Innocence Reclaimed Part 14
"So, you are really going to go?" Meia asked as she handed Duo a cup of coffee and then sat beside him in the porch.
"Yeah, it would seem so. He practically told me that he didn't want me around yesterday." He looked down at the steps. "I'm sorry Meia."
"Why would you be sorry?"
"This nightmare just keeps going on for you."
She laughed. "Duo, that is something of my own making. For fooling around in places I never should have. You and Heero were always warning me against dabbling in such things... you said once that it would come to no good end. And no matter what, I always have Kyle."
"Kyle?"
"Yes. Every time. He remembers and he finds me. We are always together. Also, this is not just about you and Heero. It goes on until Quatre remembers AND accepts."
"What do you mean?"
"They are the same Quatre and Trowa, surely you realize that." The red-haired girl replied.
Duo nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess I do. I tried not to think about my best friend going through all that. But... yes... I know he is."
"Trowa, for some reason has always known." She went on. "Quatre doesn't. For several incarnations they've met, and he never remembers. He gets hints of it, but just enough to drive him to the edge... not enough to bring him back. Twice he's remembered and rejected Trowa, for reasons not even I understand."
She got up and walked to the end of the porch, leaned against a post. "And every time, one of them has died as a result of them meeting. Usually it's Quatre... driven beyond reason by his dreams. Once Trowa saved him and died himself, as a result. It keeps repeating. It's like they aren't allowed to come together. Until they are resolved, my life goes on."
"Does Trowa know all this?"
She nodded. "I think he suffers more for it than I do."
"And we aren't allowed to tell him." Duo said sadly.
"Do you think he'd even believe you?'
"No."
Duo stood and walked over to the girl, wrapping his arms around her. She hugged him back and then stepped away, her blue eyes bright.
"Now... go. See to your friend. Call me when you get back to the states. Alright?"
Duo nodded. "Thank-you Meia." He said before walking down the steps.
She watched him walk down her little lane, her tears finally falling. "Good-bye, Duo." Papa...
~*~
"May I?"
Heero glanced up to see Trowa Barton standing over him. With a shrug he gestured at the bench. "It's a public park. You're allowed to sit wherever you wish."
"I came to talk with you." The brunette replied, gazing out over the water.
Heero looked over at him. "What could you possibly have to say to me?"
"Meia told me you have your memories back."
"Hn."
Trowa studied him for moment before going on. "Do you remember us? The friendship we shared? The things we went through?"
Heero never took his eyes off the water. "Yeah. And I also remember that in this life I could barely stand you."
"You didn't like my cryptic references to all that supernatural mish-mosh... I seem to recall those being your words."
"Hard to dislike someone when you find out they aren't crazy."
"Hmm. It is, isn't it?" Trowa said quietly.
Trowa leaned back and stretched his long legs out in front of him. "I'm not asking for friendship here. Just that you try to understand what's going on. That man, Duo... he's not really any different than he was and, deep down inside, neither are you. You're a fool if you let him leave tomorrow."
Heero looked over his should at the brunette. "What about you and... Winner?"
"I don't think there's much I can do. It's not our time yet." Trowa replied fighting down a choking wave of pain.
The cobalt eyed man stood and glared down at Trowa. "I don't think you are in any position to be giving me advice, Barton."
"Just think about it tonight." Trowa answered never looking up at him.
Heero snorted and stalked away, leaving the green eyed brunette sitting silently on the bench.
Trowa shook his head. He still couldn't believe Heero's reaction to all this. Meia had told him that the man had Duo's love and had chosen to throw it away. He'd give anything to have the same chance.
He closed his eyes and fought with himself. Never in his life had he ever been this close to tears. He remembered every detail of the night before, down to every last sigh. It had been all wrong... a satisfying of physical needs. Quatre had been so cold... devoid of anything emotional.
What had happened to him? What had happened to the person who had enough love to warm even the coldest of hearts?
With a weary sigh, he stood and headed home. He guessed he needed to tell Catharine... as much as he could. She, just like him had hoped this would be the last time... that this lifetime, they'd come together.
~*~
Duo walked into the manor to find Quatre setting his luggage in the hallway.
"Hey." He said. "Getting ready, I see? I'll go up and get my stuff together."
Quatre turned and looked at him and Duo gasped. The blonde was paler than usual, his eyes shadowed and haunted.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Just tired." Quatre said slowly. "I've got some work to do. I'll be in the study if you need me."
"Uh... sure." Duo replied watching his friend walk away.
A little later, Duo was almost finished when a light tapping sounded on his door.
"Yeah."
"Can I come in?" Quatre's blonde head peered around the edge of the door.
Duo raised an eyebrow. "You know you don't need to ask."
"I don't know anything anymore." Quatre said quietly, sitting on the foot of Duo's bed.
The chestnut haired man studied his friend for a moment before turning away. If Quatre wanted to talk about it then he would... he'd learned that a long time ago.
"I'm surprised you're going back with me." The blonde finally spoke up.
"Excuse me?" Duo carried an armful of shirts back to throw in his suitcase.
"I don't know... I just sort of figured you'd stay behind... you seemed pretty attached."
"I hope you weren't so positive that you forgot to book me a flight." Duo replied dryly as he zipped his suitcase shut and set it on the floor. "He didn't ask."
"What if he had?"
"I probably would have stayed. But it's not going to happen... it didn't mean the same thing to him that it did me." The man shrugged. "I knew that from the beginning."
Quatre smiled sadly. "I guess this hasn't been much fun for any of us."
"On the contrary..." Duo's eyes twinkled. "I had great fun! It's you I'm worried about."
"There's nothing to worry about." Quatre stood suddenly. "I just wanted to tell you I was going to bed. We should start early tomorrow."
Duo shook his head as the blonde left. "I wish you'd talk to me..." He murmured to the empty room.
TBC...
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