CHAPTER 2- BRAVERY

The girl led them down narrow passageways, some only fitting one person at a time. "This girl really knows her way around," Duo whispered to Heero. "Hn," Heero replied as they reached an opening. It was the shuttle docks main control room. "There's some men inside, and more on their way," the young girl said. Then she pointed to another passage that led out onto a catwalk towards some space shuttles, "follow that, it should take you to the main docking bay. I'll stay here." Heero handed the unconscious girl to Duo. "This is my mission, I am required to accomplish it," he said walking towards the second girl. "No, lets go," Duo said grabbing Heero's shirt. "Go then, but promise me something, Maxwell and Yuy, that you will take good care of my friend," she looked towards the other girl. Duo nodded, then tugged on Heero's shirt. He stood there in place, watching the second girl. "You shouldn't die, I will go," he said. "NO! I am the one made to suffer under these impaired judgments. I owe them something; now go," the girl said, then she turned and ran towards the control room. Heero stood there still, watching the girl run. "Let's go," Duo said as the sound of footsteps came from up the corridor. Heero turned, and followed after Duo, taking one last look at the young girl with determination on her face. They made there way to their mobile suits and climbed in. Duo leaned the girl as best he could against the chair he was sitting in by the controls. "Brave girl she is," he said over the system. "Hn," Heero responded as they approached the opening of the shuttle port.

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The girl wrenched open the door as she heard the footstep getting closer. "GO TO HELL!" She screamed while shooting a pistol she grabbed earlier. The men in the main control room were dead with three shots, all five of them. She hurried over to the controls as the other men approached the open door. "Opening docking and launch bay in 3, 2, 1…." The computerized voice said over the intercom. She tapped into the codes and overloaded the sequence to the self-destruct program. Red evacuation lights started to flash as the sound of gunshots was heard. "Please evacuate immediately, self-destruct in 30 seconds, 29, 28…." The computer voice came over the intercom again. All the men were down; wounded, unconscious, or dead. The girl was still standing, but blood was seeping down the lining of her clothes and dripping to the already blood smeared floor. She was shot in the right arm, left leg, and left side. "See you all in hell," she said dropping to her knees. "Self-destruct in 10, 9, 8…." She listened to the countdown and thought over the memories she had with her friend, "at least she'll live…." Then she lay down on the floor, to weak from loss of blood. "in 5, 4, 3…."

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"No Heero, your crazy! It's gonna blow in a couple of seconds," Duo yelled over the com. But Heero had already made up his mind, he rushed back over to the station in his Gundam. He made a hole in the side of the control center; bodies and papers flew out of it. "Huh?" the girl said weekly, looking up from her resting place, "Damn you Yuy," then passed out. The huge metal hand scooped her up as the station started to fall apart. He opened the cockpit and pulled the girl in, the door closed as the station exploded. The explosion propelled him out into space. He flipped on a switch that turned on the thruster. "You're pretty badly wounded too," he said while he maneuvered his Gundam back towards the others. "Heero! You made it!" Quatre exclaimed. "Did you get the other girl?" Duo said in a worried voice. He nodded, and pulled the Gundam to a stop in front of the others. "She also needs medical attention." "What girls," said Wufei. "Don't worry about it, if they need help, we better get going," Quatre said. "Let's go back to the safe house," came Trowa's monotone voice over the com. The whole station was completely destroyed, taking with it all its soldiers and tormenters. *What did they do to these poor girls* Duo thought as he piloted his Gundam back to the base.

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"That's all we can do for them now," Trowa said in his usual quiet voice. He stood up from where he was sitting after he was done with the girls. "They injected them with something, have any idea what it was?" Duo said as he stopped pacing for a moment to look at the two frail bandaged bodies. "Not sure, must have been some type of new drug they concocted up," said Quatre with a shutter. "Why were they testing them on weakling like this," Wufei said. That pushed Duo somewhat to the edge, "WEAKLINGS?! I BET THEIR STRONGER THEN YOU!" he yelled getting inches away from Wufei's face, "You have no idea what they've been through! And she," he pointed to the girls who had three gunshot wounds, "she risked her life to save her friend! I bet you would be to 'weak' to do that for any of us!" "What was that," Wufei growled back at Duo. "You heard me, Wu-man," Duo said, taunting Wufei. "You don't know what they went through either," Heero said walking over to the door. "Let them have some rest," Quatre said, "they really look like they need it." They all walked out of the room, Duo and Wufei exchanging insults under their breath. Heero was the last to leave. He looked at the scrawny pair one last time before he shut the door.

Later that night, Duo crept in, hoping he hadn't been noticed. He slowly closed the door behind him, trying not to make it squeak. When he had shut it completely, he walked over to the girl with dark brown, long hair. "Just never gave up, reminds me of myself," he whispered to the unconscious girl in the dark. He smiled as he ran his finger down her soft cheek. For a while, he listened to her shallow breathing, and watched her chest move up and down in the moonlight. Then he pulled out a brush, and started to brush out her long hair. Stoke after stroke, he worked out the small knots that clung to the dark, shiny curls. After he was done, he braided the silky locks, then pulled out one of his own hair ties, and finished the braid. Again he ran his finger over the soft cheek, then got up and left in silence.

An hour after Duo had left, Heero appeared in the doorway. He walked over to the second girl with blond, strait hair. He sat by her, a small gentle smile crossing his face. "You risked you life for you friend, even if it meant losing everything," he whispered to her. He looked up to see the other girl in the bed next to the window that let the moonlight it. It fell across the two beds, making the girls faces seem even more pleasant. "I guess Duo's been hear," he said, noticing the braid. For a while, he two stayed and accompanied the girl. *I, I've never felt this way about anyone. I shouldn't either* he thought, trying to push his emotions down. But the small smile wouldn't leave his face. He sat and listened, as if waiting for the girl to reply. Then, unexpected to even himself, he put his hand gently on the girls face. He felt her soft cheek's warmth, as if it radiated from her. His smile grew as he took his hand away slowly, then got up and went to leave, "I'll be back tomorrow."

A/N: Yippee! The second chapter is now finished. What do yah think? Getting there… Chapter three, coming soon! But on one condition, up to you! ^_~ - Darken Angel