Woke Up One Morning... Part 12
Patience was never one of my stronger virtues.
I admit that, and everyone who knows me knows it.
That said, it should come as absolutely no surprise to my husband or our sitting friends at the cafeteria table with us that I am barely eating the lunch I had packed. Instead, I'm tapping the fingers of both my hands in a constant rapping on the table edge as something to keep me occupied.
"Maxwell," Chang finally sighs when he finishes his sandwich. "You do realize that annoying drumming of yours won't move things along any faster. We most likely won't have anyone from the prisons in to interrogate until tomorrow at the earliest."
My frustration showing, I lower my hands into my lap and frown, "I know. I just hate this damned waiting game. Wish we had something more to go on to keep us busy in the meantime. Every other possible angle from what was in our case files leads to a dead end."
Heero turns towards me with a look of understanding as he comments, "I'm sure that Lady Une is doing all that she can to see that we can go through with our questioning as soon as possible. Now, try and eat something."
Obeying only because my stomach is gnawing at me at the mention of food, I open my bag and pull out my sandwich with a long sigh. Giggling, Sally shakes her head, "You two really are just adorable."
My partner and I both look up at her, eyes wide and she gives us a knowing smile. Well, I'll be... Keeping my voice down, I lean towards her and ask indignantly, "You, too?"
Sal leans towards me in return and is mindful enough to whisper with a smirk, "Of course. Wufei and I came to the same conclusion not long ago." Glancing from Heero to me and back again, she chuckles quietly, "And just as he commented, it's about damned time."
And I'm just as confused by the remark as I was when Chang first said it. Was I that obvious when it came to how I felt about 'Ro?"
Beside me, my husband snorts and finishes off his apple, but he grins at the braided doctor. "Do any of the others know?" he asks after swallowing his last bite.
Wufei shrugs, "If they do, I haven't gotten wind of it. They're also not exposed to the two of you nearly as often as we are. As good as you've been covering this up, it wouldn't surprise me if they were all completely unaware."
Raising her hand up as she straightens, Sally vows, "And it goes no further than right here." Her husband nods firmly to the promise. There is not even a bit of doubt over that on my part. I know Heero feels the same as he gives a bow of his head in appreciation.
"Hey, Maxwell," a voice calls from behind me and I swallow the food in my mouth bitterly. Shit. Whatever appetite I just got back is gone again. No doubt Heero is every bit as 'happy' as I am as he tenses beside me.
I force a smile and look back to greet the Preventer walking up to our table with his two buddies close in tow. "Hey, Jacobs," I greet with a hint of malice in my voice. "So, you and your team made it back from your last job in the field in one piece." 'What a shock,' I wish I could add.
Ryan Jacobs is one of the cockiest sons of bitches on the force. And his henchmen friends aren't much better. The three of them, all former Ozzies and only a couple years older than us, they've always made it clear that they're not exactly thrilled in working with ex-Gundam pilots. Even though we're on the same team now or not, they just can't let the old grudge go.
A couple of years ago when they were enlisted, 'Ro and I were particularly responsible for breaking them down in training. When they tried to take ground from us, we knocked them back a few paces. Physically so, if the need called.
Since then, we've tolerated each other's presence at best... outright kicked the shit out of each other at worst.
It's been some time since that's happened. Lady Une threatened Jacobs and his goons into submission. The fact that she'll always side with us former G-boys has always been a sore spot for them, but they took their lumps and backed off.
...But we won't be inviting each other to a cookout anytime soon.
Arms folded, the snide shit's face smirks as he stares down at me as all conversations in the room quiet and eyes turn to watch what happens.
The short, blonde hair at the top of Jacob's square head glows under the cafeteria lights like a beacon while he says, "So, rumor has it that your personal files have been looked through by the Commander along with information on your whereabouts for the last few weeks."
Son of a bitch. Slowly, my vision is beginning to redden and my face begins to burn.
Bending down at the waist, asshole grins, "Now, why would that be? Surely no one would be questioning whether or not you're involved in that attack against the Assembly?"
"Watch it, Jacobs," Heero's voice grits out threateningly. It's the first time since our uninvited visitor opened his trap that I've looked at my partner. He's moved to his feet, pressing his chest against the smug bastard to push him back.
Jacobs's friends, Reynolds and Hernandez step up closer behind their friend for backup. Then, Wufei is up and moves around the table to flank my husband against Sally's quiet request for him to stay put. Shaking my head, I jump to my feet and tell my friends, "Guys, I can handle this. This is between us."
There's no reasoning with them right now as they bore down on the three across from them with dark glares.
Pushing my shoulder to make me face him, Jacobs is suddenly practically nose-to-nose with me and sneers, "And just what the fuck are you going to do about it, traitor?"
No sooner is the word out of his mouth than he's flattened with a punch across the face. Apparently, Heero is not about to give me a chance to do a damned thing.
Instantly, the cafeteria is alive as Hernandez and Reynolds move in swinging as their stunned friend hurries back up to attack. Before I know it, Yuy, Chang and I are blocking and punching in the thick of the fight when instinct kicks in.
Fists, splashes of red, crunches of bone and cries fill the air around me in the fury. Somewhere, Sally's voice shrieks, "Stop it!" And I can hear similar shouts from some of the other agents that had been sitting in the room and before I know it, I'm being held back by several arms from behind me.
Panting heavily, I look over to see Heero and Wufei, their faces bearing little more than a bleeding cut and darkening bruise as they stand restrained by other agents as they gulp for air while still glaring at the three a few feet ahead of us.
As roughed up as my friends look, it's nothing compared to Jacobs and his fellow pricks.
While being held back, Jacobs is covering his nose as blood drips from his fingers. Reynolds and Hernandez are having trouble standing right now. If it was not for the arms keeping them up, they'd probably be rolling around on the floor.
Footsteps run up to the scene we make as Lady Une pushes her way through the crowd gathered around.
The arms restraining me loosen and fall away as I finally ease with a deep breath. Walking over to Heero, who is still struggling to get free, I stand before him.
His eyes widen when my eyes narrow on him. "Goddamn it, I told you this wasn't your fight!" I shout while trying to ignore the long, bleeding cut that is the only mar on his right cheek from the fight. He balks then.
Any steam Wufei still had is gone in a blink as well when his pregnant wife moves towards him with a pissed off look on her face. His left cheek swelling from the only good lick he took, he lowers his head in remorse.
Our Commander appears in the middle of us all, face red and I don't even want to read into the fierce look in her eyes. Focusing on me, she orders in a low growl, "I want a full report of what took place here, Agent Scythe."
Jacobs cries as he attempts to break free of the hold on him while still holding his nose with a hand, "What about our side of the story?!" Even as they barely manage to stay upright, Reynolds and Hernandez gaze on our boss in frustration. "Yuy threw the first punch and we responded! Why do you always take sides with them?!"
With another deep breath to calm herself, Lady Une gives them a cold smile before addressing the crowd around. "Let's just have a show of hands from the witnesses here," she behind. "All those who saw what happened, raise your hands if you believe Agent Talon and his brood were the true cause of the fight."
A hand for everyone around shoots up into the air without a second of hesitation.
Her smile cooling, Une turns back to Jacobs and hisses, "That's why. I don't give a shit who throws the first punch. I care about who instigated it." The Ozzies cower back a bit at that. Snapping a finger to call attention from those agents holding back our 'friends,' she commands, "Take them to one of the holding rooms. I will deal with them when I have come up with a fitting consequence for their actions."
More than happy with that, those restraining the bastards smile and all but drag them from the room. Heads bowed, the goons don't put up any further argument to avoid bringing down a worse fate on themselves.
Sighing, the Commander focuses on Sally. "Patch them up," she requests with a gesture of her head to Heero and Wufei. "When you are finished with them, check on Agent Talon and the others. I will be in my office with Maxwell to get that report."
"Yes, Ma'am," Agent Water replies with a firm nod. Placing a hand on her husband's shoulder, she turns to lead the way to her office with Heero right behind.
On his way past me, my partner's wide eyes lock with mine and my anger returns as I glare back. The Adams apple in his neck moves with a rough swallow before he turns away to follow the others out of the room.
Washing my face with my hands, I wince at the sharp sting of a cut in my bottom lip that I had not noticed until now. Pulling my hands away, I find my fingertips red with blood.
Lady Une steps towards me and hands over a folded handkerchief. "Come along, Maxwell," she urges gently as she rests a hand on my shoulder to take me out the other way while the agents lingering around part like the Red Sea for us.
Accepting her handkerchief as we head for her office, I hold it to my lip. The throb is pretty numb from how it would be if I wasn't so incredibly pissed at my partner right now.
I know that 'Ro was just trying to protect me, but shit, we're above brawling in a cafeteria like high schoolers. And what's more, I'm perfectly capable of defending myself. The last thing I need is anybody thinking that I can't stand up on my own...
Especially if that someone is my husband!
If nothing else, my anger is enough fuel for the report I'm going to have to give in a few minutes here.
* * * * * *
Pinching her nose between her fingers, Lady Une sits behind her desk fending off what no doubt would be an oncoming headache. After retelling what went down in the cafeteria, I imagine her blood pressure has gone up a few notches, too.
As she lowers her hand, she states, "I assure you that I will get to the bottom of who in Records is responsible for leaking my request for your file. When I do find them, they will no longer be working here. That was a direct violation of the privacy policy that they are held under. For Jacobs, Reynolds and Hernandez, I will see personally that they are stuck behind desks and out of all sight for a long time to come."
Sore as my bottom lip is right now, I refrain from biting it. At least it stopped bleeding and the swelling is minimal. "What about Heero?" I ask.
Chuckling, my Commander smirks, "Duo, judging from the look on your face when I found you, I have a feeling you will be able to reprimand him enough as it is. The same goes for Chang with Sally."
Her hand raises to wave in the air as she concludes, "You're all dismissed for the rest of the day. I would rather whatever energy is left in you to be stored for tomorrow when we will be able to start interrogating our prisoners coming in."
More than happy with that, I rise to my feet and nod, "Thanks, Lady Une." She smiles in response as I turn and leave the room.
Alone in the hallway as the office door closes behind me, I rub the back of my neck and roll my head to loosen the tense muscles with a sigh.
Well, this certainly turned into quite a fucked up day. Thank God it's over.
Now, to deal with my husband.
* * * * * *
'Ro looked like a cat with its tail tucked between its legs when I picked him up at Sally's office not long ago. My anger returned, not budging at all at the slight duck of his head as he stood to follow me out of headquarters.
We still haven't spoken a word since my yelling at him in the cafeteria. As I continue to drive us home, I can feel him glancing over timidly from time-to-time. For one as quiet as he used to be, I can tell that this silence is killing him.
Mad as I am, I just can't stand seeing that worried-slash-hopeful gaze in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, I grip the wheel tightly and keep my eyes on the road. "Do you know why I'm so upset right now, 'Ro?" I manage to ask calmly.
I can hear him swallow roughly as he turns to face me. "It wasn't my fight," he answers in a half-statement-half-question.
Nodding firmly, I peer from the corner of my eye to watch him and respond, "That's right. I understand that you were defending me, pal. But you need to trust that I can handle myself in a case like that. That's how I manage to keep some sense of respect from pricks like Jacobs. You can't come to my aid every time someone has something to say about me."
Finally, I can see the frustration coming out in my partner's face as he all but shouts, "I didn't mean to suggest you can't fend for yourself, Duo! My fist was flying before I even knew what I was doing because I was hurt on your behalf that anyone would call you a traitor. I act solely on my emotions, remember?"
Yea. I do remember. That very thing is what's kept me from being any more bent over the situation.
"I got it," I reassure quietly. My focus between my husband and the road, I smirk, "We just need to work on your reaction time when it comes to starting a brawl in a cafeteria like that again."
His shoulders easing for the first time since I picked him up from Sal's office, Heero snorts. Sobering a bit, he frowns, "Whatever affects you affects me. I know that you were holding back how hurt you were, and so I was hurt for you. That is the real reason why I reacted the way that I did."
Well shit. Suddenly, I feel like a total heel for being angry at all. But I'm still glad that we're able to start clearing the air now.
Truth is, that comment of Jacobs did hurt. And leave it to my partner and best friend to know what I'm feeling no matter how well I cover it up.
My grip on the wheel loosens as one hand reaches up to brush the bangs from my eyes. A small smile creeping on my face, I admit with a shrug, "Well, I do have to admit it felt pretty good to kick the shit out of those assholes."
I earn a surprised chuckle with that and even more of the pressure around us recedes.
There's a brief silence before Heero questions almost nervously, "So... are we okay?"
Damn. He just has a way of tugging those heart strings with me. Whatever happened earlier, it's all forgiven and forgotten as far as I'm concerned.
Smiling as I pull into the driveway of our home, I turn off the engine and turn to face him full on. "Yea," I all but whisper. "We're okay."
And just like that, the last of all 'Ro's worries and tension melt in front of me as he eases and returns my smile. Bending over the console, he gently kisses the side of my mouth that is not swollen.
"I promise that I would never doubt you, Duo," he vows.
Satisfied with that, I nod, "Thank you." Lightly running a finger over the thin cut on his cheek, I suggest, "Now, let's head inside so that I can properly kiss that to make it better."
That deliciously wicked smirk of his curls the side of his mouth. Moving out of the car first, he meets me just as I'm climbing out and throws me over his shoulder in a rush that has me laughing in surprise.
While he carries me into the house like that, I'm still laughing.
Yea. We're going to be just fine.
TBC...
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