WARNINGS: AU, death of major character (not 1 or 2), major angst, post-apocalyptic, violence
Genre: Drama, Romance, Angst
Rating: NC-17 (for language and graphic descriptions)

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03:

Imagine if you will a world soaked in darkness, where all time and reason have lost their meaning as you continue to float in its dismal abyss. Imagine if you will, a world without air, feeling as if your very lungs were crushed by an unseen weight, as you struggle fruitlessly to inhale the precious necessity that you once took for granted. Imagine if you will, your bones creaking with a pain so indescribable, you pray for death to take you away from the unbearable suffering.

This was the world to which 002 awoke.

He could taste fear – thick and heavy – on his tongue. His very pores reeked of it as his pupils raced wildly behind his closed eyelids. He wanted to see, to breathe - to live, yet there was something preventing him from doing so. He could hear voices, muffled and slow as if coming from the depths of a hollow tin drum. He tried to turn to that direction but a mind-numbing headache shot through his head from the left side causing him to scream in agony. Unfortunately, the sound remained locked in his rapidly constricting throat – choking him, making him gargle like an old man forced to drink a bitter tasting drug. His fear overwhelmed him completely and for a moment, he felt sure that he had been buried alive, somewhere deep, dark and cold where no one would ever hear or find him. Someone had thought him dead and had locked him away in a coffin.

But I’m alive! Fuck it! I’m alive! I’m alive! I’m alive!

“…gurg…gurg…gurg…”

He barely registered that he had forced his lips open by this time as all that filled his thoughts were plans of escape. He had to get out of here. He had to leave this burial site. They couldn’t keep him here. He wasn’t dead. He wanted to see the blue sky again.

Blue…sky…?

He wanted to have fresh air, to feel the sun on his skin.

Sun…light…?

He could feel his lungs expand and contract rapidly with each breathe he forced himself to take. Finally, and with great effort, his lashes flew open and his once silent vocal cords seemed to come back to life with a force that had him almost destroying throat muscles he never knew existed.

He howled in agony and this time they heard him.

He couldn’t tell you where the energy had come from as he broke out of his restraints for his body still ached in a million and one places. However, the instinct to survive, a trait all humans possess when thrown in dire situations, took precedence and gave him the near-barbaric strength for the fight he put up.

Confusion and disorientation intermingled with the fear he still felt. Where was he? Who was he? How had he gotten here? Why did his head ache so damn much? Why did he feel like throwing up even though he was sure he hadn’t eaten anything?

Who am I? And what’s with this Agent 002 bullshit?

They had been calling him that and he didn’t like it. No, he didn’t like it at all. It made him feel like a machine - a worthless, useless contraption that had gone out of control.

Ain’t that the truth, boy? You’ve gone fucking nuts and they don’t know what the fuck to do. I would laugh my ass off if I wasn’t so busy trying to get the hell out of here.

But he had been stopped in the end and it was by some guy who might as well be a fucking robot for all the expression and reaction he gave. The guy was strong though, Duo would give him that. But it was that doctor…

(Fuck the Organization!)

…something about that doctor…

(Fuck the Organization!!)

…he must have seen that doctor before…but where? And let’s not forget the fact that the guy seemed to be yelling in his head all the time…

(You can hear his thoughts that’s what.)

Duo couldn’t quite place a finger on it, but a part of him was sure that this doctor was responsible for his being here. Perhaps it was the guilt that seemed to reek off his body each time their eyes met or the fear that had filled his eyes when Duo had managed to tap into his brain waves to blurt out his anti-Organization sentiments.

/Shut the fuck up or you’ll get me in trouble!/

Too bad for you, doc. You got me into this mess, you suffer the consequences.

But yet, he had complied – like a fucking dog, he had agreed to obey, hoping that the excitement would wear down because he was becoming increasingly tired. It was like a huge tidal wave of weariness that seemed to appear from nowhere to overtake his body making him feel slightly lethargic and not all there. However, it looked like the powers that be hadn’t taken too kindly to his little rampage earlier, and they had dealt out a worse punishment than he could ever fathom.

He was forced to return to the dark abyss and was almost grateful for that. It was a welcome reprieve from the pain and he wished to remain there never to return to such a cold and uncaring environment he had been subjected to.

Unfortunately…

“Wake up, Agent 002. It’s time for your debut performance.”

…reality wasn’t so kind. His lashes opened slowly at the sound of the man’s voice. He turned his head a little to stare into the blank green eyes peering down at him. The man was dressed in the familiar white coat worn by the medical personnel, which sent a reluctant shiver down Duo’s spine.

“Don’t try anything funny either,” the man was saying. To Duo, his voice sounded devoid of any inflection. It was simply flat and cold and made Duo feel even more terrified of what was to happen to him.

“We’ve got officers stationed all around to take you down at the first sign of resistance, 002,” the man said, motioning for Duo to sit up. “Please take off your gown. You are going to be quarantined.”

Quara-what? What the fuck?!

He opened his mouth to say something, but staring into those passive eyes and then darting a quick glance around the room confirmed his worst fears. The man wasn’t kidding when he said they were surrounded. Officers, all dressed in white space-like suits with helmets, had their guns (which looked eerily like laser guns) pointed in his direction. Duo tried to smile, but felt his lips tight and uncooperative as he rose to his feet…and promptly stumbled.

Shit! His legs felt like lead!

“Easy now, 002. Your body is still adjusting to its new bones.”

“New…bones?”

The man simply nodded and refused to elaborate on his announcement as he waited patiently for Duo to strip out of the plain shapeless gown. Duo stared at the bloodstains with a small wince as the memories of his earlier fight came flooding back. His mouth still tasted funny and he realized it was thanks to his impromptu ‘snack’ of that Chinese guy’s arm.

“Please turn around,” came the firm order and biting his lower lip, trying not to shiver at the notion of standing naked in front of a bunch of guys (and it was terribly cold in the room anyway), he did as he was told and promptly fought back a yelp as he felt the cool sensation of fingers thrusting into his anus.

“Holy shit,” he breathed thickly, biting his lower lip and squeezing his eyes shut as the man probed deeper without any real thought for Duo’s welfare. He could feel the tight muscles being stretched roughly and the pain was, needless to say, excruciating. He wanted to yell or worse kill the fucking guy, but Duo was sure that once he made a move, he could as well say sayonara to any chance of survival.

“Intact,” the man muttered with obvious disgust in his voice, as he finally withdrew his fingers.

Don’t like this part of your job do you, good sir, Duo thought with a light smirk, more than glad that the sudden internal investigation was finally over (although he had to wonder what the hell they had planted up his ass to begin with). He sagged limply across the narrow bed and wasn’t a bit surprised to find that he was now sporting an erection. It might have been a rude ‘search’ but the guy had touched a part of him that had sent tingles of reluctant pleasure coursing down his body. However, as Mr. Cool and Collected peeled off the flesh-colored gloves he had been wearing, Duo could see the small smirk on his lips.

“Need help with that?” the man asked with a nod towards the hard organ.

“Not if you’re willing,” Duo replied with a forced grin. “I’m sure you must have satisfied many other guys like me…argh!”

The pain from the guy’s blow wasn’t all that bad and as Duo placed a hand on his jaw to check the damage done, he heard a faint clicking sound inside his mouth. He pressed his fingers against his flesh and felt a cold sensation of amazement searing down his spine. His jaw…at least the left side of his jaw felt like it was solid steel beneath the layer of flesh. His fingers continued to travel up the left side of his face and the sensation was still the same - cold, hard steel beneath his skin.

I’m a machine…I’m really a fucking machine!

“Don’t get too cute,” the doctor was saying even though his cheeks were slightly flushed with color. Duo could see that he was nursing his hand – the one he had used to punch – and he smirked in small victory.

“Guys like you are a dime a dozen and by the time you’re through with Basic Training, I cherish the day I’ll have to press that damn button behind your neck. Now move it, 002. I haven’t got all evening.”

Fuck you too, asshole. Duo gritted his teeth, walking before the man and through a door he hadn’t even noticed in all the excitement. This door didn’t lead to the outside as he had hoped, but rather to an even smaller room with what looked like a shower stall and several other gizmos and gadgets he couldn’t quite make out.

“Step into the stall please,” Doc C and C commanded with a nod. He was making his way towards the console and watched warily as Duo eyed the small boxed space for a moment before walking into it.

The doors slid shut silently behind him and Duo suddenly felt extremely claustrophobic. It felt like the walls of the stall were closing in on him, and through the thick pane of glass, he could make out the fuzzy image of the doctor standing behind the safety of his medical equipment. The door opened again and two more guys walked in. They talked briefly to each other and Duo watched with growing alarm as they proceeded to slip masks over their noses and mouths.

‘Beginning quarantine phase,’ came the female automated voice over unseen speakers and before Duo could get his bearings, his body was bombarded with jets of water so cold that it knocked the breath out of him. His scream was locked in his throat as he fell to his knees, the water unmerciful as they continued to lash angrily against his now reddened flesh.

Meanwhile, the doctors were beginning to look rather confused at the fluctuations of 002’s reaction to the treatment. The needle on the machine, along with the black screen which gathered data on his heart rate and breathing, seemed to be off the charts.

“I don’t understand,” one of the doctors said with a puzzled look in his eyes. “He’s not supposed to be able to feel anything. Why does it seem like he’s in pain?!”

“Don’t look at me,” Doc C and C replied impatiently as he scribbled furiously on his notepad. “I’m not his surgeon.”

“Then why…eek!”

They jumped as Duo suddenly flung himself against the glass with a deranged look in his eyes. He was saying something and pounding his fists against the glass, so hard in fact that the walls seemed to rattle and shudder with each hard blow.

Doctor Richardson, a relatively new face to the Organization, looked downright terrified at the sight of the mad man in the stall. “What’s he saying?! Don’t you think we should stop…?!”

“Stop?!” came the alarmed cry from Doctor Murphy. “If we stop now, Lt. General Merquise will have our heads!” He had been in the Organization long enough to know the consequences that befell wayward medical personnel.

Doc C and C., whose real name was Andrea Patini, according to the name tag on his coat, watched Duo carefully, his brows furrowing with thought as everything finally seemed to fall into place. Pain. Emotions. Sensations. A unit was not supposed to have any of those things after the initial surgical process. Although there had been a few units who still retained those capabilities, most were complete robots, incapable of such basic human traits and instincts.

Dear, dear Doctor Yuy, he thought with a small smirk on his lips. Looks like someone’s been a naughty boy. He tapped his pen against the notepad, watching Duo slump to the floor in exhaustion as a cloud of smoke seemed to fill the cubicle. He wondered if he ought to tell the superiors about his discovery or better yet, use it against the genius doctor. His smirk grew wider at the thought. Heero Yuy had always been a thorn in his side from the moment they had graduated medical school together and now Patini knew he’d have this little secret to use against him. What better way to get Yuy on his knees than to expose his incompetence? This was just too good! Much too good!

Suddenly he burst into laughter, a loud sound filled with malicious intent which had the other doctors staring at him in confusion and slight worry. It wasn’t rare to see doctors lose their minds due to the strains of their work and for a while, Doctors Murphy and Richardson seriously considered turning in Doctor Patini for a thorough investigation.

__

The material of the bodysuit seemed to mold to his body like, well…a second skin, and he hated to admit that it felt sort of good. His body still throbbed from the so-called quarantine session and as he slipped his feet into the flat-soled shoes, he winced as a muscle in his lower back protested the movement. He shook his head rapidly to get rid of the faint dizziness that washed over him before sitting down heavily on the narrow steel bench. He held his head between his hands and tried to breathe evenly; trying to melt away the heavy taste of fear that now seemed permanent on his tongue.

He wasn’t sure why he was here. Doc. C and C had refused to say anything to him – simply pushing Duo towards the waiting group of officers who had in turn brought him to this waiting room of sorts. He swore he was being passed around from one person to another like a goddamn rag doll. Slowly, he held out his right arm and flexed it, biting his lower lip at the pain that seared through him.

Metal as well, he thought with a small nod. So let’s see…left side of my face…my right arm and….

He stretched out both legs as far as they could go. His right leg felt okay, but the familiar faint resistance especially in his knee (it felt as if the metal joints were locked tight) and pain which shot up from his left side told him that it was the guilty one.

Part machine, part human. Fantastic.

He rose to his feet and tried to loosen his body, remembering something the psycho doc had said about Basic Training. So maybe he had been brought here to learn some new fighting skills. That wouldn’t be too bad. Anything was better than being stuck in that shower stall being ‘cleaned’ again. Duo just hoped he wouldn’t have to go through that process all the time. There had to be a better way to give them a proper shower.

A steel door opened to reveal a soldier, this time dressed in green fatigues. He didn’t look any older than eighteen and Duo shook his head slowly, wondering what kind of a place this was to hire such young kids to do their bidding.

“Are you ready, Agent 002?” the man asked and to Duo’s immense surprise, it looked like the guy was actually trying to give him a friendly smile. A dull ache filled Duo’s chest at the sight and he realized that he felt ridiculously close to crying. It felt like eons since he had seen a friendly visage or had anyone talk to him ‘normally’ and damn it…it felt so good to hear it.

“I…guess I am,” he replied thickly, blushing faintly at how grateful he sounded. The soldier flushed as well and gave a curt nod.

Duo, seeing that he had no intentions of talking again, decided to make conversation. No, he needed to have a decent conversation with someone or he was going to go crazy.

“So…eh…what is this place anyway?”

The soldier looked startled at the question and looked towards the door as if hoping no one had come in to hear this. It was rare for a unit to be this curious about anything but he couldn’t deny that there was something rather appealing about Agent 002. If he was a human he would be the kind of guy one could hang out with and have fun. It was almost a shame he had become a machine.

“You mean this room?” he finally replied warily.

Duo eyed the steel walls and miserable bench which had been placed in the middle of it. Well, he hadn’t actually meant the room but it was as good a start as any. “Yes, this room. Where am I?”

“This is the Training Facility,” the soldier replied with a small smile. “This is where all units train. Actually, this is the main arena, so you go out that door…” He pointed towards another entry that seemed to blend into its surroundings. “…and you get to fight an opponent picked out for you. It’s usually done to measure your skill level.”

“Ah…so like a free-for-all, right?”

“A free-for-all?” The soldier’s brows creased in thought. “I’m not sure…”

“Forget it,” Duo interrupted with a wave of his hand. “So it’s one-on-one right? Not a whole bunch of guys thrown at you at one time, right?” He didn’t think he could deal with anymore psychos this evening…or whatever the time was now.

“No, Agent 002,” the man replied with a shake of his head. “It’s one-on-one as you say…”

A loud sound, like a horn blaring, cut into their conversation and the soldier’s once friendly mask was replaced with one of cold indifference. Duo was sad to see the transformation but he realized that his time was up and he’d have to face whatever opponent the good folks upstairs had decided to saddle him with.

Again, that female voice came over the speakers. ‘Welcome units, to the Training Facility where your skills and fighting abilities will be tested. Please proceed to the doors and good luck.’

Geez, thanks a lot, lady. Duo swallowed tightly and shook out his arms and legs again, trying hard to relax as an intense case of the nerves and dull terror filled his bones. He tried to remember if he had ever been in fights before and again felt that mental wall of blackness that prevented him from going any deeper into his memories. In fact, after several fruitless tries today, he deduced that he had no recollection of anything besides waking up in that room.

I was reborn in there. A new life – with no need for the past.

Finally, and with agonizing slowness (at least to Duo), the door opened, the steel frame lifting to reveal a room that seemed so vast and wide it was completely mind-boggling to him. He stepped through the entry and immediately wished he could run back in and request some kind of sedative to prevent him from going through with this. Hell, he wouldn’t even mind being quarantined again. There was just something about the stillness of the arena that unnerved him greatly. Perhaps it was the knowledge that he was fighting in the room where the ghosts of previous units had met their fate or embraced their destinies. Duo could see another door opening at the other end of the stadium and promptly sucked in a harsh breath as he saw who his opponent was.

Oh fuck no!

It was the Chinese guy he had bitten earlier and as he walked closer, Duo could see the faint surprise in those dark eyes before they were quickly replaced with the same cold indifference he had noticed with the soldier. Duo wondered just how many parts of this guy were metal and somehow, he knew he wouldn’t be surprised if he really was completely made out of steel or whatever the hell was in their bodies. Either way, punching this guy was going to be a royal pain in the ass.

Suddenly and with no warning at all, bright lights were turned on, causing them to raise arms to their faces to shield their eyes from the glare. However, it was the soothing voice, almost friendly in tone that had Duo and Agent 005 turning their heads towards the direction it seemed to come from – which was a bit hard to do since the voice seemed to come from everywhere.

“Welcome to the Training Room, my dear agents. In here you will learn to become strong assets to The Organization and to begin, you are required to defeat your opponent using only your hands and feet…or teeth if you will.”

The mystery guy chuckled and Duo felt his cheeks darken with color. Shit. He was never going to live that down, was he? But according to Mr. Mystery Guy, it looked like they were to go at it old-school style. No fancy weapons this time around.

“Cominci!” the voice boomed again. “Oh and do remember my dear agents, only one of you can leave this room…alive.”

Duo froze at the ominous warning, his blood curdling with fear and yet a small tinge of fury at what they were required to do. Fight each other to the death?! He thought this was simply a place to train and test your fighting skills, not to clobber each other!

“Hey…hey now,” he began, kicking himself inwardly at how small his voice sounded. “Why do we have to…WHOA!!”

He leapt out of the way, barely missing the leg and foot that would have crashed into his face if he had remained there a second longer. Agent 005 had apparently taken the message seriously and had no intentions of trying to talk his way out of the battle. He lowered his leg, dark eyes following Duo intently.

“Dude,” Duo panted from his crouched position as he stared into the unforgiving eyes above him. “Shouldn’t we talk about…fuck!!”

005 had lifted his leg again and swung it down with such force that the concrete cracked a little as it hit the ground. Chips of the stone scratched Duo’s cheek as he leapt out of the way again and as he swiped his cheek, he grimaced at the warmth and the wetness on his flesh. He was already bleeding and the fight hadn’t begun properly yet.

/Watch out for his legs, 002. That’s why he uses them so much. /

His legs. It’s his legs! Duo thought frantically as he continued to dodge, before realizing that the voice in his head hadn’t been his at all but rather…

That fucking doctor again!

He did several back flips to escape each time 005 lashed out at him. However, as he lifted those powerful legs to swing again, Duo was ready for him and reached up to wrap his hands around the unit’s ankle. He watched as 005’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden move before promptly twisting in mid-air and swinging with his other leg to release himself. Duo was thrown back a good ten feet, crashing painfully against a steel wall at the tremendous kick to his torso. He coughed, not surprised to find his mouth filling with blood as the bones (regular ones unfortunately), suffered the brunt of the blow. He staggered to his feet, breathing harshly, while feeling as if his very lungs had been crushed.

Damn it…it doesn’t help that he’s pretty fast. I can’t even get into position to land a decent blow.

005 was coming towards him again and before Duo could dodge away in time, he was kicked on his already broken ribs which sent him flying across the arena again, this time landing head first against the steel wall. Duo lost consciousness for a second or two, the pain excruciating and way too much for him to bear. He felt himself being lifted and then a fist slamming into his chest and one to his face which sent him sprawling to the ground again in a boneless heap.

So this is what it means to die, huh? Fuck…didn’t want to fight you, fella but you’re really leaving me with no choice, are you?

Maybe it was even better this way. Maybe he should allow this agent dude to finish him off.

/Get the fuck up, 002! I didn’t create you to let you die so easily! /

Shut up, you fucking doc. Just. Shut. The. Fuck. Up!

He opened swollen eyelids slowly, now knowing that the doctor was probably watching this from somewhere in the vicinity. He didn’t know why it suddenly felt imperative that he not let the whiny bastard down, but all of a sudden, Duo knew he had to put up a good fight or else what awaited him (and even the doctor) would be worse than death.

All right, all right. I’ll fight now…as you wish.

He noticed that 005 had turned his back on him and Duo felt a dull flare of anger within his stomach at the deliberate insult. The Chinese guy must have thought that the fight was all over. He’d defeated the worthless 002 easily and now he only wished to go back to his room to sleep.

Tch…

“Hey, fella,” he drawled lazily as he rose to his feet and rolled his neck to loosen his muscles, trying not to wince at how agonizing it really was to do the simple motion. 005 turned around slowly at the sound of Duo’s voice and looked blankly at the bleeding unit before him.

Duo spat out a wad of blood and grinned – a bloody sight that was quite gruesome to see. “Didn’t anyone teach ya, it’s not polite to turn your back on ya opponent, huh? Hate to do this to ya pretty face but I think ya had this one coming.”

He formed a fist with his right arm and with a speed he didn’t realize he possessed or was capable of after all the beating he had just taken, he drove it into the left side of 005’s face. Like himself, 005 was flung like a rag doll across the arena, but he somehow managed to steady himself before he could crash into the wall. He fell to his knees and glared coldly at Duo, who was now running towards him. 005’s face had caved in from the punishing blow and his left eye felt loose in its sockets, his jaw broken as well as his nose. Blood flowed freely from the cut above his eye, cheek and as he spat, several loose teeth joined the red mass on the ground.

He tried to get to his feet but could only manage to hold up an arm to block the kick intended for him. If he was capable of pain, he would have felt several bones in his arm shattering at the deadly blow from Duo’s left leg, as well as the subsequent punch to his torso which had him doubling over on pure reflex.

“Ya don’t feel a thing, do ya?” Duo breathed harshly as he walked after the unit, who seemed to be trying to crawl away from him. “Fuck! It’s like I’m punching a damn doll!” In a sudden fit of rage, he pounced on 005 again, this time sending him across the arena with two quick punches to his already battered face and ribs.

But like a trained machine, 005 rose to his feet again. Although his upper body had suffered the brunt of Duo’s blows, his legs still looked as good as ever. He wiped his mouth and sneered at his opponent before unleashing a loud cry as he leapt into the air and kicked, his punch intended for the right side of Duo’s face. It was obvious that it was not made out of gundanium and he planned to take advantage of it. But to his immense surprise, Duo caught his leg again by the ankles and this time sent him crashing to the ground with a sickening thud that had their unseen audience wincing at the sight. 005’s head was like a metal hammer as several cracks appeared on the ground before it was covered by a slow pool of his blood.

With a feral cry, Duo straddled the agent’s prone form and began to punch freely, the rage and frustration taking over his being as he let it all out on the immobile unit.

“Why don’t you yell, huh? Cry out? Scream for fuck’s sake?!” Duo yelled, feeling his chest tighten with tears he couldn’t shed. “What are you?! What the fuck are we?! Don’t you care anymore?! Don’t you even give a damn?!”

He finally stopped punching, and fell forward limply; his face pressed against the warm wetness of what was once 005’s cheek. Just like that, the urge to fight was drained out of him, leaving him mentally exhausted and all but sick of his very existence.

Just kill me…already…don’t make me suffer anymore…

“Wu…fei…”

Duo’s eyes widened at the croaked and barely audible words and he shifted a little to stare into those black eyes – eyes that had once been filled with fierce determination and pride. Even though it was soaked with blood, there was no denying the shimmer of tears within them now and if Duo wasn’t still reeling in shock, he would have noticed the small smile on the unit’s swollen lips.

“My…na…me…is…Wu…fei…”

“Wufei,” Duo whispered thickly, his fingers brushing away the thick trails of blood from the man’s face quickly. “You’re name…is Wufei. Your name is Wufei. Oh god, you remember. You remember…”

“Thank…you…”

“Huh? What? What do you mean? What are you saying?”

“…ouldn’t…deal…any…more…not…uman…”

“No…hold on! Hold on! You’re not going to die!” Duo shook his head rapidly, wishing, oh-god! wishing he could show the pain and anguish in his heart. “See? I held back, Wufei! You’re stronger than this…you can stay up…I’ll even let you kill me just don’t…!”

But the light was slowly fading from Wufei’s eyes and even though Duo held up the agent’s head and shook him roughly, he knew there was no hope for him. The last tears 005 would ever shed sparkled like drops of crystal amidst the dark stains of his blood but for Duo, his own tears would remain trapped within a heart which felt like it had been shredded into a million pieces. He stared into the bloody face for a long time as if trying to memorize its swollen features, before closing Wufei’s lashes slowly.

Wufei. I’ll never forget that name for as long as I live. I’ll make them pay on your behalf. I’ll make them pay for what they did to you…to us.

“Ah, such a moving scene,” came the booming voice over the speakers again, but Duo barely acknowledged it as he rose to his feet slowly. “But you prevailed and that’s the most important thing Agent 002. Congratulations!”

There was a low whirring sound like a loading crane being docked and Duo didn’t need to turn around to know that whoever the mysterious speaker was, had finally decided to show his face to him. However, curiosity won over and he turned around carefully, violet eyes dark with a look that would have weakened a lesser man. The bright lights seemed to bathe the tall figure approaching him and all Duo could make out was the long flowing blond hair and a glint of what seemed like metal.

Unknown to him, Duo had now acquired that cold, passive look which caused Heero to shiver when he saw it, in spite of the warmth in the observation room. Heero watched Zechs walk up to the bloody unit and begin to exchange a few words with him. He couldn’t hear what they were saying but it still didn’t stop his blood from curdling in helpless fear and disgust as Zechs leaned closer to lick the blood off Duo’s cheek in a morbid pact of ownership that would haunt his dreams for many nights to come.

__

“I think he did quite well all things considered,” Quatre remarked with a small nod as he stirred more sugar into his coffee. “I wish I knew what they had said to each other back then.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Trowa replied, taking a sip of his own coffee. “Although I was sorry to see 005 go like that. He was a fine agent. You should be proud of your accomplishment, Doctor Yuy. Your unit is quite the fighter. Incredible speed and agility.”

When the doctor remained silent, they lifted their gazes to stare at him, neither really sure why he had such a contemplative countenance. The officers exchanged a look and then Trowa shrugged lightly as if asking ‘what are you going to do?’ before focusing on his hot beverage again. The large cafeteria was relatively quiet this early in the morning. Only a few doctors working the graveyard shift and some officers, sat either huddled in small groups or on their own reading the early morning papers.

The headlines blared with the ominous words ‘Opposition Rebels Take Over Gaea’ and right beneath ‘Several thousands reported dead.’ As if on cue, the large TV monitors in the eatery came on to reveal the pretty face of the popular newscaster, Dorothy Catalonia, of the ONN (Organization News Network).

“Good morning, fellow members of the Organization and welcome to the early morning broadcast of the daily news,” she began, in that voice that had launched a thousand lonely men’s wet dreams. With her long blond hair and unique forked eyebrows, Dorothy was as stunning as she was dedicated to the Organization. She had been with them for quite some time and was now simply known as one of the voices of the movement. Rumor had it that she was related to the mysterious leader of the Organization but then again, those were just rumors. “We begin with reports from the Gaea strip where several Opposition Rebel units were reported as the ones responsible for the bombing of several major government institutions including the Main Bank and Embassies…”

“It just doesn’t end, does it?” Quatre muttered. “They’ll require us to move out at dawn. I’m sure of it.”

Trowa nodded softly, his ears trained on the news but his eyes still pinned on the silent man sitting across from him. Heero hadn’t touched his meal even though he had ordered the platter of scrambled eggs and pancakes. Those dark blue eyes seemed to be trained on something on the table and after almost another full minute had gone by, Trowa leaned forward to tap Heero’s hand gently.

“What’s on your mind, doctor? You’ve gone mute on us. You’re not still upset over the incident in 002’s room, are you?”

Heero finally showed signs of life by turning his head a little towards Trowa’s voice. He met the questioning green eyes and held them for a long minute as if hoping to decipher the secrets that lay beyond them.

“Doesn’t it bother you?” he finally asked quietly.

“…dead bodies were found in a locked basement at the bottom of the building. Police claim that they are innocent citizens…”

“Doesn’t any of this bother you at all?” he asked, his voice rising as he stared into the impassive features of the soldiers before him.

“…babies and children were kidnapped and taken as hostages by the Opposition. They demand that the Organization and Earth’s Alliance co-operate with them…”

“This…everything…is all fucked up…” He covered his face with his hands, his voice now a hoarse whisper of misery as he realized that he was never going to get through to his companions.

“Of course everything is fucked up,” Trowa finally replied as he placed his coffee cup on the table to place his hands behind his head. Heero peered at him between his fingers, blinking in surprise while Quatre threw his partner a quick look of warning that wasn’t returned. He began to stir his coffee a bit faster but otherwise remained quiet.

“We live in a world where rules and regulations are of the utmost importance,” Trowa continued quietly. He was now staring at the television screen where several scantily-clad women held up banners and flags praising the wonders of the Organization. ‘Join! Join! Join us today!’ they chanted in their sugary voices with mega-watt smiles. ‘Everything’s a-okay in the Or-ga-ni-za-tion! Hurray!’

“Go against the norm or the establishment and you might as well kiss your miserable existence goodbye.”

“Trowa…” Quatre began in a low tone that was clearly a warning but Trowa paid no attention and continued to lean back in his chair, his features still painfully blank.

“I learned that the hard way growing up on L3. My father was one of the few people who stood up to them and guess what? We woke up one morning in a sea of blood. They burned our house and told us to move out, get killed or join them. My sister refused and she too…” He made a slicing motion across his neck, still not looking at them. “…right in front of me. She was a gusher, I’ll give her that. I think I bathed in her fucking blood then. And then they turned to me and said…join us or you’ll be like them too. As for Quatre here…”

“Trowa.” There was a hard edge in the blond’s voice now but Trowa was too far gone in his tale to really care.

“…they arrested his entire family. Like me, his father was against them too and he had to watch them all slaughtered before his eyes. Every single one of them, Yuy. How do you like that?”

He gave a small laugh of intense bitterness and finally turned to pin his gaze on Heero’s stricken one. “So you see, Yuy, we betrayed our families by joining the very organization they rebelled against. What do you have to say about that, hmm? And we’d be willing to betray even the ones we love just to survive. That’s the kind of fucked up world we live in. No one gives a shit about anyone else. It’s every man for himself now, doctor and you had better believe it.”

__

It took two long days for Heero to finally get the permission he needed to visit Duo’s room. As he walked down the corridor, his mind still filled with the conversation between himself and Officers Barton and Winner, he couldn’t help shuddering at the bleak finality of his words.

/No one gives a shit about anyone else. It’s every man for himself./

As of this morning, their troops had been deployed to the troubled Gaea Strip to deal with the uprisings there. Heero, for his part, had been too busy working on several new units including a ten-year-old boy whose ribs had been replaced with the rare metal. It had been a grueling five hour surgery and Heero was still feeling the effects of it. They had been working him non-stop since then and he knew it was part of his atonement for being sympathetic to Duo. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and placed a hand against the wall to prevent himself from collapsing in exhaustion. He knew he wasn’t eating well and sleep came fitfully these nights. His dreams were filled with Duo’s cold eyes and the deadly accuracy in which he had disposed of Agent 005. Duo could turn out to be extremely dangerous if not properly looked after. He was going to be a wild one to tame and Heero wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep a tight reign on a man like him.

Finally sure he was able to walk without falling flat on his face, he walked the few steps to Duo’s door and entered the right code. The door opened slowly and he stepped in, fully expecting to see the unit fast asleep on his bed. He was however, stunned to see Duo sitting on a chair in the corner of the room with a book placed downside up on the small table. He was now dressed in the shapeless white gown again with his knees pressed against his chest like a little child. Those wide violet depths met his and held them for what seemed like an eternity and Heero felt the air knocked out of his lungs at the brief look of suffering within them. He felt his heartbeat quicken, his mouth getting dry as he struggled to find the right words to say in a situation like this.

Duo was the first to break the spell by lowering his lashes and picking up his book again effectively shutting out Heero from any impending conversation. The doctor sighed and placed his briefcase on the small trolley, opening it to prepare the syringe for Duo’s shot.

“Will you at least lie down for me?” he finally asked quietly but another dizzy spell washed over him, causing him to groan and stagger forward. The syringe slipped from his fingers and would have fallen to the floor if Duo hadn’t moved quickly to snatch it out of the air, while wrapping an arm around Heero’s waist to steady him.

“Geez, doc,” he muttered into the dark brown locks before him. “You look like you’re the one who needs the medication.”

But Heero gave no answer for he had passed out completely in Duo’s arms. The unit blinked in confusion for a moment, not sure of what to make of this new development. He glanced towards the hidden cameras – at least in their direction – as if asking for help. But seeing that none was forthcoming, he placed an arm behind Heero’s knees to cradle the doctor within his arms. To his surprise, Heero felt incredibly light and as he laid him gently on the bed, Duo stepped back to take a really good look at the man who claimed to have ‘created’ him.

Heero didn’t look any older than Duo but the dark circles beneath the doctor’s eyes and faint lines of strain around his mouth told a different story. This guy had lived a million lifetimes and Duo wasn’t sure how long he had been suffering in this place. Yes, it definitely had to be this hell hole that was making them act this way. There was no other reasonable explanation. With tentative fingers, almost afraid that someone or something would jump out from the walls to attack him, Duo reached to brush the brown locks from Heero’s forehead. He felt that crushing sensation in his chest and had to hold a hand against it as if hoping his heart wouldn’t decide to rupture.

“What the fuck am I doing?” he whispered harshly before walking back to his chair and sitting on it like a petulant child. He raised his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. For a long time, he remained that way, staring at the sleeping visage of the doctor who was now his only link to the outside world, the one he had left behind.