Hey , to all my loyal fans of If You're Gone........... this is a total rewrite of this story.... I’m going to delete all the chapters and replace all of them with new and improved ones... it will be a bit different from the other... I hated it and I would not have finished it if I didn't do this ... so on to the new ................ oh , and I hope to have chapter titles.......... and you need to tell me what you thing of this new version of the old one......

1. If You're Gone....

chapter 1 :

Harsh words and broken hearts.

Sally Po stood and poured herself another cup of coffee as she waited for him to enter the house. He would be angry but it would do him no good. It was her turn to rotate and Une did not take no for an answer. She wasn't worried, his anger was something she could handle. She shivered a bit as she sipped the hot liquid. For some reason she felt impending doom, not just for this mission but for personal reasons, too.

She heard the door slam knowing he was home. She straightened up and waited for him to enter the small kitchen.

She knew immediantly he was angry.

"Wu?"
He turned and glared at her.
"So you know."

"Yes and I don't like it. It's wrong sending onnas on fact finding missions. It could be dangerous. I won't have it!" He shouted at her.

She stood and glared at him. "What are you talking about? I've gone on many missions and I don't need your approval or your permission! How dare you!"

"You do, if you live with me in my house!"

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"You heard me, Onna! I did not stutter."
Sally clenched her fists. "You have no right to tell me what to do!" She hissed at him.

WuFei glared at her and crossed his arms. "If you defy me and go on this mission, DO NOT RETURN TO THIS HOUSE!"

She picked up her cup and went to the sink. " Defy you?! I have no choice, WuFei, I have to go on this mission. It's Une's orders and if you are going to be that bull headed, then fine. Take it up with her." She sighed and walked past him.

He watched in shock as she brushed past him to go to their room.

She looked around the room as she entered. Going to the small closet, she pulled out her duffel bag and began to shove her clothes inside. "I'll have some one come for my things while I'm gone. Please don't stop them. I'll give them a list of what is mine and that is all they will take. Please have my things ready."

She went to the dresser, picking up the group picture, turning to shove it into her bag.

He never said a word as she packed. Her words barely sinking into his angry mind. He could hear what she was saying but it wasn't registering. The only thought he had was, She’s leaving me! *

"Sally, what are you doing?"
"I'm leaving, WuFei. I have a mission I must go on. I have to pull my weight."
"But you are a Doctor! You need to stay at headquarters! You aren't suppose to go on missions!"
"No, Iria is there. I'm not needed right now. We have discussed this."
WuFei leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, unsure of what to he should do.

"Sally......"
She turned to him, "I’m sorry you feel that way, Wu. You can't stop me. I'll do as you request. I can stay at the base. Noin will be here to pick me up, soon. I'll send some one for my car, too. Good-bye, Wu Fei."
She hefted the bag on to her shoulder and walked past him to the door. She glanced at him once more , then she went out the door.

WuFei watched the door close and stood straight. "I do not need you, Woman." He said, stubbornly.

He turned and went into the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Noin pulled up and saw Sally's long face.

"Hey, Sal. What's up."
Sally just shook her head and said nothing as she climbed into the jeep.

Noin frowned, "You had a fight."

"Yeah, It's over. He told me if I took this mission, I couldn't come back."
"He's being unreasonable."
"I know, " Sally sighed.

"He knows how Une is, He'll come around."
"Maybe, but maybe I won't."

"Sal?"
She shook her head. "I'm tired of all of it, Lu. He is such a unyielding little prick. Woman , this, Woman , that. I do have a name even if he doesn't use it very often. " She shook her head. "I’m done."
Lu looked over at her friend. "You gonna be OK?"
Sally looked over at her. "Yep. I’m gonna be just fine. Maybe I can get Hilde and Duo to get my stuff while we're on this mission."
Lu smiled. "I’d bet on it. Duo loves tormenting Wu."

Sally laughed, "Now that would be payback."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Duo and Hilde pulled up to the house and looked at each other. Hilde pointed her finger at him and said. "No funny stuff. Remember last time. You don't need any broken bones. We have a mission in two days. We'll go in give Wu Fei this list and get Sally's stuff."

Duo grinned at her and said nothing.

"DUO! Promise!"
He nodded and said. "OK, But he's wrong, Hilde. And you know he is."

"I know, but we are here just to get her things. We'll worry about getting them back together, later."
"OK."

They went to the door and knocked. Wu Fei flung the door open and opened his mouth, then closed it. The look of disappointment was written all over his face.

"Sorry, Wu. We came to get Sally's things. She said you wanted her out."
He nodded and let them in. Duo frowned as he handed Wu the list to him. He looked it over and lead them to the things he had packed.

Hilde looked at him. "You did all this?"
"I told her to leave and I know she had a mission. I...."
He turned away.
Hilde sensing his discomfort, turned to Duo. "Come on, Duo, let's get this and go."

She picked up a box and carried it out. Duo picked up another one and looked at WuFei. "You know if you would apologize she'd come back."

WuFei said nothing. Duo shrugged and carried out the box.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sally looked at Lu. "Come on," She whispered. She pulled out her gun and pulled the hammer back slowly. It made a small click as it locked it place. "Are you ready?"

Lu nodded. They jumped out from behind the wall and began to fire.
"I can't believe we got caught! Wu Fei will never let me live this down." Sally shouted as they ran from the solders.

Lu grinned. "Still thinking about him, huh?"

Sally turned and fired her pistol at two of the guards then turned back to Lu. "I'm crazy, insane, but I love him. "

Lu sighed as they continued to run. "I know what you mean."

As they entered the hanger where their escape shuttle was, more solders appeared.
Sally shouted to Lu, "Get to the shuttle, I'll hold them for a minute then follow!"

Lu nodded and sprinted towards the shuttle dodging the bullets being fired at her. Sally fired several shots at the solders, giving Lu a good chance to get to the shuttle. She leaned back against the wall and listened to the bullets ping off the wall around her.

Lu ran into the shuttle and started to flick on switches. She sighed audibility as the engine hummed up to full power. She opened the blaster screen and waited for Sally to come into view. She powered up the blaster cannons, just in case they needed to blast their way out.

Sally turned and fired a few more shots before running at full speed to the shuttle. They had accomplished the mission but having been caught, it was time to vamoose. Sally could almost feel the hot breath of the bullets screaming by her. She hunched down lower, trying to be a smaller target. As she ran up the platform, she felt a sharp burning sensation along her right side. She stumbled only slightly as she quickened her pace up the ramp and inside the shuttle.

"GO!" She screamed, "I'm in."
She sighed as she slumped to the floor, clutching her side, knowing she had been shot.

After they were in deep space, with the shuttle was on auto pilot, Lu come out of the cockpit to find her friend.

"Sally? Sal......? Oh my god! Sally!"
Lu hurried to the slumped figure of her friend. She shook her a bit to revive her. "Sally! Come on, Sally! Who's gonna torment WuFei if you die?"
Sally groaned and said, softly, "I'm not going to die, yet. I still have to prove to WuFei he loves me."
Lou grinned and pulled Sally to her feet. "To the infirmary." The two woman limped to the infirmary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Une leaned back and read the message she had just received. She should go tell WuFei herself, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was slightly angry with him for his actions toward Sally. She hit her intercom button and waited for her choice to answer.

"Yeah?" Came the reply.

"Duo."
"Ma’am!"
She grinned as she could almost see the braided young man leap to his feet.

"Come to my office .... and bring Hilde."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
She closed the connection and giggled as she envisioned Duo standing at attention, snapping her a salute. She would like to see that one day......... but she doubted it would happen.

~~~~~

Duo pulled Hilde to Une's office. He whispered to her as they hurried to the door. "She wants to see us! Maybe it's a new mission!"

Hilde just nodded as she was dragged along.

duo rapped on the door and waited impatiently for her to let them in. As soon as she spoke the word "Come." They were in the room.

"You wanted to see us?"
She looked up from her desk and smiled. "Yes, Duo , Hilde. Sally and Lt. Noin are returning to the base today. I need you to inform WuFei that Sally has been wounded and to go to the infirmary."
Duo frowned , then looked at her wondering if she, too, was trying to get them back together. He nodded and said, "Ma'am."

Duo pulled Hilde from the office. " Come on, Babe. Let’s go give Justice boy his message."

~~~~~~~~~

WuFei paced the floor of his small office. Damn onnas! Une refused to discuss Sally with him. He had asked where she had gone. Privileged information she had said. He stopped in front of his desk and picked up the photo. He gazed at it and then placed it back on the desk. He looked at the pile of paper work waiting for him. He looked across at the couch to the pile o f blankets. He hadn't been home in days. No reason to go back there. He hadn't really slept. He missed her, needed her, but he had messed up badly, so badly he was afraid she wouldn't take him back. Love had made him weak. It had made him weak with Marian, and she had died because of his weakness . Sally was a strong woman, too. How could he ever think she would forgive him? He was just too weak.

He paced back and forth. She was in his thoughts constantly. He didn't know how much he had to loose until he lost her. He moved to his chair, ready to sit down when there was a rap on the door.

"Enter!" He answered , Crisply.
The door open and Duo stuck his head in, "Hey Wu. Une asked me to deliver you a message."

"What is it?"
"Um...... well she said to meet her in the infirmary. "
WuFei looked at Duo , crossing his arms. "Why?"

"Um, well........ um........."

"Spit it out, Maxwell!"

"Sally's been wounded."
"And I should care?"
Duo frowned and stepped closer. "You should care...I don't know what happened between you two but you should apologize to her."
"ME?! I don't think so, Maxwell."
"Why not?"
"It's none of your business."
"Wu Fei......"
"Maxwell! It's not your business! Now get out of my way."
"NO, You have to admit you were wrong!" Duo reached out and poked a finger at Wu Fei.

"I was not wrong!" He said, in a soft, menacing tone. "I will not apologize to that onna. She was foolish."
"She was doing her job. Why can't you admit............."

'Kisama! That woman has made you weak!"

"Maybe so, but I'll take weak over a fool anyday!"

WuFei cocked his fist back and hit Duo, sending him sprawling to the floor. WuFei glared at the prone man and stepped over him, He slammed the door and looked up at Hilde, giving her a small shove to get her out of his way. She glared at his back as she rubbed her shoulder where he had pushed her. She turned to the door and pushed it open, only to see Duo sitting on the floor, wiping blood from his face. Hilde got to her knees in front of him and reached out.

"Just leave me be, for a couple of minutes, OK? " He said, harshly. "I'm not helping him again. If you want to that's fine but you'll get no help from me."
Hilde looked at the floor, then at Duo. She stood and fled from the room without a word.

Duo tilted his head back and sighed. " Ah, Shit! Hilde!"

Hilde stood and left the room, her fists were clenched in tight balls as she ran down the hall way, looking for the man who was going to take the brunt of her anger.

When she spotted him she yelled, "WUFEI! YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
He turned and glared at her.
She came up to him and stared in his face. "You know, he was only trying to help you, you selfish bastard. The fucking world does not revolve around you, Chang WuFei! And maybe someday you'll see who are your friends are before you lose them all." She balled up her fist and raised it up, then dropped it. She turned from him and walked away.

He watched her and was about to turn around when he saw Duo approach Hilde. His eyes narrowed as he watched them. He watched as Duo grabbed her and pulled her into a tight embrace. He watched as Duo leaned in and whispered in her ear, then kissed her.

WuFei frowned , then grunted, turning away. "Foolish."

Wu Fei left the couple in the hall and went on to the infirmary. He entered, stopping at the nurse's station and asking , "Sally Po?"

The girl behind the computer typed in the name. "Room 196."
"Thank you."

WuFei walked down the hall to the room, wondering if this was a good idea. He had to see her, to know that she was OK.

WuFei stepped into the room seeing her nestled in the pristine white sheets. There was an IV in her arm and the heart monitor, bleeped and blinked softly. He crossed over to the bed and looked down at her.

"Sally." He whispered.

"Go away, WuFei. I don't want to talk to you."

He jumped back from the bed startled that she had spoken.

"I....I thought you were a sleep?"

"No, I'm awake, and I told you I didn't want to talk to you."
"Sally...."
"Don't give me any crap, WuFei. I'm not in the mood."
"Sally. We need to talk."

"No, I think you said it all before I left."

He looked at her as she turned away. She sighed.

"I think we should stay away from each other for awhile. I need some time to think about this."

He looked sideways at her and stepped back. "If that's what you want, Sally."

She didn't look at him, continuing to look out the window.

WuFei walked to the door and reached for the handle. "Sally. I apologize."
Then he was out the door.

She looked over at the closed door. "One right does not fix the problem with us. "She sighed to no one.

tbc..................

well, what do you think of the rewrite... let me know................ I am happier with this, but how bout you?

Back to Fics