[Sequel to: "Racing with Secrets" Book 4 of the "Secrets" Arc]
Author: Enigma
Written: October, 2000
Rating: R
Pairings: (?X1) (1X2) (3X4) (5+S)
Category: Angst, Disturbing Content, AU, yaoi
Cumulatibe Warnings: Angst, disturbign content, yaoi, language, AU, sap, OOC
Disclaimers: I don't own the Gundam Wing Universe or any other anime characters I use here, just the parts of this story and some
characters that are new are truly mine [especially Laurel, she's *still* my daughter after all!]. Please don't sue me, all I've got is a broken
down car that hates me.
Note: Timeframe---after the war has ended and the Gundams were destroyed.
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Unexpected Secrets
Part 2
Happy laughter surprised him instead. "Hey, Q-man! Great news! I just called that creep at the prison again and he said he has a video
disk message from Heero for us if we can get someone to pick it up." Quatre could tell his friend was overjoyed at the very idea of
finding out what had happened after Heero had been taken away chained like an animal. That memory infuriated Quatre, but he brushed
it aside.
"That's great, Duo!" He winked at Trowa and Laurel. "How about if I get a chopper and pick it up and bring it straight to you? Yes, I
promise not to watch it until you do! We'll be there ASAP!"
"Super! Can't thank you enough, man! Give Laurel a hug for me, okay? Guess she can't come visit yet, but they'll release me to your
place soon enough. See you and Trowa in a bit, okay?" Duo sounded like his old bubbly self for the first time in days.
"You got it! Be there soon!" Quatre hung up and hit the speed dial for his pilot's quarters wondering who was on duty that day.
He should've known. "Trixie speaking, what can we do for you, boss?" The young pilot sounded as chipper as ever even if her partner
Rex Racer was still grousing about repairs on the 'Shooting Star' going too slowly.
"We need a chopper to take us and some equipment to the prison then over to the hospital. Feel like going for a spin or want to hand it
off to one of the others?" Quatre smirked knowing that girl would never turn down an assignment like this. Two roof-top landings on one
jaunt? Of course she'd take it!
"Sounds great!" She exclaimed. "Be there in five! Base out."
"Well, sweetie," the young man turned to apologize to his "daughter" that he was leaving so soon, but he could tell by the happy look on
her face that she already knew. "Guess I'll spend more time with you after we run an errand for Duo, okay? Anything you want me to
tell him for you? Oh, and here's a hug from him, too!" He loved any excuse to hug her, so he added a little extra time to that one.
"Daddy, could you take this picture to him?" She reached down into her stack of drawings and pulled out an amazingly detailed drawing
of a man in his early twenties or so, long blond hair and amber eyes. "Tell Mr. Duo that Mr. Solo says for him to get better really soon,
okay? I'd forgotten meeting him when I slept so Dr. Joe could fix my leg the first time, but I remembered and drew this last night. Do
you think he'll like it?"
Stunned was an understatement for the two teens facing her. Solo was a name they'd heard before, someone very important to Duo
when he was a child, but dead years ago. He'd never lived to be as old as he was in her drawing. "Laurel, what was this man like?"
Trowa asked hesitantly.
"Oh, he was really nice, Daddy, but he had a funny accent. He's been dead a long time but he told me he likes to watch over Mr. Duo
because they were special friends. He didn't seem as sad as most of the dead people I've met, but was worried that Mr. Duo would
give up too easy and go to be dead with him. I convinced him not to worry, that it would be okay, and he thanked me before he left."
She sounded a little sad. "There were other dead people worrying about him, too. A lady in a funny dress and a man in a black outfit
kind of like Mr. Duo's, but they were afraid to talk to me. I don't know why they'd be afraid of me, but I could tell they were very
worried about Mr. Duo. They must have loved him, too, huh?"
An exchange of surprised glances spoke the words both boys felt in their hearts. This child, this tiny 7 year-old girl, had lived a lifetime
of talking to ghosts and changing destiny in her dreams. If this power was truly lost, she would be devastated.
Breaking the silence, the sound of a helicopter coming in to land on the broad front heli-pad overrode any further discussion. Trowa
caressed the child gently and carefully took the drawing. Quatre kissed her good-bye and they left to take care of getting the first
message of any sort from Heero picked up and delivered as quickly as possible.
Chang Wufei paced as he attempted to wait patiently for Sally to get off-duty. They were going out to dinner since he couldn't cook with
just one arm and she simply couldn't cook at all.
While waiting for Sally, Wufei was virtually accosted by Rob Fisher, an over-zealous member of the accounting department of
Preventers. According to Fisher, there hadn't been enough formal documentation of Wufei's injuries to warrant time off with pay due to
injury. After trying to reason with the man and failing, the former pilot simply told him to check with his doctor about it.
"That's not good enough!" The annoying bean-counter responded.
Wufei, completely out of patience, turned on his heel to walk away accidentally hitting the man with his cast. It was this "hit upside the
head" that finally got the message through and the accountant backed off.
The Preventers HQ receptionist hid a chuckle at the appearance of the usually meticulous man in front of him. Wufei still wore the
Preventer uniform slacks and boots, but had to give up on the shirt and jacket, replacing the military-style shirt with a simple white
T-shirt and his jacket over his shoulders as best as he could manage. It was clear to anyone who knew him that the tedium of waiting to
heal had already begun to annoy the usually busy young man. Silently, the receptionist sent an alert to remind Dr. Po that she had
someone waiting for her. Then thinking about it a bit more, the man wrote a quick memo asking what computer-hacking jobs needed
doing that Wufei could take over. The guy was going nuts out of boredom and it showed. The response was swift. There was no way
Preventer HQ intended to pull him off the injured list for such a small job. Apparently, Lady Une had already been clued in by her close
friend Sally Po that Wufei would probably try that and it would just slow down the necessary healing time.
Mere moments later, the doctor in question came through the door and happily tolerated the usual nonsense. "Onna! What took so
long? We were to depart ten minutes ago!" Wufei grumbled more out of force of habit than actually being upset.
Sally just smiled and took him by the hand, "Let's go eat, I'm starved!" She grinned and waved good-bye to the guy at the desk. "So,
what'll it be tonight, Fei? Chinese, Chinese, or Chinese?" She teased good naturedly.
Wufei rolled his eyes instead of replying. They were both hungry and didn't honestly care what they ate, as long as it was fast and hot.
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Sally mentioned what was on both of their minds, "I wonder how the guys are holding up. I'm
worried about Duo, he seems more depressed each time I speak with him."
"I know." Wufei added solemnly. "I've been considering that myself."
Sally got a sad little smile but added, "Wufei, you know how much I love having you close, but why don't you go join Trowa and Quatre
at the estate? Then you'll be there if any news comes in and maybe you and Laurel can keep each other company."
"Perhaps I shall, but," then he turned and smirked, "only if you join me when you get a few days off."
Grinning broadly, Sally simply stated, "Just *try* to keep me away from you now, Chang Wufei! You are definitely stuck with me, like it
or not!"
"Onna!" Wufei smirked, "You already know I like it."
Sally Po smiled slyly as they drove away; oh, yes, she knew, she most *definitely* knew!
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