Summary: Alright, Duo and Heero are "antique rescuers" for a museum that houses belongings of the socially "royal" deceased, meaning those individuals who had great social status and were important benefactors of the town in which they resided. However, the new house they are assigned to is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Carl Baxter, the deceased head of estate. Craziness ensues when Duo finds a mysterious painting of a boy, Quatre starts entering trancelike states and Heero starts hallucinating, or is he really seeing ghosts?
Warnings: AU. OOC. (Look, if it's AU there is going to be some OOC to an extent because they're no longer the same character). Yaoi (meaning gay relationships), 1x2x1 and implied 3x4 & 5xM, dark, angst, violence, implied sex (past-tense rape), death, language…Oh, and it's a song fic…but you don't have to read the song lyrics if you don't want to. And there's some original characters in there.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Gundam boys, nor do I really want to. Honestly. Everyone says they wish they owned them, but then everyone would be coming to me to buy them from me. I wouldn't get a moments rest. So, no, I'm not making profit off this. And besides, borrowing them from time to time is just as fun as owing them, I would imagine. I also don't own the chapter titles. They're the name of the according song in the chapter, all owned by Evanescence. OH! And you may find traces of a small mini-series called Rose Red and a PlayStation 2 video game Fatal Frame (I and II). However, I do not own them, either. I don't even own legal copies!
HOWEVER, I do own my original characters. Any character that does not appear in any series, movie or manga is mine. Yes, that's right, all M-I-N-E.
Haunted Essence
By Praevisum
"Hold on to me love
You know I can't stay long All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid Can you hear me? Can you feel me in your arms? Holding my last breath Safe inside myself Are all my thoughts of you Sweet raptured light it ends here tonight"
Chapter VII: My Last Breath
"Omigaud! FOOOOOOOOD!" Duo ripped the wrapper off the yellow cake and shoved it into his mouth.
"Personally, I've never considered Twinkies food, but when you're as starving as you said—"
"On'd gif ed minkey!" Duo shouted around a mouthful of icing oozing cake.
"In English?" Heero cocked his brow, waiting for a translation or, knowing this house, a Duo Dictionary to appear out of nowhere.
With great effort Duo managed to swallow the Twinkie and glared at Heero.
"I said, 'don't dis the twinkie', geeze. I'm not that hard to understand." Rolling his eyes, Duo reached for another Twinkie and shoved it into his mouth.
"Wanna bet?" Heero, somewhat reluctantly, reached for the massive pile of yellow cake rolls and unwrapped one for himself. He took a bite and swallowed, then wished he hadn't for he now realized just how hungry he was himself, and took a bigger bite.
"'Air muft de a dillon winkies!" Duo swallowed another mouthful and shoved yet another Twinkie into his trap.
"Well, a rough estimate puts me at about fifty thousand, not a million."
"I saf a dillon!"
"Duo, please, stop talking with your mouth full."
"Finb." Duo swallowed then opened his mouth wide, as if waiting for Heero to inspect it. "Permission to speak?"
Heero shook his head as he took another Twinkie. "Sometimes I don't know how I put up with you."
"Same here Mr. Moody-Pants." Duo placed his hands on his hips as he raised his brows at Heero.
"I am not moody!" Furrowing his own, Heero crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at Duo.
"You're worse than a woman."
XX
"Oh, hi you two. He just fell asleep again. He was up for quite a while, but those drugs they keep giving him have finally kicked in."
"How did the surgery go, Meilan?" Trowa asked, walking into the room where Wufei lay peacefully on a hospital bed and Meilan sat by his side.
"Good, real good. He has to go through some therapy because there was some muscle damage, but you know Wufei. If he has his way he'll be walking around tomorrow. Where's Heero and Duo?"
Trowa and Quatre shot each other nervous glances. Meilan was their friend, Wufei's soon-to-be-wife, so Trowa thought it was only fair to tell her their friends' fate…even if he doubted she'd believe them.
So, sitting down in a chair beside Meilan, Quatre tenderly sitting on the edge of Wufei's bed, Trowa began to tell the whole tale starting with the phone call for the assignment. He left out no details, except for the moment he shared with Quatre in the diner. When he finished, some half hour later, Meilan sat with her mouth open and her eyes wide.
"I knew there had to be some explanation for how a screwdriver was wedged into Wufei's leg. This is unbelievable! So, they're trapped, you say? This is serious, isn't it? Wow. We have to do something."
"That's what Quatre keeps saying, but I told you, the site was already demolished. I doubt there's anything there to access, really. I'm sure it's just all an illusion. And, as I've told you, 'Wufei' already made an appearance, then imploded. So, someone's making it impossible for us to help. There isn't anything we can do, at all."
XX
"Why don't you like Twinkies!"
Duo's sudden shout startled Heero and he looked toward his friend, not sure why Duo had suddenly yelled at him.
"I just don't. I didn't know they were that important to you."
"You hate them!" Duo shouted, throwing a Twinkie at Heero who caught it with fluid grace. "You hate Twinkies, you hate me!"
Heero wished Duo was joking, that any second his angry features were going to soften and he would smile, saying laughingly, "just kidding". But he didn't and Heero knew he wouldn't. This was another attempt to separate them.
Indignant, Duo threw another handful of Twinkies at Heero, who couldn't dodge them all gracefully, and stalked toward a door that appeared on the wall where a refrigerator could have been. Knowing what would happen if Duo went beyond that door without him, he charged after him and grabbed the end of Duo's braid just as he pushed against the door. Wheeling around, Duo threw a punch at Heero, who successfully dodged it. Duo then began a full out assault on Heero, who blocked and dodged everything with perfect ease.
Heero spun around Duo and, tripping him carefully, brought Duo down to the hard floor without hurting him. Duo began thrashing about, clawing wildly and madly at Heero. Grabbing his wrists, Heero pinned Duo to the ground underneath him.
"Duo…Duo, I know you can hear me. I need you to calm down. Look into my eyes, and calm down." Heero tried to make eye contact with Duo, who kept thrashing his head from side to side. "Duo, please, look into my eyes." Taking a risk, Heero let go of one of Duo's wrists and grabbed his face, holding it still and forcing his navy irises upon him.
Duo calmed instantly, relaxing into the floor and looking perplexedly at Heero.
"Why…are we on the floor? Or is it even worth knowing at this point?"
"You threw a fit." Heero got to his feet and extended his hand. Taking Duo's and pulling him to his feet, Heero watched as Duo dusted himself off. "You were really angry at me for disliking Twinkies. You accused me of hating you."
"I…what? Wow, that's stupid. I'm sorry." Duo blushed slightly, both at the thought of how ridiculous he must have been and at the thought of having Heero pressed so firmly against him on the floor.
"It wasn't your fault. Let's go." Heero motioned to the door they had entered.
"You don't want to explore what's behind door number two?" Duo asked with a smirk.
"I don't trust that door. Let's just go back."
"Fine, but let it go down in history that I, Duo Maxwell, was not afraid in the face of adversity, that I wanted to challenge door number two and that you, Heero Yuy, were too pussy."
Heero stopped in his tracks and whirled around. Staring from Duo to the door, and back again he sighed.
"Fine, fine. You want to go off exploring, fine. However, let it go down in history that if anything happens I, Heero Yuy, told you so."
Duo smirked and turned back toward the door. With trepidation, and a racing pulse, he approached the wooden swinging door and, with a glance back at Heero, pushed his body weight against it. Nothing. It didn't budge one bit.
"It…won't…move!" Duo grunted between shoves. "Help…me…Heero."
Heero was getting quite bored of this house and the games he was being forced to play. He would much rather sit down and sort out the situation, find a loophole that would get them out of the house. However, he never rejected an opportunity to indulge Duo so, rolling his eyes, he helped the braided youth push. It only took one heave and the door swung open. Both boys began to fall and, panicking, Duo reached out and grabbed Heero's shirt. They began to slow down, floating to a halt and landing quite comfortably on the sofa in the study.
"FINE!" Duo shouted at the walls. "I didn't want to know what was behind that door anyway!"
"Why would the house want us here?" Heero stood and paced the study looking for clues that they may have overlooked before. He stood in front of, what he assumed was, Carl's desk and stared at the locked drawers. He had seen a key that may have matched those locks in Carl's room. It was in one of the boxes in the closet, wrapped in a linen cloth.
"Duo, let's go."
Heero's voice was so curt that Duo didn't even question where they were going. He stood and followed Heero through the hallway, up the stairs and into Carl's bedroom. He waited patiently as Heero sifted through the boxes trying to locate his treasure and didn't even say anything when Heero took a key out of a linen cloth. He followed Heero back to the study and stood by the desk while Heero inserted the key into it. With a turn of the key and a click it unlocked and Heero managed to pull the drawer open.
"But, how did you know?" Duo asked.
"I just knew. I'm not sure how."
Heero proceeded to unlock and search every drawer. The majority of what he found were legal papers, bills and property documents. However, when he came to the bottom drawer, he noticed that it wasn't as deep as the others. After tapping on it, he knew.
"There's something hidden in this drawer." Feeling for a catch, Heero's fingertips touched a dip carved in the back of the drawer and stuck his fingertip in it. He pried the board off and removed it.
The drawer was almost empty. There was a single piece of parchment inside with tight and scribbled handwriting on it.
"It's not English." Duo leaned over Heero's shoulder and read the paper. "Efil lanrete evah lliw luos esohw eno eht si, thgil on dna sworros sah ohw, dereffus…Heero, this is so not English."
"No…it's English, look. There," Heero pointed to a word on the second line, "that says 'on dna'….those are English words. But, look at it as a whole. Efil lanrete evah lliw luos esohw eno eht si, thgil on dna sworros sah ohw, dereffus sah ohw, thgindim ta nediam eht sllik ohw eno eht. Efil lanrete evah lliw luos esohw eno eht si, etips sselicrem dna egnever dloc fo tuo, thgindim ta nediam eht sllik ohw eno eht. It's some sort of code." Heero flipped the paper around in his hands.
"Are you sure?"
Heero sighed. "I'm so stupid. It's backwards!"
"What?"
"Listen. The one who kills the maiden at midnight, out of cold revenge and merciless spite, is the one whose soul will have eternal life. The one who kills the maiden at midnight, who has suffered, who has sorrows and no light, is the one whose soul will have eternal life. It's a spell."
"So, Carl and Kallias weren't the only ones who were murdered then?"
"I guess not."
"What doesn't make sense to me," Duo began, "is if this is a spell, and let's say it worked, then someone has eternal life. I haven't seen anyone with eternal life walking around, have you?"
"Maybe no one tried the spell or maybe it didn't work. Personally, I don't believe in spells and magic."
"Heero Yuy! If you don't believe in spells or magic than what the fuck are we doing in this house?"
"I don't know. I'm tired." Heero pocketed the piece of paper and walked over to the sofa. He sat and stared at the floor for some time before leaning to one side and lying on the couch.
"Mind if I join you?" Duo walked toward him and sat in the remaining space. "I'm sorry, Heero. I've been really hard on you today. I just want you to know that, if we don't get outta here, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't try harder."
"It's not your fault, Duo. It's neither of our faults." Heero breathed in and out, and could feel his heavy eyelids beginning to close. Glancing at his watch, and knowing there wasn't much time left, all he could do was lay on the couch and let his eyelids droop.
Heero walked down a dark tunnel, and could hear loud voices arguing. Shouting. Crying. He knew it wasn't his place. He knew he should turn and leave, but his curiosity kept his feet moving. He approached the mouth of the tunnel, and an earthen room lay ahead. Shadows danced all about as flames flickered in candleholders. He reached the edge. If he made one more step he would be visible to those in the room. Boldly, he slowly poked his head around the corner to peer into the room. The sight that greeted him made him sick.
There, splayed out on a bench, bloody arms dangling off the edge, was a beautiful girl with long raven hair and dead mahogany eyes. Her pale skin looked cold, and her parted mouth seemed to be whispering words no one would ever hear. Underneath the bench were grooves cut into the floor of which this poor woman's blood now flowed.
"What have you done?" The angry voice cried out. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
Heero dared to peek his head further into the room and gasped as he saw Carl and Kallias staring at the floor. It was then Heero brought his attention back to the ground and noted that the cut out grooves actually formed a symbol. A pentacle.
"Heero. Heero, wake up. It's late. It's really late." Duo's gentle voice reached Heero in his dreamland and pulled him back to reality with a jolt. He snapped away and was immediately alert. "Heero, it's eleven thirty." Duo's worried voice didn't seem to affect Heero.
"Follow me." Heero stood up and grabbed Duo's hand with his bandaged one. He dragged him down the hallway to the door at the end where previously the kitchen had been. Now, as he pushed against the knobless door, a descending staircase greeted him. "C'mon."
"I'm not going down there. Wasn't that a kitchen?"
"Don't bother asking questions about this place, and you're going. We don't leave each other, remember? I need to see if it's down here. I had a dream. You listened to me before, about the key, just trust me."
"I don't like the sound of this," Duo whined as Heero descended, still attached to his hand. "I don't like this at all. Remember what happened last time I followed you and there were stairs involved? You almost got squished."
"Shh!"
Heero led him down the cement stairs, and down an earthen tunnel. Duo had the distinct feeling they were underground, which they shouldn't have been because the stairs they traveled down weren't that long. However, at that point, Duo gave up on all sanity and decided that the house could do whatever it wanted to. He didn't care about logic anymore.
The tunnel was exactly like his dream and Heero almost half expected to hear voices shouting and someone crying as they approached the mouth. But to his disappointment, or relief (he wasn't sure), the room was empty. He crossed it in sheer darkness, having a firm grip on Duo's hand as he whined, and walked over to where he knew the candles were.
"It's too dark so I'm not letting your hand go, alright? But, I need your Zippo." Heero knew Duo always carried it around with him, even though he didn't smoke. He had no real reason to have one. Duo just thought they were cool.
"Ugh…"
"Duo, tell me you have your Zippo."
"Ugh…"
Heero could feel Duo struggling with something as Duo tried to shove his left hand into his right pocket. He just couldn't get at the right angle to grab his lighter.
"I need my hand…it's in my other pocket." Duo went to pull his hand free from Heero's but found he couldn't.
"Neither one of us can see a damn thing so you are not letting go of my hand, understood? I'll…I'll have to get it." Heero could feel his voice quaver slightly at the thought of sticking his hand into Duo's pocket.
"What!" Duo's eyes flew open as he stared into the nothingness he was sure was Heero. "We could just switch hands, you know."
"I'm not letting go of you for half of a millisecond, okay? I'm not going to lose you because I was careless."
Duo didn't speak. Heero lifted his arm into the air and wrapped it around Duo, as if they were ballroom dancing. He stood behind him, his front pressed against Duo's back and with his right hand, slowly inched towards Duo's right pocket. His fingertip caught the jean opening and he slowly slid his fingers into the material. Heero's breath caught as he could feel Duo's muscular hip under the thin pocket fabric.
Duo screwed his eyes shut. Normally, having someone's fingers near his groin would tickle. Now, however, having Heero's fingers in his pocket was driving him insane. He was scared that if Heero didn't hurry up, he would unwillingly realize the effect he was having on Duo.
Enclosing his fingers around a rectangular metal piece, Heero extracted the Zippo and finally breathed again. "I got it." His voice was quiet and a little weak as he lifted his arm over Duo's head and spun him so they were facing.
"Ugh…good." Taking it from Heero's other hand, Duo flicked it open and lit it on his pant leg, instantly bringing light to the dark room and breaking the spell that the darkness and closeness had caused between them.
The soft glow of light was enough to confirm Heero's thoughts. The room was still in tact, and the candles still hung from the walls. Heero went around the room, lighting each one, and one by one they filled the room with light.
"Look. It was in my dream." Heero stood against the wall as he looked at the bench.
Groove marks were still indented into the ground in the shape of a pentacle, but the horrifying thing was that blood still flowed through the grooves.
"OHMYGOD! Heero! What the FUCK? Tell me that's not blood. Ohmygod, it's blood. It's flowing blood. Where the fuck is it coming from?"
"Her…somehow."
"WHO!" Duo's amethyst eyes were huge as he gaped at Heero, who still held him by the hand even though there was no need anymore.
"I'm sure…in my dream…I'm pretty sure it was Carl's sister."
"Parthenia?"
"Yeah. Carl and Kallias…they were standing right here, staring at her as her blood dripped into it. I'm sure whoever killed her killed Carl…and maybe Kallias too." Then, as if a light went on in Heero's head, he cried out. "The spell! Parthenia! She's the maiden that was killed at midnight."
"But Heero, how is it that the blood is still here?"
"Blood...blood, Duo! Quatre said at the stroke of midnight there would be blood shed!" Heero's mind was reeling as all the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place. This was the final clue he needed! He silently thanked whoever showed him the vision while he slept.
"So, what's your point?" Duo looked around disgustedly, trying not to gag on the smell of aged blood and the something else that lingered in the air.
"My point is that this is it. Blood shed was a clue. If we can get the blood to stop flowing before the stroke of midnight, then whatever sacrifice was made here before won't be repeated."
"I…are you sure?"
"Positive. Now, in my vision the blood was coming from Parthenia. She was lying on that bench and she was bleeding onto the floor."
"This is her blood!"
"I'm guessing. Carl and Kallias were standing around her. One of them was yelling 'what have you done?' so obviously one of them killed her."
"Yeah, but which one?"
"I don't know. I've never heard Kallias speak. It…it may have been Carl speaking. But then, why would Kallias kill her if he loved her? That doesn't make sense."
"What doesn't make sense is the fact that the blood is still here. THAT doesn't make sense. But it's here!"
Heero's eyes traveled around the room, looking for a possible source or a tool. Then, his eyes resting on the candles that filled the room with a soft glow, he knew what needed to be done.
"Duo, here's the plan, we're going to take a candle from its holder and bring the flame to the blood. We'll burn it."
"Burn it?"
"Yes. I'm not exactly sure what will happen then. But, we'll go check to see if the door is back, together. Just in case this doesn't work, I still want to make sure that we're not separated."
"Okay." Duo went to walk to one candleholder while Heero went to walk to another. It was then, during a small jerk, that Heero realized he still held fast to Duo's hand. Duo could feel Heero's hand begin to slip away, but he didn't want it to. "It's okay. You don't have to let go."
Heero's eyes met Duo's and it they just stood in silence until Heero moved toward him, embracing him tightly, cheek to cheek.
"I have no idea what's going to happen and I know I've promised to get you out of this house. I'm almost at an end, but no matter what Duo, no matter what, I swear to you I'll do whatever, and I mean whatever, I have to in order for you to be free of this place."
"Heero," Duo buried his face into Heero's neck. "Don't say that. Don't say whatever like that. There's limits, you know, to what people will do—"
"For you I have no limits. For you I am boundless. For you…I'd give up everything."
"Heero." Duo could no longer speak. A great lump rose in his throat and his eyes prickled with burning tears. It didn't matter anymore, if it was platonic or romantic, but he knew Heero loved him and that was all that he needed.
XX
"Trowa," Quatre begged, tears in his eyes and streaking down his pure flesh, "Trowa, it's quarter to twelve. We have to do something!" Quatre sat in the passenger seat of the jeep, bandaging Trowa's hand.
Meilan had sent them off to the mansion once again in hopes of somehow finding a way to rescue their friends. However, the gate into the mansion had sealed itself, and when Trowa tried to pry it apart, his hands began to burn. It was lucky he always kept a first aid kit in the back of his jeep.
"Quatre, I've tried to do something but there's nothing we can do! We just have to wait."
"I'm tired of waiting!" Quatre's sobs grew in volume as he threw himself around Trowa's neck, crying into his shoulder. "I'm so worried. I'm just so worried. I hate being this helpless! Their lives are worth so much, and we can't do anything to save them!"
"I think, Quatre, that this is a testament of their friendship. We can't save them because we're not allowed. They have to save themselves."
XX
"Are you ready, Duo?" Heero stood on the outer rim of the diagram inscribed on the floor whilst Duo stood in the center. "You have to make a run for it, or you'll be trapped in the flames."
"I know. Let's do this!"
"Okay," Heero stood with stock determination on his face, "on three."
Duo nodded as he took a stance similar to Heero's.
"One…two…three!"
Duo brought the candle down to the blood and touched it with the flame. Instantly, the crimson liquid ignited and the flames flared. Duo dropped his candle and ran as the flames Heero set began to engulf the entire pentagram. With lightning bolt speed Heero ran and caught up with Duo at the mouth of the room. Slipping his hand into Duo's, he held tight and led him out of the tunnel, back up the stairs and to safety.
They burst through the door and stood in the hallway.
"NO!" Duo cried out, kicking the wall.
The door hadn't appeared.
"Goddamn it! Motherfucker! Sonofa bitch!"
Heero's heart sank as Duo's temper rose. He was positive he had it figured out, that they were free. What more did he need to do? What more did this house want from him? How else was he supposed to get Duo to freedom?
With a defeated sigh, Heero grabbed Duo's hand and calmed him, leading him to the study. The large grandfather clock read five minutes to midnight, and he was out of ideas.
"Duo, I don't know what else…Duo?"
Duo stood rigid in his spot, eye glazed over and cold, his mouth hanging open. He didn't even blink. That's when Heero saw Kallias standing behind Duo, arms outstretched and fingernails six inches long. He was no longer the solemn phantom roaming the halls, but a vengeful villain. He shouted out loud and for the first time Heero heard him.
"I…want…freedom! I will take what is mine! IT WILL BE MINE!"
And, like a Medusa's crown, Kallias' braid frayed out and whipped around his lithe shape as, hands out and teeth bared, he lunged for Duo's vulnerable body. Panicked, Heero also lunged and managed to grab Duo, shielding him from the intangible figure that desired Duo so much. With his back to Kallias, Heero held Duo possessively to his chest. Duo's eyes fluttered upward and were lost to a universe of blue. Reaching up tenderly, he lightly pawed at Heero's cheek, causing the other boy to smile.
"Duo? You're going to be alright. I'm not going to let—"
As he spoke Kallias wound himself around Heero, coming up to his side and again lunging at Duo who clung so desperately to the man that held him. Before Heero could jerk himself and Duo away, Kallias billowed upwards, honed in and dove down into Duo.
Wide eyed and frightened, Heero could do nothing as the body he held began to convulse violently. Duo's eyes rolled into the back of his head as the clock in the hallway chimed once…twice…thrice….
"God, no. Duo, please!"
Five, six times it chimed.
"DUO! PLEASE!" Tears began to streak down Heero's porcelain skin as Duo's shakings increased steadily. The body he held was thrashing in his arms, kicking and flailing madly as his jaws chattered away against each other. A low rumbling gurgle escaped from Duo's parched lips.
Ten. Eleven times….
"FOR GOD'S SAKE DUO! PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! PLEASE! Please!" Heero's desperate pleading continued as he dropped to his knees, weeping against Duo's face. Heero knew that in one more chime he would lose Duo, possibly forever.
The last deafening chime billowed out of the grandfather clock. At the sound, all the dust in the room settled. Every noise in the house settled. Duo's seizing settled. Fearfully, Heero opened his eyes, face backing away a few inches, and stared at the still features in front of him.
Duo's eyelids cracked open and, with a large gasp, he inhaled with the mighty power of the lungs of a god. With trembling hands, Heero removed the few stray strands of hair that threatened to fall into Duo's glassy eyes.
"Duo?"
Quickly, with reflexes of a mountain lion, Duo swiveled in Heero's arms, enabling him to sit on his bottom, and wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck, bringing him closer. Without a second thought he meshed his lips against Heero's as he began to sob.
An intense wave of euphoria enraptured Heero and his entire body was tingling with over-stimulation. A bright light blinded him as his breathing was rushed; he could feel every molecule of air slip out his nose and dust his top lip and Duo's. Every sound and every sensation was magnified to almost an unbearable level where Heero thought his mind would implode. Then, in the half second it took to get him high, it all began to slowly dissolve though lingered in his foggy mind.
"H-heero! Heero, oh god. Oh, god. Heero I…I…"
"Duo?" Heero's eyes lit up and sparkled as he realized the boy who clung to him was still Duo. "Wait, where's Kallias?"
"AAHH!"
An anguished cry echoed down the halls, sounding much like a tortured banshee. Instantly, a form materialized in front of Heero and Duo, much more solid than any before. Duo gasped in shock as he, for the first time, laid eyes on the boy who tried to take him over.
"Kallias, that's enough." Heero disentangled himself from Duo's arms and stood, sheltering the boy. "You're not taking Duo. You're dead; he's alive. There's nothing you can do about it."
"At the stroke of midnight!" Kallias broke down and began to weep unearthly tears. "I killed her at the stroke of midnight! Why? Why have I not been given eternal life! Why am I not free of this place? Of him?" Kallias sneered at a large form in the hallway, Carl. "This is not the life I sought! I never wished to be his servant. I never wished to be his whore!"
A hoarse voice, one that seemed not to have spoken in quite some time, filled the air.
"Your soul was given eternal life, Kallias. You have done this to yourself. By killing my sister, and then me, your punishment of death and your wicked magic has condemned you to walk this earth for all eternity. And, for that, I am sorry." Carl, glimmering faintly, appeared at Kallias' side and placed a hand on his arm. "It is my fault. If it were not for my selfish ways you never would have sought revenge. I wronged you, so many years ago and for so long. I would apologize, but my words cannot express the sorrow I feel for hurting the only one I loved. You were pure, and I tainted you."
Duo, by this point, had stood up and pressed himself against Heero's back, peeking over his shoulder to watch the scene before him.
"You never loved me. YOU USED ME! If you ever loved me you would have never forced yourself upon me! I never loved you. I never even liked you! You have done this to me. You have done this to me."
"You did it to yourself." Heero stepped forward. "How can you expect us to feel sorry for you? What Carl did to you was unforgivable, but for you to kill his sister for your own selfish act when you claimed to loved her, and to then kill Carl…you deserve the misery you're in. If you ever loved Parthenia you never would have harmed her, ever!"
"What do you know about love? She rejected me because I was his servent, because he raped me! She loved me until she saw us together!" Kallias's angry tears stained the floor as he turned to Carl. "She hated me because of YOU!"
As Kallias spoke, his figure began to fade, and Heero could smell smoke lingering in the air.
"What is going on? What have you done?" Kallias turned angrily toward Heero.
"I broke your spell. When all the blood burns out you'll disappear."
"No more suffering is needed." Carl took a step toward Kallias. "You grow weak. Stop your magic and let them be free."
Heero and Duo both turned in unison to the hallway as they heard a latch click. Heero helped Duo to his feet and helped the exhausted youth to the hallway, leaving Carl and Kallias behind. To their amazement, they were astounded to find the door of which they originally entered the mansion back in its place, as if it had never been removed.
"Well?" Duo smiled.
"Well." Heero nodded and reached for the knob, twisted it and pulled. A rush of fresh air assaulted their senses as the smell of smoke grew stronger. They stepped out into the cold night, hand in hand, feeling that life was going to be good from there on.
XX
"Trowa! Trowa look! Trowa! It's Heero and Duo! They're okay! They're alright! They're out of the house! Oh, Trowa, look!" Quatre's joyful cries could be heard calling Heero and Duo from across the lot.
"Um…Heero…about…in there…when I…and you…and we…"
Heero stopped moving once again and pulled Duo into a tight embrace.
"Yeah, what about it?" He was once again cheek-to-cheek with Duo and all Duo could do was sigh. "Don't tell me you didn't mean to."
"No…I meant to. I really meant to."
"Then what's the problem?"
Duo blushed as he buried his face into Heero's neck. He wanted to ask him so badly.
"Can…can I do it…again?"
"No." Heero pulled away slightly, looking Duo in the eyes. "I want to this time."
"Closing your eyes to disappear
You pray your dreams will leave you here But still you wake and know the truth No one's there Say goodnight Don't be afraid Calling me calling me as you fade to black"
FIN.
Author's Note: Well, gang, it's been a long and gruelling road, well…at least for me. This marks the close of Haunted Essence. I can't believe I'm finally done. For a while it didn't look like I'd ever make it here, but I have. (And now Nobara can stop complaining!)
I'd like to thank everyone who's read and reviewed and bookmarked my story. It is so amazing to know that people actually enjoy reading my work possibly as much as I enjoy writing it. I'd especially like to thank BlackRain88, Diva-Elf, Dragongirl 85, Futile Faith, jess-eklom, Keiran, Longsama, priscel, Ravid284, Ryeka, Shaeric Draconis Thornangel and Kimpatsu no Hoseki, Lost-Remembrance, Crazy, Kyouka, moonsnite, okie-chan, silvershadow, ZannaBO, Inguz, Ameki-Elisa, Duo'sLilsis, El Terrible Fizzy, Wolfkun, Lady-Firsselle, Lolly sister and Aquarius. (And any other reviewers I forgot.)
I'd also like to thank my beta Humphrey (Reve) for her hard work and dedication to me and this story. (OMG, I'm sounding like I've won an Emmy. Somone shut me up!)
I'm in the process of thinking up another plot. However, now that I'm in University I seriously, seriously have no idea when I'll actually be able to put pen to paper again. But, in the mean time, I'm just so thrilled that so many people have enjoyed my story and to whoever reviews this after it's posted, I thank you too.