Yes.  I broke my "work on only one fic at a time" rule.  Woe is me. 
My Dad got a new boat last year and every Sunday, Monday and
Thursday, we've gone out in it.  It's a lot of fun.  This fic was
inspired by one of the earlier lake adventures and has been bugging
me every time we go out.  So I finally started writing it.  The lake
in the fic is based on Watts Bar lake off the Tennessee River.  It's
a big ass lake... plenty of places to hide... lots of islands...
oooh, fun!  And as this is my very first 5x2 (and non-1x2 pairing
*gasp!*), please be gentle.  ^_^

Title: Houseboat Haven 1/?
Author: Caroline (chibirei @ hotmail.com)
Rating: this part - PG-13, NC-17 overall (I can't seem to write a fic
without lemon anymore)
Pairing: eventual 5x2
Warnings: TWT, since this is my first time writing Wufei as a main
character, most likely OOC, PWPish elements, eventual lemon
Spoilers: uh, don't think there will be any
Comments: please
Archive: if I've said yes, then yes.
Disclaimers: don't own 'em.  never will.  'nuff said.

.:one:.

"Is anyone following us?"

Duo turned to look out the back window of the old pickup truck he and
Wufei had swiped from the OZ base several miles back.

"I don't see anybody. I think we lost them," the braided pilot
remarked in relief. "So what do we do now?"

"Lay low for a while until they've given up looking for us. It's too
dangerous for us to try and leave the area at the moment. This whole
region is swarming with OZ personnel," the Chinese teen said, trying
to concentrate on his driving, as the road they were on was very
curvy and dangerous.

Duo stared forward through the windshield. The trees along the
mountain road were hung so low and so close together, it almost felt
like they were driving through a tunnel. He shifted his gaze to the
side window, where he could catch glimpses of the valley below
through breaks in the trees. It was so green and alive. 'Not at all
like L2,' he thought sadly. 'Only the rich people could afford
anything green and growing. Earth is so beautiful.'

"Where are we going to hole up? A little cabin in the mountains?" the
American asked, eyes sparkling in hope.

"No. You'll see soon enough. Master O has made all the arrangements
for us," Wufei replied.

Duo's brow furrowed in confusion. 'If it's not a cabin, what else
could it be around here? We don't dare stay in the town. God, please
don't let it some run down shack in the woods with bugs and furry
critters and snakes.' The violet-eyed boy suppressed a shudder. He
didn't like snakes.

"How long did you say it would take to get there?" he asked after a
long moment of silence, desperate for some conversation.

"About twenty minutes." Wufei reached over and flipped on the
radio. "If you need something to amuse yourself, listen to some music
for a while."

Duo frowned and turned away before Wufei could see the hurt look in
his eyes. He knew the Chinese pilot wasn't happy about having been
teamed up with him for this last mission. He also knew Wufei was even
less happy about going into hiding with him. He didn't know what he
had done to give the other boy such a bad impression of himself. He
genuinely liked Wufei, and wanted nothing more than to become friends
with the quiet pilot.

'You'd like to become more than friends, wouldn't you?' he asked
himself as they drove. Duo felt a blush spread across his face. It
was true. He had been attracted to the Chinese boy since they'd met.
But he knew Wufei didn't feel the same. He barely tolerated Duo as it
was. The American shoved his forbidden feelings aside. He didn't want
to do anything to jeopardize the fragile… friendship?
relationship? …
he had with the other pilot.

A song he knew came on the radio. Duo smiled and began to sing along
quietly. Normally he would have been blasting the lyrics at the top
of his lungs, but he didn't want to upset 'Fei. He never wanted to do
anything to upset the dark-haired boy beside him.

Wufei had been correct about how much time they had left on their
journey. Fifteen minutes later, they entered the valley. A couple of
minutes after that, they were pulling into the parking lot of a boat
dock on the edge of the town. Duo shivered in fear as he looked out
over the large lake stretched out before him. He didn't like large
bodies of water. Actually, terrified was the correct word. All that
water collected in one place just seemed so… unnatural. And to
think
that most of that out there was at depths well over his head scared
him to death.

Wufei had hopped out of the truck when they'd pulled in to the
parking area to talk to a scraggly looking man waiting near the dock.
The two exchanged words for a minute or so before Wufei handed him
the keys to the truck and walked quickly back to where Duo was
waiting in the cab.

"Grab your stuff, Maxwell."

Duo grabbed his pack and slid out of the truck. "What's going on?"

"It's part of Master O's plan. Jeb over there will take the truck
from here, to throw anyone looking for it off our trail."

"Oh," the braided pilot said, walking away from their escape
vehicle. "So what do we do? Hot wire a different car?"

"No."

Duo looked confused. "We're not going to walk to our safe house are
we?"

"No."

"Damnit, Wufei! Will you tell me what's going on?"

The dark-haired pilot pointed down to the dock. "We'll be staying on
that."

Duo followed the line of Wufei's finger, eyes widening as he saw what
his partner was pointing at.

"Oh no."

Wufei's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What's wrong with that?"

Duo shook his head. "There's no way you're going to get me on that
thing!"

"Duo, we don't have time to stand around and argue…"

"No! Not only no, but hell no! Uh-uh. Forget. I'll walk to the safe
house."

"Duo… it's a *houseboat*. That *is* our safe house."

Duo's eyes widened in shock. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I'm not. What's wrong with it? You've been on boats before. You've
even gone underwater in your Gundam before."

"I've been on Howard's big ass *ship*, where I could walk around and
not even *see* the water. I've been in Deathscythe's cockpit where I
knew the seals were watertight. That thing looks like it wouldn't
last through a storm."

Wufei sighed. "It's perfectly safe, Duo. It may be a little old on
the outside, but O assured me it would have everything we needed
inside. Now pick up your gear and come on."

"No."

"Duo, I'm not going to wait around while you act like a spoiled
child…"

"I said no, 'Fei! There is no way in hell you are going to get me on
that floating deathtrap…"

"Shit!" Wufei swore, interrupting Duo's tirade. Duo saw him looking
up at the mountain road they had just driven down. High above,
several armored trucks were heading down the mountain… heading in
their direction. "Duo, we don't have time to argue! Let's go."

Duo was on the verge of panic. He was caught between a rock and a
hard place… or rather, the devil and the deep blue sea.
Literally. He
could either stay behind and get captured by OZ soldiers, or he could
face certain death in the chilly waters of the mountain lake. He
swallowed hard. He knew he couldn't allow himself to be captured. But
he was frozen in place. He couldn't bring himself to take one step
towards the water.

Wufei was already halfway down the wooden dock when he noticed Duo
wasn't behind him. He turned and shouted angrily at the
American. "Duo, come on! We have to be away from here when they
arrive!"

Duo closed his eyes, shaking in fright. "I c…can't."

He heard Wufei running back up the dock, gravel crunching under his
feet as he jumped off and back onto the parking area. Before Duo knew
what was happening, he felt himself being lifted off his feet and
slung over a muscular shoulder. "'Fei? What are you doing?"

"We have to go. Now!"

Duo started to struggle. "No! Let me down! I can take care of
myself!"

Wufei stepped on the dock, moving swiftly towards the houseboat. Duo
opened his eyes and gasped as he realized how close he was to the
water. He froze immediately, too terrified to fight any longer.

The Chinese pilot dumped Duo onto the front deck of the houseboat,
then moved quickly to the controls just inside the glass door. Duo
followed him blindly, not wanting to see the water any longer.
Already the movement of the boat was making him ill. And unlike the
time he stayed on Howard's ship, he didn't have any medication to
quell his heaving stomach. He disappeared further into the cabin,
taking deep breaths in order not to be sick all over the place. He
sank down to the floor in the little hallway separating the
kitchenette from the sleep quarters. He curled himself into a little
ball, wishing the whole mess was over already.

"Duo! I need you to untie the moorings while I start the engine!"
Wufei called from the front of the boat.

Duo curled up tighter, shivering in fear. He couldn't even find his
voice long enough to refuse Wufei's request.

The Chinese pilot stuck his head around the corner to yell at
him. "Duo, did you hear me?"

"I… I c…can't, 'F…fei. I'm s…sick," the braided teen
stuttered,
refusing to open his eyes.

"Dammit, Maxwell!" Wufei cursed as he slammed out of the cabin to
untie the moorings himself.

Duo barely heard him move around the boat before finally returning to
the controls. He was only vaguely aware of the motor starting up, and
the boat moving away from the dock. But as soon as they passed
the "No Wake" marker and Wufei threw the throttle forward, Duo cried
out, eyes opening wide to look for something… *anything* to be
sick
in. The motion of the boat across the choppy water was going to make
him sick. His eyes fell on a large bowl in one of the kitchenette
cupboards. He only barely managed to grab it before his stomach
rebelled. He heaved until there was nothing left. His sides hurt with
the exertion. He gingerly placed the bowl on the floor and curled up
again, feeling extremely cold, and wishing he was anywhere but out
there on the water in a boat that looked like it would sink during
the next small storm.





Wufei steered the houseboat out of the small inlet where the dock was
located and around several of the small islands in the middle of the
lake. With any luck, the OZ soldiers would think they were still in
the truck and not out here hiding on the water. There were other
boats on the lake, but they more likely than not belonged to the
townspeople. Still, better safe than sorry, he avoided them, pulling
as close to one of the islands as possible, out of sight of the
mainland. He cut the engine and hurried outside to drop the little
anchor to keep the wind from blowing them into the island.

When everything was done, Wufei turned his attention to finding the
braided pilot and give him a lecture on foolishness and
responsibility. Idly he wondered how such a baka could have become a
Gundam pilot. Wufei seriously doubted the sanity of whichever
scientist was behind Duo's training and subsequent position as pilot.
Still… there was something to the violet-eyed boy. He had a deep
heart and a dedication that rivaled his own. But that was no excuse
for not helping him at the dock.

'Sick. Right. He was perfectly fine in the truck. How could he have
gotten sick so quickly. Baka.'

"Duo! Get out here!" he called aloud, tapping his foot impatiently.
When he received no answer, Wufei narrowed his eyes and decided to go
looking for the errant pilot. "Duo!"

A low moan from the little, darkened hallway caught his attention.
Flipping on the overhead light, Wufei gasped as he saw the
Deathscythe pilot huddled in a heap on the floor.

"Duo!"

The American was curled around what appeared to be a bowl. Wufei
knelt by his side and gently pried it from his grasp, crying out in
surprise when he saw what was in it. "By the heavens, you really
*are* sick, aren't you?" he asked as he tried to get the unresponsive
pilot to sit up.

Something was wrong. Duo's head lolled back lifelessly as Wufei tried
to help him sit up. Even in the dim light of the hallway, he could
tell that the young American was very, very pale. He placed a hand on
Duo's forehead, cursing when he felt how cold and clammy the boy
seemed to be.

'Shit! He's going into shock! How the hell did that happen?' he
thought, picking Duo's light body off the floor.

He shoved open the door to the sleeping quarters and lay Duo on the
bed gently. He hurried to the small washroom to wet a towel with
lukewarm water. He made his way back to the bed and used the towel to
clean Duo's face of sweat and vomit. Tossing the towel aside, he
eased Duo into a sitting position in order to strip him of his soiled
shirt. Wadding the garment into a little ball to be cleaned later, he
went to work on the American's pants, leaving him clad only in his
black silk boxers.

'When did he have time to buy *silk* boxers?' he wondered, blushing
slightly at Duo's almost nude form.

Ignoring his body's reaction, he tucked the braided pilot in, drawing
up all the covers in an effort to get some warmth back into Duo's
body. To his relief, Duo buried himself beneath the blankets, his
cheeks gaining some color as the boy slipped into a more normal
sleep. Wufei picked up Duo's clothes and stuffed them in the bathroom
to be cleaned later. Methodically, we went around the boat, making a
mental inventory of supplies and stowing both his and Duo's gear. He
hoped the other pilot was all right. They couldn't afford to lose him
now.

'*We* can't afford to lose him, or *you* can't afford to lose him?'
his conscience asked as he worked. He hurriedly pushed aside the
thought. No sense dwelling on it if he didn't know the answer… or
was
unwilling to face the truth.