Jaid: Hello again!
Naga: Hello.
Jaid: Where's Jad?
Naga: He said he wasn't up to dealing with you.
Jaid: *annoyed* Oh really?
Naga: Let's just get on with this.
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Disclaimer: I don't own nothing. (yeah, bad grammer. So sue me)
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Chapter Two
The next morning, a small group of train robbers stood in a semi circle. One of them, a cheerful looking young man with violet blue eyes pulled out a dirty piece of paper.
"Heero and I went over this last night." He said. "We've calculated everything and-"
He was interrupted by one of the men pointing to the drawing and asking, "Is that the train?"
The young man sighed and looked at his companion, a serious faced man with blue eyes. The blue-eyed man gave a slight smirk. "Forget it, Duo."
Duo sighed, crumpled up the paper and threw it behind his back. "Okay," he said. "We'll just wing it."
* * *
"There they go." Zechs muttered. Quatre took the binoculars.
"Yep." He frowned. "Is that Duo?"
Zechs looked. "Yeah, it is." He grinned. "Without a braid. So that's how he would look."
The sound of hoof beats made them turn. Lucrezia and Hilde rode up.
"Hello." Lucrezia said.
"What are you doing here?" Zechs asked.
"Came to help catch the bad guys." Hilde answered. Zechs and Quatre exchanged glances. Quatre shrugged and looked away. Zechs sighed.
"Let's go then."
* * *
"Dorothy. Dorothy, wake up."
Dorothy painfully opened her eyes. She was in a shack like building, lying on a bed of hay. Light streamed through the windows. Trowa was bending over her. When she opened her eyes, he smiled gently.
"You have a good rest?" he asked.
"How long have I been asleep?" Dorothy sat up.
"Quite a while." Trowa answered. He handed her a mug with some water. "We need to leave as soon as possible," he said, then left.
A few minutes later, Dorothy came out side. Trowa helped her remount, and they begin to ride again.
* * *
"Hands up!" Duo shouted. Having the "biggest mouth", as Heero put it, Duo usually did all the talking. While he and the others collected what pocket money the people had, Heero went to the other car to set up for blowing the safe.
* * *
Spurring their horses, Lucrezia, Zechs, Hilde and Quatre rode towards the train. Quatre had a slightly uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. He wasn't sure if he could do what Hilde had said.
Steering his horse closer to the train, Quatre waited. Behind him, Hilde pulled herself off and on to the platform. Quatre grimaced, then imitated her as best he could. Zechs and Lucrezia help pull him up.
"Oh, I don't want to do that again." Quatre moaned, eyes closed. Lucrezia and Zechs shared a smile, while Hilde looked at Quatre in a bewildered manner.
"Come on," Zechs said, pulling out a pistol. "We've got work to do."
* * *
They burst into the passenger car, and Zechs found himself wondering what to say. It turns out he didn't have to; Hilde beat him to it.
"Duo!" she shouted. A figure near the front slowly turned a sheepish look on his face.
"Hilde!" he said. "Boy, I've missed you."
Quatre stared at Hilde. Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, I bet you did." She hissed. Duo gulped.
Quatre placed a hand on Hilde's shoulder. "Hilde?" he said, softly. "You okay?"
Hilde shook him off. Her hands tightened around the rifle she held. "You promised not to come back, Maxwell." She said. Duo's sheepish expression returned.
"Well, I um-" His violet eyes rolled up wards, looking for an excuse.
"Where's the rest of the gang?" Zechs asked.
"Dunno." Duo answered. "I swear Sheriff."
Zechs' eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Quatre, check out the car in front of this one. I'll take the one out back. Lu, Hilde, you stay here."
* * *
Zechs walked out on the log trailer. His ice blue eyes carefully scanned it. Seeing nothing, he turned away, when there was a shot. Zechs winced as it knocked his hat off. Turning quickly, he fired back. The man standing there fell. Zechs swallowed. Should've been more careful. He thought.
* * *
His pistol in one hand, Quatre carefully opened the door. He came in, but there was no one. Quatre frowned, then sniffed the air. His eyes fell on the big safe and widened. Hurrying over, he tried to put out the sticks of dynamite. It didn't work. Quatre bit his lip, then took one bunch of dynamite and threw it out. The other wasn't going to give him time. Quatre dropped it, then crawled under one of the mail counters for cover.
* * *
Heero re-entered the passenger car, only to be met with the barrel of Hilde's rifle.
"Drop your gun." She ordered. Heero obeyed, without expression or comment.
"Duo must've been surprised." He said.
"Yeah, he was." Hilde answered. She was about to say more, when there was a loud explosion and the sound of breaking glass and wood. Duo's mouth and eyes were round as he looked at Heero.
"Dad-blame it!" he said. "How much dynamite did ya use?"
The door opened at the other end and Zechs came in. Hilde turned to talk to him and Heero took his chance. He hit her hard on the back of the neck and grabbed the rifle at the same time. Pointing at Hilde's head, he said, "Let Duo go."
Lucrezia lowered her gun. Duo walked over and stood next to Heero. Heero nodded to Zechs and the two men left the car.
* * *
Quatre grimaced at the big hole in the wall where the safe had stood. Standing up, he grabbed his hat, which had been blown off. Exiting the mail car, he came almost face to face with Heero and Duo.
"Winner!" Duo shouted. Quatre swallowed. He didn't like the way Heero was glaring at him.
"Hilde told me you two were engaged." Duo continued. Quatre sighed and nodded, wondering how many times he would face this comment.
"Take care of her for me." Duo shouted. Heero motioned for Quatre to move forward. They traded platforms, then Heero reached down and released the mail car from the rest of the train. Quatre stood, watching them as they faded into the distance.
* * *
"Hilde!" Quatre ran to catch up with the girl. She was wearing a dress again, this time a navy blue. She turned and smiled, taking his arm.
"Duo, uh-"
"I don't want to talk about him." Hilde said determinedly. Quatre bit his lip.
"Look, I think he's still in love with you and-"
"And what?" Hilde stopped and turned towards him with tears in her blue eyes. "I can't hitch up with a outlaw Cat. You, of all people, should know that."
"Maybe he'd give it up."
"I thought he would, once." Hilde admitted. "I waited. But everytime that Heero Yuy came around, they'd go off together. I can't wait any longer. I'm going on nineteen, for Pete's sake! Most girls my age are already married and have houses of their own."
"Is that why your marrying me?" Quatre asked. "Just to be married?"
"No!" Hilde sighed. "Look, Cat, I like ya a lot. Maybe I even loved you. I mean, any girl in this town would consider herself lucky to be with you."
"Why?" Quatre asked. Hilde looked at him and laughed.
"Why?" she answered. "Well, cause you're funny an' smart an' handsome an'…" she paused. "And 'cause you can be trusted. Once you give your word, ya don't back down, no matter what. That's why Zechs made you his deputy. He respects ya a lot."
Quatre nodded. They began to walk again.
"Maybe, you could give Duo one more chance?" he asked.
"I've given him all he's goin' to get." Hilde answered. "He's not interested in marriage, Cat. I found that out the hard way."
* * *
Duo stared sourly at the rushing river. He threw a stone and watched it sink. Hilde engaged! To Quatre Winner of all people. Duo's jaw clenched. He had liked Quatre, a little anyway. Enough not to shoot him in their several conflicts. But now…Duo's frown deepened and he threw another stone in.
Ahh, who are you kidding? He thought. Hilde didn't have to accept him. Face it Maxwell, ya lost her 'cause you're a good-for-nothing.
"Cut it out Duo." Heero said, looking over their gear.
"Why should I?" he asked.
"Because the boss expects us back soon."
"I might not go back." Duo answered. Heero stopped what he was doing and looked up. Duo thought, in grim amusement, that this would probably be the one and only time he would shock Heero Yuy.
"You need to forget it, Duo." Heero said, getting back to work. "You need to forget her."
"How?" Duo demanded. "The same way you 'forgot' Relena and broke her heart. Broke it so bad she went back East."
Heero shrugged. Duo seethed.
"I can't, Heero! Hilde has been the only woman…" he shook his head. "But you wouldn't understand that would you? You don't care. You don't care about yourself and you didn't care about her."
Heero hit Duo, hard, in the face. Duo fell to the ground, his lip bleeding. Heero stared at him, face devoid of emotion, except for his eyes, which glittered angrily.
"You leave Rel- Her - out of this." Heero turned around and mounted his horse. "Come on, we have to go now."
Duo mounted his horse. "No, I ain't going. I'm finished, Heero." Turning his horse, he rode in the opposite direction. Heero watched him go, with mixed emotions.
* * *
"Quatre, good you're here." Zechs said as the blond entered the building. Lucrezia was seated in the chair.
"What's up?" Quatre asked.
"Dorothy's missing. Has been since last night." Lucrezia answered. Quatre looked at the both of them.
"Was she kidnapped?" he asked worriedly.
"No, it doesn't appear so." Zechs answered. "The maid told us that Dorothy apparently went of her own free will. But Dorothy sent us a couple of notes. Here's one."
Quatre took the paper. On it, in Dorothy's flowing script was this note:
Zechs and Quatre,
Trowa has come to get me. Apparently he has orders of some sort. I am giving this to my maid. I think she is trustworthy. I don't know where I'm being taken or for what purpose. If I don't come back within two days, or do not send you any kind of word, search for me.
Dorothy
P.S. – Zechs, tell Quatre not to worry his head off. And keep him safe. I'm half-afraid some body will shoot him because he hesitates.
Quatre swallowed, and couldn't help but smile at the postscript. He handed the paper back to Zechs.
"So what are we going to do?" he asked.
"Well, you are going to the telegram office and see if there's any messages from her. This is the second day. We'll wait till tonight, and if there's still nothing, then we go for her in the morning."
* * *
Relena quietly picked up pieces of chalk and finished tiding up the schoolhouse. She smiled to herself. Teaching was helping. Helping her to forget. Cleaning off the chalkboard, she gathered up her things to leave, when the door opened. Turning, her eyes widened.
"Duo?" she asked. The young man grinned shyly.
"Hi, Miss Lena." He answered.
"What are you doing here?" she asked primly.
"Lena, look, I need your help." He said, walking closer. Relena sighed and put her books down.
"What is it?"
"I need your help to get Hilde back."
"Oh really?" Relena raised an eyebrow. "It didn't occur to you that she might actually fall in love with some one else?"
Duo looked embarrassed. "I didn't really think on it. Look, Lena, I really do love her. I guess I didn't know how much till now, when I might be losing her. I swear to God, if I get her back, I'll do anything. Become a farmer, rancher, whatever. I swear."
"Do you really love her?" Relena asked. Duo nodded.
"Look me straight in the eye and tell me."
Duo looked at Relena. "I love her, Lena. I've loved for years now, and I don't want to lose her. Not to anything or anyone." Least of all to Winner. He added silently. Relena looked at him for a long time.
"I believe you." She said softly. "I'll do what I can." Duo grinned.
"Thanks Lena, you don't know how much this means to me."
"I can imagine." Relena answered softly. "I'll meet you here after classes tomorrow."
* * *
Relena talked to Zechs about her day and the antics of her students. Quatre stared glumly at his plate, pushing his food around. Relena looked at him gently for a minute and then asked, "Quatre, are you all right?"
"What?" Quatre looked up. "Yes, I'm fine. Just not very hungry." Sighing, he pushed himself away from the table. "If you don't mind, I think I'll just go to bed."
Relena looked at her brother. "Is he all right?" she asked. Zechs thought for a moment.
"I think he's worried."
"About what."
"Not what. Whom."
Relena looked confused. "I don't get it."
"Dorothy Catalonia's missing. He's been acting this way since he found out." Zechs answered.
"Oh. I didn't think they were close friends-" Relena suddenly stopped. "Would you excuse me?"
Standing up, she left the table quickly. Now it was Zechs' turn to look confused.
* * *
Relena knocked on the door. "Cat?"
Quatre opened the door. "Yes?"
"Could I come in?"
Quatre stood aside. Relena entered his small room and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Zechs' said that you were worried about Dorothy Catalonia. Is that true?"
"Yes." Quatre admitted, rather sulkily.
"You've fallen in love with her, haven't you?" Relena asked. Quatre looked at her in shock and surprise.
"Don't deny it." Relena said. "You've fallen in love with her, but you don't know what to do because you're engaged to Hilde."
"How did you know?"
"Because of the look in your eyes." Relena answered. "I see that look in my brother's eyes every time he looks at Lucrezia. I saw it in Hilde's eyes when she and Duo were together. I saw it in Heero's eyes when he finally admitted he loved me. I've learned to recognize it. You don't look at Hilde that way. You're polite and nice, but not quite the man in love."
Quatre sank down next to her. "What am I going to do?" he moaned. Relena put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not sure." She admitted. "I think the best thing to do, is to get a good night's sleep and try not to worry too much about Ms. Catalonia. She's very good at taking care of herself." Leaning over, she gave him a sisterly kiss on the cheek. "Good night."
"Night." Quatre answered as she left.
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Jaid: See? That wasn't so bad.
Naga: At least there was one dead body.
Jaid: Is that all you ever think about?
Naga: *evil grin* Yes. That and how to torture poor helpless authors. *evil laugh*
Jaid: *sweatdrop*
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Jaid: Okay, this is just a side note. I borrowed a couple of scenes from Shanghai Noon. I couldn't help myself, that is the funniest movie ever! Anyway, I don't own the scenes.