I'll Be There By Your Side
Part 2
By: Hilde
NOTE: I don't own GW, the characters, etc. You know all that stuff, yada, yada, yada…
Hilde had almost fallen asleep. She had been up thinking. Something was very wrong with Duo. He had NEVER gotten that way with her. So what was it? "Duo, if only you'd tell me. I won't laugh, I can help, I lov…" he thought were interrupted by a yell.
Her room was still dark, with just a hint of moonlight, from the opposite side. She looked around, mind scrambling in half-sleep to find out was it was, and where it was coming from.
There it was again. No mistaking that. It was coming from Duo's room.
"After the away he was tonight, I have to go see if he's all right. You'd think he'd have a serious hangover after that. Must be really bad…" Hilde worried as she crept down the hall to Duo's room.
The door had been left ajar. Hilde poked her head in, and searched in the dim moonlight for Duo. She could only make out a shivering, shadow-soaked figure on Duo's bed.
"Duo?" Hilde asked as she walked in. "Are you okay?"
"Go… away…" Duo managed to choke out, even though he didn't protest when Hilde sat down near him.
Duo had his face buried in his pillow. Hilde reached out to stroke his hair, but Duo blocked he with a sharp, quick block, using his arm. Hilde quickly withdrew her arm.
"Duo… What wrong? Please tell me Duo."
"Everything," Duo muttered into his pillow.
Hilde tried again to stroke Duo's chestnut brown hair. This time he had no objections.
"Please, Duo. Tell me," Hilde whispered as she ran her fingers through Duo wavy hair.
"Hilde, everything. Just everything."
Duo looked up from his pillow at Hilde. She could see the shiny mix of sweat and tears on his face, as they reflected some of the silver moonlight. His eyes didn't have their normal "happy" glow, but a sad, hopeless, given-up look. Seeing Duo like this tore at Hilde's heart.
Duo sat up, and Hilde pulled him close to her, using her arms that were now around his back.
"Hilde, I'm scared," Duo whispered, as he settled his head on Hilde's breast. Then he started to cry again.
Oh, Duo," Hilde said as she held him even tighter.
"I'm sick of the wars, sick of the killing… the death… pain. Just about everyone that ever mattered to me died. I can't even remember my parents…" he didn't want to continue.
Hilde just held him close, listening intently to every word he spoke.
"You don't have to continue, if you don't want to, Duo."
"No, I have to tell someone. I was an orphan… But I was with a group. We stole things just to live. We didn't have names, except for Solo, who was my best friend then. Once, when I was getting some food for us, I ran into this priest. He let me go though. But later, while we were eating, they came to 'our house'. I did a good enough job taking every detour, just in case they were following me, but somehow they figured it out. They came to take us in. We resisted, orphanages split kids up, even if they're real family. At least we were together, and free. But the got us. We were taken to a church, where they cared for us. They even sent us to school. Then one day, when I came home, OZ soldiers…" his voice trailed off.
"Duo…" Hilde said, she never knew this about Duo; it must've been awful. She wished she could do something more for him. "Duo?"
Duo had fazed out, asleep, but his eyes were still open. He started mumbling something, Hilde couldn't make it out, but he sounded terrified, and angry.
Suddenly, he stood up, knocking Hilde over. Sleepwalking, he was sleepwalking. He quickly grabbed something off the nightstand, and for a second, Hilde saw a glint of black metal in the moonlight. Duo pointed the gun straight at Hilde's head.
"Duo, it's me, Hilde. Please put the gun down…" she said timidly as she got up, knowing that Duo could kill her simply by moving his finger, which was already tight enough on the trigger.
"NO YOU DON'T!!! STOP IT!!! LEAVE FATHER MAXWELL ALONE YOU OZ SCUM!!!!" he suddenly yelled at Hilde.
"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE US ALONE?!!!"
Duo suddenly lunged at Hilde, pinning her to the wall.
"Duo, don't make me restrain you," Hilde threatened, remembering her training from OZ.
Duo remained silent, except for his glare. Hilde stopped struggling, and hoped he would calm down just enough to let up on her a little. Finally, his grip loosened. Hilde took the opportunity immediately. She forced him back, causing him to fall on the floor, then pinned Duo to the floor, arms spread out. She didn't realize she was straddling Duo; it was such a standard reflex.
Duo finally calmed down, somewhat, chest still heaving. When he woke up, though, he started half-heartedly yelling.
"Sister Helen? No, please, first him, now you, please don't…" he started to cry again.
"Solo, Solo, say something. SOLO!!!! No, NO, NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he yelled.
"Duo!" Hilde yelled.
Duo snapped out of it, and just broke down, crying. Hilde let him go, and helped him back to bed.
"Duo, I'm here," she said, brushing his bangs out of his face, then caressing his cheek. She pulled him close to her, again. Duo just cried into her.
"Is there any way out?" He started asking strange questions.
"Duo, it's okay, I'm here…"
"No, it's not, okay, Hilde," he said, pulling away from her. "I know the war is over, but I just can't get over everything that's happened. Everyone I ever cared about, has died. I really am the god of death…" he started to cry again.
Hilde slipped under the covers with Duo. Duo was at first surprised, but that melted into relief.
"I'll be here," Hilde said, holding Duo close in her arms.
Duo smiled, then tears of happiness formed in his eyes. "Thank you, Hilde. Thanks for everything…"
"Duo," Hilde began, "I love you."
Duo smiled again. "No one's every really lived long enough to really care about me, Hilde. I'm glad someone loves me." He paused, before continuing, "Hilde, I love you too."
They both smiled at each other, before falling asleep, safe in each other's arms.
End of part 2
So, what? You like or no? Please leave feedback. I don't know if I should do a "sequel" or not, I don't really have many ideas for one… Oh well. I hope you enjoyed this piece. Thank you for reading, (and writing a review, I hope). ^_^