Disclaimer: If you haven't realized that I don't own Gundam Wing by now, you're beyond hope and can just forget about these stupid disclaimers. But just for good measure, I DON'T OWN GUNDAM WING!
Chapter Five - Do I Have to Name Every Chapter?
The next time she woke up, she asked him what happened, so she could explain it to Sally when she called. Of course, she'd call Sally - Duo needed a doctor, and Hilde needed to know how to help him.

"Su. suicide mission." he said and winced, "difficulties. no sleep. damn. gas. battles. l-living hell. too. many. couldn't. hnmm. Hilde." Duo's voice faded out, and his breathing steadied.
Something, something was shaking him, pulling him out of a dreamless sleep. No. No, it couldn't do that. He wanted to sleep forever. He didn't notice the pain when he slept, and the dreamless sleep didn't haunt him. What was ripping him of his peace? Stop it.

Duo groaned. His head, his poor head. What did he ever do to his head? Opening an eye, Duo prepared to confront the monster that woke him up, that disturbed his peaceful sleep. "Eh?" It hurt; talking scratched his throat, ripping out his poor esophagus. And that was only a monosyllable. What would something bigger do? Coughing lightly, Duo focused his vision, having to open both eyes.

Hilde stood before him, leaning down with a hand on his cheek. He liked it. "Hilde," he said hoarsely. Even his breathing was raspy. He could feel it in his chest, and in the middle of his throat. He could hear it, but only a little. Coughing again - that rasp in his throat and chest bothered him - he brought his hand up and put it on hers, holding it on his cheek. She looked surprised, and personally, so was he. What was he thinking? And not only that, but his muscle hurt. His arm ached. Why did he move it, especially to somewhere like onto hers? That put him in pain, and put him in a position where he could lose a friend. Wait. How could he lose a friend? He didn't do anything wrong. Groaning, Duo decided to stop thinking. It made his poor head hurt worse.

Hilde smiled. Duo winced. God, she was beautiful. And God, was he in pain. Not just in his body now; he could feel something, like a dagger, slice his heart in two, and a knot formed in his stomach. Or was it at the base of his throat? Was it there at all? He couldn't tell. What was wrong with him? Finding that question familiar, Duo frowned, thinking back (he'd forgotten that he wasn't going to think) to find who said that. Heero. Heero had asked that question about himself when he couldn't kill Relena. And now it was common knowledge that he was head over heels in love with her. Not that he was going to do something about it; he couldn't; she was "too good for him" was what he said. Bullshit.

Anyway, now Duo was asking that question. And that pain, that pain in his "heart" -or was it his soul- was that the pain that Heero felt? Duo grinned. Grinning was painful, too. Damn, he really was beat up. Whatever it was, when Duo looked up at Hilde, he felt it, and he sympathized with Heero. Maybe, he hoped, maybe that pain was just part of the pain from the mission. It was possible. But he knew better. And he had to tell her so. She was talking, she had been talking, but he couldn't understand what she was saying. His overall comprehension of anything was low to zilch. "Huh?" he mumbled, fighting the urge to say what he was thinking.

She sighed, and he saw the worried expression in her face. No, no don't look like that, he thought.

"Drink this," she said, holding a cup of something to his lips.

He mentally scoffed. He was practically helpless. And he didn't like it. There was nothing to do about it, and the pain was killing some of his genius excuses. He couldn't pretend he was okay; it hurt too much. He coughed again, and drank some of whatever was in the cup. Almost immediately, he started to feel better. His muscles relaxed, his headache seemed to float away -unfortunately leaving his mind floating also- and his throat stopped hurting. "God, you're beautiful," he said, still weakly. He grinned, touching her face, although he felt like he had little control. That grin didn't hurt. It was loose, lopsided, almost drunken. He chuckled. Whoa, he was out of it.

Then, the drowsiness set in. "Hilde." he mumbled, tugging her shirt, leading her closer to him. "Hilde, I." He felt her fingers go through his bangs, and closed his eyes. Barely able to open his eyes again, Duo wrapped his arm around Hilde's waist and guided her down to him, holding her close. "I." She was looking at him, and he smirked. Duo moved his hand to behind Hilde's head, and pulled her head low, just an inch or so above his. Then, he kissed her. She opened her mouth just enough for him to gently bite her lower lip. Letting her go, Duo smirked sleepily and then dropped off into a pleasant, dreamless, deep sleep.

Hilde's eyes widened and she touched her bottom lip. It still tingled from the way his bite tickled. Beaming, she undid his braid, putting the rubber band up on a dresser. Then she held his thick, soft hair in her hand. The stuff that Sally Po had told her to make had worked. Duo was out like a light, and he didn't seem to be in pain. That was good. Hilde smiled and left his room, making sure to leave the door open.
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Next chapter will come. If you help me out. I need reviews, peoples. REVIEWS!!! And I don't mind suggestions, you know.