Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Afterthoughts of Discourse ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Vega -Lume 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.24.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 728 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 08.24.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 728 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine, the situations, original characters and anything else NOT original to the GW Universe is mine. not for profit, just for fun.
Sorry this took so long to get out, my computer completely died and I lost EVERYTHING! It took me quite a while to get back into the swing of things when I had to re-write chapters that were lost. Chapter six is in the works and should be done in a few days *knock on wood*
On to the fic...
September 11th 2004
Title: Afterthoughts of Discourse
Author: Vega-Lume
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine, but the situations, original characters, the
M-Utatek (no matter how improbable it may be) and anything else NOT original to the GW Universe is mine. *grrrr* Any flames for any reason like pointing out that improbability will be laughed at and fed to my Plot Bunny Mkha, who will eat it and leave plenty bunny raisins for you :D
Warnings: A/U-ish (not intended to be, but turning out that way)Angst, MPREG, Yaoi, Het, Limey? Lemony? Mountain Dew?(Let’s just say there are some citrusy parts, k?)
Beta: Presser_Kun
Pairings: 2x1, 2xH, OMCx1
Afterthoughts of Discourse
Chapter 5
By Vel
“Here we are,” Scott announced as he pulled the car into the driveway of a modest four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath ranch-style home a half an hour’s drive out of the city.
The gray stone siding was frosted from the recent snowfall, and though it was still several weeks before Christmas, there were blue icicle lights twinkling from the rain gutters.
The rock salt ice melt crunched under their shoes as they all made their way to the front porch, where Paul had dashed ahead to unlock the door.
Warm air rushed out to greet them as Rachel ushered them all into the foyer in a motherly fashion. Heero was guided straight to the living room and into a worn forest green La-Z boy recliner that was then turned towards the fireplace. His feet were propped up and an afghan thrown over his legs before he even had a chance to protest.
“Scott wants you off your feet as much as possible while you get over the infection,” Rachel said to Heero as she tucked a throw pillow behind his head.
“But…” He tried to protest. He knew he smelled bad because he had been sweating in these clothes for days and did not want to stink up their living room.
“Butts are for sitting and you are going to stay on yours until Scott says otherwise. After supper well get you cleaned up and changed. Until then, you stay put.” She punctuated the word “put” by poking him in the chest with her index finger. Rachel had an inkling as to why Heero started to protest. He was incredibly polite, and she guessed that he had wanted to bathe first, more to spare their furniture than for his own comfort.
However, Rachel had other ideas. Knowing how ill he was and how little he ate, she did not want him falling asleep after his warm bath before he had a chance to eat. She knew that if he was uncomfortable in his unwashed state, he would not fall asleep.
Sighing deeply, Heero wiggled a little to signal that he was getting more comfortable, while Mary snickered somewhere behind him.
“Now, young lady,” Rachel began as she rounded on Mary, “let’s get your stuff situated in your rooms while Scott and Paul finish up supper.” Mary watched for a second as the older woman headed in the direction of the bedrooms, and then dashed off to follow.
“Do you need anything? A glass of water maybe?” Paul asked Heero shyly. The green-eyed boy wasn’t blind. Beneath the gaunt features and grime of illness he could easily see how attractive the Japanese boy was.
“No, thank you,” Heero replied softly. Everything hurt. All of his muscles were tender from heavy coughing, and he had not slept properly for days. The medication the doctor had given him had eased the coughing a great deal, and now he was too tired to think much past a bath and a bed.
Paul frowned as he watched as Heero shifted again to get comfortable.
“Are you in pain?” he asked gently. Before he lost his nerve, he sneaked a hand to the other boy’s forehead to check his fever.
Heero peered through his bangs that lay over Paul’s hand to look into the other boy’s face, and their eyes met: golden-green, concern-filled eyes locked with his for a long moment before Paul turned, his hand slipping away, a rose blush darkening his pale cheeks.
The Japanese youth felt a familiar twinge of longing in his belly as he acutely felt the loss of contact. He had been the recipient of several of Mary’s rather exuberant hugs; however, he missed the simple intimacy of gentle contact, and though there was nothing sexual about Paul’s hand on his forehead, it still felt intimate.
“Paul?” Scott called out from the kitchen.
“Umm, I’ll ask dad if there is something he can give you for your aches,” the blond said hurriedly. Then he was gone, fleeing from the awkward situation he had suddenly found himself in.
Heero nodded mutely, even though he knew that Paul couldn’t see him. He could tell that the other boy liked him, and if he wanted to be completely honest with himself, he could see himself letting Paul into his life in a way he really thought would never happen again.
Duo and Hilde had hurt him in a way he was never trained to deal with, and over the months that he had been hiding away with Mary, he never once thought of being in a romantic relationship again. However, what he saw in those soft, golden-green eyes…
He shook his head to derail that train of thought. He did not want to think about it. There was so much that had happened that day that needed to be considered. Now was not the time to even imagine being in a relationship of any sort, not with the knowledge that he was carrying three children that needed his total commitment.
Gods, children. One baby would be hard enough; how on Earth was he going to care for three? He did not know anything about babies; he had no home, no source of income, and no experience. He couldn’t even remember his own parents. How was he supposed to be one himself?
Rachel and Mary returned a few moments later, helping Heero distract himself from the swirling thoughts that were quickly giving him a headache.
“Heero, dear? Are you all right?” Rachel inquired, concerned when she noticed that he seemed to be staring off into space.
“I am getting a bit of a headache,” he admitted, knowing from what he had already observed about Rachel that she would know he was lying if he said it was nothing.
The older woman hummed in response, and then stood to hand a television remote to Mary.
“Feel free to watch TV while I go see where Scott put the medication we brought for Heero.” She paused to turn back to the Japanese youth. “You’ll need to try and eat something before I can give you anything for the pain, or it may upset your stomach even more.” At Heero’s nod of understanding, Rachel beamed, then bustled into the kitchen, where her husband and son were just finishing up meal preparations.
“Your room is nice, all green and blue,” Mary said softly. “Mine’s the guest room; it’s yellow.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. She didn’t hate the color, but it wasn’t high on her list of favorites, either. “You have a TV, too.”
“Mary?” Heero interrupted gently, “what’s wrong?”
“I…I don’t want to sleep in there by myself,” she replied quietly. “I got used to sharing a room with you.”
“Did you ask Mrs. Bennet if we could share?” the Japanese boy inquired.
“Naw. I mean, she seemed all happy and stuff. Showing me around the house, ya know? I didn’t want to upset her or anything.”
“I understand. I’d like to share a room with you, too.”
“Then share that comfy looking chair with me,” Mary teased. Heero’s smile turned into a quiet laugh when Mary suddenly bounded across the small space and squeezed into the chair beside him.
Rachel stood quietly just inside doorway that separated the dining room from the lounge, an anti-nausea tablet and glass of water in hand. She hadn’t meant to spy, but the older woman couldn’t help but overhear the short conversation. Slipping silently back into the kitchen she turned to speak to her husband.
“Honey? How would you feel about Heero and Mary sharing a room?”
“I think it would be a good idea. I’m sure they’re used to sleeping in the same room, so being together should help them settle in. Plus, with Mary with him all night, if something should go wrong she could come and get us right away.”
“Great. After dinner, Paul and I can get the rolling bed out of the garage and pray that it fits between the bed and the wall,” Rachel said as she dished some salad onto a plate.
“No, I’ll do it. That way we can move the full bed if we need to. Oh, and don’t bother with the antiemetic. [1] The dose of Ondansetron [2] I gave Heero at the clinic should still be working. I’ll give him another dose before he goes to bed,” Scott said, gathering two plates to take into the lounge for their guests. Nodding in reply, Rachel gathered two more plates while Paul tagged along with his dinner.
Though Heero and Mary seemed surprised that they would be eating in the living room, Paul assured them that they always ate there. They didn’t even own a dining table.
The atmosphere was comfortable while the group dined on pot roast, boiled potatoes, carrots, and a light salad. Mary stayed in the recliner next to Heero and frowned at how little her older brother ate.
When she turned to look at the others in the room, she noticed that Doctor Bennet wore a frown. He had also been watching to see how much Heero ate.
“I think we should call it an early night,” Scott suddenly announced, rising from where he sat on the sofa next to his wife. “Heero, Mary, I’ll take your plates through to the kitchen if you like.”
Relieved that he did not have to force any more food into his shrunken stomach, Heero readily handed over his plate.
“Can I give these bits to Pookie?” Mary asked, referring to the few vegetables and lettuce on her plate.
“Of course, dear,” Rachel said as she also rose. “I’ll just pop into the bathroom and put out some towels so you two can freshen up before bed.”
Paul handed his plate over to his dad, then disappeared down the hallway after his mother.
“I’ll wash this when Pookie’s done,” Mary said as she eased out of the big recliner, being careful not to jar Heero too much.
“You don’t have to; just pop it in the dishwasher,” Scott said with a wink, then made his way to the kitchen. After scraping the plates he placed them into the dishwasher then entered the garage through a connecting door.
Clicking the light on, he poked around, moving boxes aside until he found the rolling bed. As he eased it away from the wall he was surprised to see a large, flat object covered by a dusty sheet. Lifting the sheet, he smiled. “I thought you were in the attic,” he murmured, dropping the sheet and turning to wheel the bed into the house.
Paul was waiting in the kitchen to help lift the bed over the threshold. “We need to hurry; Heero’s almost asleep,” he told his father. “Also I was checking: if we rearrange Heero’s room tomorrow, both the rolling bed and the full bed in the guest room should fit with enough space to walk between them so they can get to the closet.”
“That’s perfect,” Scott beamed. By the way, I found your crib in the garage. It was right behind this,” he said, patting the rollaway. “If we move Mary’s bed into Heero’s room, we can set up the crib in the guest room and get it ready for the babies.”
“That’s a good idea, but don’t you think it’s a bit soon to start setting up baby stuff?”
“Naw. If I know your mother, she’ll buy out the baby store by lunch tomorrow.” Scott chuckled, easing the rollaway through the living room and down the hall to the bedroom.
“Its going to be a tight fit,” Rachel said as she watched them squeeze the rollaway between the full bed and the wall, then unfold it. The closet door was pinned shut, so Mary would have to climb in from the foot. But it would do for one night.
“Why are you putting another bed in here?” Mary asked as she stood back, holding an empty plate.
“You and Heero will share this room so we can use the other one for the babies.” Scott said as he climbed over Heero’s bed to get out of the corner where he had trapped himself. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Mary’s smile shined like a floodlight. “Lemme go grab Pookie and my bag.”
Rachel followed the young girl into the other room to help her move her things, and was pleasantly surprised when Mary hugged her.
“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” The older woman asked.
“I saw your reflection in the TV when Heero and I were talking. Thank you for putting us together.”
Rachel smiled gently and opened her arms to the girl. “You’re most welcome, dear. We want you to be comfortable here.” Running a loving hand over the girl’s greasy hair, she frowned. “This needs a good washing. Come on, you can use the tub in the master bath. I’ll see if I have something clean you can wear tonight, and we’ll pop your clothes in the laundry tomorrow.”
“I can’t remember the last time I had a real bath,” Mary said wistfully.
Rachel grinned. “I have pink, girly, bubble bath and everything. Let’s dump this stuff in the laundry room and get you in the tub.” The pair walked to the laundry room just off the kitchen and put the bags full of Heero and Mary’s clothes next to the washer.
Soft snores greeted them as they made their way through the living room. The R.N. sighed. “Mary dear, why don’t you go in my room and start the tub while I wake your brother and help him get ready for bed. Feel free to use any of the bath stuff, and the bubble bath is right on the edge of the tub.”
“Okay,” Mary said. Rachel had already shown her around, so she knew right where to go with out worrying about walking into a closet.
The older woman waited until Mary was down the hall before she crouched near the recliner and called out to Heero. The boy sat up with a start, looking around the room, trying to remember where he was.
“Easy kiddo,” Rachel said. “Let’s get you cleaned up so you can get some real sleep.”
“O…” he croaked. His throat ached from all the coughing, and the dehydration had left it and his mouth dry as a bone. His voice failing him, he simply nodded and lowered the footrest so he could get out of the chair. Rachel stayed at his elbow, helping him to the bathroom.
“I’ll go get a set of Paul’s pajamas for you. Do you think you can manage the bath on your own?”
Heero nodded, then waited as the older woman slipped from room before he started the tub. Rachel returned a few moments later and placed the PJ’s on the edge of the sink.
“I’ll leave the door open a crack so we can hear you if you need some help.”
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I’ll pay you back somehow,” Heero said sincerely, his voice a bit scratchy.
“Oh posh. Just rest, get healthy, and let me play grammy to your babies sometimes, and we’ll call it even.” She flashed him a smile that he retuned, and then she left the room, pulling the door mostly closed behind her.
Rachel the made her way to her bedroom to find something for Mary to wear. She decided on one of Scott’s large t-shirts that would pass as a nightshirt for the petite girl. After announcing her presence, she opened the door just enough to slip her hand inside to hang the garment on the doorknob.
After leaving the master bedroom, Rachel made her way back to the living room. “Hey, guys, I thought you were going to wait until morning to do that,” the R.N. said as she looked into Heero and Mary’s room. The guys had pulled out the rollaway and rearranged the room to accommodate the two full-sized beds.
“I thought it would be best just to do it now and get it over with. That way Heero won’t have to move around too much tomorrow,” Scott said as he and Paul eased the box springs into the frame for Mary’s bed.
Rachel moved to help Paul with the mattress and sheets while Scott went to check on Heero, then get the IV stand and medications he had prescribed for Heero.
Setting up the stand next to Heero’s bed, he hung a bag of fluids from it and placed a syringe and vile of Ondansetron on the bedside table. He placed a sharps container on the floor. Pleased with the setup, he left his bag on the bed then went to get Heero.
Heero was dressed and toweling off his hair when the doctor knocked on the door.
“Your room is all set; I want to do a quick check of your vitals before you go to sleep, all right?”
Heero agreed and allowed the doctor help him to the room. This was the first time he had seen the room, and was surprised when he found Rachel and Paul spreading a quilt over a second bed. He was sure from Mary’s description that there had only been one bed in the room when she had taken her tour before supper.
“We moved Mary in here so the other room can be used as a nursery,” Scott said as he helped the boy into his bed. “Just lie back while I check you out, then you can go to sleep.” The boy complied as Scott checked his blood pressure and pulse. He pushed the boy’s shirt up and felt his abdomen. Satisfied, the doctor then attached the IV to a catheter that had been left in the back of Heero's right hand and injected the Ondansetron into the tube.
“This is another dose of the meds to help with the vomiting,” he said as he disposed of the needle. “And here are your antibiotics, cough meds, and fever reducer. They’ll also help ease the aches.” He passed the boy a few tablets and a glass of water.
Medication dutifully swallowed, Heero settled back. Rachel stepped forward to smooth his damp hair away from his face and tuck him in.
“If you need anything, anything at all, just ask. All right?” As Heero nodded she leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Get some sleep now; we’ll see you in the morning.”
~*~*~*~*~
Saturday November 19th
“Everything is looking excellent, Hilde,” Dr. Reynolds said with a pleased smile on her face. “The incision looks nice and clean. If all continues to go well, then I see no reason why you won’t be able to go home on Monday.”
Hilde let out a sigh of relief, and then said, “What about Xiiro? Will she be able to go home, too?”
Dr. Reynolds smiled again, “Yes, she’s doing perfectly well. Her lungs are fully developed and she’s doing everything an infant should do.”
“Everything?” Duo asked from Hilde’s bedside.
“Eating, crying, and pooping,” Dr. Reynolds said, smirking as an uncomfortable look graced the braided man’s face.
Hilde snickered and poked Duo in the ribs.
“Do you have everything set up at home? I know that some people aren’t completely ready when the baby comes early.”
Duo laughed and said, “Hilde’s been ready for weeks. She practically slapped crime-scene tape across the door just to make sure the nursery stayed perfect.”
The young mother glared and blushed, boldly confirming that what Duo said was true.
Dr. Reynolds laughed lightly. “Wonderful. Well, you seem to be as prepared as you can be, so, Hilde, I’ll see you tomorrow to check your incision again. Get some sleep.” With that, the doctor was gone, the door closing quietly behind her.
“Duo?” Hilde asked softly.
“Hmm?”
“Everything seems to be going all right. Xiiro is healthy and I’m doing fine. Do you think that maybe you could try looking for Heero again? I miss him so much it hurts.”
Duo sighed softly then moved to perch on the edge of Hilde’s bed.
“I made you a promise that I would go and look for Heero just as soon as I knew you were able to cope on your own, and I will after you get home and start caring for Xiiro.”
“But…” Hilde tried to protest.
“I won’t go until I am absolutely sure you’ll be all right. Trust me, between Fei and I we have a really good place to start.”
Suddenly excited, Hilde sat up and grasped Duo’s arm roughly. “You know where he went!”
Duo shook his head. “No, but we do have a few good leads as to which shuttles he might have gone on. Fei’s already looking into them and will let me know which would be the best to start with.”
Deflated, Hilde dropped back onto the mattress. “Well, that’s better than having no place to start.”
“Get some rest; I’ll be back in the morning.” Duo leaned over Hilde and placed a kiss on her forehead.
t.b.c.
[1] Antiemetic, Drugs that control vomiting
[2] Ondansetron (Zofran®, Zofran ODT®) helps to relieve nausea and vomiting, especially when associated with the treatment of cancer (chemotherapy). Ondansetron may also be used to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting that occurs after surgery, and occasionally is used to treat severe vomiting during pregnancy.
*yay* Answers.com :D
Sorry this took so long to get out, my computer completely died and I lost EVERYTHING! It took me quite a while to get back into the swing of things when I had to re-write chapters that were lost. Chapter six is in the works and should be done in a few days *knock on wood*
On to the fic...
September 11th 2004
Title: Afterthoughts of Discourse
Author: Vega-Lume
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine, but the situations, original characters, the
M-Utatek (no matter how improbable it may be) and anything else NOT original to the GW Universe is mine. *grrrr* Any flames for any reason like pointing out that improbability will be laughed at and fed to my Plot Bunny Mkha, who will eat it and leave plenty bunny raisins for you :D
Warnings: A/U-ish (not intended to be, but turning out that way)Angst, MPREG, Yaoi, Het, Limey? Lemony? Mountain Dew?(Let’s just say there are some citrusy parts, k?)
Beta: Presser_Kun
Pairings: 2x1, 2xH, OMCx1
Afterthoughts of Discourse
Chapter 5
By Vel
“Here we are,” Scott announced as he pulled the car into the driveway of a modest four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath ranch-style home a half an hour’s drive out of the city.
The gray stone siding was frosted from the recent snowfall, and though it was still several weeks before Christmas, there were blue icicle lights twinkling from the rain gutters.
The rock salt ice melt crunched under their shoes as they all made their way to the front porch, where Paul had dashed ahead to unlock the door.
Warm air rushed out to greet them as Rachel ushered them all into the foyer in a motherly fashion. Heero was guided straight to the living room and into a worn forest green La-Z boy recliner that was then turned towards the fireplace. His feet were propped up and an afghan thrown over his legs before he even had a chance to protest.
“Scott wants you off your feet as much as possible while you get over the infection,” Rachel said to Heero as she tucked a throw pillow behind his head.
“But…” He tried to protest. He knew he smelled bad because he had been sweating in these clothes for days and did not want to stink up their living room.
“Butts are for sitting and you are going to stay on yours until Scott says otherwise. After supper well get you cleaned up and changed. Until then, you stay put.” She punctuated the word “put” by poking him in the chest with her index finger. Rachel had an inkling as to why Heero started to protest. He was incredibly polite, and she guessed that he had wanted to bathe first, more to spare their furniture than for his own comfort.
However, Rachel had other ideas. Knowing how ill he was and how little he ate, she did not want him falling asleep after his warm bath before he had a chance to eat. She knew that if he was uncomfortable in his unwashed state, he would not fall asleep.
Sighing deeply, Heero wiggled a little to signal that he was getting more comfortable, while Mary snickered somewhere behind him.
“Now, young lady,” Rachel began as she rounded on Mary, “let’s get your stuff situated in your rooms while Scott and Paul finish up supper.” Mary watched for a second as the older woman headed in the direction of the bedrooms, and then dashed off to follow.
“Do you need anything? A glass of water maybe?” Paul asked Heero shyly. The green-eyed boy wasn’t blind. Beneath the gaunt features and grime of illness he could easily see how attractive the Japanese boy was.
“No, thank you,” Heero replied softly. Everything hurt. All of his muscles were tender from heavy coughing, and he had not slept properly for days. The medication the doctor had given him had eased the coughing a great deal, and now he was too tired to think much past a bath and a bed.
Paul frowned as he watched as Heero shifted again to get comfortable.
“Are you in pain?” he asked gently. Before he lost his nerve, he sneaked a hand to the other boy’s forehead to check his fever.
Heero peered through his bangs that lay over Paul’s hand to look into the other boy’s face, and their eyes met: golden-green, concern-filled eyes locked with his for a long moment before Paul turned, his hand slipping away, a rose blush darkening his pale cheeks.
The Japanese youth felt a familiar twinge of longing in his belly as he acutely felt the loss of contact. He had been the recipient of several of Mary’s rather exuberant hugs; however, he missed the simple intimacy of gentle contact, and though there was nothing sexual about Paul’s hand on his forehead, it still felt intimate.
“Paul?” Scott called out from the kitchen.
“Umm, I’ll ask dad if there is something he can give you for your aches,” the blond said hurriedly. Then he was gone, fleeing from the awkward situation he had suddenly found himself in.
Heero nodded mutely, even though he knew that Paul couldn’t see him. He could tell that the other boy liked him, and if he wanted to be completely honest with himself, he could see himself letting Paul into his life in a way he really thought would never happen again.
Duo and Hilde had hurt him in a way he was never trained to deal with, and over the months that he had been hiding away with Mary, he never once thought of being in a romantic relationship again. However, what he saw in those soft, golden-green eyes…
He shook his head to derail that train of thought. He did not want to think about it. There was so much that had happened that day that needed to be considered. Now was not the time to even imagine being in a relationship of any sort, not with the knowledge that he was carrying three children that needed his total commitment.
Gods, children. One baby would be hard enough; how on Earth was he going to care for three? He did not know anything about babies; he had no home, no source of income, and no experience. He couldn’t even remember his own parents. How was he supposed to be one himself?
Rachel and Mary returned a few moments later, helping Heero distract himself from the swirling thoughts that were quickly giving him a headache.
“Heero, dear? Are you all right?” Rachel inquired, concerned when she noticed that he seemed to be staring off into space.
“I am getting a bit of a headache,” he admitted, knowing from what he had already observed about Rachel that she would know he was lying if he said it was nothing.
The older woman hummed in response, and then stood to hand a television remote to Mary.
“Feel free to watch TV while I go see where Scott put the medication we brought for Heero.” She paused to turn back to the Japanese youth. “You’ll need to try and eat something before I can give you anything for the pain, or it may upset your stomach even more.” At Heero’s nod of understanding, Rachel beamed, then bustled into the kitchen, where her husband and son were just finishing up meal preparations.
“Your room is nice, all green and blue,” Mary said softly. “Mine’s the guest room; it’s yellow.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. She didn’t hate the color, but it wasn’t high on her list of favorites, either. “You have a TV, too.”
“Mary?” Heero interrupted gently, “what’s wrong?”
“I…I don’t want to sleep in there by myself,” she replied quietly. “I got used to sharing a room with you.”
“Did you ask Mrs. Bennet if we could share?” the Japanese boy inquired.
“Naw. I mean, she seemed all happy and stuff. Showing me around the house, ya know? I didn’t want to upset her or anything.”
“I understand. I’d like to share a room with you, too.”
“Then share that comfy looking chair with me,” Mary teased. Heero’s smile turned into a quiet laugh when Mary suddenly bounded across the small space and squeezed into the chair beside him.
Rachel stood quietly just inside doorway that separated the dining room from the lounge, an anti-nausea tablet and glass of water in hand. She hadn’t meant to spy, but the older woman couldn’t help but overhear the short conversation. Slipping silently back into the kitchen she turned to speak to her husband.
“Honey? How would you feel about Heero and Mary sharing a room?”
“I think it would be a good idea. I’m sure they’re used to sleeping in the same room, so being together should help them settle in. Plus, with Mary with him all night, if something should go wrong she could come and get us right away.”
“Great. After dinner, Paul and I can get the rolling bed out of the garage and pray that it fits between the bed and the wall,” Rachel said as she dished some salad onto a plate.
“No, I’ll do it. That way we can move the full bed if we need to. Oh, and don’t bother with the antiemetic. [1] The dose of Ondansetron [2] I gave Heero at the clinic should still be working. I’ll give him another dose before he goes to bed,” Scott said, gathering two plates to take into the lounge for their guests. Nodding in reply, Rachel gathered two more plates while Paul tagged along with his dinner.
Though Heero and Mary seemed surprised that they would be eating in the living room, Paul assured them that they always ate there. They didn’t even own a dining table.
The atmosphere was comfortable while the group dined on pot roast, boiled potatoes, carrots, and a light salad. Mary stayed in the recliner next to Heero and frowned at how little her older brother ate.
When she turned to look at the others in the room, she noticed that Doctor Bennet wore a frown. He had also been watching to see how much Heero ate.
“I think we should call it an early night,” Scott suddenly announced, rising from where he sat on the sofa next to his wife. “Heero, Mary, I’ll take your plates through to the kitchen if you like.”
Relieved that he did not have to force any more food into his shrunken stomach, Heero readily handed over his plate.
“Can I give these bits to Pookie?” Mary asked, referring to the few vegetables and lettuce on her plate.
“Of course, dear,” Rachel said as she also rose. “I’ll just pop into the bathroom and put out some towels so you two can freshen up before bed.”
Paul handed his plate over to his dad, then disappeared down the hallway after his mother.
“I’ll wash this when Pookie’s done,” Mary said as she eased out of the big recliner, being careful not to jar Heero too much.
“You don’t have to; just pop it in the dishwasher,” Scott said with a wink, then made his way to the kitchen. After scraping the plates he placed them into the dishwasher then entered the garage through a connecting door.
Clicking the light on, he poked around, moving boxes aside until he found the rolling bed. As he eased it away from the wall he was surprised to see a large, flat object covered by a dusty sheet. Lifting the sheet, he smiled. “I thought you were in the attic,” he murmured, dropping the sheet and turning to wheel the bed into the house.
Paul was waiting in the kitchen to help lift the bed over the threshold. “We need to hurry; Heero’s almost asleep,” he told his father. “Also I was checking: if we rearrange Heero’s room tomorrow, both the rolling bed and the full bed in the guest room should fit with enough space to walk between them so they can get to the closet.”
“That’s perfect,” Scott beamed. By the way, I found your crib in the garage. It was right behind this,” he said, patting the rollaway. “If we move Mary’s bed into Heero’s room, we can set up the crib in the guest room and get it ready for the babies.”
“That’s a good idea, but don’t you think it’s a bit soon to start setting up baby stuff?”
“Naw. If I know your mother, she’ll buy out the baby store by lunch tomorrow.” Scott chuckled, easing the rollaway through the living room and down the hall to the bedroom.
“Its going to be a tight fit,” Rachel said as she watched them squeeze the rollaway between the full bed and the wall, then unfold it. The closet door was pinned shut, so Mary would have to climb in from the foot. But it would do for one night.
“Why are you putting another bed in here?” Mary asked as she stood back, holding an empty plate.
“You and Heero will share this room so we can use the other one for the babies.” Scott said as he climbed over Heero’s bed to get out of the corner where he had trapped himself. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Mary’s smile shined like a floodlight. “Lemme go grab Pookie and my bag.”
Rachel followed the young girl into the other room to help her move her things, and was pleasantly surprised when Mary hugged her.
“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” The older woman asked.
“I saw your reflection in the TV when Heero and I were talking. Thank you for putting us together.”
Rachel smiled gently and opened her arms to the girl. “You’re most welcome, dear. We want you to be comfortable here.” Running a loving hand over the girl’s greasy hair, she frowned. “This needs a good washing. Come on, you can use the tub in the master bath. I’ll see if I have something clean you can wear tonight, and we’ll pop your clothes in the laundry tomorrow.”
“I can’t remember the last time I had a real bath,” Mary said wistfully.
Rachel grinned. “I have pink, girly, bubble bath and everything. Let’s dump this stuff in the laundry room and get you in the tub.” The pair walked to the laundry room just off the kitchen and put the bags full of Heero and Mary’s clothes next to the washer.
Soft snores greeted them as they made their way through the living room. The R.N. sighed. “Mary dear, why don’t you go in my room and start the tub while I wake your brother and help him get ready for bed. Feel free to use any of the bath stuff, and the bubble bath is right on the edge of the tub.”
“Okay,” Mary said. Rachel had already shown her around, so she knew right where to go with out worrying about walking into a closet.
The older woman waited until Mary was down the hall before she crouched near the recliner and called out to Heero. The boy sat up with a start, looking around the room, trying to remember where he was.
“Easy kiddo,” Rachel said. “Let’s get you cleaned up so you can get some real sleep.”
“O…” he croaked. His throat ached from all the coughing, and the dehydration had left it and his mouth dry as a bone. His voice failing him, he simply nodded and lowered the footrest so he could get out of the chair. Rachel stayed at his elbow, helping him to the bathroom.
“I’ll go get a set of Paul’s pajamas for you. Do you think you can manage the bath on your own?”
Heero nodded, then waited as the older woman slipped from room before he started the tub. Rachel returned a few moments later and placed the PJ’s on the edge of the sink.
“I’ll leave the door open a crack so we can hear you if you need some help.”
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. I’ll pay you back somehow,” Heero said sincerely, his voice a bit scratchy.
“Oh posh. Just rest, get healthy, and let me play grammy to your babies sometimes, and we’ll call it even.” She flashed him a smile that he retuned, and then she left the room, pulling the door mostly closed behind her.
Rachel the made her way to her bedroom to find something for Mary to wear. She decided on one of Scott’s large t-shirts that would pass as a nightshirt for the petite girl. After announcing her presence, she opened the door just enough to slip her hand inside to hang the garment on the doorknob.
After leaving the master bedroom, Rachel made her way back to the living room. “Hey, guys, I thought you were going to wait until morning to do that,” the R.N. said as she looked into Heero and Mary’s room. The guys had pulled out the rollaway and rearranged the room to accommodate the two full-sized beds.
“I thought it would be best just to do it now and get it over with. That way Heero won’t have to move around too much tomorrow,” Scott said as he and Paul eased the box springs into the frame for Mary’s bed.
Rachel moved to help Paul with the mattress and sheets while Scott went to check on Heero, then get the IV stand and medications he had prescribed for Heero.
Setting up the stand next to Heero’s bed, he hung a bag of fluids from it and placed a syringe and vile of Ondansetron on the bedside table. He placed a sharps container on the floor. Pleased with the setup, he left his bag on the bed then went to get Heero.
Heero was dressed and toweling off his hair when the doctor knocked on the door.
“Your room is all set; I want to do a quick check of your vitals before you go to sleep, all right?”
Heero agreed and allowed the doctor help him to the room. This was the first time he had seen the room, and was surprised when he found Rachel and Paul spreading a quilt over a second bed. He was sure from Mary’s description that there had only been one bed in the room when she had taken her tour before supper.
“We moved Mary in here so the other room can be used as a nursery,” Scott said as he helped the boy into his bed. “Just lie back while I check you out, then you can go to sleep.” The boy complied as Scott checked his blood pressure and pulse. He pushed the boy’s shirt up and felt his abdomen. Satisfied, the doctor then attached the IV to a catheter that had been left in the back of Heero's right hand and injected the Ondansetron into the tube.
“This is another dose of the meds to help with the vomiting,” he said as he disposed of the needle. “And here are your antibiotics, cough meds, and fever reducer. They’ll also help ease the aches.” He passed the boy a few tablets and a glass of water.
Medication dutifully swallowed, Heero settled back. Rachel stepped forward to smooth his damp hair away from his face and tuck him in.
“If you need anything, anything at all, just ask. All right?” As Heero nodded she leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Get some sleep now; we’ll see you in the morning.”
~*~*~*~*~
Saturday November 19th
“Everything is looking excellent, Hilde,” Dr. Reynolds said with a pleased smile on her face. “The incision looks nice and clean. If all continues to go well, then I see no reason why you won’t be able to go home on Monday.”
Hilde let out a sigh of relief, and then said, “What about Xiiro? Will she be able to go home, too?”
Dr. Reynolds smiled again, “Yes, she’s doing perfectly well. Her lungs are fully developed and she’s doing everything an infant should do.”
“Everything?” Duo asked from Hilde’s bedside.
“Eating, crying, and pooping,” Dr. Reynolds said, smirking as an uncomfortable look graced the braided man’s face.
Hilde snickered and poked Duo in the ribs.
“Do you have everything set up at home? I know that some people aren’t completely ready when the baby comes early.”
Duo laughed and said, “Hilde’s been ready for weeks. She practically slapped crime-scene tape across the door just to make sure the nursery stayed perfect.”
The young mother glared and blushed, boldly confirming that what Duo said was true.
Dr. Reynolds laughed lightly. “Wonderful. Well, you seem to be as prepared as you can be, so, Hilde, I’ll see you tomorrow to check your incision again. Get some sleep.” With that, the doctor was gone, the door closing quietly behind her.
“Duo?” Hilde asked softly.
“Hmm?”
“Everything seems to be going all right. Xiiro is healthy and I’m doing fine. Do you think that maybe you could try looking for Heero again? I miss him so much it hurts.”
Duo sighed softly then moved to perch on the edge of Hilde’s bed.
“I made you a promise that I would go and look for Heero just as soon as I knew you were able to cope on your own, and I will after you get home and start caring for Xiiro.”
“But…” Hilde tried to protest.
“I won’t go until I am absolutely sure you’ll be all right. Trust me, between Fei and I we have a really good place to start.”
Suddenly excited, Hilde sat up and grasped Duo’s arm roughly. “You know where he went!”
Duo shook his head. “No, but we do have a few good leads as to which shuttles he might have gone on. Fei’s already looking into them and will let me know which would be the best to start with.”
Deflated, Hilde dropped back onto the mattress. “Well, that’s better than having no place to start.”
“Get some rest; I’ll be back in the morning.” Duo leaned over Hilde and placed a kiss on her forehead.
t.b.c.
[1] Antiemetic, Drugs that control vomiting
[2] Ondansetron (Zofran®, Zofran ODT®) helps to relieve nausea and vomiting, especially when associated with the treatment of cancer (chemotherapy). Ondansetron may also be used to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting that occurs after surgery, and occasionally is used to treat severe vomiting during pregnancy.
*yay* Answers.com :D