Change Of Heart

By: Ember

RING RING

Wu Fei Chang rubbed his eyes as he flicked on the lamp next to his bed. He grabbed the phone and mumbled a hello.

"Winner? What are you doing calling at this time of night?…Slow down…What happened to Maxwell?…Ok, yeah….is he alright?…ok, I’ll be there as soon as I can."

He hung up the phone, flopping back on the bed.

"Who was that?"

An arm snaked across his waist, and someone nuzzled his cheek lazily.

"Quatre he says that Maxwell’s been in an accident."

"Is alright?"

He looked over at the cornflower blue eyes and sighed.

"For the time being."

Sally Po nodded, and sat up in bed, pulling her nightshirt down where it had rid up from sleep.

"Well, do you want to go right now, or in the morning?"

He shrugged, lying down against the pillows. His eyes started to drift shut and he felt Sally lay down next to him.

"In the morning…"

"So who’s left?"

Quatre looked at Hilde uneasily.

"Heero."

"Oh. Well, I’ll call."

"But-"

"I’ll call."

Heero starred at the stars sleepily, leaning against an old oak tree in the back of the small house he and Relena had rented. His eyes focused on the stars, but his mind was on a certain American with twinkling violet eyes.

"Duo…"

He sighed heavily, the old pain rising up in his chest. It hurt him terribly the way they had ended the relationship. He had loved Duo, still did love him, but the hurt just went so deep. As did his pride. He never could understand why Duo fell in love with him in the first place. Everything about Duo was still imprinted on his mind. His touch, his taste, his smell. The way he smiled lopsidedly at everything, and the way his braid would bounce with each step. His happy laughter, his unusual quiet moments when the two would just stare at one another mindlessly. Everything about Duo had drawn him in, and everything had pushed him away. If only he could talk to him, ask him why, then maybe, just maybe the pain would go away. He heard soft foot falls behind him and turned to Relena, nodding at her presence.

"Are you thinking about him again Heero?"

He nodded.

"Why do you think about it when you know it hurts you?"

"Because it’s the only way I can really coop with it."

Relena had tracked him down the moment he had returned to earth, asking him to come and live with her. He agreed automatically, thinking that in someway she could help dull his pain. But she hadn’t, she had heightened it. They small simple gestures of love reminded him so much of Duo that he often cried himself to sleep. She found him that way one night, curled into a ball, sobbing childishly. She was asked what was wrong and he confessed what had happened. When he had finished, she had taken him into her arms and held him, cradling him like a tiny infant.

"I knew you could never truly love me Heero."

He looked at her skeptical.

"But I thought that maybe if I pushed hard enough, maybe, just maybe, you would love me that much back. I’m glad you got to know love Heero."

The two became close friends since then, just staying that way. Relena would hint every now and again that she still cared for him, eyes pleading for the response she wanted, but she knew it was in vain.

She sighed heavily in the night air and looked up at him.

"There’s a phone call for you Heero. I think you might want to take it."

He nodded at her and the two walked back to the house.

Hilde waited patiently for the other line to pick up. Relena had gone to get Heero at least 3 minuets ago and she was getting bored.

"Hello?"

The soft croak on the other end snapped her out of her trance and she cleared her throat.

"Is this Heero Yuy?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Um, it’s about Duo."

Heero’s heart jumped into his throat.

"What’s wrong with him?"

"He’s in the hospital. He had an accident."

Heero grabbed the phone tighter.

"Oh God, I can’t…he needs you Heero."

"Who are you?"

"My name’s Hilde. Do you remember me?"

He nodded on the other end and Hilde took the silence as a yes.

"Is…is anyone else there?"

"Yes, Quatre and Trowa are here. Wu Fei is coming in the morning."

"Can, can I talk to Quatre?"

"Yeah, hold on."

He heard the girl call Quatre’s name, and then heard the phone being handed to another person.

"Heero?"

"Quatre? What’s wrong, what’s wrong with Duo?"

"He’s *sniff* in a coma Heero."

Heero almost blacked out, but Relena steadied him.

"Is he…"

"Heero, Heero are you still there?"

"…alright?"

Heero croaked out. He wanted to cry, faint, DIE, anything but be where he was. Or be in the situation he was in. Duo couldn’t die! He couldn’t die without knowing that he still cared.

"He’s fine for the time being. We already called Wu Fei-"

"WHAT?!?!? YOU SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME FIRST!"

"I’m sorry Heero, we just-"

"YOU ARE SO STUPID SOMETIMES QUATRE! ME, YOU SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME FIRST! WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!?!?!"

Quatre sobbed openly into the phone.

"I’m really sorry Heero. We just didn’t know how to tell you."

"You tell me idiot."

Quatre cried harder, and Heero was about to tell him to shut up when Trowa’s voice echoed dangerously over the phone.

"There is no need Heero Yuy to yell at Quatre. It’s not his fault. It’s more your fault than anyone’s. Now get over yourself and get down here. It’s the hospital in Tokyo."

Trowa slammed the phone down and Heero blinked. He hadn’t meant to yell at Quatre, he just felt the sudden rush of rage, of angry passion that he had to release or he was going to explode. Relena steadied him with her arm and helped him out to the car. They grabbed their coats on the way out, and a single tear rolled down Heero’s cheek. Not one of sadness, or anger, but of regret.

Trowa rubbed his temples slowly, sighing. Quatre’s head lay in his lap and Hilde slept stretched out over two chairs. He was the only one still awake. He could tell it was nearing dawn, and he longed for a hot cup of coffee. He muscles ached from sitting in the uncomfortable position for so long and his neck ached. Shifting Quatre into a comfortable position, he stood up and stretched, popping his back.

"Coffee?"

He looked up at a young nurse, holding out a steaming cup. He nodded and smiled at her, taking the cup with his hands gently.

"Thanks."

"Oh, no problem. You’ve been here all night. I felt a little sorry for you. Who are you here for?"

Trowa nodded toward Duo’s door and her faced turned grim.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck."

"Hey, could you tell me what’s wrong with him?"

The nurse nodded and picked up Duo’s chart hanging out side of the door, studying it intently.

"His left lung was punctured by his ribs, malnutrition, broken leg, concussion, several cuts and bruises, and his right eye was punctured by a small limb from the tree. He might go blind in that eye."

The nurse looked up at him, her pale blonde hair framing her face. If Trowa weren’t as loyal to Quatre as he was, he wouldn’t have second thoughts about asking the girl out. She patted his arm, and smiled.

"Have faith in God Trowa Barton."

He nodded, and turned when he heard Quatre groan and start to wake up. He turned back around automatically to ask how she knew his name, but she was gone.

Duo lay quietly in his hospital bed as a figure neared his bedside. She had long beautiful blond hair, and she seemed to glow with a soft essence. She bent and whispered into Duo’s ear.

"Dear Duo Maxwell, it’s not time for you to leave yet."

Duo moaned and she framed his face in her hands.

"Your friends and your love still need you."

She kissed him on the forehead disappeared in a bright light.

Heero staggered into the waiting room, Relena following close behind. His legs felt like Jell-O.

"How is he?"

Trowa looked up at him and almost smiled.

"Geeze Yuy, you look like shit."

He turned and glared at Wu Fei, promising death for the comment.

"He’s stable. That’s all the doctors are telling us."

Heero nodded at Quatre and slumped into a chair.

"I’m sorry I yelled at you Quatre."

Everyone in the room blinked.

"Are you feeling ok Heero?"

"No. What kind of question is that?"

They group snickered and Quatre, much to Heero’s surprise, threw his arms around him and squeezed him tightly.

"You’re forgiven."

Trowa smiled at the heart-warming scene. Well, if you replaced Heero’s shock with happiness then it would be heart warming. Right now, it looked funny. He started to chuckle softly, then harder until it was all out hysterics. Soon Hilde joined in, and the rest followed, except Heero, who was just looking at them like they needed to shut up or death would quickly follow.

"Can we see Duo?"

Trowa dried his eyes and nodded.

"We’ve all already had our turns, you’re the only one left."

Heero stood on shaky legs, steadying himself against the wall.

"Which room?"

"I’ll take you."

Hilde and Heero walked down the hallway in silence, until Hilde sighed heavily.

"He still loves you, you know."

Heero gave her a skeptical look and shook his head.

"He can’t love me. He-"

"Shut up and listen to yourself! Duo wasn’t very loyal, yes, but he WAS in love with you. You would have had to be blind to hot see that. He loved you so much, he still does, all he knows is that you left him and it was his fault. He thinks you don’t care. You tell him when you go in there that you still love him, and you say it like you mean it. He needs you support. Now go!"

Hilde’s glare was fearful, but not enough to make Heero consider running for his life. He could tell that she loved him too. He reached and grabbed the doorknob, turning it and shuddering.

Duo lay still on his bed, face paling. His eyes moved quickly under his eyelids, like he was awake but couldn’t open his eyes. His right eye was covered with several amounts of gauze, and his leg was in a cast, as was his chest. His head was wrapped in gauze as well. His hair fanned out behind him like a chestnut blanket, and Heero fingered it longingly.

"Duo, my Duo…" was all he could get out before breaking down and crying.

"I’m sorry things went the way they did Duo. I still; I still love you Duo. So please, please don’t leave me. I know that…that we parted…badly. But you’re, and always will be, my world. When I went to earth to stay with Relena, that was the biggest mistake of my life. I just couldn’t stand the fact that you didn’t love me back. This is really…really hard for me to say Duo. So you’ve got to understand. Understand that I still care, and that I always will."

Heero leaned over and kissed him longingly tears falling on Duo’s still face. He felt Duo responds softly, and pulled back. He still lay still, but with a content smile on his face. As he turned to leave a long beep made Heero turn and race back to Duo’s side. The monitor had flat lined, and Heero started to breathe heavily. He punched the call button for the nurse, seconds before the doctor rushed in.

"You’ve gotta leave."

The doctor pushed Heero out of the room and slammed the door closed. Hilde rushed up to him, asking what was wrong.

"He…flat lined."

Hilde’s eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed on the floor. Heero stepped around her and started to punch the wall repeatedly.

"Fuck…fuck…NOOOOOO!"

Heero knocked over everything in his path, pushing everyone out of his way. He heard a nurse call for a guard, and ran back to the waiting room. The others looked up at him.

"What’s wrong Heero?"

"…flat…line…"

Quatre’s eyes filled with tears and he clutched Trowa’s arm. Every single face teared up, and Heero exploded.

"DON’T ANY OF YOU DARE CRY! HE DIDN’T LOVE YOU! HE DIDN’T…love ME!"
Heero picked up a lamp and hurled it at the wall. It shattered and fell into the chair underneath it. Trowa tried to restrain him, but he punched him and sent him flying. He threw everything he could get his hands on.

"YUY! STOP!"

Heero turned to Wu Fei and glared.

"What do you want? Huh Wu Fei? All you care about is your precious justice. Duo was the only one that EVER even cared about me, and he didn’t care that much."

"How can you say that? Duo loved you!"

He looked at Sally and regressed the urge to punch her.

"If he loved me…he wouldn’t have…wouldn’t have…left."

He picked up another lamp and threw at Wu Fei and Sally, before collapsing on the ground. Quatre stood behind him, a broken lamp in his hands.

"He was making a mess."

Wu Fei and Trowa picked up Heero and threw him into a chair, starting to clean up the mess the enraged boy had made.

Relena sat next to him and sighed. At least that boy was outta the way. The doctor walked into the waiting room, eyeing the mess.

"Your friend is stabilized. There is nothing more I can do for him."

The group sighed with heavy relief.

"Thank you."

A nurse wheeled Hilde in with a wheel chair, and helped her sit into a free chair. Her long blonde hair hung down her back and she smiled at the group.

"What happened in here?"

Trowa thumbed towards Heero and she nodded.

"Yes, Heero Yuy always did have a bad temper."

Trowa recognized her as the nurse from last night and asked for her name.

"Helen."

She bowed and left, walking briskly down the hall.

"Trowa, who was that?" Quatre asked, helping Wu Fei pick up an over turned table.

"This nurse I met last night before you and Hilde woke up. She bought me a cup of coffee."

Hilde let out a soft sob and curled into a tight ball in her chair. Sally sat down beside her and rubbed her back.

"It’s ok, he’ll be fine."

Hilde nodded, but continued to sob. Everyone teared up again. Trowa disappeared from the room, not wanting to watch as the group mourned openly and freely. He could never really feel things like that; he had become so good at blocking them out. He walked down the hall toward Duo’s room, and saw Helen walk into it. He quickened his step, wanting to see Duo and wondering if was still all right. He opened Duo’s door softly, incase Helen was giving Duo medicine or changing his IV. A flowery sent flooded his senses, and he felt calm and peaceful, until he looked up at Helen. A bright light surrounded her slim body, and long elegant wings sprouted out of her shoulders. She smiled warmly at Trowa and bent down and kissed Duo on the mouth.

"He will be fine dear Trowa."

She became transparent and faded away, whispering something that only Duo could hear.

Trowa stood in awe for a moment before blinking himself out of his daze. He was just upset, that’s all. He didn’t really see what he thought he saw. He walked to Duo’s bedside and sighed. He remembered the first time he met Duo. At first he had wanted to bop him upside the head, but as he got to know him better he started to really like Duo. He was the one that ALWAYS put others first. He and Quatre had always been like that. He loved Quatre for that purity that Duo seemed to lack, but if Duo had what Quatre had, Trowa would defiantly have different feelings toward him.

"*groan*"

"I think he’s coming around!"

"Are you ok Heero?"

"Quatre?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you, but next time don’t hit so hard."

Quatre giggled and nodded, patting Heero on the back. For a brief instant he wondered where Trowa went, then pushed it out of his mind.

"Here."

Sally handed him a cup of coffee and he eagerly downed the entire cup.

"Thanks."

She smiled at him and nodded, before walking off and sitting down next to Wu Fei.

"They said he was stabilized Heero. You can go see him if you want."

He shook his head.

"I can’t go see him."

"And just why not?"

"Because, I have no reason to go see him. He doesn’t love me."

"How can you say that?"

"Because he almost left! He wouldn’t have left if cared!"

Heero shrunk back in his chair to brood, when his left cheek started to burn. He looked up and saw Hilde standing above him.

"GET OFF IT!"

Tears fell from her eyes, and dragged her arm across her eyes, drying them off all their wetness.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD HEERO YUY, CAN’T YOU SEE PASSED YOUR OWN NOSE?"

"What?"

"You heard me bastered! Duo cared, he cared a lot. He still does. I’m so sick of this fucking self-pity act. You should know better if you really knew Duo at all. Maybe you don’t deserve him; maybe you don’t need him in your like if you’re so sure he doesn’t need you in his. He got sick and stopped eating because of you! YOU! All he ever did, all his actions for the past two years where because of you. He got two jobs so he could support me. He didn’t want me to work."

"Why not?"

Hilde looked at the floor.

"That’s not the point. This isn’t about you. This is about Duo. Don’t you see-"

"Why not? Did you fuck him to make him feel better when he came to you? Is that is? Did you get pregnant?"

Hilde’s eyes darkened and she punched Heero with all her wait leaning behind it.

"I’ve got cancer you shit. I’m dyeing. Duo wanted me stay home and rest. Is that alright with you?"

Heero blinked, he wasn’t expecting that. His jaw ached where she had punched him, and he knew that she meant every word she was saying. He looked up at her and grabbed her arms, pulling her to his chest. The gesture surprised her as well as the others in the room.

"It’s ok," he whispered, eyes tearing up; "I love him too."

Trowa pulled a chair over toward Duo’s bed and flopped down in it. He eyed Duo’s slender form and shook his head. What was Duo thinking? He was so ghostly thin; Trowa could easily see his ribs. His whole body was in terrible condition, and Trowa wished with all his might that he’d be ok. Not for him, but Quatre and Heero. Those two need him more than he realized. He was the one that kept the spirits up when things got bad; he was the living joke of the group. He was more than just a friend to Quatre, he was a brother, and something Quatre had never had. He was more to Heero too. He was Heero’s heart, his mind and body. His life. Trowa reached out with his hand and touched Duo’s pale skin. It was so cold, almost like ice. He thought for an instent that he already died, but thought better of it. His heart still thumped steadily in his chest and his IV still stayed hooked to his left arm. Trowa smiled to himself. Duo was a fighter, and if he had anything to do with it, he’d be alive and kicking it in no time. He decided to sit there and wait it out.

****Yay! Second Chapter Done! *falls off chair* Don’t worry, it won’t be too much longer. *giggle* And I won’t kill Duo, I can’t! I mean, then who is Hee-chan gonna love? Besides, the gun Heero’s been pressing into my back it not very comfortable. Cut it out!

Lots of Love,