(Aug. AC 198)

"Duo...I'm pregnant," said Hilde quietly to her boyfriend of eight months.

"You're what?" he asked incredulously.

"Pregnant," she stated again.

"Shit! Are you sure?" His girlfriend couldn't be pregnant. They'd used protection. Every time! He put his face in his hands.

"Yes. Duo, don't look at me like that. It's not like I wanted to get pregnant! For God's sake, I'm two weeks from turning eighteen! And you had a lot to do with it too. So don't go blaming it all on me!"

Duo just sat there looking at her. His eyes went from her face to her still flat stomach. He closed his eyes and groaned. "What are you going to do?"

"ME? What am I going to do? What are we going to do, Duo. It's not just my problem!" she yelled. Typical guy! They all think it's the woman's fault.

"I can't be a father, Hilde. I'm only eighteen! I just graduated from high school. Think of what's going to happen. I won't be able to go to college, I won't be able to play football--"

"What about me? I'll be a mom in March! I won't be able to go to UC Berkeley like I'd planned. You think this baby will only ruin your plans, Duo?" she interrupted. She couldn't believe how extremely selfish he was being.

He sighed. No, he couldn't let anything ruin his plans to play professional football. He couldn't be tied down with a baby. "Then we'll have an abortion!"

She stared at him. She opened her mouth to say something but the words wouldn't come. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and finally said, "No, Duo. We are not going to get an abortion... and no!" she said before he could say his next solution. "We are not going to give it up for adoption. I, more than anyone, know what it's like to grow up without parents."

He shook his head at her. "No, Hilde. I will not be--"

"Oh my God, Duo! You think I did this on purpose! You really think I would do that? You really think I would ruin my plans to go to one of the best schools in the United States just so I could keep you with me?"

"That's not the point. The point is that I will not have a baby! I'm not ready and I don't want the responsibility! I'm leaving in two days for college and you come, out of the blue, and tell me you're pregnant. No, Hilde. You're just going to have to either get rid of it or have it by yourself. That's it!"

"I can't believe how selfish you're being, Duo," she whispered.

"If being selfish means looking out for my future, then yes, I'm being a selfish bastard." Deep down he knew he was being extremely selfish, but would anybody blame him? He was just looking out for his future. He didn't want to work minimum wage at a fast food restaurant for the rest of his life. He didn't want to resent his child for taking away his dreams.

"Fine, Duo. Leave! Be a bastard and not be there for your own child! I don't care."

"Hilde-- I wouldn't be a good father anyway. I'm too immature, I don't even have a job, my parents are going to pay for college!"

"Stop, Duo. I don't need anymore excuses. I already know you're not man enough to face up to responsibilities." Hilde grabbed her jacket and purse from Duo's sofa and left. She slammed the door and Duo winced.

"I'm sorry, Hilde. I can't let this ruin my plans," he said to the empty room. He walked upstairs to finish packing.

*~*~*~*

Outside, Hilde got into her car and drove home. She'd thought Duo would be supportive. Now that she knew he wasn't going to help, it made telling Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, her foster parents, that she was pregnant harder. She imagined having Duo with her when she told them. She knew they would kick her out of the house, but having Duo would have helped. She parked in the driveway and thought of ways to tell her 'parents' the news.

She got out of the car and walked to the door. She turned the knob and stepped inside. Mrs. Andrews walked out of the kitchen and smiled at her. Hilde's heart broke for the second time that day. The Andrews had been extremely nice to her for the past three years. They'd kept her longer than any of her other foster parents. But they were extremely old fashioned and religious. She knew they disapproved of her having a boyfriend, and who knows what they were going to do when she gave them the 'surprise' of their lives.

"What's wrong, Hilde. Are you sick?" asked Mrs. Andrews.

"No, listen Clara, can I talk to you and Bill? After dinner?"

"Oh of course! We have a surprise for you! Your brother, Patrick, is here from college for a couple of weeks. He's been asking about you the whole day."

"That's great. I'm going to my room to wash up for dinner. Thank you, Clara." Great, now Patrick was here. He was three years older than Hilde and they'd never gotten along. He liked to annoy her, and she liked to annoy him back. 'Well, the whole family is going to witness my disgrace,' she thought.

Dinner was quiet, with only a few annoying remarks from Patrick. When they'd all finished Hilde helped Clara with the dishes in the kitchen. When all the dishes were washed and dried Hilde asked Clara to get Bill and Patrick to the living room.

*~*~*~*

"You're what?" bellowed Mr. Andrews.

"I'm sorry," said Hilde. She was on the point of tears. She would never forget the look on Mrs. Andrews' face when she'd told them.

"I knew you were up to no good with the Maxwell boy! I just knew it! How could you do this to us, Hilde? After all we've given you. After all we've done for you! And where is your so called boyfriend? Have you told him yet? Does he plan on marrying you?" asked Bill.

"Yes, I told him, but he's not willing to accept responsibility," she said quietly. She was sitting on the corner of the sofa, trying to make herself as small as possible. Patrick was sitting on the sofa across from her, staring. Mrs. Andrews was crying next to Patrick, and Mr. Andrews was standing up, passing judgment on her.

"I'm sorry Hilde, but this is not acceptable. We can not have you in our house as an unwed mother. We are very fond of you, but we will not bring shame upon our family. You have to leave this house as soon as possible, you may take all your things."

"I understand, and I'm sorry. I really didn't mean for this to happen. Thank you for all you've done for me. I'll leave tonight." On shaky legs she got up and walked upstairs. She grabbed a duffel bag and began stuffing all her clothes into it. When she was done she took only a few mementos. Giving the room one last look she turned the knob on the door and stepped into the hall. Bill and Clara were still downstairs. Hilde walked down the stairs. She put her hand in her pocket and took her car keys out. She stretched out her hand and handed them to Mr. Andrews.

He took the house keys from the ring and handed her the car keys. "Keep it," was all he said.

Patrick was outside waiting for her. He walked up to her and took her bag. "Where are you going?" he asked the girl he'd considered his sister for the last three years.

"To Relena's. She just got her own condo and I'm going to pay half the expenses," she asked opening the trunk of the car and stepping aside so he could put the bag inside.

"You were expecting them to ask you to leave?"

"Yes and no. I was going to move out. I didn't want to be a burden to them. They're not my parents, Patrick."

"They see you as their daughter."

"Not really. But it's okay. I'm going to... to... I'm going to do something to raise this baby. Even if I have to do it alone. I guess this is goodbye then."

"Yeah, take care. I don't think I'll see you... often," he whispered. Patrick had never been a guy to show emotion to anyone. He surely never showed any to Hilde, but that night he did something that surprised them both. He hugged her. She hugged him back. "Do you need any money?" he asked when she turned on the engine of the car.

Hilde shook her head and drove off to Relena's condo. The drive to Relena's house from the Andrews' house was of about twenty minutes. When Hilde got there the lights were still on and she saw Relena's boyfriend's car parked outside. Hilde sighed and hoped they were not 'busy'. Heero, the boyfriend, was Duo's best friend. Hilde supposed that he would find out about the baby from either Relena or Duo. "Oh well," she muttered.

She used the keys her friend gave her and entered the condo. Relena and Heero were on the sofa watching a movie when she came in with her duffel bag.

"Oh, hey!" Relena said, then noticed the bag in her hand. "I guess you told them. I fixed your room, Heero helped me bring in the bed!"

"Thank you. You guys didn't have to."

"Nonsense! You're pregnant, you can't be carrying stuff around!" cried Relena getting up from her place next to Heero. "How did it go?"

Hilde was quiet for a long moment. Tears stung the backs of her eyes. She hadn't cried the whole day, and the tension was getting to her. Tears started to fall and her friend hugged her.

Heero turned away from the television and looked up to see Hilde crying. He got up and hugged her too. "You want me to talk to him?" he asked as he released her.

"No," she sighed. "He doesn't care. And if he'd stayed he would have ended up hating me and the baby. I don't want to do that to him. If he wants to be selfish, then so be it. At least this way only one of us will be stuck with an unwanted child."

"There's always abortion..." suggested Heero quietly.

"No! It's not the child's fault. He or she didn't asked to be conceived. And I know both of you are thinking about adoption, but that's out of the question. Neither of you know what it's like to grow up from orphanage to orphanage and foster home to foster home. It can really mess with your head."

"Oh Hilde! I'll help you! I'll be like a second mother to your baby! We'll both work hard and we'll save money for when you can't work when the baby is born! Don't worry, you'll see! Everything is going to be okay!"

"Thank you," said Hilde. She didn't know what she was going to do. She'd been so scared for the last few weeks, wishing that what she suspected wasn't true. Then this happened.

"I'll help you too, Hilde, when I can. I'll be in college but I'll help you as much as I can when I'm here."

Hilde cried harder. Her life would never be the same... "Thank you, both of you."

*~*~*~*

(Dec. AC 200)

"No, Alyza, don't--" there was a loud crash and a pause before Hilde finished, "touch that. You shouldn't touch aunt Relena's stuff because she'll get really mad. Alyza, come on, baby!' Hilde took a deep breath and picked up the one year old. It was a couple of days before Christmas and both Relena and Hilde were having a hard time keeping Alyza, Hilde's daughter, from tearing the paper on the presents or from breaking the ornaments. Hilde felt really bad because Alyza Had broken so many things and she couldn't pay her friend back. Relena had said it was okay, but she knew it wasn't. Relena shouldn't have to put up with Alyza.

"I'm home!" cried Relena from the hall way. She walked into the living room and looked for Alyza. "And how is my baby today?" she asked and took her from Hilde's arms. She tickled her under her chin and said, "She's as cute as a button! Oh yes she is!" Alyza squirmed in her arms and laughed. She looked more like Duo everyday. She had the same chestnut brown hair and the laughing violet eyes. She had his mouth, and the shape of her eyes was exactly like his. She looked nothing like her mother. "Oh Hilde, she makes me want to have a baby of my own," said Relena.

Hilde laughed and said, "Believe me, you do not want one. Alyza gives you enough trouble and she's not even yours!"

"Oh come on, Hilde! I love her as if she was my own. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that Heero will be coming for Christmas! He said he wants to see you and Alyza very much. He's so in love with her!"

"Better watch out, I think you have a rival, Relena!"

"I'd be happy to lose Heero to a cutie like this one!"

*~*~*~*

(in Heero's and Duo's dorm room)

"So, Heero, where ya goin' for Christmas?" asked Duo, who was lying on his bed throwing and catching a football.

"To Relena's," was all he said. In the two years they'd lived together, Heero had 'neglected' to tell him who Relena's roommates were.

"Ooh, you gonna spend some time alone with her, man?"

"She has... er... two roommates."

"Two? Are they hot?"

"Oh yeah, you'd love 'em, Duo. They're both nice... er... girls," Heero said rather sarcastically.

"See, I don't get you man. You never want to talk about Relena's roommate, or roommates, whatever. Every time I bring them up you start being all sarcastic and shit."

"Then maybe you should meet them, Duo. Then you can judge for yourself how hot they are."

"You mean that? I can come home with you, instead of staying here for Christmas like I've done the last two years?"

"Sure, just let me warn you. Her roommates might give you quite a shock!"

"I can't wait."

"Pack your bags then, we're leaving tonight."

"All right!"

*~*~*~*

"Is everything ready, Hilde?" asked Relena who was finishing getting ready for the arrival of her boyfriend.

"Yes! Don't worry about a thing, Alyza and I have everything ready for 'Uncle Heero'. Don't we, baby?" Hilde had Alyza on her hip while she was stirring the contents of a pot on the stove. They heard a car park in the driveway and hurried up with dinner. "He's here, Relena! Hurry up, Alyza and I will be in the kitchen!"

Hilde stirred the other contents of various pots and waited for Relena to come. She heard the door open, cortesy of Heero's key, and turned around to see if Relena had come out of her room yet.

(on the other side of the door)

"Why so many presents, Heero?" asked Duo eyeing the two bags of presents. They're were mostly big boxes and he'd wondered about them the whole way up there.

"They're for Relena and her roommates. They've been really nice to me."

"Oh."

Heero finally opened the door and stepped inside. He walked into the living room and put the presents on one of the sofas. "Anybody home?" he yelled.

"Oh Heero!" yelled an excited Relena as she threw herself into his arms. They both laughed and kissed. When they parted she hugged him again she noticed the other person with him. "Heero, you didn't!" she whispered in his ear.

"I did. I thought it was time for him to see them," he whispered back.

"Heero!" greeted Hilde as she came out of the kitchen. She failed to notice the young man behind her friend. Alyza gurgled and stretched her arms out to her 'unca Hee-o'.

"Hi! Oh come here, baby! You're much bigger than the last time I saw you," he said as he picked up Alyza from her mother's arms.

The moment Heero moved was when Hilde noticed the stunned Duo. They looked at each other and asked at the same time, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention that I'd be bringing company," said Heero with not a bit of apology in his voice.

Hilde looked at him. "Yeah, right. You did this on purpose!"

"Hilde, I thought it was time for him to see Alyza--"

"Let's talk about this later, please. Let's just have dinner right now. It's Christmas Eve," said Relena taking her boyfriend's hand and leading him to the kitchen. She stopped walking and turned. "Please, Hilde? For me?"

"Fine," she said quietly. Hilde picked her daughter up and headed to the kitchen. Duo stood there, stunned. He'd never thought he'd see Hilde again. Hilde... and his daughter... their daughter. 'This is going to suck,' he thought. He shook his head and forced his feet to move and take him to the kitchen.

The table was small, only for four people, Relena and Heero were sitting next to each other, so that left the only chair next to Hilde, who was busy putting a bib on the baby in the highchair.

They ate in silence for about twenty minutes. Heero was tired of this. He wanted his friends to talk, to try and patch things up. He really doubted that either one of them wanted to talk. Especially Hilde, the most harm had been done to her. He decided that he would start the conversation by talking about Hilde. "So, Hilde, still going out with what's-his-face?" He felt Relena kick him under the table and tried hard not to smile.

"No, Shawn and I decided to be friends," said Hilde gritting her teeth.

"Why?" asked Heero innocently. Relena kicked him again.

"I'd rather not discuss that, Heero," she said warningly.

"Oh, right, still a touchy subject." Heero turned his attention to Duo. "Duo, still going out with... um... Tanya?" Relena's feet were going to be sore by the end of the night.

"No, Heero, but you already knew that!" said his friend with tight lips. Heero was trying to piss him off, and he was succeeding.

"Oh so you guys are both single?"

"Heero, sweet heart, can I talk to you alone, for just a minute?" asked Relena sweetly, too sweetly. She was beyond pissed. She was seething with anger. Her boyfriend had just ruined their Christmas dinner! 'You are going to pay for this, Yuy,' she thought.

"Sure," he said with a bright smile. They both got up and headed for her bedroom where she proceeded to give him an earful about meddling in other people's lives.

Hilde and Duo were left alone with Alyza between them. Duo took the opportunity to look at his and Hilde's daughter. Her hair was two pony tails high on her head and she was wearing a pink one-piece suit with a sailor collar. She had his hair, his eyes, and she even had his smile. She looked nothing like Hilde. Just looking at her pulled at his heart strings. She was a beautiful child. He felt bad about not wanting to get to know her even before she was born. Hilde was right, it wasn't her fault that she'd been conceived. She hadn't asked to be born. "She looks like me," he said, quietly, cautiously.

"Yes, she does." Hilde did not want to be alone with him. She didn't look at Duo. She finished feeding Alyza and wiped her mouth. The baby had a habit of getting her food all over her and Hilde was surprised she hadn't done it this time. 'Probably knows something's up,' Hilde thought. "Excuse us," she said aloud and unstrapped Alyza from the chair. She lifted her up and walked to her bedroom. She didn't notice Duo get up and follow her.

"What's her name?" he asked from the doorway.

"Alyza," she responded curtly. Why was her here? Why was he in her bedroom? 'Ugh! Why is he asking questions now? He didn't care when she wasn't even born yet, and now suddenly he wants to know more?'

"That's a nice name. Why did you name her that?"

"I just liked it, Duo; it has no meaning behind it! Now if you would please get out of our room, we'd like to get ready for bed."

"Hilde--"

"Please Duo! You don't have to pretend you care, I know you don't!" she exclaimed.

"Listen to me, Hilde. I'm sorry that I didn't want to get to know her. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for either of you when she was born, but I'd like to change that--"

"You think you can just come back one day, when she's almost two years old, and suddenly decide that you want to get to know your daughter? No, Duo, it doesn't work like that. You were the one that didn't want her, Duo!"

"Better late than never, Hilde! It's not like I never thought about her, about you! I did, constantly, but I was a coward. How could I just come back one day and say, 'Hilde, I want to be the baby's father now. I'm ready.' You said it to me before, you said I wasn't man enough to be responsible but I'd like to try. Please Hilde. I'm sorry."

"You don't owe me apologies, Duo. You don't owe me anything. It's Alyza that deserves them because you weren't here when she was born prematurely, when she had to stay in the hospital for a month. Or when I didn't have the money to pay for her medical bill or her medicines!"

"I'm sorry, Hilde. Let me be a part of both your lives. I'll change; I'll go to the local college, I'll get a job. I want to be her father, to make up for my absence," he pleaded with her.

"Fine, Duo. I don't want to deny her the chance to know her father. I don't want her to resent me when she's older because I wouldn't let her father see her. You can see her whenever you want, she can stay with you, but I won't be a part of it. I have my own life now. You can be her father and I'll be her father, but we'll each do it separately."

"I understand, Hilde, but you are going to have to show me how to do things around her. I've never been with a baby." He wanted to be in Hilde's life too. He needed her to be with him. He swore to himself that one day they would be a real family; that one day Hilde would marry him and they that would live together. He would try his hardest to make her see that she still loved him, like he love her.

"Fine."

*~*~*~*

The next few weeks were difficult for Duo. He moved out of his dorm, told his coach that he wouldn't be playing anymore, and found a job. The hardest thing had been telling his parents about Alyza. Hilde had allowed him to take Alyza to his parents' house by himself, he'd asked her to come with him and she'd said that since she'd had to tell her 'parents' about Alyza alone so would he.

~He'd given them the surprise of their lives when he'd come in the door with a baby. As soon as his parents saw her they knew it was their only child's daughter. There was no mistaking the resemblance.

"Mom, dad, this is Alyza... my daughter," he had said.

"Oh my God, Duo! What did you do?" asked his mother taking Alyza from him.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us, son? She's practically all grown up?" yelled his father.

"Well, you see..."~

Duo shook his head at the memory. It hadn't been pleasant. Both his parents had yelled and ranted, but they had fallen in love with is daughter instantly, like he had. Now it was Hilde's turn to meet them. Yes, they'd met before but this time it would be with their daughter.

Duo parked in the driveway of the ground-floor condo Hilde and Relena shared. He knocked on the door and waited for one of them to open the door. Relena did.

"Oh, hi Duo! Um... Hilde's not ready yet, but Alyza is waiting for her 'dada' in the living room. Come in," she said and stepped aside so he could enter. Duo went to the living room and looked for Alyza. Today was her second birthday and they would be spending the day with his parents.

Relena went to Hilde's room and knocked. When Hilde told her to come in she saw her friend sitting on the bed biting her nails. "Hilde, Duo's here. Are you nervous?"

"Hell yes! I've only met his parents twice before and I don't think they liked me. I just feel like they think that I got pregnant to trap Duo. They didn't approve of him dating 'a girl with no family'. They're snotty upper-class people," Hilde said looking at her friend.

"They'll love you, Hilde. You gave them a beautiful granddaughter, they can't hate you," she said and stroked Hilde's hair. "Now, put your head up and go out there."

Hilde walked outside and saw Duo with Alyza on the sofa. When he heard her footsteps he turned his head and his breath caught in his throat. She looked beautiful in a tight black dress that came to above her knees. Her long hair was left loose around her shoulders and back.

"I knew it was too much! I'll go change," she said and turned around to go back to her room.

"No, you look great... beautiful. It's fine."

"Thanks. Let's go."

The three of them went outside. Hilde was about to go to her car to get Alyza's car seat when Duo told her that his parents had gotten him one. "Oh, they did? That was nice of them."

"Yes, it was. Come on, they're expecting us in fifteen minutes."

They only sound that could be heard in the ten minute drive was Alyza's squealing and baby talk.

"Did you bring the pictures I asked for?" asked Duo glancing at her.

"Yes, the ones of her birth, her first Christmas, her birthday."

"Are you nervous?"

"A little. Your parents never did like me, Duo. What makes you think they're going to like me now?"

He ignored her question and, instead, said, "We're here."

He opened her door for her and un-strapped Alyza. He handed her to Hilde and they walked up the steps to the front door.

"Mom dad, we're here," he said as they stepped inside.

"Oh good!"

"Hello Mrs.--" started Hilde, but was cut off by Mrs. Maxwell.

"Oh there's my precious! Come to grandma, Alyza!" she said ignoring Hilde's greeting.

Hilde narrowed her eyes and looked up at Duo. He smiled slightly at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"I told you!" whispered Hilde as they followed his mother inside.

"She's just excited about seeing Alyza. Don't worry. If she does it again I'll talk to her about it."

"As long as she doesn't start criticizing the way I clothe, feed, and raise my daughter everything will be fine," she muttered to Duo.

His father was in the large living room sitting in a chair reading the newspaper. When he saw them he stood up said hello to Hilde and nodded to Duo, then he turned his attention to Alyza.

Duo led Hilde to the dinning room and pulled her chair out for her. She was amazed at the grandeur of the place. The same feeling she'd had almost three years ago when she'd first been in the house. They sat down, with Alyza on a highchair next to Hilde. The maid brought them the food and they began eating. Hilde watched Alyza, hoping that she wouldn't make one of her messes.

"So, uh Hilde, what do you do now? Do you go to school, like Duo?" asked his mother. Hilde noticed the hint of hostility in the older woman's voice.

"No, Mrs. Maxwell, I don't go to school. I'm putting it off until Alyza is older." Hilde wanted to be nice to Mrs. Maxwell, for Alyza's sake.

"Oh, so you graduated from high school and then got a job? What do you do now?"

"I took some secretarial classes before Alyza was born. I'm a secretary in a law firm."

"Oh well, that's nice. At least you have a steady job. And where do you live? With the Andrews?"

"No, I live with my friend, Relena in her condo. I moved there when I was two months along with Alyza."

"Hmm," said Mrs. Maxwell and rolled her eyes.

Mrs. Maxwell was making Hilde seem like a failure compared to them. It wasn't her fault that her son-- 'Don't go there, Hilde. Just stop while you're ahead.'

"What are you guys going to do? Duo is not going to drop out of college, and he can only get a part time job. It won't be enough for the three of you," added Mr. Maxwell.

"Well, Mr. Maxwell, it's not as if Duo and I plan to get married. Far from it, in fact, we're not even moving in together. Alyza and I will still live with Relena. She's getting married in a few days and she will be moving out so Alyza and I will have the condo to ourselves," Hilde explained. She didn't like where this conversation was going. Not at all. She looked at Duo for support but he didn't say anything.

"Still though, I would much rather like it if Alyza lived closer to us all. Duo will still live here and... Well, I don't mean to sound rude or imply that you are a bad parent Hilde, it's just that well, maybe if would be best if you let Alyza live here with us," said Mrs. Maxwell adamant.

"Mom!" said Duo indignantly.

"Your father and I think it would be best for all of us if Alyza lived here. I mean, Hilde can't possibly give her everything you can, Duo."

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell, but I'm not letting my daughter live with anyone other than me! I think this dinner has gone on long enough. If this is the only reason why you asked Duo to bring me here, then thanks but no thanks! I can take care of my daughter without your help! I don't need you or Duo to give my daughter anything. She's never lacked for anything the last two years. So, if you'll excuse us now, we'll be leaving!" said Hilde as she stood up. She took Alyza from the chair and looked at Duo, who had also stood up.

"Can you drive us home?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, here are the keys to the car. I just need to speak to my parents for a minute. Turn on the engine and the heater and wait for me there."

"Okay." Hilde went outside while Duo glared at his parents.

"Mom, I can't believe you did that! Dad, you either! How could you ask Hilde to give up Alyza? If anyone should ask her that it should be me, and even then I don't think I have the right because I left her when she told me she was pregnant! I don't even know how I'm going to apologize to her. God!"

"Stop being so melodramatic, Duo! Girls like Hilde are glad to get rid of their children so they can have more time with their 'friends'. Besides, it's true, you can give Alyza more than Hilde ever could."

"Are you listening to yourselves? I can't give Alyza more than Hilde can! I'm still in school, I have a part-time job. If anyone would be giving Alyza things it would be you! It's your money!" yelled Duo. His parents were being irrational. They wanted to take Alyza from Hilde, not because she couldn't take care of her, but because then they could boast and tell people that they did a nice thing by taking their granddaughter from her mother to raise her with money. He knew they wouldn't be the ones to raise her. She would have a million nannies and tutors... just like he'd had.

"Duo, we just want what's best for you and Alyza--"

"What about what's best for Hilde? She's worked hard to give Alyza everything for the last two years because I was a stupid, selfish bastard!"

"If you're so worried Duo, why don't you marry the girl?" asked his father.

"I'd ask her, dad, if I wasn't so damn sure she'd say no! I love her, but she hates my guts!"

"Duo, if you don't marry her, or, at least move in with her, then your mother and I will file a suit to gain custody of Alyza. It probably won't prove that Hilde is an unfit mother but it will drain her resources and she won't have the money to pay for a lawyer. There, you have your choice!" said his father.

"Ugh! I'm leaving!" yelled Duo as he turned to leave he saw Hilde still in the doorway. She'd heard everything they'd said. He closed his eyes and ignored the way she was looking at him. He took her arm and led her to the door.

"I'm sorry I overheard your conversation with your parents. I couldn't find the baby's jacket..." she trailed off.

"It's okay, it doesn't matter. Let's hurry, I'll drive you guys home." They drove in complete silence. Even Alyza was quiet since she was asleep. When they arrived home Duo opened the car door for Hilde and helped her out. He opened the back door so he could take Alyza inside. He cradled her in his arms and Hilde put a blanket over them. Hilde opened the door to the condo and instructed Duo to take the baby to her room and put her in her crib. Hilde took her shoes off and cover her in her blankets. She turned to Duo and asked if he wanted coffee or something.

"Coffee, please," he said.

Hilde motioned for him to follow her. When they were in the kitchen Hilde said, "Heero's here."

"How do you know?" he asked.

"He's Japanese, he leaves his shoes at the door before he goes into Relena's room. I saw them."

"I never noticed."

"I've been living with Relena for two years. You tend to notice stuff like that when the guy practically lives here too."

She put the steaming coffee cup in front of him and prepared one for herself. "Hilde, what my parents said... they were serious."

"I know. But that doesn't mean that we have to do what they say. We're twenty years old, Duo."

"Yeah, but Hilde they're right. You don't have enough money to pay for a lawyer and that's the way they would win. They would drag out the law suit until you lost all your money. They also have a lot of connections. We don't have any choice..."

"This complicates things. I don't want to marry you, Duo."

"I know, we don't have to get married. All we have to do is live together until we can prove to my parents that we can't live together."

"Duo, is it true?"

"What?"

"Do you love me?"

"Let's not talk about that right now, Hilde. I--"

"Yes or no, Duo? I already heard your answer, I just want to hear you say it to me? Do you love me?"

"I do... I never told you when we were together because I was scared that you didn't love me back. You were so independent, always doing your own thing. I never knew how we got together since you seem not to be interested in me when we first met. I asked you out a few times and you always said not. I remember the first time I saw you, I was thinking how great it would be to have sex with you, but after I got to know you... when we started going out, I realized how special you were. I don't know when I found out I loved you, but when you told me you were going to have a baby I got scared. I didn't know what to do. You were so calm, so... you weren't confused. You told me that you were going to have the baby and that you were going to keep it. You scared me. A few months after I got to school I called your house, but Mr. Andrews said that you had moved out and he didn't know where you were. Please believe me when I say that I thought about you all the time. When I went out with other girls I always broke it off because you were always in my mind." Duo had said all that while looking at the table top. When he finished his speech he looked at her eyes. They had tears in them.

"I love you too, Duo. You don't know how hard it was for me to have to deal with being pregnant and giving birth to a baby by myself. I was so scared and so heart broken because I thought you didn't care about me. I was tempted to ask Heero to tell you about Alyza so many times. I was ready to tell you how much I loved you when I told you I was going to have a baby, but then you looked at me like I was going to eat you alive and I lost my nerve. I couldn't put this weight on you knowing that you didn't love me. That's why I didn't put up any arguments when you told me that you didn't want the baby. But I still love you, Duo."

They stood up from the table and they hugged each other. "I've wanted to hug you since the second I saw you behind Heero," she said breathlessly.

"And I've wanted to kiss you ever since I saw you walk in from the kitchen," he said before he did just that. He kissed her for all he was worth. "I love you, babe. Will you marry me?" he asked as he stopped kissing her.

She took a step away from him. Tears sparkled in her eyes and she said, "Yes!" She kissed him again. "But Duo, what are we going to do? Are you going to drop out of shcool?"

"Let's not worry about that now. Let's just make up for lost time. Do you mind if I spend the night here?"

"No, of course not."

The End

AN: Sappy ending but I wanted them to be happy. Okay so I had to to back tracking all over the place. In the beginning Hilde's about two months pregnant and Alyza was born, prematurely, in January. So that makes her about 1 year and 11 months old when Duo meets her. I love 2xH stories, that's why I write so many of them!
OyukiStar@aol.com

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