The Pretender
Chapter 21
by Dyna Dee
Detective Dawson called Friday evening with a dual purpose. First, he asked how Duo was doing, then gently warned him that the killer seemed to be laying low, though admitting that he didn't know what that meant. He advised Duo to be extra cautious. If he had to go out, he shouldn't go alone. Needless to say, the call put a definite damper on the beginning of their weekend.
Though reluctant, Duo eventually allowed Heero to persuade him that having dinner with his uncle and Jason at Hank's place would be just as safe as if they remained in their own apartment. Following Hank's detailed directions, they arrived at the older man's home at the appointed hour, just as the sun was setting. Walking side by side up the brick sidewalk to the front door of the modest home in a middle-class neighborhood, both men were impressed by the well-cared for yard and the neatly maintained, single-storey residence.
Moments after ringing the doorbell, Jason opened the front door. He was typically reserved, with the exception of the minute, Mona Lisa-like smile he wore as he greeted them. "Anything to drink?" he asked as he led them into the living room.
"Nothing for me, thanks," Duo replied and Heero requested a whiskey sour. Jason went to the wet bar and poured Heero's drink and the same for himself while he explained that Hank would be home shortly.
Trying to hide his curiosity while checking out the living room, Duo asked, "Where is he?"
Jason shrugged. "In exchange for the time I spend with my bowling team and night classes, he takes off from time to time, claiming to need some space of his own. I suspect he shops or goes to the movies. He left a couple of hours ago, but promised to be home in time for dinner."
"Leaving you to prepare the meal yourself?" The look on Heero's face as he asked the question showed that he thought it unfair of Hank to invite them for supper and then leave all the work to his lover who, apparently, didn't even live there.
"It's not a problem. Besides, I do most of the cooking when we get together."
Jason suggested they have a seat there in the living room and visit while waiting for the missing man to arrive. Since the older man wasn't the chatty type, it was up to Heero and Duo to keep the conversation going. They were all grateful when Hank showed up five minutes later, a shopping bag with a hardware store logo printed on the side in his hand. He profusely apologized for being late and rushed into the back of the house, saying he needed to clean up.
When he returned to the living room a few minutes later, the four men moved into the kitchen and soon ventured out to the backyard, the soft sounds of jazz music his uncle had cued on his sound system following them. Duo took note of the wood deck, which included a covered hot tub just off the back of the house. He wondered if his uncle and Jason had built it themselves. The yard, outlined by solar lights, included a lush, manicured lawn, a bordering flowerbed, and green and leafy foliage along the tall fence. A small stone fountain in the right corner of the yard produced a pleasing trickling sound that helped make the backyard a pleasant place to sit and visit. The four passed a pleasant half hour sitting at the patio table sipping fruity Margaritas while chatting about the past and things as mundane as the weather.
While Hank barbecued the meat on the outdoor grill, Heero requested the use of the bathroom. Jason led him into the house, giving uncle and nephew a few moments alone.
Without turning, the older man leaned forward to ask, "So how are things between you and Heero?"
"We're great," Duo replied with a wide grin. Setting his drink on the table he leaned back in his seat. "He's wonderful, Uncle Hank. I'm beyond lucky to have him in my life."
Hank turned his head to reply, "I'm glad, kiddo. After the death of your parents, I'd hoped you'd find happiness one day. I remember how traumatized you were when you first came to live with us. We still managed to have some good times, though, didn't we?"
Good times? That wasn't an unusual things to say, but the look on Hank's face as he said it made Duo stop short of replying. A chill shook his entire body as a dark foreboding feeling came upon him.
"But look at you now," Hank continued, giving his nephew a visual appraisal before adding, "You're a handsome man with a successful career, hot lover and a happy life."
The feeling of foreboding grew and caused Duo to squirm in his seat. The way Hank had been looking at him was unsettling, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why. A side glance confirmed the older man was still staring at him. He looked away and considered his feeling a moment before it came to him why Hank was making him so uncomfortable. The look on the man's face was more than simple approval. Those familiar eyes were drinking him in. Unless he was mistaken, there was more than a little lust there, and dammit, that wasn't the way an uncle should look at his nephew. Uncomfortable now, he looked elsewhere, trying to think of something to say to change the subject.
After a long pause, he felt the need to say something to break the silence. He could ask Hank about his job, having only have a vague idea what his profession was. Looking back at the older man, he was stopped short of asking his question Hank met his gaze and smiled. It was the kind of smile he was used to receiving from the older man. The previous lecherous gleam he thought he'd seen in his eyes was gone, and he wondered now if he'd imagined it. Maybe the reason he thought his uncle had been checking him out was because he'd been upset when Hank brought up the past, specifically the death of his parents. Frankly, he never liked talking about their sudden death, it just hurt too much. It had been such a traumatic childhood event that he'd often found it helpful to pretend his parents' absence was due to an extended vacation.
Rethinking the last few moments, he decided he must have been mistaken. His uncle hadn't checked him out; Hank was simply trying to pay him a compliment. If that was the case, he wasn't going to let an odd comment or the past ruin the evening.
Clearing his throat, he replied, "You're not doing so badly yourself. And Jason seems like a nice guy."
Hank grinned again. "Well, we both have our odd quirks, but that's what happens when you get to our age. All in all, we get along pretty well."
"How did you meet?"
"At the gay pride parade last year. If you haven't learned for yourself, it's a great event for picking up a quick fuck or, as in the case of Jason and myself, something more. He had this mysterious air about him that I just couldn't resist."
Duo tried not to let the shock he felt show on his face. He'd never heard his uncle talk about sex. Thinking back, he couldn't remember Hank, at least while he lived with his aunt, ever cursing or talking so crudely. He wondered now if Hank's former mild manner personality had been a result of his aunt's presence, or out of respect for her religious beliefs.
"Ever been to a gay pride parade? I'll bet you had your pick of guys at those kinds of events."
"No, I've not been to anything like that."
Hank actually looked shocked. "Why not? You'd be a parade stopper."
"I'm not into having sex with strangers."
His uncle turned his gimlet eyes on him. "Then you're missing all the fun. With your looks, you could have your pick of just about anyone."
Duo shrugged. "Guess I'm picky. Heero's the only one I want. He's not my first boyfriend, but he is my first lover."
His uncle's eyes widened and he looked shock. "You don't... didn't...?" With his brows furrowed, the older man took a deep breath and held it a moment before letting it out. "Unbelievable," he muttered to himself, sounding amazed now. Cautiously, as if the man feared he was treading on dangerous ground, Hank asked, "Surely you had some experience with sex during high school?"
Duo shook his head in reply. "Not even in college. There are reasons why I didn't, but I'm not really comfortable talking about them."
There was another long pause, and it seemed to Duo as if the older man was formulating what he was going to say next. Hank's eyes then narrowed with a look of suspicion as he asked,"You were a virgin before Heero? How in the world did you manage that?"
Duo swallowed with difficulty. This conversation was becoming a bit too personal. "Aunt Helen."
Hank's forehead wrinkled as if he was contemplating his answer. "What did she have to do with it?"
Not comfortable talking about something so personal, and thinking that maybe he shouldn't be talking about his aunt to her ex-husband, especially in a negative way, Duo decided to skim over the subjects of his aunt and his sex life as quickly as possible. "Let's just say she frowns on homosexuality. She's doing well, recently retired, by the way, but still keeping busy. She volunteers at the library and reads to little kids, I think, and goes to her church meetings."
The older man rolled his eyes, and with a noticeable hint of contempt in his voice he said, "Ah, yes. Helen's church meetings. She always was quite pious and holier than thou, wasn't she?"
"Please, Uncle Hank, let's not get into blaming her for everything. Granted, she's not perfect, but she is the only family I have and I owe her a lot."
"Alright," his uncle agreed. He then stepped away from the grill in order to clap him on the shoulder. "I'll try not to mention her again. Still, even with all her churchy ways, you and I had some fun, didn't we?"
Duo shot a look at his uncle. Why did he have the feeling that Hank meant something other than playing video games together? That was the second time this evening that his uncle had said something that gave him the creeps. Sure, he had a poor memory, having spent a great deal of time pretending during the years following his parents' death, but he vaguely remember them getting along, and that his uncle had let him tag along when he ran errands, gave him his first taste of beer and was the one to give him the sex and using condoms lecture, against his aunt's wishes, of course. A new thought came to him out of the blue. Hank had told him not only about sex with a female, the typical birds and the bees lecture, but he'd also gone on to explain how gay men have sex. That particular memory caused a stab of pain to shoot through his head. Putting a hand to his temple, he rubbed at the sharp ache, willing it away. He'd gotten these sudden headaches before, and had learned over the years that they were brought on by stress. He decided it was the conversation that must be bothering him, so he decided to try and change the subject to something a little less stressful.
Much to his relief, Heero returned from using the restroom and the conversation turned to their respective jobs. Jason showed up five minutes later. One look at the man's eyes and Duo could tell that the typically quiet man was upset. From previous observations, he figured his uncle's lover preferred standing back and observing rather than jumping into the conversation, but there was something decidedly different about him tonight. He seemed more standoffish than ever, if that was possible, and wary. Duo wondered where he'd disappeared to when he'd guided Heero to the restroom and if something had happened to bring about this change.
He set his concern aside, but noticed throughout the course of the evening that when anyone tried to pull Jason into the conversation, the man seemed distracted, his mind elsewhere. Still, his behavior was odd, but for all Duo knew it might be normal for the man.
The steaks were delicious, as were the side dishes and during the meal Duo was finally brought up to date on his uncle's life after he'd disappeared more than a decade ago. He'd taken odd jobs at first, including a traveling salesman, a truck and tour buss driver, then settled down in L.A. where he obtained more secure employment. From observation, it also seemed like Hank was quite impressed by Heero. He hung on the lawyer's every word and peppered him with questions about his career and the cases he'd handled. Duo was equally entertained as he learned even more about his lover.
They said goodnight to the other men around eleven and drove back to Heero's apartment. The evening left both of them in an upbeat mood and looking forward to some alone time.
Heero had forewarned him before they'd turned in that night, that indicated he intended on spending the morning doing things around the house with Duo, then head off to the office for a couple of hours to finish up several things he hadn't gotten to during the week. Duo, hoping to keep his boyfriend home a bit longer, made sure Heero was fully occupied during the early hours of the morning, then after getting out of bed around ten, they set about doing laundry and splitting up the housekeeping chores. Around two o'clock that afternoon Heero insisted on going to the office. He then kissed him goodbye and promised to be home by seven.
Duo watched him walk out the front door, then wondered what he was going to do to occupy himself with for the rest of the day. He turned on the T.V. only to discover that although there were over 200 channels, there was nothing on worth watching. He poured himself some lemonade and pulled out a book he'd been trying to read for over a month and went to the small balcony that sat off the living room. After an hour or so in the sun, his eyelids grew heavy. With a large yawn he took himself back inside the apartment with the intention of taking a nap on the sofa, hoping that Heero would hurry home.
He woke up and knew by the groggy feeling that he had slept too long and that it was getting late. If he hurried, he could have dinner ready for Heero when he arrived. He rummaged through the refrigerator and decided on a simple meal consisting of a Denver omelet, orange juice and toast. Breakfast for dinner had always been one of his favorite meals, especially since he never had time to prepare a proper breakfast in the morning. It didn't take long before everything was cut, shredded and whipped up, ready to go. All he needed now was for Heero through the front door.
At seven fifteen, the phone rang. "Duo! Thank God. Are you all right?"
The braided man's heart lurched at the panic in Heero's voice. "I'm fine. Where are you? What's wrong?"
"I'm downstairs. Quick, pack a bag for the both of us. Bring enough clothes for a couple of days. We're getting out of here."
The fear in his lover's voice scared the hell out of him. "Heero, what's going on?"
"The stalker knows where you are. Call Detective Dawson and let him know the fucker left a message in our elevator."
"What message?"
Heero's voice was grim and a bit shaky as he replied, "You don't want to know. I'll be there in less than two minutes." The call ended and Duo ran to the bedroom where he left his wallet. He quickly located it and began to search through it for the card with the detective's phone number. It seemed like he fumbled forever before he found what he was looking for and pulled it out. With fingers almost too shaky to press the buttons, it took sheer determination on his part to punch in the numbers and wait while the call went through.
Dawson picked up his phone on the fifth ring and Duo quickly relayed what Heero had said.
"What kind of message?"
"I don't know, Heero wouldn't tell me. He says we're getting out of here. I... I'll call you back when we find a safe place to stay tonight, alright?"
"Sounds good, but be careful. I'll call either your cell phone or Heero's if I need any additional information."
Duo jumped and looked up with the phone still at his ear when Heero threw open the door and burst into the room. His face was unusually pale and his eyes wide with alarm. "Is that Dawson?" he asked, advancing with a hand held out towards the phone in Duo's hand.
"Yes.”
"Let me talk to him." Heero took the phone out of his lover's hand and disappeared down the hall to the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Duo collapsed onto the sofa and buried his head in his hands, thinking the worst.
Heero returned five minutes later and put the phone back in its jack, his expression remained grim. "I guess you didn't have time to pack, so let's get to it."
Duo followed him into the bedroom and without a word they made quick work of throwing a variety of clothing into a large suitcase, including shoes, toiletries and anything else they could fit into another, smaller case. Once they were closed and latched it was time to leave. Grabbing cell phones, laptops and pulling on their jackets from off the hall tree that stood next to the front door, Duo reached out and grabbed Heero's arm before he could open the door. "Tell me what's in the elevator."
Heero ducked his head as he said, "Please, Duo. You really don't want to know."
"I'm going to find out sooner or later, aren't I?"
Heero shook his head, his lips stubbornly pressed together.
"You can't protect me from everything, Heero."
Heero looked up then, his eyes meeting his lover's gaze. Duo's breath caught in his throat at the look of profound sadness in those deep blue eyes.
"I'll tell you once we're out of here," Heero said with some effort. "Come on, we're taking the back stairs to the garage. I contacted the manager before coming up, and he was on his way to lock down the elevator until the police can get here. I want to be long gone by then."
"The message is that bad?"
Heero's self control seemed to crack for a moment. His breath hitched slightly when he tried to answer the question. He bit his lip and settled for answering the question with a nod. After that, Duo decided it might be better not to ask about anything else until they were safely away.
Together they rushed out the front door, momentarily pausing to let Heero lock the front door while Duo kept a wary eye on the hallway. Finished, Heero nodded towards the stairwell. "Let's go. We'll go down that way, then steal around the back of the building to the parking garage."
Duo wanted to ask why they didn't just take the more direct route to the garage, out the front door, but sensing the urgency of the moment and thinking his rising fear about to choke him, he couldn't seem to get the words out.
Following his boyfriend to the stairwell, he realized Heero was moving not only quickly, but quietly as well, as if he was afraid of alerting someone to their presence. Did he think the serial killer was in the building? The thought of that vile, evil man hiding somewhere in the building made him ill. Swallowing down the taste of bile, he followed Heero down the stairs, copying his movements to the best of his ability and trusting his lover implicitly to lead him to safety.
When at last they left the building, it was dark outside, but the apartment complex was well-lit along the walkways that wound through the garden area to the pool and then parking garage on the other side.
"Follow me and be as quiet as possible," Heero whispered.
Duo nodded and followed his lover off the lit paved path to the shadowed area along the side of the building, behind the ground cover and shrubs. They deliberately kept to the shadows, hiding as much as possible. In the distance the wail of sirens could be heard, and with each passing moment they seemed to be getting closer.
They were both relieved when they finally reached Heero's car. Duo glanced at the elevator, where Heero said the message was, while his lover Quickly set the luggage into the trunk of the sleek sports car. Slamming the lid, Heero nudged him to get moving. They rushed to get inside car, locking the doors the moment they were in their seats and the doors were shut.
"Where are we going?"
"Away," Heero stated brusquely as he started the car and shifted into reverse. The loud squealing of the wheels echoed their urgent need to get away from the cement parking structure and the message left in the elevator. As they raced down the street, heading towards the freeway entrance, Duo couldn't seem to take his eyes away from Heero's hands, tightly gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles uncharacteristically white. Whatever Heero had seen in the elevator had shocked and scared him. From his lover's response, Duo knew his so-called message had to be bad. He had an idea what was in the elevator, and he had to fight down the bile rising once again in his throat. Gripping the armrest with one hand, and the edge of his seat with the other, he stared at the road ahead, rocking back and forth as his imagination and fear began to run wild. While the rocking really didn't really comfort him, it did help to keep him from screaming his fool head off.
The sudden ringing of the cell phone in the pocket of his jacket startled the both of them. Fumbling, Duo managed to get it out of his pocket, open it and put it to his ear.
"Duo?" It was his uncle. From the sounds in the background, Hank was also in his car and on his cell phone.
A wash of relief swept over him. "Oh God, Uncle Hank.”
"What's the matter?" By the tone of his voice, Duo knew his uncle realized something terrible was going on.
"He found me. The stalker found out where I was staying, and Heero said he left me a message in the elevator."
"What kind of message?"
"I don't know. Heero hasn't told me."
"Where are you?"
"We're in the car. I don't know where we're going. We're just getting the hell away from there."
There was a pause on the other side of the phone before the older man said decisively, "Come to my home, both you and Heero. Jason is out of town for the weekend so we've got the house to ourselves. You can stay with us for as long as you like and no one will be the wiser."
"Let me ask Heero. Just a sec."
He promptly relayed the invitation to Heero. Though his mind was going in ten different directions, Heero stated that this might be a short-term solution and agreed, hoping to get his bearings and figure out their next move. They both had a good life in L.A. and jobs neither of them could walk away from.
"Here's an idea," Hank added. "Why don't you and Heero drop your car off in a public place, like a movie theater or mall. I can't help but wonder if this guy has somehow bugged your car. That would certainly explain how he found you. If that's the case, I can pick you up and drive you to my house and throw off any tracking device."
Again Duo relayed Hank's suggestion, and the look on Heero's face indicated that he had never thought about the possibility of either of them being tracked. Heero related the incident in the parking garage at work, where he felt he was being watched. It was possible that the serial killer had followed him and tagged his car. They agreed to meet at a mall located just off the highway, about ten minutes down the road, in the parking area across from the movie theater.
Driving an older model, grey Honda sedan, Hank pulled up alongside their parked car ten minutes after they arrived. It took less than a minute for them to make the transfer of luggage into Hank's car and, and seconds to get inside the vehicle and lock the doors. Within moments they were speeding down the freeway toward Hank's home.
After the older man questioned the two about their well being, the interior of the car turned silent. "I'm glad I called when I did," Hank said, glancing in his rearview mirror at his nephew in the back seat. "I was just on my way home from the store when I thought I'd give you a call. Are you two hungry?"
Heero murmured that he wasn't while Duo peered out of the back window, looking for any sign that they were being followed.
"Do you really think he bugged the car?"
"No, no, Duo. That was just a guess about how you might have been followed," Hank answered, returning his eyes to the road. "We're just taking precautions. We'll call the police tomorrow morning and have them check out the car, all right?"
As the tension in the car grew, conversation between the three quickly diminished. To ease the situation, Hank turned on the radio. Duo vaguely recognized the DJ's voice and the station as one Charise's favorite. It played hits from the last two decades, with no news being aired. He ached to reach over the seat and turn the channel, hoping to find out what happened back at Heero's apartment building. Knowing that it was probably too soon for the news stations to report anything, he decided to turn to his only source of information.
"What was in the elevator, Heero?" He braced himself for the answer.
Without turning around, Heero answered in a choked voice, "Another victim."
Imaging the scene Heero must have faced, Duo leaned forward to put his hand on his lover's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. From Detective Dawson description, he knew the killer's MO, and by the way Heero was acting, it was clear he'd seen something horrifying. He didn't have the strength nor stomach to listen to a detailed description of the scene, so he let the rest of his questions go to ask an equally essential one. "Do you know who the victim was?"
Heero answered in a voice that sounded haunted. "A guy who lives on the second floor. His name is Jackson Byrne." He paused a moment then with difficulty added, "I dated him once, before he met his partner, Landon. They're both nice guys and in love with each other." After a moment he somberly added, "Landon's going to be devastated."
"I'm sorry," Duo whispered. Seeing as how the stalker had followed them to Heero's apartment building, a wave of guilt swept over him. It was his fault that this guy Jackson was dead and his lover was going to be grieving.
Heero finally came out of his stupor and turned in his seat to face his boyfriend. "Don't think for even one second that this is your fault. It isn't."
Duo nodded, more to ease the worried look on Heero's face than agreeing with him. Several long moments passed with only the familiar strains of a Green Day song quietly filling the car. Hank cleared his throat before saying, "So how about those Dodgers?" Receiving no response, they listened to the radio.
Ten minutes later they pulled up in front of Hank's house. Even though everything seemed normal in the suburban neighborhood, both he and Heero paused before getting out to cautiously study their surroundings. While Hank grabbed their bags out of the back of the trunk, Duo took Heero's hand I his own, needing the contact to ground him. Heero clasped his hand tightly, and together they managed the walk to the front door, three steps behind the older man.
The front of the house was dark and Hank spent some time fumbling with the key to get it into the lock, which only made the two guests more anxious to be inside. Duo hated feeling this way, so damn afraid. It seemed lately that fear had taken over his life and he wondered if he would ever feel safe again.
Once the door opened, the three men spilled through the entrance to the house and Hank turned on a light before turning to re-lock the front door. With a sigh of relief, he turned to his guests. "There, all safe. Come this way and I'll show you the guest room, then I'll go back out and get the groceries and the rest of your things."
Almost in a numb trance, the two obediently followed the older man down the hallway. Duo remembered from his previous visit that there were photographs on the hallway walls, scenery shots of places his uncle had visited during the past ten years.
"Why don't you put your things in here and then we'll work on getting something to eat. Keeping busy is better than sitting around worrying, don't you think?"
He pushed the door open with a nudge from his shoulder, and entered the bedroom. He set down the two bags and turned on the ceiling light before stepping back to allow Heero and then Duo to enter. "I'll see you in the kitchen when you've had a few minutes to collect yourselves."
"Thanks, Uncle Hank," Duo said, not able to manage even a small smile. Still, his appreciation for his uncle's hospitality was sincere, and Hank seemed to see that in his eyes.
With a small reassuring smile and a pat on his shoulder, the older man replied. "It's my pleasure."
Duo shut the door behind him after his uncle left the room. He turned to find Heero standing next to the bed, staring blankly at an empty space on the wall, to the left mirror above the dresser. Concerned, Duo walked up behind him, sliding his arms around his lover's waist. Pressing his chest to Heero's back and wrapping his arms around him, he put his chin on his shoulder before asking, "You okay?"
Heero shook his head. "I can't get what I saw in the elevator out of my head." His voice seemed to catch in his throat just as he struggled to add, "There was so much blood, and Jackson..." Unable to finish, he covered his face with his hands, as if trying to banish the horrible memory.
Duo quickly moved to reposition himself in front of Heero and enbraced him again, holding him close. Both men derived a great deal of comfort from that secure embrace. "It's going to be okay, Heero. I don't know how, but someday this nightmare is going to be over and then we'll get on with our lives. I'm sorry you had to see your friend like that. Hell, I'm sorry he's dead. I... I wish I could have known that sick bastard was going to follow me. I would have done something different."
Heero pulled back enough to study his face, seeing sincere regret in his lover's sad eyes. He reached out and brushed a few stray hairs away from Duo's eyes. "It's not your fault," he assured him. "You have to believe that."
"I don't know what to believe anymore," the braided man answered wearily. "I'm so tired of being afraid and sick of looking over my shoulder all the time. I want my life back, Heero. Our life."
Heero nodded, then brought their bodies together until they were firmly pressed against each other once more. He hoped Duo was right, that their life would soon be back to normal. Unwilling to speak false promises or trite assurances, he said nothing in reply. He could only hope his embrace brought some bit of comfort to his boyfriend.
Five minutes later the two were sitting side by side on the bed with Heero's arm wrapped around Duo's shoulders. "Are you hungry?" Heero asked.
"Not really. How about you?"
"No, but we probably should try to eat something. I think your uncle's in the kitchen making something. Maybe we should go out there, just to be polite."
With a resigned sigh, Duo agreed. "Alright. Why don't you go ahead while I use the bathroom and wash up. I'll be there in a minute."
Heero stood and turned to offer his hand to his boyfriend, which Duo clasped and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. What he really wanted was to crawl into the bed, roll under the covers with Heero for most of the night and forget everything else. But his boyfriend was right, it would be rude to not make an appearance in the kitchen. He parted ways with Heero in the hallway, promising to meet up with him in the kitchen.
Taking his time, he used the facilities then turned on the hot water and waited for it to warm up before washing his hands and face. Glancing up in the mirror, his face dripping wet, he studied his reflection. The man looking back at him from the mirror had a desperate, hunted look in his eyes. He looked shell-shocked and numb. He continued to wash his face, but that mundane task did little to erase the deep fear that was just shy of overwhelming him. He was deeply shaken and his life had been permanently altered by recent events. The urge to stand up and fight, to defend himself and Heero, to lash out at the situation he had no control over was almost too powerful to keep in check. But the killer was beyond his reach and had remained elusive even to the police. The man, a stalker, and sadistic killer, seemed almost untouchable. He'd eluded the police for months, killing and disappearing without a trace. A shiver of fear shook his body and abruptly brought him out of his dark thoughts. Damn, he wanted more than anything to stop thinking about everything.
In no hurry to leave the safety of the small enclosed room, he took his time drying his face and even attempted to brush his teeth with a finger coated liberally with the tube of toothpaste he'd found in the medicine cabinet.
With some reluctance he finally left the bathroom and made his way through the house towards the kitchen. The sound of cooking could be heard through the open doorway as well as the faint strains of a jazz recording, probably coming from a radio. Recalling a time when they lived in the same house, he knew his uncle had always preferred jazz to other types of music. The familiar sounds helped to calm him, and seeing Heero sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through a magazine, helped to placate his fears. Hank was at the stove, stirring the contents of the pan that was over a low flame, when he sensed his entrance and looked over his shoulder and smiled at him as he entered the kitchen.
"So what's for dinner?" Duo asked as he walked over to the stove to take a look. To his own ears he sounded less than enthusiastic about eating.
"The quickest thing I could think of making was chicken fettuccini Alfredo," Hank replied, turning his head to give his nephew a smile.
"Sounds good." Duo looked at the thick white sauce and wondered how he'd manage to swallow even one bite. Normally he would love the pasta dish, but his stomach was currently churning, and not from hunger. He hoped his uncle wouldn't pressure him into eating very much or he might end up hugging the toilet before he turned in for the night. "Don't make too much pasta, Uncle Hank. I'm afraid my stomach's a bit too upset for more than a few bites."
"Just give it a try," his uncle said as he continued stirring the white sauce. "Maybe your appetite will return once you've had a taste. In fact, this is just about done. Would you and Heero set the table for me?"
The simple chore kept both he and Heero occupied during the last few minutes that the pasta needed to finish cooking. Hank then drained the noodles in the colander before returning them to the pan and mixing the meat laden sauce in. Duo placed the silverware on the table while Heero opened a bag of salad and poured it into a large bowl. With a loaf of French bread and butter on the table, dinner was ready to be served.
Hank talked through most of the meal, asking questions about both Heero and Duo's week. The first bite or two of the thick white sauce and noodles confirmed to Duo that he really wasn't up to eating. A quick glance to Heero confirmed that his lover's stomach wasn't up to the task either.
Hank used a torn piece of French bread to scoop up his pasta, but when he pushed his plate away, signaling he was done, it didn't appear as if he'd eaten very much either. "Well, so much for that idea," the older man said with a frown aimed at the wasted food. "I guess none of us has much of an appetite tonight. Are you sure you can't eat any more?"
"I'm sorry, Uncle Hank," Duo replied, wearing a look of apology. "With everything that's happened, I think I'm just too upset to eat. Heero's had a horrible shock tonight, so I hope you'll forgive us for wasting your food and the time it took to prepare it."
"Nah," his uncle waved his hand, dismissing his concerns. "It'll keep. Maybe we'll get our appetites back tomorrow. Why don't you fellas go into the living room and watch a bit of T.V.? I'll tidy up in here and join you. Anyone feel like a beer?"
"I could use a soda," Duo replied. "The carbonation sometimes helps to settle my stomach when it's upset like this."
"It's rather late, so nothing for me, thank you," Heero added, rising from his chair with his nearly untouched plate in hand. "And thank you for the meal and for letting us stay the night. We both appreciate your hospitality."
"Don't mention it, son. Though I welcome your company, I just wish your being here wasn't under these circumstances. Still, I'm glad to be of help."
Duo stood from his place at the table with his plate, which his uncle immediately took from him and shooed them off into the living room.
The two lovers settled on the sofa, and being that it was after ten there was very little to choose from on television. They finally selected a comedy show, hoping it would distract them from dark thoughts of the stalker. Ten minutes later Hank joined them carrying a glass with ice and a fizzing cola drink. Duo took one sip and decided by the off taste that the soda must have been in Hank's cupboard a little too long. He hated outdated soda. He set the glass down after another sip, just to be polite, and decided to pass on the rest of it.
"So where's Jason this weekend?" Duo asked.
Hank pulled his can of beer away from his lips to answer. "San Diego. Something work related. I spoke to him just before I went to the store, and he said the traffic was a nightmare."
"He drove down tonight?" Heero asked, showing that he'd been paying attention. "Isn't Sunday and odd day for business?"
Hank didn't so much as blink as he responded, "He'll probably planning on spending Sunday relaxing before his meeting on Monday."
Their attention soon returned to the comedy show, which turned out to be rather lame. After their frightful evening and rush of adrenaline, Duo found himself getting tired. In fact he could hardly keep his eyes open. "Want to turn in?" Heero softly questioned after he noticed his boyfriend's bobbing head and droopy eyes.
Duo nodded, too sleepy for a proper reply. The hand holding his own tightened and tugged until he was pulled up from his seat. Then with Heero's arm around his shoulders, he was led to the bedroom. He yawned widely as his lover closed the door then returned to carefully pull off his clothes. Normally, he'd be a bit more responsive to Heero undressing him, but tonight all he wanted was to climb into bed with the other man and get a good night's sleep.
Heero chuckled as he tucked him in, pulling the covers up to his neck. "I guess neither of us is up for any hot and heavy action tonight."
"No, but maybe tomorrow," Duo mumbled and then yawned. A warm and tender kiss to his cheek sent him into a deep and dreamless sleep.
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