Chapter 2: Part 2: Into The Spider’s Web
Quatre stood in a circle of roses in the center of Kara’s garden. He was staring straight ahead, holding folded arms against his chest. “I… have to talk to Wufei.”
Just as he turned to go, he was surprised by the Duchess. She had appeared a few feet away, walking up behind him.
“Hello, Quatre,” she said, smiling with gentleness.
Quatre met her gaze. “Hello, Duchess.”
“Oh, do call me Kara,” she responded kindly. “It sounds so formal to say ‘Duchess’.”
Quatre smiled. “I didn’t know you were in the gardens, Kara.”
“Yes, I find the air to be quite pleasing.” She grazed a pink blossom with her fingers. “And the flowers are so beautiful.”
Quatre looked at the roses. “Yes, they are.”
The Duchess studied him, her eyes sparkling. “Why aren’t you with your friends?”
Quatre looked up at her. “Oh, I just felt like being alone, that’s all.” He thought of Trowa and Heero.
“You aren’t being left out, are you?” Kara asked softly.
Quatre shook his head. “No. It was only - .”
“Because if I thought you’d been left been left out I’d have to be very angry with the others.” She smiled into his face.
“No need to,” he replied. “I’m alright.”
She watched his eyes. “You look a little sad.”
He was quiet, glancing away.
She touched his cheek and drew his eyes back to her. “A good-hearted young man like you should never be sad,” she said, gazing into his blue eyes. “Far too many wonderful things are in this world to concentrate on sad ones.”
Quatre smiled. The touch was welcome. He wished he wasn’t so doubtful of her tenderness.
“There.” Kara smiled and took his hands in hers. “You’re rare person, Quatre Raberba Winner.”
“So are you, Duchess Kara,” he replied. “You’ve made me feel so welcome here.”
She gazed at him tenderly. “You’re welcome for as long as you like.” She led him down the path. “Do the other pilots feel as welcome as you?”
Quatre glanced at her. “I’m not sure. It’s very hard for them to be comfortable during this war.”
“But I know you try to help them, dear Quatre.” She squeezed his hand.
He stared at the ground, suddenly recalling old memories. “I try, but sometimes I just can’t reach them.” He stared at the ground, thoughts of the four spinning in his head.
Kara placed a hand on his shoulder. “You will, Quatre. Don’t worry for them. They’ll be alright.” Her eyes cast soothing glances into his.
“I hope so,” he murmured.
“Besides,” she added, “you’re an important person too. Look out for yourself, little Quatre. Space is very big and kind people sometimes get swallowed up in it.”
He swallowed, feeling the knot of worry twist in his stomach.
Kara noticed his pale expression. “Come here.” She put her arms around him. “Stay gentle, Quatre,” she whispered. “Thought all these horrors of war. Keep your heart.” She gazed into his eyes. “That is what makes you special.”
With that, she kissed him and he was stunned. She did it so softly that he just let himself be kissed. He closed his eyes and let his heart rise into his throat. He was floating – then he thought of Duo.
Guilt plunged him down like a weight. He pulled away from the Duchess. “Why did you do that?!” His eyes were accusing.
She gazed at him with gently. “I wanted to. I thought you liked it.”
He flushed. “You kissed Duo!”
She hesitated. “Yes, I did. Why should it bother you?”
Quatre was staring at her, struggling with the guilty pleasure he’d felt. “Duo’s my friend!”
She smiled. “And you don’t want to hurt him?”
“I would never hurt him!”
Kara studied his distraught face. “He’s lucky to have a friend like you.”
Quatre felt confused. He felt angry. “If you knew that why did you kiss me?!”
She took a step toward him.
“NO!” He held his palm up. She stopped. “What are you trying to do?!”
“I just want to talk to you,” she said. “I felt like kissing you, so I did.”
“I don’t understand why you wanted me to hurt Duo.”
She met his eyes. “I didn’t. Quatre, just listen.” She reached toward him again.
“Stay back!” He backed away from her touch, eyes wide. “I don’t want to talk to you anymore! Why would you try to drive me away from my friends?!”
Inside his head the feelings of the kiss still lingered and he was afraid, and hurt, and confused. He’d never felt a touch like that and now his pleasure was stained with guilt over what it would do to Duo. He couldn’t handle it.
“If you’ll calm down, Quatre, we can discuss this,” Kara added softly.
“I don’t want to discuss anything! You’ve made me hurt someone I care about!”
Quatre began to back down the path, still staring wildly at Duchess Kara. “I don’t trust you anymore!” Then he turned and dashed down the path and out of the gardens.
Duo had dragged himself out of the lounge and was walking sluggishly toward the training room. He yawned.
“I hope Wufei’s got a really good explanation. I’m missing a nap for this.”
He plodded on down one hallway after another. “How many more hallways?!” he groaned.
He stepped up a flight of stairs and saw Duchess Kara walling toward him. He felt the compulsion to duck back down the stairs.
“Duo!” Kara greeted. “I was just coming to see you.”
He stood still in the doorway as she approached, his arms folded. The Duchess smiled gently.
“Thank you for being so valiant this afternoon.”
“What?” Duo stared at her. “I wanted to shoot you!”
Kara ducked her eyes. “I don’t think you would’ve really shot me.”
Duo frowned. “Yes, I would’ve.”
She smiled into his flashing eyes, looking deeply until he flushed pink. She reached and tenderly touched his cheek.
Duo steeled himself and drew back. “What’s the deal here? Why are you acting flirty after you said you just wanted to be friends?”
Kara smiled to herself. “I said that only to protect myself,” she lied. “If I get interested in you, you’ll go back to space and I won’t see you again.”
Duo hesitated. He wanted to believe her. “Huh?”
She twisted a finger around a strand of her auburn hair. “That’s the reason why I treated you like I did.”
He stared at her, unsure what to say. Did she really feel that way? What about the scene in the forest? He tried not to look at her coaxing eyes.
“You’re putting me on, aren’t you?” he responded, giving her a hard stare. “I don’t know what you want, but I really don’t have time for it.”
The Duchess looked hurt. “I only wanted to work things out.”
He was unmoved. “Sure. Right. I’m not that big of any idiot.” He stepped around her and started to walk down the hallway. The Duchess caught his arm.
“Don’t be too hasty, Duo,” she said softly with underlying force. “You could be turning down a very valuable opportunity.”
He looked her directly in the eyes and shrugged. “I don’t really care.” He proceeded down the hallway, walking tall, but wanting desperately to kiss her one more time.
“I don’t see how those guys can do this,” he breathed. “It’s about to kill me!”
Controlling his feet to not go running back to her, he walked on to the training room. He pushed the door open and walked in, surprised that he didn’t see Wufei. Instead he found Heero, Trowa and Quatre.
“Wow. Am I intruding?” he wondered.
Heero sat soberly on the training mat and Trowa and Quatre stood a few yards away deep in discussion.
Duo walked over and sat down beside Heero. “Hey, what’s going on?”
Heero glanced at him impassively. “Quatre came in a few minutes ago pretty shaken up. He said he needed to talk to Trowa.”
“Oh.” Duo looked across the floor at the quietly passionate expressions of the two as they talked.
Quatre stood gripping his arm with his opposite hand. It was obvious that he was nervous.
“Trowa, I don’t know what to do,” he said softly, “I don’t want to hurt Duo.”
Trowa gazed at him compassionately. “It would be better for him if he knew how the Duchess is.” He met Quatre’s gaze. “Besides, it’s time we all understood what’s really going on here.”
Quatre’s eyes deepened as he stared at Trowa. “I had the feeling that something was wrong. I just didn’t know how to tell the others.” He lowered his eyes.
Trowa placed a hand on Quatre’s shoulder.
“I feel so guilty,” Quatre added, “about the Duchess, I mean.”
Trowa studied his face. “Don’t punish yourself, Quatre,” he comforted.
Quatre bit his lip. “I’ve never been kissed before, Trowa. I liked it so much that I didn’t think about Duo.” He paused. “I’m awful.”
Trowa gave him a gentle look. “No. You’re the nicest guy I know. There was nothing wrong with what you did.”
Quatre gazed into his eyes. “I wasn’t being selfish?”
“No, you weren’t.”
Quatre smiled. “Thanks, Trowa.”
Trowa smiled in return. “Heero and I were planning to tell you and Duo about what we’ve discovered. I knew you’d realize it before we told you.”
Quatre nodded. “I don’t know all the details, but… Oz is involved aren’t they?”
“Yes. And a new organization called Richter.”
Duo shifted where he sat. He
glanced at Heero. “Um, Heero, I wanted to tell you I’m sorry,” he said.
“Huh?” Heero glanced at him.
Duo rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeahc. I was real jerk over the Duchess,” he admitted. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. Friends are more important than girls.”
Heero seemed less sober. “I told you the Duchess was an enemy.”
Duo shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I just wanted things to be cool between us.”
“Alright,” Heero agreed.
Duo glanced at Quatre and Trowa. “I just wanted to tell you that we’re still friends. I mean, things’re getting a little strange around here and I want to let you know you can trust me.”
Heero nodded. “Okay.”
Duo faced him and frowned. “You know you could add something too.”
“I’m glad you came to your senses.”
Duo glared at the floor. “Why won’t he talk to me?!” he wondered.
Quatre and Trowa walked over to where Duo and Heero sat. Quatre gave Heero a careful glance. “Things’re okay now, Heero. Trowa told me everything.”
He cast a quick sideglance at Duo uncomfortably. “So, what are we going to do now?”
Heero said it as if Duo wasn’t even present. “We need to tell Duo.”
Duo cocked an eyebrow and stared at them. “Hey! I’m sitting right here! What’s all the secrecy about?”
Quatre and Trowa looked at each other.
Duo fumed. “Just spit it out!”
“The Duchess is working for Oz,” Heero stated.
Duo stared at him. “That line again? Why can’t you come up with some new material?”
“He’s right, Duo,” said Quatre. “She’s conspiring against us.”
Duo sighed noisily. “Don’t tell me he’s got you believing it?”
“I’ve seen proof, Duo,” Trowa injected.
Duo paused, looking at Trowa as if he hadn’t noticed Trowa was there. “What? What do you mean?”
He couldn’t be serious. Duchess Kara? It was ridiculous….
Heero suddenly turned his head sharply. He was staring intently as if something had caught his attention.
The others stared at him. “What -?”
He pointed. “Look! Up there – the vent!”
All eyes darted the high ceiling and a solitary heating grate. Drafts of smoke were issuing rapidly from the grate.
“Gas!”
Panic gripped the four pilots. Heero was on his feet and sprinting toward the training room door. Just as he reached it a horrible metallic sound of bolts sliding into place echoed through the room.
Heero slammed his fist into the door. “Blast!”
He turned and noticed that the other three head attempted a similar for of escape. Quatre stood paralyzed beside Trowa in front of the locker room door. Duo stood halfway to the locker room, his eyes as big as saucers, staring at Heero and the bolted door.
“The showers are locked!” Trowa yelled. “Any ideas?”
“All the exits are locked,” said Heero dryly.
Duo stared at Heero, swallowing. “You were right and now we’re all gonna die.”
Quatre and Trowa walked to where Duo stood. Heero remained by the door.
Duo was beginning to shake, staring – now angrily – at Heero. “You knew!” he gasped. “You all knew – and nobody told me!”
He sprang forward to attack Heero, but Trowa caught him by the arms and held him. “Don’t get angry at us, Duo,” said Trowa. “We’re all got to pull our wits together to get out of this.”
Duo struggled. “You jerk!” he hissed “All of you! You knew this was a trap!”
He lashed out at Trowa and Quatre came over to restrain him. “Please, settle down, Duo,” Quatre soothed.
“No! You – even you, Quatre! How could you?!”
Trowa smacked Duo squarely in the back of the head and Duo fell forward just as Quatre let go of Duo’s arm in shock. Quatre stared at Duo as Duo knelt on the floor rubbing his head.
“I’m sorry, Duo. I’m so sorry,” Quatre stammered. “You’re right. It’s all my fault.” His eyes were full of remorse almost to the point of spilling. “I – I have no excuse. The Duchess just -.”
“Huh?” Duo stared up at him. “What are you talking about?”
Quatre’s eyes were teary and his arms were folded protectively over his chest. “We were walking in the garden…,” he confessed, “and I let her kiss me.”
“You?” Duo stared in surprise.
“I knew you liked her,” Quatre added, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I’m a terrible friend….” He fell to his knees, his face in his hands.
Trowa got to his knees beside Quatre. “The gas is filling the room,” he coughed. “Everybody get down.”
The gas had filled the upper part of the training room in the dense cloud. It was slowly permeating the lower air as well.
Heero knelt beside the door, staring at the cloud of gas. “Let’s hope that Wufei realizes where we are or Oz will have won.” He coughed.
Quatre coughed through his tears. “Forgive me, Duo. I don’t want us to die like this.”
Duo smiled. “I forgive you, Quatre.”
Quatre leaned forward and embraced his friend. “I never want to hurt any of you,” he whispered
Duo coughed. “It’s not right for this to happen even if she does want to kill us!”
Trowa bent closer to the floor, looking drowsy. “I don’t understand why she wants to kill us this way.”
“She must’ve known that we all don’t trust her so she didn’t want to wait for us to act,” said Heero on his hands and knees by the door.
Quatre and Duo collapsed beside Trowa a few feet away from Heero. Duo choked on the polluted air. “Heero, how long have you known about the Duchess?”
“Since the first day.”
Quatre glanced at Trowa, who lay fighting to stay conscious. “If we don’t make it, Trowa,” he gasped, “I wanted you to know you’re my best friend.”
Trowa nodded, his eyes wanting to roll back in his head. “Thanks, Q -.” He was unconscious.
“Trowa!”
Quatre stared at his friend’s face, his eyelids growing heavy. He gave in to the feeling.
Duo watched as Heero held onto consciousness with firm determination. Duo gathered what strength he had left and began to crawl toward him. “You think you can make it, Heero?” he puffed.
Heero’s face was set. He hadn’t even collapsed. “I’m going to try.”
Duo watched his face as he inched closer. “Some… nerve.”
Heero collapsed, staring at Duo. “If I had my… full strength.”
Duo tried to smile. “Yeah. Sure….” He slid his hand along the floor and seized Heero’s shirt. “Just don’t forget about us when you get out.”
His hand fell limp and Heero stared into his unconscious face. “I won’t.”
The gas filled the whole room.
(to be continued…)
