Fire Mated Part 14
"Hilde," Heero nearly growled out.
Quatre's eyes widened. "You know her?"
Heero met Quatre's eyes and nodded. "She's the one who started this whole mess, the one responsible for burning down the cabin while Duo and I were inside."
"But that's impossible... that was so long ago. I mean Hilde is Mariemeia's friend right now unless-" Quatre's voice fell off.
"Then she's been reborn as well?" Heero's eyes narrowed and he angrily hit the table with his fist, causing it to shake loudly.
"How do you know her? I mean, was she someone important back in... your life?"
Heero's eyes only narrowed more. "Yes, she's the one responsible for all of this."
Quatre opened his mouth to say more, but was interrupted by the telephone ringing. Looking back he was honestly glad the phone had interrupted him, because he really had no idea what he would have said. Hilde had killed Heero and Duo in the past? That just didn't seem to fit the Hilde he'd come to know. But then again, he reflected, he didn't know her that well at all and first impressions could be very misleading.
Treize crossed the room and picked up the phone without missing a beat. Answering it the two boys watched as his brows knit together and his hand tightened around the receiver. The room grew very silent as he listened... then he passed the phone to Quatre after a second.
"Hello?" Quatre asked quietly.
"Quatre?! Is Duo over at your house?!" It was Mariemeia on the other line, and from the sounds of her voice she was in the middle of tears mixed with hysterics. Quatre was almost afraid to ask what had happened.
"He's... umm yeah he's here." Quatre glanced to Heero in worry. How was he supposed to explain to Mari that her adopted cousin had changed bodies with a boy from the 1800's? This situation certainly wasn't getting any easier.
"I need to speak to him! Right away!"
"Mari, calm down. He's... in the bathroom right now. What happened?"
"Trowa... he..." Mariemeia's voice shook over the phone and Quatre could only imagine the fragile state she must be in. "He's in the hospital," she choked out.
"What?! What happened to him? Is he ok?" Forget holding down his panic, Quatre nearly jumped to his feet from the news. First Mariemeia had been attacked, her kitchen blown up. Then his fireplace was stuffed with a quilt and now Trowa? His mind was screaming, screaming at him that he needed to get over there and help. But what could he do? How could he help-
Quatre relaxed slightly as he felt his uncle place a comforting hand on his shoulder. The blond boy took a deep breath and met his uncle's eyes, forcing away the rising panic in his mind. No, he needed to stay calm. Mariemeia was panicked enough for all of them.
Treize took the phone and pressed the intercom button so all three of them could hear Mariemeia's explanation. And what they heard floored them, making them all turn pale and white as ghosts.
"They found him in his house... the place was burning real bright. Some psycho covered the floor with flammable liquid, cleaning fluids. Gods, Quatre, they tried to kill him! He's burnt up really bad; they have him in surgery or something right now. They won't let me see him! Quatre he... I don't know if he..." Mariemeia's voice broke into tears and she sobbed into the phone.
"Trowa?!?"
Quatre spun around as he heard Duo's panicked voice in the room. But the boy sitting next to him was still Heero. Quatre blinked and realized that Heero's eyes were wide with panic and they had shifted from a cold blue to a panicked violet. Was it possible that both boys could be in control of the body at the same time?
But before he got a chance to ask Heero blinked and his eyes narrowed once more, sliding back to their icy blue shade. Heero stood up and glared down at Quatre.
"Where is she?" He demanded. His voice was full of rage, deadly in its anger. Quatre shivered.
"Hilde?"
One nod, clear and precise.
"At Lucrezia's house," Quatre swallowed and summoned up his courage, every small bit of it he could muster. "I'll show you the way."
A nod, once again.
Treize turned and watched the two boys race from the house a little lost at what he should do in the situation. After a second of thought he picked up the phone and spoke to Mariemeia. The first order of business was to calm her down so she didn't panic herself to death. Then the second order of business would be to call the police and the fire department. He had a horrible feeling.
This entire business had started with a fire.
He had a terrible feeling it would end the same way.
~*~
Heero ran as fast as his legs could carry him, refusing to acknowledge any of the telltale warning signs that he was losing energy fast. He didn't understand why he was in control of Duo's body and he didn't know how long it would last, but he couldn't worry about that right now. Right now the chief matter of importance was stopping Hilde, once and for all. He really didn't want to kill his old friend, but at the same time he didn't know how else to stop everything she'd apparently done. And he also knew that if he didn't stop her she would still keep trying to kill people. Hilde would never let the two of them be happy, not after the way she thought they'd betrayed her.
His prime concern was Duo's safety and happiness. Even if they were stuck in the same body, even if they could only touch and feel in Duo's dreams he didn't care! Duo had to stay safe and alive, no matter what. And if he could protect Duo at this one moment... then he would do everything in his power to make up for not being able to save his love that day.
Faintly he registered Quatre running beside him, a step ahead as he led the way down the street. Heero didn't quite know what to think about this strange blond boy and his uncle. Trust wasn't an issue, he knew that. This young man felt fiercely protective of all his friends, and had this been a war or an earlier period in time Heero had no trouble imagining the timid and angelic seeming blond picking up a gun and joining the fight. Looks were deceiving, sometimes in the strangest ways.
They reached Hilde's house just as Heero was setting his mind to the task. The only thought in his mind at that time was to stop Hilde, nothing more. She had to be stopped. No matter what.
Both boys slowed to a cautious walk as the house came into sight. Stepping onto the walkway leading to the house, Heero's eyes roamed the yard, watching for any movement that might be threatening. His eyes crossed over the small flower garden and he let out a small growl.
"She does live here."
Quatre's eyes flickered from the garden to Heero. "That sketch?"
Heero nodded. "I sketched the garden in front of her room once, it's the same, exactly."
Quatre shivered, in spite of himself.
They reached the front door and Quatre went first, insisting that there was an old woman that lived with Hilde in the house. Heero reluctantly let Quatre knock on the door, and after a moment pushed it open and step into the house.
"Lucrezia? Ms. Noin, are you home?"
The house around them sat silently, the high off white walls curving up into a vaulted ceiling. The size of the living room and lack of second floor in the main room lent a strange echo to Quatre's call. It sounded almost as if a young ghost called back to them.
Stepping up the small set of stairs before them, leading to the living room, Quatre placed his hand on the wall and looked around. Heero could practically see the blond boy's hair standing on end. There was just something so wrong about this entire set up... but he wasn't sure what.
Quatre passed a corner, stepping completely into the living room, when she struck. One minute he was on his feet, looking around the room with narrowed eyes, and the next he was lying sprawled on the floor. Above him stood Hilde, breathing heavily with a long piece of metal in her hand. It was a small shovel, belonging to a fire place set, and she'd hit Quatre right on the front of the head with it, sending him crumbling to the floor without even time to cry out.
Heero instinctively jumped forward to help but froze as she lifted the small metal shovel again, ready to strike.
"Don't move!" She hissed angrily.
Heero's eyes narrowed.
Before him Hilde blinked lightly, her death grip on the shovel loosening, just a little. "He-Heero?" She took a small step back from Quatre's body but a second later her shocked expression was gone, replaced by one of rage. "I honestly thought Duo would walk through that door with him, but this is even better." Her face twisted into a sick smile.
"I'm going to enjoy killing you again for what you did."
Jumping forward she charged at him, swinging the shovel in wide arches. Heero knew he couldn't abandon Quatre, nor was running away an option. So instead he ducked and jumped past her, trying to get out of the way. Mostly he succeeded, except that the corner of the shovel caught his arm and tore the skin, painfully. Rolling away from Hilde he clutched his arm and moved to a kneeling position, watching her with a glare. She'd blocked his only known exit.
"Where have you been hiding Heero? I spent forever looking for you. Who would have known that you were here all the time."
She jabbed with the shovel. Heero dropped back and kicked it away with his feet.
"Why did you attack everyone else, Hilde? They have nothing to do with what we did!"
Hilde growled angrily and tried to hit him once again. This time she missed and hit the wall hard, cracking the wooden paneling.
"Duo was mine! You took him from me! I'm the only one who can make him happy! Not that prissy cousin he has! Not his sickening brother! And certainly not that childish, annoying blond! Duo is mine! Mine!!"
Heero's mind flew as he tried to evade her random swings and uncontrolled jabs. Her movements were quick, angry and unpredictable, a very dangerous combination. It was all he could do to evade her and keep himself standing, he didn't even get time to look around the room for a weapon to use against her. He kept his eyes locked on the long black piece of metal, watching it swing back and forth. He didn't know what to do.
Things would have been so much easier if he didn't have to worry about the fact that he was in Duo's body!
"Duo's not yours!" He yelled back angrily, just barely managing not to trip over a coffee table that hit the back of his legs. "And I didn't take him from you, you lost him all on your own."
"LIAR!" She screamed at him. Jumping forward she swung the shovel high and fast, the metal suddenly flying from her hands.
Heero didn't have a chance to move out of the way as the piece of metal flew at him, hitting him hard in the chest. Gasping for breath he dropped to the floor and cradled his stomach in pain.
"You'll never take him from me again."
Heero coughed and watched with watery eyes as her feet moved closer. One lifted and kicked him in the stomach, knocking the air out of his body once again. Gasping in pain he rolled on to the ground, his vision growing blurry.
His hand hit the floor and he felt cold metal...
The shovel!
He was touching it, in his hand!
Clasping his fingers around it he tried to raise the piece to hit her back.
But at the same time her foot slammed into the side of his head, shattering his world into millions of black, red and white spots.
"I'll never let you hurt him again." Hilde growled.
Heero fell into darkness.
~*~
Hilde watched his body come to a stop, the boy's hand dropping back to the ground and letting go of the shovel. She'd done it. She'd finally killed him!
Kneeling down she glared at the still body, not quite sure if she could trust him yet. After all he could be faking it, or just be unconscious. Best not to take any chances.
Her lips twisted into a sick smile and she chuckled lightly. "You always loved fire so much Heero, I think you can burn again."
Stepping back from the body she crossed the room and stepped into the kitchen. She returned a moment later with the supplies she'd set out earlier. Lighting the match in a single matchbook she watched the flame, then placed it back in the book, immediately the entire book ignited in her hand. Tossing it forward quickly the book landed on the carpet next to Heero's head, the flames immediately jumping to the surrounding carpet and couch.
Repeating the action she lit another match book and threw it, causing it to land on the opposite side of Heero, then she threw two more, between her and him. Stepping back she grinned as the flames grew and danced before her eyes.
It wouldn't be long. Not long before the flames reached his skin, not long before the flames covered his skin. She found herself wishing he wasn't dead yet, that he would actually wake up while the flames licked at his skin. She wanted to hear him scream in pain again.
Pain.
Pain was what he deserved for hurting her the way he did!
"nn..."
Behind her there was a soft groan and Hilde spun around to see the slim figure of Quatre stirring on the floor. The blond moaned loudly, his hand coming up to tenderly touch the large gash that now crossed his forehead. Wincing he smeared a good amount of the blood away from his eyes.
"What...?" He blinked a few times and his eyes moved around the room, only to lock on the fire. His blue eyes widened in fear. Sitting up he tried to move but his eyes grew hazy and his legs didn't seem to want to listen. So instead of jumping forward to help, he crumbled to the ground again, clutching his head in pain.
"That's quite a bump you've got there," Hilde said softly with a menacing chuckle.
Quatre blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to focus them at her. But he couldn't, his head still hurt too much!
"Duo..." He moaned, reaching feebly for the dancing flames.
"Duo?"
Hilde blinked and turned around slowly to look at the figure, now surrounded by the dancing flames. No, the boy couldn't be right. He'd been hit in the head, he was delusional...
But he was right.
Somehow, where she'd knocked Heero to the ground before... he just wasn't there any more! In his place lay another boy of about the same build; slightly taller and more filled out though. Long brown hair spread out from his head, covering the side of his body in a disheveled braid that was quickly falling apart.
Hilde felt her body begin to shake.
Had she been wrong? What was going on?
She'd attacked Heero, right?
That had been Heero she'd almost killed, right?
It had to be!
Yet before her was Duo and not Heero.
Had she actually attacked the one person she'd been trying to protect?!
No!
"Nonononononononononononononononononononono..."
The word slipped from her mouth over and over again as her eyes became impossibly wide and her body shook. NO! It couldn't be Duo! NO! She hadn't killed the only one she ever loved! NO! NO! NO!
Rational thought, whatever she may have had left at that moment, ceased completely. She forgot to realize how much the fire might hurt her. She forgot to realize that she could be hurt. She forgot everything except for the still form in front of her, blocked by a wall of flames.
Hilde jumped forward, right into the flames. She fell to her knees right by Duo, her legs settling on the leaping reds and golds, yet she didn't seem to notice. Instead she just kept yelling, screaming at the body lying before her as she shook it wildly.
"WAKE UP! Oh god! Not you Duo! Wake up! Tell me I didn't kill you! Please, Duo! Please!!!"
The boy before her wouldn't move, he didn't even seem to be breathing.
Crying loudly, tears streaming down her face she wrapped her arms around him and tried to lift him. She tried to stand and carry him to a safer place, but the flames which burnt her legs finally reached her system and she cried out in pain, her legs giving out. She fell to the floor, dropping Duo outside of the flames but otherwise unable to move him any more.
Crawling up to him she wrapped her arms around him protectively as the flames filled the room around them.
"Please don't die. I didn't kill you. I swear I didn't! I swear... I never wanted to kill you... I only wanted to love you... please Duo..."
Hilde's head jerked up to meet Quatre's eyes, who was still trying to stand and had mostly managed to by now.
"Help him!" She yelled out in panic.
Quatre did his best to stand, the world around him fuzzy and unclear, spinning in every direction. Taking a few shaky steps he held on tightly to the wall and made his way over. Kneeling down he pulled Duo up by the arms.
Just as he tried to lift him up Hilde moved forward and closed her lips around Duo's kissing him softly. It only lasted for a moment before she pushed them both away, toward the door.
Quatre didn't take the time to argue. Concentrating hard he strained and pulled Duo up, halfway dragging the boy toward the door.
His mind set on the door.
It seemed so far away and he couldn't tell if it was vertical or horizontal...
But still he pulled on Duo's limp body, dragging him down the steps, nearly tumbling himself, and out the door where he collapsed on to the grass.
He wanted to get up and go back in to help Hilde...
But his world spun too much, and it was all he could do to keep his eyes open.
So instead he lay there and cried for help, the incoherent words falling from his mouth as he tried not to cough and choke from the smell of smoke.
He just hoped someone would hear.
Beside him Duo lay completely still. Quatre wasn't even sure if he was still breathing.
TBC...
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