disclaimer: the boys aren't mine. i just manipulate them for my own personal enjoyment.

rating: *this fic is not yet rated*
feedback: it's necessary to live...so, yes!
warnings for entire fic: shounen-ai/yaoi, angst, duo/heero torture, language, small lemon-ish spots(?), AU (AC 200)
spoilers: none
pairings: odd....can't explain but it involves heero and duo and 3X4 implied.

notes: another one that came to me in dreamscape. yes, i know, i have weird dreams. you should see what happens after i eat pepperoni pizza ^_~

//heero's thoughts//
:: duo's thoughts ::


momentary lapse of reason
part 7


Wednesday afternoon and evening saw Duo's condition unchanged. Heero went straight to his room after their nightly visit, anxious for Thursday morning when Duo would be transferred to a private room, allowing him to spend the entire day at his bedside.

+++++++

6 a.m. Heero rose and showering quickly, headed down to the kitchen for breakfast.

Quatre smiled as he entered the room. "You're up early."

Heero poured himself a cup of coffee and sat in his usual seat. "I'm going to rent a car and head over to the hospital to make sure the room transfer goes smoothly."

"Good idea." Quatre replied. "Call us when he is settled in, okay?"

"Or if anything changes." Wufei added.

"I'll keep in touch." Heero replied, rising from his chair.

+++++++

Entering the Intensive Care Unit at 8:30, Heero was pleased to find several orderlies surrounding Duo's bed, preparing him to be moved.

"Dr. Skinert." Heero called.

The redhead turned upon hearing her name and smiled at Heero as she made her way across the room. "You're here bright and early today. They are just getting ready to bring him down the hall."

"I see that. Any change?" Heero asked.

She shook her head, casting her eyes downward at the look of disappointment on the young man's face. "Are you going to be visiting with him this morning?" she asked.

Heero nodded. "I'll be staying with him all day. Is there anything I can do, Dr. Skinert?"

"Just talk to him, let him know you are there, perhaps read to him." she offered. "None of it scientifically based, of course, but I've seen some amazing results, Mr. Yuy."

"Please.... call me Heero." he told her "And thank you for the suggestions, Doctor. I'll do whatever I can."

"I know you will, Heero. He is lucky to have a friend such as yourself." She smiled. "I'll check in on you both later."

Heero nodded and returned his attention back to where Duo was being hoisted from one bed to the other. Moving out into the hallway, Heero watched the gurney being rolled from Intensive Care and followed it through the large green doors.

+++++++

Standing in the doorway as the two young men settled Duo in, Heero nodded his acknowledgment in their direction as they left the room. Letting out a huge sigh, he entered the room and stood beside the bed, looking down at Duo.

"I don't know why they chose me to do this. Everyone knows I'm lousy at making conversation...... you more than anyone, eh, Duo?" Heero told him. His gaze now concentrating on Duo's face, Heero moved closer, brushing aside a few stray hairs, "I hope you're fighting to come back. You have to fight." He could imagine Duo doing nothing less, the former Deathscythe pilot having the reputation of being the most tenacious of the group. Looking down at his still comrade, Heero spoke softly. "We miss the sound of your voice. I know that sounds strange coming from me, but we really do... all of us.... especially me, Duo."

Letting out a soft sigh, Heero crossed the room and brought a chair back with him, placing it a few feet from the bed. Sitting, he crossed his legs and made a mental note to bring something to occupy his time tomorrow.

+++++++

Dr. Skinert's voice woke Heero with a start. "So, how is our patient doing this afternoon?"

"Same." Heero replied, making his way to her side.

He watched her check the output on several of the various machines surrounding the bed and make an adjustment to his IV. "Why don't you go down and get something to eat before the cafeteria stops serving lunch?" she asked. "Someone will be here with him for the next hour or so." she added, noting the look of apprehension on his face.

Heero looked down at his watch and nodded.... it was 2:00.

Stopping by the gift shop before returning to the room, Heero picked up a copy of Time Magazine.

As Dr. Skinert had assured him, there was a lab technician drawing blood when he arrived back in the room. He sat quietly and watched, wondering whether Duo would complain about the procedure if he were awake. He smiled as he envisioned his braided friend vocalizing his objections to being prodded by yet another needle.

+++++++

Duo's superficial wounds were healing nicely, the numerous cuts, scrapes and bruises having faded to nothing more than a darkened shadow on his pale skin. His entire right arm and lower left leg remained encased within their plaster casts, the extent of the outwardly visible damage to his limbs still concealed. A small portion of the huge scar on his forehead was visible, the rest hidden beneath the gauze that still covered the crown of his head. It was this one Heero was certain would concern Duo the most.

+++++++

Quatre, Trowa and Wufei entered the hospital room at 6:30 and Heero stood to greet them.

"Any change?" Wufei asked as he made his way across the room.

It had become a standard question..... which Heero woefully answered with his standard response.

+++++++

Heero rose later than normal on Monday morning, waking to find the house usually quiet. Rising enough to peer over at the alarm clock, Heero eased himself back down onto the bed. It was 8:00 and the others had already left for the office, leaving the solemn young man alone with his thoughts.

Duo's condition remained unchanged through the weekend and while he tried to remain outwardly optimistic, Heero's spirits were steadily declining. It had been 9 days since the accident and each day that passed with Duo still unconscious brought with it more concerns, the implications of him remaining in a coma for a prolonged period weighing heavily on all of their minds.

Heero was slowly becoming accustomed to his newfound role as companion to his fallen partner, but the days still dragged on as he fought to keep the one sided conversations going. Heero found himself at a loss of subjects to talk about; the fact that he knew so little about Duo's interests was proving to be a major stumbling block.

//How can you know someone for 6 years and know so little about who they really are?//

That train of thought carried Heero through his morning shower. For now, he would be able to pass the time by continuing to read to Duo as he had been for a good portion of the time he now spent at his side. As unsettling as he found it, the past several days provided Heero with a glimpse of how truly unprepared he was for the upcoming task.

The greater part of his hesitation in agreeing to care for their friend in the first place was all the time he would be spending with Duo and how he intended to fill it. Heero was more than capable of taking care of Duo's physical needs, their years spent in close quarters during the war and the injuries the two sustained during their reluctantly misspent youth had seen to that.

While Heero continued to view it a weakness, Duo more than any of the five seemed to thrive on human interaction. The concept that a person's happiness and well-being was so strongly dependent on those around them was foreign and more importantly, inconceivable to Heero.

Realizing that it was far too late to start trying to gain an understanding of what made some one like Duo tick, Heero decided that he would speak with the others tonight about his concerns and headed for the hospital.

++++++

He made his way from the parking lot and through the hospital halls to Duo's room on autopilot. Heero had taken the journey enough times now that he needed to give his steps no thought, focusing instead on what, if anything, he could do differently today in an attempt to rouse Duo from his deep sleep.

The matter needed not concern him.

Rounding the final turn of the near 10-minute journey, Heero paused, his jaw slackening; leaving his mouth hanging open as he stood frozen just inside the doorway. One hand gripped the cool metal doorframe as his eyes met with those of his friend for the first time in over a week.

"Duo."

The bed's occupant stared up at the figure poised at the room's entrance.

"It's about damn time they sent someone in. I've been calling for help for the last 15 minutes." he responded........ not an ounce of recognition registering in his huge violet eyes.

on to part 8

back to fiction

back to jana fiction


back home