Runaway Part 6
Solo had the good grace to look sorry.
Wufei snarled and answered her question. "Shortly before you returned, I heard strange sounds that were out of place. I came in here to see Duo's 'friend' holding him down in a way that was not at all appropriate. I guessed you would approve of my interference. The boy has been through enough tonight."
Catherine didn't really hear Wufei as she gazed at her baby brother. All she cared about was Duo had already had enough emotional stress. To be taken advantage of by someone he trusted must have been a terrible blow. She sat down next to Duo and was about to pull him into a hug, when he flinched away from the contact. If looks could kill, the one Catherine was giving Solo would have had him atomized. "Outside!" She pulled the blankets over Duo again and spoke softly to comfort him. "Duo, sweetie, it'll be okay. I promise you that it'll be okay. I'll be right outside. No one will come in here to hurt you. Wufei will protect you." She winced as Duo sobbed harder. "I'll be back in ten minutes." She left the wagon to see that Heero was glaring at Solo. "Heero... do me a favor and get Trowa, please?"
Solo swallowed. "Cathy, I..."
Catherine narrowed her eyes at Solo. "What excuse can you give for what you were doing? Duo's been through enough tonight without being raped by someone he thought he could trust."
Trowa ran up. "Cathy? What is it? What happened?"
"Solo decided to stop waiting until Duo was ready to take their relationship from friends to lovers. Wufei managed to stop him, but Duo is badly shaken up." When Solo opened his mouth, she snarled. "And don't you try to tell me that Wufei was the one who was assaulting Duo. He didn't have the time, and he wouldn't have bothered letting you stay alive to watch."
Trowa glared daggers at Solo before going in. He frowned at the scene. Duo was fast asleep. "When this happened last time, Duo cried for hours."
Wufei sighed. "He was about to make himself ill. I used an acupressure technique and put him into a dreamless sleep. He will sleep as long as his mind and body need to." He frowned. "It seems as if Duo is not even safe among his own people."
Trowa sat down and brushed his fingers across Duo's heated forehead. "You're right. Solo was looking odd when he entered. I just assumed, since he and Duo have been friends for so long..."
Wufei nodded. "You assumed it would be all right. I will not allow him to approach Duo as long as he is under the protection of Heero and I."
Trowa shook his head. "I'll be surprised if they even let him stay with the troupe. Duo is well liked, and many are angry that Treize has been trying to kill him. Anyone who harms one of our own is not welcome in the troupe." Trowa frowned in concern as Duo shifted. "How long will he sleep?"
Wufei shrugged. "It is hard to say. He could wake up in the morning or he could sleep for a week. When he wakes up is entirely up to him, and I will not disturb him. The quiet time will soothe his spirit."
*****
"How could you, Solo? You KNOW how much Duo trusted you! Had you only waited a little while longer, I'm sure he would have gone to you willingly. Of all the people..." Catherine shook her head. "Now... thanks to you, he doesn't even trust ME anymore."
Leon sighed sadly. "Solo... you know the penalty for harming one of the troupe. You had best thank every star in the night sky and any God you believe in that we do not believe in killing our own. You have an hour to get your things. Take only what you can carry. If you dally, you will probably get the business end of one of Catherine's throwing knives in your throat."
Heero glared at Solo. "You had best take only half that time. After an hour, if you are anywhere NEAR this camp, I will track you down."
Solo glared back. "You have no jurisdiction over me!"
Heero snorted. "When we spared him, we made the decision to protect him from all harm. You are a threat to his safety. If any of my senses can detect you after an hour, omae o korosu!" He sat down and watched Solo. "And I will be fair for the sake of the friendship you used to have with him... My senses are very heightened." He tilted his head. "You have fifty eight minutes."
Solo blanched and ran for his trailer. For some reason, he couldn't doubt what Heero had said.
Catherine nodded in satisfaction and turned to Heero. "Will you REALLY kill him if he's close enough to detect?"
Heero nodded. "I'm still debating on whether or not I will follow him and cut off his family jewels. No one has the right to take that which is not freely given." He headed for the trailer.
*****
Wufei looked up. "Situation?"
Heero glanced at the sleeping boy and sighed. "The danger is being expelled. However... it is proper to assume Treize will hire more assassins. Innocents will be hurt now in an effort to draw him out." Heero shook his head. "The risk factor is unacceptable."
Catherine didn't like the sound of those words. "What... are you saying?"
Wufei nodded. "What we are saying is that we must bring him to our base to be protected for the remainder of the time Treize can seek him out. If we do not, then in order to protect him here, you would have to lock him in this wagon."
"Oh no!" Catherine frowned. "You aren't taking Duo ANYWHERE!"
Heero sighed, he knew her reaction was to have been expected. "The risk is too great to leave him here... where even one he trusted has turned on him. I know you say he's well liked, but there is always someone that can be bought. Treize is not above pulling dirty tricks."
Catherine bit her lip and turned to look at Duo. "The only reason I'm going to trust you is because you could have killed him already and gotten away. Although... Quatre's vouch for Wufei's character did help a bit." She sighed. "When do you leave?"
Heero's mouth quirked into a smirk. "As soon as you can find a dress that will fit him."
"WHAT?!?!?!?"
*****
Catherine sighed as she adjusted the last little bit of the hem on the skirt of the travelling outfit Duo was wearing. Duo was still fast asleep, and she wished she could give him some words of comfort. She contented herself with a note she slipped into the small pouch along with some of her freshly-baked cookies.
"Is everything ready? We leave in an hour."
Catherine nodded at Heero. "You don't have to wake him, do you?"
Heero shook his head. "No. The first part of the journey will be with a covered wagon. Once he awakens and gets over the shock, we'll continue on foot." He looked up as sounds of objections could be heard outside of the wagon.
Catherine sighed. "They don't want you to take him. They think you're going to kill him once you have the chance."
Heero nodded. "Then I'd best do what I can to soothe them." With that, he stood. He stepped out of the wagon and looked at those gathered. A great deal of them were wary... understandable in light of what had almost happened to the sleeping youth inside. He decided to allay their fears. He cleared his throat and started to speak. "I know you are all worried for Duo! After all... Wufei and I are strangers that most of you have not even met yet. However... let me put your fears to rest here and now!" He pulled out his dagger and made a quick slice on his right hand. "I swear, on my own blood, that neither Wufei nor myself will harm Duo or allow harm to come to him. Should I break this oath, may my sword arm no longer be of use to me, and may my arrows never again hit their marks!" He made his hand into a fist and let some of his blood seep through his fingers. As soon as a drop of his blood hit the ground, a flash of light showed that the blood oath was accepted by the Mother Goddess. The blood oath was the most sacred vow, and was to be taken seriously. To break such an oath would bring grave misfortune to the oath breaker.
Wufei approached. "The wagon is ready."
Heero turned to the group of people. "All right. For the first part f journey, Wufei and I will drive the wagon along the route you plan to take as it is. We won't tell you how long we plan to stay on that route. All we can say is at a certain point, you will find the wagon. That will mean we have started our journey on foot. In one month, we will see you all at the fort." Heero nodded to Wufei as the people scattered. "Let's get Duo."
Catherine looked up as the two young men entered and nodded before pressing a kiss to Duo's forehead.
Trowa entered behind Heero and Wufei. "He's very sensitive. Be kind to him."
Wufei nodded as Heero picked Duo up. "We will keep him safe. When the moon is full again, we will see you at our fortress."
Catherine and Trowa watched as Heero gently placed Duo onto a pile of blankets before Wufei urged the horses to move. Once the wagon was out of sight, Catherine gave up trying to be brave and turned to Trowa to cry her eyes out.
TBC...
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