Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A Demon's Broken Spirit

Chapter 4: Awake

Treize lay awake, feeling he was not the only one. The door was swinging ever so slightly, just off the latch, very slowly, click…click…click... He stared at it, seeing nothing that was really there. The general reached for the glass on his night stand, he was thirsty; the half litre of scotch that had managed to slip down his throat had parched him.

Raising the glass to his slightly parted lips he tipped his head back. Empty. Throwing his sheet off and rising, he reached out and soon felt the smooth silk slip warmly around his shoulders and then fastened the green tie of his dressing gown.

A shadow appeared in the small slither of light at the entrance to his room. Treize had felt his air before his companion's shadow had even came into view.

'Treize.' The blonde head nodded.

'Zechs, you're awake.'

'It seems you are too, what keeps you up, or need I not ask?'

Zechs need not have asked.

The general walked into his en-suite, turning on the tap instinctively. The room reflected him; the marble tiles shimmered gently in the moonlight which came in a blur through the frosted window. On the window sill there sat a glass dish, full but not overflowing with fresh potpourri. Three silk dressing gowns, one emerald green, identical to the one around his shoulders and the other two royal blue, each delicately embroidered with a petite needle. Everything was neatly organised from the bath products, of which there were many, to the towels. The corner bath gleamed white along which the basin and toilet and the golden handles and taps brought a decorative finish to the room.

Treize emerged from the bathroom, water still shining on his lips. He led his guest to the drawing room and took the same sit he had occupied earlier in the evening. Zechs knew of his ways and again, took the seat opposite him.

"Why are you awake Zechs?" The question was asked sleepily as the general felt no need to fully awaken himself around his trusted colleague and friend.

"Because you are. I'm here to help you, even if it's just to give you an excuse to be awake." Zechs replied, it was obvious from his words, voice and eyes that he had not even tried to get to sleep yet, seems he knew he would be getting up sometime during the night.

Treize mused on what was said. 'Here to help you.' He always was. For as long as the General could recall he had always had Zechs there to help him. No matter what it was. Treize wasn't even dense enough to pretend Generals in a war didn't have 'small problems', they did, but no matter what it was, his blonde haired partner was there, and the favour was always returned.

"Thanks." Was all the ginger man could think of to say back.

"Treize, you have to stop beating yourself up about this, remember what I told you earlier? You need to think about that, but until he is ready to listen or talk there's nothing you can do and even if you wait he may never be ready but you have to accept that you are doing all you can." Zechs spoke as if it had all been said before.

"It should never have happened… I should have… it…"

"You can't change the past Treize," Zechs spoke steadily; "you just have to do what you can now and if that's nothing maybe it's for the best and if it' everything maybe that is too, but you can't decide what the best is, not in this situation, just give it time."

The General sighed; he knew the Lieutenant was right; he just had to give it time. But for now though he felt powerless, he felt like his life was on hold, he felt ashamed and he felt, above everything else, guilty. Treize knew he had troops doing his jobs and workers to tae on his role for now, he knew he had to forget the war for the moment as he had a soldier down.

The pair sat in silence for a lengthy period. Zechs got up and lit the fire, he had a feeling they would be there a while.

The lieutenant retook his seat and began dealing a pack of very old cards which were kept in the bar. "It's just to take your mind off things," he stated simply. "Any preference to the game?"

"Dealer's choice," replied Treize shaking his head.

"Quatre?"

The young blonde started awake.

"Yes Heero?" The Arabian smiled, he tried to ignore the pain he still felt as he turned to talk to his alliance.

"Why are you sleeping on the couch?"

"I was just trying to figure something out."

"Your chest hurting again?" The cobalt blue eyes had a slight hint of concern behind the icy exterior, since Heero had found Zechs, there was always something warm about his coolness to his friends, he was never warm in battle though, the relationship could not affect his performance in combat. Quatre was the only pilot who knew of Heero and Zechs but he was not the only one who had notice the difference.

"Yes," Quatre replied, it has been for a while now, longer than usual and it feels like there's more to it as if it's a lasting injury or an emotional one rather than just a wound.

"Is it Duo or Wufei?" Heero inquired.

Wufei left the day before to complete a mission on LX483; he was not due back for a few days. The mission had seemed simple enough, just to detonate a few bases however he could have been hurt… but this was unlikely. Heero had known before he asked that the answer would be Duo. His mission was slightly more complicated, not something they couldn't handle but Heero didn't think Duo should take the mission alone in the first place. Braking into an Oz base could be tricky and the chances of getting caught or injured where much higher without back-up.

"Duo, Wufei hadn't even left before I felt it. He's due back tomorrow, what if he doesn't come?" The blue eyes shone with anxiety.

"We'll go after him, same as we always do if one of us is captured or wounded." Heero's reply seemed so obvious and although the Arabian believed him, it did not stop him worrying and wondering. "Go to bed Quatre." The words were soft for Heero and Quatre appreciated the sentiment.

Duo awoke once more. He slept because there was nothing else to do; there was nothing else to do because he had no energy if he didn't sleep. He dreams had been sorrowful tonight, he didn't want to think about them but the memories fought their way into his mind. He could remember what day it was, he was unsure how long he'd been in the Oz base but he knew he was due back soon, if not already. He didn't doubt that the other pilots would get him out but how much better would it make him feel? Maybe, just maybe if he got out and was around his friends he could build the barriers back up, forget everything that had ever happened and be his old self. Right now though, that seemed impossible.

TBC…

A/N Very sorry this took so long, I don't really have a reason why just that I haven't had much time with school and things. Hope you like it; I'll appreciate your comments if anyone's bothered anymore.

Sunny Dragoness