Author: Man, I hope you all like. Thank you all who reviewed! You're so nice!! *huggles* Anyways, here's another chapter. But heed the warning. This was written at unearthly hours of the night and I'm a bit tired. So something might be messed up and a few more spelling mistakes may be found. Bear with me...

Peach (the author's character): Nonetheless it might be hurried. Okachan would kill you if she came in right now! You'd have the spear of longinus through you so fast-

Author: *coughcough* Don't remind me. And a lot of you are wondering why they drugged zelgaDuobunny. Hope this answers any questions! On with the fic!



Duo woke up with a slight moan. He didn't feel as sore anymore. Actaully, he was quite confortable.

Slowly opening his eyes to mere slits, the young pilot looked about him. He found himself situated on a plush couch. As his vison came into focus, he saw the woman from last time sitting in front of him, smiling.

"Uhnn...." Duo mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his head. "What...? Where am I...?" He said drowsily.

"You are in my office, Duo. Do you mind if I call you that?" The commander politly asked, waiting until Duo fully awoke.

"Yeah, sure. I don't care...." Finally wiping sleep from his eyes, the boy realized his surroundings. "Hey!"

"I am terribly sorry we had to put those sleeping pills in your food, but I'm afraid while we move you from room to room, you aren't allowed to see. One of the general rules of the base: Don't let your enemy know their way aroung. If you can help it, that is,"

"What do you want with me? What are you going to do with me? Jail? Death? Slave?"

The commander laughed and shook her head. "I'm not going to do any of the above. We aren't bad enough to kill you or turn you into a slave here. Honestly, do you people think we are that mean?"

"Well, yeah! All the other bases I've been thrown into numerous times..."

"So you have been caught before and escaped, am I right?"

"Heh, you should know. I know you have all the information right there," Duo pointed to a folder lying on top of a coffee table.

"Smart boy," She smiled.

"More like not oblivious. It' pretty much completely obvious. Hey, what's your name anyways?"

"I have seemed to have forgotten to introduce myself. Pardon my rude actions. So lets start from the beginning. My name is Commander Shar. Commander Sabriel Shar, and I run this Oz base. And may I ask yours?"

Duo snorted and looked around. "Listen honey, I'm not allowed to reveal any info about myself to anybody, especially you guys. And you probably even have security cameras listening to my every word. So sorry, but no can do,"

"You are wrong there. There are no cameras, tape recordings, or anything of the sort in here. This is my office. I wouldn't allow such a thing," When the young pilot looked intently into her face he felt as though she was an old friend he could easily trust.

Duo looked at Commander Shar strangely. He was trying to decide whether or not to believe her. "You...sure?" He asked warily after a small pause.

"I swear on my position as commander of this base. We could go anywhere you want and talk, though I cannot gaurentee there wouldn't be cameras there. And we'd have to knock you out again. But it's your choice,"

Duo snorted. "With all the options you're giving me, I think I'll stay here. And I dunno, there's something telling me to trust you, but my training says otherwise. And I'm not sure which one to pick: My training or my heart,"

"You may take as long as you like, Duo. It's your decision," It was easier said than done. This was an important decision to make. The wrong choice and Duo could get himself and his friends all killed. Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, and especially Heero. But that little something was nagging at his mind, attracting him to the commander like old friends.

Duo's mind clashed frantically against itself. You don't know what you're getting into! This is Oz! You never know if they're lying or not! Duo's gundam side told himself. But something is telling me to trust her! I...I...I can't disregard my heart! It's so confusing!

Duo clutched his head and squeezed his eyes shut. It was probably a life or death decision, and Duo was confused as ever. But a meek voice found it's way into Duo's confusing train of thoughts. As you're heart tells you...

Heero. It's as though you are out there watching me. Thank you, my angel. Looking up at the curious commander, Duo's mind was made up. "I trust you,"

Commander Shar smailed warmly. "Are you really trusting me or are you just saying that?"

"Shinigami never lies. On the Maxwell church code of honor,"

"Maxwell...Church...?" Commander Shar quickly grabbed the yelow file folder and opened it, thumbing through the pages until she found just what she wanted. "Duo Maxwell..." She bagan to read aloud softly. "Parents: Unknown. Place of Birth: L2. Was raised by the Maxwell Church...." Reading it over and over, Commander Shar seemed amazed. Snapping out of her mode, the woman looked up at Duo, her eyes soft and a little teary.

"Duo Maxwell....You named yourself after the church, didn't you?"

Duo felt a little hesitant to reply. "Um....."

"Tell me, did you know someone named Sister Helen? She lived there too. Did you know her?"

The pilot could tell something was going on here that he was not aware of. How did Shar know Sister Helen? And why did it seem so important to know if he himself knew her too? His questions would only be answered if he went along. "Yes, I knew her and loved her very much,"

"So did I. I miss her so much now," The commander stared at the ground, hugging the portfolio close to her chest. A single tear trickled down her cheek, leaving a small waterway as a trail.

"You..knew her...? But how? I never saw you at home. At least not that I remember,"

"Sister Helen and I go way back. Before your time, son. When we were little girls, everyday I would go right next door to where she lived and we'd play all day. We had so much fun. Both of us wanted to be nuns, but I was unable to fulfill my dream. For one day I woke up and no one was there. I was in a strange place, a different colony, actually. I had been kidnapped by my own father,"

Commander Shar wiped a tear from her eye as several more streaked her cheeks. "My mother had died years ago or else she would have put a stop to this. But my father took me away because he didn't want me to be a nun. 'You have to uphold the family honor and position' Father always said. That day I cried a thousand tears-every single one for the loss of my best friend. I was banned from seeing her by my father. And when he died he made sure the officials higher than me kept me on track and not in contact with my dear friend."

"That's awful....How did you know she worked at the Maxwell church though? If you were seperated so young...." The young pilot trailed off, hoping to hear more of the sad tale.

"Once in awhile I would be able to drop her a letter. Nobody ever knew, I believe. I would have been punished if they had recieved wind of that, but no such thing happened. While on a mission I was once able to stop at the church, but that was probably before you arrived. She could write me freely without punishment, but could not send it to anywhere my father could learn about it. It was hard, but it was worth every once of effort just to hear or see her,"

A long pause settled in the room. Commander Shar was trying to stifle her tears as the memories engulfed her while Duo was lost in his own memories of his only known mother figure.

Commander Shar picked up where she left off. "When the Maxwell church tragedy occured I was devestated. I prayed and wished and hoped ever moment that Helen would be alright. When I found out that she too had been killed, what's worse was by Oz, I just couldn't carry on. I died so many times that day, for the souls of the wounded and killed by this pointless war. For the numoerous innocent people who fought for the good of all and were killed relentlessly. For the bloodshed I had helped cause. For my dear Sister Helen,"

Another eerie silence fell around the room. The now shaking boy spoke quietly in a hoarse voice. "For the bloodshed I helped cause. There were so many lives I took with no heed to their pleas for mercy and help. I also helped kill those poelple. Innocent people who were only fighting to put food on the table for their families.....I hate war so much! It only causes pain and suffering! Why...? Sister Helen....I miss you so so much....."

The two sat in silence as tears and memories of a loved one gone washed over them

Sister Helen....

Finally breaking the uncomfortable silence, Duo tried to bring conversation to the voice empty room. "Why do you take this job if you want to be a nun? You're father is dead. Why don't you leave?"

The commander gave a light laugh. "I wish I could, Duo. But this job has run in my family. I would disgrace them if I ditched this to be a nun, even if that is my dream. Don't think Oz would just let me quit either. They'd probably pretend to let me go and send some serial killer after me in my sleep,"

"Wouldn't that be the wake-up call of your dreams," The pilot joked.

"More like the wake-up call in my dreams. Or my nightmares. Whichever one I meet when I die finally,"

"Too true. But I'm wondering something. You don't really like Oz and what they fight for, right? From what you said and all,"

"No, not at all. I disagree on so many of the things we do around here. Yet they still think I'm a great commander and they haven't yet booted me out. I wish I had never joined this stupid place, but it was my blood line. I really didn't have a choice. You know, upholding my family honor and position,"

"But if you hate it, you should leave! If you feel it's wrong why haven't you done anything about it? Just because of somefamily honor-"

"Duo son, where I grew up, you live for your honor. If you don't have honor, you have nothing. It's a big part of today's society too. And it's a big part to be honorable as a nun. Even if I do despise my job, I still can't quit it. I'm bound to it until I retire from old age or I die. And even if I retire I will still be here. A part of me always will,"

"So you are going to live your life miserably until the end doing something that you hate?"

"Some say life is only preperation for the afterlife. Personally, I don't agree. I think that life and death run together. You live and you die. What you do about it is what shapes your future. My life is not how I wish it was, but in the afterlife I can tell every person I hurt that I am sorry. I can spend hours on end once again with my dear Helen. When I die, it won't be a bad thing. It may seem bad to you, or maybe not. You are Shinigami after all,"

"Death doesn't scare me too much. But it doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to enjoy life as well as death. Suicidal maniacs like you should understand that. There are too many deaths already,"

"Duo, I'm not a suicidal maniac just because I think I will enjoy my sweet death. I try to live every day to the fullest. I want to see an end to this war. And I think suicide is just cheating yourself of good oppertunities that await in your future. People like that find a problem and instead of trying to solve it, they run away. They won't face the problem, and in the end, they think death is the only choice. I disagree absolutely with this. I think your future comes no matter what, it's just whether you accept it or refuse it. If you refuse it, you run away. But if you accept, you find wonderful things everyday,"

"And you say you accept the future and what it brings to you," Duo said, a bit confused.

"Death will be in the future always. And anyways, what do you have to fear death?"

"I do not fear my own death, but the death of someone-anyone-close to me. I don't want them to hurt,"

"Or leave you. Is there someone special to you Duo? I mean, really special? Like a lover who you do not want to leave you?" Duo didn't answer; his mind drifting to a certain chocolate haired boy. "If your hearts are one and you truely love each other, nothing will keep you apart,"

Commander Shar looked at her watch. "My my, we've been rambling way too much. You should be getting to bed soon. I shall get you some dinner in a moment,"

Duo snuggled into the plush couch he was laying on. He felt very drowsy now that he came to think about it. The dinner he ate previously was still in his stomach and the day had been quite tiring.

And before the commander could leave to get some food, the boy was fast asleep on the couch, dreams sweeping him into a fantasy world of his own. The commander smiled and let the boy be, settling into a chair incase the boy woke up for comfort.



A/N: Whoo boy, that was a longer chapter! Night Minna-san! Peach: Tired...