Warnings: Swearing, angst, references to child abuse, moonlight walks and much wetness!
A/N: The final chapter! Can't believe this is actually done! This has to be the longest thing I have ever written, including my uni work (probably not a good thing!) I know I say this every week and I can't think of a way to say it afresh, but thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your interest, comments, reviews and encouragement. Its so lovely that you even take the time to read this, let alone actually say something on it! So thank you so much. I've really enjoyed writing this, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it! This did take awhile to get up, partly because life is hectic, but I did want to make sure that you all got best final chapter possible! Big thank you for all the help I got on this chapter – for the most excellent suggestions, grammar corrections and encouragement!
As always, let me know what you think – on the chapter and the story overall!
The Tribulations of Peace
By Corralero
The Preventer Organisation has held an illustrious history from its first beginnings. Based in the Sanq Kingdom, the Preventers was born with the specific mission of peacekeeping within the countries and space colonies affected by the Gundam Wars. Influenced by key political and military minds of the time, such as Relena Peacecraft, Millardo Peacecraft (a.k.a. Zechs Marquise), Colonel Une and Lieutenant Noin. The Preventers has been praised as one of the few institutions to have effectively and truthfully have kept the peace, in keeping a strong tradition of unity and innovation alongside an unprecedented and unbeaten lack of internal corruption. Evidently the Prevents owes much of its success and reputation to the high calibre of officers and employees in all of its divisions, the most sterling examples of which must be the captains Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba-Winner and Wufei Chang, all of who enjoyed the most distinctive of careers in the Preventer's earliest of days…
(Extract taken from R. Hicks, The Cambridge Analysis of Peacekeeping Organisations)
Chapter Fourteen
The End and The Beginning
Back up, back up. Give him space. Someone call 911……………I'll get security. Hello…….…ambulance please. Pass me that cushion……………He needs a blanket…………….. Keep him warm…….…Get hold of Sally Po…………The front desk called. The ambulance is here…………His name, sir. And his date of birth. Duo Maxwell. And he doesn't have one. I see…………Do you know his approximate age? Sixteen. And who shall we contact as his legal guardians? Well, we're not entirely sure……..…Looks like we may have multiple breaks to several ribs. And possible diagnosis of a punctured right lung……..……..Got any explanation of how these injuries occurred?………Put him on a saline drip. He's severely dehydrated…One…two…three…and lift……….Pulse slow but stable. ………….No responsiveness………….I will travel with him. We'll follow on. See you in the hospital. Sally says she'll meet us there…………
He woke slowly to the sound of a steady, sluggish beeping, and lay still, keeping his breathing even, feeling a deep pain in his chest. Where the hell was he? Ok, facts. He was lying flat on his back and felt as though he had been steamrollered. Shit, had OZ got him? There were no restraints, and the idea of capture somehow didn't sit right with him. Why? Because the friggin' war was over. Dumbass. Crap, he was stupid sometimes. So, where was he? Think. Mallinson. Fuckin' idiot. School. Elevator shaft. Boyster's office. Red carpet…oh. Yeah. So hospital was probably going to be a good guess.
Feeling remarkably pleased with his powers of deduction, Duo finally cracked his eyes open to take in a plain hospital room and immediately heard a soft intake of breath to his right.
"Every time. How do you boys do that?"
Despite his battered face, Duo couldn't help grinning. Damn, it felt good to hear that voice.
"Do wha'?" The attempt at an innocent query sounded more like a bullfrog barking. Sally Po immediately held a straw to his mouth and he sipped gratefully at the cool liquid. Her cheeks dimpled in exasperated humour.
"How long have you been awake? That trick of yours stumps me and the monitors both."
Duo let the straw go.
"Picked up a few tricks from Heero."
She snorted as she moved efficiency around his bed, checking the monitors and IV lines. He stared down at the chest tube leading from his chest to the drainer on the side, and felt the drugs swirling around his body and mind. He hated hospitals.
"I thought that boy was a bad influence," she muttered, clearly remembering their first meeting.
"Normally, people sayin' that 'bout me," Duo informed her, as she peered into his eyes with a penlight.
She merely smiled. Duo glanced round the room, searching for a clock.
"How long have I been out?"
"It's 8.00 the following morning. So about ten hours. You were in a pretty poor state, Duo. The injuries you sustained during your run in with Mr Mallinson were aggravated by the later physical activity, especially the three sets of double-breaks to your ribs. Between climbing that elevator shaft, and all that coughing, you managed to puncture your right lung with one of the bone fragments. On top of that your notes read concussion, dehydration and exhaustion…Well, in all truth, it's surprising you didn't collapse earlier. You boys never know when to stop, do you?" She finished her tirade with a glare. Duo merely gave awkward shrug.
"C'mon, Sally, had worse, done worse. 'Sides, it was kinda an emergency."
Sally's face suddenly fell.
"Yes, I know. It's just…" She sat, perched on the edge of his bed, head bowed for a moment. "I saw your back, Duo," he recoiled slightly and then stared at the look of mingled fury and sorrow on her face as she looked at him once more. "I…I'm so sorry that happened, so sorry we didn't stop it in time…"
"Hey…" he wasn't quite sure how to handle this tearful Sally. She let out an angry little laugh.
"Who does that? Who the hell does that? I'm telling you, Duo, if I ever come across that bastard, I'm kicking his ass to China and back again," she flushed as Duo's surprised and delighted expression, putting her head on to one side as she let out a shaky sight and reached out to cup his bruised face. "I'm sorry, Duo. It's just good to have you all back with us. These last few weeks have been…and when I saw you all in the treatment room…" She stopped abruptly with an odd, choked laugh, moving her hand up to brush Duo's long fringe back from his forehead. Removing the hand, she gave another odd laugh.
"I'm sorry, Duo."
Despite the fact that he was wondering whether his face was now a motley mixture of purple, black, blue and bright bright red, Duo gave an awkward smile, grabbing the doctor's hand.
"Na, Sal', no worries. We missed you loads and all too, 'specially Wu-man, 'though he's never gonna say it."
He moved his hand to itch his nose uncertainly, and glanced around the room once more, frowning as a disconcerting thought struck him.
"Where are the guys?"
Sally visibly started, a guilty look spreading across her face as she fumbled for her pager.
"Great. I promised I'd tell them the moment you were awake. They stayed for as long as they could, getting under my feet as usual, but they were finally dragged away to deal with the international ruckus you and those Peacecrafts managed to cause between you." She was speaking in her normal brisk fashion again. Tucking her pager safely away once more, she looked up.
"They'll be here soon."
"Cool." Despite himself, Duo had been anxious. He wasn't exactly sure where he stood with his fellow pilots. It still hurt to think back on the last few weeks, but he sure as hell wanted the others close now. Suddenly tired, he gave an involuntary yawn as he fought to keep his eyes open. Perhaps Sally saw his turmoil, as she dimmed the lights, pulling the blankets higher up to his chin.
"Your body's still recovering, Duo. Get some rest. I promise you they'll be here when you wake up."
And so they were. He couldn't have slept for long for, when he woke, it was to Heero's stern features. His best friend gave him a small smile and Duo felt a dizzying wave of relief. He was absurdly thankful that his fellow pilots were still here, his dreams having been filled with wordless fears that they had left, gone back to their foster homes, to their colonies, had dispersed across the world without him. But Heero was here and studying him closely.
"Status?"
But it was quietly said, questioning, not the usual bark he'd snapped out so many times during combat. Duo smiled, slowly manoeuvring himself to relieve the pressure on his back.
"Getting' there."
Heero's face was unnervingly blank.
"It was too much."
He spoke abruptly, the words jerking out as the blank mask wavered and deep concern and guilt slipped through the cracks.
"I pushed you too hard. That is why you collapsed. Exhaustion. Dehydration. A punctured lung."
Duo shook his head tiredly. He wasn't sure he wanted to start pointing fingers yet. Or ever. Sometimes it just wasn't worth it.
"It don' matter. I was pushin' as much as anyone."
Heero just shook his head as the braided pilot let his eyes drift towards the closed door. "How's it goin' out there?" His voice was tentative, uncertain, as he suddenly remembered the 'slight' situation in hand.
Heero's smile was grim, "Do not concern yourself, Duo. The situation is being handled."
A frown crept between Duo's brows. "The situation is being handled?" he echoed suspiciously. What the hell did that mean? "Wha' situation? Wha' gonna happen wit' us?" What wasn't Heero saying? The Perfect Solider frowned back. Why was he frowning? Inwardly, Duo cursed, his thoughts trailing and spinning over the last few hours. What did happen? They got to Boyster's office and then…then…did they get what they wanted? Duo searched his memory, trying desperately to remember. Blonde hair…Zechs…but that didn't make sense. Why would Zechs be there when he didn't even know where they were? So what wasn't Heero telling him? He suddenly realised Heero was speaking, but his tone was calm, too calm….
Heero looked carefully at his best friend, concern dragging at him so much it hurt. Duo had nearly died. Those four words had run round and round his head like a mantra. In the ambulance, his condition had worsened and the paramedics had been forced to conduct an intubation. Duo had nearly died. He had nearly lost his closest comrade. And Duo looked awful. Pale and small in the hospital bed, with his eyes still dazed from the medication. He clearly was not thinking straight, and even as Heero watched, Duo's face was pulled into a frown as he spoke, his voice slurred. Heero frowned at his questions, wishing he could allay his friend's fears. "Wha' situation?" He spoke again, trying to calm him.
"Duo, it is fine. We are working on it. Wufei and Mr Locks are handling the claims against Mallinson, and the others are in meetings at the moment. Everything is fine. Do not worry."
He was talking like how Trowa talked to his lions. What was he hiding? Duo snarled, panic and fear manifesting into anger. "Damn it, stop messin' me around an' tell me wha' the hell is goin' on! I may be injured but I ain't thick." He watched Heero hesitate, his eyes flickering to Duo's monitors as his heart rate sped up, and snorted in frustration. "Fuck it, Yuy! Spit it out. I don' care wha' them paper shovin' bastards think no more. I ain't 'fraid of 'em." He moved convulsively to push himself further up and gasped as jolts of pain sent a clear message to his brain that his body wasn't ready to go anywhere anytime soon. Heero apparently agreed, as alarm flashed through his eyes.
Heero hesitated, confused and unsure how to react as the feisty American snarled at him. Why was Duo acting like this? Did he not understand? Then panic flared as Duo moved to push himself upright, hands pulling at the IV wires in his wrists.
"Duo, stop!" His hands shot out to press Duo gently back onto the bed and holding him still, as the stern tone caused the injured boy to freeze instinctively. "It is fine…"
Duo glared up at him. "Damit, it's NOT fine! Not if it all just goin' ta pot. I ain't just gonna lie here while ya all out in th' firin' line an' gettin' it in th' neck. Not gonna sit here if ya need me. Lemme up!"
But Heero didn't shift his hands and Duo eventually gave in, panting with pain. The 01 pilot shut his eyes briefly. "Duo, please, calm down. I am sorry. You misread the situation. Boyster and Mallinson are in custody and the governments are now highly co-operative. It is going well. Truly." The two stared at one another for a moment, at the heart monitor gradually settled once more.
That was it. A misunderstanding. That was all. He could have kicked himself. Duo always did tease him that relational communication was not his strongest point. Heero stared at Duo, feeling his own heart beat settle back down, checking his friend understood him and then backing off.
"Oh…" Embarrassed and slightly bemused, it was all Duo could manage. A tint of humour entered Heero's cold eyes as relief set in. "After a general risk assessment, we agreed we held the appropriate abilities to handle a few bureaucrats without you."
Duo raised an eyebrow. "Really? Dunno, man. Not sure ya can cope wit th' pressures of politics. I mean, lookit ya. You're kinda suicidal, while Quatre's occasionally homicidal. Trowa ain't got th' jaw for th' job, an' in case ya wonderin' were I got all those fancy words from, it's from Wu-man who's got th' justice stick so thick for a spine, he ain't never gonna turn quick enough to catch a dirty deal. So, ya wonder why I worried?"
Heero's reply to the banter was cut short as the door opened, but Duo heard his warm laugh of relief and snorted. Heero always did choose the weirdest times to get a sense of humour. Then suddenly his vision was full of enthusiastic Arabian, as Quatre rushed to Duo's side, while Trowa and Wufei followed more sedately.
"You're awake!"
Duo glanced over to the other's faces. There was a humorous glint in Trowa's one visible eye, and calmness to Wufei's expression that had been missing for too long.
Quatre was rushing on, "Everyone else is on their way now, but we wanted to get here first…"
"To run something by you," Trowa cut in. The corners of the mercenary's mouth were turned upwards.
Duo raised an inquiring eyebrow. "Shoot," he said.
Heero joined in. "There is much to be achieved before we are accepted completely into a peaceful, civilised society. But we have decided that this no longer a pressing priority. Our top priority is to find time to heal and recover ourselves."
Duo stared at his best friend's neutral face suspiciously, feeling the beginnings of excitement coiling in his gut.
"Go on."
Wufei coughed. "It seems peace is somewhat more of a tribulation than we thought," he commented dryly. Duo looked from face to face, his eyes suddenly alight.
"So we're like goin' on holiday or somethin'?"
Quatre burst in, apparently unable to contain himself any longer. "Duo, do you remember our last safehouse on Earth? My family's house in Trinidad? We only stayed there for a few days."
Duo nodded breathlessly. Those few days held some of his happiest memories.
Quatre went on. "It's ours. All five of us. For ever. Or for as long as we want, as long as we need to recover. Our friends and families are free to come visit us and no one is to bother us unless we choose."
There was a moment's silence.
"What do you think?" There was only the slightest edge of anxiety in Heero's measured voice. The slight, battered figure sitting in the centre of the bed finally looked up, violet eyes open and vulnerable.
"All of us? All five of us together?"
They nodded in unionism.
"And we'd get ta see Howard an' Sally an' stuff?"
They nodded again.
Duo tilted his head back, resting it against the pillow, his eyes sliding shut in contentment. His face lit with a bright smile as he breathed out, "Dude, that's so awesome!"
And suddenly the tension eased and the conversation began to flow as the light of anticipation and excitement grew stronger behind young eyes.
One year later…
Duo was walking barefoot down a winding sandy path that led up from the beach to the house. The path was pleasant, well known and well-trod, and the sand was soft beneath his toes. Clad only in faded surfing shorts, he stretched his arms behind his head, gazing up into the clear blue sky, and embracing the warm breeze playing on his face. His lean body was tanned and toned from the sun and the outdoors lifestyle, except for the pale scars that traced his form, each one telling a battle and story of their own. But he didn't mind the scars. The five of them had accepted them philosophically as badges of life, along with the soldier's knowledge that it could have been worse, a lot worse – an eye, a limb, a life. Scars were nothing to be ashamed of. The internal scars and wounds had been far harder to accept, not the least of these being the subtle and painful damage done to their band of brothers during the whole post-war foster-care fiasco. But what the hell, they had coped. They had laughed about it, and fought about it and yelled and sworn and even, occasionally, cried about it. Got it out of their systems and then healed, taking what was good from the situation – relishing their relative safety and freedom in this new world of peace, the contact and care from friends and family, and the unexpected joy of new support from a certain teacher, and the other foster-carers who had given their homes to Heero, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei. And they had relaxed. And bloody enjoyed themselves learning how to live in what had to be the most laid-back and peaceful island on the whole damn planet.
Trinidad. Sure, it had its share of hardships from the wars, where didn't? But the people here were so laid-back they were horizontal. Duo was right in there, getting along famously with the locals, and thoroughly enjoying the attention of the girls. Before long he was a true Trinidadian in nearly every sense of the word. The community had been generous and open with their new and unusual neighbours. The teenagers' unusual past seemed to have no impact on the locals' treatment of them whatsoever. Even Heero's patented death glare appeared to have been nullified, as they found out much to the others' mirth, after the 01 pilot was faced down by a placidly cheerful old man. The confrontation resulted in a grudging respect, on Heero's part, and a strange friendship. Heero had taken to playing chess once a week with the old man, on a rickety old table on the dusty roadside.
They filled their time with random pursuits. Trowa discovered a love of fishing. Admittedly, it was with a spear, but still he was good, regularly bringing back his catches for evening barbeques. When he wasn't playing chess, Heero became absorbed with Quatre's old hobby of bird-watching, the two of them spending hours in the thick tropical forests, while Wufei was able to return to his beloved books. Swotting, in Duo's humble opinion.
So they lived and healed, and learnt to slow their lives down to the point when even the clock stopped, just long enough to feel the itch.
That itch to see a little more of the world, to meet a few more people. To see the world from the angle of peace and not from the windscreen of a gundam. To meet people as themselves, not as terrorists on the run. The curiosity that prickled whenever Relena, Noin or Zechs spoke of international events and affairs. The desire for a challenge that was not satisfied by helping the old fisherman update his motorboat, stripping down his machine in less than an hour and putting it back together so powerfully that, the first time he used it, it lifted out of the water and pulled his afro back straight. That sudden longing for the thrill of excitement and adrenaline, to push themselves to the limit again, that was stirred but not filled as they raced each other on speedboats. That itch to work side by side once more.
Duo smiled as he reached the house. Who were they kidding? Not themselves, and certainly not their friends. He had learnt to live in a world he never truly thought he'd be alive to see - a world of peace - and had discovered much he never believed would be his, life, peace, security – so much that so many took for a given. He'd had time to get his head straight, learn about himself, his brothers and his friends, and slowly work out what it was he had done because he had been forced to and what he had done because he believed in it. The Gundam pilots still had a place in the world - a role and responsibility - and part of him still acknowledged its relevance.
Duo couldn't speak for the others, but, to be blunt, he was bored. Yeah, he still had nightmares and shit, yeah, he still found himself diving for cover occasionally when a car backfired (which happened far too often in Trinidad) but, damn, he was bored.
Howard and Hilde had looked at him in confusion and concern when he had first told them. They had come over for the day and the three of them were wandering down the shoreline in the moonlight, surrounded by the silver sands and the dark, sighing waters.
"But…what do you want to do?" Hilde asked uncertainly.
He slung an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. "Dunno yet, but loungin' 'round a beach ain't gonna crack it."
"Kid," Howard's face was wary, "You've all done great this last year, you most of all, but there's still so much…"
It was amazing how the concern still lit a deep, contented glow within him where the street-rat still stood, wide-eyed and incredulous that people like this actually cared for someone like him. Even as he cut the sweeper captain off with a laugh, his deep appreciation showed in his eyes. "Chill, Howie. I ain't gonna climb inta Deathscythe all trigger-happy, but c'mon, gimme some cred. This…" he gestured around him, "has been awesome, but th' world keeps on turnin' an' I wanna get back on. 'Sides," he added mischievously, "I bet ol' Unne's email accounts have been left in peace for far too long."
Hilde's eyes were popping comically. "That was you?!" She accused, then broke into laughter. "It's all water off a duck's back with you, isn't it, Duo?"
"No shit." the 02 pilot returned. "If ya take on all th' water, ya gonna sink when th' oil hits," he declared cheerfully.
A sudden yell followed by a long burst of highly creative Chinese cursing echoed out from the courtyard, breaking Duo's musings. Snickering to himself, he watched the victim of his boredom emerge into the sun, dripping wet.
"Maxwell!"
Grinning broadly, Duo watched Wufei cautiously as he approached, checking the 05 pilot wasn't carrying his katana.
"That bucket nearly took my head off!"
The finger of justice was pointed accusingly in Duo's face.
"Wha' bucket?" Duo wondered out loud, working the wide-eyed look.
"The red bucket, filled with water and ice," Wufei replied through gritted teeth.
"Man, the ice lasted that long?…umm, I mean, which bucket?"
Cover blown, Duo did what he did best, turned tail and ran, straight past Heero and Trowa, as they returned from town, with a furious Chang hot on his tail. Dithering for a moment, he turned towards the outside pool, then gulped as he saw Rashid had locked the other exit. Turning to face down the dragon, he held out his hands in a placating manner.
"Aww, c'mon Wu. It was a gift. Bit of thoughtfulness, y'know. Thought ya'd be all hot an' tired from…um…studyin'?"
Man, he was out of practise. The attempt at reasoning didn't work. Wufei struck, not unlike his Gundam's dragon claw. Duo had a brief uninterrupted view of blue sky, as he flipped through the air to land with an almighty splash in the pool. Spluttering, he surfaced to tread water, pawing his hair from his eyes. When he looked up, Wufei was still there, laughing down at him. Duo grinned good-naturedly back, relishing the change in the proud Chinese boy. During the war, Wufei would have chucked him in (probably along with a bag of cement) and then stalked off in high dudgeon for a day or two.
"I think my honour is avenged," Wufei commented, and then choked as Duo squirted water from his mouth at Wufei's face in retaliation then prudently scooted swiftly out of reach, floating in the centre of the pool.
"Your hygiene is disgusting, Maxwell," Wufei complained, although without heat.
"I agree." The pair looked up to find Trowa and Heero standing by.
"That was rather disgusting, Duo," Trowa commented mildly.
"Great, isn't it?" was the cheerful response.
The three teenagers seated themselves at the pool-edge, legs dangling into the cool water. There was a quiet shuffling sound as Heero edged slightly away from the soaked Wufei, who glared at the action.
"How was the fishing?" Duo inquired.
"We didn't go," Trowa returned "We got some mail from the post office."
Duo grabbed hold of a drifting donut ring and struggled into it.
"Anythin' exciting?" He drifted slowly towards them.
"Yes," Heero replied pensively, obviously preoccupied. Duo's eyes met with green and black, and his smile grew wicked. It wasn't often you got a distracted Perfect Soldier.
"Uh-huh?" he prompted, stopping the ring in front of Heero. "Who from?"
"Noin. Where is Quatre? This is something of interest to us all."
"Yeah? Look, he's just comin'." Duo lifted a lazy arm to point. Heero turned his head in the direction indicated…and they struck. Quick as a snake, Duo lunged forward, latching onto a fistful of tank top, as two arms propelled Heero forward with a powerful shove. Seconds later, the Wing pilot broke the surface, cursing in Japanese and, interestingly, Mongolian. Trowa must have been teaching him, Duo thought irrelevantly, as he backed hastily away from the murderous gaze that swept over the laughing trio then landed on Wufei, who was promptly seized in an iron grip. He just as promptly latched onto Trowa and the pair was dragged into the water.
Half an hour later, with one battle of water won or lost, depending on your perspective, the five pilots were on dry land once more. They had been inadvertently joined by an unfortunate and bemused Quatre, who had been bodily set upon entering the pool area.
They had wound up in the spacious living room; sitting in peaceful quite together before getting ready for the evening meal, with the patio doors flung wide open into the gentle dusk. Duo looked up from a mechanical problem he was puzzling over with Trowa as sudden thought struck him.
"So, wha' was that thing Noin mentioned, then?" Duo inquired, referring to the earlier, aborted conversation.
Heero looked up from a letter to Relena.
"The Preventers," he answered simply. "Some new idea of Une's. She and Zechs are coming over tonight for dinner to talk about it…"
The End…