Chapter Three: Heero

There was a brief recess, during which everyone, including Duo, was ushered out into the hallway to disperse for half an hour. Duo, having nowhere to go, waited outside the doors until everyone else left. Everyone else, that is, except Heero. He remained in the hall, watching Duo intently, his classic stoic glare slightly softened.

Duo glanced at him cautiously. "Can you be a little more normal now?" he asked quietly.

Wordlessly, Heero stepped forward and embraced Duo. The braided pilot's arms hung limp for a few moments, fingers shaking slightly, until the scythe clattered to the cold white floor and Duo brought his fists up to Heero's chest, grasping the green fabric of his friend's shirt in a desperate search for security.

"I never... I-I-I didn't think it would be so... so... so cruel up here!" he said between his sobs. "This whole business scares me, Heero. I-I didn't even think I'd be here in the first place, and now they go an' interrogate me like I'm some kind of criminal... Heh, they should, I am a criminal. Look at my past. But..."

"Shhh, Duo, it's all right," Heero murmured into Duo's ear. "We're all going to do our best to make sure you can join us here."

"Thank you," Duo sniffed. "Why didn't you guys have to go through this?"

"I'm not sure about the others, but I did," Heero admitted. "Although it wasn't so rigorous. It wasn't public, just Saint Peter and Metatron asking me a few questions, then Quatre, Trowa and Wufei talked to me for a little bit. Nothing like this interrogation. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

Duo was quiet for a little while, only the occasional sob or hiccup breaking the clean silence. "I'm scared," he whispered.

"So am I," Heero said, kissing the top of Duo's head gently. "So am I..."

~*~**~*~

"Heero Yuy, you may proceed with your questioning."

Quietly, Heero brought his chair up with him and sat across from Duo at the little table. "I'm going to be frank with you Duo. I don't have many questions, but I'll be very blunt. All right?"

Duo nodded. "You've done worse to me," he smirked, his eyes showing a look of almost happiness at seeing Heero's familiar and friendly -- friendly in a very businesslike, Heero-ish way -- face.

Heero smiled a little before asking, quickly, "Why did you save my life?"

Taken aback a little at the severity of Heero's voice, Duo meekly asked, "Excuse me?"

"Early on in the war during AC 195, you saved me from the OZ hospital," Heero said. "Even though I didn't pull my parachute and was a complete idiot for not doing that, I managed to live and you stuck with me. You saved me then Duo. Why did you do that?"

After a moment of thought, Duo replied, "Because you intrigued me. I realized it was your Gundam that Deathscythe was bringing up and couldn't let you get away without knowing to what extent you were involved in the project."

"Why do you think I saved yours later?" Heero asked.

"Now there's a tough question," Duo said. "Maybe it was the same reason as I did. Or... maybe you were mocking me. You pointed that gun straight at me, right between my eyes, and didn't shoot. I thought for sure I was dead. But instead, you helped me escape. Did you think you owed me one? Maybe. I don't know. It could be anything."

"True," Heero told him. "And I'm not telling you what it is either." He sighed. "Why did you keep telling me to go to Relena?"

"Because I thought you two needed each other. You were... in a way, perfect: the princess and her soldier, ya know? But I realized..." Duo swallowed hard. "I realized that I was only trying to get you away from me, because I cared for you, and everyone I cared for died... I didn't want you to be next."

"That leads to my next question," Heero murmured. "When did you realize you loved me?"

Duo grinned. "I knew the second we won the war. I had been suspecting it, but at that moment, when you came back out of there, alive, having saved everything... I just knew it. I knew it then."

"No further questions," Heero said, standing and taking his chair back. "Thank you."

Duo's eyes suddenly went cold.

"Next we call-" Saint Peter was interrupted by a rather loud beeping. Sighing, he looked at a snow-white beeper attached to his belt. "We have a building collapse in Los Angeles, looks like the Gates might get busy. Permission to recess indefinitely?"

Metatron looked up the podium, then turned and nodded. "Court will recess until the situation has calmed. In the meantime, Mr. Maxwell will be kept in solitary confinement-"

"Objection," Heero said smoothly.

Everyone in the courtroom gasped in shock. Objecting to God?

"Yes Heero?" Metatron asked patiently.

"I would ask that instead of solitary confinement, Duo would stay with me. I am willing to assume full responsibility for him until the time comes," explained Heero.

"Objection!" someone in the crowd shouted. "He is a possible menace to the community!"

"Like I said, I would take full responsibility for him," Heero shot back.

"But-"

"Order!" Metatron shouted. "Heero, your request is granted. You must remain with Mr. Maxwell at all times until we reconvene. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. Be prepared to return to court at any time," Metatron finished, and the sound of a mallet hitting the gavel echoed from the top of the podium. With a cacomphany of murmurs, the angels filed out.

"Heero - you did that for me?" Duo sputtered incredulously as Heero and the other former pilots approached him.

"Of course, koi," Heero replied. "I know how much you hate being alone. 'sides, we've all missed you."

Duo stood shakily, smiling weakly, and Heero put his arm around him warmly as they walked out.