Author's Note: Italics = Thoughts

Claiming Duo Maxwell Part 15

So cold.

Water whirled round his naked body and his mind was turning to ice.

Ice cold water filled his lungs and his legs and arms were too heavy.

Must get air.

Eyes tried to open but the water rubbed into them stinging them and if he could he would have whimpered.

Help, someone please help.

Hard solid ice touched his head and he panicked. Arms and legs flailed in the water trying to break the ice that held him under.

"HEY! Over here! There something under the ice!"

Voices far away.

Please! Help!

"What is it?"

He lifted his arms up and hit the layer of ice.

Hear me. Please!

"DA!"

Ice cracked and opened as he slipped deeper into the river.

"No you don't."

Strong warm hands grabbed onto his freezing hands and pulled him out of the water.

His eyes blinked open again, his mouth opened and water spilled out followed by blood. Lungs burned and it hurt just to breath.

"Phone for an ambulance! Quick!"

Heero.

*   *   *

He hated it, laying there doing nothing while Duo was out there missing.

"How you feeling Heero?"

"Fine. I lost a lot of blood but part from feeling a little bit weak I'm fine."

Relena smiled at her stepbrother and walked in and sat down beside him.

"Any news?"

She shook her head. "No. Mr. Winner has the whole police force out looking for him. But there is no sign of him."

Heero lent back against the hard pillows and closed his eyes trying to block out the pain and fear that washed over him.

"It'll be alright and they'll find him." Relena placed a hand on Heero's.

"Yeah. When am I allowed out?"

"Today, if you are feeling up to it?"

"Yes. I wanna get out there."

Relena lowered her head. "Maybe you shouldn't go out, let the police search, they'll find him."

"NO!" Heero yelled.

Relena flinched.

"Lena..."

"I know."

*   *   *

"Sir it's been a week, we have checked all along the river and there is no sign of your son." Detective Dekin said.

"I will not believe my son dead until you have a body to prove it!" Mr. Winner snarled.

The door to the Winner's house open and Quatre and Heero entered, both boys were pale and had large black bags under their eyes. Neither of them had slept since being let out of hospital.

"I'm sorry sir but we must recall our men, there are other things they need to be doing."

"Is that it?" Quatre shouted.

The detective looked at Quatre. "There is nothing we can do."

"You don't even have a body!!!!" Quatre shouted again. "You can't give up! He's alive! He has to be alive." Quatre sobbed and Heero took the blond into his arms.

Dekin watched the two young men, the Japanese boy's grief seem to be deeper and worst than the blond one, so bad that not even tears could express the pain he was going through.

"There is nothing more we can do. The river has already frozen up again, anyone in it, is dead." Dekin said softly.

Heero met the detective's eyes. "What will happen to Treize Khushrenada?"

"There will be a trial; you'll have to testify Mr. Yuy, Mr. Winner, against him. Hopefully that bastard will go down for life. Excuse me." Dekin headed towards the door.

"Wait."

"Mr. Yuy?"

"What about me?"

"What about you sir?"

"I killed Pepsin."

Dekin sighed, he hadn't wanted to do this to the boy while he was still suffering from the lost of a loved one but if Mr. Yuy wanted it.

"Mr. Yuy I'm arresting you for the murder of Pepsin Khushrenada, you have the right to remain silent but anything you do say may be used to evidence against you." (1)

"NO you can't!" Quatre cried softly.

Heero nodded and held out his hands. Dekin cuffed them together.

"Heero."

"I'll be alright. I deserve this."

*   *   *

"They arrested him? Why?"

"For the murder of Pepsin."

The rest of the Gundams were in shock. "We can all say it was an act of defense." Relena said.

"It was. He was protecting Duo."

"When is his trial?"

"His and Treize are being run together. Soon. I don't know when."

Trowa held Quatre, this was a rough time for the small blond.

"What about Duo?" Hilde asked, barely daring to ask.

"He's been pronounced dead."

"They found his body?"

"There's no sign of him."

*   *   *

Dark... cold... so very cold... too dark.

Heero.

He forced his eyes open, to stare at a white ceiling.

"Where am I?" He whispered and tried to sit up hissing in pain.

"Don't try to move! Hang on I'll go get the doctor."

Duo watched the girl hurry from the room.

A minute later in rushed two doctors and a nurse.

"Where am I?"

"You are in West Bridge Private Hospital."

"What? West Bridge?" His violet eyes grew wide. "NO!"

"Easy young man."

"How did I get here?"

"You were found under the ice on the river by a young boy, lucky for you. If he hadn't found you then you wouldn't be here now."

"How long have I been here?"

"Nearly a month."

"What?"

Duo tried to sit up again, ignoring the pain that raced round his body.

"Don't move! Your body still isn't a 100%."

"Please I need to get in contract with the police."

"In good time. Let me take some information on you first." The nurse smiled and Duo gave her the information she wanted.

*   *   *

Quatre straighten his tie and rubbed his red eyes.

"It'll be alright." Trowa assured him as they entered the large courthouse.

TV cameras and news reporters surround them, asking them questions.

"Leave him alone!" Trowa yelled and he shielded Quatre's small form and helped his love through the crowd.

*   *   *

Heero glared at Treize as they were taken forward into the courtroom and placed side by side in a large wooden box thing (2) in the middle of the courtroom.

A news reporter stood in front of them, a camera pointing straight at her.

"This is the exclusive (3) on the last day of the Khushrenada Case and I'm your reporter Sylva Noventa reporting live from the courtroom itself..."

*   *   *

"... The two men on trial today are Treize Khushrenada, changed with rape, murder and child abuse. Khushrenada is 25 years old and in fit health. The other man on trail is 18 year old Heero Yuy..."

His head snapped up. Sure enough on the news was Heero, looking rough, dirty and ill.

"No, why?"

"Heero Yuy is being trailed for the murder of Pepsin Khushrenada, Mr. Khushrenada's brother. It is believed that Mr. Yuy shot Mr. Pepsin Khushrenada after Mr. Pepsin Khushrenada raped his lover, one Duo Maxwell who is believed to be dead after Mr. Pepsin Khushrenada threw Mr. Maxwell into the river. Now..."

He didn't hear anything else that Miss Noventa said, he was already ripping the covers off him and dressed in the clothes that laid on the window sill. Clothes given to him by a young man named Alex Pott who had rescued him from the river.

Black trousers and a black t-shirt but no shoes.

"Mr. Maxwell get back into bed!" The doctor came in.

"I have to get there." Duo waved a hand at the tv and the doctor looked at it.

"The Khushrenada case. Why?"

Duo looked up after he had pulled the t-shirt on. "Because Pepsin Khushrenada raped me, he forced me into whoring and Treize Khushrenada raped Heero! Heero needs me there and I must give evidence! They think I'm dead! You can't stop me I'm going."

And before the doctor could say anything Duo had disappeared running from the hospital and the nearest taxi rank.

*   *   *

The Judge stood up. "Have you reached your verdict?" He asked the Jury.

"Yes we have."

"And do you all agree on it?"

"Yes sir."

"We find Treize Khushrenada GUILTY of rape and child abuse. We find him NOT GUILTY for the murderer of Duo Maxwell."

"Treize Khushrenada, you have been found guilty for rape and child abuse. I sentence you to 10 years in Prison."

BANG

The sentence was final.

"And for Mr. Yuy?"

"We find Heero Yuy GUILTY for the murderer of Pepsin Khushrenada."

Quatre gasped, "No."

Heero closed his eyes.

"Heero Yuy, you have been found guilty for the murderer of Pepsin Khushrenada, I sentence you to 10 years in prison."

BANG

"WAIT!"

The Judge didn't look to please. He had just been about to bang on his desk to final the sentences when the courtroom doors had burst open and in them stood a wet figure dressed in black.

A whisper hissed around the courtroom as the figure raised his eyes.

"Who are you?" The judge asked.

"My name is Duo Maxwell and I'm here to prove that Heero Yuy isn't responsible for the murder of Pepsin Khushrenada."

"He has already been found guilty."

Duo strolled forward, his clothes wet from the pouring rain, and his hair was loose around him and was plastered to his sweaty face and back; he was also shivering from the cold.

Heero stared in shock at his lover.

Duo stepped in front of the Jury box.

"I pray that you listen to me. I know better than anyone what the Khushrenada's brothers are capable off."

And Duo began his speech.

He told them of how he first met the two brothers, told them how Pepsin had forced him to sell himself while pleasuring himself on Duo's small body. He then went on to explain what Treize had done to him, Quatre and Heero. It was obvious that this information had been left out. Neither Heero nor Quatre had been willing to tell the court and the world about how they were raped. Duo told them of how Pepsin came back convinced that he would have Duo again and how he tried to rape Heero himself and then he told them about that fatal night on the bridge.

By the end of it tears ran silently down Duo's face.

"I don't know truthfully what happened after I went over that bridge but I know that the only way Heero would be capable of killing someone would only to be to protect someone he loves. Pepsin deserved everything he got. I do also believe, although I must admit I was bit out of it that evening, Pepsin did try himself to kill Heero. It was self defense."

Duo shut up, his fingers played with the ring still on his hand.

The Jury whispered between themselves for a few minutes.

"We would like to change our minds."

The Judge nodded.

"Due to new evidence we find Heero Yuy... not guilty."

Duo sighed.

Heero let out the breath he had been holding.

Duo spun round and smiled at his lover. Without warning Heero jumped over the wooden bars and Duo ran into his arms crying.

"I thought I had lost you." Heero muttered.

"You can't get rid of me that easily you baka." Duo laughed gently.

Heero bent down and kissed Duo gently.

They watched as Treize was dragged away and then Duo was surrounded by happy friends and family.

Duo's hand never left Heero's.

"It's finally over." Duo whispered as Treize disappeared from sight.

"Yeah."

"Tell me, Mr. Yuy, you still wanna marry me?"

"Yes."

Heero lifted Duo into his arms.

"I love you." He whispered.

And Duo's reply was said in what only could be described as a soul soaring kiss,

OWARI

(1) Can't remember what exactly is said but it's something like that!
(2) You all know where I mean?
(3) Doesn't normally happen but how else was Duo meant to find out about it?

 

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