Healing Duo

“ Come on Duo, we’re all ready and our flight leaves in an hour.” The boy in question puts his last book inside his knapsack and zips up the side. Technically he’s ready, all his stuff is in the limo, Hilde had his exercise equipment, medication and he’d just finished packing away his notebooks and sketchpads. Howard had made it to the salvage yard in record time with his sensors ready to go, but Hilde insisted he conserve his energy for the trip, packing them away in one of the many bags.
The only thing that isn’t ready is his sanity. He feels like he’s about to fly apart in every which way. His nerves are tingling, his stomach refuses to unclench from its painful state of unease, his breathing is ragged and he finds to his great dismay that he’s shaking slightly. Fuck he isn’t ready for this, he isn’t ready to face everything he thought he had left behind for good. He isn’t ready to face his past…he’d never thought he’d have to---not like this.
The night he had woken up in the hospital, tubes running from every orifice of his body, every square inch of his physical and mental being feeling as if it had been hurled over Niagara Falls. He hadn’t thought he would survive to make it out of that bed. When he had heard the report---ten broken ribs, a punctured lung, the bones of his legs smashed to pieces, a severe concussion due to his skull being smashed open, his left arm and most of his fingers broken, internal bleeding, half his liver missing and bruising covering 80% of his body, rape kit positive---there had been no surprise, he’d expected as much. He could have lived with that, he could have survived everything they told him, but it was what they didn’t know---the time he could remember before the drugs and pain had knocked him unconscious for over two weeks. Everything he had done, everything that had been done to him, everything he had asked for and deserved. He’d known the rules and he had broken them---so they had broken him. The only place they had barely touched was his face-the place he had been told repeatedly was the one of the only places that someone would want…well, the other place they hadn’t bothered ignoring. They had ripped him to shreds from the inside out, but left him alive. Humiliated and scared and alone.
The next weeks after he had finally come around passed in a sort of purgatory. They had given him pain medication that left him groggy and in a state where even thinking hurt, which he supposed was just as well since he was also de-toxing from several drugs.. Then one day, as the sun rose bringing with it what he thought was only more pain brought instead a wonderful gift from his past in the form of a girl named Hilde. She’d been the only one that knew a little of where he was and after checking several hospitals and morgues had finally found one of his alias’.
At one time he might have thought he’d have been disappointed it wasn’t someone else, but found that she was the only one that could have brought him back from the place he had resigned himself to. What he needed was a mother, someone meant to take care of you even when you don’t want it and that’s exactly what she did. Unlike many people thought, Hilde had never had an interest in him, from the beginning she’d known where his preferences lay and when she had seen Heero for the first time she knew he was the only one Duo would ever love.
When he had finally been released from the hospital after four more months of recovery he had moved his pitiful belongings into Hilde’s house. The first night he’d been there she’d sat on the edge of his bed while he told her the truth of where he had been for the two years prior to the incidence. In the end she had been sobbing endlessly and he himself shed a few tears, but mostly he was too tired. A tired that had been piling up since that night so long ago when he’d left Quatre’s. She’d held him as gently as she could, wary of his injuries yet knowing he needed her caring more now than ever. When he’d felt her soft arms around him flashback of Sister Helen had raced through his mind and he’d finally started to cry properly. If the woman could see him now, how far he’d sunk, what he’d allowed to happen…at that point he’d felt all his energy drain, the massive amounts of drugs in his system finally taking their toll. Two days later he woke with no recollection of the time after their conversation.
Life for them had continued. Though none of the other pilots had tried to contact him since the last time they’d all been together, he became increasingly afraid they might try for one reason for another. So, by giving Hilde instructions on the computer they, together, created enough of a past---erasing files and adding new ones---that looked as if he’d been living, but not giving enough information as to where he was. Even she understood how important this was to Duo and his recovery. Having one of the boys he once considered his friends come into his life at that point would have only forced him more into himself.
Duo sighs and slings his knapsack up onto his shoulder. He pushes himself into his wheelchair and situates his legs. The sensors he’d designed were made to detect muscle movement in the legs and gauge whether or not the muscle could handle walking. When he’d go to take a step the sensors would pick it up and trigger an anti-gravity mechanism that would give the legs an extra lift, compensating for what the legs couldn‘t do on their own. They made him walk with a limp, but they went a long way in his recovery. Making his way to the front room he finds Quatre waiting next to the open door with a slight smile on his face.
“ Hilde is waiting in the car, are you ready to face your past?” Duo starts. It was eerie sometimes how Quatre could read him, but the blonde only smiles.
“ You know what they say. Rock out with your cock out.” Duo gives an unpracticed version of his old devil-may-care look, not sure if the phrase really fit the time, but he likes seeing Quatre flush. Especially since his little question had sent Duo into momentary shock. Served the little bastard right,
“ Come on then.” Duo makes his way to the car and helps himself into the back next to Hilde. She grins at him and hands him a bottle of chocolate flavored water; his favorite. He takes a long gulp as Quatre crawls in, the trunk and car door slamming home. He feels panic well up inside his chest and presses his eyes tightly shut. After a few moments his right hand is taken gently up in familiar palm of Hilde’s. To his surprise his left hand is then taken hold of not seconds later.
“ We’re here for you Duo.” Hilde states firmly. “ And I for one am not going anywhere, you’re stuck with me.” He gives the girl a watery grin.
“ I know I wasn’t there when you most needed help and I will regret that for the rest of my life. But it will also make sure that I will never slack in my friendship again and that I am never absent from you when you need me. I love you Duo and I will never be the only one.” Duo opens his eyes to look deeply into Quatre’s, the aquamarine depths brimming with unshed tears.
“ Oh Kat---you didn’t do anything wrong, sometimes people just grow apart.” But the blond shakes his head.
“ No, I am at fault. I never thought that something may be wrong, I never thought to try and contact you harder. I lapsed in my judgment of my loved ones outside of work and for that I will try to make up for it by being there for you. For now, I am going to help you get through this, not just the next few weeks but the rest of your life. You’re not going to get rid of me either.” After the speech that has Duo crying once again he finds himself wrapped in the arms of his two best friends and the limo on the way. He suddenly winces sharply as something pokes into his thigh. He looks down to see Hilde putting a needle away.
“ Forgive me Duo, but the stress and strain is going to be too great the closer we get.” Duo feels his head swimming.
“ Hilde…!” He cries.
“ No one will see you until you wake, do not worry, sleep. Everything will be fine, I promise.” Duo takes comfort in the fact no one would see him like this---at least not the one person he’d hate to have seen him shy of perfect looking---but blackness soaks his vision and he lets himself float away. The two other occupants of the limo move the boy around till his head is in Quatre’s lap and his legs are slung over Hilde’s.
“ Do you think that was necessary Hilde?” Quatre asks and the girl sighs. They both gaze down at the softly sleeping face of their hurting friend.
“ You don’t know how fragile he really is. He’s not the same boy Quatre and I don’t think he ever will be. There may have been sadness and hardship in his past before, but now it has almost consumed him whole. I’m not going to tell you what happened, its his life to tell. Anyway, I don’t think he could have handled his nerves on the way. Hopefully waking up already there will eliminate some of the build up.” Quatre nods, understanding that the girl probably knows what was better for their friend’s health than he himself did.
“ Quatre…I don’t want anyone seeing him until he’s ready. I was serious with my promise and I won’t let Duo worry about it either.” The blonde thinks for a few moments.
“ I have people who owe me a few favors and it will take some stealth on our parts, but I think we can manage.” The two youths, quickly on their way to becoming good friends exchange a smile over the sleeping boy, who’s love for him they share. Quatre leans back into a more comfortable position. This was going to be one hell of a reunion.

Trowa’s dreams are troubled ones. He’d fallen asleep, restless and lonely, wondering if perhaps Heero felt this way all the time. What would happen if Duo didn’t reciprocate Heero’s feelings? Would he continue to feel the way Trowa was feeling tonight? Lost and incomplete without the presence of the one he loved? It’s with these thoughts swirling in his head that he falls into a sleep. But even in sleep he remains troubled, haunted by visions of Quatre dying, his friends leaving him alone, no one able to love him.
Its from these thoughts he’d thankfully torn when a familiar pair of arms wrap around him, a slim chest pressing against his back.
“ Quatre!” He gasps in a hoarse voice.
“ Mmm. You’re voice sounds so sexy like that.” Turning in those strong arms, Trowa looks at the shadowed form of his lover grinning at him in the dark.. Leaning in the two young men greet each other in a more personal way.
“ What are you doing home so early my love? We weren’t expecting you till tomorrow!” Quatre pushes the bigger man onto his back to snuggle up against his side, laying his head on Trowa’s shoulder. Worries of the day to come---and the rest after---melt form the Arabian with the blunt nails of his lover’s fingers scratching against the nape of his neck.
“ We weren’t suppose to be, but some unforeseen circumstances hastened our trip.” Feeling the body under him tense he quickly adds, “ We’re all fine, Duo and Hilde are here and probably asleep and as much as I want to ravage you right now I think we’ll need all the rest we can get.” Trowa smiles and pulls Quatre closer, kissing the top of his head. The blonde grins and closes his eyes to try and get a few hours sleep, but the tiny pulsing of curiosity has him sighing.
“ Ask me before I hit you over the head so I can get some rest.” He growls in mock annoyance, which has the other grinning.
“ How is he? How does he look?” Quatre takes a moment, wondering how much he should say.
“ He’s more beautiful than I ever remembered him being. I just hope Heero thinks the same.” A normal person’s curiosity would have skyrocketed, but in those words Trowa is satisfied. Settling back the two young men fall into each other, breathing in the other’s scent and feeling complete once more---hoping one day their friends will find the same comfort in each other.

Artificial sunlight lays softly on Duo’s eyelids, the thin layers of skin doing nothing to keep out the unwanted intrusion. Quatre had built a large dome on the back of the mansion similar to the artificial worlds of the space stations, allowing regular sunlight hours for those who wanted it. Duo blinks his gummy eyes, stretching his stiff body with feline intensity---his back arching and fingers digging into the silky bedspread. His jaw cracks as he gives a large yawn, sitting up to let unfamiliar sheets fall away from his t-shirted chest. A smile comes to his face as he looks around the room. Peach walls glow in morning light filtering through long gossamer curtains, moving to show glimpses of an indoor terrace. The room is furnished in natural wood and lush creams, spacious with a high arching ceiling. His luggage and equipment is stacked to the side of slightly ajar door, showing it as the bathroom.
The sleepy boy finally notices Hilde’s not in sight, nor a cot. She probably opted for another room, to give Duo some privacy. But next to his bed on the table are his walking aids. Pretty soon he wouldn’t even need that. He was damn lucky he wouldn’t end up with a permanent limp, but the medical advances in bone reconstruction and nerve damage were amazing. They’d done all they could for him and eventually the only lasting effects of his accident would be the memories burned into his mind. The boy shakes his head, swinging his legs to the side and thanks god they feel good this morning. He had enough to worry about without the muscles giving him trouble. The bones were healed, but after so long not moving and not walking he had to slowly build the muscles back up. Forgoing the walking aid Duo stands and wiggles his bare toes in the soft carpeting.
“ I see you’re finally up.” Turning to one of the doors along the opposite wall he watches Hilde come in from a room that looked like an adjoining living room.
“ Don’t tell me you slept on a couch or anything.” Even from the mere seconds of standing Duo can feel his legs shake with the strain. Hilde tsks.
“ I know you like pushing yourself, but you really should save your energy for the exercises. And no, I got the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept on! Man, what Quatre thinks of as a cot most would call heaven in a mattress!” Duo has to grin as he sits beck on his own ‘heaven in a mattress’ and watches Hilde gathering medication that included a mild anti-depressant, pain killers, vitamins, and a calcium supplement.
“ Kat always was the master of the understatement.” Hilde smiles approvingly as the other swallows his pills dutifully.
“ Well lets get started sweetie.”

Duo’s exercises included an extensive leg massage which Hilde had become an expert of after the first month of hell and tears of pain from cramped muscles. They’d learned a massage before hand and one after was the best way to ready Duo’s protesting appendages. They did strength training, endurance training, and stretching that Duo would have blown through in ten minutes only a few years ago, but now took him a good portion of an hour to complete. After the last massage, Duo sits on his couch catching his breath, watching the blue haired girl curiously as she rummages through his clothing pack.
“ Lookin’ for a new fashion statement?” Another pair of pants go flying and Duo frowns, he liked those ones.
“ It’s almost 10:30, I told Quatre we’d meet him in the garden for brunch.” Duo waits---and waits.
“ So?…” She turns back to see him motioning for her to continue and rolls her eyes.
“ So, considering all the other pilots are about to see you for the first time in four years I thought you might want something to wear that makes you look incredible, not that you need much help.” Duo’s mouth gapes open.
“A--all the other pilots? In Twenty minutes!!!” Pushing himself up with a walking cane Duo makes his way to the bathroom, taking his hair from its pony tail.
“ Do you want some help?”
“ No way! You find some clothes, I got this.” Hilde smiles as the boy starts grumbling “…haven’t even brushed my teeth, and I stink to high heaven and now she tells me I gotta be presentable…” The bathroom door closing halts further progress of his words. Hilde looks at his clothes once again---all plain and manageable, nothing even remotely sexy, how was she suppose to….hello, what’s this? Pulling out a tight looking pair of pants Hilde grins evilly.