Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Sandrock was no more ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 11 )

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Chapter ten

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Bright morning sunlight streamed through the large balcony windows, waking the boy. `I'm not in the hospital.' The blonde realized rubbing his tired aquamarine eyes, looking around `I don't know where I am… but it feels familiar and I'm not afraid.' Slowly, he unsteadily got to his feet and began to explore his surroundings.

The room looked like a shrine. Trinkets were on dressers and shelves along with photographs and other memorabilia. In the pictures, he noticed, were the emerald eyed brunette and a blonde boy that resembled himself in many ways.

He picked up a photo and walked to a mirror. He stood and examined the boy in the picture and himself. They were identical, except for the boy in the photo looked several years younger.

"That was taken three days after we met." A quiet voice informed him.

"T…Trowa…" The boy's eyes looked sad.

"I was thinking…" the brunette interrupted, "that you'd like to shower get some clean clothes, and then have some tea and breakfast. Maybe afterwards you could look around the grounds until the visiting hours open at the hospital. I'd be more than happy to take you to see your friend."

"That would be great, thank you."

"Quatre…" Trowa began, "I want you to know that no matter what happens; you'll be okay." The boy just nodded and placed the picture back.

"You don't smile." The boy observed pointing to several photos.

"Some of them were taken by Catherine before I met you. I didn't have much to smile about."

"Catherine is…your sister?" Quatre looked uncertain.

"Yes." Trowa confirmed, looking pleased, "Well- sort of. She looked after me while I hid at the circus. She acted like an overprotective sister, so that's the role we adopted."

The blonde nodded slowly, "Past tense?"

Trowa sighed, "Yeah, well… I fight a war, travel from space to earth and back again several times, lose the love of my life and she doesn't think I can handle myself. She loathes the fact that I'd rather stay here in the safe house then in the circus traveling from colony to colony with her." He shrugged, and led the blonde into the bathroom getting him some towels. "Anyway, just over a year ago, we had a major fall out. I told her that I didn't want to ever see her again. I hadn't even talked to her until two days ago."

"I'm sorry." The blonde murmured.

Trowa glanced at the smaller boy, "Don't be. It was bound to happen sooner or later." He handed Quatre the towels. He then stepped back and cocked an eyebrow, "You've gotten taller. I'd say a good three inches." A smile crossed the usually emotionless mask, "I do believe that you're taller then Duo now."

Quatre blushed with embarrassment, "I guess he can't call me shrimp anymore, huh?"

"I guess not… Hey, you're remembering a lot!" Trowa suddenly realized.

Quatre's blush turned a deeper shade of red, "I…I suppose I am. It's like… everything clicks into place the more I'm here…the more I'm with you…being here…It feels so right."

"Quatre, this is great!" Trowa was practically ready to explode he was so overjoyed.

The blonde couldn't help but laugh, "I still don't remember a lot, however, I'm positive I have never seen you behave this way before… Trowa, you're almost giddy you're so happy. I don't think you've ever displayed this much emotion."

The smile drained from the taller boy's face, "I did once." He said.

"Really? When?"

"The day Sandrock blew up." Trowa said quietly.

"Sandrock?" The smaller boy's eyes lost their joy, filling with pain. Suddenly, he hunched over, grabbing the sides of his head, whimpering like a frightened puppy.

"Quatre?" Trowa shouted catching the boy as he fell to his knees, "Are you okay?"

"It hurts, Trowa…" The boy struggled, his body quaking with frustrated sobs, "It hurts so much…"

"It's okay, little one. Just calm down, take a deep breath." Trowa soothed, "I know how much it can overwhelm and frighten you. I know how much it hurts to remember, I do… but you can't fight it or it'll hurt worse." He wiped away the blonde's tears and drew him close.

Quatre gasped for breath as he tried to calm himself. He then fell against the taller boy, losing himself in that warm comfort. Soon, the steady sound of his breath alerted Trowa that the smaller boy had fallen asleep.

A small smile crossed his face as he continued to rub the blonde's back. "You were there for me when I needed you, Quatre. Please allow me to be here for you now?" Trowa whispered. He brushed the blonde strands away from the boy's face. As if in response, Quatre gave a soft mew and snuggled closer.

"Knock, knock." An upbeat voice called, "Don't get mad, Tro- I did knock!"

"In here, Duo." The banged one beckoned, "Just keep it down, okay?"

"Uh, sure, Trowa." Duo said in a quieter voice leaning against the bathroom door frame. The braided boy gave his friend an odd look, "Uh, Tro- why are you sitting on the floor? Is Quatre okay?" He asked surprised when he noticed the blonde asleep in the other's arms.

Trowa sighed sadly, glancing down at the other's sleeping face, "I think he's fighting his memories. Good memories like the time we've spent together, he's slowly, but most defiantly remembering. But when I mentioned Sandrock's destruction…" Trowa paused. The boy in his arms cringed and whimpered in his sleep. "Ssssh, you're okay." He reassured the blonde until his slumber became peaceful again.

"I see what you mean." Duo whispered. "So what do you think?"

"I think more happened to him then we realized and it's too painful to cope with. So he's forced himself to forget it."

"You think his amnesia is purposlly self inflicted?" Duo stared at the banged boy in disbelief, "Quatre's not that type of person!"

Trowa frowned thoughtfully, "No, not purposlly. Subconsciously. He's always had someone around to help him through rough time, whether he realized it or not."

"Except that time he built Wing Zero." Duo pointed out.

Trowa nodded as the blonde began to shiver. "Help me put him to bed?" He asked.

"Of course." Duo knelt to pick up their friend. "Something bad happened and he went crazy because he was alone."

"He made a vow, after he had found me, that no matter how bad it became for him, he would never do something like that again. I'm wondering if this amnesia is his defense against that?" Trowa explained, tucking Quatre into bed.

"If you can't remember, It won't haunt you." Duo mumbled as Trowa passed a lingering finger along the blonde's cheek. "But it does haunt him, doesn't it?"

"He needs to know that he's safe. That he's no longer alone."

"It's Quatre." Duo shrugged, "He's afraid to burden anyone."

"It's not a burden to me…" Trowa whispered.

"I know." Duo shook his head, "It wouldn't be a burden to any of us. We're family."

Trowa smiled thinking about that, "That's true, however, it won't do any good until he realizes it."

"You know, Trowa, I think you need to realize that too." Duo quirked an eyebrow at the banged boy, "It would have made the time Quatre was gone easier on you."

Trowa fell back into his normal emotionless silent self, "Hn."

"I don't think I've seen you so open as you have been these last few days!" Duo grinned, "I'm relieved. You were like the walking dead!"

"I was dead, Duo."

"Mmmm."

"Duo, why'd you come here anyway? I thought Hiiro told you to give Quatre space."

"Oh, yeah!" Duo perked up, "He did, but you have a visitor, and I didn't think Q- man should be by himself."

"A visitor? Who is it?" Trowa scowled.

"No one you'll be pleased to see, I'm sure."

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To be continued…