One Night Part 12

Trowa kept one hand firmly on the wound. It didn't seem to have an exit point, which was, at this moment, a good thing.

"Go make sure we got him," he said to Duo.

"I got him," Duo snapped, reaching for Trowa's wound. "Let me see."

"It's okay. Just need a bandage."

Duo yanked back Trowa's coat- "It needs more than that."

"I'm fine." Trowa pulled away and headed for the door.

"Are you crazy? You need..."

"To keep an eye on Winner until this game is over." Trowa grabbed the door handle and swayed for a minute.

"Stubborn bastard." Duo took Trowa's free arm and draped it over his shoulders. "Heero should have some bandages."

He opened the door and helped Trowa inside. Heero was there, along with several Maguanacs. "All clear?" He asked, and his eyes widened when he saw Trowa. "What happened?"

"We need the bandages- and someplace quiet for a few minutes."

"Why aren't you with Winner?" Trowa demanded.

"He said to wait for you."

"Trowa!" That was Duo again. "We're going to bandage you first."

"Heero- please- Winner needs one of us with him!"

"What am I supposed to tell him?"

"That it's not serious. He can't be thinking about this now... please Heero..."

"Fine," he heard Heero give in. "Abdul, stay with them."

Trowa's vision was starting to blur, but he hung on to Duo, trusting the other man to understand what was needed. He was moving- and he heard voices, but the pain made it too hard to concentrate.

"Trowa- move your hand!" Duo snapped

Trowa blinked, they were in a restroom, leaning against the sinks. He moved his hand, helping Duo pull his coat off.

"You are a stubborn bastard."

"And in my place...?"

"Oh, I do the same thing." Duo chuckled. "That's why I'm helping." Abdul appeared at that moment, a jacket and shirt in his hands. "Thanks Abdul."

"I can assure you Mr. Barton," Abdul said as he watched Duo wrap the wound. "We will not let anything happen to Master Winner."

"I know you won't," Trowa gave him a weak smile. "But I need to be there."

Abdul nodded understandingly.

Trowa focused back on Duo.

"Wait- you aren't disguised..."

"You just noticed?" Duo lifted an eyebrow at him. "I know it's been a hell of a few hours there for you, but I did expect you to notice sooner than this."

"Why not?"

"Why do you think? As part of their agreement, Winner got amnesty for us from Chang. So we don't have to pretend to be dead anymore."

Ah. Well, that was good- if the treaties held. He said as much to Duo who grinned.

"If not, well, I could do with some more excitement." Duo laughed as he finished wrapping the wound. "You're lucky it didn't hit a lung. You'll be even luckier if you manage to hold out til the end of this."

"I have to."

Duo nodded. "I know." He and Abdul helped Trowa pull on the fresh clothes. "Good enough."

Trowa managed to get himself to the doorway of the bathroom without swaying. Having the wound bandaged was helping. He saw Duo nod approvingly.

The 'party' was being held in a room the size of a ballroom. In the center was a huge table with a chessboard in the middle of it and four chairs around it. No one was seated in the chairs yet.

"Still waiting for a few," Duo hissed in his ear as they went to go join Winner's entourage. "They sit down and snipe at each other a little, declare sides, drink a toast and then we can all go home."

Winner was talking with Treize, but he gave Trowa a brief sharp look. Heero and a few of the Maguanacs were standing around, their eyes flickering over the room as people moved back and forth.

Trowa caught sight of Cathy standing a little bit away, talking to Chang. Une was beside her. Une met Trowa's gaze and bowed her head slightly.

Across the room, two blonde women were talking with a tall blond man. The man was frowning, as was one of the women- the one who had hired him to kill Winner. The other one was smiling serenely, but perhaps that just meant she was better at hiding her true feelings than the other two were. There were other people around them too- people with watchful eyes and hands that never moved too far away from their sides.

It was a little surreal. Trowa shook his head, trying to clear it.

Treize moved to talk to Cathy, one of the blonde women joined them, the serene one moved to speak to Winner, Chang went to speak to the blond man. A careful, cautious dance.

Trowa didn't listen to the words- there was no way keep track of them all. He watched faces, listened to tones, observed body language...

And tried not to fall over. Duo had done a good job with the bandaging, but...

At an unseen signal, everyone moved towards the center of the room.

A hand touched his back. "You don't look good Barton," Heero whispered.

"I'll last til the end."

"It's the after part I'm worried about."

The four players took their seats.

"Bishops, align yourselves," said the serene faced woman. Cathy, Treize, Chang and a few others moved to stand behind the players.

The blond man glared at Chang and Treize as they took their places behind Winner, Cathy in-between them.

"Is this where you choose to stand for the year?" The woman continued.

A soft-voiced chorus of affirmatives answered her.

"Knights and rooks, look to your places."

Trowa hoped he didn't have to move. He didn't think he could.

"That's us." Duo said quietly over his shoulder. "We just stay here."

There were a few that moved- but not many.

"Then, this is where we stand," the woman smiled. "A challenging game it was this year, but I think the honors go to the White King." She inclined her head towards Winner with a smile. "Well-played."

"Thank you Relena." Winner smiled back at her.

"Indeed," snapped the other blonde, her eyes focused on Cathy. "Quite a few surprises this year."

"I agree," the Red King narrowed his eyes. "I shall have to think long and hard about next year's game."

"I look forward to a challenge." Winner's smile didn't change.

"Then we are at an end," Relena turned and gestured to one of the people standing behind her. "The toast glasses, if you please."

Four empty glasses were placed on the table.

Trowa's eyes were blurring with sweat. It was getting harder and harder to stay on his feet. He wiped them quickly, heard Heero make a faint noise.

"Almost finished," Duo said.

Trowa wondered if Duo meant the ceremony or him...

"I supplied the wine this year, from one of my vineyards." The Red Queen lifted an eyebrow. "I hope you find it satisfactory."

Trowa felt a shiver go down his spine at her tone. He recognized it from when she had hired him...

He watched the server carefully, saw her glove move slightly as she poured the wine into the last glass. Saw the look that the Red Queen gave her, saw the faint nod. Didn't anyone else see it?

The glass was placed in front of Winner.

Had Winner seen it?

Could he take the chance?

No. Not with Quatre's life on the line.

He was too far away to get there in time. He grabbed Heero. "Wine was poisoned." He hissed, and saw Heero's eyes widen.

There was only one thing to do. Create a distraction...

He reached up under his coat and shirt and clawed his bandages open, then fell, making sure to fall into the group of people that stood to the left- behind the White Queen's chair...

People shrieked in surprise as he fell, even more when he reached up a bloody hand to the nearest one.

To his surprise- the nearest one didn't shriek. She simply took his bloody hand and sat down next to him. "I'm a doctor," she said as she pushed aside his shirt. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Shot," he muttered as he looked past her. Please... let the players have moved from the table...

"Obviously. Why aren't you at a hospital?" She shook her head. "This is not good."

Her fingers probed at the wound and the edges of his sight got all sparkly.

Cathy was suddenly there. "Trowa! What happened?"

He wanted to answer her, found that he couldn't.

"We were sniped outside-" Duo's voice. "I told him to go to the hospital..."

Trowa wanted to snap back, but all his strength was taken up with trying to stay conscious.

"I thought you said it wasn't serious!" That was Quatre. He was leaning over the doctor's shoulder, his eyes meeting Trowa's.

He looked furious.

"With all due respect, Mr. Winner, I said no such thing." Duo answered.

"It was me" Heero's voice, "and I said Trowa said to tell you it wasn't serious. Which he did."

Trowa turned his head to see him. Heero met his eyes and nodded.

Reassured, Trowa closed his eyes and fainted.

~*~

He woke up. Which was rather a surprise as he hadn't been at all sure that he would.

"Ah, awake at last," a familiar cheerful voice greeted him. "You've been out for two days."

He turned his head slightly.

The female doctor from the party stood there, adjusting the IV tubes. She smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

He thought about it. "Crappy."

She laughed. "I'm not surprised. Next time you get shot you need to seek immediate medical attention, Understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Doctor Po," she tapped her name badge. "I know I'm not the one you expected to see her at your bedside- but all the others had a funeral to attend."

"Funeral?"

Not Quatre.... Please not Quatre...

"Yes, It was very odd. Miss Catalonia- the Red Queen? She had a heart seizure right after the toast was made." Doctor Po smiled. "I'd suspect poison, but the wine was from her own bottle and none of the other guests were affected. Very odd."

So Heero had switched glasses... Trowa approved.

"That is too bad."

The doctor shrugged. "I suppose so. I know my lady won't miss her much. Miss Catalonia was getting a little too... oh... unhonorable in her tactics, I guess you could say." The doctor picked up her clipboard and turned towards the door. "Just rest. I'll send a nurse in to help you soon."

Trowa heard the door close and relaxed. Quatre was okay.

A moment later the door slammed open.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Trowa blinked up at the man leaning over his bed.

Quatre looked furious- just like the last time Trowa had seen him. Had he looked this way the whole two days? Even at the funeral?

He blinked again, surprised at his thoughts. What the hell kind of drugs did Doctor Po have him on?

A gentle touch on his cheek refocused his attention on Quatre.

"Trowa?"

"I'm glad you're safe."

Quatre shook his head. "I'm fine. I wasn't in any danger- I saw the girl slip that stuff into my glass. I wasn't going to drink it."

"I didn't know." Trowa apologized. Another thing occurred to him. "Don't be upset with Heero and Duo- I asked them to help..."

"I know. I'm not." Quatre smiled. "They'll be here in a moment too- and so will your sister." He sighed. "I hope next year's game isn't like this."

"We'll just have to be ready."

Quatre's hand cupped his cheek again. "It doesn't have to be 'we' Trowa. You don't have to stay with me. You can go with your sister- hell, you can walk away from everything if you want..."

"I want to stay with you." Trowa carefully lifted his hand and caught Quatre's in his. "You said you wouldn't let me go again."

Quatre bent to kiss him hungrily. "And so I won't."

OWARI

 

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