Part two: With Happy Endings 



Heero dropped from the underneath of the truck right before it turned into the parking lot for the restaurant. Heero rolled out of the road and stealthily moved into some bushes. He watched from his hiding place as Clint helped Mel down. His eyes followed them as they entered the little Italian place.

 Once they were inside Heero could no longer see them. He looked for a place where he could watch them better. There was a deli right across the two-lane road from the restaurant.

 He quickly ran across the road and entered the restaurant. He took a table right by the large windows. He could clearly see Mel and Clint now. He read their lips, trying to follow their conversation.

 His gaze strayed from them. They rested on a man who was also in the deli. The mad was staring right at Mel. Without hesitation Heero stood and walked over to the man. He grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out of his chair. The man gave a yelp as he was forced to stand.

 Heero pulled his fist back and prepared to punch the man in the face. The man braced his self for the blow. Heero's hand faltered. "Duo?"

 The man opened his eyes. He looked over at Heero, "I knew it! I knew it!"

 "What the hell are you doing here?"

 "Put me down and I'll tell ya."

 Heero released his grip on Duo.

 Duo sat back down in his chair. He leaned back in his chair.

 Heero took the other chair opposite from Duo. "Now why the hell are you staring at my daughter?"

 "Ever since I was transferred here it's been 'Mel Yuy this' and "Mel Yuy that' I just had to see who Clint was so excited about. And confirm for myself that she is actually your daughter."

 "So Clint is your son huh? I should have guessed that from his hair."

 "Funny, real funny." Duo said.

 "Is he Hilde's?"

 "Yeah."

 "Twenty two… you started young."

 "Well, after we found out about Clint, it seemed like getting married was the best thing to do." Duo scratched his head, "What about you? You knock up Relena and get stuck with the kid a few days a week?"

 Heero held up his hand for Duo to see his wedding band.

 "Wow, so you guys did it right then. Are you divorced now or something?"

 "Relena kept her last name. People were already referring to her by two last names, I guess she didn't need a third one to worry about."

 "Oh I get it." Duo said. He was wondering how Relena came into the picture. It was obvious that she was Relena's daughter by her eyes and expressions.

 Heero didn't respond. He looked back over at Clint and Mel.

 "I can assume you already scared him. What did you do? Show him your gun collection?"

 "I did the quarter trick."

 "Wow the quarter trick." Duo smiled at the memory of when Heero did the trick to him so many years ago. "You really don't trust them do you?"

 Heero didn't feel a need to answer the question.

 "What are you doing here? Spying on your kid I mean."

 "It's her first date. And now I have more to worry about since the punk is yours."

 "Nice to know that you trust my fathering skills."

 "You found what you wanted. Are you going to leave now?"

 "Nah, I think I'll tag along. I don't want to hear that you killed my first born."

  

A scary movie on a first date, Heero took this as a bad sign. Duo and he sat in the back of the theater. Heero had his eyes trained on Clint and Mel. Duo, who was just along for the ride, watched the movie.

 The killer jumped from his hiding place. Heero watched closely as Mel hid her face in Clint's shoulder.  Though the light of the projector Heero could make out Clint's arm as it reached around Mel, comforting her.

 Duo elbowed him repeatedly, shaking his vision. "Mad did you see that?" He asked in shushed tones, "He just jumped out of there." He shoved some more buttered popcorn in his mouth, "This movie is great."

 By the time he looked back at Mel and Clint a lot had changed. He saw their silhouettes grow closer and closer. Their lips touched. This is what Heero had been waiting for.

 He stood and stormed down the isle. He grabbed on to Clint's collar. Before Clint knew what hit him he was being dragged across the carpet towards the back exit.

 Mel jumped up out of her seat. She didn't understand what was happening. She went after the two figures.

 Duo was right on her tail. This is what he was waiting for as well.

  

"Hey man what gives?" Clint demanded.

 Heero pulled him to his feet.

 Clint turned around, filled with rage. His eyes widened, "It's-"

 That was all Clint could get out before Heero's fist made contact with his jaw.

 Clint hadn't expected that. The force of the punch flung him to the ground.

 "I warned you." Heero said. He started to bend down so that he could pull Clint up and get another hit in. He saw a flash of movement in the corner of his eye. He turned from Clint just before Duo's fist hit his own jaw.

 Heero's head flew back. He looked back at Duo, unfazed and actually smiling, "That's it? You disappoint me Duo."

 He brought a sharp right hook into Duo's abdomen.

 Duo caught Heero's hand. He remembered what happened the last time he hit Heero, and the great pain that followed. He had anticipated this move, and flipped Heero over.

 Heero's back slammed into the ground.

 "It's going to take more then one punch to take me out this time Heero."

 Heero sat up. He quickly spun around, kicking out Duo's feet from underneath him.

 Duo did a backhand spring just in time. He landed on one knew about two meters away. "I've been waiting a long time to do this." He said with a sinister grin.

 Heero was standing now. "We end this, right here, right now."

 Duo took off. He looked like a runner leaving the shots.

 Heero ran towards Duo, they met in the middle in a clash of fists.

 

Clint sat up with help from Mel. He looked up into her worried eyes.

 "Are you all right?"

 "Yeah, just peachy." He said sarcastically.

 He looked up to where Heero was standing; he was ready to fight back. Instead of seeing Heero standing over him though, he saw Duo flipping him on to his back. "Dad?" He asked, too quietly for anyone but Mel to hear.

 Mel looked up at the two men and directly back down at Clint, "That's your father?"

 Mel and Clint watched the fight from the place on the concrete where he was thrown from the punch. Clint was the first to break their astonished silence.

 "Where did they learn moves like that?"

 "I have no idea."

 "Do your dad and my dad know each other?"

 "It appears that way."

 "I am so freaking lost. Know what the hell is going on?"

 "No, but I'm going to find out."

 Mel stood. She walked over to the two. Her face was stern, her eyes determined. She stopped right in front of them, "Stop it!" She yelled, "Stop this uncalled for madness!"

 Heero was caught off guard; he thought that he heard Relena's voice calling out to him. Without a second thought he stopped fighting.

 Duo landed one more punch before stopping. He couldn't help but get in the last punch.

 "What is going on here? You two are following us huh? Checking on me to make sure I'm not doing anything wrong. Shame on you father! Shame on you for not trusting me-- or Clint for that matter. You never trust me. I'm not a little girl any more! I can make my own decisions! I hate you!" Tears filled her eyes. Consumed by rage she slapped Heero.

 Heero's face was shocked. His eyes filled with pain. He stared at Mel, unable to believe what she had done. His hand came up to his face, touching his flushed cheek.

 Mel's eyes filled with fear as the first tear tumbled out of her eyes. She stepped back from Heero. She turned and fled down the ally.

 "Mel! Wait!" Clint ran after her.

 Heero could only stare. Was she right? It hit him that his fifteen-year-old daughter was being more logical then he was.

 Duo put his hand on Heero's shoulder, "She is just like her mother." Duo lowered his hand. He joined Heero in looked where Mel and Clint were at the end of the ally.

  

Clint grabbed Mel, stopping her flight.

 Tears were streaming down her face. She struggled against Clint's strong grasp. "Let me go." She demanded.

 "Please," Clint said calmly, "stop and talk to me for a minute."

 "Just let me go."

 "Okay, but only if you promise not to run."

 Mel nodded.

 Clint let Mel break away. She turned and faced him. "You saw what I did. That was terrible. My father will never forgive me."

 "No, it wasn't terrible. It was very courageous. Your father will see that."

 He held out his arms and took a step forward. He wasn't sure exactly what he was doing; he just knew that he had to try and help.

 Mel stared at his arms; she looked up at his kind face. She stepped close to him and wrapped her arms around him. She started to sob into his chest.

 He held her near to him. Comforting her with soothing words.

  

Heero and Duo watched the scene unfold. The rising moon lighted Mel and Clint's bodies. At night the colony's screens were taken down, letting all of space pour in. The moon filled half of the sky as it rose with Clint and Mel directly in the center.

 Heero took a step forward. He wasn't sure if he was going to shatter the moment by going after Clint, or by apologizing to Mel.

 Duo tried to hold him back with his words, "Give the kids some time alone."

 Heero took another step forward and stopped. He stared at the figures in the soft blue glow of the moon. He had grown soft. He couldn't walk any further. Mel's words were sinking deeper into him, cutting away at his every whim.

 "Come on, I'll buy you a coffee." Duo said.

 Heero hesitated. He took a step back and turned. They walked away, leaving their children.

 

 Mel finally stopped crying. She pulled away a little and looked up at Clint. "You ran after me. Why? You know that my father might of come after you again."

 Clint shrugged, He leaned up to her, his lips close to her ear; "I know, but you are worth the risk." He gently brushed a strand of tear-drenched hair out of her face.

 Mel tried to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding; it felt as if it was going to explode. Her drying tears no longer felt cold against her skin. 

 He slowly pulled his lips away from her ear. She tilted her head up as he brought his lips to hers.

  

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After story notes: You may feel I made Duo's son a bit too mature. Remember though, he is two years older then Duo was during GW, and he really cares for Mel.

 

I wrote this story probably about a year ago, and I just realized how much my writing has improved! I went though and edited this since I had a few discrepancies with the sequel. Oh, the sequel "When Lighting Strikes Twice" is well underway if you want more of this precious little couple. The link to "When Lighting Strikes Twice" is: http://fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=482427 it's a little bit more serious than this story, but there still is some humor. I'm sure you will all love Clint's little sister, she is by far my favorite chara I have ever created!

PS: Thank you all for all of your wonderful reviews! You don't know how much they mean to me! *blows kisses to everyone* thank you! You like me you REALLY like me!