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"That Which Mends"Written By: SkyLark Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, or its characters. I just love playing with them. Pairings: 2x1x2, past 2xOC, 5xOC, 3x4 Warnings: Angst, Violence, Sap, Lemons/Limes, AU Archives: http://www.gundam-wing-diaries.150m.com/gw/SkyLark/gwSkyLark.htm
and http://www.mizunoamy.bravepages.com/skylark/skylarkfics.html Summary: Heero is a straight A student studying Psychology and finds his world turned upside down when he attends a Frat party.
"That Which Mends" [Well I won't back down, no I won't back down -Lyrics to 'Won't Back Down' performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers] Chapter 17
[Flashback]
"I do not enjoy throwing my weight around, but you're not leaving me any other option. My agents need to be placed in the same room for as long as they're both being treated here." The middle-aged nurse she had been at odds with adjusted the hem of her scrubs by yanking down as one would when frustrated to the point of not knowing what else to do. "I am very sorry, Ma'am," she sighed as opposed to growled the way she clearly wanted to. "Doctor Po was very clear that-" A woman's voice broke in, "I may be swayed if there is a legitimate reason to have my patients moved."
Heads turning, the arguing two in the hallway watched as a tall young woman in a white lab coat with blonde hair that had been pulled into a pair of braids that draped either shoulder approached. Bowing her head to the visitor, she introduced politely, "Commander Une, I'm Doctor Sally Po and I'm the physician overseeing the care of your agents for the duration of their stay here."
Nodding, Lady Une shook hands with her. "Middie," she offered.
"Yes, I voted for your husband in the last Senate election," Po smiled.
With a choking sound, the head nurse gripped her throat as she fell back a couple paces. Staring in sudden, wide-eyed recognition of the officer, her round face paled in the horror of realizing who she had just been fighting with.
Sally smirked, patting the aid on her shoulder. "Nancy, please be a dear and begin preparations here for Agent Barton and Agent Downs to share the same room. The last thing that we need around here is for Senator Khushrenada to be making any calls to the hospital directors regarding mistreatment."
Nodding vehemently, the graying woman stammered, "Y-yes, of course." She faced the uniformed Preventer, opening and closing her mouth for what was meant to be an apology, but she ducked her head and hurried off once her nerves held her tongue.
Middie frowned deeply at the nurse's retreating back. "I don't like having to use my 'Wife to a Senator' card to make things happen the way I wish them to go," she sighed to the doctor now that they had the corridor to themselves.
"I do have a legitimate reason for my insisting on them being together," she assured. "Agent Barton has been in deep cover with some of the seediest creeps that ever existed for months. He needs to be around people he cares about and who care for him back if he's going to be able to start recovering at all. Keeping him by himself aside from occasional visits until he's released would only do him more harm than good."
A small smile tugging her lips, Sally tilted her braided head and reassured, "That's more than enough for me. I know first hand how emotional and physical wellbeing go hand-in-hand. I would have allowed the request on that alone."
Somewhat appeased by that, Lady Une nodded shallowly. "Well, thank you for your vote for Treize."
[End Flashback]
* * * *
Parking her car into her driveway, the Commander grabbed for her purse and fished out her cell phone that had begun to ring. Placing the receiver to her ear after quickly checking the caller ID screen, she answered, "Hello, Sally... Yes, Agent Wing was already informed to stop by your office for a complete physical."
Middie laughed as she rose from her drivers seat and into the cool night air as she closed the door behind her, lugging her suitcase and purse in her free hand. Along her climb up the front, brick steps of her home, she giggled, "Oh, he's had quite the breaking in already with the rest of the team, as I'm sure you can imagine. At least there was no need for your services during the hazing process this time."
That rush of adrenaline from her scare evaporated as soon as she was welcomed by the smirking face of her husband. "Treize," she breathed, shoulders sagging in relief on many levels. Dropping everything at her feet, she threw herself forward to throw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.
"I thought you wouldn't be home until the weekend," Lady Une commented softly as they broke apart for air.
Her handsome partner chuckled deeply, "And where would the fun in that have been when I could surprise you like this?" Keeping an arm looped around her waist, he reached back behind himself and into the house to make a large bouquet of colorful flowers appear.
Treize closed the door behind them with his free hand and shrugged, "Slow as ever as far as our actually accomplishing anything. However, I'm hopeful for a few important developments to go through over the next few weeks." Directing them into their lit living room, he stated, "Due to a unexpected delays in preparation for the laws that we're currently debating over, we've had to call for an extended weekend so that we can hit the ground running when we resume session next week." He smiled, "I hopped the first flight back to Wisconsin that I could to be able to spend the night home with you."
"Still the hopeless romantic," Middie murmured, a loving grin on her own lips. Kissing the Senator's cheek, she moved for the low table in the middle of the room where she carefully placed her beautiful flowers into a crystal vase that had already been filled with water.
Khushrenada peered around to the images of the Preventers on the fireplace mantle, asking, "So how are the kids? Giving you any grief while I was away?"
His bride finished adjusting the buds, snickering, "No more than usual." Righting herself, she removed the olive-colored suit jacket of her Preventer uniform and gave her partner a mischievous smirk. "I'll fill you in on everything you've missed while you were gone..." Purring, she concluded, "after I've given you a proper welcome home."
* * * *
Moaning, he rolled onto his side and growled, "Damn you, Anna. Why the hell can't you just leave well enough alone? I should have punished you by not stopping at your place to pack up your closets earlier tonight."
Of course Maxwell realized that he wasn't going to get an answer, but it felt better for him to vent anyway. And as frustrated as he may have been with his best friend, he simply didn't have the heart to get her back since she was only doing what she naively thought was best for him and Yuy.
It wasn't as if his apartment wasn't big enough for two with a spare bedroom to boot. And he certainly didn't think Heero was one to be of any trouble as a roommate. It was just that the arrangement was seriously going to hamper his lifestyle.
...Or was it?
No, he could behave for a little over a week. And until then, the nights were still his.
* * * *
The following morning, Heero replaced his deep green T-shirt as the physician who had just wrapped up her basic physical announced, "Fit as a fiddle." Closing the file she had slid her charts and notes into, she smiled warmly to the new 'agent.' "You're all clear for field duty if you ever need to be assigned to it. I'll pass the word onto Lady Une."
Standing up, the young woman held her hand out and said, "Very nice to meet you, Agent Wing."
Yuy nodded firmly and shook her hand. "Heero," he offered. "And it's been nice meeting you as well, Doctor Po." Giggling, the friendly physician replied, "Just Sally. And no offense, but I do hope that aside from your stopping in for medical advice or checking on cold symptoms, we won't be seeing much of one another in here." She frowned, "Not everyone is so lucky."
"How often do agents get injured enough that they need your services?" the intern heard himself question before he could stop himself.
Quickly reassuring her, Yuy replied, "You're not scaring me. I know the dangers involved." Letting out a soft sigh, Sally's lips sloped down into a sad grin. "That kind of dedication to doing what's right is exactly why I took up this position when Lady Une offered it to me," she stated. "There may be tensions amongst the ranks, but in the end everyone assigned here is out to defend what's right. How could I not accept to help anyone who selflessly takes care of the rest of us in the world? "
That was precisely Heero's sentiment regarding his own duty to the Preventers... except she had no idea that he was by no means going to find himself in harm's way, unlike his friends.
Clearing his throat, the student shifted uncomfortably on his feet over his taking credit he did not deserve. "Well, thank you again," he mumbled, turning on his heels for the door without looking back.
Yuy practically ran through the lower level for the elevator, puffing out the air he had been holding the moment the doors closed him away in the lift. Closing his Prussian eyes, he rubbed them with the pads of his fingers and tried to ignore the unsettled feeling in his stomach.
Just as he started to pull himself together, his ride came to a stop on the first floor and he dropped his arm while the doors opened again. Gasping sharply, the psych major's eyes grew as wide as they could at the face that was waiting out in the lobby corridor. "S-Senator Khushrenada," Heero sputtered in disbelief.
Though he was not of age to be able to vote in the last state Senate election, the counselor had followed the last race close enough that he instantly recognized the tall, handsome man before him. About the only thing that was out of place were the plain clothes Treize wore as opposed to a suit for his public appearances.
But there was no mistaking the almost regal yet approachable presence that he carried despite the laid back sneakers, jeans and red button down shirt that served as his uniform today.
A smile curling his mouth, the striking politician entered the elevator and nodded firmly, "That I am." Looking to the ID badge on his companion's chest, that grin warmed as he peered back up to the young man's stunned face. "Ah, Heero Yuy," he greeted, "My wife has told me a great deal about you. It's an honor to meet you, young man."
Shaking his head, the scholar noticed the hand that had been extended to him. "A-uh, very nice to meet you, sir," he smiled nervously as they exchanged a firm handshake. While most people his age were taken by film and musical celebrities, he was just as star-struck by the state representative.
By the end of their introduction, Yuy was acutely aware of two things. One was that the elevator was already moving again. The second was that only the button with the number '7' beside it was lit.
Prussian eyes growing anew, he tripped over his thoughts before voicing his thought aloud, "Wait... your wife?"
The bell announcing their arrival to the Preventers' floor rang out as they came to the end of their climb. Snickering deeply, the politician held an arm out and bent at the waist with a polite, "After you."
Still dumbfounded over this turn of events, Heero led the way onto the floor while wracking his mind over how he could have possibly missed- and just like that, he vividly remembered watching the televised live celebration of Khushrenada's victory. A beautiful young woman in a formfitting orange dress was at his side to be the first to embrace him before he spoke to his cheering supporters.
Imagining the Commander dressed to the nines with her hair up as the young woman on the screen had worn it, it struck the intern like a punch to his gut. She was the Senator's wife... but she never wore a ring or had pictures around her office to suggest that she was married.
"Treize!" Anna cheered from the rec area when they walked into the open. Lowering the darts that she was about to throw, she rushed for the tall man as his arms opened to catch the tight hug that she wrapped him in.
Laughing, the state representative squeezed her. "Hey, Anna," he said quietly. Pulling back, he smirked, "Lady Une tells me you're still living up to your code name by almost burning the building down again."
Winking, Treize reassured, "Don't worry. No one here would ever question you or your work. Besides, a little excitement never hurt anyone." Anna gave him a small, grateful smile.
"Agreed," Wufei concurred, giving his lover an encouraging nudge as he reached her side. "Good to see you, Treize," he commented as they shared a handshake before he moved aside so that the other agents could receive their visitor.
The next few minutes were a blur for Yuy as he was a shell-shocked witness to all of the conversations and laughter from his desk. Duo was the first of the lot to return to the work station cluster and waved a hand in front of the counselor's enlarged eyes. "Earth to Ro," he teased. "You okay, man?"
Head shaking, Yuy blinked until he returned to the world of the living as he asked, "Huh?" Focusing on the smirking face of his one transgression, he grinned sheepishly, "Oh. Hi, Duo."
Gesturing to the group that continued to catch up while Lady Une joined them to lean against her spouse, he admitted, "I'm surprised that I never caught onto the Commander being married... let alone to one of the more popular elected officials."
"Weeeell, that would be because Lady Une doesn't like to remind the agents from the other divisions that she's married to the same politician who argued the need for the Preventers in the Senate," Maxwell explained. "We wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for Treize drumming up support in the Senate for a team that basically babysits all of the other federal agencies."
That made perfect sense to the psyche major. Bitter feelings from the other bureaus was already high. He highly doubted anyone else working in the building was blind to the Commander and the politician's marriage. But to have that reminder in their faces every day would have only intensified the resentment towards the young establishment... and the agents working in it.
Having caught part of their dialogue as he walked up, Barton snorted, "There's been many a good fist fight that we've all been involved in when it came to defending Middie's honor. Most of the bastards looking for an argument have the balls to suggest that she just wanted a position of authority and so she got Treize onboard to see that she had her own branch."
One of the absolute last things that could ever be said about the Commander was that she could ever be so self-absorbed that she would ever do such a thing. Feeling his blood pressure rise over the mere thought that anyone would suggest otherwise, Heero's eyes narrowed. Bastards," he hissed under his breath.
Switching the subject so that he could curb his anger, Yuy turned towards the braided agent and inquired, "Any news on those plates you ran on the car?"
Duo shook his head, frowning, "No. As I kinda figured, they were toss away plates. Which only verifies that you picked out the right vehicle we need to track down since no one purchases fake plates unless they are up to something they shouldn't be. I blew up the only shot the toll booth camera caught of the driver and of course they were wearing a cap and sunglasses so that won't help in identify them, either." The wind rushing out of his lungs, Heero physically and emotionally deflated. "Oh," he murmured, disappointment dripping from his voice.
His own frown deepening over his former lover's distress, Agent Scythe was fast to promise, "It's alright, 'Ro. We're not dead in the water on that lead just yet."
That devilish smirk of his returned as he shrugged, "We have our ways around hiccups like this. I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who's looking at the images to narrow down where our guy likely got his hands on those license plates. They were made by a professional and there are only so many who can pull off the quality that was put into them. We could still catch a break."
"And even if we don't get lucky that way, we'll just find another way around," Wufei chimed in while he, Anna, Lady Une and Treize rounded off the team. Grinning to the scholar, he declared, "At either rate, you gave us a hell of a clue that we would have completely missed in this case without your help."
Downs leaned in to whisper loud enough for the group to hear, "That's a huge compliment from him. Don't take it lightly since it's more than the rest of us usually get." She laughed along with her friends when she was playfully swatted on her rear by her boyfriend who, made no move to argue to the contrary.
Once again taken aback at how easily the band of misfits continued to put him at ease, Yuy smiled. "I appreciate it, but I'll still feel better once these people behind whatever Klein was trying to warn you about are caught."
Blue eyes blinking widely, the Senator replied sarcastically, "Lovely. It's no surprise that there are disgruntled people out there but it's nevertheless unsettling to be reminded of how far someone might go to make a point." Facing the redhead, he asked, "Do we have anything more on what kind of weapon that Gundanium is?"
It was Anna's turn to lose her confidence as she winced and lowered her gaze to the floor. "Well... um... That's still a work in progress," she mumbled. "I'd take you to my office to show you what conclusions I've come to so far but... I don't have much of an office anymore after a few failed experiments... Sooo..." She wriggled the toes of her right foot into the rug beneath her.
Duo beat Wufei and the others to her defense by announcing with all certainty, "Annie'll have it figured out soon enough. She's just having fun testing out her gear." He was rewarded with a small grin.
Lifting a hand in the air, Khushrenada winked to the weapons expert as he told her, "I have no doubt of that. For the record, I don't care how many alarms you have to trip off to get your answers, Anna. Whatever you need, including keeping the fire department calm about regular runs, you just let me know and I'll see that you have it."
With a sigh of relief, Downs smiled, "Thanks, Treize."
Satisfied that he had been properly updated, the politician looked to his wife and offered her an arm. "Shall we head out for lunch then, my dear?"
"Yes, we shall," the Commander grinned lovingly to him.
Heero leaned towards her free side. As he did, he noticed the thin gold chain around her neck that disappeared behind her blouse as it dipped below her collarbone. It was a necklace that she wore every day since they first met, a detail that finally hit home with him.
Middie did have her wedding ring on her wherever she went. It had just been hidden in plain sight all along.
The intern told her quietly by her ear, "I have to say... I'm impressed that you were able to keep this a secret from me all of this time."
Lady Une peered at him from the corner of her eye and smirked, "Quite the feat, seeing how keen you are in picking up on little clues. It's good to know I can still keep a good poker face with a few aces up my sleeve." She patted the counselor's unruly head of hair, smirking, "Don't wait up for us."
Waving the couple off, the agents and their counselor went their separate ways to either their desks, the rec room or in Anna's case, their private office. Her whole body drooping in defeat as she stepped inside, she appraised the thin, small square peg of a leg that served as the last surviving piece of her shredded table that was big enough to hold the chip of Gundanium.
Thick scraps of metal that had once been part of the long surface lay in heaps along the floor. Remnants from small, contained explosions and fires charred the walls here-and-there. What pieces of furniture remained intact had bruises and scratches in their surfaces. Piles of discarded tools of every sort posed another obstacle in finding the weapons expert's desk... or even walking around now.
Exhausted and frustrated by her futile efforts, Downs stared blankly at her nemesis.
Chang entered the room, his gaze saddening when he took in his girlfriend. There were only a handful of times he could recall seeing Anna so down. And like those times, he was going to do everything in his power to turn that around for her.
Slipping up behind the redhead, agent Wolf wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Come on," he urged softly. "We're going home for the rest of the day."
"Hu-what?!" Fire managed, her wide eyes falling on her lover. "But I still haven't finished-"
Wufei cut her off by lightly placing a finger on her lips and insisted. "You need to get away from this for a while. I already cleared it with Lady Une this morning, so we're going home." The corner of his mouth curling up, he threw in, "I have a surprise for you there."
Eyebrows lifting, Anna grinned, "A surprise, huh?" She craned her head back to stare at the Gundanium again. Automatically feeling her energy sapped from her at the thought of having to come up with a new tactic to dissect the metal, she made up her mind.
"Okay. Let's go home," she nodded firmly.
Hand-in-hand, the pair walked away from the weapon as the office light shut off and the door locked itself closed behind them.
TBC |
