Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Going For Gold ❯ Chapter 20 ( Chapter 20 )

Disclaimer: I don't own the G boys, I just borrow them from time to time and return them a whole lot happier. I do own the plot and any other characters, especially the equines, that you will find in this fic. Please do not take them without permission. Written for pleasure not profit.

 

Pairing: 2x1x2, 3x4, 13x6, H+C

 

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, sap, angst, vet themes, AU

 

Rating: NC 17

 

Archive: www.gundam-wing-diaries.150m.com Anyone else please ask.

 

Betaed by Yami_tai & ginny *snugs*

 

Summary: Eighteen months have passed since Heero was advised he was short listed for the Olympic games team. With Zero going well and young Shinigami almost ready to make his showjumping debut, Heero looks set to reach his goal. Life though doesn't always play by the rules.

 

Dedication: To Leslie who gave me the original idea for Equinity.

 

Fic 3 in the Equine Intervention Arc.

 

"Going for Gold"

 

January. 2007 ShenLong

 

Chapter 20

 

"Heero?" Duo finally managed to get out as Heero's grip on him lessened slightly. "Not that I'm objecting to the hug or anything, but what the hell is going on here?"

 

"Ah, I guess I should explain." Heero released Duo completely and sat them both down on the couch.

 

"That would help," Duo snorted. "Look, before you do, I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry, you must be feeling awful and all..."

 

"Duo?" It was Heero's turn to look confused.

 

Duo blinked at his lover. "I think we're both a little lost here."

 

"It would seem so," Heero replied in an amused tone. "What are you trying to say, Duo?"

 

"I couldn't help but see the letter on the kitchen table when I came in," Duo sighed and looked at his hands. "I know it was wrong of me, but I saw it there and well, I read it. I'm sorry for invading your privacy and I had no right to read it as it isn't mine. Oh, Heero. I'm so sorry you didn't make the Olympic team." Duo looked up at his boyfriend, tears in his eyes.

 

Heero snorted. "Don't worry about it,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "We both knew there was no way in hell I'd be going to these Olympics, not after Zero's fall."

 

"Heero?" Duo couldn't believe that Heero was acting like this.

 

Heero ran a hand through his bangs and deciding on his words, he fixed Duo with his blue gaze. "I won't deny that I'm disappointed, but it's one of those things. I'll have another shot at it in another three years time; if Shinigami grows to be all we think he will. I have to concentrate on getting him through the grades, gaining experience in competing and hopefully he will be at his prime when the selection comes around for the 2012 Olympics."

 

"Then, what?"

 

Heero chuckled. "Oh, Duo. The next best thing to me being selected has happened."

 

Duo was beginning to get a little frustrated. "Heero, for crying out loud, will you just tell me already?!"

 

"Treize got his letter today..."

 

"...did he?" Duo held his breath.

 

"He made it, Duo. Treize has been selected for the team!"

 

Duo gave a cry and grabbed Heero in a bear hug. "That's great news!" Knowing that Heero couldn't compete in these Olympics, having his boss, mentor and friend making the team was the next best thing.

 

"I'm so pleased for him, Duo. He called me to let me know and ask if we would join him and Zechs in going out to dinner to celebrate. I told him we would. That's okay with you, isn't it?"

 

"That sounds wonderful, Heero. I'm so glad Treize made it and of course we'll go." Underneath all the excitement, Duo was thrilled for Treize and he knew that Treize being selected helped to ease a little of Heero's disappointment at not being in the running any more - well, not for these Olympics anyway.

 

"I'd better get a move on and bring the horses in if we're going to meet them at seven," Heero said as he looked at the clock.

 

Duo gave an amused chuckle. "Heero, it's only just four-thirty. You've got loads of time."

 

Heero gave his partner a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his neck - a habit he seemed to have picked up from Duo. "Guess I'm a little excited and all that."

 

"That you are, Heero. Don't worry though, I still have to x-ray Zero's leg. I didn't get a chance after morning consults so I'll do it now."

 

"Okay, I'll give you a hand."

 

* * *

 

Zero walked much easier across the short expanse of concrete from his stable to the crush, something that made Heero feel a lot better. Duo also seemed pleased and puttered around setting up the portable x-ray machine. With the lead aprons in place, Heero talked to his horse whilst Duo took the pictures he needed. Once they were done, Duo put the machine away and went to develop the films.

 

Heero put the stallion back in his stable and fed him a few carrots. Pulling gently on the gray ears as his horse munched, Heero gave the horse the good news.

 

“Treize and Goose made it into the team, Zero. They're going to the Olympics.”

 

Zero wuffled and nudged for more carrots, carrots Heero supplied. A sudden, melancholy mood came over Heero.

 

“I still wish we'd had the chance, Zero. I know you would have been good. I'm so sorry I let you down, now you've missed your chance at showing them all what you were capable of.” Heero's voice hitched for a moment. “Guess we will have to work really hard with that wayward son of yours, see if we can't get him jumping as good as you...” Heero had to stop, his voice was choking up on him and he tried desperately to swallow the lump in his throat. Burying his face in the warmth of Zero's neck and mane, Heero let a few tears get through his defenses.

 

Yes, he was happy for Treize, his boss had worked damn hard for this and deserved it. But Heero had worked just as hard. Life really wasn't fair sometimes. Then his thoughts turned to his injured horse and his lover. He sniffed away his tears. He still had a lot to be thankful for. Duo... His partner and lover had done his best to save Zero for him when most other people would have simply said it wasn't worth it and had the horse put to sleep. Duo hadn't given up; Zero hadn't given up either.

 

Heero realized then just what it was he had here.

 

Love.

 

Love, respect and faith.

 

Duo believed in him, Zero believed in him; now if only he could believe in himself.

 

Zero nudged his master, a little disturbed by the emotion he could sense coming from Heero. He began to nuzzle at Heero's hip, nosing around his master's pockets in hope of another carrot.

 

Zero's snuffling around his person brought Heero back from his thoughts. He wiped his eyes and gazed at his beloved horse. Suddenly a fierce determination came over him and he stood up straight, squaring his shoulders. “I won't let this stop me,” he muttered to Zero. ”I won't let you or Duo down. I know Shinigami can jump, I know he has the ability to be a top horse and by God I'm going to do everything I can to make him into a champion.” Heero gave the gray another carrot.

 

“I've learnt enough from Treize to be able to bring Shini on, he's got your blood in his veins, Zero, and that counts for something. No, I'm not going to let this stumbling block stop me. I will work on Shini, we will make it through the grades and we will do our damnedest to make the Olympic team in 2012!”

 

Zero perked up and gave a soft snort.

 

“We will do it for you, Zero. But we will also do it for Duo, he deserves no less.” Heero gave the stallion the last of the carrots and petted the gray for a couple more minutes. Feeling much better for having confronted his disappointment and cemented his decision for the future, he went out to the paddocks to bring Shini in and let the youngster know what the future would entail for them both.

 

When Duo stepped out with the developed x-rays in hand, Heero was nowhere to be found. Duo noted Shini in his stable and figured Heero must be bringing in the mares. He walked over to the small 'light board' and slipped the x-rays onto it. Flicking the switch, he took a good look at the film before him. The sound of hooves brought him out of his study of the pictures and he turned to see Heero leading Scythe and Angel in. He flipped the switch to off and went to lend a hand.

 

"Those the x-rays?" Heero asked, stating the obvious as he passed Scythe's lead rope over to the vet.

 

"Yup." Duo took Scythe and put her in the stable. "Let's get these two settled and then I'll show them to you and explain what's going on."

 

The two mares were settled pretty quickly and Duo flipped the light back on to the board for Heero to see the x-rays.

 

"You know I can't really read or understand what these pictures show and mean, care to explain for me?" Heero gazed at the picture with a confused look on his face.

 

Duo grinned. "Here," he said pointing with his pen to a place on the cannon bone where the screws and plate could be seen. "You can tell that this is the plate, and these are the pins." Duo pointed to the appropriate spots on the x-ray. "They are holding in place just fine. As Zero's leg heals so he's going to be putting more and more weight on this leg and thus it is important that these pins and plate stay exactly where they are."

 

Heero nodded at that. He could understand the importance of those small bits of metal in Zero's recovery. Essentially, they were all that were holding Zero's leg together, taking over the role of weight support until the bone fused back and was strong enough to do the job by itself.

 

Duo slipped the picture from the board and put another one up. "This one is taken from the opposite side. You can see the pins again, but the plate isn't so clear as it's on the other side and obscured a little with the cannon bone. You can see the fracture clearer from this side though."

 

"Ah."

 

"Here." Duo ran his pen along a nearly impossible line on the x-ray. "That's the fracture there."

 

"Eh?" Heero leaned in close, squinting his eyes to try and make out the faint line. "It's very hard to see."

 

"Exactly!" Duo beamed.

 

"You mean?" Heero's eyes widened as he took in the happy state of his boyfriend.

 

"Yep. If you compare this x-ray to the ones we've taken previously, the fracture can hardly be seen any more; and that means it's healing perfectly."

 

"Well, shit." Heero didn't know whether to laugh, cry or slump into a heap. Warm arms encircled his waist.

 

"Zero's going to make a good recovery, Heero. He's going to come through this with flying colors and what's more, he'll be perfectly okay to stand at stud."

 

Heero felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders and for the second time within the space of an hour, he found his eyes welling with tears. He hugged Duo close and buried his face in the vet's shoulder. "Thank you, Duo. Thank you for giving him this chance."

 

Duo didn't reply, there wasn't any need to. He simply held his lover in his arms and let the tension, all the bottled up emotion bleed out of him as he comforted by rubbing small circles on Heero's back.

 

After a few minutes the emotional tidal wave subsided and Heero pulled himself together. "Sorry about that," he sniffed as he got himself back under control.

 

"No need to be sorry, Heero. You've had a rough trot lately and it was time to let it all out." Feeling Heero becoming a little uncomfortable with his loss of control, Duo changed the subject. "Come on, we'd better get a wriggle on if we're going to meet with Treize and Zechs on time."

 

"What time is it?"

 

"Six-fifteen."

 

"Shit!"

 

Duo chuckled and removed the x-rays, switching off the board at the same time. He slid the films into an envelope, planning to take them with him to show Zechs how well the bone was healing.

 

"We have a double reason to celebrate now, Duo. Treize's making the Olympic team and Zero making a full recovery and being able to stand at stud," Heero said with a broad smile.

 

"Then let's get moving and get ready," Duo replied.

 

* * *

 

"There they are," Heero said as he spotted Zechs waving to them over the heads of other patrons sitting at the many tables in the restaurant. With Duo following, Heero weaved his way between tables to come to a halt beside the booth Treize and Zechs were sitting in.

 

"Heero, Duo, I'm so glad you could make it," Treize said as he stood up to greet their guests.

 

"Thank you for inviting us," Heero replied.

 

Duo nodded and slid into the booth seat beside Heero, opposite Zechs and Treize. He tucked the envelope beside him, that could wait until later. "I hear congratulations are in order," Duo said with a smile.

 

Treize blushed a little. "Thank you. I'm afraid it really hasn't sunk in quite yet."

 

"You must be pleased though?"

 

"Ecstatic," came Treize's reply.

 

"You deserve it, Treize. You've worked damn hard for this, it's only fair you should have been selected," Heero said as he poured himself and Duo a glass of water.

 

The waiter interrupted them then as he appeared with a bottle and four glasses. The glasses were set upon the table ad the waiter showed Treize the wine. "Our finest bottle, sir. I trust this will be to your liking?"

 

"Thank you," Treize replied.

 

The waiter nodded and removed the cork. He poured a small amount into a glass and waited patiently for Treize to taste the wine. It was a deep, warm red color, smelling lightly of blackberries with a hint of something else. Treize swirled it around and then sniffed at the wine. Appraising the scent, he raised the glass to his lips and drew some into his mouth. He let the liquid play over his tongue, absorbing the taste before swallowing.

 

"Excellent. Thank you." Treize placed his glass back on the table and the waiter proceeded to top it up and then fill the remaining three glasses.

 

Heero and Duo both knew better than to protest. It was after all a celebration and one glass wouldn't hurt.

 

Once the wine waiter had finished the food waiter came by and handed them all menus before disappearing again. Each man picked up his glass and Heero cleared his throat.

 

"To Treize," he began. "Congratulations and may you bring home the gold for Australia."

 

"Hear, hear," Zechs and Duo muttered before taking a sip of their wine.

 

"I'll do my best," replied Treize with a smile. Thank you all for coming out to celebrate with me and your kind wishes. Your friendship and support means a lot to me and both Goose and I will be giving these games our best shot. Now, I suggest we make up our minds what we're going to eat, the waiter will be back in a moment to take our order."

 

Wine glasses were placed back on the table as each man began to study the menu. The waiter returned and took the order before removing the menus and leaving the group in peace.

 

"What have you got there, Duo?" Zechs asked as he spotted Duo moving the envelope beside him.

 

"Zero's latest x-rays. I thought you might be interested in taking a look at them," Duo replied.

 

"Thanks. I'd be most interested to see them," Zechs said and held out his hand to take the envelope from Duo.

 

Pulling the films out from inside, Zechs held them up to the light to see better and gave a small gasp. "Well," he murmured as a smile began to spread over his face.

 

Treize snuck a peek at the pictures, he'd not seen any x-rays of Zero's leg and was curious as to what had gone on. He knew the details, both Zechs and Heero had told him, but this was the first time he'd actually seen the 'evidence'. Looking carefully at them he could see the metal that was holding the horse's leg together and realized just how bad the accident had been.

 

"You see what I saw?" Duo asked with a grin.

 

"Yeah," Zechs replied. "It's looking really good."

 

"All I can see is bits of bone and metal," Treize muttered looking totally lost.

 

"Don't worry, I couldn't make head nor tail of it either until Duo explained it to me," Heero chuckled. Secretly he was glad he wasn't the only one who seemed to have trouble deciphering x-rays.

 

Zechs and Duo explained to Treize exactly what he was looking at which made it much clearer for Treize.

 

"It's barely visible now. That's wonderful. Looks like the pins and plate are really doing their job. After looking at that I think it's a safe bet to say he's going to make a full recovery from this," Zechs stated as he gazed at the tiny line that indicated Zero's fracture.

 

"That's what I think too," Duo said. "Heero will be able to stand him at stud without any worries if it continues to heal like this."

 

"Then this calls for another toast and celebration. To Zero making a full recovery." Zechs raised his glass.

 

They all drank a toast again.

 

"All I can say is I'm glad you showed them to us before we started to eat, I'd hate to have seen them afterwards," Treize said with a smirk.

 

"I didn't think you were the queasy type, Treize?" Duo said with a grin.

 

"I'm not, but I think some of our fellow diners may not be so sympathetic."

 

"Ah, shit." Duo quickly slipped the films back into the folder. Some of the tables closer to them and been gazing curiously at the x-rays and one or two had gone a little green.

 

The awkward moment passed as the waiter brought their entrees.

 

* * *

 

"What happens now, Treize?" Heero questioned as the waiter removed their finished dinner dishes and brought coffee. Heero was genuinely interested to know what the procedure would be for one competing in the Olympics.

 

"The games start in five months time," Treize began. "I'll be leaving here in roughly four months time. I want to have Goose over to Hong Kong with at least three weeks to spare. Give him time to acclimatize and get used to the place."

 

"Hong Kong? I thought the games were in Beijing?" Zechs queried.

 

"They are. The Olympics themselves are in Beijing, but the equestrian part of the games is being held in Hong Kong. The quarantine laws there are better than Beijing. It will be easier for the horses to go through quarantine there than in China. Plus it will be easier for them to travel home from Hong Kong. There's a few other reasons as well, but I don't have all the information on that at this point."

 

Duo gave a soft snicker and then found everyone looking at him.

 

"What's so funny?" Heero prompted.

 

"Hong Kong."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Look, Hong Kong isn't exactly known to have wide open spaces and pasture. The race horses there are all stabled in some sort of 'apartment' complex. It's like a multistory car park, only they're stables, horse parking bays not cars," Duo snickered again. "They don't have paddocks to turn them out in."

 

"Oh."

 

"I'm wondering where they plan on holding the showjumping competition. For that matter, what about the eventing team?"

 

"Eventing team?" Zechs asked.

 

"They can't exactly do the cross country competition through the main streets!"

 

"Would make for an interesting water jump," Heero mused as visions of horses jumping into Hong Kong's harbor and swimming to the other side popped into his head.

 

Treize laughed when Heero told them of his 'vision'. "Actually, they have built a special stadium for the dressage and showjumping competitions, that also includes those two phases of the three day event. As for the cross country; they are combining the Jockey club's country club and the golf course together to build the cross country course on."

 

"Wouldn't want to be teeing off then. I can just picture it. Lining up the ball, the shout of 'fore!', the swing and the ball goes whizzing off only to hit some poor innocent rider right in the noggin," Duo snickered.

 

The other three look at him in disbelief for a moment before the humor of the situation hit home. Then they all laughed.

 

"Could cause some problems when a rider disputes the reason for a fall, or his horse bolting. 'I'm sorry, Mr Steward, but this white ball came flying through the air and hit Dobbin in the flank causing him to take off. I swear it wasn't me.' Scores could be interesting," Duo mused.

 

"Something tells me the green keepers aren't going to be all that happy having about a hundred horses tearing up their fairways," Zechs mused.

 

“Wouldn't want to put a hoof in the hole on green number ten.”

 

“Then you'd have a 'hoof in one'.” Duo sniggered.

 

“He eagled the first, birdied the second and horsey'd the third,” Zechs quipped.

 

By this stage all four men were snorting with laughter and getting some weird looks from the few remaining diners. It was with great effort they managed to bring their merriment back under control.

 

“There's still a lot to do before I leave,” Treize said. “Not only do I have the horses back here to organize, but there's the flight for Goose and Duck, all the packing for myself and the horses and that includes their feed.”

 

“Wouldn't it be easier to just buy the feed over in Honkers?” Duo asked, applying the nickname to Hong Kong.

 

“Yes, it would. But there's also the risk of the horse's becoming ill with even a slight change in diet. I'm better off taking my own feed, that way I won't have to worry about them picking up any illness.”

 

“Good point,” Duo agreed.

 

“I'd better check my passport is up to date to. Oh, that reminds me, I'll have to get a passport for Goose and Duck too.”

 

“A passport for the horses?” Heero's eyes widened. He'd never thought that a horse would need a passport.

 

“Yes. The horses also need to have a passport to travel internationally. It's not quite as complicated as a human one. It's very similar to registration papers with the addition of their vaccination records, vet check results and photo.”

 

“It's all very intense, this competing stuff,” Zechs muttered.

 

“Oh, you'll soon pick it up, Zechs. After all, you're the vet that's going to be doing the vaccinations and filling out the health check report for the passport,” Treize said in an amused tone.

 

“I am?”

 

“Yes. I intend to call Oakford tomorrow and book you to do the necessary paperwork and checks as soon as is possible.”

 

“Ah. Okay then.”

 

“What about the transport?” Heero asked.

 

“Ah, that's the tricky part.”

 

“Why tricky?” Duo questioned.

 

“There's a couple of airlines that have special animal cargo planes, but as you can appreciate, air travel for horses isn't cheap. Usually the airline will donate a certain amount of the travel costs, the rest have to be paid for. All the team horses, dressage, eventing and showjumping will be traveling together on one of these transports. The owners or riders have to come up with the rest of the money themselves.”

 

“Well that sucks,” Duo said.

 

“With all of us chipping in to pay the difference it isn't as bad as it could be,” Treize stated.

 

“Just how much does each person end up paying?” Heero questioned.

 

“Roughly about eight thousand.”

 

Heero paled, Duo thought he was going to pass out.

 

“E…eight thousand?” whispered Heero.

 

“That's if you want to bring your horse back home.” Treize sighed. “A lot of the competitors sell their animals after the games so they don't have to pay so much to bring them back. Then there's the quarantine laws as well. Horses can't come back into the country without spending a certain amount of time in quarantine - and that costs money. I fully intend to bring both Goose and Duck back with me, hence it's going to cost quite a bit.”

 

“What I don't get is why the government can't put some money towards this. It wouldn't hurt them, they rip enough off the public in taxes as it is. You guys are after all going all that way to represent your country, the least the country could do is show some support financially,” Duo growled.

 

“I agree, but unfortunately the government doesn't.”

 

“Stinks, that's what it does. That's so unfair,” Duo continued to grumble.

 

“Life just wasn't meant to be easy,” Treize sighed.

 

“Shouldn't be this damn hard either.”

 

“Heero?”

 

“Hai”

“I'll need to have a talk with you regarding the remaining horses and their work programs whilst I'm away. I'm hoping you will continue to work them for me.”

 

“Of course I will, Treize.”

 

“I'm going to turn a few of them out for a bit of a spell, but there will still be about six that will need regular work. I'll arrange everything with you and Otto closer to the date though.”

 

“No problem.”

 

Duo glanced at his watch and noted the restaurant was close to empty. “I really think we ought to be going. It's ten-thirty and I've got consults in the morning.”

 

“Yes, we should. I'm also on early,” Zechs said.

 

Treize called for the bill and gave the waiter his credit card, waving away Heero and Duo's attempts to pay their share. “It's my treat. I asked you both to join us for a celebration and I'm really pleased you could come.”

 

“Thank you, Treize. That's very kind of you,” Duo replied.

 

With the bill having been taken care of, the four left the restaurant and bade their farewells in the car park.

 

~ * ~

 

tbc...

 

All information on the equestrian venue for the games in this fic was taken from the official Olympic Equestrian games web site. All the information on the venue, events etc. can be found here: http://www.equestrian2008.org/eng/front_e.aspx Just scroll down to the bottom and click on the different events or the venue for further information.

 

Yes, horses must have their own passport to travel internationally to compete. I'm not completely sure on the exact requirements for the passport, but it does need to contain all relevant vaccination data, vet check and a full description of the horse including photo as far as I know.

 

Unfortunately it is a sad fact that the Australian equestrian teams have to pay for their own and their horses transport costs when competing in the Olympics. Whereas all other athletes are subsidized by the Australian Institute of Sport and other sporting bodies, the equestrian teams aren't. They have to either pay for themselves or obtain sponsorship to meet the costs involved. This is why a lot of the riders end up selling their animals overseas rather than have to foot the bill in bringing them back home - trust me, it isn't cheap!