This is meant to be a little "side-story"to the regular GW timeline.

I don't own GW and I'm not trying to evangelize.

"A Red Door Means Peace"

by: toneitdown

Unless being caught and sent to a prison on an Oz space barge counted as a particularly crafty method of infiltrating the said space barge, Duo Maxwell had failed. Again. The God of Death was being marched down a cold, steel hallway. The lights above him flickered lazily. This wasn't a regularly visited part of the barge. Finally, at the end of the agonizingly long corridor, Duo was facing a door that opened quite happily for him. He was thrown bodily into the dark and dank quarters whereupon he was bodily beaten.

I'm just a magnet for fists. Heero never get punched. Damn bastard. Hope he rescues me.

Finally the fists ceased, and the young Gundam pilot fell to the ground. The cold floor greeted him like another punch in the face and Duo was out. The last thing he felt was a soft hand stroking his bruised face.

I've come home at last Sister Helen.

Light footsteps made their way to Duo's face. Duo opened one eye, and then another and promptly wished he hadn't. Closed eyes kept the pain away, but opening his eyes, Duo invited the pain to come over party.

"Ugh. Where am I?" Suddenly it all came back. "Never mind, I'd rather you not answer that question."

The feet wobbled over to him. They were unsteady and weak, even Duo could tell. Slowly a body knelt down and Duo was staring at the most beautiful face he had ever seen. It was sickly pale, but the color was of no consequence. The very full, thick lips graced the countenance, and big, almost clichéd doe brown eyes stared worriedly into his face. The wonderful lips parted, and music in the form of words came out, "They hit you pretty hard. I couldn't pull you towards your cot. Sorry. Can you get up?"

Slowly Duo pulled himself up to his knees and finally up to his feet.

It'll take more than that to put the God of Death out of commission.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just bruised up."

The woman pulled herself, slowly, to her feet.

"Why, you're only a boy!"

Duo winced. He had never had a chance to be a "boy." What right did this lady have to call him a "boy?"

A hand, the same hand that felt so much like Sister Helen's, put itself under Duo's chin and pulled his eyes to her eyes. "But your eyes have the darkness and wisdom that most men will never gain in their lives. You've seen your share of battle."

"Yeah, I've seen it all, lady." He stepped back and stared at her, defiance in his eyes. And he finally got a good look at the woman who called him a boy.

He gasped.

Except for her beautiful face, her body was emaciated. And what's more, she couldn't have been older than Duo himself. Covered only in what looked like a dingy, bloody, and ragged bed sheet, every bone in her body jutted out past what would be considered normal and healthy. Scars and cuts, some only days old, some still oozing blood, covered every visible limb. Duo was sure there were even more underneath the rag she wore.

"Oh my God, lady. What have they done to you?"

"If you're on the streets of a colony digging for food in the garbage and some Oz soldiers offer to pay you for, um, services, don't deny them. Just remember that. Officially, I was arrested for assaulting a soldier and officially I was released three days after questioning." A small, rattling sigh escaped her lungs. "I'm a torture device."

"Do you mean you're being tortured by a torture device?"

"No, I torture you by being tortured. They do… they do things to me and tell you that they'll stop if you tell them what they want."

"Oh my God."

"Yeah, I pray to God every time. He sees me through it. I forgive them, the soldiers, every time. 'They know not what they do.' God will deliver me either by escape or death. I also pray that you'll be strong enough to resist them."

"Lady, God gave up on us a long time ago."

"I have a hard time believing that. But, if you're right, well, my faith keeps me sane in a place like this. I have hope, and that's all I need. He comforts me, just as he promised."

Duo called from memory John 14, verse 18, I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.

"Whatever keeps you going, lady," was his sullen reply.

Except for the girl's ragged breathing, the room fell silent. Slowly she wobbled over to a cot and sat down. Duo prowled the cell, looking for even a vent big enough for him to wiggle through, but there was nothing. Finally he flopped down on the cot next to the girl's and propped himself up on one elbow.

"What kind of things do they do to you?"

"Anything to get anything out of you. And when they get it they put a bullet in your head. Don't tell them anything, boy. Not a single thing. You're high profile. I don't know who or what you do, but you have information Oz desperately needs. They'll keep you alive longer if you don't say anything. Maybe you'll escape before they turn the torture from me to you."

"How do you know I'm so high profile?"

"A little bird told me," was all Duo could get out of her.

So they sat in silence for how long, Duo had no idea. The girl bowed her slender head and closed her eyes where she sat. There was no telling if she was asleep or praying, so Duo chose to just think on his own.

It's been ages since I wrote anything, even a measly fanfic. But this popped into my head and if you're a writer, you know what it's like to have a story stuck in your head. I know this is kind of fast paced, but I really couldn't avoid it. Needed to get a few things out of the way. It'll flesh out more and slow down... if I can write well enough...

I'm trying to avoid Mary-Sue-ish-ness, but I guesson some aspects it can't be avoided. She'll serve more as a catalyst for Duo's thoughts.

Tell me what you think.