To Help Along Love - A Heero and Duo fic - Chapter 3

Christina Ann Morris, the Truth

By: Ana

Chris took several deep breaths as she stared at the wooden door of the only bedroom in the small house. She clenched her fists at her sides and breathed a little bit more before she balled up her fist and knocked quietly on the door. When no one answered or said anything she slowly opened the door.

As she stepped in she was thrown against the door and had a gun pointed to her forehead and a strong arm crushing her chest. She tried to make her breathing slow down and seem calm, only it sped up rapidly as she stared into the dark cobalt eyes that promised death.

"I said I would kill you," he growled into her ear "and now there is no one to protect you."

She reached up tentatively and placed a warm hand on his arm. "Please don’t," she whispered with strength her voice.

"Iie and why not?" Heero pressed the gun harder to her forehead and glared at her more. She hated the fact that it was so dark in that room and that all she could see were his eyes, nothing more, but she could sure smell it. She could smell the dust and the gunpowder and the sweat. She feared that this would be her grave. Sure, she was trained to be a solider but she wasn’t trained not to have emotions, after all, her teacher was a woman as well.

"Why shouldn’t I kill you?"

She said nothing only reached deep into her pocket and pulled out a tiny cube, tossing it to the ground. It lit up and a holographic picture of Doctor J and Doctor X was projected. X was old, but not too old. She had long gray hair that was tied in a bun and wore glasses. She had the long white lab coat just like the other doctors but she had a warm smile. Heero stared mesmerized at the cube and the image and released Chris, who sunk to her knees.

"Hello, Heero," J said, waving his claw.

"Doctor J," Heero mumbled under his breath.

"So, I guess if you are seeing this it must mean that Christina made it safely."

Heero quickly glanced down at the girl sitting in a heap by the door and then he looked back up at the hologram.

"Please treat her kindly, Heero," X’s British voice said calmly "She will be of great use to you, I’m sure."

"Yes Heero, you can’t kill her… you will be quite angry if you do."

"Why is that?"

"Nani? Oh, uh… she can tell you. Bye Heero!" J waved quickly as the image of the one Lord of Plague and the Lordess disappeared. Heero blinked his cobalt eyes and glared down at the cube. He then turned in one fluid motion and pointed his gun at Chris.

"Why can’t I kill you?"

She sighed heavily and shifted slightly. "I don’t know."

"Yes you do! Tell me!"

"Iie."

"Shimitta, onna!" He glared death at her and released the safety of his gun. "Tell me why!" He was growing quite impatient with her and was so ready to blow her head off, but he had to wait. See if her explanation was good enough. She took a deep breath and gathered all of her nerves. She stood up slowly and glared at him. She was actually quite threatening looking with her lavender eyes alight like that.

"Because, I know your secret."

"My secret?"

"I know your secret."

"And what secret is that?"

"That you… Mr. Perfect Solider are in love with Duo Maxwell."

"NANI!?!?" *falls over*

"It’s true, is it not?"

"IIE!!"

"Ha-ha, liar! Why would you be so intent on killing me then… if you are not jealous?"

"Because you are a pain and you deserve to die."

"Do I then? Wouldn’t it piss Duo off to no end to find out that you did kill me? He would never speak to you again. Hard to believe it, but we’ve become really close and fast. There’s something about us orphans that just clicks and we never leave one another’s side."

"You still deserve to die. You are more than just a friend… you drape yourself all over him."

"At least I do! You, who loves him, barely even talks to him… let alone touch him. Don’t you think that’s what he needs from you, Heero? If you do feel something for him, then why are you threatening me about it? Why don’t you do something like telling him… or something?!"

Heero bit his lip and gripped his gun harder. The feel of the gun in his hand was the only thing that ever really made him feel like this world that he was living in was real. But then, Duo also made the world feel real. He had taught him so much about life that he never knew before. Like the simple act of staring at the setting sun could make one feel so happy. He shook his head and glared at the girl. How did she know that he felt something unnamable for the braided American? She only met them a few hours ago. But she was right she had bonded quickly with Duo. Something about her, what was it? Women were said to be able to sense things. Maybe that was it. Well, whatever it was Heero didn’t like it. This girl knew too much and she was blackmailing him for it too! She had to die.

"Omae o Korosu."

"Fine, kill me then, Heero. End my miserable existence."

Heero glared intensely at the girl standing before him, arms open asking for death. He raised his gun and pulled back…

Quatre sighed worriedly, staring quickly at the door as he attempted to play chess with Trowa. Wufei sat on the couch reading a book, well, sorta. He couldn’t help worrying about that "Stupid, onna." Why was he caring so much about her? It’s her own fault if she dies. She went in there after Heero. That was like going into a cage of hungry lions wearing a steak.

Quatre sighed again and Trowa glanced quickly at his little lover.

"What’s worrying you, Quatre?"

"It’s Chris. I’m really scared that Heero might kill her."

"It’s her problem, she was the baka that went in there after him."

"That’s true Wufei but…"

"Don’t worry about it, Quatre. She’s strong... I can see it. She’ll be ok."

"I hope you’re right, Trowa, I hope you’re right," he sighed, leaning his head in his hands. There was absolute silence in the room and then suddenly. ‘BANG!’ Quatre jumped and fell over, shaking slightly. Wufei was on his feet and at the door in lightning speed and Trowa was not far behind, he had to pick up Quatre first.

They stared at each other a moment and then pressed their ears too the door, trying to hear one of them… or hopefully both of them. "Do you think Yuy killed her?"

"I’m not sure."

"Oh Trowa, I hope he didn’t hurt her," Quatre sniffled. "She’s so nice."

Then, suddenly, the door flew open and the three of them fell to the floor in a heap. They looked up and were being stared down by a blinking Chris and Heero.

"Hi guys, whatcha doin’?"

"Chris, you’re alive!" Quatre cheered, hugging her tightly.

"Uh, yep. Why not?"

"We heard a gun shot."

"Oh, Mr. Yuy over there is trigger happy."

"Nani!?"

"I’m kidding, Heero," she giggled and then pointed to something inside the room.

The three peeked in and stared at it. There was a rattlesnake lying dead with its head blown off. They then turned to Chris and Heero in shock. Chris giggled and headed out of the room.

"But Chris, we thought Heero was gonna kill you."

"Now way, Quatre. Heero wouldn’t intentionally harm me… now most especially."

"And why’s that, onna?"

"*giggles* Because I know his secret."

"His secret!?"

"Yep."

"Well, what secret is that?"

"He-he, if I told you, Wufei, it wouldn’t be a secret anymore than would it?"

He stood there and stared and so did Trowa and Quatre and she simply smiled. "Heero and I have come to an understanding… sorta," she nodded and disappeared outside.

"Well, I don’t believe it."

"You don’t believe it," Wufei growled at Quatre who simply blinked.

Trowa cracked a smiled and held out his hand to the grumbling Wufei. He sighed angrily and started placing several wrinkled up bills in Trowa’s hand. Quatre stared in disbelief.

"I told you he wouldn’t kill her."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Wufei groaned continuing to count out his money and place it in Trowa’s awaiting hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Chris stepped off the wooden porch and covered her eyes with her hand. The sun was warm and blinding. Sure, they were in a desert, but damn, did it need to feel like it. She wiped her forehead and started to walk around the ‘yard’. She looked around quickly and did not find the American pilot anywhere. She blinked her lavender eyes and stared at the sun again. Yes, I have been sent to hell. She sighed irritably and started heading for the huge tree down by the river, she figured that Duo might be there.

As she neared the river she could hear the babbling of the water on the rocks and she smiled. Perhaps it would be cold and deep and she could go swimming. Well, as she reached it and stuck a hand in it, it was cold but not very deep. She sighed and looked around quickly, still not finding the American.

"Duo! Duo! Where are you, Duo!"

She stood up and put her hands on her hips, surveying the vast countryside laid out before her. Dark red hills with very little green. Some trees and a kangaroo here or there, plus a koala but that was about it. No braided American dressed in black. She bit her bottom lip then cupped her hands around her mouth.

"DUO! D… U… O!! Duuuuuuuoooooooooooooooooo!! Where are you, Duuuuuuuuoooooooooooo!? DUO!" Jesus, Chris, you sound like that Peacecraft girl you read about in the Heero’s report. *cringes*

She took a deep breath and started to jump some rocks and get to the other side of the river. She was very graceful, the years of training on that tightrope paying off. She reached the other side with no problem and started to walk towards a grove of trees. There was bound to be something there, either Duo or some animal.

When she got there and there was nothing, she wanted to kick herself for not paying more attention in her tracking class. She stared at the sky once again and then noticed a little hill. There was probably some valley or something over it. She nodded and headed for the hill. As she reached the top, she smiled brightly. The sun was setting and splashing beautiful golds and pinks across the sky as if painting on a canvas. She was so occupied in watching the sun, she hardly heard the voice calling to her.

"Pretty, ne?"

She broke from her trance and looked down. There was Duo, lying on his back, arms behind his head. He had a baby wombat on his chest and it’s brothers and mother were lying around him in the cool grass.

"Ohh, Duo…" she melted when she saw the tiny wombat.

"Take a seat, Chris."

She nodded and flopped down on the grass next to Duo. He gently picked the little wombat up and placed it in her awaiting arms. She melted even more and cuddled the little thing. It’s mother and brothers walked up and sat around Chris’s feet.

"Awwww, they’re soooo cute!"

"Isn’t she though?"

"She? It’s a she?"

"Yep, Helen here had two boys and a girl."

"You named the mother Helen?"

"Yes. And that’s Solo and Father Maxwell, but I just call him Max."

"Aww, Duo that’s so cute. Where did you find them?"

"Well, Helen found me. I was sitting here watching the sunset and she came and started to eat a cracker I had in my pocket. Well, then she just kinda stuck around until she had the babies. I come and visit them everyday."

"Oh Duo, what a sweetie you are! These wombats remind me of the guinea pigs they used to keep in the lab. I loved those things."

"Yeah, they both are rodents I think."

"They are. So… whatcha doin’ out here?"

"Watching the sunset. Are you ok?"

"Fine. Heero and I have come to an understanding."

"Really? Well, that’s more than I’ve ever gotten."

"Nani?"

"Oh, well, It’s always baka this and ‘Omae o Korosu’ that. Never do I get an ‘understanding’."

"I’m sorry, Duo. Um… you like him, don’t you?"

He stared at her a moment and then down at the ball of fuzz she held in her hands. He shook his head and smiled. "I may run and hide but I never tell a lie." Well, it wouldn’t be lying if I said no. I don’t like him… I love him. "Iie."

"Oh, really? Ah, well I would have thought that you would have."

"What? Whatever gave you that idea? I never said anything that would have made you think so."

"No, you didn’t have too. I see it in your eyes. When you look at him. I’m not blind."

"And you’re a girl."

"What’s that supposed to mean?!"

"Whoa, don’t get so defensive, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I mean that girls have a way of sensing things, that’s all… sheeze."

"Oh, *giggle* sorry."

He smiled brightly and laid back in the grass. They both stayed that way for quite some time, just sitting and staring at the sun and of course petting the wombats. Chris sighed and stared at Duo.

"Oi, do you love him?"

Duo stared up at her and blinked. He smiled a wicked grin and nodded quickly. "You’re not so dumb, are you?"

"Nope."

"Hmm… so you said you were an orphan."

"Hai, not by choice though."

"Oh?" he asked, raising a delicate chestnut eyebrow.

"No," she shook her head and clutched the little wombat close "I was born into a family with a father and a mother and an older brother. He was a year older than me, which would make him 17--- if he survived." She looked at he blackening sky smiled weakly.

"I’m not from the colonies originally. I was born and raised right here on Earth--- Mayo County Ireland to be exact. When I was three there was a battle… war… whatever you want to call it, a revolution of sorts. My father was a leader of the rebels. One night while we where all asleep the government found the others and us and set fire to our homes. My mother got my brother and me out safely but… we were cornered. My mother made us leave her and run away. Told us to hide in the sewer. Well, we never made it. We got separated and before I knew what was happening I was pulled into the arms of a woman with a British voice and a white lab coat."

"I found out only after, of course, that that was Doctor X. She took me to the colonies and raised me to be a solider. But, being a woman that was training me, I was taught to feel… love. Doctor X did not see emotions as a weakness. In fact she told me to go with them. For a woman in a wrath can be more deadly than an army… so that was what I was told. I’m probably as good as Heero… since J and X are close."

She sighed and looked down into the violet eyes staring intently at her. She smiled a little as he rested his hand on hers. "Well, Doctor J was pissed off because I wasn’t a quote unquote "Perfect Soldier". That was why he didn’t want me to go with you guys when Operation Meteor first happened, even though I was ready and so was my Gundam. But soon X got J to let me go… but only after much research."

"Research?"

"Yes, research. I had to research you pilots. Know what it was that made you tick. You, Duo Maxwell were the happy go lucky one who for some reason called himself Death. Then there was Quatre Winner, the sweet innocent rich boy who loved peace. Trowa Barton, the silent clown who had fallen in love with Quatre Winner and Wufei Chang, the justice conscience pilot of Shenlong. And the ever sociable Heero Yuy, the perfect soldier."

"Wow, you seem to know the basics."

"Ah, I know a bit more than that. I was also told to know those associated with you. Such as your friend Hildie and Relena Peacecraft."

"AHH! *gag, gag, gag!* Nasty, nasty, nasty girl! *cringes* Blech! Not Hildie but Relena. Heero’s stalker who thinks he loves her. *GAG!* Evil, self-centered, viperous bitch that she is… eww, don’t make me hurl."

Chris stared at him a moment and the funny look on his face and then burst into laughter. She laughed so hard she started to cry. He stared at her with a puzzled look on his face. "What, it’s the truth! She’s e-vil!"

"*giggle* Icky, icky, icky!"

"Exactly. If anyone should have Heero it should be me! Not her. Bitch!"

Chris looked at him again and laughed, clutching the baby wombat to her chest. After both of their laugher had died down she looked at the little brown fuzzy thing in her arms.

"Duo?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn’t you name this one?"

"Well, I didn’t know any good names for a girl."

"Oh." She stared in puzzlement for a moment.

"Hey I know, why don’t we call her Chris!"

"Uh… no."

"Oh, why not?" *pouts*

"Uh, well, I’m really not one to be named after and be a role model for."

"Ooh, ‘Chris Morris is my name and playing is my game!’"

"Exactly. I can’t believe Quatre didn’t know what I was talking about."

"I bet he thought you meant something like baseball, not guys."

"*giggle* He’s so sweet and innocent it’s sweet!"

"Hai, would you ever play me?"

"What makes you think I’m not?"

"Nani? *blink* I’m confused?"

"*giggles* Oh Duo, you are far to kawaii for your own good. I’d never hurt you."

"Oh, that’s good. Hmm… so, what should we call this little one?"

"Uh… hmm… oh, I know!"

"What?"

"Wufei!"

*falls over laughing* "Do you know how pissed he’d be to find out that Little Wufei here was a girl?! *laughs more*"

"Oh yes, that’s why I suggested it."

"Ha-ha, you’re evil Chris."

"But in a good way, right?"

"Oh yes, a very good way."

She smiled brightly at him and placed "Little Wufei" down with her brothers and mom. She stood up and brushed the red dirt from her pants. "I think we should head back before we’re missed."

"Guess so," he shrugged, standing as well.

She smiled and nodded and then latched onto his arm. "You are soooo sweet Duo Maxwell… and a good friend too!"

"Yep, that’s me!" he laughed and so did she as they headed back to the house.