He stared at what had used to be the Maxwell Church. He placed a bouquet at the front of the rubble. The tears sprang to his eyes as he remembered what the church had used to be like. He remembered the laughing and playing, but he also remembered being punished for being bad. He laughed silently at the jokes he had played on the sister and the father. He knew they had loved them; he had been the one who had kept them going, gave them hope when there was none. He never did keep any hope to himself. He just gave it all away. And now years down the road, all his missions were completed and there was nothing for him to do or no one to go home to. The other pilots had found love, he signed. Sure Hilde was a pretty girl, but he wasn't into girls. He came back to L2 because he knew none of the other pilots would approve of his sexuality. He said his goodbyes and left. He knew he had shocked the others by his solemn goodbyes and that he did not stay for the celebration of the defeat of Mariemeia.
The truth be told, he hadn't expected to survive the war. He had wanted to be killed, he wanted to die. He knew there would be no place in the world for him if he had survived. And yet here he was alive and kicking. He had no clue as to what to do with himself. The other pilots had no problem adjusting to their new life. Heero proposed to Relena as what had been expected. Wufei accepted his job offer from the Preventers and was dating Sally Po. Quatre took over his father's company and married Dorothy after she gave birth to their child. Trowa had rejoined the circus and began performing again. They all their lives in order, they all had someone to go home to. What did Duo have to go home to? A pile of rubble that was it, no house, no lover, no one. He hung his head in defeat. There was nothing for him here, so why did he return? Why didn't he just stay on Earth and celebrate with the others and take a job with the Preventers? That would have made sense. But he knew that the internal pain of being alone forever would kill him slowly.
"Hey mista why are ya hanging out at the old church, no one lives there anymore and the government of L2 refuses to rebuild it." A small boy wearing an over sized hat asked Duo.
Duo looked at the kid and realized his purpose. He would rebuild the church and pick someone responsible to run it. He knew he wouldn't be able to, but it was a good idea. He would get Noin to run it, she loved kids and not being able to have any, she would love it. Duo smiled at the kid, "Well kiddo, I was just checking this place out to see if I could rebuild the old church. I lived here a long time ago, before the Maxwell Church Massacre. I remember the night she burned down…Anyway kid, tell your friends that they will have a place to live."
The kid grinned at Duo, thanked him and ran off. Duo smiled after the kid. Well, Noin will get her wish of having kids at least. I know I won't be satisfied running an orphanage. I better go buy the land and hire a construction company to build the place. The people will never forget the Maxwell Church. Duo went on his way to buy the land, it was still early in the morning and he was sure with all the money he hacked from Oz, he had more than enough to buy the land.
---------Six years later---------
"Hey Noin, how is every thing?" Duo asked through the vid screen. It had been two weeks since he had talked to Noin and he knew she was worried about him. He imagined what he had to look like to her. He didn't really care. He had given all the money he had acquired to Noin to run the orphanage. He had kept none for himself and was now making barely enough to survive.
"Everything is great Duo. I can't thank you enough for this opportunity. This makes me so happy Duo. But enough about me, how are you holding up?" Noin asked in a serious tone. She examined Duo through the screen. He had dark bags under his eyes and he was pale. The dark bags were worse than the last time she had talked to him. She would always ask if he were ill and he would tell her no, that he was just working too late again. She was concerned, but she wouldn't push the matter. When Duo Maxwell did not want to talk, he did not want to talk. She also knew he wouldn't talk to any of the other pilots. They would call her and ask her about Duo. She would lie to them and tell them that Duo was ok.
"I told ya I'm fine, just a little too much overtime. I haven't been sleeping a lot lately. I have bills to pay ya know." Duo said cheekily.
"Yes, but Duo you did not have to give the orphanage all your money. You should have kept some for yourself."
"Nah, what would I do with all that money? 'Sides it's goin for a good cause. My paintings and my singing jobs are paying me good. They get me by."
"Yes, but Duo, what about when you are old? You won't be able to sing then; your paintings may bring you in some money, but not much. I am just worried about you."
"I know Noin, I'll be fine, and I am Duo Maxwell after all. I survived the war…well I gotta go, talk to ya later Noin." Duo cut the screen off. Noin fell back into her chair. Yes Duo you survived the war because of the death, can you now survive life and live it instead of death?
Duo signed, he hated the conversations with Noin. She always asked too many questions, he knew he had lied to her, and that was wrong, but he didn't want her to know what was going on in his life. It was bad enough that he had broke into some guy's house and used his vid, but he had no other choice. He didn't want Noin to know that he was homeless at the moment. He owned too many big people money for all the chances he took to launch his singing career which never happened. He had one more payment to go and he was free of them. He had to make 700 more dollars to pay them off by tomorrow. His paintings only went for 150 dollars. He was sure that he couldn't sell $700 worth of paintings by tomorrow. There only one more way to make the money. He didn't want to do it, but he had to. He had done it in the past and he could do it again. He never let any of the other pilots take those missions. He made sure the doc landed him those missions. He didn't want the other pilots to be tainted. He made his way out of the guy's house and little did he know that the camera had caught him throughout his whole stay.
-------Next Day-------
"There ya go all $700 of it. Now will ya leave me alone?" Duo asked the beady eyed man. Duo was nervous, he didn't like the situation, but he had to deal with it, at least until the men let him go. The man counted the money again and nodded his head. His men started to beat Duo. Duo let out a wail of surprise and then darkness over took him.
The image of Duo Maxwell stuck with Milliardo Peacecraft as he looked frantically for the sick looking man. He knew Duo had entered his house and not thought about it. It was such a coincidence that Duo would enter his house out of all the others. Milliardo looked up and down every alley for the braided man. Milliardo knew he didn't have much time to find him before something happened to the happy go lucky teen. Milliardo knew what the man sacrificed last night to pay off his debts and Milliardo knew what the bastard had planned to do to Duo. Milliardo never liked Turlock. He was a skiving fake and killed all of his failed singers. He just hoped Duo had survived whatever Turlock had in store for him.
Milliardo was about to leave the alley when he heard a soft moan. It was barely heard by his insensitive ears, but he had caught it. He turned around instantly and began to look for Duo immediately and found Duo in the dumpster. His face was bruised and cut and he could tell that Duo had a few broken bones. Milliardo carefully lifted Duo out of the dumpster. Duo looked at Milliardo and smiled weakly, "At least I get to see you one last time…"
"Don't you dare say that Duo Maxwell I will save you. Just hang on for me please." Milliardo could feel the tears at his eyes, but he pushed them back. He could not let Duo see him cry, he had to be strong for the smaller pilot. Milliardo looked around the alley and saw that Turlock had left without leaving any evidence. At least Duo was alive, and when Duo was better, he could testify against Turlock. Milliardo made his way out of the alley and towards the hospital. He decided he would call Preventers Headquarters later; right now Duo needed a doctor.
----The hospital----
Milliardo paced back and forth in front of the operating room. The doctors had not allowed him in there while they were operating on Duo. Milliardo had begged them to let him be there for Duo, but they had refused. Milliardo decided to stop pacing and call Lady Une. Une was relieved to know that Milliardo had found Duo, but not happy at the said pilots condition. And she was also mad about the fact that Milliardo had let Turlock get away with what he had done. Milliardo gave his report and hung up on Une. He was upset at the moment, Duo was in surgery and Milliardo was out in the waiting room. He paced the room for hours thinking about the cheerful pilot and Milliardo's attraction to him. Milliardo first fell in love with the terrorist when Duo had been given orders to seduce him, but Duo was surprised when they hadn't done anything. Milliardo knew the pilot was scared. There was something about those violet eyes that had captivated Milliardo from the beginning. They had spent hours talking and Duo never finished his mission. Duo was surprised by Zechs Merquise's kindness and gentleness, Milliardo let out a silent laugh as he remembered that night.
"So they sent a Gundam pilot to seduce me huh?" Zechs Merquise said boldly to the young man before him.
"Well…guess it didn't work huh? I guess you want your way with me now. That is how it always is with these missions. Well, go ahead, take me there is nothing stopping you." The pilot's voice cracked with a hint of tears. Something at that point had tugged at Merquise's heart. Zechs approached the young man and cupped his chin and forced the young man to look at him.
"Why would I do something like that? You do not deserve to be treated like that." Duo looked up at Zechs with surprise in his lovely eyes.
"I do. I have sinned and now it is time for my punishment. So do what you will."
Zechs had let out a laugh, he couldn't help it. The pilot before him had captured his heart. He thought it was all too cute. "No Duo Maxwell, I think you misunderstand me. I don't want to do anything to you, well nothing against your will anyway." The way Duo's eyes had lit up sealed Zechs Merquise's heart. Zechs could not believe he had this treasure in front of him. But then the war hit him. They couldn't be together because of their respectful sides. Zechs only looked at the small boy.
"If only things were different my friend. Maybe we could have had a healthy relationship."
Duo looked at him with his head cocked. "I know what you mean…Zechs. With our respected sides, it would be hard. I would be forced to kill you or vice versa. But I think I have a solution." Zechs turned around and looked at the young pilot with a raised eyebrow.
"Why don't we wait until the war is over? That would be the most reasonable thing to do. That way we could have a healthy relationship." Duo looked at him with hopeful eyes.
Zechs nodded his head in agreement. "Of course my beautiful one, that is a wonderful idea." They had spent the rest of the night talking about their pasts.
Funny how I told him about my past and how he knew who I was and he never once betrayed me. He and Treize were the only ones who ever knew during the war.
Milliardo was brought back to reality by the doctor; he hoped the news was good. "Mr. Peacecraft, I have some good news and I have bad news. Which do you want first?" The doctor asked him.
"Give me the bad news first, might as well get it over with."
"Well, it seems that he has been raped. I am not talking about his prostitution; I am talking about actual rape. And he seems to have accepted no help for it. I went through our records, he has been here for rape before, but he never pressed charges. So you might help him with that…since he called out your name while we were administering the sleeping drug." Milliardo found the last bit of information interesting. He nodded his head for the doctor to continue.
"The good news is that he pulled through the surgery wonderfully, it went better than we had expected. You can leave him here overnight or you can have your personal doctors take care of him. Whichever you prefer Mr. Peacecraft."
"Thank you doctor, I think I shall take him home with me. How soon can you have him ready?"
"In about fifteen minute's sir."
Milliardo nodded his head for the doctor to ready Duo. Milliardo was not happy about the bad news. He wondered exactly what Duo had been through these past few years. It had to have been rough. He wondered why Duo had never sought him out after the war. Duo had made it clear he wanted a relationship with him. Milliardo shrugged his shoulders. He would find out whenever Duo got better. Then Milliardo realized that the other Gundam pilots would get wind of this and force their way to see Duo. Duo made it clear he didn't want contact with them. Noin had made that clear when he had talked to her, Duo had never mentioned wanting to talk to the others. So for now, I will have to forbid them from seeing Duo. No matter how much they want to see him, I won't let them.
"Sir, we put him in a wheelchair, he should stay in it for about a month. He won't have the strength to walk for at least a month, so please keep him in the wheelchair. And be careful when you move around, the slightest bump will put him in great pain. Do want us to wheel him out? And here is his medication, make sure he takes them as prescribed." The doctor gave Milliardo a small bag of medication.
Milliardo shook his head, "No, I'll do it. Thank you for all your help. Please send all his medical bills to me; I believe the receptionist has my address and so forth."
Milliardo shook the man's hand and grabbed Duo's wheelchair. Milliardo noticed that Duo was still asleep; he knew that Duo could sleep through explosions. Milliardo laughed lightly, he really knew Duo too well. He wondered what had forced Duo into this position and why Duo never asked Noin for helped. He knew that Duo gave Noin all the money he stole from Oz. Well I guess ask him all these questions when he wakes up. Lady Une isn't going to be happy that I am taking at least three months vacation. But I have to be here for Duo, I can't abandon him again. I wonder why he never contacted me; we were pose to get together after the war.
Milliardo eased Duo into the car careful not to disturb him. Milliardo then stuffed the wheelchair into the backseat and then settled himself in the driver's seat and took off from the hospital. He hoped that Duo wouldn't wake on the way home.
Duo opened his eyes slowly. He thought he was in heaven. He didn't have a house or a bed. Duo looked to his left and saw that Milliardo Peacecraft was fast asleep in it. He tried to sit up, but found that he couldn't do it because pain shot through his body. Duo wondered why Milliardo would patch him up and bring him back to his house.
What Duo wondered was how in the hell Milliardo had found him. That bothered him the most at the moment. It seemed impossible that anyone had found him at all. If he had his way he would have been dead by now. He knew what he had discussed with Milliardo all those years ago, in fact he had planned on dating the platinum blond. But then Duo thought of his missions and everything else in his life. He knew then that Milliardo deserved better.
Duo tried to move again but howled with pain. The howl woke Milliardo up and Duo just stared at him. Duo wasn't sure of what to say to the man who had saved his life. Duo was angry but relieved that it was Milliardo who found him. Duo just stared at Milliardo, unsure of what to do. What if he has ulterior motives? What is he expects something in return? But it's Milli, he wouldn't hurt me. I'm just a little jumpy after what happened. Duo searched Milliardo's eyes and found softness there, a softness that Duo knew was only meant for him.
"What am I doing here?" Duo knew to ask the obvious question first. He didn't want to pound the man with the questions that had been flowing through his mind.
"I found you in a dumpster almost dead. I took you to the hospital and had them patch you up. Now you are at my home and I intend on nursing you back to health."
"Why? Why do that for me?" Duo asked his voice about to crack.
"I did it because I wanted to help you. I don't expect anything from you in return. I just want to make sure that you will heal properly and hopefully find you a decent job." Milliardo replied.
"I am capable to find a good job on my own, thank you very much." Duo replied hotly.
"I'm sure you are, but when you dealt with Turlock, that put you under my protection. The Preventers have been after him for years. You are the only one that has survived his wrath…"
"Therefore, you need to testify against him? I don't know Milli, it seems dangerous."
"Une wants this man behind bars or worse. She won't hesitate to have him shot on sight. She wants to ensure your safety."
"All scary Lady Une wants from me is me joining the Preventers. I've already told her no. And I am sticking by that." Duo pouted.
Milliardo raised his eyebrow. "Scary Lady Une? Maxwell where do you come up with this stuff?"
"Yea well your nickname is Sexy Zechsy. I would stop asking questions if I were you or else I will give another nickname." Duo teased. It had been so easy for him to fall back into his old teasing self. He knew he wouldn't have been able to do it if it were anyone else.
"Sexy Zechsy?" Milliardo raised a slender eyebrow. "I like that one Maxwell."
Duo chuckled, he missed this when he had left Earth. It was all too easy to feel so comfortable around Milliardo. Duo signed. Could he have a healthy relationship with the ex-Lightning Count? Would Milliardo except him, even after everything Duo had done? Duo shook those thoughts from his head. He would debate with himself later.
"So…are we going back to Earth?" Duo felt that he had to test the waters.
"After you heal some, Une wants you somewhat healthy before we make that trip and she has already arrested Turlock."
"But I thought the Preventers worked mainly on Earth?" Duo asked.
"We do, but Turlock has committed heinous crimes on Earth as well. You are the only one who can stop him now. He has made several attempts on Relena's life."
"I bet Heero wouldn't think twice about killing him if he endangered Relena." Duo snorted.
"Duo, Heero broke it off with my sister to be with Wufei."
Duo's mouth dropped. "Are you serious?"
Milliardo chuckled. "Yes, and then Dorothy and Quatre, they divorced. Quatre decided he wanted to be with Trowa and Dorothy had decided she wanted my sister. So you see, everything has changed within these six years."
Duo took a moment to take in everything the former Lightning Count had told him. Milliardo had told him about everyone. He also noticed that there was a hint of sadness when Milliardo had spoken about Wufei and Heero. He wondered if Milliardo had tried to move on when he didn't resurface. He had to ask the blond.
"Hey, Sexy Zechsy, did you have something goin on with Fei?" Duo asked. He didn't want the answer. It would definitely prove that no one wanted Duo Maxwell. And Duo knew he wouldn't be able to cope with that.
Milliardo laughed. And what a beautiful sound it was. "I can't believe you Maxwell. You actually think I wanted to be with Chang? I would have killed him and he would have killed me." Duo caught a hint of amusement in those ice blue eyes.
"Ok, so what now? I mean that I am under your watchful eye, what's going to happen? Duo asked with a serious voice.
Milliardo looked at the brunette. Seriousness was not for his Duo. Wait, my Duo? Does he even still want me? Milliardo loved the craziness that was Duo Maxwell, the same Shinigami who had pranked him and the General during the war.