Hilde's day had gone from bad to worse. She felt like each hour could have just been considered starting at bad and going to worse. Everything she did was backfiring on her.

Her boss was on a rampage. Yelling and screaming, he headed down the hall toward her office. Hilde pulled out the folders that she had completed and set them on the edge of her desk. She hoped that this would slow the lecture that she felt sure would ensue.

The door flew open.

"Scheibecker, where are those reports?" the man bellowed.

"Right here sir. Finished and ready to go," she answered picking up the folders on the corner of her desk and offering them to him.

He took them quickly and stared at her. He couldn't believe the expression on her face. It wasn't one of fear like the others had been. Intsead, this employee looked determined and had a glimmer in her eye that made him think that she just didn't care. He turned and stormed out of the office.

Slumping back into her chair, Hilde sighed a soft sigh of relief. Thank God he hadn't gone on raging. She wasn't sure she could take it today. Everything else had gone wrong. Collecting her thoughts, she glanced at the small clock in the corner of her computer monitor.

"Finally," she breathed, rushed for her coat, and almost ran out the door.

She went home to her empty house. Although well furnished, it lacked one important thing: family. Hilde lived alone.

A blinking red light caught her eye.

She pushed the small button on her answering machine.

< Hilde, I just called to see if you wanted to get some dinner. Guess you worked late tonight. I'll catch you later, babe. > Duo's voice spoke from the box.

"Nice try," she groaned back.

Duo was back in town for the weekend. That brotherly love kicking in the second he hit city limits. Hilde chuckled to herself softly as she thought about all the confusion his leaving with Heero and Catherine had caused. The look on a few of her co-workers' faces was hilarious. They had all thought the two quite involved, and truth be told, that's how they liked it.

But she had another man on her mind: a taller man with enchanting eyes. Hilde stretched and decided to get dinner before going for a relaxing walk through the park down the road.

~ * ~

Hilde walked briskly down the trail. The cool September wind blowing through the tall trees caused the fallen leaves to dance about. Walking quietly, her mind was lulled into a sense of serenity, despite the tears that ran down her cheeks. She was still missing one thing, the man she loved.

Now, no one really even knew about that relationship. Not even him. But she did. And her knowing was something important to her. She began to look around a bit more as she realized she was walking out of the park toward a house.

The tall white columns towered over her, but she passed them by without concern, her feet following a path they knew well. She softly rapped on the door.

"What the?" he muttered standing from his chair. "I wasn't expecting anyone tonight."

He opened the door and gasped. There before him stood the raven- haired beauty of his dreams. But she looked as if she had been crying.

"Hilde?" he asked softly, reaching out a strong hand to gently touch her cheeks.

"Do you mind if I come in?" she asked in a muffled tone looking toward the ground.

Stepping aside, he granted her entry and shut the door quietly behind her. He watched her retreat to the couch across the room.

He moved to sit beside her. Gently, he tilted her head back up for her eyes to meet his.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as any good friend would.

"I'm tired, Trowa. So very tired," she whispered.

He knew what she meant. He was tired too. Tired of living alone in the deafening silence. Tired of living with a secret bigger than anyone should ever keep, and why was he hiding this secret? He still couldn't answer that one very well. All he knew for sure was his friendship with her was priceless, and to lose that was to lose everything.

Her eyes began to fill with a soft desire as they gazed into the emerald orbs. Trowa's finger tenderly ran along her cheek.

"Trowa," she breathed softly and curled into his arms.

Trowa wrapped his arms tightly around her. They sat there for a while just laying in each other's arms. Such a simple comfort yet so desperately needed.

Each trying to deny what they knew would happen, Hilde and Trowa allowed themselves to be engulfed in the warmth of the other as they had so many times before. Hilde's hand slowly began to run nimble fingers along strong arms. She let her mind drift as her hands did the same.

Trowa tried to fight the feelings that were rising in him, but Hilde's touch wasn't about to agree. She slowly rose up in his arms and placed a feather light kiss to his lips.

At first he was stunned, but as she began to lay back down, he caught her and returned the kiss, ten-fold.

"Trowa," she moaned softly as their lips parted.

"You know this is -" he started.

"Yes," she whispered and kissed him before he could finish his sentence.

"It doesn't mean anything," he breathed trying to convince himself more than her.

"Right," she breathed knowing it wasn't true, both of their hands slid up under the other's shirt.

~ * ~

Both exhausted from their activities, they lay together bare skin against bare skin. Hilde rested her head against Trowa's chest allowing her eyes to drift closed. His arm tightened around her as he watched what he thought was her falling asleep. She laid there, pretending to be asleep, waiting for what she knew would follow, what always followed.

"I love you," Trowa whispered placing a tentative kiss on top of her head.

`I already know, Trowa. And when you're ready to tell me, I'll tell you the same,' she thought and drifted off to sleep in sweet bliss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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