Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Love Lost and Found Again ❯ Leaving ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: Sorry this is a bit more switching in the point of views. Now you get to find out a little more about Alex's little past. Review please.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.

Chapter 5: Leaving

(Duo's POV)

The morning routines went on as they usually did. Quatre and Trowa were back from their mission. Quatre was once again sitting at the table with Alex and Trowa was fixing his breakfast. Duo watched her as he always did, although now with a glow knowing that she felt the same way about him as he did for her. She seemed relaxed until she came to a certain part of the paper that made her clench her mug of hot tea tighter. Her eyes went rapidly through the article and when she was finished, she put down her cup, a little perturbed. Duo was curious as to what could have bothered her so much, but she smiled at Quatre and asked if he wouldn't mind if she would keep this part of the newspaper. He glanced at it and said it was fine. He really only read the financial sections. Then she left the breakfast table.

Duo sighed again, and looked up suddenly to see Trowa looking at him. To anyone outside of their little group, he might have looked expressionless, but Duo saw the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. After a quick glance at Quatre, he saw that said blonde boy was sitting smiling at the “Politics” section of the newspaper, and so Duo deduced that he was amused about him as well.

“What?” Duo pouted. He didn't see what was so amusing about the situation.

“You should talk to her,” Quatre said, without looking up from his paper. “I think she likes talking to you.” Trowa nodded slightly.

Duo blushed. How could they know? Or maybe it was just painfully obvious to them that he liked her because they knew him that well. He sighed again and pulled himself up from his position on the couch. With a quick “all right already,” he headed to her room.

That's when he heard her sobs. Heartbreaking sobs that rendered his own into shreds.

(Alex's POV)

It had started out being a pleasant morning. She had almost believed that she could be happy living like this. She had finally found at least some semblance of a family. And Duo loved her. That was more than she had ever expected to find.

But that was before she read that article in the newspaper. “Child brutally murdered, killer is still searching for someone.” In the article it had included the message sent out with the child:

I'm still looking for you. Don't think you've escaped. Seven will die before the church will burn. Are you going to let that happen?

Alex started shaking again, her tears coursing down her cheeks involuntarily. How could he do this? The children were innocent. They didn't deserve to die. Not because of her. Alex started sobbing, unable to hold back the tears. She had to leave.

(Duo's POV)

Duo was torn. Last time he was so broken up, she had gone in and made it better simply by being there. Would she feel the same about his presence? Damn, if only the three of them didn't have to leave that evening. The next mission required a lot of collaboration, and as one of the best programmers of the group, his skills were as necessary to the next mission as Trowa's efficiency and Quatre's planning. He bit his lip. The mission should only take one day. He could always talk to her about it when he got back. And it might give her some time she needed to collect herself. They would have more time together after he got back and then they could work everything out. They loved each other; that had to be enough. Duo smiled, yes they were in love. He backed away from the door to give her some time. He would tell her goodbye later and that he loved her and that he wasn't going anywhere.

(Alex's POV)

Alex buried her face in her arms. Duo's goodbye had been painful and bittersweet. He had kissed her and smiled and told her that he loved her. He had also told her that he would be back and he wouldn't go anywhere for awhile after this next mission was over. After they left, she collapsed on the floor in sobs. Why was it so hard to leave them?

She quickly gathered her things, dressing in the old black attire she had come in wearing, her hair hidden again underneath the beanie. She paused by Duo's bedroom, and then, on impulse, she grabbed the shirt he had been wearing the night they had made love and stuffed it into her bag. She wanted something to remember him by. She left a note for them all, a short one to tell them that they didn't need to worry about her, and not to look for her. And a short note she also left for Duo she included as well.

Then she headed for the main entrance. She had found that it was easily the most easily cracked system in the entire hideout, but only able to be opened using the five-password key entry. Duo had changed the code recently, but she hoped she could still open it.

The command window opened. It read:

> Password please.

> 01.

> 02.

> 03.

> 04.

> 05.

Taking a look at them, Alex smiled. It was a password for the five of them. Only someone that knew them all would be able to figure it out and be able to enter or exit. Perhaps it was the nicknames of their Gundams. She typed in:

> 01. Wing

> 02. Scythe

> 03. Heavyarms

> 04. Sandrock

> 05. Shenlong

>> Incorrect passwords! Two more tries.

Shit. Of course there would be a limit. But then, it made sense it wouldn't have been the Gundams. That information could have been easily guessed. Perhaps it was the people in their lives that were important.

> 01. Odin

> 02. Helen

> 03. Catherine

> 04. Iria

> 05. Meiran

>> Verified 01, 03, 04, 05. Incorrect 02. One more try.

She screwed up on Duo's? Shit. Was it supposed to be Father Maxwell? She didn't know his first name. What if she screwed up? She wouldn't be able to try to leave again, and she would have to wait until Duo or Heero came back to disable and restart the lockdown on the system. They would never let her leave for sure. Then the thought came to her, and with tears slowly trekking their paths down her cheeks she typed:

> 02. Alex

>> Access granted.

(Duo's POV)

The fucking mission was finally over. He could finally go home to Alex and fix everything that had been going wrong. His anxiety was palpable, and Quatre and Trowa tried their best to keep things moving along to get back as expediently as possible. Duo felt something was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew in the back of his mind.

When they finally made it back, he opened the door and rushed to her room, with Quatre and Trowa smiling indulgently at him. He knocked, hesitantly. He was impatient to see her again, but he didn't want to overwhelm him. When she didn't answer, he knocked again. And again. Finally, he frowned and opened the door. She wasn't there.

“Duo?” a worried voice called from the living room area. Duo's heart dropped. He made his way slowly to where his friends stood, already knowing what they held in their hands. “You should read this…”

Duo read the note slowly, his eyes blurring with tears. Then he opened the second one, addressed solely to him, and he broke down with hysterical laughter that ended in sobbing as he clutched onto Quatre with everything he had left.

To you all,

You've been like a family to me for these past few weeks, so it's hard to leave. But just believe me when I say that I have no choice. Take care of each other, and please take care of Duo. Heero, please take care of my cousin. You're his anchor when he's falling apart. Wufei, don't lose your temper too much, and I'm sure you'll make everyone proud that you're the leader of the Dragon Clan. Trowa, thank you for being around to protect everyone. Please keep doing so, they all need it whether they like it or not. Quatre, thank you for being my big brother when I needed one most. Duo, I'm so sorry. I will miss you all.

Goodbye, Alex

Duo,

I'm sorry. I will always love you, but please forget me. It will lead to only pain. And I'm sorry I stole your shirt. I wanted something to remember you by.

Love, Alex