Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Chimaera ❯ Chapter 37 ( Chapter 37 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

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

Rating: NC 17

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

Pairings: 1x2x1

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

http://sweetlysour.net.

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http://www.theforsakenwk.com

Summary: 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.

Special thanks to my wonderful beta's DBZVelena, Ryouga and Yami_Tai, I'd be lost without you guys!

Status: In progress.

~ Indicates flashbacks ~

/ thoughts /

"Chimaera"

October 2003 ShenLong

Chapter 37

Heero had left and Duo sat staring at the white wall of the hospital room, his mind whirling with thoughts. His hand again came to rest on his abdomen and he gave a gentle caress with his palm. / His child... His and Heero's child... / Despite all the information that Sally had given them so far, the things that could go wrong, the fact that they were swimming around in the dark just as much as Heero and himself were, made no difference to his decision. He would carry this child, he would give it life and he would love it unconditionally.

A smile tugged at his lips, knowing that Heero wanted this just as much as he did, gave him the courage to continue on. Even if Heero had decided that he didn't want to be a part of this, wanted to get the hell out now, Duo would still have carried on.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Maxwell?" Nurse Brown bustled into the room and set about laying the clean dressings on the moveable tray.

"Not too bad, I guess."

"That's good to hear." She moved behind him and gently eased him forwards so she could pull out some of the supporting pillows. "I'll check your wound sites and change the dressings for you, then I want you to lie back and get some rest. You have had a major shock, Mr. Maxwell and it will take a little time for you to adjust to that."

"Duo, call me Duo." Duo turned to the Nurse. "Calling me Mr. Maxwell makes me feel old."

She smiled at him. "Okay, Duo it is."

"So what can I call you then?" Duo asked.

"You can call me Nurse Brown," the nurse replied, a twinkle in her eye as she watched his face register her words.

Duo shook his head and gave her a grin. "I'll pay that one," he laughed.

"Good, now lean forwards a little more for me."

It didn't take the nurse long to check the wounds and dust them over with penicillin powder, placing fresh gauze over the stitches and taping it in place, the final covering of surgical dressing making sure the sites were protected. "There now, all done." Nurse Brown eased him back and helped him to get comfortable. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"I suppose a release form is out of the question?"

Nurse Brown shook her head at him.

"What about a wheelchair then, so I can get myself out of here?"

"How about a sedative?" the nurse countered with a raised eyebrow.

"I guess I should take that nap now."

"Wise decision, Duo. I won't be far away so if you do need anything..." Nurse Brown gave him a mock glare. "...that is allowable under hospital policy, just press your buzzer and I'll be right in. Meanwhile you get as much rest as you can."

Sighing softly and resigning himself to his *fate*, Duo snuggled into the pillows and let his eyes begin to drift shut. He was tired, the emotional upheaval he'd experienced draining the last of his reserves and it was a blessed relief to let himself be claimed by sleep and forget all about his problems for the moment. They would certainly still be there when he woke up.

Nurse Brown returned ten minutes later to check on her patient and smiled to herself. He was fast asleep, gentle snoring coming from his partially open mouth and a look of contentment on his face. Being a registered midwife as well as a general nurse she had experienced her fair share of pregnancies and births, never tiring of the tiny miracles of life she'd helped to deliver during her career. The way a woman somehow looked radiant, glowing even, her beauty enhanced by her pregnancy had never ceased to amaze her; but to look upon this young man and the way he positively exuded vibrancy of life, had her catching her breath, tears in her eyes. He faced a difficult time ahead, the months would not be easy but with a steely determination in her eyes, Nurse Brown vowed to do her best to look after him for as long as he was in her nursing care.

Quietly she turned and left.

~ * ~

Sally and Heero, with G in tow, headed back to Sally's office. "I suggest you call Quatre from my office, Heero. I can get you a secure line there. Please, do not discuss too much of this over the 'phone, even if the line is secure it's not infallible."

"Hai, I understand. I'll give minimal information for now but I will have to explain in full to Quatre a soon as it's safe to do so."

"From what I remember about Quatre, he isn't going to let you get away with not telling him." Sally snorted.

"Hn. I swear he's like a dog with a bone sometimes," Heero replied as he rolled his eyes. All he could think of at the moment was heaven help Duo once Quatre found out. He thought his protectiveness towards his lover was strong at times, it would be nothing compared to Quatre in full blown mother mode and Heero had no doubts that once Quatre knew, the little blonde would be pulling out all the stops. He snickered to himself with that thought. Wufei would be a piece of cake compared to Quatre.

They entered Sally's office and Sally immediately made for the 'phone, securing a line out for Heero. "There you are, Heero," she said as she handed over the receiver. "I'll take G through to the next room with me; we need to do some more research on Duo's condition. Call me when you're done or if you need any help."

"Thanks Sally." Heero took the receiver and waited for both doctors to exit the room. Once he was alone he pulled his wallet from his pocket and sifted through the contents until he found Quatre's card. Flipping it over he read the number written on the back and punched it into the 'phone. The call connected and he patiently waited for it to be answered.

"Quatre Winner speaking."

"Quatre."

"Heero! It's been a while. How are you?"

Heero allowed a small smile to grace his lips. It didn't seem to matter how much time passed inbetween contact amongst the former pilots, Quatre was always happy to hear from one or the other of them. Now was no exception. "I'm fine, Quatre. How about you... and Trowa?"

"We're both fine, Heero. The business is keeping me pretty well occupied and Trowa is here for a few weeks while the circus is taking a break. How is Duo, and Wufei? Are you all still working for Preventer?"

"Wufei is fine, and yes, we are still working for Preventer. Quatre?"

"Yes, Heero? Is there something wrong?" The blonde's voice sounded concerned.

"Yes and no. I need to ask a rather big favor," Heero sighed.

"Anything, Heero. You know if it's possible I will help you out."

"Do you,… do you by chance happen to have a place that Duo and I can stay at that is near to the Preventer Headquarters but isolated? It also needs to be secure."

"I think I can help you out there, Heero. But why? What's the problem? Has something happened? Is Duo okay? Is there something you're not telling me?" Quatre's voice began to pick up a little in pitch and volume.

"Quatre, calm down. I cannot explain to you over the 'phone, it isn't secure enough. There isn't anything to panic over though, Duo is fine but we need to have somewhere secure to stay for a while. I promise I will tell you everything once we are settled. Could you send me the coordinates please and I'll contact you once I have Duo there and arrange to talk to you and bring you up to date on the situation."

"Of course, Heero. Where would you like me to send them?"

"Do you still have your secure e-mail address?"

"Yes."

"I'll send through to that and give you the details of where to send back to."

"Okay."

"Quatre?"

"Yes, Heero?"

"Arigato." Heero cut the call and leaned back in the chair. A puff of air escaped his mouth and blew the bangs from his face. He stretched, feeling his spine pop and grunted with the satisfaction it brought him. Standing he went through to the adjoining room where Sally and G were busy on the computers. They looked up expectantly at him. "Quatre will send me the coordinates. I need to e-mail him though with a secure address to send them to."

Sally moved from her position in front of her computer. "Here, use mine," she said. "I need to grab a drink of water."

Heero sat down and typed in his codes to access his secure e-mail account. Moments later he had sent his message on its way and waited for Quatre to respond. He didn't have to wait long. Decoding the message he scribbled down the coordinates, wiped the e-mail and closed the program down. Then he brought up the map of the city and outlying suburbs, checking the location of the house that Quatre had notified him of. He gave a satisfied smile.

Sally strolled back in and looked expectantly at Heero.

"I have the location," he said quietly.

"Where?" Sally asked and moved to stand behind the Japanese man.

"Here." Heero pointed to a spot on the screen.

Her brow crinkled as Sally took in the location. "Well, the location is good, not too far away but secluded enough that you shouldn't be bothered by outsiders."

"Hai. I think it's a place we used once during the wars to hole up in while the heat was on."

Sipping at her water Sally studied the map again. "I think we should take a run out there tomorrow and check it out, make sure it's going to be secure enough, see what facilities it has and what equipment we are going to need to bring in. Duo won't be able to be moved for another couple of days yet so that will give us enough time to set it up with anything we need."

"Hn. I agree."

G looked over at the pair. "I think under the circumstances it would be best if I were to stay here at the Preventer headquarters, I might draw attention if I stay at the house with them."

Heero turned to look at the man. "But what about Duo?"

"Duo will be fine, Heero. I will stop by each day to check on him and G will be able to come out each week to see how things are progressing. Nurse Brown will accompany you both to the house and stay with you for the full term of Duo's pregnancy. She is a qualified nurse as well as a midwife and I trust her implicitly. If anything should go wrong and you need us she can contact me and I can be there within half an hour, also she will be able to take care of things until I get there."

Heero still looked doubtful but really didn't have much say in the matter.

"Contact Quatre again and tell him the house will be suitable. Also ask him if there are any staff there to please give them time off, Preventer will cover their wages," Sally stated.

"What of security?" G asked.

"I'm sure Quatre will have a pretty secure system installed; besides I will personally upgrade it myself. Also I'm sure he will let us *borrow* some of the Magunacs as extra security." Heero replied.

G just grunted, turned back to his screen and typed away at the keyboard. Sally flashed Heero a grin and nodded in the direction of her computer. Heero went back to the computer and logged into his e-mail once more, typed up the message and sent it on its way.

Sally looked at her watch. "Come on, I think Duo will be awake again soon. I'd like to go get one of the ultra sound machines and do a preliminary scan for the moment. I can do a more in-depth one tomorrow."

"I'll stay here and continue with this research if you don't mind, Dr. Po." G said as he clicked an icon on the screen.

"I"'ll call back for you later then," Sally replied. She turned to Heero and the pair of them left the office and went in search of the ultra sound machine.

~ * ~

Duo began to stir, his eyelids flickered open and his mouth stretched into a yawn. The room was quiet so he turned his head to look around. No one was there. He couldn't help the feeling of disappointment in his stomach. He quickly shook it off though and chided himself for being so silly. It still didn't make him feel any better though. His fingers plucked at the blanket, the silence getting to him. He missed Heero.

Tears began to make their way into his eyes and he blinked rapidly at them. There was no reason for him to be feeling this emotional; Heero would be back soon so until then he just had to wait. A tear managed to escape and track down his cheek; he raised the back of his hand and brushed it away, scolding himself for being so weak. In the meantime though his head was listening and agreeing with him, while his emotions were running off the scale. Another tear escaped only to be swiped furiously away, then another tripped over his eyelids, followed by two more. As fast as he wiped them away more would spill forth to cascade down his face. Soon the trickle had become a flood and Duo found himself sobbing uncontrollably. The worst thing was, he didn't know why!

He reached for the box of tissues on the side cabinet and cried out as his stitches pulled tight and more tears coursed down his cheeks. "God dammit!" he moaned.

"Duo? Shit! Duo? Are you all right?" Heero had heard the curse as he walked back up the hall way towards Duo's room. Hearing the cry he broke into a run and grabbing the side of the door frame, skidded into the room. In a flash he was at the bedside, arms wrapping around Duo's slender frame, holding him close and running a soothing hand over his hair. "It's okay, Duo," he whispered. "I'm here now, I'll look after you."

Duo buried his face into Heero's shoulder and let the tears run. His arms wound around Heero's frame and he clung to the Japanese man like a life line, unable to stop the waterfall.

Continuing to hold his lover close and offer words of comfort, Heero tried to find out what on earth had upset his partner so much. "Duo, what's wrong? Please tell me what's upsetting you. Do you hurt? Did something happen? Please tell me..."

Duo continued to sob, not able to say or do anything for the moment, just having to ride out the upset. The tears eventually slowed and Duo gave a few hiccups and sniffled loudly. Heero reached for the tissue box and brought it to the bed, offering it to Duo who took several handfuls. Blowing his nose and wiping his eyes Duo began to feel a little better and offered Heero a watery smile. "Thank you," he mumbled.

"You're welcome," came the soft reply. "Care to tell me what happened?"

"That's just it, Heero. I don't know. I woke up and felt all... lonely I guess, then the tears started and I couldn't get them to stop. I reached for a tissue and pulled my stitches, which is why I cried out and then you were here..." Duo's voice trailed off, sniffles being the only noise in the room.

"That is quite normal, Duo."

Both ex pilots looked up at the sound of the third voice. Sally stood in the door way. She smiled as she approached the pair. "Many pregnant women experience a similar thing. Becoming teary and bursting into tears for no apparent reason is yet another part of pregnancy. It's just your hormones playing up. It will eventually settle down."

"I hate it." Duo growled and then seeing the confused and hurt look on Heero's face he quickly clarified his words. "I hate the teary feeling, the emotions that seem to run madly through me, not the being pregnant bit, Heero."

Visibly relaxing, Heero pulled Duo closer to him and addressed Sally. "How long will this last?"

"Hard to say. It varies in women but in Duo's case..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You haven't a clue. Just another part of the unknown in my case."

"Sorry, Duo." Sally turned sharply as the rumbling sound in the hall drew closer. "Ahh, the ultra sound machine."

Duo looked up at Heero and smiled, the tears having miraculously vanished. Heero gave Duo a light squeeze in return. Sally assisted Nurse Brown to wheel the machine into the room and over to the bed. Nurse Brown busied herself plugging it in and twisting the various dials, punching in the information necessary to the machine.

"Heero, I will need you to move aside a little; Duo, can you lay flat on your back for me?"

Heero moved as requested and assisted Duo to lie flat; Nurse Brown produced a bottle of gel and some paper towels. "Please lift your gown for me, Duo."

Duo complied, Heero helping him and the gown was soon bunched up around Duo's chest. Nurse Brown pulled the waistband of his boxers down a little and then spread the gel across his lower abdomen. Duo flushed a little but Heero's hand in his reassured him that his modesty was still in tact. Sally began to play around with the machine, switching it on and inputting the last of the data.

"Would you like to see your child?" she asked, sound head poised in the air.

Duo gazed at Heero, the excitement sparkling in his eyes. Heero returned the gaze with a loving one of his own and then turned to Sally. "Hai, we would."

Smiling, Sally lowered the sound head to Duo's abdomen and began to press lightly, moving the object around, coating it in the gel so as it would glide easier and pick up the pictures better. She began to press a little firmer as she probed around, searching for the tiny fetus. Watching the screen and the gray, black and white fuzzy images, she concentrated on seeking out her target. Duo and Heero couldn't quite see the screen so continued to hold hands and draw strength from each other.

"Ahhh... There you are."

Both men fixed their attention back on the doctor; a broad grin covered her face. Nurse Brown turned the monitor a little so they could see the screen and Sally settled the sound head over a darker point in Duo's abdomen.

"Hey, little one, meet your parents," she murmured softly.

This time the tears ran freely from Heero's eyes as well as Duo's. The shadows on the screen had condensed enough that the outline of the fetus could clearly be seen.

As if knowing it was *on show* the tiny being turned slightly in its watery world.

Nurse Brown turned the sound on and the gentle thudding of a tiny heart could be heard.

"Our child," whispered Heero as he nuzzled Duo's neck, overcome by the emotion of the moment.

"Ours," responded Duo as he also choked on tears of happiness.

~ * ~

tbc.......