You are cordially invited
To the 21st Birthday Party
For Mr. Quatre Raberba Winner
On the 13th day of May AC 201
The party will be held at
The Winner Residence on L4
Please RSVP by 02 April AC 201

****************

"How many times do I have to tell you, Anka? I. AM. NOT. GOING!" Hilde threw her hands down in frustration as she argued with her sorority sister.

Anka looked up from her magazine, an amused look played across her face. "Hilde, you've been keeping secrets from us for the past three years."

The petite redhead lounging on the bed, chimed in. "You never told us that you knew Quatre Winner. The heir to the biggest fortune in the entire universe."

"It must have slipped my mind, Gwen." Hilde said as she plopped down the chair sitting in front of her desk. Who could have thought that one little invitation would cause this much chaos?' Placing her elbows on her knees, she rested her chin in her cupped hands.

For the past three years, she had been living in the Omega Beta Zeta house on the campus of the Freie Universitat Berlin. Here she had found the sisters that she had always dreamed about. The ones you could gossip with, the ones who always had a shoulder to cry on, the ones that would sit with you, eat ice cream and watch sappy love stories.

But in a matter of two weeks, she would be thrown out in the real world again, and she wasn't looking forward to it one bit.

Dragged from her thoughts, she found a pair of emerald greens eyes and one of cooper brown staring directly at her. Hilde sighed and smiled slightly. "Even if I wanted to go, I have finals in two weeks and graduation shortly after. I have no time to attend fancy parties, when I my life hangs in the balance of those tests."

Gwen pushed herself up into a seated position. "Stop being so melodramatic, Hilde. You've got a 4.0 G.P.A; all your professors love you. Hell, you're even graduating a year earlier than the rest of us. You need to enjoy life, not spend it buried in textbooks."

You guys don't know how much of life I've experienced in my 20 years. The thought came to Hilde's mind but never escaped her lips. Some secrets were best kept swept under rugs.

Tossing her blond hair, Anka added, "Besides we already sent your RSVP."

Hilde stared at her friend, her mouth slightly open. Anka laughed at the comical look on her best friends face. "Hilde, you better close your mouth or you're liable to catch flies."

Regaining her composure, she sent Anka a narrowed look. "How could you do that to me?" Quickly stalking across the room, Hilde moved over to the vid-phone. "I'll just have to call Quatre and explain to him that I'm not able to make it because . . . because I don't have the money. Yea, that's it!"

Before she could begin to place the call, Gwen cleared her throat. "I'm afraid that won't work." Reaching into the top drawer of her night side, Gwen withdrew an envelope and walked over to Hilde. "You see, Quatre already made arrangements for your travel." Placing the envelope in Hilde's open palm, Gwen retreated back to her side of the room, not wanting to take the full force of her friends temper.

Hilde pulled out the tickets and itinerary and looked at them through misty eyes. Her heart and her brain had been at constant odds since the invitation arrived in the mail. It seemed that her friends had been the deciding factor. Always count on your friends to either get you out of messes, or put you right in the middle of them.

Blinking a couple of times, her vision cleared and Hilde took her first long look at the agenda. The color drained from her face as she quickly brought her head up. "I leave tomorrow?!" Hilde began to panic. "I have nothing to wear to a formal function like this! Where am I going to find a dress at the last minute?"

Gwen and Anka looked at each other with huge bright smiles. "SHOPPING TRIP!!" Pulling Hilde out of the chair, Anka headed for the door, while Gwen grabbed their purses and the car keys.

****************

A couple hundred dollars poorer and one dress richer, Hilde stood on the jet-way casting her friends an apprehensive look and a tentative wave. As she watched the jet-way pull away from the docking area, he subconsciously tightened her grip on her garment bag. She felt like a little girl, going on her first trip away from home; scared and uncertain.

Sighing, Hilde turned away from the closed doors that lead to the space dock and sluggishly moved toward the shuttle. Due to her despondency, she was the last to board. Her first class ticket gripped in one hand, she finally made her way to her seat. As she sat down, Hilde noticed that the entire first class cabin was empty, except for her.

Hilde shook her head. Quatre, still looking out for your friends.

The attendant came by and took her garment bag for her tight grasp. Not knowing what to do with her hands, Hilde sunk down in the plush seat and fastened her seat belt. Her hands found their way to the ends of the armrests; her nails biting into the cushioned padding. Pushing her head back against the high backed seat, Hilde closed her eyes and tried to remain calm.

She was terrified to fly. Piloting a mobile suit is a completely different situation then flying on a commercial flight. The main reason was control. If she could actually fly the shuttle, things would be better.

As the engines roared to life, Hilde's grip became harder; causing her knuckles to turn white. At least Quatre was kind enough to make sure I didn't embarrass myself in front of anyone. Who would have thought that me, an ex-OZ soldier, would be afraid to fly? Hilde forced herself to look out the window and watch as the shuttle was wheeled out onto the launch ramp.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain calling from the flight deck. We've been cleared for launch. We ask everyone to please double check his or her safety belts. As soon as the flight attendants give us the thumbs up, we'll be on our way. Today's flight to L4 should last approximately 3 hours."

Sunlight streamed through the small window, landing on the right side of her face; glistening off the single tear that raced down her face. The sudden acceleration pushed Hilde further back into her seat as the shuttle gained speed for take-off, forcing her to close her eyes.

Though she remained silent, her mind and heart both screamed, "This is a mistake!" But she was unable to turn back now, just like she was unable to go back and change the events of three years ago . . .

It was a simple kiss, an innocent kiss. Or at least it had started out that way. A kiss that they had done time and time again. But the way his eyes burned deep into hers, Hilde knew it was more than just one innocent kiss. Duo tilted his head slightly to the side and applied a little more pressure against her lips. She sighed, giving him the chance to deepen the kiss, taking them further into the sea of passion they had been swept into.

Clothes and inhibitions were shed, as they explored each other by both touch and taste. Duo's hands worked magic as they traveled across her body, taking her to heights she'd never experienced before. Even with her lack of knowledge, lead by desire, instinct and love, Hilde had been able to return the favor, her voice escaping his lips in a harsh whisper.

They finally came together, wrapped in each other's embrace. No amount of physical pain could override the pleasure coursing through her body. Slowly, Duo took her to the highest peak, promising her the stars if she wanted them. Hilde wound her hands into her long hair and brought his face down to hers; his lips on hers as she finally reached the stars he had promised her with each touch, each kiss.

Duo rolled to his side, pulling Hilde with him, so they lay face to face. Her eyes were closed as she sighed and curled against the warmth of his body like a contented kitten. Duo placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and the let sleep consume him as well.

Sunlight poured in the bedroom the next morning, dancing across her face, pulling her from the darkness of sleep. Hilde rubbed the sleep from her eyes and as her vision cleared she was able to take in her surroundings. She was in Duo's room, in Duo's bed. With that warm thought tucked tightly into place, Hilde let herself think about the possibility that dreams do come true.

Holding the sheet tight against her chest, she rolled over to greet the other occupant in the bed, her lover. But what she saw caused her smile to falter and then quickly disappear.

He sat on the edge of the bed, clad in only a pair of black silk boxer shorts. His glorious hair was loose, cascading down his back. Tears quickly pricked at her eyes when she noticed that Duo held is face in his hands.

"Duo?" Hilde called his name as she reached out to touch him, but she hesitated, letting her hand hang in the air only a few inches away from his shoulder.

Duo's head shot up at the soft sound of her voice. He didn't look at her; he just continued to stare into the room in front of him. "I'm sorry, Hilde." He said, his voice barley above a whisper.

The tears she had been holding back threatened to fall as she realized where this conversation was headed. He turned his body slightly to the side, bringing his face completely around to look into hers. He ran his hand through his bangs to around the back of his neck.

"I . . . Things got a little out of hand last night. I guess you could say that I was caught up in the moment. But the truth is . . ." Duo paused, searching for the right words. "I'm sorry, Hilde. What happened last night . . . it was a mistake."

A slap in the face wouldn't have stung as deeply as the words that just tumbled from his mouth. Hilde was thankful that the sun was behind her, casting her face in shadows. She could see the regret in his beautiful cobalt eyes. What could she say? 'Last night was the most wonderful night of my life!' Or better yet, 'I love you!'

Instead, she just remained silent. Duo moved closer to her, trying to read her expression but her face was hidden by morning shadows and a wall of messy bangs.

"Hilde, I realize we can't go back and change what happened, but I still want to be your best friend. And I still want you to be my best friend. Last night, doesn't have to change that."

She watched from beneath her bangs as Duo extended his hand towards her. A tentative smile appeared as he simply asked, "Friends?"

She looked up into his handsome face. She'd never been able to deny him anything, so she'd deny her own feeling just to see him honestly smile. Grasping his hand in hers, she shook it and answered him back, "Friends." . . .

Hilde opened her eyes and found the moon harshly glaring at her. She detached her fingers from the armrest and rubbed her hands over her chilled arms. The stewardess picked that moment to stop by. "Can I get you something to drink, Ms. Schbeiker?"

"Hot tea, please." She answered quickly before turning her attention back out of the shuttle window.

And so friends they had remained, or had tried to remain friends. But their relationship changed forever in just that one night; a night that neither of them mentioned again.

Gone were the carefree attitudes, the fun nights, the casual flirting. For the first couple of weeks after that night, they walked on eggshells around each other. The guys at the scarp yard joked about the tension being so thick you couldn't cut it with a scythe.

Hilde watched as Duo moved on with his life, dating other women. In time, it seemed he had totally forgotten about the night they spent together. He started treating her like he had before, his best friend. But Hilde had been unable to move on, unable to forget. She loved him so much that she cherished the one night they spent together, even if he regretted the entire episode.

Finally, Hilde could no longer stand living with him, constantly remained of what she had dared to dream for and couldn't have. On a whim, she had sent applications to a couple of universities on Earth, and was accepted on scholarship to the Freie Universitat Berlin. She jumped at the chance to get far away from Duo, so she left him and Howard in charge of the scrap yard, while she pursued her degree in Interspatial Affairs.

The distance had allowed her to learn more about her life and herself. As the semesters turned into years, the correspondence between herself and Duo grew from days to weeks to months. It had been better this way, hadn't it?

Hilde took a sip of her hot tea. She still loved him. Time and distance hadn't been able to dull any of her feelings for him.

"Ms. Schbeiker?"

Hilde shook her head and glanced up at the attendant. "I'm sorry."

The stewardess smiled. "That's okay, dear. We're about ready to land at the colony."

"Okay. Thank you." Hilde replied as she handed the young woman her unfinished cup of tea. Hilde rechecked her seat belt, making sure it was secure before she closed her eyes and pushed her head back into the plush chair back.

As her fingers pressed into the armrest as the shuttle approached the colony, Hilde couldn't help but wonder, how long she could stand there and pretend to be nothing more than Duo's friend before she snapped?

****************

The limo ride to the Winner Estate took her right through the heart of the colony. Living on Earth for the past three years had somewhat spoiled her to the beauty of Nature. Things such as sunlight and moonlight didn't need to be replicated. On the Earth, beneath the grass was dirt, not tons of metal. She was even amazed at the structural differences between L4 and L2. The colony contained numerous buildings and monuments built in Arabic fashion. Hilde continued to stare out of the tinted windows, watching the city disappear behind her.

The small the city became, the closer they came to the Winner Estate. Her palms grew damp as the huge mansion came into view. The Georgian style mansion seemed out of place compared to the Arabic architecture of the rest of the colony, but it seemed to suit the Winners.

As the limo pulled to a stop at the bottom to the stairs, Hilde saw Quatre and Trowa waiting for her near the doorway. "Too late to turn back now." She muttered to herself as the chauffeur opened the door. Hilde curled herself from the vehicle and gave them both a smile.

Quatre watched her as she followed the chauffeur up the stairs to where they were waiting. Trowa noticed the frown that formed on his lover's brow. "What's wrong?"

"She's apprehensive. Very apprehensive." Quatre said, his gaze never wavering off of Hilde's form.

Trowa smirked. "You don't have to be an empath to figure that out." His green eyes darted between Quatre's face and the wide cornflower blue eyes of the girl ascending the stairs.

Hilde stopped five steps shy from the front porch. Quatre smiled at her and descended the last few stairs to greet her. "Hilde, we're so happy that you were able to attend the party." He said as he extended a hand toward her. Hilde quickly rubbed her clammy against her pants before she let him take hold and lead her into the house.

Trowa followed behind them as the moved into the main hallway. Hilde stopped and stared; actually gawked would be a better word. Beautiful paintings and tapestries were scattered along the walls, while various sculptures and statues lined the walkway. She was reminded of all the castles located along the Rhine River she had dragged Anka to one summer.

Quatre flashed Trowa a sad smile as he watched her lightly run her hands along a tapestry depicting the mythological birth of the goddess Aphrodite. "Quatre, these tapestries are exquisite. How long have they been in your family?"

Trowa placed his hand on Quatre's shoulder, giving him a quick squeeze, a silent message that he was going to leave the two of them alone. Quatre placed his hand on his lover's, letting him know that he would come to him after he was done. With the silent words spoken, Trowa bowed slightly to Hilde and then excused himself, looking back over his shoulder as he continued to walk down the hallway.

"You don't have to make idle conversation for my sake, Hilde."

"Using your empathic abilities again?" Hilde asked, her back still turned to her friend.

"Not this time." Quatre watched as Hilde turned around and faced him. She wouldn't look him straight in the eye, so Quatre decided to try the direct approach. "How are you, Hilde?"

"Things are good. I have finals in two weeks, followed by graduation. You're still coming to the graduation ceremony, aren't you?"

"Yes. Both Trowa and I will be there to see you walk across that stage." Quatre paused and looked at his friend before he continued, "But I didn't mean how was school, I meant how are you doing?"

Hilde lowered her head and said, "I'd rather not talk about it."

Quatre softly grabbed her chin with his hand and turned her face up toward his. "Hilde, it's not good to keep all of these emotions you have bottled up inside. It's hurts watching you do this to yourself. Maybe it's time you really told Duo how you feel about him."

Hilde jerked her chin out of his hand. "No, Quatre. He's rejected me once; I couldn't bear it if he did it again. So, I will pretend for one more day, that we're friends. After tomorrow night, he won't see me again since I took the job on Venus. The transport for Venus leaves the day after graduation."

He knew it was no use to argue with her when she dug in her heels about something. Sighing, he bent over and kicked up her garment bag. "Come on, I'll show you to your room." Quatre lead her down the hallway and into the east wing of the mansion. He stopped about a quarter of the way into the wing and turned to the door on his left. "I hope you like your room." He said as he threw the door open.

Hilde thought she had just stepped into a fairy tale. The walls were painted a pale yellow that complimented the rosewood furniture scattered through out the room. In the far corner near the sliding glass doors that lead to the balcony, was a water fountain. It's calming sounds filled the entire room. But the biggest surprise was the traditional Arabian style bed that stood in the middle of the entire room. The bed consisted of nothing but huge pillows and a sheer canopy.

"Quatre, this is absolutely breath-taking!" Hilde exclaimed as she spun around, trying to catch every detail.

"I'm glad you like it, Hilde." Quatre reached for the doorknob to the bedroom door. "Everyone else will be arriving tomorrow, so you pretty much have the run of the entire house. But I suggest you get some rest first. Dinner is an informal affair around this place. Just ring the kitchen when you're hungry."

Hilde stopped him before he completely closed the door. "Quatre, thank you, for everything. Especially, the flight."

He sent her a kind smile. "You're welcome, Hilde. Don't worry. Your secrets are save with me." With that said, Quatre quietly pulled the door closed behind him. Once the door was closed, he leaned his forehead against it for support.

"I take it things didn't go well." Quatre was not surprised when he heard the quiet voice come from the shadows of the hallway. He turned and found emerald green eyes staring at him.

"Nope, she's just as stubborn as she was three years ago." A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "I just want them both to find happiness, like you and me, Heero and Relena, Wufei and Sally."

"Don't worry, little one. They'll find their way to each other... eventually." Putting his arm around Quatre, Trowa lead him away from the bedroom door and down the hall.

On the other side of the door, Hilde pushed back the sheer canopy of her bed and fell onto the bed of soft pillows. Kicking off her shoes, she curled up on her side and pulled the fleece blanket up over the lower part of her body.

"I'll take just a quick nap and then call the kitchen and order the biggest chocolate fudge sundae in the world." She muttered to no one in particular. Her full lashes lay against her cheeks as she closed her eyes and sunk further into the pillows.

She never did get that sundae. For the first time in three years, the ghosts from her past memories did not haunt her dreams.

"Who are you?"

Placing her fingers against the cool surface of the mirror, Hilde asked the question again.

Staring back at her was the face of a complete stranger. She didn't recognize herself, not even underneath all the fancy coverings. Taking her index finger, she traced the contours of her heart shaped face. She noticed the lines at the corners of her eyes; the frown that seemed etched in her forehead, the worry lines around her mouth.

Hilde slowly pulled her hand away from the mirror and brought it to her shoulder as she turned away from the vanity mirror in her bathroom. Sighing, she stepped back into her bedroom and sat down on a small cushioned stool. Holding her chin in her right hand, she looked down at the floor.

Earlier that afternoon, she had heard the commotion as everyone else arrived. She popped out of her room long enough to greet the rest of the crew, noticing that Duo was not among them. She breathed a sigh of relief and felt disappointed at the same time. Along with the Heero, Relena, Wufei and Sally, other guests such as business partners, family and famous friends arrived at the mansion for the party.

Lunch had been a quiet affair without Duo's presence. Hilde had been introduced to so many people; she couldn't remember the names of half of them. After lunch had concluded, Hilde excused herself and returned to the solitude of her room. She was aware of the fact that the rest of the guests had been housed in the west wing, while she was kept in the east wing, not too far from Quatre and Trowa's room. She smiled at the thoughtfulness of her friend.

Pushing herself off the stool, she decided it was time to face the music. Literally. The party had been underway for about 45 minutes, while she had sat up here and contemplated on whether or not to make an appearance. Fifteen minutes ago, guilt overrode better judgment and Hilde walked over to the closet and pulled out the dress bag. As she took hold of the doorknob, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the full-length mirror across the room.

The strapless, velvet navy blue dress had been out of style for a couple of months, but it was the only thing she could afford on her budget. Depending on the way the light hit the dress; it could be mistaken for black. The bodice of the dress fit over her curves like a glove. Hilde smiled at the fact that this dress not only gave her the appearance of having breasts, but the double slits on the side of the skirt made her appear taller than her 5'4" frame. Cocking her head to the side, she decided the dress was very flattering on her. She had only spent a couple of minutes on her make-up; since she never wore any during normal days, the little she had applied had enhanced her natural beauty. Her midnight black hair was secured in a sloppy bun by lacquered chopsticks.

She liked the way she looked in the dress, like a woman. But she also knew it was just a facade; playing dress up as a child and pretending to be someone else.

The real Hilde preferred demin and cotton over satin and lace. Corn dogs and football games to escargot and cricket. She was outgoing, or at least she used to be. Maybe that's why she didn't recognize herself anymore. The spark she had once had for life was now just an ember.

Hilde's blue eyes widened as she realized exactly who was finally staring back at her in her own reflection. For the first time, she could clearly see her own reflection. Maybe she had been blind to the fact or subconsciously ignored it, but she was no longer the same girl, she had grown up. She looked deeper into her reflection, seeing all the changes in herself and she became sadder. The person looking back at her was the new Hilde, the one that kept moving forward, created a new life. The hardest part was she knew that she had to keep moving forward even if she had to leave a big part of herself behind. Dropping her gaze from the mirror, Hilde walked out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed.

****************

The terrace was the perfect way to sneak into the ballroom. Couples sharing chaste kisses and groups of people discussing business were spread out on the patio. Sliding out of the shadows, Hilde moved forward and grabbed a crystal flute full of white wine from the tray a waiter was holding, as he was flirted with one of the partygoers.

The party was in full swing by the time Hilde stepped onto the brick patio, letting the laughter and music wash over her before she stepped through the open doors. She felt more comfortable coming through the back door, instead of drawing attention to herself by descending the main stairs that lead into the room.

Beautiful chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their lights dimmed, casting the ballroom in a romantic glow. The outer fringes of the room held numerous tables and buffet tables overflowing with food, while the middle of the ballroom had been reserved for dancing. An orchestra played from a raised stage in the far corner of the room.

She chose to stand near on of the columns next to the patio doors, sipping on her wine. That way she would be able to watch everything and also make an unnoticed exit after she had given birthday wishes to Quatre. Hilde scanned the crowd of people, nameless faces, looking for the birthday boy when she saw them standing together.

Hilde watched as they chatted with each other with such ease, though from what she knew, Heero wasn't much of a conversationalist. She felt a twinge of jealousy as she watched them interact. Hilde had never really been a part of their 'clique'. Duo had dragged her along to different events and parties held by his friends, but she had felt like the third wheel. Sure, they had all been nice to her, but she realized long ago that they were being polite because she was a 'friend' of Duo's. The only person in the group that had actually befriended her was Quatre.

After Libra, Quatre had come to visit her in the hospital, bringing her flowers and a friendly smile. He had sat with her during visiting hours, chatting about nothing in particular to the meaning of life. She knew that Quatre was the reason why Duo had come to visit her two days before she was released from the hospital. Though Quatre already had nearly 30 sisters, he treated her as a young sister, constantly looking out for her well-being. She cherished their friendship.

Hilde placing her empty glass down, she pushed away from the column and was about to make her way over to the small group, when she saw him moving back over to the group, plate of food in his hand. Quickly, Hilde pulled back into the dim light near the patio door.

His long hair had been pulled back into his patented braid. He wore a dark black tuxedo, just as every other man in the ballroom, put he seemed to stand out among the crowd. Duo's back was to her, so didn't feel too guilty caressing his body with her eyes. It's got to be a sin to look that good in a tux. Hilde continued to let her eyes roam up his body. As her eyes crested his shoulder, she made contact with a pair of deep Prussian blues eyes. She quickly turned her head and moved out onto the patio. She should have known better to stand there and gawk at them. Heero had an uncanny sense to know when he was been watched. God only knows how long he had been watching me staring at them. Hilde turned her eyes upward, looking at the fake nighttime sky.

The quicker you go in there, the quicker you can wish Quatre a Happy Birthday, and get the hell out of here. After straightening her shoulders and smoothing the skirt of her dress, Hilde marched back into the party. She glanced over at previous place where the group had been and noticed that Quatre and Trowa were no longer standing there. She politely made her way through the crowd, searching for the both of them. After about 20 minutes, Hilde gave up and decided to sit down.

Hilde watched as the people moved across the dance floor with such grace. It reminded her of the antique jewelry box she had found at a yard sale. There was a knob on the back that you turned, winding up the internal gears and when you opened the lid of the box, a prince and princess danced along a small-mirrored surface inside. She was so lost in the memory of watching the tiny figurines dancing, that she didn't realize the shadow standing over her.

"Hilde, would you like to dance?"

Hilde tilted her face up and found intense green eyes staring down at her. She started to tell him 'No', when Trowa slightly bowed at his waist and as he straightened, he took hold of her hand and lead her to the dance floor. The sound of her heels clicking across the floor as she followed Trowa resounded loudly in her head. Great. Now I'll really be drawing attention to myself. She sent Trowa a pleading look, but he chose to ignore it. Putting one hand on her waist and taking hold of her hand with his other, they began to move with the music.

****************

"... The summit isn't for a couple of days, so Heero and I are planning to take a quick 'vacation' before hand.'

"Relena Yuy, you take a vacation? I've been trying to get you to take one for years, but you refused to listen to doctors orders, so why now?" Sally questioned her friend.

"It's because she has 'other' things to be doing now while she's on vacation, not just sit and read a book." Duo replied, watching Relena blush and Heero glare at him.

Wufei and Sally joined Duo in some giggles at the newly weds expense. Wufei lifted his glass to his mouth, hoping for a sip of his drink. But the glass came to a stop half way to his mouth, as he noticed Trowa out of the corner of his eye. "Well, there's something you don't see everyday." He muttered.

"What are you talking about?" His wife asked.

Motioning out to the dance floor with the hand holding his drink, Wufei stated. "That. Barton dancing with a woman."

Everyone quickly turned their attention out toward the dance floor, trying to search out Trowa among the crowd of people. Finally, Trowa and his partner came into view.

Duo nearly dropped his own glass, his eyes widening in surprise. "Hilde?"

The last time he had seen Hilde, beyond the vid-phone, was the day she boarded the shuttle bond for Earth. It nearly killed him to stand there and let her go. One salty tear slid down his face as he watched the shuttle depart the colony three years ago. He had made his choice and she had made hers. He had meant it when he said that making love to her was a mistake. He felt as if he was holding her back, like a bird with clipped wings. Duo knew she deserved better things in her life, than to be stuck beside a person who had no idea about living. So Duo pretended that the night they shared had meant nothing to him, but he was only fooling himself.

As more and more people moved out on the dance floor, he looked on as Trowa tightened his hold on Hilde. Duo had to berate himself for the white-knuckle grip he had on the crystal glass. He had nothing to be jealous over, Trowa was only her friend and he had no claim to Hilde; he'd made sure of that three years ago.

Watching her glide across the dance floor with Trowa almost knocked the breath out of him. He had hoped that she would attend the party, so he could see her, even if it was from a distance. Here he was, standing on the sidelines, watching the object of his dreams dancing across the room and no one had even bothered to tell him that she had been in the same room with him all this time.

Relena laid a hand on Duo's shoulder. "You didn't know she was here?"

Before he turned to face his friends, he made sure he hid the hurt that shone in his dull cobalt eyes. "Nope. She didn't tell me she was coming." Setting his drink on a nearby table, Duo excused himself from the group and went in search of a certain blond haired Arabian.

Leaving his friends staring at his back, Duo made his way through the throng of people gathered in the ballroom. It didn't take him too long to find Quatre; all he had to do was look for the largest cluster of people in the building.

Quatre had been talking to an important diplomat when he caught the narrowed glare of an angry God of Death coming closer toward him. Inwardly cringing, Quatre rolled his eyes. He must have spotted Trowa and Hilde. I honestly believe Trowa is trying to goad Duo's temper. Kindly brushing off the stuffy representative Quatre headed in Duo's direction.

"Boy, the night has been full of surprises, hasn't it, Q-man?" The sarcasm was evident in Duo's low voice. "Why didn't you tell me that Hilde was here?"

Quatre, being the ever-present voice of reason in the group, held his hands up in front of his body. "It wasn't my place to tell you she was here."

Duo lowered his gaze to the floor and let out a huge sigh. He had no right taking out his frustrations on Quatre. He was both hurt and upset with the beautiful sprite out on the dance floor. She had hid from him. Duo knew if it wasn't for Trowa pulling her out on the dance floor, he might not have ever known she had attended the party.

Quatre looked past Duo and noticed the dance had ended. Trowa had bowed to Hilde, while she gave him her best curtsy. Quatre watched as his lover turned a mischievous look towards him and grabbed Hilde's hand; leading her off the dance floor and directly towards Duo.

Hilde had to smile. Trowa was a wonderful dancer; he moved with such grace, she felt clumsy in comparison to him. All the twirling had sent the glass of wine she had straight to her head. The room was still somewhat spinning, so she gladly let Trowa lead her. She was hoping he was leading her toward a table so she could sit down, but when the fog cleared, Hilde found herself only 20 feet from Duo and closing fast.

Hilde shot Trowa a seething look, hoping that he would take the hint and quickly change directions. But he only chuckled and whispered, "This is for your own good. For the both of you."

Duo looked up as the sound of clicking heels on the marble floor grew louder and saw Hilde moving toward him. He saw a look of apprehension in her eyes, and knew that the look mirrored his own. For the first time in his life, Duo was at a loss for words. Good thing Quatre wasn't.

"Hilde, you looked wonderful out there. Not too many people can keep up with Trowa." An honest smile appeared on Quatre's face.

Hilde blushed a little. "Well, he's a great partner, even complimented me when I stepped on his toes."

"You should always compliment a lady, wouldn't you agree Duo?"

Duo turned his attention to the raven-haired woman that stood in front of him. His mouth grew drier than the desert in the summer; his tongue felt too heavy to form words. Never taking his eyes off Hilde, he merely nodded his head.

Silence dragged on for only a minute, before Trowa walked between them and grabbed Quatre by the elbow and started to drag him away. "Quatre, weren't you suppose to introduce me to the Arabian ambassador from X7-02. If you'll both excuse us." Before Quatre could protest, Trowa had him nearly across the room.

"Trowa . . ."

"Happy Birthday, Quatre. Before you start, little one, I know what you're about to say."

"You do?"

"Yes. You're going to ask if I read your mind when you blew out the candles on your cake."

Quatre blushed as he smiled. "Thank you, Trowa." He was thankful the dim lighting masked the blush that crept up his face as he asked the next question. "That isn't all you had planned for my birthday present, was it?"

Dropping his hand from his elbow, Trowa ran his index finger down his lover's arm. "No. I have more in store for you." Trowa answered. Hoping the party would quickly die down, they continued into the crowd.

****************

Cobalt eyes held cornflower blue ones, neither set darting away or breaking the contact.

"Hilde . . ."

"Duo . . ."

Uneasy laughter escaped both of them. Hilde took the initiative, gesturing toward Duo. "You go first."

He stared at Hilde for a couple of seconds. You look absolutely beautiful. The thought ran across his mind, but instead of voicing the wayward thought, he stuffed his hands into the deep pockets of his pants. Rocking back on his heels, he asked, "How are things on Earth?"

Hilde flashed him a quick sad smile. "Fine. I have finals in two weeks. Graduation takes place the Saturday morning following finals week."

"And after graduation, what are you planning to do? You going to stay on Earth or come back to L2?"

Hilde quietly observed Duo through her thick eyelashes. Was there a hint of hopefulness in his voice or was it her wishful thinking? "I'm . . . I'm not sure just yet. I have a lot of different options to choose from."

Duo sent her one of his 100-watt grins. "But you'll tell me when you've decided, right?"

"Of course." As she continued to talk to him about her college life and her classes, trading funny stories with him, she thought back to what she had just told him. "I may run and hide, but I never lie." Duo's personal motto. Thank goodness I never adopted his motto for my own.

Finally the both of them ran out of stories to swap, a silence grew between them.

The orchestra picked that moment to clear the way for a young woman as she made her way onto the stage, followed by Quatre.

Quatre made his way to the microphone. "I consider you all my dear friends and would like to thank you all for coming out to my 21st birthday party. Please feel free to linger as you may need, but I know most of you must catch early flights back in the morning. I would like to introduce Ms. Cyndi Thomson who will sing the finally song of the evening. Once again, thank you all."

Applause filled the ballroom, as Quatre made is way down the stage stairs. As the young woman moved in front of the microphone, couples started to move toward the dance floor.

Hilde watched as Heero lead Relena out on to the floor. Duo looked at Hilde as she continued to stare out into the crowd of people moving onto the floor. Reaching out, he lightly touched her bare arm. Hilde quickly swung her eyes to meet his. "Come on, Hilde. One last dance; for old times sake."

"Okay."

As Duo lead her on to the dance floor, as the music began to flow over the floor, he said, "I won't be held responsible for any damage done to your toes." Hilde giggled.

Placing her hand on his shoulder and taking hold of his other hand, they began to dance as the lyrics began.

*It took me by surprise

When I saw you standing there

Close enough to touch

Breathing the same air

You asked me how I'd been

I guess that's when I smiled and said just fine

Oh but baby I was lying*

Duo frowned as he realized that Hilde was staring at his chest, refusing to look him directly in the eyes. But what had he expected, that she would be overjoyed to see him? Throw her arms around him, like she had done years ago, and smile at him? No, Hilde wouldn't do that again and that's the way he wanted it, wasn't it? Duo was happy that she didn't seem to be aware that his palms had grown sweaty and he was breathing harder as he held her in his arms.

*What I really meant to say

Is I'm dying here inside

And I miss you more each day

There's not a night

I haven't cried

And baby here's the truth

I'm still in love with you

That's what I really meant to say*

Hilde continued to stare at Duo's chest through her own misty eyes. How many times had she dreamed at night of being held in his arms again? Every night, since the night they made love. Sure dancing with him may not have been the same intimate holding that haunted her at night, but it was nice to 'feel' him. To feel the warmth that radiated off his body and the tight cords of muscles hidden under his coat jacket.

*And as you walked away

The echo you my words

Cut just like a knife

Cut so deep it hurt

I held back the tears

Held on to my pride

And watched you go

I wonder if you'll ever know*

Holding Hilde in his arms was one of the hardest things he had to do because he knew that when the song ended, he would have to let go of her. Part of him wanted to let her go now, so it would be easier to walk away. However, the other part wanted the song to never end so they could remain stuck in the moment. Duo sighed, knowing that his mind would overrule his heart. He would watch her walk away, again.

*What I really meant to say

Is I'm really not that strong

No matter how I try

I'm still holding on

And here's the honest truth

I'm still in love with you

That's what I really meant to say*

As the song faded to an end, the couples broke apart and applauded. Hilde reluctantly let go of Duo's hand and stood beside him as she clapped. The young woman took her bow and headed off the stage, shaking hands with various party guests. She kept her gaze focused on the front of the room, waiting for her tears to clear before she turned to face Duo.

"Duo, are you still going to take me on a tour of the gardens?"

The sweet voice came from behind them. Hilde felt her tears automatically disappear. She turned to look behind her to find a tall blond standing in a cerulean blue dress.

"Hilde, I'd like you to meet Andrea McPherson. Andrea, this is my friend Hilde Schbeiker."

Hilde forced herself to shake the young woman's hand. "It was very nice to meet you." Looking around, she was unable to find a clock. Sighing she just went with the lame excuse anyway. "Well, it's getting late and I have a 6:00am flight tomorrow." She turned her face to Duo. "I'm happy that things are going well. I'll be in touch." Quickly, spinning on her heel, Hilde hurried out of the room, not hearing Duo call her name as she headed out on the patio.

The artificial sunlight had been turned off and for the first time since Hilde had set foot on L4, the covering on the space windows had been opened, allowing for natural moonlight to illuminate the colony. To save energy, at night, the colony ran its air circulation system, refreshing the day's air. With the fans blowing at full power, it created a little breeze throughout the entire colony.

Hilde walked out onto the balcony off her bedroom. She had already shucked her shoes at the door, sighing in relief to having her feet released for the confining grip of the spiky heels. Grabbing the chopsticks embedded in her hair with one hand, she tugged them out, letting her shoulder length tresses dance in the manufactured breeze.

She leaned against the stone railing of the balcony, resting her chin in her hands as her eyes drifted over the gardens.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now since you have a early flight."

Turning toward her left, Hilde spotted him as he walked out of the shadows. He had shed is tuxedo jacket and bowtie. The white dress shirt had been unbuttoned, revealing his muscled chest. Duo was also barefoot and his hair had been let loose to flow behind him.

"I thought I was the only person in this wing of the house." She muttered under her breath as a shot of jealousy ran through her body. "Looks like you had fun playing in the garden. Catch any moonflowers while you were out and about?" Hilde nearly cringed as she realized she hadn't been able to keep all of the sarcasm out of her voice.

He stepped closer to her before he continued. Hilde grew angrier as she saw the tiniest hint of amusement in Duo's eyes. Sensing her jealousy, Duo decided to goad her a little. "Actually, yes, I had a wonderful time in the garden. Andrea is a very entertaining person..."

"I bet she is." Hilde interrupted.

Duo chose to ignore her comment and continue. "And as for being the only person in this wing, I guess you were wrong."

Hilde turned her back to him and tried to focus on the garden. "So where's Ms. McPherson now? Surely you didn't just leave her alone, the night's still young or do you have other women awaiting your arrival. I'd hate to keep you from them. "

Silence was her only answer. Her mouth burned from the venomous statement she just threw at him. Hanging her head, she closed her eyes. When did I become so bitter? The only sound she heard was the colony's fans running in the distance. Sighing, Hilde spun away from the railing and ran smack into him. She took a quick step back and looked up into his face. His eyes were narrowed as he scowled down at her.

"Andrea is one of Quatre's nieces and a good five years younger than me. And as for my disheveled state; I was about to take a shower when I decided to come out for some fresh air." Hilde watched as he clenched his hands. "If it weren't for the simple fact that you're my best friend and a woman, I would have beaten you for even suggesting such a thing."

"Best friend? I'm your best friend?" Hilde pushed him out of the way, refusing to let him confine her against the railing. She whirled around and gave him a dry sarcastic laugh. "You're joking, right? Because best friends don't drift apart the way we have. Hell, Duo this is the first time in three years I've seen you in person. The first time in months that we've actually held a conversation that lasted more than five minutes."

She watched him flinch as she threw the words at him.

"And as for that comment about the women, you can't be upset at me for telling the truth. You've always been a ladies man. I mean look at how easily you picked up with someone new after me..."

"Hilde, I would advise you to stop right there." Duo growled, but she was beyond listening to him.

"I'm surprised that you even remember all their names. I know I couldn't keep up with them. What'd you have a little book that contained not even their names and numbers, but what kind of food, place, movies and sexual positions they preferred, that way you wouldn't confuse them with someone else." Placing her hands on her hips, she continued to throw insults at him, unaware of the dangerous glint in Duo's eyes.

"Now that I think about it, didn't every woman on L2 cross the threshold to your bedroom?"

"Since you know all about my sex life, Hilde, let me ask you about yours. How many men have you taken to your bed since me? One? Two? Five? You know they say sorority girls give it up easier than any other type of girl on college campuses."

The sound of her hand smacking his face nearly drowned out her whispered curse. "You Bastard!" She spun and headed toward her bedroom.

"THAT'S IT!" Duo yelled. Marching across the balcony, he grabbed her by the shoulders so that she couldn't run away. He then turned her around and ran is strong hands down her arms, pinning them at her sides. "I warned you not to push me, Hilde. And by God you will keep your mouth shut now!"

Duo brought his lips crushing down on hers. As his lips held her captive, he moved his hands up her shoulders, resting near her neck. With her arms free from his tight grasp, Hilde brought her hands up between their bodies, poised to push him away. But once her hands landed on the warm skin of his muscled chest, all the fight went out of her.

He smiled as his mouth held her, happy with the fact that she wasn't going to fight him. Duo's hands found their way to the back of her neck. Fisting his hands in her hair, he pulled lightly causing her to tilt her head farther back, her mouth slightly parting. Given the small invitation, Duo took the kiss to a deeper level.

Hilde felt herself completely give into to the demands of Duo's body, not that she was complaining. She needed to feel his body against hers, feel them together as one; had been craving it since the first time they made love. Moving her hands up his chest, she ran them under the white dress shirt that hung on his shoulders. Grabbing the cotton, Hilde slowly pulled the shirt off his shoulders and down to his elbows. Her nails raked his skin as they made there way down to the waistband of his pants.

As her hands ripped at the material of his shirt and pants, Duo released the hold on her hair and let his hands skim down her exposed back. Her skin was so soft against his unsteady hands. Hilde continued to fumble with the button on his pants as Duo pulled his mouth away from hers and began to suckle on the hollow of her neck. He heard a sigh escape her lips as his nimble fingers found the zipper to her dress.

Duo lifted his head as she sighed a second time. He realized that they were still out on the balcony. Not wanting to share Hilde's body with any prying eyes, he began to gradually walk into the bedroom, never releasing his intimate hold on her neck. When they finally crossed the threshold into her room, Duo pulled his arms away from Hilde, long enough to tear off the confining dress shirt.

Finally, Hilde was able to undo the button on his pants. But before she could reach the zipper, Duo pulled away from her. He slowly walked behind her, his hand trailing across the pale, sensitive skin along the top part of her dress. Closing her eyes and drawing a shaky breath, she felt him unzip the rest of the dress, allowing it to fall to her feet. She stood there in nothing but a garter belt, black thigh high pantyhose and a pair of black satin thongs. Duo felt his breath catch in his throat as she stepped out of the dress and turned around to face him.

Hilde kept her eyes averted from his as she made her way over to him. Falling to her knees, Hilde sat back on her heels as her hands quickly went to work pulling the pants down over his hips and letting them slide the rest of the way down his legs. She leaned forward and ran her tongue along the waistband of his silk boxers. Rising off her knees, she continued to lick her way up his torso allowing her naked breasts to rub against the same places she licked. Her path lead from his waist, up his chest, stopping to savor his neck and then moving on to his face. As her lips found his again, she lifted her leg and placed it over his hip, pushing her body against his erection. Taking the hint, Duo grabbed her other leg, lifting her up, her legs wrapped snuggly around his waist and carried her to the bed.

Duo pushed away the sheer curtain that surrounded the heap of pillows in the middle of the room. Moving behind the thin material, Duo kneeled down on the plush pillows, allowing Hilde to slide off his hips and onto her knees directly in front of him. Hilde let her hands roam down his taunt stomach; she smiled as she slid her thumbs into the waistband of his boxers. With not much effort, the material pushed away from his hips. As she shoved the boxers further down, she leaned forward, placing whisper soft kisses down the length of his torso.

A ragged breath escaped from Duo's throat as Hilde took him into her mouth. Her tongue and mouth danced along his rigid body, sending an overload of sensations throughout his body. His hands instinctively fisted themselves in her silky hair as she continued her sweet torture. Hilde felt his hands tighten in her hair, and the corners of her mouth turned upward, forming the beginnings of a devilish smile. Taking a deep breath, she leaned farther forward, taking him deeper into her mouth. The harsh whisper of her name echoed in the large room.

Duo pulled her mouth away from him, fighting to gain control of his body. Bring her face up to his; he plundered her mouth as he pushed her back into the pillows. He flashed her an impish smile and simply said, "My turn", as he began kissing her neck. His kisses left a wet path as it lead from the hollow of her neck to her breasts. His hands gently held her small breast as he wrapped his around on of the taunt pink peaks. A low moan came from the back of Hilde's throat as Duo's hands moved farther down; his index fingers tracing the lines of her black thong. In a matter of seconds, the satin material had been ripped in two and removed from her body. Pulling his mouth away from her breasts, he then moved further down on the bed of pillows and placed his mouth over her very core.

She couldn't seem to stop whimpering as Duo exacted his own form of torture on her own body. Her arms had worked their way above her head, grasping onto one of the pillows as her body shook under his mouth. Hilde felt herself climbing closer to the edge and tried to push herself over, but Duo pulled back, leaving her teetering on the edge of insanity. Taking her hips into his hands, he moved between her legs and thrust himself into her.

Her inner muscles eagerly grasped at him, drawing him deeper into her body. He began rocking his hips back and forth, slow movements that persuaded her taunt muscles to relax, allowing him to slide deeper into her hot body. Hilde moaned as her body arched off the cushion of pillows, rubbing against him as he slightly pulled back. The slight change in position caused Duo to slip all the way to the hilt. Over the gasp of shock Hilde uttered, Duo could hear the racing beat of his heart and his own hard labored breathing. The small hold he had had on his control completely snapped as she wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing his body closer to hers.

Duo's hips jack hammered, driving in and out of her. Hilde clung to him, holding him close to her; her nails raking the toned muscles of his back. Each breath that escaped came out as a throaty groan, driving Duo to quicken his pace even further. He adjusted his position, hooking his arms under her knees and holding her legs wider, the weight of his torso pinning her to the pile of pillows. Within a couple more thrusts, Hilde felt a million tiny sensations explode throughout her body; she was completely helpless against the continuing onslaught of feelings. Her body hadn't even slowed its spasms as his began. Throwing his head back, Duo buried himself into her with one last powerful stroke. A primal groan sounded in his chest as he found his release.

Silence controlled the room, only to be interrupted by the muted sound of their harsh breathing and the occasional grunt or groan as the remnants of pleasure died away. Duo's sweat dampened hair hung over his shoulders, acting as a curtain as it fell around Hilde's face. He watched as she sighed and opened her eyes. Still dark with passion, they sparkled with contentment; and in that moment Duo realized that he loved her more than the air he breathed. No longer able to support himself on his arms, he laid his head down against her chest and closed his own eyes. Hilde laid her head against his own and let herself hold him close to her heart for the rest of the night.

****************

She watched him as he slept. This wasn't the first time she had done it, however it would be the last. She loved the way he smiled in his sleep. Hilde could always tell what was he was dreaming about just by the smile on his face. It was nearly 4:00 in the morning and her ride to the airport would soon arrive. It had taken all of her strength to pull herself from his warm embrace. Blowing him a kiss, Hilde turned to her bag, removed her clothes and headed into the bathroom.

The sound of the water running down the fountain waterfall woke him up. Duo lazily stretched his arms over his head, letting a huge yawn escape in the process. Not wanting to fully wake up yet, he snuggled back down into the pillows.

"Pillows?"

Opening one eye, Duo looked up directly into the peak of the canopy. Okay, this isn't your room. Whose room are you in? Come on, Duo, think. As he began to sit up, he caught a whiff of Hilde's perfume and with it came the onslaught of all the memories of last night.

Memories of stolen kisses, sweet moans and tender touches. Making love with her had been exactly as he remembered it; full of passion and life. And at the same time, it was sweet misery. Because he realized how much he loved her and how much he would miss her once she left.

Through the sheer canopy, he watched her emerge from the bathroom. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a scarlet red tank top. Her hair had been pulled back and hidden under a tan baseball cap, a ponytail stick out of the back. Duo smiled as he watched her move around the room, picking up a few things and placing them inside her bag. She looked beautiful last night, but he preferred the way she looked when she was comfortable.

The zipping noise that echoed through the room as she closed her bag brought him out of his thoughts. Hilde adjusted the brim of her hat and reached down to pick up the bag when she heard him.

"Leaving already?"

The sound of his deep voice caused her to jump. She turned around to face him, her face expressionless. "Yeah, the flight leaves at 0600. If I leave now, I will have enough time to grab something to eat on the way."

Duo brought one knee up and rested his elbow on it. "Why don't you stay and have breakfast with me?"

His simple requested caused tears to form behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall down her face. She was tempted by the offer to stay and stare at him from across the breakfast table, drinking in her fill of him, before she left. But Hilde, preferred to remember him this way; lounging on a bed of pillows, his hair falling down his back, nude except for the sheet that was pooled in his lap.

Besides, the sooner she said goodbye, the easier it would be; on the both of them.

Duo opened his mouth, but Hilde cut him off.

"Don't. Everything that needed to be said was done so last night." She lied. "I'm truly sorry for the hurtful things I told you last night, please believe they were spoken out of anger." Picking up her garment and dress bag, she turned the knob and opened the door.

"Goodbye, Duo." Hilde called over her shoulder as she closed the door.

Duo quickly recovered from his shock, stood up from the bed and tripped over a couple of pillows. Wrapping the sheet around his waist he ran to the door. Throwing it open, he stopped at the threshold between the room and the hallway. He watched her turn the corner, willing himself not to go after her. Things will be better this way. I can live with the memories and nothing more.

From a couple of doors down the hall, a pair of sorrowful blue eyes watched as Duo banged his head against the doorframe and then retreated back into Hilde's bedroom.

"HILDE...if you don't get down here soon, the sisters have decided to try and convert Quatre and Trowa to a new religion!" Anka yelled from the stairwell.

Adjusting her cap, Hilde came out of the bathroom and headed toward Anka. For the first time in two weeks, she laughed. "I'd like to see that because better women have tried and failed, Anka. If anything, the sisters will completely turn those two off women."

Sure enough, when they walked into the common area, all of the sisters were gathered around the former Gundam pilots, asking various questions and flirting outrageously. Hilde couldn't control her laughter over the comical appearance of both men. They were completely surrounded by women, and neither of them looked like they knew how to escape. Hilde tried to stop laughing, but the thought of two Gundam pilots being held at the mercy of a group of young women when they had able capable of taking out complete armies of mobile dolls was too amusing.

Quatre turned his attention away from the petite blond jabbering in front of him when he heard Hilde's laughter. He sent her a pleading look as the blond continued to talk his ear off. Hilde bounced down the rest of the stairs and made her way through the crowd, grabbing both Quatre and Trowa by the arms and dragging them out the door. Anka and Gwen followed, trying to stifle their giggles behind their hands.

Once outside, both men breathed a sigh of relief. Trowa smoothed out the wrinkles in his suit jacket and looked over at Hilde. "Maybe it would have been a better idea to have met you at the auditorium."

"I hate to be a 'I told you so', but . . ." Hilde countered with a smile, "I did warn you."

The five of them continued to make their way across campus, picking their way through families and their graduates posing for pictures near various landmarks scattered across campus. Hilde watched the interactions between the families and felt her heart sink into her chest. She had no mother or father to share this milestone with and the one person that she wanted to be here was somewhere on L2.

Quatre looked over at Hilde. She looked stunning in her cap and gown. Her dark hair was pinned back to the sides with jeweled barrettes. She wore dark pantyhose and black shoes, as it was required for female undergraduates to wear black dresses under their black gowns. Her cap sat perfectly on her head; the golden tassel bouncing as she walked. He noticed her melancholy mood and her gaze focused on the ground. Trowa nudged Quatre's arm with his elbow and tilted his head toward the crowd of people. Quatre sent his lover a quick smile.

"Anka, would you mind taking a picture of me and Trowa with Hilde?"

"Of course not! Why don't you guys go stand next to the fountain in front of the auditorium?" Anka suggested as she took the digital camera from Quatre.

Standing between Quatre and Trowa, Hilde smiled for the picture. She knew this would be one picture that she would cherish for the rest of her life. Quickly, Anka and Gwen changed positions with the guys and Quatre snapped their picture. Her friends threatened to throw her into the fountain, but luckily a near by campus police officer stopped that idea with just a quick grunt. Quatre and Trowa watched as all three girls quickly shied away from the fountain and moved toward the auditorium entrance. They caught up with them just inside the lobby doors.

Hilde turned toward her friends. "Okay, here's where I go off on my own. Next time you see me, I'll be walking across the stage. Hopefully, I don't trip or fall. I would hate to be remembered for a shining moment like that instead of my other accomplishments. So, wish me luck!" After giving everyone a quick hug, she hurried down the stairs to wait with the other graduates.

***************

How much longer can this thing go on? Hilde questioned as the class president continued his speech. So far, the President of the university, a high-ranking government official and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences had all had their 30 minutes of glory. Hilde turned her head up to the crowd, not knowing exactly where her friends were sitting. She smiled as she thought about patient Quatre and Trowa sitting with her flighty roommates. Gwen and Anka were probably about to drive them to drink about now. Who would have thought that a simple ceremony could last this long? Checking her watch, Hilde slumped back further into her seat. Hour two completed. Moving into hour three. How much more of this can I take?

Hilde wasn't the only one checking her watch. Gwen pulled back the sleeve of her lightweight sweater and nudged Anka. "What time does Hilde's shuttle leave?"

"She has to be at the spaceport by 2:00pm. That way she can clear customs with plenty of time to spare."

"Wait a minute. Did you just say that Hilde's shuttle was leaving today?" Quatre asked. "I thought she said she left the day after graduation."

Anka turned slightly in her seat so she could face both gentlemen. "That was her original plan, but after she got back from your birthday party, she decided that it was best to leave directly after graduation. Hilde said she couldn't stand a long drawn out goodbye."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce the graduating class of AC 201!" The class president announced into the microphone while the audience began to applaud as the graduates stood. "Everyone, please take hold of your tassels and place them over to the other side of your cap."

Anka and Gwen turned back around in their seats. Gwen looked down at her watch again. "It's about time. Remind me to not walk when it comes time for me to graduate."

"It's a deal." Anka replied with a quick laugh.

Trowa and Quatre looked at each other. Quatre's brow was drawn together with worry lines. "Do you think he'll make it in time?"

"I don't know, Quatre. I just don't know."

****************

"Damn commercial flights!" Duo cursed under his breath. He stared out the window into space. It reminded him of one dress that Hilde wore once, black and sprinkled with rhinestones. Of course, she was the reason that he was headed for Earth.

He had been sulking around the scrap yard since he returned from Quatre's party. On the calendar in his office, he had marked down Hilde's graduation date. Not that he had originally planned to make an appearance, but at the end of everyday, he marked off one more day.

In the top drawer of his desk, sat a congratulations card and a check with a bunch of zeros on it. She was still his business partner and she deserved part of the huge profits they had made over the past three years. Duo had thought it would have been the perfect gift, to help her start her life after college. But one conversation with Quatre had ended that . . .

Duo watched as the static cleared on the vid-phone and Quatre's face appeared on the screen. "What's up Q-Man? Ever recover from that killer birthday party?"

"Duo! Yeah, my birthday party, if I remember correctly, you put back quiet a few drinks yourself and then you disappeared . . ."

Duo put his hands up and interrupted his friend. "I know. I know." His smile slightly faded. "Hey, Quatre. Can I ask you to do a huge favor for me?"

"Sure, Duo. What is it?"

That's what Duo liked some much about his friends. No matter what, they were there to help you out of any situation without knowing all the details first. They were truly like brothers. He slowly opened the drawer to his desk and pulled out both the card and the check.

"I was going to send this card to Hilde for her graduation, but I don't trust the mail services, especially with this." Duo put the check up against the vid-phone screen.

"Wow, Duo! Are you sure you're not doing anything illegal? There sure are a lot of zeros on that thing." Quatre chuckled.

Duo pulled the check away from the screen and slipped it into the card. "Call it good management. Our little scrap yard has grown by leaps and bounds over the past three years. And this is Hilde's part of all the profits. Her graduation gift."

"I'm sure Hilde will be able to use the money to help her get established on Venus."

"Venus? Why is Hilde going to Venus?"

Quatre watched as Duo let down the wall around his emotions, allowing the surprise, shock and hurt he felt play across his face. He nearly thought about not telling Duo about Hilde, but one look into the sad cobalt eyes of his friend made him change his mind. "She mentioned that she accepted the job in the Venusian Government. I'm guessing that she didn't tell you about it."

"No." Duo hung his head in defeat. Quatre hated to see his friend suffer like this. Both of them were as stubborn as mules when it came to matters of the heart. He just wished that one of them would stand up and say the three words that were needed most.

"Duo, if you still want me to take the card to her, just send it to me. But I really think you need to take it to her in person. You both have a lot of things that need to be said, it's now or never."

Quatre watched as Duo lifted his head, his eyes slightly hidden behind his bangs. "I'll think about it, Quatre." Reaching over to the console, Duo flipped the switch, ending the transmission.

The office was cast into dark shadows as the artificial sunlight had begun to fade in the colony. Duo slumped back into his chair, throwing his hands behind his head. Looking up at the ceiling, all he could do was sigh. Hilde was going to Venus, not only was she going to Venus, but she had lied to him at the party. The fact that she had felt the need to lie didn't sit well in his stomach.

Bringing his eyes back down to the desk, his gaze fell upon a framed picture. In the oak frame, he and Hilde were smiling at each other. The picture had been taken during the Chang wedding reception, only a week before the night that they slept together for the first time. Duo picked the picture off his desk and held it in one hand. He let his other hand drift across the picture, tracing the outline of Hilde's body.

He missed her smile, the candid looks she would send his directions when she was mad, and the sound of her voice. Hell, he just plain missed her. Not only as a friend, but his lover. Even now, he could still close his eyes and replay all the events of that night. He had known what he was doing, but nothing could have stopped him, expect Hilde. And she had opened her arms and accepted him, not rejecting him.

Duo set the picture down and banged his head against the hard surface of the desk. She had not done it once, but twice. Though the night at the party hadn't been a slow and romantic as the first time, passion had still burned brightly in her eyes. And he knew that she was still as inexperienced as the first time. He had been an idiot to let her walk out of the bedroom the following morning. That night, while he held her in his arms, he knew that what he felt for her was love, not lust, like he original thought.

He still let her go, because he didn't want to hold her back. But now, as he lifted his head from the top of the desk, Duo recognized his biggest mistake of all. Letting Hilde go in the first place. He thought he was doing the right thing as he watched her board the plane for Earth three years ago, setting her free from someone who didn't know how to live. Duo realized that he stopped living the day she left.

Although Duo realized that it might not change anything between them, he needed to go to Earth and tell Hilde that he loved her.

Quickly, he dialed the number for the L2 spaceport. Before the operator could say a word, Duo spoke. "I want to buy a ticket to Earth." . . .

His leg was bouncing a mile a minute, an outlet for his nervous energy. Duo kept looking at his watch, wishing the shuttle would fly faster than the time.

The elderly gentleman sitting next to him finally put down his magazine and turned his head toward Duo. "She's must be awful important."

Duo blinked and gave the man a puzzled look. "Excuse me. What did you just say?"

"I said that this women must be very important to you."

"How'd you know that?"

The old man chuckled. "Because there are only two things that make a man nervous. Money and women, and I don't think that money would have you as high strung as you are, young man."

Duo sighed and leaned his head back against the headrest. "Yes, she's very important to me. She's my life. It only took me three years to figure that out. I only hope that I'm not too late to tell her that."

****************

Accept with your left and shake with the right. Accept with your left and shake with the right. Hilde kept repeating the phrase over and over again in her head as she stood on the ramp leading up to the stage. Three years and a ton of hard work later, here she was about to accept a piece of life altering paper. Who would have thought you would have made it this far, Hilde girl? In answer to her unspoken question, an image of Duo's face appeared in her mind.

He had known about her drive to learn more about the political structure between the Earth, colonies and now, the other planets. Ever since that fateful meeting, where he had asked her what side she was fighting for, Hilde had made it her personal quest to make sure she was on the right side. As she made her way closer to the podium, Hilde wished that he could have been in the crowd.

"Ms. Hilde Schbeiker, Interspatial Affairs with a minor in political science. Magna Cum Laude."

Hilde walked across the stage, the sounds of applause nearly drowning out the cheering voices of Anka and Gwen. She took her place on the X in front of the University President. Grabbing the diploma in her left hand and clasping his right hand with hers, they both turned and posed for the traditional graduation picture.

"Congratulations, Hilde."

"Thank you, sir."

And in the blink of an eye, it was over. The whole pomp and ceremony was worth the less than one-minute of fame. Hilde walked down the ramp on the other side of the stairs and returned to her seat. Flipping open the leather case, she smiled at the piece of paper lying inside. Holding her diploma in her hands made the graduation feel complete. Closing the case, she turned her attention back toward the stage.

They were only on the S's; she still had a long wait ahead of her before the ceremony would be over. Glancing at her watch again, Hilde began counting down to a new chapter of her life.

****************

Rain.

It was the first thing he noticed as he ran out of the spaceport. Slow and steady, a curtain of rain continued to fall around him as he desperately tired to flag down a taxi.

Stupid meteorologists, they can't seem to get anything right. Unlike the colonies, the weather on Earth was not controlled by a simple flip of a switch. The only thing predictable about the weather was its unpredictability.

A car choose that moment to fly by, spraying most of the water in the curbside puddle onto him. Cursing, Duo jumped out in front of the next taxi, causing it to come to a screeching halt. Completely, soaked to the bone, Duo stalked to the back of the vehicle and flung the back door open.

Sliding across the plastic bench seat, he met the eyes of the driver in the rear view mirror. "The Omega Beta Zeta house, Freie Universitat Berlin campus. If you make it there in record time, I'll make you a very happy man."

The driver smiled as he watched Duo wave a handful of credits in the back seat. Flipping the sign to 'occupied', the driver quickly fastened his seatbelt and hit the gas.

Duo watched as the city of Berlin passed by the windows. The university Hilde was attending was in Dahlem, which was considered the green district of Berlin. Berlin reminded him of the colony, it seemed to stretch on forever. The cab speed by numerous gardens, greenhouses and arboretums as it made its way toward the university. No wonder she liked this place so much.

The taxi slowed to a stop in front of a beautiful European style house. White walls were trimmed with a brown frame along the visible sides of the four-floor building. Above the ornate stained-glass door were nailed the Greek Letters of the Hilde's sorority. Throwing a handful of credits at the driver, Duo quickly opened the back door and ran up to the entrance of the house. Once under the overhang, he pushed the doorbell and waited for someone to open the door.

Gwen heard the doorbell from the kitchen. It sounded once, quickly followed by someone constantly pounding on the door. Looking over the island countertop in the kitchen, she saw that all the remaining sisters were too wrapped up in some romantic movie to answer the door. Picking up the pint of ice cream and her spoon, she called over her shoulder, "I'll get the door." Hoping that they would be able to hear the irritation in her Irish drawl. As she walked to the door, Gwen sunk her spoon into the chocolate ice cream, placing the bit in her mouth. With the spoon still hanging out of her mouth, she grabbed the handle and swung the wide open.

The spoon nearly fell out of her gaped mouth. Standing on the other side of the door was the most gorgeous man see had ever seen. Not only was he sexy with his long hair, but he was also dripping wet.

"So are you just going to stand there, or are you going to let me in?" Duo mused, flashing the woman in front of him a half smile.

Gwen pulled herself out of the trance and slowly took a couple of steps back, allowing room for Duo to enter into the foyer. "Uh...oh my god! It's you! You're..."

Before Duo could finish the introduction, Anka came bounding toward the door. "Gwen, I can't believe it! You missed the best part of the movie! Richard just asked..." Anka's sentence died on her tongue when she spotted him standing just inside the doorway. He was just as handsome as Hilde had described. "You have to be Duo Maxwell."

Duo lifted one puzzled eyebrow and regarded the blond. She extended her hand in a friendly gesture. "I'm Anka Steinacher. My stunned friend is Gwen Fitzpatrick. We were Hilde's roommates."

"Were?"

Gwen spoke up. "Aye, she left this afternoon for the spaceport. She took that job on Venus, though neither of us know why she'd want to move to a newly inhabited planet."

"She left this afternoon? She wasn't supposed to leave until tomorrow!" Duo nearly yelled.

Anka looked at the painful expression on his face. She replayed Hilde's account of the party and how she and Duo had fallen in bed together, and how she had forced herself to walk away. He's got to love her as much as she loves him. Why else would he show up on after three years?

Grabbing a piece of paper on the side table near the door, Anka began to vigorously write down the information. Thrusting it in Duo's direction, she smiled. "Here." Duo grabbed the paper and quickly skimmed over it. "It's Hilde's flight info. Her shuttle doesn't leave until almost 4:00pm. You should be able to catch her at the space port, if you hurry."

"Thank you!" Quickly stuffing the scrap of paper in his jeans, Duo flashed them a huge grin, turned to the door, flung it open and ran out into the rain. He came to a skidding halt when he noticed the cab was still parked next the curb. Hurrying down the walk, Duo climbed back into the cab.

The driver turned half way around in the seat. "Call it a hunch, but I had a feeling that you'd need me again. So where to jefe?"

"Back to the spaceport."

Gwen and Anka watched from doorway as the cab raced down the street. Gwen scooped out another bite of her ice cream and placed it her mouth. Once the chocolate had melted and slid down her throat, she slyly smiled. "Where did she find all those handsome men?"

Anka pushed her long hair behind her ear and laughed. "I have no idea, but she better be willing to slip that secret or we may have to torture it out of her."

"I'd sell my soul to the devil just to run my hands through that mass of silky hair. And I'd throw in your soul just to be able to have one night with him between my sheets."

"Gwendolyn Alannah Fitzpatrick!"

Gwen snickered. "Ya can't tell me you weren't thinking the same thing."

Anka sent her friend a scowl that lost its power with the giggle that escaped. "Of course I was." Sighing, Anka turned her attention to the empty street. "I sure hope he makes it in time."

"Me too, Anka. Me too." Slowly both girls walked back inside the house, closing the front door behind them.

****************

"Has anyone asked you to carry any items other than your own?"

"No."

"Have your bags been with you the whole time?"

"Yes."

The attendant took Hilde's picture ID and continued to enter the data into the computer. Hilde blew a stray piece of hair out of her face while she waited at the check-in counter. The butterflies continued to dance in her stomach, as she grew more and more nervous. Is it the fact I'm flying or that I am leaving everything I know behind.

"Okay Ms. Schbeiker. Everything is set. Here is your boarding pass. Your flying out of gate C-14." Hilde grabbed the pass from the young woman and stooped down to pick up her carry on bag. "Have a good flight." The attendant called to her as Hilde walked away from the counter.

She took her time making her way through the spaceport and going through security to get to her departing gate. As she strolled through the terminal, the smell of fresh apple strudel caught the attention of her jumpy stomach. Giggling, she followed her stomach as it lead the way toward the food. After grabbing a huge chunk of strudel and some coffee, Hilde finally found her gate.

Looking at the departure time and referencing her watch, he knew that it would be a good hour before they would begin to board. Moving through the cluster of chairs, Hilde sat down in a hard back chair next to the window. Pulling a book out of her bag, she propped her feet up on the chair across from her and became lost in the story.

****************

Traffic was backed up along the passenger drop off zone, not allowing the cab that Duo sat in any closer to the spaceport. Unable to wait, Duo gave the cab driver some more money. "I appreciated the help." Slamming the back door shut, Duo weaved his way between the stalled traffic on the road. The rain didn't bother him, the fear of being late did. Making a final sprint, Duo made it to the first entrance of the spaceport. As he walked through the automatic doors, he reached in his pocket and pulled out the paper.

Unfolding it, Duo watched as the ink smeared across the page, blurring out all the important flight information. To make matters worse, his watch had stopped at 2:45pm and it had been that way for a while. Growling, he quickly headed toward the shuttle check-in area. As he made his way through the crowd of people, he came across a huge wall clock. 3:15pm! Hilde's flight leaves at 4:00pm! Desperate for help, Duo stopped one of the security guards.

"Do you know which gate the flight to Venus is leaving from?"

"Sorry, that I don't know. However, there are some vid-screens against that wall over there that showing departing and arriving information." The office stated as he pointed toward the far right wall.

"Thanks!"

Duo ran over to the wall and looked for departing flights for Venus, hoping to find one. He found three instead. Three different carriers had flights scheduled around 4:00pm leaving for Venus. One departing from gate B-2, C-14, and E-5. Frustration flowed through Duo as he continued to stare at the screen. Closing his eyes and letting faith and luck be his guide, Duo pointed to one of the flights. Memorizing the gate, he spun around and headed off in the direction of the terminal, hoping that he had picked the right one.

****************

"Attention ladies and gentlemen. We'll shortly begin general boarding Flight 7643 to Venus. All passengers with small children or passengers that require assistance can make their way to the jetway."

The masculine voice dragged Hilde out of her story. She closed the book, leaned over and placed it back inside her bag. Sitting back up straight, she let her headrest against the cool glass of the window, watching the water droplets cascade down its smooth surface.

A dim reflection of herself stared back from the window. So many things had changed in the last three years. And there were more changes on the horizon. The last time she'd made a big change was coming to Earth for school. Duo had been there, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze right before she boarded the shuttle. But this time, she would be doing it alone.

"We'd like to start general boarding now with rows 20-15."

Hilde watched as a couple picked up their bags and held hands as they moved toward the door. She ripped her gaze from their joined hands and focused on her ticket. Seat 3C, at least it's an aisle seat. Hilde's sad eyes drifted over to the couple, against her will, and watched as the man and woman exchanged a kiss before boarding the plane. Images of the party and the night with Duo flashed through her mind before she could stop them.

Duo made it through the metal detectors with very little problem, except for the silver cross around his neck. Being detained for that brief minute and been hell. If he had missed her by one minute, that security guard was going to pay. Running down the walkway, he tried to avoid from running over anybody.

"Passengers with tickets for seats on rows 10-15 on Flight 7643 may now board."

Duo came to such an abrupt stop that someone ran into the back of him. He turned toward the waiting area scanning the seats for Hilde, ignoring the apologies from the young man who nearly ran him over.

Duo's gaze narrowed as he continued to scan the crowd for her. He caught a glimpse of midnight black hair as the people made their way toward the gate. "Hilde." He whispered when he could completely see her, sitting next to the window. Stealthily, Duo made is way over to her seat.

Hilde was so lost in her own memories she didn't notice the shadow that passed over her.

"Is this seat taken?"

The voice sounded like music to Hilde's ears. Whipping her head around, she found him standing directly in front of her seat. "Duo." His name somehow made it past the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Don't you ever stick to your original plans?" His voice sounded hoarse as he sat down in the seat across from her. Hilde strained to look into his eyes that were hidden behind his bangs.

Searching for some humor to lighten the silence that hung between them, she answered, "You know me. I never listen to orders or follow through with plans."

"Yeah, and that's when you get into the most trouble." Lifting his face, he stared at her with sorrowful, pleading eyes. Hilde found all of his emotions staring back at her. She felt the familiar sting of tears form in her own eyes, as she was unable to rip her gaze away from his.

"We'd like to continue general boarding for those passengers with seats in rows 5-10."

They both turned their attention to the jetway before looking back at each other. Hilde was frozen to her seat and Duo slid out of his and onto his knees directly in front of her.

"Hilde, please don't go."

His request rang in her ears; echoing deeper and deeper, finally reaching her heart. She started wringing her ticket in her hands, her eyes dancing around the spaceport, desperately trying to focus on anything but his eyes. Duo lifted his hands up to her face and cupped her cheeks in his warm palms. Salty tears started falling against her will. He gently tilted her head down toward his face.

"Hilde, please don't go. I need you. The house seems so empty without the sound of your laughter, the smell of your cooking and you yelling at me for one thing or another." Duo paused as he tried to gather his thoughts. "It's not just the house that's empty, it's my life too. I only feel alive when you are there, standing beside me, smiling at me. Hilde, I need you because I love you."

Hilde's eyes widened in surprise at his simple declaration. More tears sprung from her eyes as she watched him battle to keep his emotions under control. His hands slid from her face and grabbed her clenched hands that lay in her lap. Duo laid his forehead against their hands. "I was wrong when I said that making love to you was a big mistake. The biggest mistake I've made was letting you go."

"Duo, I..."

"Passengers in rows 1-5 may now board the shuttle."

Blinking back the tears, Hilde turned her face to the ceiling and rested her chin on top of Duo's head. "I love you, too." She whispered. Pulling her hand from his tight grasp, she pulled her head back and brought his face up to hers. "I've loved you for the longest time, Duo. And I will still continue to love you, but..."

"But you're still leaving, aren't you?"

She used her thumb and whipped away the lone tear that escaped his cobalt colored eyes. "Duo, I've discovered something about myself in the past three years. Something that I have to see to the end, to help me find myself, to explore the new person I've become."

His eyes searched hers. "You are still the same person that I fell in love with. You have the same gentle manner, intelligence, kindness and personality that you've always had..." Duo let out a ragged breath. "But if this is something that you need to do, I won't stand in your way. I love you, Hilde Schbeiker and I'll wait for you."

"This is the final boarding call for Flight 7643 to Venus."

Duo began to stand, bringing Hilde with him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and placed his face into her hair. "Just don't take too long. Patience isn't one of my strong suits."

"No, it certainly isn't." She giggled into the damp shirt plastered against his chest. Pulling back a little, Hilde stood up on her toes and placed her warm lips against his. They clung to each other, not wanting to let go. Finally, she pulled out of his grasp, picked up her luggage and made her way toward the flight attendant.

"Hilde, wait." Duo called to her. Stopping at the entrance to the jetway, she watched as Duo reached around to the back of his neck and unclasped the necklace. Holding the cross in his hand, the chain swaying with each step he took, Duo made his way toward her.

"Duo, I can't take it! Your cross means everything to you."

Reaching behind her neck, Duo placed the tiny hoop into the clasp, letting the small silver cross fall against her chest. He then moved his arms down to her waist and held her tightly against his body. "I want you to have it, Hilde. To remind you that I love you and will be waiting for you." Catching her lips with his own, Duo kissed her goodbye, placing all of his love in that one kiss.

"Excuse me, miss, but we are ready to leave."

Sighing, Hilde pulled away from his embrace, quickly whispered, "I love you.", and fled down the jetway. Duo watched as they closed the door behind her. For only one of the few times in his life, Duo broke down and cried.

Duo walked out of the bathroom and headed straight for the wall calendar tacked to the wall next to his bed. The fluffy blue towel hung loosely on his hips, his long hair dripping water along his path. He smiled as he remembered the way Hilde would yell at him for ruining the hard wood floor of the bedroom by letting his hair air dry instead of using the blow dryer like 'normal' people. She'd stand in the doorway, hands on her hips, eyes ablaze and her cheeks pink with anger, but he always turned her his patented puppy eyes and she'd end up throwing her hands in the air and walking away, muttering to herself.

Picking up the black marker on the nightstand, Duo put a huge X through the previous day. So far, Hilde had been on Venus for nearly two months. The smile partly died from his face as he thought about the past two months. The longer she stayed on Venus, the dimmer his hope grew that she would return to him. His eyes lingered over the calendar, noticing the day was circled. Tonight would be their weekly call; Duo's credits this time. He looked forward to these marathon conversations they had every Monday night.

Moving away from the calendar, Duo tossed the towel into the clothes hamper and made his way to the dresser. He quickly pulled out a pair of black boxer shorts followed by a pair of black jeans and slipped them on. Before moving to the closet to grab his shirt, Duo headed over to the CD player and pushed the play button, not caring what CD was loaded. Music filled the room as Duo began to braid his hair.

*Life is just a lonely highway

But for now I've got to be without you*

Talk about your coincidence. Duo thought as he placed the rubber band at the end of his long braid. Swing the heavy braid back over his shoulder; he made his way to the closet, singing along to the lyrics.

*I've got a pocket full of money

Feel like I'm gonna lose control*

Tugging the red turtleneck off the hanger, Duo smirked as he listened to the words he was singing. He wondered if the songwriter knew how close to home those lyrics landed when they put pen to paper. While the chorus rang out in the background, Duo pulled the shirt over his head and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans. He didn't want to push Hilde into making a decision, but he needed to know, if she was ever coming back to him. The little patience he had was hanging by a thread.

*Am I a fool to think that there's a little hope

What do you feel inside? *

Switching off the music, Duo grabbed his jacket from the behind the door and headed downstairs; greeted by the smell of fresh brewed coffee. Thank God for technology. Whoever invented a timer on coffee makers should be made king of the world. Grabbing a cup down from the shelf, Duo poured himself a cup. As he took his first taste of the strong coffee, a knock at the back door grabbed his attention. "Come on in, Howard. It's open."

Howard strolled into the kitchen; sunglasses still perched on his nose, his awful Hawaiian shirt screaming loudly in the neutral colored kitchen. Under his arms was tucked a signature pink, orange and white box.

"Trade you a doughnut for a cup of coffee."

"You've got a deal!" Duo pulled down another cup from the shelf. "So, what's on the agenda today?"

Howard took a bite of the plain glazed doughnut as Duo handed him the coffee. "We have that huge shipment to deliver around 11:00am and a couple of conference calls after that. Why you got a hot date tonight or something?"

Flashing Howard a huge smile, Duo laughed. "Of course I do. It's Monday, remember?" Duo reached into the box and pulled out a powder-sugared doughnut.

"So when's that girl coming home?"

"I plan on asking her tonight." Duo answered before he stuffed the rest of the pastry in his mouth.

Howard pushed away from the counter. "You ready for some hard work?"

"Not really, but someone's got to pay the bills." Grabbing another doughnut out of the box, Duo followed Howard out of the house and toward the scarp yard.

****************

Hilde rubbed her temples as she stared at the computer screen. The notes she had been working on had started to run together. Turning away from the screen, she lounged back in the office chair, closing her eyes, trying to fight the headache forming at the back of her eyes.

It had only been two months since she moved to Venus and she still wasn't sure if she regretted the move or not. She hadn't learned anything more about herself, except the fact she hated living alone. Every once and while she could swear she could hear Duo's laughter coming from the living room, but she knew it was her mind playing tricks on her.

But she had learned a lot about politics, most of the things would never be found in college textbooks or discovered with internships. Working for the Minister of Interspatial Affairs was turning out to be one hassle of a job. The arrogant man would shun her ideas in office meetings, but pass of her ideas later as his own. After the third time that happened, Hilde learned to keep her ideas and opinions to herself. While Minister Richview had 'closed door' meetings with the newest intern, Hilde found herself preparing his speeches and doing all of his work. At times, she felt she was the one negotiating with disputing factions, since she was the one who wrote out the 'Plans of Action'. The man was the walking definition of the word 'sloth'.

Sighing in disgust, she allowed her head to roll to the side. Opening her eyes, she smiled at the gold star that sat on the calendar. Today's Monday! While most people dreaded Mondays, Hilde found them to be her favorite day of the week. Counting the three-hour time change in her head, Hilde realized that it was only 11:00am on L2. Meaning Duo was out and about in the scrap yard trying to dictate orders to the workers. She giggled. Duo had never been good at job assignments with shipments; thank god Howard was there to help him out.

Hilde pushed away from her desk and headed over to the community coffee machine. Pouring herself a glass of the fresh coffee, she thought back to the times when she was the happiest. College was great, she had been able to meet and make new friends and learn at a prestigious university. But her happiest times we all on L2, with Duo. Lately, she had been thinking about going back and trying to find a job there, to be closer to him. But part of her pride wouldn't let her. She nursed the cup of coffee as she strolled back to her desk. Setting it down beside the computer, she turned her attention back to her work.

"Schbeiker!"

The sudden interruption caused Hilde to turn toward the communication link, knocking over her cup of coffee in the process. "Yes, sir." She stated as she picked up a napkin, desperately trying to clean up the coffee that sat in her lap.

"Have you finished the notes for the meeting with the delegate from the Nova sector yet?"

Biting her tongue, Hilde tried to sound as polite as possible. "Not yet, sir. But it will be done by the end of the day."

"It better be on my desk within the hour."

Hilde's nails dung into her hands as she answered him. "Yes, sir."

The communication link went dead. Sighing, she threw the napkin in her trashcan, glared at the stain in her skirt and turned back to her computer counting the hours until 9:00pm.

****************

Duo stood on the pile of scrap metal, dictating orders to the best of his ability. Through the walkie-talkies, he was able to maintain contact with all the men in the yard.

So far, things were moving like clockwork. The transport arrived at 11:00am, and the team was ready and waiting to load the order. The GWR Corp. was one of their best customers, so everybody made sure that they gave 120%, knowing if the got the order out earlier than expected there would be bonuses in their next paychecks.

He glanced down at his clipboard, looking over the order notes that Howard had prepared earlier this morning. Duo chuckled as he scanned over the notes again. They were nearly the same exact notes that Hilde prepared before big orders. Duo wondered if Howard had a copy of all the order notes Hilde had ever made hidden somewhere in his office.

"How are things moving down there, Howard?"

"We've got about 45% already loaded. As normal, we are ahead of schedule by 15%."

"That's music to my ears." Duo grinned as he broke the link with Howard and switched the channel to talk to the foreman on the retrieval side. "Hey Riley, how's it going on your end?"

"Well, since I told the guys you were buying the first round, they've really stepped up the pace."

"Hey! I don't remember mentioning that!"

Laughter cut across the walkie-talkie. "No, you didn't. But it has been a great motivator for..." The yard was filled with an eerie noise, one that hadn't been heard before.

"Riley, What the hell is going on?"

"The main magnet is losing power! We're trying to switch it over to the secondary power conduit now!"

Duo took off running. In all the years, they had been in business; there had never had any mechanical failures or injuries. Hoping from pile to pile of scrap metal, Duo finally made it over to the area where Riley's men were stationed.

Clamping his hands around his mouth, Duo screamed at the top of his lungs. "Everybody, get out of the area, NOW!" From his perch above, he watched as the workers scattered, running away from the huge magnetic crane and the debris that was barely hanging from it. The only person who stayed behind was Riley, trying desperately to change the power source.

"Duo, it's no good. I can't get it done fast enough!"

"I don't care, Riley. Just get your ass out of the way!"

Riley ran from the crane, motioning for the workers to continue to move farther away from the site. A breathless voice cracked over the radio. "Everybody's out of the way, Duo."

"Any injuries?"

"None."

The noise of shifting metal alerted them that the power had finally been cut to the main magnet. Duo watched as tons of metal came crashing back down to the yard floor. The impact of the metal caused the pile of scrap that he was standing on to shift and become unstable. Parts and piece of metal began to shift forward, throwing Duo off balance.

"Riley, get everyone out of the way of Pile A5. It's become unstable."

"Duo, get down from there!"

He quickly turned and walked gingerly across the shifting metal. As he got closer to stable pile, the pile started to break away from under his feet. Duo tried to push himself off the pile, but his foot became lodged in a soft spot in the pile. The workers watched in horror as the pile of scrap gave way under their boss's feet and he fell toward the ground, under a wave of scrap metal.

****************

Hilde sighed as she looked at the clock. 4:00pm. She was over her deadline by an hour. She finished placing the notes into sheet protectors, knowing that the Minister would get something on them otherwise. Snapping the binder's rings into place, Hilde made her way to his office. Of course, the door was shut. She knocked loudly and nearly screamed through the door.

"It's Schbeiker, sir. I have completed the notes on the meeting with the delegate from the Nova sector."

She didn't need to put her ear to the door to hear the ensuing conversation on the other side. They were being loud enough for the whole office to hear. Hilde tried to ignore them, but when Rachel's whiny voice made reference to her bra hanging from the ceiling fan, she couldn't help but laugh. Maybe one day, she should call up Richview's wife and tell her to stop by about 3:30 in the afternoon.

Hilde nearly fell into the office as the door she was standing next to was thrown open. The Minister was still tucking in his shirt as he glared down at her. She held the binder out to him and had her arm nearly ripped out of its socket when he snatched it away from her. He grunted at her, as a dismissal, and headed back into his office, slamming the door behind him. Hilde raised her middle finger to the door, hoping to vent some of her frustration. She had the extreme urge to punch something all of a sudden.

Pushing her shoulders up straight, she headed down the corridor back to her cubical. Flouncing down in her chair, Hilde laid her head on the desk praying that the next hour would fly by.

"Hilde, there's a long distance phone call for you." Marie's sweet voice came across the intercom. Her brows came together as a puzzled look crossed her face.

"Who's the call from, Marie?"

"Some guy calling himself Howard."

A genuine smile lit up on Hilde's face. He's probably having problems with the order notes I sent him. She giggled as she pictured both Duo and Howard trying to figure out her shorthand. "Sure Marie, go a head and patch him back here."

Hilde turned to face the screen as it lit up, Howard's face appearing before her. "So what's it this time? Unable to decipher my shorthand, or are you running behind on the GWR shipment and need some ideas on how..." The rest of her questions died on her lips as she took her first good look at Howard.

He wasn't sitting at his desk in the office. The décor was too bright to be their offices. But the thing that actually grabbed her attention was Howard's eyes. For the first time since they met, Howard wasn't wearing his sunglasses.

"Howard?"

Howard ran his hands over his face before turning he attention back to the vid-screen. "Hilde, there's been an accident."

Her hands shot up to cover the gasp that escaped her mouth. Tears started to fall down her cheeks. "Duo?"

Howard tucked one hand behind his neck, as if trying to find the right words. "The main magnet crane lost power in the process of moving a load. Riley tried to bring the auxiliary power online, but it didn't work. Duo had run over to the site and was dictating orders from one of the nearby piles. When the power finally gave out, the load fell, causing a couple of the nearby piles to become unstable. Duo was standing on one of those piles and..."

"Howard, where is Duo? Is he alright? TELL ME!" Hilde grabbed the sides of the vid-screen, holding on for support as her body shook with silent sobs.

Howard looked at the heartbroken girl on the other side of the screen. "He's been brought to St. Michael's hospital on L2. They still have him back in the ER. They are worried about some internal bleeding, and collapsed lungs." He paused and deeply sighed before continuing. "The doctors haven't been able to give me an update on his condition yet."

Hilde felt the breath catch in her chest. Duo was hurt, bad from the way that Howard was describing things. Images of Duo, carefree and laughing, assaulted her as she tried to regain her composure. "I'm catching the next available shuttle to L2. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Do you want me to send one of the guys to pick you up?"

"No. Have them finish the order and then send them home for the day. Close the shop for tomorrow, but let the guys know, they'll get paid."

"Alright, Hilde."

She watched as the vid-screen went blank. Grabbing her purse and jacket, Hilde ran out of her cubical and headed toward Richview's office. The door was open so she walked inside.

"Minister Richview, there's been an emergency and I'm afraid that I have to take a couple of personal days."

Richview stuck his hand in the air, a silent command for her to wait until he was finished. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him review the notes she had written. Finally, he looked up at her. "What's this about needing personal days?"

"A friend of mine has been injured in an accident and it's important that I get to L2 as soon as possible."

"A friend? Not a member of your immediate family or your spouse?"

"No, sir. But he's the most important person in the world to me."

He chuckled. "So it's a male friend." His eyes roamed over her. "Sorry, Schbeiker, but you haven't cleared these personal days with me before hand. And who knows that you aren't leaving here to go have a mini-vacation with your 'friend'." He suggestively added.

Hilde stared at him in utter shock that was becoming clouded with rage. "Fine. I won't take personal days, but I am still going." She turned on her heel and started out of his office.

A hand shot out and grabbed her upper arm before she had crossed the threshold. "If you leave this office, you can consider yourself fired."

He had thrown the ultimatum directly in her face. Her job or Duo. Without a second thought she pulled herself from his grasp and smiled. "Fine. I quit!"

Hilde watched his jaw slacken before she calmly walked out of the office. She headed over to her desk, pulling down only the few personal touches she had added to her workspace. Grabbing the nearby empty recycling box, Hilde put everything into the box. She turned to find Richview standing in her way, the rest of the office gathered around behind him to watch the confrontation.

"Don't expect any glowing letters of recommendations from me." He shot at her.

She let his cheap shot at an insult roll of her back. Hilde smirked as she ducked under his arm and slipped passed him. "Don't expect to last another 6 months in office without me."

Richview's face turned a purplish-red color before he stalked off to his office. As his door slammed shut, the office was filled with the sound of applause. Hilde smiled as she realized she was free. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her chest. After three years, she was still the same person. Hilde hadn't needed to find herself after all; she just needed to be reminded of whom she really was.

With her box tucked under her arm, Hilde headed out of the office. When she reached the main door to the office, she paused at Marie's desk. "Before, I go, Minister Richview asked me to call his wife and set up a private meeting in his office at 3:30pm tomorrow. Since, I'm in a hurry, do you mind placing the call?"

Marie gave her an innocent look that was completely destroyed by the devilish turn of her lips. "I'll make sure she gets the message. Good Luck, Hilde." Though her friend hadn't heard her wishes. Hilde was already stepping into the elevator.

The cab hadn't come to a complete stop as the passenger threw some credits at the driver and jumped out of the vehicle. Grabbing her purse, Hilde ran up to the main entrance of the hospital. The sliding glass seemed to open in slow motion. When there was enough room, Hilde to squeeze between them and made her way to the front desk.

A young blond listening to her personal CD player was bouncing to the music blaring in her eyes. Hilde stood there for a couple of seconds, when she realized that the girl hadn't noticed her, she reached over the desk and pulled the earphones from the young girls ears. "I'm looking for Duo Maxwell's room." She told the candy striper at the nurse's station. The young blond pulled out the patient rooster and ran her finger down the entire length of the page, before realizing that the names were in alphabetical order. Hilde was beginning to grow impatient with the intern, almost to the point where she nearly yanked to book out of the young girls hands to find out the information for herself. Giggling, the girl retraced her steps. "Mr. Maxwell's is in ICU, Room 5."

Pushing away from the desk, Hilde made a mad dash for the elevator. She hit the 'UP' button about five times before she gave up and headed for the stairs. Pulling off her heels, she head up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. When she hit the landing for the fourth floor, she didn't even bother to put her shoes back on; she just threw the door open and sprinted down the hallway.

Hilde came sliding around the corner of the hospital corridor. It was surprising that she was knew which way to go. But for some reason, she didn't need to look at the room numbers; it was almost as if she was drawn toward his room. Rounding the finally corner, Hilde slowed as she saw Howard sitting out in the hallway.

"Howard?" Hilde's whispered voice bounced of the walls in the silent wing of the hospital.

Howard opened his eyes and turned his head toward the sound of Hilde's voice. He frowned over her current state. Dark smudges marred the pale white skin under her eyes. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair was falling out of the clip at the back of her head. He pushed himself from the chair and walked over to her, laying a supportive hand on her shoulder as he lead her towards Duo's room.

"The doctors say that they were able to re-inflate his lungs and stop the internal bleeding, but they wanted to keep him in ICU for observation. They gave him something while he was down in the ER. He's been out cold."

Hilde placed one of her hands on Howard's. "Can I go in and see him?"

"Yeah. Doctor said you could stay with him as long as you want."

"Thanks, Howard."

Howard gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he let go. "I'm heading down to the cafeteria for something to eat. You need anything?" He watched Hilde slowly shake her head from side to side. "Okay, then. It's really good to have you home." Turning Howard headed toward the elevators.

Hilde stood in the doorway, listening to the constant noises of the machines around him. Her eyes drifted towards the heart monitor. She watched the steady beat of his heart reflected on the screen. She twisted the strap of her purse with both hands as she made her way farther into the room. The shades had been drawn, so the only light came from the bathroom.

In the dim light, Hilde could see the heavy white bandage wrapped around his head and the butterfly stitches placed on a long gash on his right cheek. His face looked like it had ran directly into Heero's fist. Both of his arms were lying on top of the blankets, the right one was completely wrapped in gauze from his shoulder to his wrist. An ACE bandage was wound around his left elbow. From the top of the blanket, she could see the bandages that were tightly wrapped around his broken ribs. A small tube wrapped around ears, coming down in front of his nose, helping him get the oxygen that he needed.

Pulling a chair up beside the bed, Hilde grabbed his hand in hers, careful not to upset the IV placed in the top of his hand. With her other hand, she pushed his bangs away from his face, trying to be as gentle as possible. Howard was right. Whatever they gave him, knocked him out cold. The minutes seemed to tick by like hours, as she sat there still holding his hand.

A small knock at the door startled her. Hilde spun around in her chair and found Howard standing just inside the room, holding a small duffle bag. "I thought you could use a change of clothes."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness. Quietly, she got up from the chair and walked over to Howard. She took the bag from his grasp. "Thanks, Howard."

"I know that trying to get you to go home for the night would be like trying to pull a rabbit from its hole, so I thought some fresh clothing would at least make you comfortable." He took a quick glance towards Duo and then looked back down at Hilde. "Try and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

She watched Howard leave the room. He had been like a father to the both of them for about the past six years and he still continued to look out for them. After making sure Duo was still asleep, Hilde retrieved the duffle bag and headed for the bathroom.

Shedding all her clothing but her underwear, Hilde placed the tiny washcloth Howard had packed along with the clothes under some hot water. She ran the warm damp cloth over her skin, trying to wipe away some aches and dirt she had gathered over the course of the day. Rewetting the washcloth, she ran it over her face, removing all traces of make-up. The silver cross hanging around her neck reflected the bathroom light back into the mirror. Closing her hand around the cross, she squeezed it gently before turning to the duffle bag and removing a long sleeve shirt, pair of flannel pajama pants and a pair of socks. All which belonged to Duo. The clothing felt warm against her chilled skin. Bringing the long sleeves up to her face, she could still smell the faint scent of Duo's cologne. Hilde smiled as she imagined herself wrapped up in Duo's embrace.

Grabbing her hairbrush, she left the tiny bathroom and pulled her hair free from the clip. After a couple of strokes, Hilde laid the brush down on the bedside table and grabbed Duo's hand again. Laying her head on the bed beside him, she let her eyes drift closed. "I love you, Duo."

****************

"You know... you're drooling... on my favorite... shirt?"

The hoarse, breathless words punched through the darkness. Her eyes popped open and she found his cobalt ones staring right back. His hand was absently running through her hair as a smile danced across his lips. He slipped his hand down from the top of her head and cupped her cheek. His thumb ran across the dark circle under her eye. Chuckling, he touched her nose with his index finger. "You should really... take better care... of yourself, babe."

Hilde smiled. Even laid up in a hospital bed with broken bones, bruises and lacerations, he still managed to keep his sense of humor. "I could say the same for you, braid boy."

"Hey, if I had known that a tiny accident would have brought you running to my side, I would have done this a long time ago." The words came slowly but it seemed he was no longer trying to catch his breath.

"Don't even joke about that. Since I can't smack you for that remark, I'll have to wait and do it when you're better." Concern found its way back onto Hilde's face. "How are you feeling? Are you in a lot of pain? Do you need me to get the doctor?"

Duo placed a finger across her lips, silence the barrage of questions. "Calm down there. This ranks up there with Trowa blowing up Deathscythe, but I feel just fine." A loving smile appeared on his face. Taking her hand in his, Duo gave it a comforting squeeze. "Especially now that you're here."

A quick blush crept across her face. Duo was always smooth with words and this had been the first time he had used them on her. Duo started to laugh, but quickly grabbed his side and grimaced in pain. Hilde bit her bottom lip as she watched him fight back the pain, not knowing what she should do to help. Thankfully, one of the nurses walked into the room.

"How are you feeling to day, Mr. Maxwell?"

"I'd feel a helluva a lot better if I wasn't stuck in this bed."

The nurse placed her hands on her hips and 'glared' at her patient. "I think I liked you better when you were knocked out."

Hilde tried to hide her giggles behind her hand. Duo tilted his head in her direction. "You thought that was funny, didn't you?" She just simply nodded her head, causing Duo to pout.

"I'm sorry, miss, but it's time to change his bandages and I have to ask you to leave." The nurse stated.

Duo started to protest, but Hilde's stomach took that moment to make its presence known. She grabbed hold of her stomach, hoping to stifle the loud grumbling noises, her eyes wide with embarrassment. "No, Duo, it's okay. I'll just head down to the cafeteria and grab myself something to eat." Hilde stood up from her chair and started to leave the room, when she paused at the doorway. "Don't cause her any trouble, Duo."

Duo flashed her his bright smile and gave her a small salute. "I promise to be on my best behavior." At that remark, both Hilde and the nurse rolled their eyes.

As Hilde walked down the hallway, she could hear Duo's voice coming from the room.

"What do I have to do to get something to eat around this place? I'm starving!"

****************

Sitting down at a window-side table in the hospital cafeteria, Hilde stared down into her cup of coffee. Too much had happened in the past 24 hours and she hadn't had time to let it all sink in, until now. The artificial sunlight streamed across her half eaten bagel and the powdered sugar doughnut she had wrapped up for Duo.

Sighing, she took a sip of the hot coffee. In the past 24 hours not only had she quit her job and put Minister Richview in the middle of a scandal; but also she learned the final lesson about herself. No matter how much she thought she changed, everything still remained the same.

A shadow fell across the table forcing Hilde's attention way from her thoughts. Tilting her head, she found Quatre standing beside her. She launched herself out of the chair and into his out stretched arms.

"Quatre! You don't know how happy I am to see you!"

Quatre wrapped his arms around her and returned her hug. "I'm happy to see you too. Though I wish it could have been under better circumstances."

Hilde dropped her arms and motioned to the seat across the table. She noticed the worry on his face as he sat across from her. "He's fine, Quatre. Lucky he has that extremely hard head." She looked out the window. "It could have been a lot worse."

She felt a warm hand cover hers, but she never took her eyes off the window. "The important thing is that he's alive, Hilde."

"Every time I think about it, I think about how close I came to losing him." As the tears began to burn her eyes, she turned back to Quatre. "I can't imagine going on without him." Placing her hand over her heart, she continued. "He's a part of me, and has been for the longest time."

"When Howard called me...in that instant, my life completely turned around. Nothing else mattered but Duo." Hilde wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks away with the back of her hand. "Every thing I've done over the past three years, all of the accomplishments I've made, feel empty because he wasn't a part of them."

She smiled. "I've been a fool, haven't I, Quatre?"

"A fool?"

"I chose Venus over him. He told me he loved me and asked me not to go, but I still boarded the shuttle anyway. And the only thing I learned over the past two months is I can't live without him now that I know he truly loves me." She smirked. "In my book, that makes me a fool."

Quatre reached across the table and cupped her face in his hands. "You're not a fool, Hilde. Slightly stubborn, but never a fool." He released the hold on her face. "Life presents us all with choices; too many sometimes. You chose the path you felt was necessary, Hilde. Call it fate, destiny or God's will; no matter which choice we make, we always end up where we need to be. And it looks like right here is where you need to be, Hilde."

Hilde's eyes sparkled as she looked at her friend. "Thank you, Quatre."

"Come on. Let's go save Trowa from Duo." Quatre stated as he got up from his chair.

A giggle escaped Hilde's lips before she could stop it. Quarter turned and smiled at her. She slipped out of the chair and was about halfway to the door, when she remembered something. She quickly ran back to the table and picked up the napkin wrapped treat for Duo.

****************

Trowa leaned against the wall closest to the window and regard the young man laying the hospital bed with curious eyes. The room was completely silent, except for the sounds of the medical equipment.

"You're too quiet, Duo."

Duo turned and looked at his friend. A sad smile appeared on his face. "Yeah, I've just been thinking." He held his hands up before Trowa could speak. "I know, you could smell the smoke, right?" Sighing, he slumped back against the bed.

"Care to share?" Trowa asked as he pushed away from the wall and made his way over to the bedside chair.

Duo closed as he collected his thoughts. "I can't do it."

"Can't do what?"

"I can't let her leave." Duo whispered as he hung his head. "I don't want to be without her. It was awful being alone while she was at college. It's been down right miserable over the past two months; knowing that she loves me, but she isn't a part of my everyday life." He sighed. "When I opened my eyes this morning and found her here, all I wanted to do was scoop her up in my arms and never let go. I know that she won't stay, but deep down in my heart, I'm praying that she does. I won't pressure her to choose between her life and me." Duo turned his eyes up toward the ceiling. "I won't ask her again."

"Ask me."

Both Duo and Trowa turned to see Hilde standing in the doorway. From the loving look on her face, she had been standing there a while. She walked further into the room. Trowa, feeling out of place being stuck in the middle of the whole scene, slid off the chair and moved to stand next to Quatre by the door.

"Come on, Duo. Ask me."

He stared back at her, his violet eyes wide with so many different emotions; but his mouth remained closed. Duo shook his head from side to side, refusing to ask her the question. The fear of rejection refused to let him ask her that simple question.

Duo closed his eyes and hung his head. "There are too many things that you would be giving up. I can't ask you to come home to me. I know that you'll come back to me when you have found what you're looking for Hilde. I could never live with myself if I asked you to give up your life for me."

Hilde walked over to his bed and grabbed his face, bringing it within inches of hers. Duo opened his eyes and directly looked into hers. One tear slipped down her cheek as she stared into his handsome face and saw all of the love for her hidden behind the fear.

"It took me long enough, Duo, but I finally found what I was looking for. All this time I was looking for that part of me that seemed to be missing. It was you; you've been the thing that was missing from my life. Life without you, Duo, isn't much of a life." Leaning forward, Hilde gently placed her forehead against his, their noses slightly brushing. Closing her eyes, she pleaded. "Ask me, Duo. Please."

"Stay with me?"

The smile on her face reached her eyes causing them to sparkle with happiness. "Yes, Duo. I'll come back to you."

Her whispered reply was nearly cut off as his lips crushed up against hers. He wrapped his sore arms, as far around her as the IV tubes would allow.

"I've missed you Hilde." He whispered into her ear as he squeezed her tightly.

"I've missed you too, braid boy." Hilde's voice became clouded with tears as she spoke. She was fearful of touching him, afraid to cause him any further discomfort by hugging his bruised and battered body. But she found herself holding him in a matter of seconds, his head resting against her chest. They stayed that way until the sound of Trowa clearing his throat caused them to jump slightly apart.

Hilde could feel the blush as it crept up her neck and onto her face.

"I forgot we had an audience." Duo muttered under his breath, annoyed that they had caused him to move his head from Hilde's comforting chest. He sighed and turned his attention toward the two pilots lounging by the doorway. A huge grin was plastered across Quatre's face, while Trowa nodded his approval.

Duo clasped Hilde's hand in his own. "Guess what? She said I could keep her!" He announced with a child like enthusiasm.

Hilde pulled her hand out of his, placed both of them on her hips and glared down at Duo. "I said nothing of the sort! I said I'd come home to you. I didn't say anything about keeping me."

"Same difference."

"It is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

Exasperated, Duo blew a stray piece of hair out of his face. "Fine. Marry Me."

His statement caught her completely off guard. Hilde looked down with wide eyes at the man sitting in the hospital bed and became lost for a moment in his eyes. She smiled. How could she deny them this? "Fine. I will." A cocky looked came over her face as she goaded him into another disagreement. "But that was the most unromantic way to propose marriage."

From the doorway, Trowa and Quatre watched as their friends continued their playful argument. Trowa gently placed his arm on Quatre's shoulders, pulling his lover closer to him. Quatre sighed as he pressed up against Trowa's body.

"Looks like things are back to normal."

****************

Hilde stood in the kitchen, working over the warm stove. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she stirred the homemade spaghetti sauce. She looked to her side and watched Duo as he cut the vegetables for the salads. He placed the diced tomatoes on top of the bed of lettuce, followed by a handful of shredded cheese. Hilde chuckled. Duo raised his shoulders in defense. "What? I like cheese!" Grabbing the salad bowls, Duo walked into the living room, placing them on the TV trays.

She watched his braid sway across his back as he walked from the kitchen. It had been nearly two weeks since Duo had been released from the hospital. He still had the bandages wrapped around his chest, helping the broken ribs heal. Every once and a while, he would wince in pain when he took a deep breath. The doctor told them that the ribs would take longest to heal since they couldn't be isolated like normal broken bones. When he would flinch, she would quickly run to his side. Hilde now realized that he was faking the pain more and more, but she was willing to play along, for the moment.

Since being back on L2, things had fallen back into a normal routine. With the exception that she now carried a simple half-carat diamond on her left ring finger and she crawled into bed every night with the man she loved. Though he wasn't too fond of her cold feet ending up on his warm body in the middle of the night, but he seemed to be getting used to it. Duo had asked numerous times about her job back on Venus, and Hilde just shrugged her shoulders and told him that she didn't miss it, which was the truth. She had applied for a few government positions on L2, but if nothing panned out, she was content to work at the scrap yard.

Looking up at the clock, he yelled into the kitchen "Are the noodles ready, yet?"

Using the spoon to pull a couple of noodles, Hilde blew on the pasta before placing it in her mouth. "Yes, the noodles are done. Come in here and help me serve dinner."

She reached over and cut the heat to both the noodles and the sauce. Hilde picked up the pot with the noodles, and dumped them into the colander in the sink, draining the water away from the noodles. She threw a quick look over her shoulder and found Duo's back to her. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she scooped up a hand full of noodles.

"Oh, Duo." She called in a singsong voice.

Duo turned around and was greeted with a pile of spaghetti noodles thrown into his face. Hilde tried to stifle her giggles, but it was no use as she stared at his comical expression. Pulling the noodles of his face and out of his hair, he turned a playful glare in her direction. "So, it's a food fight you want?"

Hilde's eyes grew as big as saucers as he grabbed the garlic bread from off the kitchen table and began pelting her with slice after slice.

The sounds of laughter from the kitchen drowned out the sound of one of the news anchor's story for the evening. "Foreign Minister Douglas Richview from the Stellar sector of Venus has stepped down from his position after it was discovered he was having an affair..."

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