eight
Why did you do this?
Heero and Duo had combed most of Durham with no avail.
To get you on the right track. You two need each other. Or are you too blind to see that?
It was raining densely, and Hilde couldn't find a single fiber in her body that would power her face out of the soggy, slippery dirt. It soaked into her clothing and pasted her face, her breath wheezing. She scorned herself and wished God in heaven to strike her down and put her out of her misery. To save Heero from the trouble of cleaning up her mess and Duo of the shame.
Over the horizon that seemed to be forever, Heero walked quickly, Duo still tagging along, and finally spotted her.
He motioned for Duo to speed up and rushed to Hilde's side, where she lay completely lifeless, other than her hoarse breath. Hilde, it's Heero.
she wept, her tears mixing with the tears from the sky,
Where is home? Duo whispered, trying to stop himself from clasping her in his arms and never letting her go, crying and bawling and apologizing and screaming terrible profanities at Bill, who'd deluded him into the belief of Hilde's love for another man. Hilde, oh God. Forgive me. No one heard him over the hiss of the rain and the rough tearing of the oak tree's leaves against each other.
Home is Sweetwater, Heero answered, and picked Hilde up. Home is where you put her.
Duo let his own tears go and he ran ahead of Heero to take Hilde away. He knew she couldn't fight him, and he held her so ferociously that Heero told him to take it easy on her. I love you, I love you, Hilde. I'm sorry, I'm so goddam sorry that I left you. I never meant to hurt you, baby. I only thought...I only thought...
She didn't hear. Hilde was beyond hearing anything now. Her eyes, no longer hosting light or even the blank look of anti depressants, looked on to the inevitable horizon that would suck the sun down into its dark depths. After losing it, reaching equilibrium at Sweetwater, and meeting Heero, things had turned her insides into a tangle of working parts. Just when she'd found her niche, the misadventures of earth had thrown her out of order, into silence and anorexia, insomnia and the knowledge of false memories she'd held so dear. The only thing that kept her alive was actually what had brought her so close to dying.
You're on your way home, Hilde.
Hilde lay draped in her seat, aided by an attendant with orders to watch her closely. Heero had to deal with Duo on earth, but sent word to Sweetwater of Hilde's return. Caitlin and Mrs. Henderson went home, while Heero took Duo to his hotel room and forced him to explain every single detail of the events that took place the year before.
...to be continued...