Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its affiliated characters.
The Maxwell's house was small, typical of a mid-level income family. When they pulled up in front of it, Duo came bounding out, grinning like a fool.
"I see you got here early enough for breakfast. How did I know you would?" He smiled warmly. "And I see everyone came along. Welcome, all, to my humble abode, the greatest place on Earth."
Dorothy covered up a giggle. "Very brazen, aren't you Duo?"
He whirled around. "Who's there?" He bent down and saw her in the car next to Quatre. He slowly stood back up, the sparkle gone from his smile. "I guess I'll just have to fix some more to eat. Come in, all."
When everyone else was out of earshot, he grabbed Quatre by the arm, holding him back. When he turned to face him, he hissed. "What's she doing here?"
"She's here as my date, if you will. You got a problem with that?"
"You?!" The shout was incredulous. "With her?! That's funny!" He started to laugh.
"You got a problem with that? If you don't want her here, I can take her and the two of us will going do something else." He glared. When he got no answer, he turned away, knowing he had won.
"She can only stay because I need to talk with you about something." Duo glared at his back. "If it weren't for that, I'd kick you both out this instant."
Quatre rounded on him angrily. "What is it you have against her, anyway?"
"She's the enemy! If I recall correctly, she has tried to kill us before."
"Stop being so narrow-minded. The war is over. There are no more enemies. Besides, if I didn't trust her she wouldn't be here. Now shut up, here she comes." They both turned and smiled at her.
"Are the two of you going to stand there in the doorway and argue? You should come in." She smiled and looped her arm through Quatre's. They walked into the living room, an infuriated Duo behind them. When they got there, the cozy silence was broken by Wu-fei trying to quiet and screaming baby.
They walked in as he was shouting, "Honestly, I didn't do anything! What should I do?"
A grinning Hilde took the little girl out of his arms. "Being a dad isn't as easy as you thought, is it Wu-fei?"
He could only turn an interesting shade of red. She laughed again. "Don't worry. Duo has no clue, either."
"I resent that, woman." Duo strode over and kissed his wife. "How're the twins holding up? Hope the company isn't scaring them." He glared meaningfully at Quatre. Dorothy caught the glance. What an ungrateful man, she thought. Hadn't he invited them? Why was he complaining now? She didn't say anything, however.
Hilde looked at him peculiarly. "Why would the company scare them?"
"Never mind. Who's ready to eat?" He beamed, but this one seemed more genuine.
When everyone was at the table and the twins were sleeping, Hilde began to carry in the dishes. When Dorothy stood to help, she was motioned down with a wave of the hand. When all the food was together on the table, it represented a vast majority of the various breakfast foods available. There were various meats, from small, round pieces of sausage to the longer, thinner slices of bacon. Also on the table were eggs in several different forms, things such as scrambled and a plate of sunny side-up. In the middle of the table sat a stack of pancakes, a pale yellow and fluffy. Everyone's mouth began to water. Before anyone could touch the food Duo raised his hand and motioned for them to bow their heads. When all were bowed, he began.
"Today we gather here as friends, trying to enjoy each other's company. We are here, eating these arrayed foods, thinking of all our friends who could not be here and enjoy this meal with us. Among these is Heero Yuy, who has been missing since shortly after the war. But we rejoice, for in our hearts we know he is safe and that he eats with us here in spirit, if not in person. We would like to thank the Lord for providing us with this chance to gather and enjoy one another with all the blessings and hardships that may come with them. We thank the Lord, Amen."
When all had raised their heads, Duo stood and grabbed a serving spoon from the counter behind him. He stuck it into the eggs and pulled out a spoonful, putting it on a plate and handing it to Quatre, who in turn gave it to Dorothy. After everyone was served, she sat next to Quatre and sampled the food. It was surprisingly good, considering a man had prepared it. She said as much, but all she got in return was a hard smile. She was confused. Why was he acting so harshly? They had only just met, yet he seemed so biased. She wondered if it had anything to do with the war, but quickly dismissed the notion. When the conversation and the meal were both over, she sat quietly, waiting for everyone else to leave the room. When she and Quatre were alone, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be in the car if you need me."
He looked at her quizzically, and his eyes widened. "It's Duo, isn't it?"
She looked away, ashamed. "Yes. I don't know what I did, but he seems so against me. Just like your roommates, although they aren't as much of a problem as he is."
"Trowa and Wu-fei are giving you problems? I can set them straight. They generally listen to me. But I can't control Duo. He's a free spirit. I can try to though. So stay here and enjoy yourself. If all else fails, you can talk to Hilde. I'm sure she can give you some advice."
"I'm not so sure about this. Maybe I shouldn't have come."
"That's nonsense! I invited you to come along as my guest, and I won't have Duo acting like a three-year-old and scaring you away."
He took her hand and they walked into the living room, where Duo and Hilde were sitting. They looked up and Hilde smiled. Duo just gaped, but eventually got himself under control. When Quatre was comfortable, he asked Dorothy to leave. As she stood, Hilde got up and walked with her to another room, leaving the men to do their talking. When they were gone, Hilde turned to her and asked, "You're in love, aren't you?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"It's kinda hard to miss, the way you look at him. But I've got a secret for ya."
"And that is?"
"Not very diplomatic, are you? But what the hey. He looks at you the same way." She grinned. "I think he's in love too. But you didn't hear that from me."
She smiled vaguely. "I could have figured that out, considering what all he's already done for me. So what's it like, being married?"
Hilde looked at her strangely. "You're really serious about this, aren't you? But if you really must know."
She smiled politely. "It would be nice. Give me the good and the bad."
She got a dreamy look on her face. "Marriage is wonderful, although it does have its drawbacks, especially if your married to someone like Duo. Its like the two of you are one person and everything you do is for the other. Sometimes I wish I had married earlier, but then I think about it and ralize I wouldn't have met Duo this way. But we do have our little squabbles now and then, but it doesn't matter in the end because we know we love each other like we love life itself."
"And kids?"
"There's nothing quite like giving birth to another life. It almost rivals love and marriage for the greatest feeling in the world. And I have two of my own," she added happily.
They sat in silence for a while. Finally Dorothy excused herself to the bathroom. When she was alone, she closed the door behind her and started to cry.
Why am I so tortured?, she thought. What did I do to deserve this? I would love to marry Quatre. He's so sweet and wonderful but would I have to put up with everyone else until we died? Why should I even have to put him through this now? Or myself? Why does it seem like wherever I go, people ridicule me? Have I done anything to deserve this? I guess I'm only a soulless monster.
She collapsed onto the toilet seat, sitting and sobbing for several minutes. Finally she shakily reached for her purse, looking for her razor.
The Maxwell's house was small, typical of a mid-level income family. When they pulled up in front of it, Duo came bounding out, grinning like a fool.
"I see you got here early enough for breakfast. How did I know you would?" He smiled warmly. "And I see everyone came along. Welcome, all, to my humble abode, the greatest place on Earth."
Dorothy covered up a giggle. "Very brazen, aren't you Duo?"
He whirled around. "Who's there?" He bent down and saw her in the car next to Quatre. He slowly stood back up, the sparkle gone from his smile. "I guess I'll just have to fix some more to eat. Come in, all."
When everyone else was out of earshot, he grabbed Quatre by the arm, holding him back. When he turned to face him, he hissed. "What's she doing here?"
"She's here as my date, if you will. You got a problem with that?"
"You?!" The shout was incredulous. "With her?! That's funny!" He started to laugh.
"You got a problem with that? If you don't want her here, I can take her and the two of us will going do something else." He glared. When he got no answer, he turned away, knowing he had won.
"She can only stay because I need to talk with you about something." Duo glared at his back. "If it weren't for that, I'd kick you both out this instant."
Quatre rounded on him angrily. "What is it you have against her, anyway?"
"She's the enemy! If I recall correctly, she has tried to kill us before."
"Stop being so narrow-minded. The war is over. There are no more enemies. Besides, if I didn't trust her she wouldn't be here. Now shut up, here she comes." They both turned and smiled at her.
"Are the two of you going to stand there in the doorway and argue? You should come in." She smiled and looped her arm through Quatre's. They walked into the living room, an infuriated Duo behind them. When they got there, the cozy silence was broken by Wu-fei trying to quiet and screaming baby.
They walked in as he was shouting, "Honestly, I didn't do anything! What should I do?"
A grinning Hilde took the little girl out of his arms. "Being a dad isn't as easy as you thought, is it Wu-fei?"
He could only turn an interesting shade of red. She laughed again. "Don't worry. Duo has no clue, either."
"I resent that, woman." Duo strode over and kissed his wife. "How're the twins holding up? Hope the company isn't scaring them." He glared meaningfully at Quatre. Dorothy caught the glance. What an ungrateful man, she thought. Hadn't he invited them? Why was he complaining now? She didn't say anything, however.
Hilde looked at him peculiarly. "Why would the company scare them?"
"Never mind. Who's ready to eat?" He beamed, but this one seemed more genuine.
When everyone was at the table and the twins were sleeping, Hilde began to carry in the dishes. When Dorothy stood to help, she was motioned down with a wave of the hand. When all the food was together on the table, it represented a vast majority of the various breakfast foods available. There were various meats, from small, round pieces of sausage to the longer, thinner slices of bacon. Also on the table were eggs in several different forms, things such as scrambled and a plate of sunny side-up. In the middle of the table sat a stack of pancakes, a pale yellow and fluffy. Everyone's mouth began to water. Before anyone could touch the food Duo raised his hand and motioned for them to bow their heads. When all were bowed, he began.
"Today we gather here as friends, trying to enjoy each other's company. We are here, eating these arrayed foods, thinking of all our friends who could not be here and enjoy this meal with us. Among these is Heero Yuy, who has been missing since shortly after the war. But we rejoice, for in our hearts we know he is safe and that he eats with us here in spirit, if not in person. We would like to thank the Lord for providing us with this chance to gather and enjoy one another with all the blessings and hardships that may come with them. We thank the Lord, Amen."
When all had raised their heads, Duo stood and grabbed a serving spoon from the counter behind him. He stuck it into the eggs and pulled out a spoonful, putting it on a plate and handing it to Quatre, who in turn gave it to Dorothy. After everyone was served, she sat next to Quatre and sampled the food. It was surprisingly good, considering a man had prepared it. She said as much, but all she got in return was a hard smile. She was confused. Why was he acting so harshly? They had only just met, yet he seemed so biased. She wondered if it had anything to do with the war, but quickly dismissed the notion. When the conversation and the meal were both over, she sat quietly, waiting for everyone else to leave the room. When she and Quatre were alone, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be in the car if you need me."
He looked at her quizzically, and his eyes widened. "It's Duo, isn't it?"
She looked away, ashamed. "Yes. I don't know what I did, but he seems so against me. Just like your roommates, although they aren't as much of a problem as he is."
"Trowa and Wu-fei are giving you problems? I can set them straight. They generally listen to me. But I can't control Duo. He's a free spirit. I can try to though. So stay here and enjoy yourself. If all else fails, you can talk to Hilde. I'm sure she can give you some advice."
"I'm not so sure about this. Maybe I shouldn't have come."
"That's nonsense! I invited you to come along as my guest, and I won't have Duo acting like a three-year-old and scaring you away."
He took her hand and they walked into the living room, where Duo and Hilde were sitting. They looked up and Hilde smiled. Duo just gaped, but eventually got himself under control. When Quatre was comfortable, he asked Dorothy to leave. As she stood, Hilde got up and walked with her to another room, leaving the men to do their talking. When they were gone, Hilde turned to her and asked, "You're in love, aren't you?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"It's kinda hard to miss, the way you look at him. But I've got a secret for ya."
"And that is?"
"Not very diplomatic, are you? But what the hey. He looks at you the same way." She grinned. "I think he's in love too. But you didn't hear that from me."
She smiled vaguely. "I could have figured that out, considering what all he's already done for me. So what's it like, being married?"
Hilde looked at her strangely. "You're really serious about this, aren't you? But if you really must know."
She smiled politely. "It would be nice. Give me the good and the bad."
She got a dreamy look on her face. "Marriage is wonderful, although it does have its drawbacks, especially if your married to someone like Duo. Its like the two of you are one person and everything you do is for the other. Sometimes I wish I had married earlier, but then I think about it and ralize I wouldn't have met Duo this way. But we do have our little squabbles now and then, but it doesn't matter in the end because we know we love each other like we love life itself."
"And kids?"
"There's nothing quite like giving birth to another life. It almost rivals love and marriage for the greatest feeling in the world. And I have two of my own," she added happily.
They sat in silence for a while. Finally Dorothy excused herself to the bathroom. When she was alone, she closed the door behind her and started to cry.
Why am I so tortured?, she thought. What did I do to deserve this? I would love to marry Quatre. He's so sweet and wonderful but would I have to put up with everyone else until we died? Why should I even have to put him through this now? Or myself? Why does it seem like wherever I go, people ridicule me? Have I done anything to deserve this? I guess I'm only a soulless monster.
She collapsed onto the toilet seat, sitting and sobbing for several minutes. Finally she shakily reached for her purse, looking for her razor.