Title: A Child's Love Part 20/20
Author: Makoto Sagara
Archive: Makoto Sagara's Fanfiction Archives, Fanfiction-dot-net, Forever fandom-dot-net, Le Ciel Place; anywhere else, please ask first.
Category: Romance, Angst
Pairings: 1x2x1, 3x4, 5xS, 6x9, OCxH, AudaxC, 5 plus 2
Rating: 13+
Warnings: Shonen ai, language, Post-EW, OOC, angst
Disclaimers: Yeah, like I own Gundam Wing. (Goes off to cry, but not before turning out pockets) I am poor as well. Flames will be used to amuse my muses. They are easily entertained, but highly obnoxious.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this out. Life sucks. But, this is the last chapter. Yay! (Throws confetti and does a little dance before crying at the other five thousand projects she has to finish as well.) Enjoy!

Summary of Last Chapter: Duo returned to L2 with Hilde and Mike and promptly threw himself into his work, worrying his best friends to no end. Heero is cornered by Quatre, Zechs, and Trowa at work, but they leave him Duo's address and phone number as a parting gift, and he decides that it's his turn to chase down the American. Hilde is forewarned by Quatre that Heero might be coming to L2 and she gets ready for all Hell to break loose. Duo is visited by Heero and his mini-clone, much to his and Allilon's joy, and after a very terse time, both men give in to the kiss that they'd wanted to share for the two weeks they were apart.

Symbols: /blah/ - thoughts
-Blah- - emphasized words
- - Major scene change or POV change
-- - Minor scene change

Set. Game. Match.

Duo nuzzled into the strong collar bone that he was resting his head on, not caring that both he and the body he was lying on were covered in more than just a small sheen of sweat. Nor did he care about the fact that his hair was loose and sticking to every surface available. Or the other bodily fluids that were starting to slowly congeal on him and his lover. The only thing that Duo Maxwell cared about at that moment was that he was lying with a god, one that he loved and worshipped. He was barely conscious enough to realize that a hand was slowly and absently working its way through his hair. It was adding to his sated, buzzed feeling, lulling him into a warm sleep that he was willing to surrender to without complaint.

- - - - - - -

Heero had dozed off after a rather wonderful love-making session with Duo, but thrashing, yelling and a punch to his jaw shocked him wide awake. His lover was having another one of his nightmares, the third this week. Making sure to steer clear of Duo's very good left hook and the feet that were determined to castrate him, Heero caught the American in a strong, but gentle, bear hug and started whispering calmly into his ear.

"It's okay, Duo. It's me. Relax. Yes, like that," he crooned, slowly letting Duo go as the struggling stopped. "Remember, it's just a nightmare. Wake up. Come on."

Slowly, almost as if he didn't want to believe that Heero's voice was calling to him, Duo woke up. After a few minutes of calm reassurance from his lover, the American finally settled down, only to notice that he was effectively trapped by the man next to him. "'Ro, you can let go," he croaked.

"Are you sure that's smart?"

"When did you get a sense of humor? Send it back." Duo disentangled himself from the Japanese man on his bed, looked at the clock, and smiled. "I'm going to take a shower. It's only a few more hours before we have to go to work anyway."

"I'd hardly consider attending Catherine and Auda's wedding work, Duo," Heero said, getting up from the bed as well.

"Obviously, you are forgetting that it is Quatre that is throwing this wedding, regardless of whose it is. Besides, we still have the munchkin to get ready." The chestnut haired man turned and looked at the gorgeous specimen across the room and cringed. "I think that's gonna bruise up."

"Well, if someone hadn't decked me this morning to wake me up, I wouldn't have to worry about that, now would I?"

"Yeah, sure, blame the innocent, why don't ya." Duo moved over and gingerly touched the already bluish discoloring on Heero's jaw. "We should put something on that. Got a raw steak?"

-----------

"So, Duo, how did the wedding go," Erin asked, pushing her hair behind her ear as she looked up at her favorite client.

"It went well. Cathy was beautiful in her blue dress and Auda cut a very distinguished character in a full tuxedo," the American said, looking over at his lover and smiling. "Of course, everyone asked why Heero had a bruise on his jaw…." His happy smile turned into a somewhat embarrassed grin.

"And I told them that I was mauled by a bear, which everyone found amusing," Heero responded, a hand absently moving over the now healed bruise.

"So, I can assume that the two of you now understand each other? I mean, if you can crack jokes about being mauled by a bear…" Erin asked.

"Will these nightmares ever go away?" Duo asked, his face all business now.

"Well, over time, they might diminish, but no one can really say if they will disappear, Duo. That is up to your self-conscious and how much work you put into your therapy and relationships with your friends, Heero and Allilon." The redhead smiled mischievously. "And speaking of the little terror, where is he?"

"Visiting with Hilde and Mike."

"Ah, and how are they adjusting to the fact that they will be parents soon?"

"Well, Mike seems to be happy about it, but Hilde goes from being happy to scowling to crying. I think it's because we banned her from the garage until she gives birth."

"From what I understand, she nearly puked all over an investor while giving him a tour, so I'm not surprised that you both banned her, but you should really tell her again that you appreciate her willingness not to endanger herself and her unborn child."

"Hey, she knows how I feel. Yeah, but Mike's about to die if he doesn't stop treating her like she can't do anything for herself. I mean…. This is Hill we're talking about, the walking Hell on Wheels."

Erin giggled in response. "So, it sounds like everyone here on L2 is fine. What about Wufei? Quatre? Une?"

"They're all good. Wufei and Sally had a girl and named her Meiran after his late wife. Quatre and Trowa are talking about adopting, but that kinda scares everyone else. Une's good. She and Mariemaia are planning on taking a vacation soon, which sounds like she's starting to really feel comfortable enough with her job. Noin and Zechs are expecting another kid, and I think Lu wants a girl."

"Well, it sounds to me that you all have settled down and started having families. How do you feel about that?"

"I never really thought about what it would really be like to have a real family. I mean, part of me was content with Hill, Mike, Q, Tro, and my other L2 friends as my family, but I knew that I wasn't really happy with missing so much of who I am. Now, I can see that with everyone together again, even if we all live in different parts of the Earth Sphere… Oh, did I tell you that Wu and Sally moved to China to head up the Preventers HQ there? Well, we're all really busy, but it feels like an extremely large and expanded family….. I guess that it's great though."

"You guess," Erin asked, pushing her hair back again.

"Well, I dunno… It is great. For the first time in my life, I don't feel like part of me is missing or that I'm an outcast." Duo returned her smile with one of his patented "I-just-blew-something-up-and-you'll-find-out-in-about-ten-seconds" grins. "And at least I don't have to go back over and explain my dark past to anyone else. Not that I would want anyone but Heero." He squeezed his lover's hand as he said that and Heero returned the affectionate gesture. It was not lost on the redhead.

She looked at her watch and sighed. "Well, Duo, I hate to say it, but our session is nearly over. I think I'll let you and Heero go early today and enjoy the gorgeous artificial day outside. Oh, and give your little terror a hug and a kiss from me, will you?"

"Sure thing, Erin, babe," Duo responded, standing up and nearly bolting out of the door with Heero in tow. "I'll see you next week."

"Next week."

----------

"Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike. C'mon. Let me in the garage. I can't stand it in the office. Whatever they used to clean it is making me nauseous. Please?" Hilde, uncharacteristically, whined.

"No way, doll. If anything happened to you, I'd never forgive myself," Mike said, kissing her very clean face briefly.

"Besides, if anything -did- happen to you, we'd have to figure out how to run this business by ourselves, and then it would just go to hell in a hand basket," Duo chimed in, shoving a hat down on his head to protect his hair. "And who else would yell at me to eat or not to eat while I'm working on something?"

"Oh, I'm sure your lover boy wouldn't have a problem doing that," Hilde snapped. Sighing, she turned around. "Fine, but if I puke, you two get to clean it up." She missed the worried look the two exchanged behind her back. "I'll call you when lunch is here then."

"You know, I've never seen her whine or beg like that… Sure it's probably nothing new to you," Duo said, casting a look at Hilde's waddling form as he started back to the renovated school buses he and the brunette were working on.

"Actually, she's been doing that a lot lately. I'm wondering if I should talk to the cleaning crew and ask them to change whatever it is they're using for a while."

"Might help us out. I don't think I can take seeing her so miserable for much longer."

"You could always take her out, or call someone to do that. I think she said something about wishing Quatre lived closer."

"Eh, I'll think about it. She's so grumpy. I'll be glad when your munchkin is born and she can go back to being her normal bossy, bitchy self."

"Yeah, like she's changed all that much anyway."

"Uncle Duo!" The familiar child's voice stopped the conversation between the two friends and they both broke out into smiles as Allilon, brown hair wild and blue eyes flashing, ran in to hug them both. "Uncle Mikey!"

"Heya, Alli-kun, where's Heero?" Duo asked, as he swooped the child into a huge bear hug.

"Right here," the Japanese man responded, taking his mini-clone from the grease-splattered mechanics. "We came to actually take Hilde away from the office, since Duo's been complaining about her complaining lately."

"Who put you up to this?" Duo raised an eyebrow, giving his family a very careful look over.

"I did," Quatre said, coming in the garage to stand beside his friend. "He called me and I decided that I should come visit my favorite evil German lady in her hour of need. WEI can handle itself for a week while I take a break."

"Besides, what's the point of having someone like Trowa if you can't abuse them, right?" Duo gave his blond friend a sly wink.

"I don't know. You tell me, Duo," Quatre responded, sliding a look over at Heero and smirking.

"Go away. You're stopping our production," Duo said, winking at them all before heading over to the area where the heaviest of the work was still under way.

"Yes, go. Take her out. She needs it," Mike pleaded as he looked over at the work awaiting him as well. "By the way, Heero, can I talk to you later? In private?"

"Of course," Heero said, his confusion as to what it was that the brunet wanted to talk about evident.

"Come on, Uncle Heero, Uncle Quatre! Aunt Hilde's belly is getting bigger!" Allilon yelled, running into the office to greet the woman.

-----------

Wufei, Sally, and their newborn daughter, Chang Meiran Long Po, smiled as they looked around their traditionally built house. The boxes were finally unpacked, all belongs now situated in their new places, and the house was ready to be lived in.

When the new parents had been asked if they would accept the position to head the new Asia offices of the Preventers, they were a bit worried. But, now that they were there and settled in, it seemed like they had been there their whole lives and didn't want to be anywhere else.

In the four weeks that they had been in China, they had missed their friends and coworkers. However, with the added pressure of being parents of a newborn and virtually the head of over 200 new agents, they hadn't had time to dwell.

"So, did you talk to Duo, Quatre and Zechs yet?" Sally asked, cooing to her daughter as the baby began to cry. "She's so fussy."

"Then she is just like her namesake." Wufei wrapped an arm around his wife and child, keeping them close as he smiled into warm brown eyes. "And her mother."

-----------

"I don't want a brother or sister," Joshua Noin Peacecraft yelled at his parents, his face turning red in the effort. "Where's Alli? I want my cousin!"

"Joshua!" Noin said sternly, rubbing her head and fighting off a bout of nausea while debating having a cup of coffee, as per her morning ritual. "I've told you before, Allilon and Heero moved to L2 to live with Duo. They're coming back for your birthday, which is next week."

Zechs, sensing that the welfare of his child was in danger, picked up his son and took him into the living room. "I know that you're lonely since Alli and Uncle Heero moved away, but like Mommy said, they're coming back, and you can call Alli when you get back from daycare. He should be getting done with dinner by then, okay?" He was met with stern silence as a reply. "Now, why don't you go brush your teeth and let Mommy be alone. She doesn't feel good this morning. I'll take you to school and pick you up. We'll go for ice cream if your teacher tells me you've been good today, alright?"

"OKAY!"

----------

Duo was all too happy to come into the door of his house to find the smell of grilled steak wafting toward him. He wasn't surprised to find that his dining room hijacked by Mike, Hilde, Quatre, Allilon and Heero. "I'm gonna go wash up and change. I'll be right back." "And you better not eat that cake before I'm back," he yelled over his shoulder as he left the room.

"Any clue how he does that?" Mike asked.

"It's his own form of ESP. I call it ESSP, extra-sensory sweet perception," Hilde said, getting laughs from all the adults.

"I HEARD THAT!"

The others responded in another round of giggles.

The End.