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| Bad Move-(continued) |
“Um, sir?”
The boy looked up at her, his violet eyes burning into hers. He was mad- there was no doubt about that. The receptionist was too stunned to tell him to sit down, the look on her face changed back to it’s usual kindly stature.
“Are you here to visit someone?” She asked, holding out a hand to lead him away from his path of walking that was obviously bothering everyone else.
The look Duo gave that woman was so disturbing- a mixture of anger and sadness, with just a touch of insanity. What he witnessed earlier was the worst thing he had ever seen- and he still had the look he had then on his face. He didn’t answer her, he just let out a little groan and continued on his path- circling around her. There was nothing in this universe that would help him or Mina now...
I can’t believe I let this happen. If it weren’t for me Doris would have been fine and Mina- she would have been alright. How could things backfire this much?! Things were just fine... Duo blinked back tears and went on his way, pacing back and forth in the waiting room- impatiently sighing along the way. He could feel Quatre’s eyes occasionally rise up to him- trying to calm his fellow comrade down.
This wasn’t the first time Quatre had seen Duo like this, when Hilde was hurt in space, when Mina was missing for such a long time...
“D-Duo...” Quatre stood up to meet face to face with his friend.
“It’s not your fault. If we wouldn’t have left you two behind- then this wouldn’t have happened. I’m sure Mina will turn out-“ Quatre didn’t have time to finish his sentence. Duo took a few steps closer to his friend and shoved him back in his seat.
“Duo, calm down. Getting angry won’t help anybody right now. Please just sit down.”
The room got quiet all of a sudden- all of the visitors’s heads turned as the intensive care door opened. Tatalia came out, holding a clipboard- a pen tucked behind her ear. She was wearing doctor’s attire- a oversized white coat and her normal white pants. Tatalia swallowed back her fear and motioned for Duo and Quatre to follow.
“Sugar...”She cast Duo a solemn glance and led him and Quatre to a secluded area of the room.
“Doris is going to be alright- she has only a few broken bones, mostly minor injuries.” This was the part that was going to hurt all of them the most- The British girl nervously looked at Duo and Quatre, afraid to tell them what was going on in the other room. She pulled Duo to the side, leading him further down the hallway.
“Now Mina on the other hand...Sugar- she might not make it. She received a critical blow to the side- the bullet was removed, but other than that...There’s nothing that could be done for her. She’s in a coma now- it’s most likely she won’t be coming out of it. I’m so Sorry, Sugar...”
Shock hovered over the entire room as the news was absorbed. It had never crossed anyone's mind that Mina, the clever, spirited warrior, the invincible girl from space, could possibly *die*. For Duo, it was too much to bear.
"Let me see her!" he demanded, marching down the bustling hallway.
"Sugar, you can't!" Tatalia replied frantically, keeping in front of Duo with her arms spread out.
"She's still in critical condition, please wait!"
"The hell I will!" Duo roared, pushing himself past the doctor and racing down the hallway. Tatalia and several nurses ran after him, determined not to let Duo find Mina.
But, of course, the homing skills and instincts of a gundam pilot could not compare as Duo soon found himself bursting through the door into Mina's room. He stopped short when he saw her, the immobile figure highlighted in the moonlight. All sorts of tubes and wired ran from Mina's arms, chest, and face, connected to cold, emotionless machines. Bandages covered a great deal of her body, and what wasn't concealed was mauled by stitches and scratches. The stony expression on Mina's resting face, the eerie stillness of her body stunned Duo into paralysis. To him she looked practically dead, a ghost under the sheets. He couldn't bear it.
The others finally caught up, Tatalia panting as she leaned against the doorway.
"I told you..." she gasped, panting, "not to...go in there....Duo...."
The boy suddenly pushed past her again, Tatalia almost crashing to the floor.
"Where are you going now?!" she managed to shout, bewildered.
"To find Jake and Rose!" was Duo's angry reply before he disappeared down the corridor.
Lucky for Duo, Jake was heading down another corridor- hands neatly placed in his pockets as he calmly strolled to the girl's room. It wasn't visible earlier, but the assassin was beginning to feel the bitter pang of guilt. He regretted having to throw the grenade Rose gave him, mostly because Mina had the guts enough to steer it further away from her friends. After he threw it, Rose ordered Jake and Jerry to make a run for it. They left the place in a matter of minutes, only for Rose to "finish off " and push the button that blew up the rest of the building. The three split up, Rose and Jerry ran in different directions when Jake remained in place, watching the burning rubble- expecting the invincible soldier he's heard so much about to step out and shrug the whole thing off. But she didn't. Mina didn't come out of the base- she was already gone- being shipped off to the hospital.
What he was about to see he didn't expect at all. Jake carefully opened the door- his head snapping back and forth as he slid into the room. He tried to keep his usual clam stature and leaned up against the nearest wall. Duo's yelling could be heard- Jake hoped he wasn't on his way back to his girl so he could at least get a few words in.
"Mina. I know you can hear me."
The realization that Mina did not respond to him was unnerving. Jake had studied so much about her, he always thought she would never end up in a hospital, fighting for her life with the help of machines. Jake balled his hands into fists from the frustration of it all.
"Damn it, girl, I didn't expect you to do this," he started.
"I was just doing my job. A guy's gotta get paid, ya know. I wish this whole thing never happened." He crept across the floor, crouching beside the bed by Mina's side. He was still concealed in the shadows except for his hand, which clutched Mina's tightly.
"I...I never even wanted to throw it in the first place. Not really. I'm so, so sorry, Mina, that I did. Being an assassin is the only thing I'm good at, it's just who I am. But I look up to you so much. My half sister- The great Mina Andrews, I would give anything to have what you have, to receive the respect everyone gives ya. The day I get any respect is the day everyone turns into saints." A single tear rolled down the boy's cheek as Jake moved soundlessly back against the wall.
"But I have to go now, Mina," he whispered,
"if I want to survive from Duo. I hope that you can forgive me."
The door to Mina's room slowly opened as Duo walked in looking miserable and defeated. Jake ducked down low against a corner of the room, praying that the shadows would hide him from Duo. He knew that if the god of death spotted him in the room, it would be kill or be killed, and Jake wasn't willing to give up his life without a fight.
The tension in the room built as Jake lie hidden in the shadows. His breathing quickened as the door opened again, only to reveal Tatalia. Great- it's the brit. He thought as he watched her advance on Duo's weeping form. If she's in here, it'll be harder for Duo and I to settle things. Jake took a sharp intake of breath as he heard his name.
"Jake..." The loud growl came from far inside Duo, his head was bowed as he sat next to her in the bed- his hand tightly wrapped around hers. Intertwined in his hand was a small delicate chain- the locket she always wore reflected off the moon. The beautiful light made Duo smile- and he knew that Mina wasn't about to give up.
"Mina...come on. You have to get up- please..." He managed to say in-between sobs. He let out a sigh and laid his head on her lap.
The sight was definitely one for sore eyes. Tatalia was almost in tears at the sight of the two finally together. I know she'll make it...but she needs Duo's help more than anything... She reached out a hand to touch his shoulder. It was shaking with his sobs, he soon began to drift off to sleep. I'll sleep by your side, He thought. and make sure you know I'm here for you...
Tatalia slipped back outside as Duo fell into a light sleep, leaving the door open only a crack. Jake stared, unmoving for a few moments, making sure Duo was sound asleep. Now's my chance to escape, he thought as he crept towards the door. The slim crack of light made him almost desperate to escape as he moved steadily forward. Finally, his fingers touched the doorknob. Freedom! he thought gleefully before his thoughts were suddenly shattered by the feel of someone's hand on his shoulder. Startled, Jake whipped around to find himself face-to-face with what he feared--a vengeful Duo Maxwell.
"You'll pay for what you did to Mina," Duo growled as he yanked Jake deep into the room, slamming him forcefully against the wall. A tray full of plastic cups, towels, and what-not clattered to the floor as Jake dangled in the air and against the wall by Duo's enraged strength.
"I'm gonna do the same thing to you as you did to Mina," Shinigami decided as he whipped out his gun with his free hand, pressing it hard against Jake's chest.
"Duo," Jake rasped, struggling to breathe with Duo's deathgrip on his neck. His hands flailed helplessly to his sides, groping for his own gun.
"I'm gonna shoot you for what you did to Mina," Duo threatened, his violet eyes flashing violently as he pressed the barrel of the gun harder against the other boy's chest. "But in this case, you won't survive."
Shit, I'm dead, was Jake's last panicked thought before he closed his eyes and waited for the end.
Duo prepared to shoot when a faint, hoarse "Duo," came from the other side of the room--from Mina.
Just saying that word took most of the girls' strength. She struggled to see what was happening and tried to continue.
"D-don't shoot.." Mina's countless struggles with the words she wanted to say and what she wanted to do finally paid off- she slowly sat up, the numerous wires and IV's rustled slightly when she moved. What she was doing now was just about the weirdest thing the boys had ever seen. When Mina made it up from laying down to sitting up, she looked down at herself. What happened? I’m alive?
"Duo...think- think about what you're doing before..." It was then that she passed out, she fell back on the bed, her hands dangling off the side.
The boys were so surprised that they almost forgot about the situation they were in. My god, what am I doing?! Duo realized as he finally realized what he was about to do. Jake and the gun dropped to the floor by Duo's disgust, Jake gasping for breath.
"Mina, speak to me," Duo said as he rushed to the girl's side. He nudged her shoulder gently, trying to revive her. After a few moments of nudging and begging, Mina finally awoke, her eyelids heavy as her head slowly turned to him.
"Thank you," she whispered, smiling faintly.
Duo grinned back, tears of relief rushing down his face.
"You're gonna be ok," he exclaimed, clutching her hand tightly in his. "You're gonna be alright."
Mina chuckled slightly, her voice in rasps as she closed her eyes again. "Of course I'm ok, you baka," she whispered warmly, making Duo laugh.
Nurses suddenly rushed into the room, pushing Duo hastily out of the way as they busily checked Mina's condition and recorded her current vital signs.
"See you soon," Duo whispered to her as he reluctantly backed out of the room. Mina nodded before the mob of nurses took her from view.
Duo walked out of the room, dazed over the current happenings. It was then that he realized that Jake was nowhere to be found.