When Shadows Meet the Sun:

Chapter two: The Meaning of Being Lonely: Part 2

AN thank you to all those who reviewed, I'll try posting these parts ASAP…*noddles* thank you for your support.

"So you gave him your family heirloom?" the two girls had been sitting in the dorm discussing the events of the past day, and what had happened when Duo left.

"Yea and the guy in our class, he won't respond to 'Duo' but he gave me a note with the cross on it…"

"That's weird…" Relena snuck into her bed, "well we can't do anything about this right now, all we can do is wait and see, ok?" then without waiting for an answer Relena closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

He said to look for Duo 'behind' someone, I think it is Duo; I just have to find a way to prove it, if only the guys were here…they'd be able to help…especially Heero…

***

The next morning, Hilde got up to Relena's shaking.

"Relena, it's called decency, as in when a depressed person is sleeping, it's only decent to let them sleep."

"I know what decency is, and I'm not going to let u lay around moping over this."

"Relena I'm not going to school today, now you're all dressed just tell all the teacher's I'm sick or something…" Hilde covered her face with her covers. When she didn't hear Relena leave she lowered them back down. "Are you still here?"

"Yes." Relena was sitting on her bed, looking just as depressed as Hilde felt.

"What's wrong?"

"Hilde I was wondering, last night, about how I couldn't tell that it was Duo, if Heero returns, would I…recognize him?" Relena started to look even more depressed then before.

"Relena, I know Duo inside and out, and you know Heero! You'll recognize him when you need to! Now go to school! Just don't forget to get me my homework…I'm sick with the flu, yea, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!"

Relena looked at her friend, she nodded…she's up to something, this could be very good, or very bad…. And with that thought Relena left. Hilde was left in the dorm room in her pajamas.

***

It was twelve noon…a girl with somewhat short dark aquamarine color hair was sitting at the park and staring at the sky. She was wearing platform boots, a short cream pleated skirt, and a white slick button down shirt. It was the same thing she wore the day Duo left. She had thought that maybe by wearing it she would be able to think more clearly about what she needed to do. Her mind trailed to what she had been thinking before she fell asleep, about how this would be easier if the guys were here…suddenly it struck her.

 Hilde got up and sprinted to her dorm, there she sat down in a chair and looked at the clock, it was twelve thirty, she had three hours before Relena came back from class for a two hour break. Hilde took out a pad of paper, she quickly scribbled herself a list of things and titled it "things to do" then got up and ran to take a shower. The note had five items:

1. Take a shower

2. Call Noin

3. Get everyone on a plane for…here

4. Get dinner

5. Find Heero

After taking the shower Hilde set her hair pulled out pajama pants and a sport shirt that showed her stomach and sat down by the phone.  After marking that the first thing on the list was done, she picked it up and dialed a familiar number, but this wasn't going to be a very regular call.

***

"Hilde I'm home!" Relena ran into the dorm and found Hilde on the phone. She was very cheerful, which was an improvement over that morning. Hilde hung up and looked at Relena with an odd and indescribable expression.

"Is everything alright Hilde?"

"Relena, I think you need to sit down." Hilde pointed to Relena's bed, after Relena sat down Hilde looked at her, took a deep breath and started her story:

"Relena, after you left I went to the park to think about what to do, I reminisced on the day Duo left, and I realized that he went on a mission with Heero. Now that's why I don't think that he could tell me where he was going, just that morning I had picked up an odd message. The voice had been scrambled and all I remember it saying was 'I have some important news, you know where to find me.' I figure that was Heero. Now I called up all of the group, Trowa, Zechs, Quatre, Wufie, Sally, Dorothy, Noin, they're all going to come here." At Relena's look (which was a mix of anger and excitement) Hilde found it best to keep talking, "Now what we need to do is find Heero, but only you and a few clues can help here. If we can find Heero, I'm sure we'll be able to fix Duo. Just think Relena, we'll all be together again."

"Hilde, why am I the only person that could help find Heero? Oh hang on a sec," Relena pulled a paper out of her bag, "Before I forget, Shin gave something to me to give to you, he also looked worried when he heard you were sick." Relena held up the note rather slowly trying to still take in all that Hilde had said.

The note said "Dear Hilde, I've been thinking about what you are going through, remember to look for 'Duo' behind someone…" it was signed with a cross and heart. Hilde looked at the note, then to Relena, and put the note with the other one.

"I'm going to keep it as proof."

***

Hilde was running home with bags on food for dinner, she was eager to get home and make sure everything was ready for her guest's arrival. She was so off guard that she managed to get caught by a flock of boys going home from the arcade, and since she had her bags with her, she couldn't run very fast. Suddenly while running by an ally she was pulled in and hugged tightly by someone. Her bags were taken from her and she felt them being put down nearby, while she herself was also carefully place by the wall, she heard a voice talking in a cheerful manner to the gathering of boys who had been after her.

"Now what's all this? Why are you all running after my girlfriend?"

"D-Duo?" Hilde looked up, he even sounded familiar.

"I certainly hope that she isn't being chased to be asked out, because then I will have to take care of all of you for her." Hilde saw before her a long brown braid dangling down… it was 'Shin'. The other's slowly receded, but when Hilde got up she found that although the boy had stopped her and just saved her a lot of running, she also twisted her ankle stopping so quickly. She fell back down onto the floor, and felt a hand on her shoulder,

"Are you ok? I saw what was happening and figured it was the least I could do, I see I twisted your ankle in the process though." Shin picked Hilde up and then her bags as well. He laughed, "I'm sorry I said I was you're boyfriend, but it certainly saved me a lot of fighting, and I don't think they'll be coming after you until you 'break up' with me." then Shin carried her all the way to her dorm.

***

Hilde set the bags down on the floor. And was turning to thank Shin but was cut off, 'here let me bandage that for you' was all he said and then wrapped Hilde's leg with careful instructions on where to find the first aid kit.

"Are you in a hurry to set up the table?" Hilde shook her head it was six and Relena only got home at eight on Thursdays. "Then come with me I want to show you something. Without another word he picked Hilde up and carried her down the stairs, then refusing to put her down took her to an apartment building near by,

"Here, this is my room," He said nonchalantly, "This is what I wanted you to see." He pulled at the curtains and a beautiful skyline appeared before her. Hilde gasped and then with gentle 'grace' (not in a bandage…) hobbled over to Shin and kissed him on the cheek.

"How about some chips and soda Hilde?" Shin smiled at her seeming unmoved by her kiss. Then left to get refreshments. Hilde roamed his apartment for about five minuets and then came up o a miniature fireplace and mantle piece. There were photos on the mantle piece but one in particular caught her attention it was a photo of Duo and Quatre and Wufie in white suits, the same picture Hilde had the other ripped half of. She carefully picked up the photo and looked at one of the sides, it was ripped, she gently replaced the photo and went back to look at the skyline. Soon very soon they would be together, Hilde and…and Duo.

***

Then next morning Relena went of in her car and Hilde went down stairs and waited for Shin. Some lingering boys were waiting around but didn't want to come to close. When Shin appeared he hugged Hilde gave her some flowers and whispered in her ear, "If we want this to work, we're going to have to make this as real as possible, walking hugging to and from school holding hands in class and in between class as well." With that he hugged her around the waist and started of, Hilde slumped against him and as they walked they held up a sweet intellectual conversation. Then suddenly a car pulled up and stopped near the two, it was Relena.

"Hilde!" she gasped for air as if she had run a telethon right then, "I – I saw Heero!"

AN am I not cruel, don't worry I'll come out with the next part later today or tomorrow….i promise….;)