Hope From the Past

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters.

Notes: Yes, I’m going to be very mean soon. Enjoy.


Hope From the Past

//Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real//

“Crawling” by: Linkin Park

Part Three


Heero watched as Trowa tended to the young blonde. Wufei stepped over to Heero, a tin cup in one h “H “Here.” Wufei said, offering him the cup.

Heero nodded, but didn’t take the cup. He stood, lifting Duo into a more upright position, then sat behind him, holding him up. “Thanks.” He said, taking the cup from Wufei.

Heero frowned, noticing that Duo had once again fallen into unconsciousness. However, he still held the cup to his lips, hoping he would drink.

Still unconscious, Duo reached up and grabbed Heero’s hand, trying to get more from the cup than Heero was allowing him to drink. He seemed to want to gulp it down, obviously starving. Heero was stronger though, so Duo’s actions were futile. Eventually, the long-haired youth gave up, letting his hand drop back down beside him.

Duo whimpered as the now empty cup was taken away from his lips, his brow furrowing slightly. Heero put the cup aside, worry entering his heart for the youth he held in his arms.

“Sshh.” Heero hushed, running gentle fingers along the edge of Duo’s face, trying to keep him calm, although he was uncertain of how to do it. He didn’t have very much experience in being gentle. He was a trained soldier, raised from birth to fight against the Taltheans. It was all he knew. Helping another was quite uncommon in his life. He just hoped that he was doing this comforting thing correctly.

Duo’s eyes opened minutely and he reached up with a trembling hand to weakly grasp the one that Heero was brushing across his face. A hint of a smile graced Duo’s pale features for an instant before his eyes closed once again.

Heero sighed, concerned. He wondered if Duo had been kept in cryogenic stasis for as long as Quatre had. They did seem to know each other well, so it was a strong possibility. Heero worried over how Duo would react to finding out that he and Quatre had been kept prisoner and abused for almost three hundred years.

“I’m going to go back up top and see if the coast is clear. If it is, I will contact base and send for reinforcements and Sally.” Wufei announced.

Heero nodded, then reached into a pocket. “Here.” He said, tossing Wufei a flashlight.

“Thanks.” Wufei replied, turning and walking away without any further discussion.

Heero turned his attention back to Duo, stroking one hand across one of Duo’s soft, but deathly pale cheeks. The heat radiating from Duo’s face was unsettling, causing Heero nothing but worry. If Duo didn’t get help soon, he might not make it through the night.


*****


Wufei went back the way they had come, going back up through the same manhole that had led them down into the subway system in the first place. He glanced around, thankfully not seeing any Taltheans, before he hauled himself out of the manhole. He stayed low to the ground, keeping a careful watch out for any sign of movement.

He pulled out his transmitter and turned it on, fixing the headset on himself, then sticking the earpiece into his ear. “HQ, come in.” Wufei said, not worrying about the Taltheans picking up the signal. It was a scrambled frequency and then there was the fact that the Taltheans didn’t monitor human broadcasts, thinking it was just a waste of their time.

“HQ, this is Chang . . . respond.” Wufei repeated, his voice barely above a whisper just in case any patrols were nearby.

“Wufei? That you?” Noin’s familiar voice replied. “Where the Hell have you been? You were supposed to have reported in almost an hour ago!”

“Sorry. We got sidetracked. We found something interesting in the Talthean base. I’m going to need you to send Sally and something to transport two injured people.” Wufei answered.

“Injured? Who was injured . . . Heero . . . Trowa?” Noin asked, her voice sounding panicked.

“No, Heero and Trowa are well. We just acquired some new . . . friends . . . and they are unwell.” Wufei said.

“Understood.” Noin replied. “Give me your location and I’ll have a team sent to you . . . including Sally.”

Wufei nodded, although he knew that Noin couldn’t see it. Then, he gave his position, telling her to be careful of Talthean patrols that might still be lurking around. Wufei stayed where he was, waiting patiently. Luy, hy, he didn’t have to wait too long.

About an hour later, several people cautiously made their way into the building, their faces obscured by black hoods. Wufei saw them and motioned them over. One of the people pulled off their hood to reveal herself to be Sally.

“So . . . where are my patients?” Sally asked.

Wufei briefly explained the situation, telling her how they had found Duo and Quatre, and the condition that they were in, as he led her and the others down into the subway system. The other rebels followed behind, a couple remaining up top to keep watch.


*****


Trowa watched as Quatre slowly began to awaken. The blonde groaned, his eyes fluttering open. He smiled as he looked up at Trowa, apparently not upset about being embraced by the tall rebel. Trowa smirked back, although he continued to worry.

A pale, trembling hand reached up to caress Trowa’s cheek. Trowa broke eye contact with the blonde to glance over to Heero, only to see that his friend was totally focused on Duo. Trowa’s eyes widened and he snapped his head down to stare in shock at Quatre when he felt the blonde’s other hand slip down the front of Trowa’s pants. Quatre’s hand hadn’t gotten too far, since he hadn’t unbuckled the belt or unfastened the pants, but his fingers went just far enough to brush against a very sensitive part of Trowa’s anatomy. The feel of his slightly chilled fingers brushing against Trowa’s skin was startling, although quite pleasant.

Trowa moaned, despite his efforts to keep it back. Trowa leaned over, whispering into Quatre’s ear, as the hand in his pants continued to move against him. “Please . . . stop.” Trowa whispered, not wanting to take advantage of Quatre when the blonde was obviously in a vulnerable condition.

Quatre’s eyes glazed over with tears, and the hand he had slipped down Trowa’s pants stopped moving, although it was not taken out. The blonde closed his eyes, his lips trembling as he took his one hand away from Trowa’s face, the other remaining down the front of Trowa’s pants.

“I’m sorry.” Quatre whispered, crystalline tears seeping from under his long, dark lashes.

Before Trowa d red reply, Wufei returned, bringing Sally and a few others with him. Trowa looked up as Sally approached, just continuing to hold the blonde in his arms. Sally smiled, stealing glances at both Quatre and Duo before she walked over and knelt in front of Quatre.

Sally smiled once again. “Let’s just take that hand out of there, huh?” She smirked, pulling Quatre’s hand away from Trowa’s pants.

Trowa felt a blush force its way across his face, and turned his head away out of embarrassment. He moved himself aside, allowing Quatre to lie down again so that Sally could look him over better. However, he remained sitting on the seat beside the attractive blonde.

“Happy to see me, Mr. Barton?” Sally asked, grinning.

Trowa looked at her, confused, then glanced down at himself. He had been embarrassed before and he was even more so now. He crossed his legs uncomfortably, shifting to hide the bulge that had appeared in his pants. It wasn’t his fault that he found the blonde so damn attractive or that he had been aroused by that wonderful hand touching him. It was only a natural reaction.

Quatre looked up at him, apologetically. “Sorry.” He whispered.

Trowa smiled slightly, but didn’t say a word. He just felt too embarrassed about this. Quatre returned the smile briefly, before Sally gained the blonde’s attention. She gave him a quick physical, smiling reassuringly at him and whispering soothing words meant to keep him calm. Then she got up and stepped over to Duo, giving him her full attention.

A few minutes later, Sally gestured for Trowa and Heero to follow her. Trowa got up, reluctantly leaving Quatre’s side. Trowa was grateful that he had been given the time to calm himself. He really didn’t want to go walking around with a hard-on all day. But he still didn’t want to leave Quatre alone for too long.

Sally sighed. “Those boys are in serious need of medical attention. They’re addicted to some drug . . . there’s signs of sexual assault . . . malnutrition . . . dehydration. The one with the long hair has massive blood loss, not to mention the state of shock that has set in. He’s near comatose. And that blonde is just barely fairing any better. Without more tests, I can’t be sure what else is wrong with them.”

“Can you help them?” Heero asked.

“I don’t know. You say they are about three hundred years old? Being repeatedly thawed and frozen again could not have been beneficial to their conditions.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “If I can get them back to base and to my medical equipment they have a better chance.”

“Then let’s go.” Trowa suggested.

“Wait, can we just take them back to base? For all we know they were set there as a trap to end the resistance once and for all. The Taltheans could have wanted you to find them.” Sally said, her voice lowered.

“I won’t just let them die, Sally.” Trowa hissed. “They’re humans just like us. They’ve been abused for almost three centuries. We can’t just abandon them.”

“And that blonde might be Quatre Raberba Winner.” Heero stated.

“Iria Winner’s brother?” Sally gasped.

Heero nodded. “We have to know for sure whether he is or not.”

“Yes. There would be so many people that would want to meet him if he is Quatre Raberba Winner.” Sally nodded. “We’ll take them back to base, but we’ll increase the number of guards.”

“Good.” Trowa replied.

Sally motioned for the other soldiers to step forward. But as soon as they started approaching Quatre, the blonde began trembling, looking at the hooded figures with terror in his eyes. Trowa stopped them from getting closer.

Trowa smiled down at the blonde, holding out a hand. “We’re going to take you someplace safe, okay?” He said, soothingly.

Quatre nodded, smiling slightly, although his eyes repeatedly drifted over to look at the other men. He took hold of Trowa’s hand.

Trowa knelt and lifted Quatre into his arms, glad that the blonde had taken hold of his hand. It meant that Quatre trusted him, even if only slightly. However, he knew that Quatre wouldn’t be able to walk, let alone stand on his own. So carrying him was the only choice. He glanced over and saw that Heero had picked up Duo, carrying the limp form of the unconscious young man in his arms as carefully as he could manage.

Then the two of them followed Sally, the guards in front and behind them, as they left the subway system. A vehicle was waiting nearby, partially hidden behind some debris. Trowa and Heero got in, keeping their precious bundles close to them as the car was started, holding tightly to the two youths as they were driven back to base. Trowa only hoped that neither would die from their injuries.


*****


“Commander . . . here are the results of the examinations on the toys as you requested, sir.” A low-level soldier said, holding out a pad.

The Talthean Commander took it, dismissing the soldier with his other right hand, as he looked over the contents on the pad, watching as the information crossed the small, computer like screen. The information was just what he had been waiting for, what they had been trying to accomplish for several decades now. However, it didn’t make him happy to see this. Not since the two subjects had been stolen from the base that very night.

“Send out more patrols. I want those two brought back to me immediately . . . Alive!” He ordered, furious that his precious toys had been stolen from him.

Several soldiers rushed out of the control room, to deliver his orders to the other sectors most likely. The Commander just stood there, crossing his four arms over his chest as he silently seethed. Those two were his. No one stole from him.

“Bring me the Enforcers!” He commanded, watching smugly as another soldier rushed to obey his newest order. All these men feared him . . . none would dare disobey him. And now that they knew he was angry, they would do anything to ensure that he didn’t take out his anger on one of them. He had been known to kill without any known provocation.

The Enforcers would ensure that his precious toys would be returned to him. The two of them never failed. How could they, when they were humans themselves? They could go where no Talthean could ever get into.

The commander chuckled to himself, knowing that soon he would have what he wanted. His toys would soon be back in his hands, and he could once again have fun with that blonde again. What a lovely creature, despite the fact that it only had two arms. Perhaps he would start with the long-haired one this time. It was quite enjoyable, and more fun to be rough with. Considering the information he had just received though, it might do good to just leave the both of them be foe tie time being.

Maybe he would wait to send the Enforcers, let the humans who stole the toys relax a little. They might get sloppy. He nodded to himself, deciding to just inform the Enforcers that their services would be needed soon. There was no rush. Let the humans care for the toys, spare the Talthean physicians the trouble of touching the creatures.

To Be Continued . . .