"You okay Duo?" Aenne asked with her Gundam's back to his.
"Yeah, just shaken up." He replied.
"There's so many!" Aenne yelled, "Can we take them all?"
"Their mindless," Duo said pausing, " We can take them all. If Sam would help it would make it a lot easier."
"What do you mean, what's wrong?"
"Sam isn't fighting." Duo said quietly as if his words would hurt Aenne.
"What? She better get over here or I'm going to kick her butt!" Aenne screamed.
Sam stood watching as Aenne and Duo destroy suit after suit until nothing was less. Then their anger turned on her.
"Why didn't you help?" Duo asked angered. Sam did not answer.
"You were supposed to protect me!" Aenne screamed. Sam did nothing but turn her Gundam.
"What won't you say something?!" Duo yelled.
"Goodbye." Sam said choking back tears. She blasted her engines and spin away to the second line. They shot a barrage of blasts at her. Her Gundam pursued on as Sam looked determinedly at the picture in her Gundam, Aenne's innocence, Duo's happiness. A tear escaped from her eye and she landed surrounded by Mobile suits. She pushed a button and red flashed around her.
"What is she doing?!" Aenne screamed, "She is going to get herself killed."
"No!" Duo screamed, "No don't be a fool!" The two watched as her Gundam grew a blood red glow then exploded taking out all enemies around her.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" The two stunned pilots screamed.
"No..." Aenne could feel her eyes swell up with tears. "No..." They rolled down her cheeks and onto the remorseless controls. The horrid shock prevented her from saying anything more. She looked on as she saw her friend fly from the explosion, like a useless toy a child doesn't want anymore. She watched her buddy land, with both a thud on the ground and a thud in her heart. Aenne could not move, she wanted to leap from TroubleWind and rush over to her friend's side..she couldn't. Nothing, not an inch, all she could do was watch and cry. Helpless. Sam tumbled over and over, before the friction slowed her down. Again, Aenne felt the burning desire to run.either to Sam or away. The mental shock was too much to for her to take in. Sam landed face down on the ground, her body drenched in blood and shrapnel impaling her pale skin. Finally, Aenne gained enough courage to speak again. "Why.." What had caused her bestest bud to do this, a battle? Nothing more than a petty battle!? They were supposed to win, but now there was no point to winning...at least not now. "Sam..why.." Aenne blamed herself for the whole thing. "What..what did I do wrong.."
Duo zapped in on the little screen. "Aenne!!" He shouted. "I know it's hard..but snap out of it!!" He had the right intention, if they did not win, there would absolutely be nothing they could do. "Sam will be ok! But first we have to win!" He persuaded. Aenne broke back to reality; she had to win! There was still some MS standing, even though the explosion took out most of them. "You!" Aenne shouted, momentarily turning the blame to OZ. "You! YOU KILLED SAM!!!!!!!" She charged at the meaningless objects. "DIE!!" With a few swipes of her sword, she took out half the suits. Duo followed Aenne's rampage destroying any machines she missed. Within a few minutes, everything was gone, except the two Gundams. As Duo had finished off the last one, Aenne desperately sprawled out of TroubleWind. She crawled over to Sam's lifeless body, tears ever flowing from her soft green eyes. Upon reaching her friend, Aenne kneeled, and whispered. "Sam..Sam..come on buddy..wake up..." She stared at Sam, who did not answer.
Denial. Denial was Aenne's escape. She imagined Sam to sit up and look at her oddly. 'Why are you crying!? Fool! It's just a few scratches, nothing to worry about.' Her vision or cheerfulness swept away with the gusts of wind.
"Sam.." She again called to her friend, turning her over. "Get up!!" Her hands soaked in Sam's blood. "Sam!!! I said GET UP!!" She screamed, as she clutched onto Sam's shirt. Aenne realized that her forceful shouts were not helping. Her calling, her screaming, nobody's voice would return Sam. Aenne felt her heart slow, as she continued to weep. She felt so abandoned. For once in her life, Aenne could not protect Sam. "I'm sorry..." Her tears stopped, and she stood up. "...I'm so sorry.."
Duo prayed for Sam to still be alive. The shock had not been as great for him, things like this had already happened to him. He forced himself to hold back any tears, he needed to be brave for Aenne...and for Sam. He noticed Aenne, she stood next to Sam, her eyes dark and lost, as if her soul had been plucked from her. He piloted DeathScythe, making his way over to the girls. He controlled the Gundam to gently pick up Sam's body.
"No!!" Aenne shouted up to Duo. "Duo stop!! You can't take Sam!!" She was in hysterics; she no longer comprehended anything. "You havta leave Sam there!! If you take her anywhere, when she wakes up, she won't know where to go! Leave her with me!! I'll be here when she wakes up!" Duo knew, he could not let Aenne fly her Gundam, especially in her state. He called for assistance back at the base. They go the transmission and were quickly on their way.
Duo hopped from the Gundam to go calm Aenne. "Aenne.." He spoke softly as he put his hand over her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
No response.
He asked once again. "Aenne, you alright?"
Aenne turned around, violently tossing Duo's consoling hand away from her. Her cold eyes fiercely pierced into his. "Alright? ALRIGHT!?! Do you think I'm ALRIGHT!?!" She vented her anger on the poor boy.
Duo inched back, not understanding the full array of emotions Aenne felt. "It's ok..just clam down. Help is on the way." Duo tried his best.
"How the hell am I supposed to stay calm!?! My best friend is dead!!! DEAD!!!" She shouted to the sky. "And you! You want me to stay calm!?! Fuck you!"
Duo looked at his partner extremely aghast. She had never acted so heartlessly, and he would never think she would. He stepped back, acknowledging the seriousness of it all. Both, Sam's suicide attempt, and Aenne's cruelty hit him. His shield shattered, as a tear carelessly rolled down his cheek.
Upon seeing Duo's tear, Aenne realized how rash she had acted. She couldn't even believe herself what she had done. She not only felt she caused Sam's death, she also made Duo cry. "Duo..." She instinctively started crying again. "Duo.." Her eyes returned to the usually light color of green. "Duo." Her mouth trembled. He saw her pain, and recognized Aenne's sincerity. "What...what have I done..." She asked, confused and remorsefully. Duo embraced his friend; she desired his comfort. She needed his comfort. "Forgive me.." She sobbed. Duo held Aenne closer, her head resting on his chest.
"It's ok, I forgive you." He hushed. "I forgive you.."
Aenne continued to cry as Duo hugged her. "I'm sorry.."
* * * * * * * * * *
A few hours had passed since the self-detonation. Sam was in sickbay, and still alive. Aenne sat alone and silently on her bed. She held the picture of the three in her shaking hands. She knew Sam had made it.but why? Why did she still feel so gone, so full of pain? Aenne sat, thinking.
"Want some hot cocoa?" Duo strolled into the room, carrying two mugs. She nodded and Duo handed her a glass. "Have you gone to see Sam?"
"Yeah." Aenne said smiling, "The last time I saw her so rumbled up was when she roughed up those guys who tried to beat on our buds."
Duo looked down at his cup in an effort to change the subject. He searched his mind in effort to find something, but, in vain, nothing came to mind.
"Do you think she'll wake up?" Aenne barely managed to whispered.
"Of course she will. She has to let you kick her butt." Duo said smiling.
"That is so right. When she gets up I'm going to-" Aenne stopped and punched her hand.
"See that gives her a reason."
"Yeah." Aenne said swirling the hot cocoa in her cup. "You know what this is missing?"
"What?" Duo said looking at her curled body.
"A marshmallow." Aenne said looking up. "Would you get me one?"
"Of course!" Duo said feeling helpful. "Ill be right back." He left her with his smile and turned into the plain metal hallway. He was determined not to cry or show any weakness to Aenne. Alone, in the hall, he could cry. As he walked, he tried to understand why Sam had to self- destruct. It didn't make any sense. He made a mental note in the back of his mind to ask her when she woke up.
When he got back to Aenne's room, she was asleep on her bed, holding on tightly to Sam's army coat. Duo looked down and smiled at her. He then got a blanket and laid it over Aenne's body. Soon he would fall asleep himself, on the floor next to Aenne and form a small puddle of drool on the floor.
********
"Good morning!" Duo said in the food room. "How are you?"
"I'm tired." Aenne mumbled. "I didn't sleep too well."
"I know." Duo responded getting up and waking to the counter.
"How would you know that?"
"I slept on your floor." Duo said sitting back down with a full cup of coffee.
"Oh." Aenne responded, "That's uhh ... kinda scary."
"I saw Sam this morning." Duo said stopping Aenne in her tracks. Her eyes glazed over with pain and she relived seeing Sam's body on the ground. "I'm sorry." Duo said quietly. "I didn't mean to-"
"No, it's alright." Aenne said smiling. "I can handle it. It's a reality that she is hurt. All I can do is hope for the best."
"That's the spirit!" Duo exclaimed. "Just wait, shell be better in no time!"
"Yeah!" Aenne said back, "Then we can be all cool again!"
"Yep yep. I'm going to see her now. Do you want to come with?"
"No, I'm going to get out of these clothes. Duo smiled noticing she had a small bloodstain on her pants. He was hoping that Aenne wouldn't notice.
Aenne watched Duo walk out the door. His long braid bobbed up and down and he walked. Aenne stared at the door until the arrival of Chang stirred her emotions. His walk was brash and forceful, so much like Sam's. She watched his feel move to the counter then over to her.
"Why are you moping around." Chang asked harshly.
Aenne looked up into his eyes. "Sam is in a coma." She said sadly.
"How did that happen?" Chang asked coldly.
"She self-destructed."
"Oh." Chang said sitting himself down next to Aenne. "Why?" He asked after a moment.
"Duo and I charged in and didn't see the second line. Sam self- destructed and destroyed them all."
"I see." Chang said sipping from his cup. "Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah ..." Aenne trailed off. She stared at the wall for a moment until life caught up to her. "Wait, am I to believe you care?" She said turning to Chang.
Chang sipped from his cup again and paused before saying, "Of course."
"Okay." Aenne said thinking. "Okay." She said again. "Could you say that again? Just so I sure I heard you right."
"I said I care. Can't you hear woman?" With that he stood up and walked away. Aenne watched him exit with a look of shook. She shook the last few moments out of her head and decided that now would be a good time to change, and visit Sam. Aenne dragged her feet back her room. She had to have one hand against the wall for support. Her head was spinning as she walked. With much effort, she made it to her room. Carefully opening the door, she found it empty. It was like she was expecting Sam to be there. Death came up to her and curled around Aenne leg. She picked up the kitty and ruffled its hair. "Do you want to see Sam with me?" She said whispered. "Then you'll have to wait a moment." She said putting the cat down.
Aenne went to her bags and dug through them until she found what she should wear. It took some time, but she found her "punk princess" shirt and her most holy pants she could find. Then she picked Death back up and left for the sickbay.
When she got to the door, she felt apprehension swarm over her. Her hand was on the door, but she didn't open it. She stood there for what seemed like ages for her and the cat. Then with a sudden burst, Duo swung the door open with a bright smile. "Hi Aenne!" He cheered.
"Hi Duo." Aenne replied quietly.
"Look what I did." Duo said bringing her in. "I made her room pretty!" Aenne quickly looked around and saw thousands of flowers around the room, each in a colorful array of reads, whites, greens and every other color.
Aenne jaw dropped when she said, "You can't have all these flowers! When Sam wakes up, she'll want to go back in the coma!"
"No she won't. She'll love them." Duo said assumingly, giggling at Aenne's joke.
"What do you want to bet she won't?" Aenne said grinning.
"I don't want to bet anything," Duo said smiling. "I know I'm right!"
"Uh-huh." Aenne said softly. "Look, I brought Death!" Aenne said holding up the kitty.
"Can I hold him?" Duo said reaching for the cat.
"Death is not a him!" Aenne said bringing the cat closer to herself. "Death is a she!"
"No, Death is a he, like me. That's why Sam took him!" Duo said back.
"Death is a she, she cat. No he!" Aenne screamed.
"Fine!" Duo yelled, "Deny the truth!"
"I will!" Aenne yelled back. The two looked at each other on the brink of laughter. It was a contradicting scene for Aenne. Her best bud, well, one of them, was laying on the bed and all she could do was yell about a kitty. That's just weird!
"Is Sam better?" Aenne finally asked.
"She is a fast healer." Duo said smiling. "She'll be awake in no time."
"Can I have a moment alone."
"Sure." Duo responded, "but did you know that when you are in a coma, you can still hear?"
"Really?" She said back.
"Yep!" Duo said closing the door.
"So Sam," She said sitting down, "Guess what Chang said ..." Aenne trailed off into slurred words. She talked about everything from how Duo was being a sweetheart to how she was going to eat all of Sam's share of ice cream. At times when she looked down, she swore she could see Sam smile. But, Aenne knows Sam, and she knows how bored she gets, so she stopped after an hour of talking her mouth off. She said goodbye and walked out into the hall to find Duo in the waiting chair.
"What you talk about?" Duo asked.
"Oh, I told her the scariest thing about Chang." Aenne responded.
"Really? What did he say?" Duo asked raising her eyebrow.
"Chang said her cared about me." Aenne replied.
Duo froze for a moment and looked at her with really wide eyes. "What did you say? Tell me again so I know I heard you right."
"Chang said he cared about me."
"Okay." Duo said thinking, "Okay." He said again. "I think I heard you right. Did you just say that Chang said he cared?"
"Yep!" Aenne said happily. "You should have seen the look on Sam's face when I told her." Duo stared up with his head tilted to one side. The look on his face was indescribable. It kinda looked like he had an Elvis lip but his brow looked lopsided. "Come on, we need to eat ice cream for Sam."
The two traveled to the cafeteria aka the food room and Aenne wandered into the freezer. "Hmm." She pondered looking at gallons upon gallons of ice cream. "There's so many!! Which one should I choose?" Instinctively, she pulled down two gallons of 'death by Chocolate'. She found two spoons and went back over to Duo, who sat down on the cafeteria couch(one thing I don't think I brought). "Here." She handed him a scooping utensil and a bucket-o-ice cream.
"Yum! What flavor?"
"Death by chocolate." She responded. "The death part is for you and the chocolate part is for me!" She smiled.
"Ahhh.ya shouldn't have!" Duo joked.
"Yeh, well you're just lucky I got you any ice cream at all!!" She teased, a she plopped herself onto the couch next to Duo. Aenne dipped her spoon into the ice cream and all of its chocolaty goodness and took out a huge chunk of it.
"Would ya like some spoon for your ice cream?" All Duo could think of doing was to make Aenne happy, and if she was happy Duo would be also.
"Actually." Aenne polished off the chocolate on her spoon. "I want some of your ice cream!!" She plunged the scooping implement into Duo's bucket.
"Hey!" He jumped back off the couch. "My ice cream!! You have a whole gallon to yourself!!" He frowned.
"So?" Aenne looked up at him innocently. "What's your point?"
"I guess nothing.." He sighed, sitting down on the couch once again. He noticed Aenne's attire and questioned her. "What's with the 'dark' look?"
"For Sam!" She stared hungrily at the helpless dairy product. "I'm gonna make 'er proud of me..as much as I can at least.."
"I'm sure Sam'll be super proud!"
After quite a while, Death came and found the two. Both the gallons had been entirely eaten up, with the spoons sticking out. And both the pilots had fallen asleep, after exhausting themselves out with talking and eating(sugar does that to people) plus not resting all too well the night before also helped. Duo had propped up his head with his elbow leaning on the armrest of the couch, and Aenne rested her head on his shoulder. They were sound asleep.
Death stepped over to an empty ice cream carton, sniffed it and then started licking it.
"Yeah, just shaken up." He replied.
"There's so many!" Aenne yelled, "Can we take them all?"
"Their mindless," Duo said pausing, " We can take them all. If Sam would help it would make it a lot easier."
"What do you mean, what's wrong?"
"Sam isn't fighting." Duo said quietly as if his words would hurt Aenne.
"What? She better get over here or I'm going to kick her butt!" Aenne screamed.
Sam stood watching as Aenne and Duo destroy suit after suit until nothing was less. Then their anger turned on her.
"Why didn't you help?" Duo asked angered. Sam did not answer.
"You were supposed to protect me!" Aenne screamed. Sam did nothing but turn her Gundam.
"What won't you say something?!" Duo yelled.
"Goodbye." Sam said choking back tears. She blasted her engines and spin away to the second line. They shot a barrage of blasts at her. Her Gundam pursued on as Sam looked determinedly at the picture in her Gundam, Aenne's innocence, Duo's happiness. A tear escaped from her eye and she landed surrounded by Mobile suits. She pushed a button and red flashed around her.
"What is she doing?!" Aenne screamed, "She is going to get herself killed."
"No!" Duo screamed, "No don't be a fool!" The two watched as her Gundam grew a blood red glow then exploded taking out all enemies around her.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" The two stunned pilots screamed.
"No..." Aenne could feel her eyes swell up with tears. "No..." They rolled down her cheeks and onto the remorseless controls. The horrid shock prevented her from saying anything more. She looked on as she saw her friend fly from the explosion, like a useless toy a child doesn't want anymore. She watched her buddy land, with both a thud on the ground and a thud in her heart. Aenne could not move, she wanted to leap from TroubleWind and rush over to her friend's side..she couldn't. Nothing, not an inch, all she could do was watch and cry. Helpless. Sam tumbled over and over, before the friction slowed her down. Again, Aenne felt the burning desire to run.either to Sam or away. The mental shock was too much to for her to take in. Sam landed face down on the ground, her body drenched in blood and shrapnel impaling her pale skin. Finally, Aenne gained enough courage to speak again. "Why.." What had caused her bestest bud to do this, a battle? Nothing more than a petty battle!? They were supposed to win, but now there was no point to winning...at least not now. "Sam..why.." Aenne blamed herself for the whole thing. "What..what did I do wrong.."
Duo zapped in on the little screen. "Aenne!!" He shouted. "I know it's hard..but snap out of it!!" He had the right intention, if they did not win, there would absolutely be nothing they could do. "Sam will be ok! But first we have to win!" He persuaded. Aenne broke back to reality; she had to win! There was still some MS standing, even though the explosion took out most of them. "You!" Aenne shouted, momentarily turning the blame to OZ. "You! YOU KILLED SAM!!!!!!!" She charged at the meaningless objects. "DIE!!" With a few swipes of her sword, she took out half the suits. Duo followed Aenne's rampage destroying any machines she missed. Within a few minutes, everything was gone, except the two Gundams. As Duo had finished off the last one, Aenne desperately sprawled out of TroubleWind. She crawled over to Sam's lifeless body, tears ever flowing from her soft green eyes. Upon reaching her friend, Aenne kneeled, and whispered. "Sam..Sam..come on buddy..wake up..." She stared at Sam, who did not answer.
Denial. Denial was Aenne's escape. She imagined Sam to sit up and look at her oddly. 'Why are you crying!? Fool! It's just a few scratches, nothing to worry about.' Her vision or cheerfulness swept away with the gusts of wind.
"Sam.." She again called to her friend, turning her over. "Get up!!" Her hands soaked in Sam's blood. "Sam!!! I said GET UP!!" She screamed, as she clutched onto Sam's shirt. Aenne realized that her forceful shouts were not helping. Her calling, her screaming, nobody's voice would return Sam. Aenne felt her heart slow, as she continued to weep. She felt so abandoned. For once in her life, Aenne could not protect Sam. "I'm sorry..." Her tears stopped, and she stood up. "...I'm so sorry.."
Duo prayed for Sam to still be alive. The shock had not been as great for him, things like this had already happened to him. He forced himself to hold back any tears, he needed to be brave for Aenne...and for Sam. He noticed Aenne, she stood next to Sam, her eyes dark and lost, as if her soul had been plucked from her. He piloted DeathScythe, making his way over to the girls. He controlled the Gundam to gently pick up Sam's body.
"No!!" Aenne shouted up to Duo. "Duo stop!! You can't take Sam!!" She was in hysterics; she no longer comprehended anything. "You havta leave Sam there!! If you take her anywhere, when she wakes up, she won't know where to go! Leave her with me!! I'll be here when she wakes up!" Duo knew, he could not let Aenne fly her Gundam, especially in her state. He called for assistance back at the base. They go the transmission and were quickly on their way.
Duo hopped from the Gundam to go calm Aenne. "Aenne.." He spoke softly as he put his hand over her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
No response.
He asked once again. "Aenne, you alright?"
Aenne turned around, violently tossing Duo's consoling hand away from her. Her cold eyes fiercely pierced into his. "Alright? ALRIGHT!?! Do you think I'm ALRIGHT!?!" She vented her anger on the poor boy.
Duo inched back, not understanding the full array of emotions Aenne felt. "It's ok..just clam down. Help is on the way." Duo tried his best.
"How the hell am I supposed to stay calm!?! My best friend is dead!!! DEAD!!!" She shouted to the sky. "And you! You want me to stay calm!?! Fuck you!"
Duo looked at his partner extremely aghast. She had never acted so heartlessly, and he would never think she would. He stepped back, acknowledging the seriousness of it all. Both, Sam's suicide attempt, and Aenne's cruelty hit him. His shield shattered, as a tear carelessly rolled down his cheek.
Upon seeing Duo's tear, Aenne realized how rash she had acted. She couldn't even believe herself what she had done. She not only felt she caused Sam's death, she also made Duo cry. "Duo..." She instinctively started crying again. "Duo.." Her eyes returned to the usually light color of green. "Duo." Her mouth trembled. He saw her pain, and recognized Aenne's sincerity. "What...what have I done..." She asked, confused and remorsefully. Duo embraced his friend; she desired his comfort. She needed his comfort. "Forgive me.." She sobbed. Duo held Aenne closer, her head resting on his chest.
"It's ok, I forgive you." He hushed. "I forgive you.."
Aenne continued to cry as Duo hugged her. "I'm sorry.."
* * * * * * * * * *
A few hours had passed since the self-detonation. Sam was in sickbay, and still alive. Aenne sat alone and silently on her bed. She held the picture of the three in her shaking hands. She knew Sam had made it.but why? Why did she still feel so gone, so full of pain? Aenne sat, thinking.
"Want some hot cocoa?" Duo strolled into the room, carrying two mugs. She nodded and Duo handed her a glass. "Have you gone to see Sam?"
"Yeah." Aenne said smiling, "The last time I saw her so rumbled up was when she roughed up those guys who tried to beat on our buds."
Duo looked down at his cup in an effort to change the subject. He searched his mind in effort to find something, but, in vain, nothing came to mind.
"Do you think she'll wake up?" Aenne barely managed to whispered.
"Of course she will. She has to let you kick her butt." Duo said smiling.
"That is so right. When she gets up I'm going to-" Aenne stopped and punched her hand.
"See that gives her a reason."
"Yeah." Aenne said swirling the hot cocoa in her cup. "You know what this is missing?"
"What?" Duo said looking at her curled body.
"A marshmallow." Aenne said looking up. "Would you get me one?"
"Of course!" Duo said feeling helpful. "Ill be right back." He left her with his smile and turned into the plain metal hallway. He was determined not to cry or show any weakness to Aenne. Alone, in the hall, he could cry. As he walked, he tried to understand why Sam had to self- destruct. It didn't make any sense. He made a mental note in the back of his mind to ask her when she woke up.
When he got back to Aenne's room, she was asleep on her bed, holding on tightly to Sam's army coat. Duo looked down and smiled at her. He then got a blanket and laid it over Aenne's body. Soon he would fall asleep himself, on the floor next to Aenne and form a small puddle of drool on the floor.
********
"Good morning!" Duo said in the food room. "How are you?"
"I'm tired." Aenne mumbled. "I didn't sleep too well."
"I know." Duo responded getting up and waking to the counter.
"How would you know that?"
"I slept on your floor." Duo said sitting back down with a full cup of coffee.
"Oh." Aenne responded, "That's uhh ... kinda scary."
"I saw Sam this morning." Duo said stopping Aenne in her tracks. Her eyes glazed over with pain and she relived seeing Sam's body on the ground. "I'm sorry." Duo said quietly. "I didn't mean to-"
"No, it's alright." Aenne said smiling. "I can handle it. It's a reality that she is hurt. All I can do is hope for the best."
"That's the spirit!" Duo exclaimed. "Just wait, shell be better in no time!"
"Yeah!" Aenne said back, "Then we can be all cool again!"
"Yep yep. I'm going to see her now. Do you want to come with?"
"No, I'm going to get out of these clothes. Duo smiled noticing she had a small bloodstain on her pants. He was hoping that Aenne wouldn't notice.
Aenne watched Duo walk out the door. His long braid bobbed up and down and he walked. Aenne stared at the door until the arrival of Chang stirred her emotions. His walk was brash and forceful, so much like Sam's. She watched his feel move to the counter then over to her.
"Why are you moping around." Chang asked harshly.
Aenne looked up into his eyes. "Sam is in a coma." She said sadly.
"How did that happen?" Chang asked coldly.
"She self-destructed."
"Oh." Chang said sitting himself down next to Aenne. "Why?" He asked after a moment.
"Duo and I charged in and didn't see the second line. Sam self- destructed and destroyed them all."
"I see." Chang said sipping from his cup. "Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah ..." Aenne trailed off. She stared at the wall for a moment until life caught up to her. "Wait, am I to believe you care?" She said turning to Chang.
Chang sipped from his cup again and paused before saying, "Of course."
"Okay." Aenne said thinking. "Okay." She said again. "Could you say that again? Just so I sure I heard you right."
"I said I care. Can't you hear woman?" With that he stood up and walked away. Aenne watched him exit with a look of shook. She shook the last few moments out of her head and decided that now would be a good time to change, and visit Sam. Aenne dragged her feet back her room. She had to have one hand against the wall for support. Her head was spinning as she walked. With much effort, she made it to her room. Carefully opening the door, she found it empty. It was like she was expecting Sam to be there. Death came up to her and curled around Aenne leg. She picked up the kitty and ruffled its hair. "Do you want to see Sam with me?" She said whispered. "Then you'll have to wait a moment." She said putting the cat down.
Aenne went to her bags and dug through them until she found what she should wear. It took some time, but she found her "punk princess" shirt and her most holy pants she could find. Then she picked Death back up and left for the sickbay.
When she got to the door, she felt apprehension swarm over her. Her hand was on the door, but she didn't open it. She stood there for what seemed like ages for her and the cat. Then with a sudden burst, Duo swung the door open with a bright smile. "Hi Aenne!" He cheered.
"Hi Duo." Aenne replied quietly.
"Look what I did." Duo said bringing her in. "I made her room pretty!" Aenne quickly looked around and saw thousands of flowers around the room, each in a colorful array of reads, whites, greens and every other color.
Aenne jaw dropped when she said, "You can't have all these flowers! When Sam wakes up, she'll want to go back in the coma!"
"No she won't. She'll love them." Duo said assumingly, giggling at Aenne's joke.
"What do you want to bet she won't?" Aenne said grinning.
"I don't want to bet anything," Duo said smiling. "I know I'm right!"
"Uh-huh." Aenne said softly. "Look, I brought Death!" Aenne said holding up the kitty.
"Can I hold him?" Duo said reaching for the cat.
"Death is not a him!" Aenne said bringing the cat closer to herself. "Death is a she!"
"No, Death is a he, like me. That's why Sam took him!" Duo said back.
"Death is a she, she cat. No he!" Aenne screamed.
"Fine!" Duo yelled, "Deny the truth!"
"I will!" Aenne yelled back. The two looked at each other on the brink of laughter. It was a contradicting scene for Aenne. Her best bud, well, one of them, was laying on the bed and all she could do was yell about a kitty. That's just weird!
"Is Sam better?" Aenne finally asked.
"She is a fast healer." Duo said smiling. "She'll be awake in no time."
"Can I have a moment alone."
"Sure." Duo responded, "but did you know that when you are in a coma, you can still hear?"
"Really?" She said back.
"Yep!" Duo said closing the door.
"So Sam," She said sitting down, "Guess what Chang said ..." Aenne trailed off into slurred words. She talked about everything from how Duo was being a sweetheart to how she was going to eat all of Sam's share of ice cream. At times when she looked down, she swore she could see Sam smile. But, Aenne knows Sam, and she knows how bored she gets, so she stopped after an hour of talking her mouth off. She said goodbye and walked out into the hall to find Duo in the waiting chair.
"What you talk about?" Duo asked.
"Oh, I told her the scariest thing about Chang." Aenne responded.
"Really? What did he say?" Duo asked raising her eyebrow.
"Chang said her cared about me." Aenne replied.
Duo froze for a moment and looked at her with really wide eyes. "What did you say? Tell me again so I know I heard you right."
"Chang said he cared about me."
"Okay." Duo said thinking, "Okay." He said again. "I think I heard you right. Did you just say that Chang said he cared?"
"Yep!" Aenne said happily. "You should have seen the look on Sam's face when I told her." Duo stared up with his head tilted to one side. The look on his face was indescribable. It kinda looked like he had an Elvis lip but his brow looked lopsided. "Come on, we need to eat ice cream for Sam."
The two traveled to the cafeteria aka the food room and Aenne wandered into the freezer. "Hmm." She pondered looking at gallons upon gallons of ice cream. "There's so many!! Which one should I choose?" Instinctively, she pulled down two gallons of 'death by Chocolate'. She found two spoons and went back over to Duo, who sat down on the cafeteria couch(one thing I don't think I brought). "Here." She handed him a scooping utensil and a bucket-o-ice cream.
"Yum! What flavor?"
"Death by chocolate." She responded. "The death part is for you and the chocolate part is for me!" She smiled.
"Ahhh.ya shouldn't have!" Duo joked.
"Yeh, well you're just lucky I got you any ice cream at all!!" She teased, a she plopped herself onto the couch next to Duo. Aenne dipped her spoon into the ice cream and all of its chocolaty goodness and took out a huge chunk of it.
"Would ya like some spoon for your ice cream?" All Duo could think of doing was to make Aenne happy, and if she was happy Duo would be also.
"Actually." Aenne polished off the chocolate on her spoon. "I want some of your ice cream!!" She plunged the scooping implement into Duo's bucket.
"Hey!" He jumped back off the couch. "My ice cream!! You have a whole gallon to yourself!!" He frowned.
"So?" Aenne looked up at him innocently. "What's your point?"
"I guess nothing.." He sighed, sitting down on the couch once again. He noticed Aenne's attire and questioned her. "What's with the 'dark' look?"
"For Sam!" She stared hungrily at the helpless dairy product. "I'm gonna make 'er proud of me..as much as I can at least.."
"I'm sure Sam'll be super proud!"
After quite a while, Death came and found the two. Both the gallons had been entirely eaten up, with the spoons sticking out. And both the pilots had fallen asleep, after exhausting themselves out with talking and eating(sugar does that to people) plus not resting all too well the night before also helped. Duo had propped up his head with his elbow leaning on the armrest of the couch, and Aenne rested her head on his shoulder. They were sound asleep.
Death stepped over to an empty ice cream carton, sniffed it and then started licking it.
