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Family Ties	By : Deb Category: Gundam Wing/AC > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 19194 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing/AC, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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“Family Ties”

January 2007 ShenLong

Chapter 116

[Satellite XRB 23]

Zechs stood quietly in the cockpit as he watched the technician work. The majority of the repairs had been completed to the shuttle, only minor testing and checking remained to be done. There had been a few glitches, but nothing major and Oil was quite confident that the shuttle would hold together perfectly well during the flight back to Earth.

Zechs crossed his fingers.

Mercury appeared behind him and Zechs turned to greet the agent.

“How is it going?” Mercury asked politely.

“Almost done. The checks have shown a few glitches, but the team is working on ironing those out now,” Zechs replied.

“How long before you can fly this baby back?”

“I’d say about another four or five hours. Are you all set to leave?”

“Yes. All the teams are back on board and the prisoners and injured settled and ready to transport. Agents Europa and Jupiter are sealing the holds where the bodies are and reducing the temperature in those holds for the trip back to Earth.”

Zechs nodded. “Then I take it this is goodbye?”

“Not so much, goodbye, but more like a ‘see you dirt side’,” Mercury chuckled.

“I agree with that,” Zechs laughed. “All being well, this bucket of bolts should last the distance.”

“Oil and his team are very good and if they say she will make it back, then she will.”

“She’d better. I’ve already told Oil that if she doesn't I will be back to haunt him for the rest of his days.”

“And knowing you, that would be a definite promise,” Mercury snickered. Sobering, he held out his hand. “It’s been both a privilege and an honor to work with you, Agent Wind. I hope we can work together again sometime.”

Zechs took the offered hand and shook it firmly. “Likewise and thank you, Mercury. It’s been a pleasure for me too. You and your teams should be commended for your professionalism in carrying out your orders, I’ll be sure to let the Commander know what a good team she has in you all.”

Mercury could feel the blush creeping up his cheeks, but his chest swelled with pride. “I appreciate that, Wind. Stay safe and God speed.”

“Same to you, Mercury.”

With a nod of his head, Mercury departed.

Zechs turned back to the agent still working in the cockpit and closed his eyes as he listened to the muttering and cursing coming from the technician. It might be a little longer than four or five hours.

* * *

[Recovery Room]

Sally took Heero and Keitaro through to the small dispensary type room at the side of the recovery room where inside Duo lay covered by a blanket and still sleeping. Nurse Brown was waiting there for them and gave Heero a reassuring smile.

“Everything went very well,” the nurse said, confirming Sally’s words from earlier. “If you wish to sit with him, I’ll need to keep Keitaro here with me,” she added. “It’s not that the child is any bother, but with him not having seen his father for so long he’s bound to want to be with him and with Duo recovering from surgery, that isn’t a very good idea.”

“I understand completely,” Heero replied.

“I think it would be best if you were with Duo when he starts to come out of the anesthetic, Heero. We know how he reacts and I don’t want him putting any stress on his body at all, it’s been through enough already,” Sally stated.

Nodding, Heero continued to stare through the window to where his love lay.

“Come on, let Margaret have Keitaro and I’ll take you through.”

Keitaro wasn’t as perturbed this time about leaving his father’s embrace. He knew his nanny well and the woman had always looked after him with kindness and love. He gave a happy gurgle and allowed himself to be transferred to his nanny’s arms.

Smoothing down the tank top, Heero went to follow Sally and pulled up short when he was handed a blue, hospital gown.

“Put that on,” Sally commanded. “You haven’t cleaned up properly yet and I don't want Duo getting any sort of contamination from your clothing.”

It made perfect sense to Heero and he wasn’t about to put his love at risk. Turning his back on the women, he pulled the tank top over his head and dropped it to the floor. The flight suit which remained bunched around his hips was tugged off. Standing in his boxers, Heero grabbed the gown and put it on.

“Here, I’ll tie it for you,’ Sally said with a smile in her voice.

“Thank you.”

With the gown now on and secure, Heero took a deep breath and followed the doctor into the recovery room. Once inside, Heero went directly to Duo’s bedside, his eyes roaming over the sleeping form and checking all was okay. He’d have to trust that the rest of his lover was okay as the blankets hid Duo from the shoulders down. Satisfied with his visual perusal, Heero leaned over and gently brushed the bangs from Duo’s face. A gentle kiss was bestowed to Duo’s forehead, followed by one to his cheek. A soft kiss to Duo’s lips followed that, the lips of his husband feeling cool and unresponsive. Heero’s heart felt heavy in his chest, but he reminded himself that Duo was still under the effects of the anesthetic and wouldn’t be able to respond to his kisses until he was awake.

“Sit here, Heero.”

Turning, Heero saw that Sally had brought a chair in for him and placed it beside the bed. “Thank you.”

Taking Duo’s hand in his own, Heero sat. He held his partner’s hand and gently stroked his thumb over the back of it.

“Nurse Brown is directly in the other room and will remain there. She can see in and should you need her, all you need to do is call.” Sally placed a small, white object on the pillow beside Duo. “This is the call button. As soon as he starts to wake I want you to push it. It will alert me and I’ll be straight back. We don't know how he is going to react as he comes out of the anesthetic which is why it’s vitally important you push that button the moment he starts to show signs of coming around.”

“Okay.”

“Any questions?”

Heero shook his head.

“I’ll only be a few rooms over in the lab.” Sally declined to add anything more to that statement as she had yet to inform Heero of the probability of being able to harvest Duo’s eggs from the ovary. She didn’t want to get the young man’s hopes up only to have them dashed if the procedure didn't work.

Leaving the agent with his partner, Sally stepped back out into the dispensary to let Nurse Brown know what was going on. With there being nothing more she could do until Duo woke up, Sally headed for the lab to see what she could do in relation to Duo’s eggs.

Margaret watched through the glass, noting with a warm smile how her ‘boys’ reacted to the other. Even though one was unconscious, she could see the monitor well enough to note that Duo’s vitals had steadied further once his partner had appeared. The bond between the two was strong and uncanny.

*

It was dark, blackness surrounding him in every direction and nothing, not even a pin prick of light to help him get his bearings. There were distant sounds, but even they were coming from all directions. Muffled, muted and completely unintelligible.

He looked around again, trying desperately to find a way out. He darted to the left to be swallowed up in more blackness. Spinning around, he headed forward only to be confronted by the same, black inkiness. Whirling, he ran again, not sure of the direction anymore, the panic starting to build. The voices surrounded him, tormenting and teasing, words completely meaningless and yet threatening in their silent way.

The darkness began to close in around him, surrounding and suffocating. The weight of it pushed against his fragile body and try as he might, he couldn’t find a way out of it. His mouth opened in a scream, eyes wide with terror as the blackness pressed ever closer and the scream was muted.

The voices became louder, more insistent in their constant babble of nothing and fear struck to his very core. His arms began to strike out, aiming for opponents he couldn’t see – didn’t know if they even existed - and connected with nothing.

Cold, icy touches, fleeting and yet all over his body. He cringed, tried to withdraw away from them and the more he fought, the more persistent they became. The silent noise of the voices pounded in his ears, the cold, ghostly touches rained down on every inch of his body, coursing through his blood and reaching for his soul.

His mouth opened again, ready to scream once more and the blackness poured in, choking him and stealing his very essence. Violet eyes widened in horror as he realized there was nothing he could do.

Then, one voice broke through, became clear, soothing and calm. A sliver of light appeared in the darkness and calmed his raging terror. He locked onto it and fought with all he had to claw his way towards that glimmer of hope.

The darkness began to fade a touch, the voices clamored to be heard, but were overridden by the soft, soothing tone. Duo hung on, focused only on that tiny speck of light and the voice he knew instinctively would offer salvation.

Slowly but steadily, the light grew stronger, closer. The dark voices shrieked in protest, but he ignored them, remaining fixated only on the light and the soothing voice coming from it. Invisible hands clawed at his body, tore into his flesh as they tried to hold him. The pain went unnoticed as sheer will alone pushed him forth.

The closer he got to the light and that sweet voice, the more his tormentors protested; but they were rapidly losing their hold, until suddenly, with a howl of anguish, they released their grip and Duo tumbled headlong into the warmth and pureness of that glow.

The light flooded his body, searing his nerves and tearing an agonizing cry from his throat. Eyes blinked open, pupils rapidly expanding and contracting as the light blinded him momentarily with its intensity. A shadowy form began to appear and as his vision cleared, his body relaxed.

“Heero?”

*

Sitting beside his lover, Heero continued to hold Duo’s hand and stroke his thumb across the back of it. His husband lay peacefully, the oxygen tube feeding the gasses into his weakened body whilst the cannula in his arm continued to supply a steady flow of saline, nutrients and a mild pain killer.

Watching the monitor, Heero noted the blood pressure, heart and breathing rates – all were steady.

Studying his partner’s face, Heero noted the slight flutter beneath the eyelids, a sure sign that Duo was either dreaming or beginning to wake up. “That’s it, my love. Time to wake up,” Heero encouraged and got to his feet so he could observe his lover closely. Duo did not react to anesthetic at all well, none of the ex pilots did. Oh, they went under okay, but it was the waking up part that was particularly disturbing.

All too often they had woken up to a world of pain, torture and the enemy.

Understandably, each had developed their own defense mechanism when waking, a mechanism that usually involved a lot of violence. They had learnt over time that it paid to have another of the ex pilots there with them when they were coming out of an anesthetic and avoid further requirements for surgery – their own and those tending to them.

Duo began to shift a little, his eyes moved more rapidly beneath those lids. “It’s okay, Duo. You can wake up now, I’m right here, I have your back,” Heero soothed.

On the bed, Duo twitched, his legs moving slightly.

Glancing across at the monitor, Heero spotted the changing results. Duo’s blood pressure was rising, his heart and breathing rates also beginning to pick up in speed. Heero frowned.

“Come on, Duo. Wake up for me. It’s Heero,” he murmured quietly and releasing his lover’s hand, he moved to stroke across Duo’s cheek. “I have your back, no one will hurt you.”

Duo’s mouth opened in a muted scream, one that startled his lover. Before Heero had a chance to react, Duo’s arm shot out, hand curled into a fist and connected with Heero’s jaw. Fortunately, Heero had reacted on instinct, ducking as soon as he saw the movement, but it was too late to avoid it completely. The fist caught him a glancing blow, Heero ignoring the pain as his head snapped around and his own hands shot out to grab at Duo. He’d seen the other arm about to swing in his direction, the cannula pulling against the skin and he wasn't about to let his lover hurt himself by tearing the drip out of the vein.

Duo’s mouth opened again, another, silent scream trying to break free; only this time, a choking sound came forth. Arms continued to thrash against Heero, the other man barely able to hold onto his lover.

“Duo!” Heero cried out. “02, stand down, I have your back,” he tried again.

This time, Duo began to relax a touch.

Watching through the window, Nurse Brown began to get a touch alarmed as she witnessed the scene unfolding before her. She didn’t know whether to go in and interfere, call for Sally or just let Heero deal with it. Recalling the last time Duo had been in hospital and his reaction to the anesthetic, she decided to let Heero deal with it, after all, the last time Heero had been the only one Duo had responded to.

In the nurse’s arms, Keitaro gurgled and turned slightly. He froze when he saw the window and the people on the other side. Instantly recognizing both his fathers, Keitaro let fly with a loud squeal, a grin wide on his face. “Da... Da...” he cried out, arms reaching towards the window.

“No, Keitaro,” the nanny soothed. “We can’t go to your daddies just yet. Soon, little man, soon,” she cajoled.

Keitaro continued to stare at the window.

Inside the recovery room, Heero let his grip soften a touch. “Duo, Duo, it’s me, Heero. You’re safe, with friendlies,” he crooned. “Come back to me, Duo. All is well,” he continued to murmur.

Duo relaxed further, Heero pleased to see the monitor figures returning to a more normal level.

“That’s it, Duo. You’re safe with me, I won’t let any harm come to you. Wake up for me, my love,” he whispered. Releasing his grip completely, Heero reached for the buzzer and pressed it, alerting Sally that Duo was waking up. His eyes scanned Duo’s form, noting the arms were now once more relaxed against Duo’s sides, his legs had ceased their movement too. Blue eyes swept up and over the handsome face, Heero leaning close and pressing a kiss to those sweet lips. “I’m here, Duo,” he whispered softly.

Violet eyes fluttered and blinked open, closing momentarily and then blinking open again. “Heero?” Duo croaked out.

“Hai. I’m here for you, Duo.” Heero had a hard time keeping the tears from his eyes as he gazed adoringly at his reason for living.

“Heero?” Duo repeated, his voice raspy. He tried to lick his lips, his throat felt like sandpaper and his tongue not much better.

“Drink?” Heero asked.

Duo nodded.

Heero reached for the jug to the side of the bed and poured a small amount of water into a paper cup. Putting the jug down, he grabbed a straw and placed it into the cup before holding it by Duo’s mouth. Guiding the straw between his lover’s lips, he held the cup whilst Duo sipped at the cool liquid.

The water eased his parched throat, soothing away the soreness. Having drunk enough for the moment, Duo pushed the straw from his mouth and watched as Heero set the cup to the side. “Operation?” he asked as the events all started to flood back to him.

“The operation is over, Duo. Sally removed the knife and you will make a full recovery.”

“The baby?”

“The baby is also well. There was no damage to the uterus or child at all and Sally expects you to go full term and deliver a healthy child,” Heero informed. He averted his eyes for a moment on the pretense of checking the monitors. He’d given Duo the basic facts and wasn’t about to divulge any further information until later, once Duo had completely recovered from the anesthetic.

“Keitaro?” Duo murmured.

“He’s safe and with Nurse Brown at the moment,” Heero informed.

“Tired.”

“Rest, my love. Sally will be here in a moment to check you out and then I dare say she will have you moved to a private room to recover.”

Duo nodded and let his eyes drift shut.

Heero turned to the window and gave Nurse Brown a tired smile. The nurse returned the smile and questioned if Heero wanted her to come in by using hand gestures. Heero shook his head, no, and motioned to the buzzer. Margaret nodded in reply.

*

Sally had been busy reading through the publications in relation to the harvesting and freezing of immature eggs. Some of the procedure she already knew, the basics having been covered during her studies, but there had been major advances in the science since then and she needed to read up on those if she were to be successful.

And she was determined that Duo would have some viable eggs for the future if he wished to use them. It was the least she could do after all the agent had suffered through. She was nearing the end of the information when the buzzer went off causing her to jump slightly. Grabbing her stethoscope and placing it around her neck, she shot from the lab and headed directly for the recovery room.

Within a couple of minutes she was there.

“He’s awake?” she asked Heero as she entered.

“Hai. He’s come around and spoken a few words, but he’s tired and I think he’s drifted back off to sleep again,” Heero told her. “You might want to check the drip too, he was quite disorientated when he was coming around.”

“What did he say?” asked Sally as she checked Duo’s vitals and then took a look at the cannula. It had moved a little, but fortunately not much. Grabbing some more surgical tape, Sally secured it again.

“He asked a couple of questions, wanted to know how the operation went, how the baby is and where Keitaro was,” Heero replied truthfully.

“What did you tell him?” Sally demanded.

Heero gave the doctor a glare. “I told him the operation was successful and he should make a full recovery. The baby is okay and you expect him to deliver a healthy child and that Keitaro is with Nurse Brown.”

“You didn’t mention...”

“No. I thought it best to wait until he’s completely over the anesthetic and let you explain it all to him.” Whilst Heero was no coward, he just couldn’t face telling his partner the devastating news in regards to his ovary. Although Heero knew that IVF was an option for them should they want more children, he wasn’t aware yet that Sally would be harvesting Duo’s immature eggs.

All the time the conversation had been taking place, Duo had been semi conscious. He caught snatches of the words and instinctively knew there was something going on. He forced himself to full consciousness. He thought that maybe now would be a good time to find out just what the hell was going on.

“He is awake and would prefer it if you didn’t discuss him as if he wasn’t here,” Duo croaked out.

“Duo, you’re awake,” Sally said, her voice neutral.

Heero gazed into violet eyes and had to turn away lest Duo see the truth hiding there on his face.

“No shit,” Duo growled in reply to Sally. “What haven’t you told me?” Duo demanded.

Sally looked at Heero who looked back and shrugged his shoulders. With a sigh, Sally faced her patient who looked at her expectantly.

“Duo, I was hoping to talk to you properly once the anesthetic is completely out of your system and I know you will understand what I have to say,” she began.

“I’m awake and fully lucid,” Duo stated, his tone low and with a warning edge to it. “What happened?” he knew instinctively that something was wrong and he was determined to find out what. “The baby...?”

“No, no, there’s nothing wrong with the baby,’ Sally hastily broke in. When I operated I checked your uterus and the fetus within and as we had seen on the ultra sound, the baby is doing just fine. The knife missed the uterus and the child is okay at this stage.”

“What do you mean, at this stage?” Duo asked suspiciously.

“As far as I can tell, all is proceeding normally with this pregnancy. The child has suffered some stress with your low blood pressure and the strain and stress you have been under, not to mention your other injuries. Your body is going to be dealing with trying to heal itself and nurture a child too, so those stresses are going to become even greater.”

Duo began to pale a little.

“Don't worry, I fully intend to see you through this pregnancy and insure you deliver a healthy, happy child, Duo; but that will only happen if you follow my strict instructions.”

Raising an eyebrow, Duo gave the doctor a questioning look.

“You will need to be on complete bed rest for this pregnancy. Not only does your body require it to heal itself from your injuries, but the uterus is still very fragile from carrying Keitaro. The rest of your body is also still coming to terms with having carried a baby and now it’s being hit with a second one much sooner than it is prepared for. If you do not rest totally, then there is every possibility of you having a miscarriage and losing this child.” There, Sally had put it in as simple a term as she could, pulling no punches and laying it on the line for what it was.

“I see,” replied Duo as he chewed over the information. “Am I going to be allowed to move around at all?”

“Minimal. You will be confined to total bed rest and only allowed to move around for things such as showering and toilet visits. Anything else is off limits.”

Duo didn’t look at all happy, but then he sighed. “Okay. If that is what it will take to make sure this child survives, then I will do it,” he stated. Turning to look at Heero, his eyes narrowed a touch as he directed his next words to his husband and lover. “I’m letting you know now, Heero, that I won’t like it, being still just isn’t in my nature and I will become frustrated, angry, temperamental and will most probably take it out on you. I don’t want any fussing, you hear me? Fussing over me will only earn you the wrath of Shinigami and I’m sure you don't want to see him.”

Heero gave his lover a soft smile. “In other words, you will be just the same as when you were carrying Keitaro. I survived that, I think I’ll survive this.”

Duo couldn’t help it, he laughed. “Ah, shit. Bad idea that,” he groaned as his abdomen protested.

“Duo? Are you...” Heero began and then stopped when he saw the glare leveled at him.

“I’m fine and that’s the sort of fussing I don’t want or need.” Turning back to Sally, Duo continued. “Now, what is it that you still haven't told me?”

Looking weary, Sally dry washed her face. “When I operated, the knife...”

“Yes?” Duo wasn’t at all sure he was going to like what he was about to hear, but he needed to know.

“The knife, whilst missing your uterus, unfortunately did connect with your ovary. Your blood pressure was becoming erratic and I knew there was a bleed somewhere, I just couldn’t find it. Once I probed deeper I found the knife blade had cut into your ovary and that’s where the bleeding was coming from.”

Once again, Duo visibly paled.

“The ovary was pretty badly damaged and I wasn't sure if I could repair it, and even if I did, the chances of it healing were pretty much zero. I asked Heero for consent to remove it. Duo, I’m so sorry but I had to remove it for the sake of your life and that of the child.”

The silence in the room was deafening.

“I have no ovary?” Duo whispered.

“No. Not any more,” Sally replied.

“That means I'm no longer...” Duo’s voice hitched and then cracked.

“Duo, there’s something you need to-” Sally began but was cut off before she could finish and explain to Duo about the IVF and harvesting of his eggs.

“Get out,” Duo hissed.

“Duo?” Heero began, uncertain.

“Please, both of you just get out and leave me alone for a bit.”

“But...”

“Heero, go away, leave me alone,” Duo snapped and then turned away from the doctor and his lover.

Sally placed her hand on Heero’s arm and pulled him towards the door. “Come on, Heero. Let him be for a bit. He needs time to come to terms with what I’ve just said...”

“But, what about the rest of it?” Heero growled as he was pulled towards the door.

“Leave him be for a while. Once he’s calmed down I’ll come back and explain the rest of it all to him and hopefully he will be ready to forgive us by then.”

Sadly, Heero nodded and with one last glance back at his lover on the bed, Heero left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Once he heard the door snick shut and knew he was alone, Duo gave into the anguish he was feeling inside. The sobs burst forth as his mind continuously tormented him with the knowledge that he would never again be able to conceive his own child.

~ * ~

tbc...
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Family Ties