Disclaimers and warnings in first part
ADVANCED RESERVATIONS – PART 11
A little over an hour later, the four were getting settled on the Winner jet. Alexi, Car, and the man that had been introduced as David were gawking at the luxurious interior of the plane. Trowa, having been inside a number of the Winner family planes, watched them in wry amusement, recalling that he had been just as awed with his first ride.
While they were waiting for lift-off, Trowa took a few minutes to look over the three friends that were so devoted to his new lover. They were a group of people that seemed to be complete opposites, in appearances and personalities, which had joined together because of loyalty to a cheerful American that seemed able to charm the scales off a snake.
Alexi, dark and exotic, with eyes that shone with intelligence and humor normally, now clouded with concern over the fate of his friend and employer, along with a dose of fear because of the upcoming plane ride. His clothing was immaculate, neatly pressed complete with creases in the pants. The tie was loosened in concession to the California heat, but the demeanor of the Russian was tired and hanging on by a thread. His face was strained, and Trowa had to smile at the devotion the man was showing.
Car, bright and rambunctious, her red hair standing out like a beacon, green eyes faded with dread. She had lived on the streets, and knew more than she should have to about the pain that people could inflict on other people. She was clad in faded jeans, a tee-shirt with a picture of the grim reaper on the front, and neon green tennis shoes. Her fingernails had been bitten to the quick, the only way she showed her worry to the public.
David, the man that Trowa had just met, Duo's lawyer, rounded out the group. While not sure what to expect, Trowa had never imagined that the slight man could handle the pressures of being an attorney, and being Duo's attorney would be more demanding than normal. David Worley was small in stature, smaller than Duo himself, and skinny. It appeared that a strong wind would blow the man over, sending him soaring with a gust, but there was strength in the brown eyes that Trowa could respect. The suit that David wore was wrinkled, in bad need of an iron; the leather shoes were as scuffed as the briefcase the man carried. Trowa found himself looking into the brown eyes and trusting the lawyer before they had ever spoken a word to each other.
The three huddled in the cabin, heads bent together, speaking softly. Trowa kept his distance, knowing that the friends would be able to comfort each other better without his interference. Several minutes passed before he became impatient and went to the cockpit, wanting to know what the delay was.
“Why haven't we taken off yet?” he asked the pilot bluntly.
It was the co-pilot that replied, “We are waiting for the rest of the passengers, sir. They should be here in the next few minutes. We will depart shortly.”
“There aren't any other passengers. We need to leave now,” he stifled the urge to kick the pilot out and fly the plane himself. That wouldn't look very good. Hijacking a Winner plane was bound to have some legal ramifications, but it sounded like a good idea at this moment. Only the knowledge that doing such a thing would delay his reunion with Duo kept him acting on the idea.
“We have to wait, sir. The other passengers will be boarding in the next few minutes. Please return to your seat,” the co-pilot met his eyes apologetically. “It's our orders, sir. I am sorry, but Mr. Winner's orders supersede yours.”
Letting out a huff of impatience, he returned to his seat, falling into the chair without his usual grace. Seeing the questions on the faces of the other three people, he growled, “We have to wait. Apparently, there are other passengers coming.”
Only two minutes passed before the hatch opened, though to Trowa it felt like a small eternity. When two men entered the plane, he couldn't help but stare in shock. “What the hell are you two doing here?”
Heero Yuy and Chang Wufei stood at the door, identical looks of confusion on both of their faces. Wufei was the one that spoke first, taking a seat and pushing his bag underneath. “Winner called us, stating that you had gotten yourself in trouble. He requested that we help you.” Ebony eyes flared with impatience, “Now why don't you explain why you are here, and why we are on our way to Florida?”
Trowa let out the growl he felt, pushing out of his chair again and heading forward. To the co-pilot, he spat, “The other passengers are aboard. Get us in the air, now.”
Receiving a nod of confirmation, he retook his seat. He barely managed to keep the sneer out of his voice when he spoke, but it was a close thing. “I told Quatre that I needed transport to Miami in order to help Duo. I never said anything about being in trouble myself, but again he assumed that I don't know how to take care of myself and decided to treat me as a child. That is one reason I don't miss him. I guess it just took a while to figure that out,” he added the last part mostly to himself.
When he mentioned Duo's name, he could see the Japanese man stiffen, but didn't understand what caused the sudden tenseness. Wufei went the opposite direction, giving a snort of derision. “You mean we are going to find Maxwell? What has that idiot got himself into now? We should have known that he would never be able to take care of himself after the wars.”
The plane began to move forward, taxiing into position as Trowa prepared for the backlash caused by Wufei's statement. He didn't have to wait long, for Car was as passionate in her protection of the missing man as she was with everything. Trowa held back the snicker when a neon green tennis shoe flew across the cabin, hitting the disgruntled Chinese in the forehead with amazing accuracy.
“These are the so-called friends that Duo always worried about?” Car fixed a shocked look on Trowa, her face troubled. “These are the people he followed on the news and through private investigators to make sure they were okay?”
“Did he keep an eye on all of us?” Trowa asked her calmly, smiling when she blushed. Apparently, she wasn't supposed to let that bit of information slip.
She shrugged nonchalantly, “Just until he was sure that the four of you were settled and safe. Even though he couldn't stay didn't mean he wasn't worried about you.” She waved a hand in the direction of the glaring Chinese, “And this is the repayment for the loyalty he showed.”
“What is she talking about? Everyone knows that Maxwell has never been able to properly take care of himself,” Wufei snorted.
The aircraft chose that moment to take off. Trowa waited patiently, anticipating the tongue-lashing that was to come. He was proud that Car managed to remain in her seat until they had leveled off into flight.
Roughly four seconds later, the redhead was out of her seat, her face inches from Wufei's. “Let me tell you something Mr. High and Mighty, Duo has always been able to take care of himself, and several others. It was because of him and Solo that so many of us street rats held ourselves to a higher standard, believing that there would be better opportunities someday. Even after Solo died, Duo pushed himself to take care of what was left of their gang. He did what he had to do to survive, but he never let go of the lessons he learned by Solo's side. He never reduced himself to selling his body, yet that would have been the easy way to get the money to feed everyone. Instead, he stole, and when he got caught at it, he broke out of jail to get back to the gang and get them to shelter. It was because of him that I'm still alive, just like a number of my friends.”
Trowa could only watch, his heart aching for the childhood that both Duo and Car had lost. He had known parts of the other man's life, but to hear it put in those words, by a woman that had been there, was heart wrenching. The fiery woman burst into tears promptly after speaking, allowing Alexi to shakily escort her back to a seat, where she curled into his lap.
Wufei, his dark eyes wide, was watching her with a sort of awe mixed with wariness. “I never knew about his past,” he said haltingly.
“He doesn't tell people unless he trusts them completely,” Car spoke between her sniffles.
That small statement hit Trowa hard. He turned to look at the three friends, understanding finally how much he had missed in the past years. “I knew,” his voice was barely a whisper.
“How much do you know?” David was the one to ask, drawing all eyes to him. He met the stares dead on, not intimidated by three former Gundam pilots.
“I knew all of that, no details, but I knew. I know of the church,” he added, watching three pairs of eyes widen. “And I know about him stealing Deathscythe.”
“How long have you known?” Alexi had those piercing blue eyes fixed on him.
“During the war, after a mission, Duo told me. I had saved him, but he was hurt, a lucky shot to his leg. We hid in a cave until no one was looking for us anymore. He told me while we were waiting. There were no details, but it was enough to give me a brief glance into what his life had been,” Trowa paused, realizing that had been the moment that he had completely fallen for the braided pilot. The cheerful teenager had managed to survive so much and had seemed so strong to him. He didn't know how he had never realized it before.
“He never tells details, not to anyone. It's too hard for him to go back there,” Car supplied softly, moving to take the seat beside Trowa, reaching for his hand. When Alexi and David came to take seats near him, he understood that he was now truly in their circle of friends. In that instant, they had become his family. The thought brought tears to his eyes, so he shut them briefly. Car squeezed his hand for just a second before releasing it.
“David, why don't you relate how well Duo can take care of himself? Let this jackass know how little he actually knows about Duo Maxwell.”
The small man's smile was slightly evil as he turned to the two Asians, “Duo Maxwell, founder of the Maxwell Foundation, is the sole owner of thirteen restaurants, twenty-six bakeries, twelve delis, three salons, eighteen apartment buildings, and four pet stores with a combined annual income of nine point six million dollars.” David smiled when two identical gasps met his announcement, Trowa hiding his own amusement behind his hand. “Out of that, he keeps only two and a half million in his own account, three point one million goes to his business account, and the remanding four million is given to charities or used to construct things that he deems important, such as orphanages or churches.”
“You expect me to believe that Duo Maxwell earns over thirty million dollars a year? How is that possible?” Wufei's disbelief was apparent, still choosing to believe in the idea that the American was a complete moron.
“Duo is one of the most astute businessmen I have ever met. He seems to have an instinct about what people want, and the drive to make it happen.” There was a large amount of pride in Alexi's voice as he spoke of his friend.
“I can believe that,” Heero spoke softly, gathering everyone's attention. “He was always able to know what people wanted to see. Whenever we were at a school, he knew just the right things to say or do to keep the attention away from us, and he always managed to keep me from standing out.” Cobalt blue eyes met Trowa's, allowing him to see the concern in them. “What has happened to Duo to cause you such concern?”
“He's missing,” Trowa replied, amazed at how calm he sounded. Inside, his guts were quivering with apprehension. “He left early Sunday, and contacted me when he arrived in Miami, promising to call again. I've heard nothing since then.”
“This is nonsense,” Wufei spat out in disgust. “How do you know he's not just off having a good time? How well do you know him, Barton, considering it has been several years since you saw him last? Why would he suddenly call you if he needed something?”
“I spent three and a half days with him before he was called away.” Trowa was blunt with his statement, letting them infer what they wanted about his relationship with Duo. “And it's not just me. He always calls them,” he nodded at the three friends, “to reassure them that he is safe. It's a promise that he makes to them. They have not heard from him either.”
“Is this true?” Heero asked, receiving three nods in return. His brow furrowed as he turned to look at Wufei, “Duo doesn't break promises. If he hasn't called, it's because he is unable to.” The Chinese looked perplexed for a moment, then nodded his head in agreement. Seeing the acceptance, Heero turned to Trowa, “May I have a private word with you?”
With a nod, Trowa left his seat and headed for the back of the cabin, where the galley was located. He began pouring several drinks, in hopes that the task would keep him from being worried about his missing lover, at least for a few minutes.
Heero leaned against a wall, arms and feet crossed, seemingly casual, but Trowa could see the rigid muscles. “Were you aware that I pursued Duo during the war?” the Japanese asked without prompting.
Trowa gaped at him for a moment, then shook his head. “I didn't know. What happened?”
“Nothing happened. He had no interest in me that way, and asked that I stop making advances toward him, afraid that it would ruin our friendship. I acquiesced, realizing that he was straight and not inclined to release stress the way I wanted. Just before the end of the war, I asked him one last time if he was interested, and he turned me down again. I went to Relena, understanding that I would never have a chance with him.” Trowa looked up when Heero stopped speaking, wondering where this conversation was going. “You have feelings for him, Trowa. I don't wish to see you hurt. It's been years since we have seen each other, but I hope we are friends still. Don't hope for a relationship with him, or you will end up hurt like you did with Quatre.”
Trowa turned away, starting a pot of coffee, figuring that he was going to need it during the long hours ahead. After a moment of getting his thoughts together, he finally spoke. “Did you ask him if he was straight, Heero? Or did you just assume it because he didn't want to sleep with you?”
Heero appeared to be taken aback by the question, then frowned in memory. “I guess I just assumed because he wasn't interested in getting pleasure from me. I don't recall him ever admitting he was straight.”
“Did you ever think it was possible that he didn't want to sleep with you because he was a virgin?”
For the first time ever, Trowa got to watch as Heero goggled at him in shock. “How would that even be possible?”
Trowa's anger flared, “Why wouldn't it be possible? Because he was from L2 you just assumed that he would be a whore?”
The Japanese man held his hands up in a placating manner, “Nothing like that, Trowa. It's just that Duo was always so…sensual that it seems hard to believe.”
“Sorry. It's been a rough few days,” Trowa muttered apologetically. “Do you still have feelings for him?”
Heero shook his head slowly, “I'm content with where I am and who I'm with. I don't harbor any desires for Duo.” Cobalt eyes narrowed on him suddenly, “What do you mean `was a virgin'?”
Mentally, Trowa chastised himself for such a slip, and the hope that Heero wouldn't pick up on it. Outwardly, he shrugged, his voice calm, “He's not anymore.”
Putting drinks on a tray, Trowa was uncomfortable with the scrutiny he was receiving from the piercing eyes upon him. Just when he was about to admit what had happened, Heero smiled, a genuine honest smile that went all the way into his eyes. “Do you plan to stay with him?”
“If he'll have me. The decision is in his hands, once we locate him,” he stated, bringing the current circumstances back to mind. “I asked him to wait until I could go with him to Miami, but he refused to believe he was in any trouble,” he finally admitted, revealing his frustration. “I had a bad feeling about him going alone.”
“Duo has always been stubborn when it came to his own welfare,” Heero snorted with a smile, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“He has to learn that it isn't about himself anymore,” Trowa stated firmly. “He has a lot of people counting on him, depending on him. If anything happens to them, who will watch out for all of his employees?” He didn't add that he, personally, would be devastated if Duo was forever lost, then shoved the thought aside.
“What do you mean?”
Tilting his head to the others, Trowa smiled slightly at the other man, “Let's give out these drinks and I'll get the others to explain what Duo has been doing for the last few years, other than building businesses and making obscene amounts of money to give away.”
Once the refreshments were served, Trowa asked the three friends to explain the Americans exploits. David began with a very proud smile, “Duo has been responsible for the relocating of three-hundred and fifty seven people from the colonies.” The disheveled man went into a brief description of what Duo had done to bring the people to Earth, and what was required when they arrived.
Trowa frowned at the number, interrupting David, “I thought Duo said he employed around two-hundred people from the colonies?”
“That is how many he employs, but if they had families, he brought them as well,” Alexi explained, his voice as proud as David's had been moments earlier. “There are a number of couples that have children, and several single parents with children. Duo would never ask them to leave their families behind, knowing how important that connection is.”
Trowa settled back in his seat, sipping coffee and thinking of his lover. Tuning out the conversation going on around him, he wondered where Duo was at this very minute, hoping he was well and unharmed. In desperation he sent thoughts out to him. `Duo, please be okay. I need you. I'm on my way.'