closed his eyes and buried his face in the braided pilot's shoulder. His partner's arms tightened around him all the more and he began rubbing Heero's back in soothing circles. Trying to keep back his body's urge to tremble, he chucked quietly, "I don't want to let go of you any time soon."
Duo's small voice begged against his shoulder, "Please don't."
For only a moment, Heero mentally chastised himself for not holding back his emotions. This wasn't how he pictured their reunion. He was supposed to be the pillar of strength that he always been. Duo needed him to be strong now. He didn't need Heero adding to the pain by falling apart as well. He almost didn't recognize his voice when he said quietly in Duo's ear, "I'm sorry."
Duo pulled back so that their shimmering eyes met, his face showed confusion. Shaking his head, the Japanese Preventer lowered his head with his eyes closed. His body shook as much as Duo's as he wiped at the tears that continued to fall and answered, "You don't need me to be acting like this. Not now."
Understanding filled his friend's violet eyes. Somehow, no matter how little Heero would elaborate, Duo always seemed to get the whole picture of what he was trying to say. He smiled sadly, another whimper leaving him as he reached up to dry some of his partner's tears.
With a deep breath, he whispered meekly, "I don't mind if you need to cry, too." At that, Heero hugged him tightly again, the embrace returned immediately. With a quiet 'Arigato,' he released the last of the walls finally fall.
Heero turned his head slightly to place a soft kiss to his best friend's temple. It just seemed the right thing to do as they held onto each other in desperate need to have proof that the other really existed. Duo never thought of the pain coursing through him. It didn't matter at that moment. His nightmare was finally over.
It seemed a long time that they just sat their, holding each other and crying like that. Heero continued to rub Duo's back and whisper reassuring words in his ear as he rocked them both. Finally, their souls finally cleansed in their release of their pain, their tears stopped and their composures were regained.
Looking into the cobalt eyes of his partner in awe, when he pulled his head back at last, Duo raised a trembling hand to cup his cheek. By the look in his eyes, it was as if he still was having a hard time believing that he wasn't dreaming. Heero gave him a warm smile, the one that he only allowed Duo to ever see, as he leaned into the touch a bit and whispered, "Welcome back."
His friend's small, almost hesitant laugh filled his ears. Unable to help himself, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Duo's forehead. Looking back into his violet eyes, he suggested quietly, "You should get some rest."
With a hesitant look, Duo's asked quietly, "Stay?"
"Of course," Heero whispered reassuringly as he smiled at him. Satisfied with that, Duo's smile grew a bit as well and he lied back down.
Making a temporary 'bed' out of the two cushioned chairs that he pushed together beside the bed, Heero dimmed the room's lights and relaxed. When he was certain that Duo was sleeping at last, he finally allowed himself to slip into the best night's sleep that he had had in more than two years.
* * * * * *
The following morning, Heero woke with a soft sigh, rubbing his eyes as he worked the kinks out of his shoulders and back from the position that he slept in. looking up to the bed, he saw that Duo was still sleeping. Despite the angry bruise and cut on his face, he looked to be resting peacefully. A small smile fell on the Japanese pilot's lips as he watched him for a moment.
Looking back at the closed door, Heero saw that as Sally had promised, his duffle bag of clothes sat just inside the room. Silently thanking the woman, he rose from the chairs he converted to his bed, eager to at last be out of his tight flight suit. Once his bag was in hand, he pulled the curtain that divided the room to change.
Before long, Heero stood dressed in a plain, black t-shirt with an open green blouse over it, blue jeans and a pair of brown sneakers. Running a hand through his unruly hair, he sighed in relief of being in more comfortable attire.
On the other side of the curtain, the sleeping pilot's eyes Duo's eyes snapped open wide, his head looking up to the ceiling when he woke. Sitting up with a startled gasp, his violet eyes scanned the room rapidly, missing Heero as he pulled the curtain back and quickly sat at the edge of the bed.
The moment he just barely touched his partner's shoulder to try to snap him from his state, Heero watched in surprise at how quickly Duo jumped back from his touch as his head snapped in his direction, terror all over his face.
When their eyes locked, the Japanese Preventer said gently, "Duo, it's me, Heero." For a moment, all the other young man could do was blink at him in shock. Finally, realization clouded over the disorientation and fear as Duo sighed deeply, falling forward into Heero's arms. His eyes closed as he leaned against his friend, the American clung to him as he began to tremble.
Slowly, Heero began to rock him as he whispered, "Shh. It's all right. You're safe now." He continued to comfort the pilot in his arms, rubbing his back and whispering reassuringly to him.
Finally, Duo sat back with the shaking stopped, sniffing and rubbing at his eyes as proof that he had been crying. When he looked back up at his best friend, he smiled as if embarrassed. Returning the gesture with a sad smile, Heero rubbed the back of his braided head as he asked quietly, "You all right?" Duo lowered his head a bit and nodded.
The door then squeaked opened with a quiet knock, causing Duo to jump again. Sally poked her head into the room and her patient sighed in relief, relaxing his shoulders. The braided woman smiled warmly as she stepped into the room. "Good morning," she greeted kindly, walking over to pick up the clipboard hanging off the foot of the bed.
Heero smiled back, "Good morning, Sally." When he looked back to his friend, he noticed the wide violet eyes staring at him. Instantly understanding that the other young man was gaping at the normally stoic pilot's ease to smile and pilot response, Heero winked, "A lot has changed over these last couple years, Duo."
Sally chuckled deeply at the braided youth's shocked face. With a hand on Heero's shoulder, squeezing it as she stated, "He's right, Duo. He's come a long way with your help after the wars." At that, a small smile slowly spread on the quiet pilot's face as he looked from Sally to his best friend.
After looking over the reports on the clipboard, the young woman smiled, "Well, I see no need to keep you here any longer. I can have some clothes brought in for you to change." Lowering the clipboard, she winked, "I know how much you love wearing medical gowns." She laughed at Duo's half-hearted glare as his cheeks turned a light pink.
As he watched the exchange and thought back to the night before, Heero thought back to the night before and realized how little the other pilot actually spoke. He remembered how difficult it would be to keep the American quiet as he could just talk excitedly for hours. Frowning in thought, he almost missed hearing Sally announce, "I'll be back in a few minutes."
When they were alone again, Heero smiled when his friend's eyes fell on him again. "I almost forgot," he began. "I have something for you." Duo tilted his head with curiosity in violet eyes. They suddenly widened when Heero's hands reached up to unhitch the fine gold chain that was nearly completely hidden under his shirt.
Unhitching the clasp behind his neck, Heero pulled up on the chain to pull the shimmering cross pendant dangling from it. "I promised I would get this back to you," he said quietly.
Duo bit his bottom lip as the other pilot leaned forward and clasped the necklace around him. When Heero sat back, the braided pilot looked down to the pendant hanging from his neck, moving to hold it in his palm. With the fingers of his other hand, he reverently touched the gold cross as his eyes began to tear up. "I wore it every day," he heard Heero tell him quietly.
Looking up to his partner with shimmering violet eyes, Duo gave a sincere, glowing smile as he whispered, "Thank you." Heero returned the gesture with a warm smile of his own. With a small grin, Duo tucked his pendant under his gown.
As he took a deep breath, Heero decided to take a chance and said, "I met Kayla and Michael last night." Duo's head snapped up. There were so many emotions swirling in those wide violet orbs. Recognizing one of those as concern, Heero reassured him, "Michael is fine... thanks to you."
Duo closed his eyes and lowered his head, sighing with relief. Trying to get something, anything out of his silent partner, Heero continued, "They were both worried about you. Maybe we can go look for them when you're ready?"
Slowly, the rescued pilot nodded and replied quietly, "All right." Heero couldn't help but smile at the return of some of the brightness in his partner's eyes. He knew that Duo's instinct to protect children who could not protect themselves would cause some spark of the old Duo that he knew to shine through. He also knew that Duo would want to see the boy he defended to make certain that his actions to keep him safe were not in vain.
At that moment, Sally returned with a pile of clothes and a pair of sneakers. Placing the clothes at the edge of the bed, Duo grinned. As softly as he spoke, there was no question to the sincerity behind his words as he said to her, "Thank you, Sally."
Winking at him, the tall woman nodded, "Anytime." Behind her forced smile, Heero could sense that there was something troubling Sally. Perhaps she had picked up on Duo's behavior as he had. "When you're finished changing, Wufei would like to see you. That is, if you're up for it," she told him.
Heero had been expecting Duo to practically jump out of the bed in anticipation of seeing their Chinese friend for the first time in years. Instead, his eyes widened as he paled. "H-he doesn't... know, does he?" he asked in a near whisper.
Frowning deeply, Sally placed a hand on the frail looking pilot's shoulder as reassured him, "No. I told Heero, as you asked, and no one else. What happened to you will be between the three of us. You have my word."
The braided pilot looked down to the puncture marks on the inside of his arms, brushing his fingers subconsciously over some of them. Sally gently lifted his head so that their eyes met as she promised with a warm smile, "I'll be sure to find something with long sleeves so that no one else will see those."
Unable to take the distress in his partner, Heero took one of Duo's hands and squeezed it for support. When their eyes met, the American relaxed once more. All that the Japanese young man could think of was all the ways he would love to kill the men who had hurt and raped this shell of the person that he once knew.
After a slight pause, Duo looked up to Sally and said at last, "I'd like to see him."
"Okay," Sally nodded, her smile returning. With a quick look to Heero, she glanced from him to the door, indicating her wish to speak with him. When she looked back to Duo, she said, "We'll step out for a moment to let you get changed."
As she turned towards the door, Duo looked to his partner with a look of concern. Heero rubbed the top of his braided head with a reassuring smile. "I'll be right back." At the slight nod and little relief in Duo's face, Heero turned to follow Sally out of the room.
When they were out in the hallway, Sally led Heero into the small storage room behind the door across from Duo's. Closing the door behind them, the tall woman asked quietly, "Has he been this quiet with you this whole time?"
Heero ran a hand through his unruly hair and sighed deeply, "Yea. I was trying to get more than a few words out of him by opening up a conversation, but he's not saying much." Looking back to the closed door, he added, "He's also on edge. The first time you came into the room unannounced, I thought he was going to jump out of the bed."
Sally frowned deeply, "I had a bad feeling that might have been the case when Duo woke up last night. He only spoke when he absolutely had to. I don't know the details of what he went through while he was held captive for the last two years, but whatever happened obviously traumatized him. How much damage was done, and how long it'll take for him to get past that is too difficult to say for certain."
"I'm going to kill every one of the bastards that did this to him," Heero growled fiercely, his narrowed eyes burning with the rage that he had been holding back from the time that he first saw his partner in that holding cell.
His thoughts were broken when Sally placed a hand on his shoulder as she told him, "I would like nothing more than for you to have that, Heero. What I told you of Duo's conditions had been putting nicely everything that I had found. As I told you, his physical wounds will heal. It's his emotional wounds I am concerned about."
Finally, Heero's eyes calmed as he looked up into Sally's eyes. When their gazed locked, she continued, "What comes first, even more repaying those responsible, Duo has to come to terms with all of this. Aside from the fact that he can be a major key to finding all those responsible and involved in the White Out organization, his own wellbeing relies on getting through this."
Sally lowered her hand and stated, "Duo needs you, Heero. He never told me, but I know that he somehow always held onto the hope that you would find him some day. At just the thought of being out of your sight for a moment to change just now, the look on his face showed that he was almost on the verge of panic."
Thinking back to the troubled look on the American's face before he promised him to be back before long, Heero knew the truth of her words. Duo looked as if he was about to crawl out of his skin. Seeing his partner in such a state as he was in now was more than disorienting for the Japanese Preventer. At that, Heero had devoted himself completely to his new mission.
With firm resolve in his cobalt eyes, the Japanese pilot asked, "What do I have to do?"
Sally sighed deeply in relief with a small smile. So the soldier had returned with a new task at hand. "Right now, just be there for him," she began. "I have a feeling that he'll be clinging pretty closely to you for a while.
"I did tell him how you were the only one who kept searching for him, while the rest of us had written him off as dead. He never said it, but I know that he must feel resentful towards the rest of us." The last of her words trailed off quietly as she looked away.
It was now Heero's turn to offer support, squeezing her arm as he said quietly, "You didn't have to tell Duo any of that. And I know that he'll understand, even if it does hurt initially."
With a small sniff, the braided woman wiped at her nose as she said, "I had to be honest with him. He deserves that. And right now, he's going to rely on you a great deal."
"Understood," the young man nodded firmly.
Straightening herself, Sally advised, "There should be no mention to the White Out organization, or anything related to the last two years, if you can help it. I am sure that Duo's having enough of a time keeping his experience from his mind just sitting in that room as it is.
"Having the past brought out in the open could set any progress in him back. For now, just listen to him when he does say anything. Let him cry when he needs to and talk him even if he isn't ready to talk, himself."
Again, Heero nodded firmly. After a brief pause, he commented, "I never would have imagined that I would be the talkative one of the two of us." At her sad grin, he reassured her, "But whatever I have to do, I'll do it for him."
Slowly, a warm smile graced Sally's lips as she whispered, "I don't have any doubt in that." She looked back to the door and suggested, "You should probably check on him. I'll go get Wufei to let him know Duo is up for a visit from him." With that, they stepped from the storage room and split ways, Sally in search of the Chinese pilot and Heero back into Duo's room.
* * * * * *
Upon entering the other Preventer's room, Heero found Duo sitting on the edge of his hospital bed, his legs kicking back and forth in a nervous fashion. He straightened with wide eyes at the sound of the door opening, only relaxing when he saw that it was his friend entering the room. He was fully dressed in the blue jeans, brown sneakers and red sweater that Sally had found him.
While it was still obvious that he was terribly thin, Herro had to admit that Duo looked better now that he was actually in normal clothes again. Silently, he wondered how long it had been since Duo was able to wear such attire. As simple an outfit as it was, it must have seemed a blessing to his comrade to be in it.
Heero sat on the edge of the bed next to Duo and grinned as he brushed a hand through his long bangs. "Feeling better?" he asked quietly. His friend nodded enthusiastically, a small smile on his own face.
It wasn't long before the door opened. Heero had to squeeze Duo's hand to keep him from jumping nervously again. Sally entered with Wufei right behind. Without a single word, the Chinese pilot walked quickly across the room and hugged his missing friend tightly. Duo wrapped his own arms around him in response.
When they finally broke, Wufei laughed quietly as he wiped at his eyes. Duo's own violet orbs were a bit watery as he gave him a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "It's good to have you back, Duo," the raven-haired Preventer whispered.
The American nodded and asked quietly, "When is the wedding?" Sally, Heero and Wufei stared at him in shock and Duo gesture to the braided woman. They all turned to the sparkling diamond on the braided woman's left ring finger.
Wufei laughed loudly, "Of course. Nothing gets past you." Sally blushed and smiled brightly when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and announced, "We're to be wed in a couple months."
"Congratulations, both of you," Duo grinned in a sincere, soft voice. His gaze fell towards the door with a confused frown after the happy couple expressed their gratitude for his sentiments.
Without needing his friend to explain what was going through his mind, Heero cut in, "Wufei was going to contact Quatre, Trowa and the others last night when we brought you in." He had hoped that he managed to cover up Duo's lapse.
Shaking his head, Wufei piped in, "That's right." Heero sighed in relief to himself that the other Preventer had not seemed to catch onto the fact that Duo was unusually quiet. "Quatre wanted join us here on Quasar, but we would never be able to get clearance for any other shuttles to dock before we return to Earth," he explained.
With a smirk, he continued, "Trowa and Relena are all but tying him down to keep him from trying to come out here, anyway." Duo chuckled quietly at that, shaking his head.
"As much as they both want to see you right now as well, they understand that rules are rules. They're all looking forward to seeing you in a couple days when we land, and they send their best," Wufei concluded. At that, Duo nodded with a small smile.
Sally decided to speak up at that moment as she suggested, "We should get you set up with your living arrangements for the next couple nights. We're going to be out here in the third Quadrant for a while to see if we can pick up any radio communications between any other transport ships when they find the remains of the one that was destroyed."
Instantly, Duo looked over to Heero. The Japanese pilot chuckled and told him, "There is a spare bed in my room. You're more than welcome to stay with me if you'd like." The hug that he received almost immediately was his answer enough.
"All right," Sally cut in, her voice filled with command. "Duo, you're not allowed on your feet for more than you need to be the next couple weeks. I'll go find a wheelchair so that Heero can take you to your room."
* * * * * *
After finally getting Duo to grudgingly agree to be taken to the room in a wheelchair, Heero punched the access code to their bedroom. Wheeling his partner inside, he announced, "Well, this is home sweet home for the next couple of days."
Duo's head moved as he took in the large space. There was a sofa on the far left side of the room before a television and DVD system. In the middle of the room, two large beds sat side by side with a small desk with a lamp between with. To the far right, there was a large dresser and a closed door that led to the adjoined bathroom. There was more than enough room to move around and live comfortably.
Carefully, Heero assisted Duo to lie on the soft sofa. Handing him the remote to the television and DVD player, he grinned, "Make yourself comfortable. I'm going to look into getting you some more clothes to last you the next few days. There is a power lock on the door so I am the only one who can get in here."
With a small, 'Thank you,' Duo accepted the remote, staring at the television as thought he had never seen one before. With a small smile, Heero moved from the room.
* * * * * *
Not having been gone for more than twenty minutes, the Japanese pilot returned to the room with a pile of clothes and another pair of shoes in his possession. Lowering the clothes on his bed, he looked over to the couch.
Duo was sound asleep, the television still on as the braided pilot laid curled up on his side. Smiling sadly, Heero walked over and carefully ran a hand through his friend's bangs. Since Duo did not jump from the contact, he was obviously exhausted from the events of the last twenty-four hours. Smiling to himself, Heero finished putting away Duo's clothes.
Knowing that there were going to be difficult times ahead, he allowed himself to enjoy this moment of peace.
TBC...
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