CHAPTER FOUR:

 

AC 188:

The Winner Estates on L3:

 

“Master Quatre, would you like another cup of tea?”

 

“Huh? Oh, no…no, thank you, Ahmed. I am quite fine at the moment.”

 

The older man sighed and still placed the tray of green tea upon the side table, straightening up to look with concern at the pale fair-haired boy. The young heir had been glued to his seat and had been staring out of the large glass window for the past few hours, the book he was supposed to read still untouched on his lap. It was almost a year now and everyone had noticed the ‘change’ in the young master ever since his return from the trip to L2 with his father. Quatre, who was usually a vivacious and curious young lad, had seemed a bit more subdued in his dealings with the adults that he was constantly surrounded with. He didn’t exactly have a whole load of friends of his age and that had never really concerned the wealthy child. He was more interested in his music and books and of course, his father’s business dealings.

 

But things were different now.

 

Quatre…was different. Oh, he still smiled and said the occasional word or two, but he was now prone to long periods of silence and many of his companions had noticed that he had the tendency to ‘space-out’ at the worst moments. Why, just last week, Quatre had been paying a visit to another construction site with his father and to everyone’s shock and horror, the young boy had been found hanging off the ledge of the tallest steel building, unaware that he was even there in the first place. The problems became even worse during the night. He would always wake up screaming like someone about to be murdered, his entire body drenched in sweat. When asked about his dream, he would always shake his head and mutter something about a ‘Duo’ before passing out in exhaustion again. His appetite had begun to suffer and coupled with his sleeping problems, his father had decided that Quatre needed to be in touch with the best psychiatrists that the colony had to offer.

 

All to no avail.

 

Quatre had willingly gone to each session, but had always managed to leave his doctors baffled and confused. To them, he sounded quite normal and cheerful, but once he got back home, it was back to being the zombie. If there was anyone who had a clue as to what could possibly be the problem, then Rashid would have to be the one. The oldest of the servants and personal bodyguard to Quatre who had been there at the time of the ‘incident’ could only attribute the change to the experience suffered at the time. Rashid himself couldn’t say that the strange boy with the powers hadn’t affected him, but he wasn’t going through withdrawals like his master.

 

Ahmed shook his head and was just about to leave the room when his master’s quiet voice stopped him.

 

“Is my father going back to L2 any time soon?”

 

Ahmed shook his head again. “I am not really sure, master. He did say that he had to make several stops at some colonies later on in the week.”

 

“Then I will be joining him.”

 

“But…but, Master Quatre…”

 

Green eyes filled with irritation stared at the sputtering man in annoyance. “I said I will be joining him. Prepare my things, I have to speak with my father soon.”

 

And with a curt wave of his hand, he dismissed the shocked man.

 

It wasn’t until the sound of the door closing with a soft click, did he finally put his hands to his face. His body trembling violently, he stared at his hands with fear in his eyes now.

 

“What are you doing to me?” he whispered shakily. “Why won’t you leave me alone? I told you to leave me alone. I haven’t done anything to you.”

 

He paused for a moment, as if listening intently to someone else speaking, before gasping out weakly. “Alright then, I will come. But you must promise not to hurt me again like the last time.”

 

He got to his feet on slightly wobbly legs, made his way out of the room and straight to his father’s office.

 

 

The older man continued to steal glances at the silent figure across from him, before sighing and placing his pen back upon the documents on his lap table. Running a hand down his face in weariness, he asked calmly.

 

“You still haven’t given me a reason for wanting to come on this trip, Quatre.”

 

Without tearing his gaze away from the inky blackness of space outside his window, he replied coolly and almost detached. “I told you, father. I am interested in the new construction sites over there. I am quite curious, you know.”

 

“Quatre, I will be honest with you. I am not quite comfortable with you coming with me to the sites any longer. I suggest you stay back at the hotel or go sightseeing again. I wouldn’t want you to…”

 

“Zone out?” came the bitter reply, causing the older man to gasp in surprise at the rude tone. Not that it should have been surprising to him. Quatre had begun to have a tendency to snap without warning recently and for a boy of his age, Winner wasn’t exactly sure if that was healthy or not.

 

 “Don’t worry, father.” He continued in that same flat tone. “I promise not to embarrass you any further.”

 

You won’t even realize that I exist.

 

And to the utter and complete surprise of the older man, Quatre burst out laughing. A cold, bitter and empty sound that left chills down his spine. Winner suddenly felt like he was no longer in the presence of his son anymore. He had the nasty feeling that he had lost his son a long time ago.

 

 

L2-

St. Gabriel’s Orphanage:

 

He sat primly as he was supposed to. His hair freshly washed and in a neat braid again. He was now dressed in a stuffy black suit that was a size too small for him and he had to keep shifting to ease the tightness against his groin area. The cloth was beginning to chafe his skin and he itched.

 

Besides, he hated the way they were looking at him.

 

It was adoption day. The day when lonely parents and couples came looking for the perfect little angel to take home. Duo wondered why he was made to go through all of this time after time. The end result was always the same.

 

He was never picked.

 

He would smile like he was supposed to, but it was as if he didn’t even exist. It seemed like the couples always, always skipped him. They would gush over the child sitting next to him, but walk past him like he wasn’t even there. The first few times that it had happened, he had felt bad about it. He would usually run into his room and sob his heart out, only to have Sister Helen walk in to comfort and reassure him again. Saying that God loved him and would always be there for him. But as the years had gone by, he had grown a thick skin over the entire procedure. It didn’t bother him anymore. His reasoning: the homes he would have been sent to would have been worse anyways.

 

“Looks like we aren’t gonna be picked again, huh, Duo?” Solo whispered to him with a cheeky grin.

 

“Yeah…I guess not. But we don’t care, right?” Duo replied with a responding grin.

 

A raise of a finger to Sister Mary’s lips signaling them to be quiet clammed both boys’ mouths shut, although they still shared a secret look that only they could understand. Just as Duo was beginning to think the nightmare was never going to end, the children were suddenly distracted by the sound of happy barking. A man had brought a little dog to the orphanage and many of the kids had left their seats, to the chagrin of the Sisters, to pet and touch the dog.

 

Solo shrugged and yawned lazily. “Hey, wanna go see the dog, Duo?”

Duo, as motionless as a statue on his seat, stared blankly at the chaotic scene. “I don’t think I should,” he replied flatly.

 

Solo raised an eyebrow and leaned forward to wave his hands in front of the zoned-out look on his friend’s face. “Yo! Duo! Anyone home? Come on, it couldn’t hurt! It’s just a little dog. It won’t bite.”

 

And before Duo could protest, Solo had pulled his arm and was already leading him towards the dog, which was currently doing some funny tricks to the crowd’s immense delight. Duo felt beads of sweat break out on his forehead as he came closer to the furry creature. He struggled lightly in Solo’s grasp.

 

“I don’t wanna go, Solo. Let me go!”

 

“Duo…come on. It’s just a little do…”

 

Duo’s eyes, which had been pinned on the little animal, seemed to widen in something akin to fear. The dog, sensing an unfriendly presence, lost its cuteness and began to growl lowly. The children cringed back in fear as the animal began to bark. It was now taking all of its owner’s strength to control it now. The dog seemed to have gone stark raving mad. It snapped its jaws and struggled wildly against its leash, his eyes now wild with insanity. Solo, who had still been holding onto Duo’s arm, suddenly withdrew his hand in surprise. Duo’s skin felt like it was boiling and the older boy could see that Duo looked completely entranced in the mad antics of the now crazed animal.

 

“Du…Duo?” he called out weakly. “You…you okay, buddy?”

 

He was ignored as he watched Duo walk slowly towards the dog. The owner was quite at a loss as to what to do and he tried to warn the approaching boy to back away. “You better stay back, little boy. This dog might bite.”

 

Duo’s eyes narrowed and then his lips curved into a knowing smile. “I will end its miserable existence for you,” he stated matter-of-factly.

 

“What the…?”

 

Stooping down on his haunches, Duo opened up his arms and placed a cherubic smile on his face. “Come here, doggy,” he said softly. “Come here and let me help you.”

 

Everyone seemed to freeze at the scene that took place next. The dog flew out of his owner’s grip and leapt right into the waiting boy’s arms. Sister Helen ran towards the scene, but had to stop as she noticed that the dog wasn’t actually about to bite into the young boy’s jugular. To everyone’s surprise, the dog struggled weakly in Duo’s embrace and then went completely limp in mere seconds. Duo dropped the seemingly boneless creature to the ground and got back up to his feet.

 

“I think he will be okay, now,” he said in that same flat tone. “He won’t need to be stuck with you all anymore. He is quite happy now…in his hell.”

 

And ignoring the gasps that went through the audience, he soundlessly made his way out of the room.

 

 

Sister Helen brushed out her hair in automatic movements, her mind churning with the events of the day. Duo had killed the dog. He had made it look like a merciful killing, but a death was a death and he had killed in front of the other children. Her hands trembled violently. She didn’t know how much longer she could control herself around him. They had to perform the exorcism before it became too late.

 

A knock on her door broke her out of her reverie. She glanced at the clock and wondered who could possibly want to talk to her at this hour. Unless…

 

Oh, please, not again…

 

She reached for her housecoat, shrugging it on as she went to open up the door.

 

“Duo??”

 

The little boy stood in front of her, his eyes red-rimmed with apparent signs of crying. He sniffled and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. The white sleep shirt he usually wore, showed signs of being ripped by someone with either claws or really long nails.

 

“Oh, my God! What happened to you, Duo? Come in!”

 

She shut the door behind her, and stooped down to his level, brushing his sweaty bangs away from his face. “Was it a nightmare, Duo?” she asked softly. “Do you want to tell me all about it?”

 

Duo shook his head and lowered his eyes. “May I sleep here with you, Sister Helen?” he asked in a slightly raspy voice. “I can’t…I can’t stay in my room anymore.”

 

She pulled him to herself in an embrace and whispered into his hair. “Of course you can. Here, let’s change that shirt of yours, okay?”

 

He nodded numbly and raised his arms obediently as she took off the tattered shirt. She winced inwardly as she noticed the red marks of scratches upon his pale skin. Unable to stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks, she traced the marks with light fingers, noticing that he flinched and tried to hold in his own cry of pain.

 

“Oh, Duo,” she whispered. “Why? Why?? I love you so much.” She spun him around to stare into his eyes. “Do you love me, Duo?” she asked almost desperately. “Do you love me?”

 

The longhaired boy didn’t reply. He stood immobile, with arms hanging limply at his sides and his eyes as empty as ever. Helen’s sobs increased and she buried her face against his neck. “I love you, Duo. And don’t you forget it. I will always love you, no matter what happens.”

 

“I will kill you, Sister Helen.”

 

She straightened up and stared at him with eyes filled with sorrow. “I know that, Duo. But I would rather die by your hands, than any other way.”

 

Something flickered behind the amethyst depths, before a small smile came unto his face. “I would like to go to sleep now.”

 

Chuckling weakly, she tucked him into the narrow bed and leaned forward to place a light kiss on his forehead. About to turn away, he froze her movements with his comment.

 

“Do you love me, Sister Helen?”

 

She turned back to face him, a puzzled look on her face. “Why, I did say that, Duo sweetheart.”

 

Cool amethyst depths stared at her. “Will you promise to protect me at all times?”

 

“Duo…I will give my soul to protect you. You know that.”

 

“You won’t let anything happen to me?”

 

“No, Duo.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“I promise.”

 

“Then we ought to seal the promise, don’t you think?”

 

Helen felt an unwilling blush dust her cheeks at the darkened look that had filled the young boy’s face. Good Lord, she had a feeling she was being hypnotized, and she was powerless to stop it.

 

“Will you kiss me, Sister Helen?”

 

“Duo…I have kissed you to sleep already…”

 

Duo shook his head. “No. When you love someone you have to kiss him or her properly. Like in those movies and things.”

 

“Duo! What has come over you?”

 

He closed his eyes and sighed dramatically. “If you won’t do it, then I guess you have been lying to me. You do not love me as much as you claim.”

 

“Oh, Duo. You are so wrong.” She sighed and made her way towards the bed, leaning over him as she stared into his now opened eyes.

 

“Then prove me wrong, Sister Helen.”

 

The young woman smiled softly and closed the distance between their lips. This time, she made sure that her promise was sealed for all eternity.

 

 

He adjusted the white collar with a grimace. It was too hot and having to wear this priestly garb was beginning to tire him out. He slowed down his steps, tightening his hold on the string that held his schoolbooks as he approached the looming building that was Saint Gabriel’s. He could see the large white car in front of the Home. It looked like another child was going to become a little angel to some other parent again. Sighing deeply, he wiped the sweat off his brow and wondered if he could convince Solo to run away with him to the Central Park Lake. They had been caught the last time, but Duo had a nifty little plan this time that was bound to make their stay a bit longer.

 

With his stomach growling in hunger, he began to quicken his steps, only to stop in disbelief at the young boy that had stepped out of the building accompanied by a well-dressed man and woman, Sister Helen and Father Maxwell. They were all smiling and shaking hands, all except for the young boy, who looked like he was about to cry at any moment.

 

No…No!! It can’t be!!  

 

Before he could stop himself, Duo dropped his books and ran as fast as he could towards the small group, needing to know if this was real or not. He ignored the gasps of surprise and the sharp cry of ‘Duo!’ from Father Maxwell, before latching himself onto the only boy that he had called friend. Tears of despair began to fall down his cheeks as he clutched Solo to him even tighter.

 

“You can’t go!” was his muffled plea as he buried his face into the taller boy’s shirt. “You can’t leave me here alone! You promised we would be together forever!! You can’t take him away from me!!”

 

The young couple looked a bit uncomfortable at the scene as Father Maxwell apologized profusely and tried to gently pry the unmoving boy away from his friend. “Duo…he has to go, son. The Lord has chosen a family for him and so…”

 

“I HATE THE LORD!! WHY SHOULD HE TAKE SOLO AWAY FROM ME?!”

 

And turning back to the silent but quietly sobbing dark-haired boy, he continued to plead desperately, amethyst eyes trying to capture the lowered dark ones in front of him. “Please, Solo!! You can’t leave!! We made a promise, remember?! You swore you would never leave me!! We have a bond!!  You can’t leave me!!”

 

“Duo…” came the soft whisper from Solo, smiling tremulously through his own tears. “I have to go with them. They…They want me as a part of their family…”

 

“But we are a family!! You and I! You said so yourself!! You said we didn’t need anyone but ourselves!! You can’t…leave…” he finished weakly as he noticed the determined look in his friend’s eyes. Dropping his hands to his sides limply, he lowered his head and stared at the ground blindly. The comforting words from Sister Helen and Father Maxwell washed over him as he paid no attention.

 

Solo was leaving him alone. He would be all alone, now.

 

He flinched as he felt the young man’s hands on his shoulders. “Hey, son. I spoke to Father Maxwell and he said you could come and visit Solo anytime you want. Sounds like a nifty deal, don’t you think?”

 

His wife spoke up as well. “So you see, you two don’t have to be apart for so long, and we would love to have you over…sometime…”

 

They were lying. They were all lying through their teeth. They didn’t need him. They would never need him. They had taken his best friend away and they were all going to pay. Father Maxwell’s sharp eyes noticed the clenched fists and the low growl as the other adults talked. Nodding curtly to Helen, he walked over to Duo and laid a hand upon his head.

 

“Duo. I want you to calm down now. Getting angry isn’t going to help at this time. If you would like to follow Sister Helen inside now….”

 

Duo slapped the hand away from his head angrily and snarled at the concerned faces before him. Ignoring everyone else, he walked up to his friend and stared deeply into unwavering black depths.

 

“What is it, Duo?” Solo asked a bit coldly. He was well acquainted with the other boy’s antics now and he could tell that the long-haired one was about to do something unusual or stupid or both.

 

“You are breaking a bond, Solo,” Duo replied in kind, although a bit flatly. “And I will never, ever forgive you for that!”

 

Without looking back, he ran out of the orphanage and into the streets, his feet taking him to nowhere and yet somewhere in particular.

 

 

The blonde-haired boy waited patiently on the swing beside the ball park, his white shirt and black shorts standing out in the otherwise empty playground. He barely spun around at the silent footsteps that came up behind him, although a small smile had come unto his face.

 

“It took you long enough,” he commented dryly.

 

“Hn.”

 

A comfortable silence fell as they watched the moon rise to fill the artificial sky.

 

Finally, the long-haired boy asked quietly.,“Ready to play now, Quatre?”

 

The blonde jumped out of the swing and smiled brightly at his companion and new friend.

 

 “Yes, Duo. I am ready.”