Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Chimaera ❯ Chapter 35 ( Chapter 35 )

Disclaimer: I don't own the G'boys, I just borrow them from time to time to play with and return them a whole lot happier, ne?

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Yaoi, Lemon, sap, angst, Male Pregnancy, medical themes

Pairings: 1x2x1

Archive: http://gundam-wing-diaries.150m.com

http://sweetlysour.net.

http://adultfanfiction.net

http://www.theforsakenwk.com

Many thanks to DBZVelena, Ryouga and Yami_Tai for the beta. Also thanks to Yami_Tai for the title of this fic.

Notes: Set partially during the series but main bulk after the war. EW didn't take place. The Eve wars are finished and the peace retained. The pilots have all gone their own ways, Heero and Duo have made a life together both working for Preventer when Duo's world is turned upside down as his unknown past comes back to haunt him.

Dedication: To Velena who gave me the plot bunny for this little gem.

Status: In progress.

~ Indicates flashbacks ~

/ thoughts /

"Chimaera"

October. 2003 ShenLong

Chapter 35

Duo found himself surfacing to consciousness rather slowly. His mind was foggy and he couldn't focus properly. Gradually he managed to come fully awake and was aware of several voices talking quietly. It took a few moments for his brain to register where he was. He frowned; he'd been having a really weird dream, a dream where Dr. G had told him he was pregnant. He gave a soft moan as he rolled to his side and then hissed with pain as he stretched the muscles that were stitched together.

"Duo? Are you okay?"

Duo's eyes opened and he recognized Sally's face and voice. "Yeah, I think so. Just pulled on my stitches a little." Duo blinked a couple of times and then swallowed. "Sally, I was having this really weird dream, I was lying in my bed and you came in to see me, but you weren't alone, you had Howard and G with you. You said you had something to tell me and then G said I was pregnant and that Heero was the father. Can you believe that? I mean, I'm a guy after all and guys don't have kids. How weird is that?"

Sally's face remained impassive and she stepped back a little so Duo could see across to the other bed in the ward. Heero lay upon the blanket, his eyes closed but chest rising and falling in a regular rhythm.

"What's wrong with Heero?" Duo's voice was concerned.

"He will be okay, Duo. He just fainted, that's all."

"Fainted....?"

"Yes. That happens sometimes when the body has a shock." Dr. G stated as he stepped up beside Sally.

Duo's eyes opened wide and he swallowed. "It wasn't a dream... was it?"

Sally shook her head. "No, Duo. It wasn't a dream."

"Then I really am pregnant?"

"Yes, you are."

"I'm carrying a child?"

"That is correct."

"How the fuck did that happen!?"

"Duo, I'm not about to explain the concepts of the birds and the bees to you, I'm pretty sure you know how having sex works, along with conception, considering your current state," G said flatly.

"Of course I know how babies are made but I'm a guy, I only have the one hole down there, not two like a girl has to become pregnant and give birth. Excuse my crudeness, Sally, but it's true."

"We are well aware of your body's make up, Duo, and no, you do not have a vagina," G replied.

"Then how the hell did this happen?" Duo's voice was beginning to sound a little hysterical. He was finding it extremely difficult to accept that he was with child and he wanted answers.

The moan on the bed next to him reminded him that he wasn't the only one affected by this... this... revelation? "Heero? Hey there. Welcome back to the world."

"Duo?' Heero's eyes began to search for his lover and quickly located him. "What happened?" Heero went to sit up but Sally insisted he stay lying down for a few moments longer while she checked his vitals.

"You passed out, Heero."

Heero frowned. "I don't pass out," he stated flatly.

"Well, you do now," replied Sally. "Okay, everything is fine so you can get up, but take it slowly. You have had a major shock to your system and it may take a little while for everything to fully stabilize again."

Heero was still confused but he did as Sally said and carefully sat up before swinging his legs to the side of the bed. He paused there for a moment before hopping down and moving back to Duo's bed where he took up his usual place of residence, sitting beside Duo holding his lover's hand. He stared at his partner, noting the pale complexion and wide, scared eyes. "Everything's a little hazy, Duo. Something happened."

"Yes, Heero. Something did happen. In a nutshell... I'm pregnant and you're the father."

Heero looked even more confused. "But, you're a man, Duo. Men can't fall pregnant."

Duo sighed. "My point exactly, but Sally and G here insist it's true."

"But how?"

"That's what I want to know." Duo turned to look at Sally and G. "I think there is some explaining needed here."

"G, I think you had better handle this one," Sally said and moved away from the bed so as G could get a little closer. Duo and Heero stared at the gray haired man, someone they'd long ago thought they would never see again. G cleared his throat and began to tell the tale.

"...So when I was doing my tests on you prior to you moving to the next stage of your training I discovered a set of female organs. At first I thought I was seeing things as you were most definitely male on the outside, but there was no doubt about it. There was a uterus and an ovary. You are, what is known in the medical world as a hermaphrodite, Duo. A person who is born with the organs of both sexes. According to the ultra sound and the tests I did, the female organs were redundant, slightly malformed and didn't show any signs of becoming functional. Normally when this occurs it is picked up at birth and the submissive organs removed. When I discovered your condition, Duo, I didn't have the time to operate and remove the female parts, we couldn't spare the time needed for your recovery and so we left them."

"So why the fuck didn't you tell me?" Duo's voice was a low growl, his eyes narrowed menacingly.

"I,… I didn't think it was important. They showed no signs that they would become functional and when you went through puberty it was obvious that your male organs were the ones that were working. I should have told you, I realize that now but I never thought that this would happen... I never dreamed... oh shit!"

Seconds later G was sprawled out on the floor and Heero stood over him rubbing his knuckles, his eyes burning with anger. "Don't ever say that something to do with Duo isn't important," Heero growled and then went back to his position sitting on the bed next to his lover.

G rubbed his jaw gingerly and raised himself up slightly to look at Heero. Howard came forth and placed a hand under G's arm and went to assist him to rise. "I guess I deserved that," G said as he flexed his jaw.

"Just think yourself lucky that I'm incapacitated at the moment, G, 'cause I would have done more than punch you, I'd have cut off your balls and fed them to you," Duo snarled. "How could you think that something like this wasn't important? That it didn't matter?"

"For one you weren't expected to survive the war. But you did and how was I supposed to know you would be gay, Duo? I thought you would find yourself a nice girl and settle down that way, maybe have some kids, not shack up with another man and play the uke as well! Given your personality I thought you would have at least been the seme!"

Duo began to turn a rather nice shade of red, but it wasn't all due to embarrassment. "And what gives you the right to tell me which gender I should be attracted to? Besides, it's none of your business which one of us is the uke or seme. At least if I had known, I could have done something about this, taken precautions or..."

"Had the organs removed?" G offered, a glint in his eye.

Duo turned and gave him a dirty look. "Who is to say what I would have done. What I want to know though is why did they suddenly start working?"

"That is something I would like to know the answer to as well, Duo," Sally said as she once more joined in the conversation. "It's obvious to me now why your iron levels are fluctuating, they do in women when they menstruate." Sally's brow furrowed. "Have you been menstruating, Duo?"

"What!?"

"You know, bleeding on a regular basis?"

Duo thought long and hard on that one but was prevented from answering as Heero did it for him.

'Hai, he has bled on a few occasions. I noticed it first during the war but it wasn't regular and I only noticed it a couple of times." Heero turned to look at his lover. "He did tell me he was going to get it looked at, said it was hemorrhoid or something like that."

Duo turned away, unable to meet Heero's gaze. "I forgot, okay!"

"Duo, something like that should have been looked at," chastised Sally.

"Yeah, well, we were in the middle of fighting a war and then afterwards it didn't seem important."

Sally sighed. "Can you remember how regularly you bled and for how long? Did you lose much in the way of blood and when did it first begin to happen?"

"Shit! You don't want much, do you?" Duo grumbled.

"It's important that you try to remember as much as you can, Duo."

Duo frowned and began to scour his memory. "It wasn't regular, I know that much. I hadn't a clue when it was going to happen. Sometimes it would be several months, other times a matter of a few weeks but when I did bleed it wasn't too much and only lasted for a couple of days, three at the most. As for when it first happened...." Duo thought long and hard. "It was on the moonbase. That's right; I'd just been worked over by..." Duo swallowed and looked at G. "I'd just been worked over by your cronies and then dumped in the cell with Heero and Wufei."

"I remember that," said Heero softly and he squeezed Duo's hand. "He was partly conscious and then... then he was complaining of abdominal pain and there was this... blood. Wufei and I thought it was internal bleeding from the beating he'd suffered. He was going to get that looked at too."

Sally tapped her finger against her chin. "I'd say that was the start of it all. But what triggered it off? Something had to have happened for the organs to start functioning, some sort of hormone release..."

"What did you say?" Duo asked, his eyes wide.

"Some sort of hormone release?"

Heero's eyes also widened as he looked at Duo. "You thinking..…"

"Yes, Heero. It must have been that drug that OZ injected me with when they took me prisoner."

"The one that was supposed to enhance pain?"

"Exactly."

"What drug?" Sally asked.

Duo proceeded to tell her all that he could remember of the interrogation and the drug that had been injected into his system.

"I would say that would have been enough to trigger the ovary to start working," Sally said.

Duo shuddered. He'd tried his best to bury those memories; he didn't want to think about what he'd suffered during the war. Looked like he wasn't even going to be allowed that privilege, somehow everything seemed to want to come back and haunt him. A squeeze to his hand reminded him that he wasn't alone in this though and he looked at his partner, melting as he saw the love in Heero's cobalt eyes.

"I will be with you always, Duo. You will not face this alone." Heero whispered.

Duo gave him a small smile and squeezed back before turning his attention back to Sally. "So what now?"

Sally rubbed a weary hand across her forehead before speaking. "Well, this poses a complete new set of questions as well as options. Duo, you and Heero are the ones that will ultimately have to make a decision here in regards to what you want to do." Seeing G's mouth about to open Sally continued quickly, knowing that if G said what she thought he wanted to, Heero wouldn't simply hit him this time, he'd rip him limb from limb and she really didn't want to have to explain to Une why one of her agents had dismembered a civilian, not to mention the mess it would cause. "From the research I have done it seems we really only have a couple of options open to us."

"And they would be?"

With a loud sigh, Sally continued. "The first would be to terminate the pregnancy now. Remove the fetus and the female organs while we are operating to prevent anything like this from happening again."

"And the other option?"

"For you to go ahead with the pregnancy and carry the baby to full term and deliver the child."

The silence in the room was oppressive.

/ Abort or continue? Kill or let live? / Instinctively Duo's hand slipped down to his abdomen and rubbed lightly across the skin. "There's more to this, isn't there?" Duo asked.

Sally nodded.

"Please, give us all the facts, the possible conclusions and the consequences of such. Then Duo and I will make our decision." Heero looked at his lover. "It's my child too," he murmured softly.

Sally repressed the small smile. "I would expect nothing less than to give you all the information first. I do not wish you to make a decision of this importance without being fully informed."

"Arigato."

Sally pulled up a chair and as she sat so she turned to G and Howard. "Would you two be so kind as to fetch us all some coffee please? This could take a while."

"Sure thing, Ma'am," Howard replied and turned to G. "Come on, you heard the lady, coffee is needed and I know I could sure use a cup." G followed Howard from the room.

"Right," Sally said as she turned back to the two youths. "Here are the facts..."

~ * ~

The little fetus felt the changes in the blood make up of its *mother* and was unsettled. Something didn't feel right. It could sense a tension and then a surge of annoyance. While it didn't understand these emotional changes that were taking place, it could clearly feel the fear that hummed through the system that was currently sustaining its life. Restlessly it turned in the water filled sac that was its world and continued to grow and develop while around it the battle between anger, frustration and acceptance continued.

~ * ~

Howard and G had returned soon after Sally had begun explaining the options to Heero and Duo, the coffee a welcome distraction for a moment. After what seemed an eternity, Sally was finally finished. She sat back in her chair and stared at the pair.

"Is there anything that you do not completely understand?"

Duo gazed at Heero. "I think we get it all, Sally."

"Hn. There is a lot to be considered."

"Let me just check all this," Duo said as he shifted into a more comfortable position. "I,… we have two choices here. The first is to terminate the pregnancy, remove the female organs and then life will go back to normal, right?"

"That would be the best thing to do, Duo," G said.

Heero glared at him.

Duo ignored him, instead focusing his gaze on Sally and continuing. "The second is to carry the child and deliver it."

"Yes, Duo. That's the basics of it all." Sally replied.

"Would you all mind leaving us alone for a while? Heero and I have a lot to discuss and we would appreciate some privacy. We will call you if we have any further questions or when we have come to a decision." Duo requested.

"Just press the buzzer when you wish for us to return, Duo," Sally said and then turned to G and Howard. "Let's go to the cafeteria and get something to eat and then I will sort out accommodation for you while you are here."

Sally left, G and Howard with her. Howard paused for a moment at the door and turned back to the pair on the bed. "I just want you to know, kid, that whatever you decide, I will be here for the both of you." That said, Howard left the pair to their decision making.

~ * ~

Duo looked up at Heero. "If you want to leave, Heero, I want you to know that I completely understand. I mean, you don't need a child hanging over your head, you're young and should be out there living your life, not staying with me because you feel bound too..."

"Don't!" Heero hissed and drew Duo into his arms. "I'm not going anywhere, Duo. This is my child just as much as it is yours. Neither one of us expected anything like this to happen,. Fuck! I don't think anything like this has ever happened before; but know this.… I love you, Duo Maxwell, with all my heart and soul and I am not about to leave you now or in the future, regardless of what we decide, I will be here with you because I want to; not because I have to."

"Oh, Heero. I love you too, so much that it hurts." Duo buried himself deeper into Heero's reassuring arms.

Gently Heero eased his lover back and kissed his adorable lips. "Now, Duo. We have a few things to discuss. Namely this baby and what we intend to do."

Duo remained enclosed in Heero's arms, drawing strength from his partner as he thought. Having decided on his words he began to speak softly. "If I decide to carry the child then all sorts of other issues begin to raise their heads; issues such as, how am I going to give birth? I mean, I don't exactly come equipped for child birth. That aside there is the bit about feeding. I know I have female organs but somehow I don't think I'm going to be able to breast feed!"

Heero gave a low chuckle at that suggestion.

"Then there is the problem of where do I stay while this pregnancy runs its course? If the media finds out then I guess it's all over for us, Heero."

Heero gently held Duo, one arm around Duo's shoulder while the other one drifted down to rest over Duo's hand that caressed his abdomen. Gently he rubbed over the tight belly, his eyes misting slightly. "I've always wanted children," he murmured absently.

"So have I," Duo responded as his mind went on a little detour, supplying him with images of a child, their child. "Heero?" Duo turned to look deep into Heero's eyes.

"Hai," Heero replied and gazed at his lover.

"I want you to tell me honestly what it is that you want; if you want this child or not. Please, be honest with me. Regardless of what you say it won't change the way I feel about you."

Heero thought for a moment and then replied. "Duo, in all honesty I would love for us to have this child, to be parents together, but..."

Duo's eyebrows raised a little.

"But, I will not have you carry a child if it is going to endanger your health or if it means I am going to lose you in the process. I can't lose you, Duo." The words were accompanied by a strangle sob and Heero buried his face into the crook of Duo's neck.

Duo swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Holding Heero close to him, he replied quietly. "I want this child, Heero, just as much as you do. Sally said there would be risks involved and I'm quite prepared to take those risks. I want nothing more than to hold our child in my arms, to know it was created out of a love that can only grow stronger given what we have been through and have yet to go through. There has been enough killing in our lives, Heero. Let's create life for a change, not take it away."

The tears shone in Duo's amethyst jewels and Heero was completely at a loss for words. All he could do was pull Duo closer to him and lay a protective hand upon his stomach. "My family," he whispered.

"Yes, Heero. Your family." With a sob of his own, Duo let the tears run free, they were a mixture of happy tears and sad tears but they cleansed his soul and made him feel much lighter than he'd felt in years. It wasn't going to be an easy road by any means. They would need all of Sally and G's support and expertise, and there was nothing to say that things wouldn't go wrong. They could still lose the baby at any time. But Duo couldn't end an innocent life that hadn't had any say in the matter of its conception. He owed it to the child to at least try.

And try he would.

With a steely determination in his eye, he vowed under his breath that he would do anything and everything possible to keep his and Heero's baby alive and healthy.

~ * ~

tbc.........