Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Child's Love ❯ Escaping and Found Again ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimers: Oh, yeah, no matter how hard I wish, I don't own Gundam Wing. Excuse me while I cry about that, and the fact that I make no money from writing this.

A/N: I'm still alive. I thought for sure that Angel was going to kill me for the way the last chapter ended, but *shrugs* I promised her that there would be some reconciliation in this chapter. Like Heero groveling this time around. ^_^ Also, I have to warn you, for the next few chapters, Allilon won't be so cute, but he'll turn around again. ^_~ Tortured Writer's Honor!

Dedication: For Angel, for being you, and starting this mess; For Saleem, my brother, for being the template for Allilon, and being cute, even when you are a right horror to be around; For Derva and Duo-chan, for being the absolute bestest when it comes to beta'ing for me; and for all my readers, THANKS!

Summary of last chapter: Duo finally gets to sleep next to Heero, and in the morning, after a shower, he gets a repeat of a mind-shattering kiss. In the middle of this, Allilon walks in, and all hell breaks loose in the form of a three year old child. While Heero goes off to talk to his son, Duo runs out of Quatre's mansion, leaving Heero with the lingering question of "Why?".

Symbols: /blah/ thoughts
*blah* emphasized words
*~*~*~* major scene change or POV change
*~~~~~* minor scene change


Not taking a second longer than he actually needed, he ran to the security room that Trowa set up in the house, and searched through the last hour of tape of the front gate. There, he saw Duo running across the lawn to the iron gates, and slip into a cab that was waiting patiently and then sped off in the direction of the city. /Naze(1)?/

Heero was stunned. He watched the tape over and over a few times, trying to process what had happened. /Why would he leave? What the hell was he thinking? I would have... I would have worked with him over this. We... We could have talked to Allilon together. We *should* have. Why, Duo? Why?/

He was pulled from his thoughts and another viewing of the tape by the door opening behind him. Instinctively, he reached for his gun, and was surprised to see Trowa there, looking at him for permission to enter. He slid his pistol back into its hiding place, and shrugged.

"He left, didn't he?" Trowa asked, leaning against the wall, not moving far from the door, just in case.

"Aa."

"Quatre is blaming himself. He thinks that he pushed too hard while meddling with the two of you, and that last night was what he deserved in kind. He also blames himself for the fact that Duo won't come down for breakfast, but he isn't here."

"No," was Heero's reply, and saying the word out loud made it hurt more than he had thought he could. /Fuck you, Odin, for telling me to follow my emotions! Fuck all of you!/

"When did he leave?" Heero refused to answer. He just rewound the tape, hit play, and moved, allowing the other to sit in the vacated chair. Looking out the small window, he lost himself in the memories of the night before and that morning. He could still feel his skin on fire from where the American's hands had traveled. His lips felt slightly bruised, and absentmindedly, he reached a hand to touch them, reveling in the taste of Duo still in his mouth.

"Heero? Where is Allilon?" Quatre's frantic voice brought the spaced-out brown-haired man back to reality, in *full-force*.

"What the hell are you talking about Winner? I left him in his room before I came downstairs," he said, eyes slitting dangerously. He seemed to slip back into Perfect Soldier mode a little too quickly, and Quatre moved closer to Trowa for support and/or cover.

The blond and the brunet watched as the Japanese man stormed out of the video room, evidently on a mission to find the little boy. They pitied any idiot that got in his way at that moment. When Heero's footsteps died away, Quatre turned to his seated lover.

"He's gone, isn't he?" Quatre said, sounding defeated, as he sat in his husband's lap.

"Qui, mon petit? Allilon? I think he may be hiding from Heero right now. There seems to be a lot of tension between those two at the moment," Trowa replied, holding the smaller man tight.

"No, I know that Allilon is probably hiding somewhere in the mansion right now. We will find him in the music room, under the piano, in a few hours from now." Quatre gave him a weak smile. "I meant Duo. He's gone."

"I'm afraid so."

"What the hell happened? I was sure things were going nicely. Why would he run away? I *know* something happened. I just can't figure it out." He sighed heavily, the happiness that was normally evident in him fading totally.

"Well, when we find Duo, you can ask him yourself, but I think Heero should actually be the one to do it this time." Trowa stopped, and was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "It *is* his turn after all."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The cab had no sooner stopped outside the hotel when Duo threw some money at the driver and ran inside. He was stopped at the front desk by the concierge.

"Monsieur Maxwell, you have messages," the irritated man called to the quickly disappearing American.

This brought Duo back to the front desk, where he snatched up the little blue slips of paper, and proceeded to storm his way back to his room. When he was in the safety of his hotel room, Duo dropped his bag, fell on the bed, and willed the tears to go away. /No, I won't think about Heero. I won't think about how it felt to kiss him, touch him, taste him. NO!/ he thought, still on the verge of tears.

But, his subconscious was not as nice as Duo had wished it would be. The whole night before and that morning played over and over in his mind. His body felt as if it was on fire, his hair alive, and his heart hurt a million times over. Finally, knowing that this was a battle he would never win, he relented to the assault on his eyes.

Duo didn't know how long he had been crying. All he did know was that he was far from done when the vidphone rang. He looked at the ringing device miserably, and turned over on the bed, hoping that the caller would get the message and leave him the fuck alone. But, this seemed to be one of the stubborn ones, like Hilde, Wufei, or Quatre. Sighing, he wiped his eyes, and hit the accept button.

"Maxwell, why are you at your hotel?" Wufei's voice and face demanded.

"What's it to you, Wufei?" Duo said rudely, rubbing at his eyes still. Wufei was taken aback at the abruptness in the other's tone and the look of venom in his eyes.

"We are all your friends, Duo. Besides, Une had something she wanted to talk to you about. It was rather important, and you left without seeing her."

"I don't really give a fuck about Une right now. She can go to hell, but she needs to take you with her first." Duo leveled his best impression of Heero's death glare at the puffed up Chinese man in the screen.

"What the hell has gotten into you, Maxwell?"

"How about this: you told Quatre not to tell me you were in Paris. Heero did the *same* damn thing. I spent two years wondering what the hell I had done wrong that no one but my *real* friends on L2 wanted anything to do with me. I finally get things straightened out with the man I love to find out that my so-called best 'friend' *lied* to me. I get things cool with you, and then I find out you *lied* to me again. And before you say anything else, *Chang*, a lie of omission is *still* a fucking lie!" Duo was nearly yelling at the small face in front of him, but he didn't even care.

"Then, I have a scheming Quatre to deal with, even when I told the meddling ass to leave things well enough alone. But why should he listen to me? No one else does. So, I find a way to get back at him, but the thing is, I'm so goddamn drunk, I make an ass out of myself too. Then, I have to deal with Heero with hormone rampage, not that I minded that so much. But when it spilled over into the morning, and we were so close to finally being together, Heero's *kid* walks in and starts screaming his head off.

"So, you tell me why I should put up with you, Quatre, or anyone else in this fucked up city anymore? Give me *one* good reason why I shouldn't pack my bags this minute, and go back to L2, Hilde, Mike, the scrap yard, and my *real* friends!" Duo finished his tirade by taking a deep breath and looking expectantly at Wufei, who for his part looked like he had just been told that his wife was pregnant with quintuplets. His mouth was gaping open, and he had a blank look in his eyes.

"You know what? Fuck you. I don't need this," Duo said calmly, hitting the end call button, and turning off the ringer. /Let the asshole sit on that for a while,/ he thought, throwing himself on the bed. Soon, he was taking a light nap.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Heero found his son under the piano in the expansive music room, sulking, and looking much like Heero did when he was younger. He was curled up into a little ball, scowl prominent on his pudgy face. Heero sighed inwardly at the facial expression on the normally smiling, happy little boy, and tried to find the best words to use with him.

/Why in the hell did I agree to Relena's stupid suggestion of being this child's godfather? Why did I agree to take the boy in when Relena died? I'm not ready for this. I'm not even dealing well with everything that has happened to *me* in the last year, or so. How did I expect to take care of a child?/

"Allilon? Come out from there. We need to talk again," Heero said, trying to sound firm, but human.

"No!" the little boy yelled from his hiding spot. Heero let a sigh escape, and bent down to look at the child face to face.

"Allilon, come out now."

"NO! I DON'T WANNA, AN' YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

"Fine. You can stay there, but you will listen to me."

"NO! I DUN HAVTA!" Allilon was screaming as loud as he could, kicking his feet against the black piano. "I HATE YOU!"

Heero felt his blood boil at the temper tantrum the child was throwing. He slowly counted to ten in Japanese and English before he talked again, making sure that he could keep his voice at least a little warm. He really didn't blame Allilon for being so upset, but the behaviour he was exhibiting was in no way productive.

"Allilon, I know you miss your mommy, and that it has been a hard time since she went away, but you have to be a good boy now," Heero said, amazed that the words were flowing so freely for a change.

"I DUN CARE 'BOUT BEIN' A GOOD BOY! I WAN' MY MOMMY AND DADDY! I HATE YOU! MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Heero was astonished when the little boy broke into tears. He reached out to touch him, but drew his hand back when Allilon let out an ear-piercing scream that ran throughout his body and set every nerve on edge. He was saved when Noin came in, pushing him out of the way, and cradled the distraught child in her arms, soothing noises issuing from her mouth.

"It's ok, Allilon. Shhh. Auntie Lu is here. Don't cry. Everything is ok. Shhh," she repeated over and over until the boy was sleeping fitfully in her arms. When the boy was only sniffling, she turned her blue eyes on Heero. "What the hell happened?" she snarled.

Heero was truly in shock. The speed and ease that Noin had used to calm Allilon was something he had never seen, and it hurt him to know that the boy he considered his son now cringed from him with screams that would have made Relena frightened. He couldn't think of anything to say, but he was indignant that Noin would basically accuse him of terrorizing his own son.

"Yuy, what did you *do* to my nephew?" the black-haired woman spat out, the anger very evident in her quiet voice.

"I didn't do anything, Noin. I wanted to talk to Allilon about something that happened this morning, and he started yelling. I don't have to explain myself to you," he said as he stood, turning his back on the woman and child, and left the room. /Duo, I have to talk to you now. We are *going* to talk, whether you like it, or not,/ he thought, making his way to his car in the driveway outside.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Duo awoke from his nap feeling worse than he had before he went to sleep. He took a quick assessment of his aches and pains. His head hurt from crying. His back stung from the awkward position he had fallen asleep in. The most disturbing pain was the tremendous pang in the region of his heart.

/I ran out on Heero. I didn't even stay to help him talk to Allilon. I just ran like a fucking coward. What the hell is wrong with me? I love him, but if he hates me now, I wouldn't blame him at all. I screwed everything up with my little trick today. God dammit. Why couldn't I have just *stayed*?/

A blinking red light caught his attention during his inner tirade. Taking a look around the room, Duo finally saw that it was the vidphone ringing that was causing the light. He took a deep breath, and looked at the number. He rubbed his temples when he recognized the home number of Hilde and Mike.

/Why not? She's probably going nuts since I haven't called her in, like, two days. Most of these damn messages are from her anyway, I bet. Besides, if I don't talk to *someone* I'm gonna go insane./

Steeling himself for a very livid German girl, Duo hit the accept button. He was surprised when the face staring at him was a man with brown hair and hazel eyes.

"DUO! Where have you been? Hilde has been driving herself, and me, out of our minds. How are you? Are you ok? You look like shit! What happened?" Mike said, doing his best Duo impression. Duo couldn't help but smile at his friend.

"Hey, Mike. I was at Quatre's for a few days. Sorry I didn't call. It was... insane there with Heero, Fei, Q, Tro, Sally, Noin, Zechs, Une and a few others present. Sorry that I set you up with such a loony like Hilde. I feel like shit. No, I'm not ok, and if you hadn't called, I would have. Now, let me talk to your psycho girlfriend, and she'll fill you in on everything like she normally does anyway."

"Fine," the other man replied, and soon was replaced by a woman with purple black hair and blue eyes.

"DUO MAXWELL! I should kill you! You had me worried out of my mind." She paused, leaning closer to the screen. "You were crying? What the hell did that fucking Japanese prick do this time? Or was it that ass, Wufei? I told you, and I meant it, I will kill anyone who hurts you!"

"He...Aw, fuck it. I went to Q's for the night the other night to talk, and found out it was an ambush to shove Heero and me into each other arms. Everything we did yesterday was together. Q put us in the same room. It was torture the first night. And then there was this party for Trowa's sister, Cathy, who is getting married. We helped set up the place. And then there was this big dinner, where we had to sit next to each other, and then there was the mingling part. And well, when all the non-essentials left, I played that song I was telling you about, and I sung to it too. Too bad I was so drunk off my ass that I puked all over Q when I was done. Heero had to take me up to the bathroom and hold my hair while I was sick again. Then, when I was done cleaning up, HE KISSED ME! And we slept next to each other, and it was nice. I woke up this morning, took a shower, and was about to sneak down to the kitchen before Hee-chan woke up, but he was awake already. We were *so* close, Hill. We were trying to strip and kis s at the same time, but Allilon walked in and started screaming. I never got dressed so quickly in my life, and then I ran back here so I wouldn't have to talk to anyone."

"WHAT THE HELL???!! YOU RAN! For the love of GOD, tell me you didn't RUN, Duo?" Hilde yelled, all semblance of friendliness lost by this point. "You RAN??? WHY?"

Duo didn't fight the tears this time. He just let them fall as he stared at his closest, and the only unwavering, friend he had in the world. "I don't know! I just did. I couldn't handle it, and I flaked out. I ran because I didn't want to have to talk to the kid about what he saw. I didn't want to look at Quatre and know that the night before I blew chunk all over his nice clothes. I also didn't want to see that fucking bastard, Wufei, with his perfect pregnant wife again. So I left," Duo sobbed, cradling his head in his hands. "I should have stayed. I should have talked to Allilon with Heero. I should have been responsible, instead of just going cowardly on everyone. I want to come home now."

"NO!" Hilde yelled, making Duo start and stare at her.

"What?"

"You need to get Heero, talk to him, apologize for running away from him, and then you need to screw his brains out. You have been in love with him since I met you, and even before then. I can't stand to see you so miserable anymore, Duo. And don't you *dare* say that this started when you went to Earth, because we both know it's bullshit! If you don't get together with Heero, you are gonna just..." Hilde took a deep breath, a tear sliding down her own face. "I can't stand it. You put on that same mask every day, acting like nothing is wrong with you, when you are dying inside a little more all the time. I want you to be happy. You are my only family, besides Mike, and I love you too much to see you in such pain."

"Hill?" Duo had never seen her look so sad and lost, and it scared him a little.

"Duo, I think it's time that Mike and I took a vacation too. We have an assistant manager. It's time he assisted. I'm gonna book us a flight to Paris, get some reservations for the same hotel, hopefully next to you or the same floor, and then I'm gonna talk to a certain Chang Stick-Up-My-Ass Wufei, and a certain Quatre, I'm-So-Cute-That-No-One-Expects-Me-To-Get-Annoying, Winner-Barton about the way they have behaved. Then, I'm gonna help you win your man over. No! Don't talk. I've made up my mind. Besides, I've always wanted to see Paris, and I know that if I waited for you to tell me about it, it would be all butchered because of a particular brown-haired, blue-eyed, silent ex-pilot we all know and love." She smiled as Duo's mouth started to twitch. "I'll call you when everything is taken care of, okay?"

"Fine. How can I argue with the voice of reason?" he asked.

"Did I just hear you call *Hilde* the voice of reason, Duo?" Mike's voice called. "I want whatever the hell he's on!" Hilde turned her dark head to face her off-screen boyfriend.

"Shut up you!" She turned back around, a wide smile on her lips and a twinkle in her eye. "I love ya, Duo. I'll call you in a bit."

"Love you, too, Hill. Lookin' forward to seeing you again. By the way, thanks," Duo said, a small smile breaking over his own heart-shaped face. "Talk to you soon."

"You bet your life on it." She winked. "Later, Duo."

"Later, Hill." He switched the phone off, and a sense of relief washed over him. /I got it off my chest. I told Wufei to stuff it. I got Q back for being such a meddler. But, I ran away from Heero. The only flaw in my plan,/ Duo thought, laying back down on his bed, staring at the ceiling as his thoughts ran through his mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Heero barely pulled out of Quatre's driveway intact. The emotional roller coaster this morning was just too much to bear. First Duo, then Allilon, then Duo, then Allilon. He just couldn't win, and it was starting to take a big toll on him.

Heero winced when his cell phone rang, and quickly answered it. "Duo?" he asked hopefully.

"No, Heero. It's Trowa. Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to get Duo. I can't let him run away again."

"And what about Allilon?"

A tear rolled down Heero's cheek as he remembered that Allilon would probably want nothing to do with him ever again. He *had* to find Duo and stop him from running away too.

"Heero?" Trowa asked in concern

"I'm fine Trowa. He's with Noin. I'll be back, hopefully, with Duo." He hung up the phone abruptly, and threw the thing in the backseat, ignoring the incessant ringing from that moment on.

He was speeding through the crazy streets of downtown Paris, reaching 120km/h. Miraculously, he avoided hitting any pedestrians throughout it all. He let out a low growl as he had to stop for a red light. /Too many damn people. Why couldn't this be like it was during the war. Never had trouble driving through the streets, except for those guns and such... Ok, I'm only about 5 minutes from the hotel,/ he thought, pulling the car over, throwing some coins into the meter, and running all the way to the hotel.

He stopped when he walked inside the building, bringing his pulse and breathing to something that seemed normal, and then proceeded to walk to the elevators. While he waited, impatiently, for one of the elevators to open, Heero tried to gather his thoughts.

He still had nothing when he walked in, and a few moments later, got off.

He stopped in front of the door that he knew was Duo's room, and just listened for any sound. There was none. /He is either asleep, or gone. Please be here, Duo./ Slowly, Heero swallowed, and knocked, waiting with baited breath for the door to open.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Duo was about to doze off again when there was a knock on the door. /Hilde still hasn't called, and there is no way I'm leaving this room until she does. So, this had better be something important, or I'm gonna be pissed./ He looked through the peep hole, and his heart leapt at what he saw.

Heero was standing there, looking lost and upset. It broke his heart, and yet, he was totally uncomfortable. /Should I open the door? What the hell am I thinking? Of *course*!/

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door slowly. "Hee... Hee-ro, what are you doing here?" he asked, voice faltering badly.

"Hn. Let me in."

/He doesn't sound mad, but then again.../ "Uh, sorry, come in." Duo moved out of the way to allow Heero enough room to enter.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Don't play dumb. You know what I meant." Heero's glare made Duo's mouth go dry. It was a mixture of pain, anger, and an underlying heat.

"I... I dunno why. I got scared, and I didn't know what the hell to do, so I left." The American walked over to his bed and threw himself on the pliable mattress. "Allilon must hate me right now. Not to mention you. And Q."

"Quatre is not upset with you. Allilon is mad at the both of us," Heero said in a flat tone, moving over to the inviting spectacle in front of him. Duo's braid was sticking out from underneath his back, and the light shirt he had on had ridden up, exposing a few inches of creamy pale skin. Also, the fact that Duo's eyes were closed, softening the usual manic glow about his face, added all to Heero's body acting against his better judgment. "As for myself..."

The soft, almost sensual tone that Heero was using made Duo feel uncomfortable. /I would have just preferred him yelling at me. I don't know whether he is going to seduce me or kill me when talks like that./ Swallowing, Duo swept his eyes over the body of the Japanese man, which to his surprise was so close to him all he had to do was reach out, and he could be touching the other.

"Heero?"

"You know, you talk too much," Heero said, leaning over Duo's prone body and capturing those soft lips in a kiss.


TBC...

(1) Naze - Japanese, "Why?"