Chapter 6- Dangerous Wounds
The days went on and Duo and Gilly began to drift. Heero arrived at Centennial, tracing OZ and Romafeller's activities. Duo began to hang around Heero and Gilly with the other girls at her table. She terribly missed Duo, but concentrated on living a normal life.
Gilly's dreams continued to haunt her. They grew worse every night. With the dreams killing her and Duo out on missions every night, Gilly feared for her life. She desperately wanted to help Duo and Heero, even though they didn't need it.
One day, Heero left for a while and Duo couldn't ignore Gilly for forever, but with the arrival of Quatre Raberba Winner, Duo found another friend, plus Heero wasn't gone for forever. Gilly assumed that he too was a Gundam pilot. When she checked the cave where Duo kept Deathscythe, she found a new and different Gundam. When she asked Duo about it, he told her briefly, but that was it.
As the school year went on, a school Formal approached and Gilly's heart began to sink.
"Hey, Gilly!" Whitney called after Gilly as she walked down the lonely hall, "Are you goin' to Formal?"
"I might be..." Gilly began.
"...If Duo asks you," Whitney finished, "right?"
"Somethin' like that."
"Well, you know, Gilly," Whitney smiled, "Greg really likes you, and I here he's going to ask you to Formal."
"That's his problem."
"What?!"
"You heard me. If Duo doesn't ask me, than I'm not going with anyone."
"Selfish, aren't we?"
"Very."
"Well, you can't have everything."
"I know."
"Than why?"
"Because, I'm attracted to Duo. I can trust him, but he's trying not to get me involved..."
"Involved? In what?"
"Stuff."
"I'll take your word on that."
"Who are you going with?"
"Quatre Winner."
"Cool."
The girls walked into Mrs. Fittje's class. Gilly looked around and saw no sign of Duo.
"Looking for him?" Whitney asked, emphasizing the word him.
"Yes."
"Where is he? He's been missing quite a few classes lately."
"I dunno. He'll show up." Gilly sighed, knowing he was on a mission and wishing him luck.
The next day, Greg confronted Gilly after school as she walked toward the seaside.
"Hey!" Greg called from down the hall, "Gilly!" He walked up to her as Gilly sat on the beach.
"Hi Greg." She said solemnly.
"So down?"
"I guess."
"It's Duo isn't? I can't believe he'd do this to you."
"Do what?"
"You don't think I haven't noticed?"
"What?"
He sat next to her; "When you first arrived, you and Duo were best friends, what happened?"
"He doesn't want me to get hurt."
"By leaving you?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"It's a long story."
"Shoot."
"Which," She paused, "I don't wish to tell."
"Oh."
A long pause settled on the conversation.
"Gilly, I have a question I'd like to ask you."
"And that would be?"
"I was wondering if you'd be my date to Formal?"
"No."
"What?!" He asked in utter surprise.
"No."
"Couldn't you give it a little thought?"
"No. You don't understand, my affections belong to Duo."
"That jerk?"
"Yes, I'm sorry, but you just don't understand the bond I hold to Duo." She stood up, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."
She simply walked away and did not answer to Greg's gasps of surprise. Gilly walked up to her dorm. She felt the pain in her chest, and her leg throbbed with anticipation. She walked into her dorm room and threw her aching body on her bed. Why did everything have to hurt so much?
* * * * *
"Eat lasers!" Duo called from the pilot seat of his buddy, Deathscythe, "Hey Quatre! Are you ready?"
"Sure am Duo!" Quatre replied, "Let's go for it!"
Duo pulled out his thermal scythe and stabbed at the mobile dolls.
"The main storage area is to your left." Quatre informed him.
"Alright!" Duo exclaimed as he sliced through the room.
With a boom the building was gone.
"Mission complete!"
"Great job, Duo!" Quatre called.
"You're not so bad yourself Quatre! Thanks!" Duo replied, "I gotta go, so I'll see you next time!" Duo yelled as he took off.
"Let's go home, Sandrock." Quatre whispered to his beloved Gundam.
Duo landed in the bay and took Deathscythe into the cave. He got out and began to make repairs, but was distracted by the thought of Gilly. He sighed, she probably wanted to go to Formal with him, but he was firm in his decision. He just wished that Gilly wasn't so intent on him. It was just hurting her, no on else. Or so he thought.
* * * * *
The next day, Gilly didn't speak at all, really. The dance was that night and Gilly was still upset, she had a Formal dress in case, but the chance that Duo would ask her was unlikely. She noticed that Duo seemed pre-occupied. After school, Gilly was hanging out in her room when she decided she'd go see Duo. She jumped from her balcony to his and silently picked the lock. She than crept across the floor of his room. She could see him sitting on the couch. She was about to jump over the couch and next to Duo when he spoke.
"Don't even think about it."
"How'd you know?"
"You forget, I'm an expert in stealth operations."
"Well, for your information, I didn't know that. So there!" She stuck out her tongue as she sat next to him.
"What are you doing?"
"Coming to see you, what else?"
Silence fell on the two like a dark, ominous thunderhead. Duo reached for Gilly's hands and held them firmly. Gilly felt coy again.
"Gilly, you know why we've grown distant, right?"
"I know." She said in a whisper.
"And you understand?"
"Yes." She sighed, "Duo, I'm not an idiot. I know why, but it still doesn't mean I don't feel so captivated by you."
Gilly was about to say more, but Duo silenced her. He put his left forefinger to his lips, and with his other hand held Gilly's chin up. He pulled her head to his. Gilly shut her eyes, prepared for the kiss, and just as their lips brushed, Heero walked in.
"Hey!" He said in a semi-angry/annoyed tone, "What are you two doing?"
"Nothing." Duo said letting go of Gilly, and the moment.
"I need to speak with you."
"Shoot."
"Alone."
"I get the message, "Gilly said as she got up, "I'll go. See you, Duo." She sighed as she walked toward the door.
Duo sauntered up to Heero and gave him a firm punch in the arm. Gilly knew it didn't hurt Heero, but it made him aware that he had bad timing. Gilly smiled and walked out the door.
"You know better." Heero said plainly.
"Don't give me that crap. Of course I do."
"I figured I'd let you know that they're moving tonight."
"Double crap."
"I can handle it, but I wouldn't have use as much resources if you came."
"Thanks, almighty master." Duo sighed and threw his arms in the air.
Heero looked at him oddly.
"It's called sarcasm. You should know that when you've hung around me."
* * * * *
It was getting dark. Gilly sat on her balcony. She knew that duo and Heero were going to fight tonight, she just didn't know when. Than she saw the lights taking off across the bay. She wanted to go. It was written all over her face. Then she remembered that OZ was transporting weapons, mobile suits, mobile dolls, and various other machinery that night. She knew where, she had found it in their files the other night when she hacking around. She could probably get a hold of an Aries Suit, and use it to fight. She knew how to use a mobile suit, her father had taught her so long ago.
She grabbed her helmet and ran downstairs. Like lightning she was on her Crotch Rocket and off. Screw the dance, she told herself, when you can help someone out.
Her excitement grew as she neared the Corsica Base. She 'd been pushing her bike to its limits, so she was glad she'd fueled it that morning. She went through the gates and skidded to a stop. She could see the battle from there. Quickly she hid the bike under some foliage and ran for one of the warehouses. The small door was open and she went inside. There was something very large under a tarp. Her fingers tingled with excitement as she worked the controls that would pull the tarp off. As the tarp was lifted, Gilly saw what she hadn't expected. The Gundam was just like the Wing Gundam in ways, but different, too. It was one of the killer Gundams in her dream. She jumped back in terror. No. This thing wasn't alive. It couldn't hurt her. She carefully walked up to it.
"What are you doing here?" She asked it as she placed her hand on the foot.
There was a plate of some sort where she put her hand. She brushed away the dust. "Wing Zero" was what it read. Without another moment's hesitation, Gilly gave a great leap and landed on top of the Gundam. She lowered herself into the cockpit and fired up the system.
By only sitting up Gilly broke through the ceiling of the hanger. She made the big Gundam stand up, so that Duo and Heero could see.
"What the Hell is that?" Duo asked, "It looks like your suit."
"I don't know. But, whatever it is, it has to die." Heero replied.
"Wait!" Gilly called from the cockpit.
"Gilly? Is that you?" Duo asked.
"Yeah it's me."
"Where'd you get that?" Heero asked suspiciously.
"In this hanger."
"Damnit!" Heero muttered, "This isn't supposed to happen."
Gilly could feel something happening. The light surrounded her and grabbed at her mind. Once more, she could feel the synapse pulse in her head. She screamed.
"Gilly!" Duo yelled after her as she hit the ground.
Duo knew this was bad. OZ reinforcements were coming, and Gilly was down. They were after that Gundam, and Heero knew it, too. Duo knew that Heero didn't want to see civilians get involved or hurt, but they couldn't let OZ have that suit.
Gilly could feel the information running through her head. This had happened before. Once, when her father worked as engineer in the colonies. The word "Knightsaber" ran through her mind over and over again. Where this "Knightsaber" was and how to get to it.
The huge Gundam fell on its back. Gilly gripped her head in her hands. She began to cry.
"What is 'Knightsaber'?" She asked over and over again.
The image of the Gundam she had drawn was right before her. It welcomed her.
"This?" She asked.
The Gundam seemed to nod.
"Knightsaber." She repeated.
"Yours." Her father's voice rang through her mind.
"Dad?"
"Remember when you came to my work when you were young?"
"Yes."
"You sat in a mobile suit so we could see a young person's brain waves. You remember the suit?"
"Wing Zero?"
"Yes. We took your data and created the Gundam Knightsaber."
"Why?"
"No reason. But, there was a flaw."
"That would be?"
"We wanted to create it for a female, considering at the time most ms pilots were male."
"So?"
"It turned out that Knightsaber could only be used by you."
"What?!" Gilly gasped
"Its system is like Zero's, but it's your own potential, not forced onto you like the Zero unit does."
"How'd you wind up as a Gundam engineer?"
"I do not know. You see, I am not your actual father."
"Huh?"
"I am how you remember your father's voice in your head, but I, Zero, am telling you all this."
"Oh."
Gilly's eyes snapped open and she began to gasp for the precious air she needed. She was lying on the ground and Duo was looking over her. She sat up suddenly and wrapped her arms around him. She had fallen out of Zero only a second ago, but she still relived the story of Knightsaber in her mind.
"Duo..." She buried her face in his chest.
She then looked around for Zero, but it was no where in sight.
"Where's Zero?"
"When you fell out, a soldier took advantage and took off with it." He said as he held her to his chest.
"Duo?"
"What?" He asked kindly.
"There's another Gundam."
"Yeah, I know. I saw it." He pulled her away and looked at her eyes.
"No. Not Zero. Another one." Gilly said fiercely as she returned Duo's gaze, "Its name is Knightsaber."
"Knightsaber?"
"It sounds really weird, but that system Zero has, it does something to your mind."
"It what?" "When I was little, I sat in Zero, and my data was recorded, in order to study a young person's brain waves, and create a Gundam for a female."
"That's it!" Duo snapped with his left hand.
"That's what?"
"The way you acted when you dreamt, it was weird, you had a synapse pulse running through your body."
"I did? What's that mean?"
"It means that your mind had been tampered with. The way the synapse pulse was wrong. Not like a normal human. It was machine-like."
Gilly only starred at him for a moment than got up and walked towards her bike. Duo watched her, and saw it before it happened. Gilly's legs folded up underneath her. She fainted and fell to the ground like a rock. Duo rushed up to her and barely caught her. Carefully, he scooped her up.
"Duo." Came Heero's voice.
"What?" Duo turned.
"Her leg." Heero pointed to Gilly's left leg, "What happened?"
"It's a long story."
"Get her taken care of or she'll die, it's infected."
"Alright, Heero." Duo said as he carried Gilly towards Deathscythe.
He'd have to take her the same way he had before, and come back for her motorcycle later. Gilly lay virtually lifeless against Duo's shoulder. All he could feel was her chest rising and falling against his own. He shook her gently, but she didn't wake. He took her in Deathscythe the same way he had before. They took off. Soon, they were back in the cave and Duo was carrying her back to the school. Duo's plan was to avoid all the main halls and go through the gym, but what he had forgotten was that the Formal was in the gym, that night, till midnight, and it was only 11:30. Duo approached the building in the shadows. He had wanted to climb the drainpipe to his room, but with Gilly faint, it was hopeless. The quickest way to the dorm area was through the gym and athletic wing, than outside he'd walk through the courtyard, and to their dorm building. Without even thinking, Duo opened the gym doors and walked in, oblivious to the sound that came from within.
A hush fell across the dance floor as the students saw the limp body of Gilly Hathaway, carried by Duo Maxwell. Students gasped. Duo was ready to beat himself with a stick. He was grateful for one thing, the fact that he'd left Gilly and his guns and holsters on the pilot seat of Deathscythe.
"Oh, crap!" He muttered.
A teacher chaperoning the dance ran up to Duo. It was Mrs. Fittje.
"Oh my God!" She gasped, "Is she all right?"
"She ran into a sharp metal object of some kind and is suffering from loss of blood." Duo gulped.
"Bring her this way." Mrs. F motioned as she attempted to help Duo carry Gilly.
"I got her." Duo assured her as he followed.
The left the hall and everyone in it dismayed. The students and the rest of the chaperones watched the three go with intensity in their eyes.
After they were in the hall and on their way to the nurse's office, Duo felt stupider than Hell. He sighed and shook his head. They reached the nurse and Duo laid Gilly on one of the cots. Mrs. Fittje went back to the dance.
"How long has she been out?" The nurse asked as she began to examine Gilly.
"An hour or so." He replied.
"An hour?!" Ms. McAteer, the nurse, was exasperated, "You do realize she could have died, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know. I tried to get her here as fast as I could." He tried to assure her, "You don't have to rub it in."
"What's going on?" Mrs. Hissy asked as she poked her head in.
"Call 911!" Ms. McAteer ordered her.
Mrs. Hissy saw Gilly and ran to a phone, as Ms. McAteer began to bandage Gilly's leg. Duo knelt at Gilly's side and grabbed her hands. They were colder than an icy death. He held them tight to his chest.
"Don't die on me. You have to be alright." He whispered.
"Young man?" Ms. McAteer called.
"Be strong." He finished, "Yes?" He stood and he turned to her.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"Duo Maxwell." He replied promptly.
"I need you to leave, Mr. Maxwell."
"What? But, I'm her closest friend."
"That's wonderful, but I need you out. You can go see her in the hospital."
"Alright, alright, I'll go. Please don't let anything happen to her."
"Happen to her? Young man, what else could happen? If anything happens to her, you have only yourself to blame for not getting her here fast enough. Now, go!" She urged.
"I'm going!" He repeated, than muttered, "But, the one I blame, is her." He walked out.
"Good riddance!" Mrs. Hissy said to Ms. McAteer as she returned, "Is the girl alright?"
"She will be."
"I sure hope so, or that reckless bot is in big trouble." She added snottily.
The days went on and Duo and Gilly began to drift. Heero arrived at Centennial, tracing OZ and Romafeller's activities. Duo began to hang around Heero and Gilly with the other girls at her table. She terribly missed Duo, but concentrated on living a normal life.
Gilly's dreams continued to haunt her. They grew worse every night. With the dreams killing her and Duo out on missions every night, Gilly feared for her life. She desperately wanted to help Duo and Heero, even though they didn't need it.
One day, Heero left for a while and Duo couldn't ignore Gilly for forever, but with the arrival of Quatre Raberba Winner, Duo found another friend, plus Heero wasn't gone for forever. Gilly assumed that he too was a Gundam pilot. When she checked the cave where Duo kept Deathscythe, she found a new and different Gundam. When she asked Duo about it, he told her briefly, but that was it.
As the school year went on, a school Formal approached and Gilly's heart began to sink.
"Hey, Gilly!" Whitney called after Gilly as she walked down the lonely hall, "Are you goin' to Formal?"
"I might be..." Gilly began.
"...If Duo asks you," Whitney finished, "right?"
"Somethin' like that."
"Well, you know, Gilly," Whitney smiled, "Greg really likes you, and I here he's going to ask you to Formal."
"That's his problem."
"What?!"
"You heard me. If Duo doesn't ask me, than I'm not going with anyone."
"Selfish, aren't we?"
"Very."
"Well, you can't have everything."
"I know."
"Than why?"
"Because, I'm attracted to Duo. I can trust him, but he's trying not to get me involved..."
"Involved? In what?"
"Stuff."
"I'll take your word on that."
"Who are you going with?"
"Quatre Winner."
"Cool."
The girls walked into Mrs. Fittje's class. Gilly looked around and saw no sign of Duo.
"Looking for him?" Whitney asked, emphasizing the word him.
"Yes."
"Where is he? He's been missing quite a few classes lately."
"I dunno. He'll show up." Gilly sighed, knowing he was on a mission and wishing him luck.
The next day, Greg confronted Gilly after school as she walked toward the seaside.
"Hey!" Greg called from down the hall, "Gilly!" He walked up to her as Gilly sat on the beach.
"Hi Greg." She said solemnly.
"So down?"
"I guess."
"It's Duo isn't? I can't believe he'd do this to you."
"Do what?"
"You don't think I haven't noticed?"
"What?"
He sat next to her; "When you first arrived, you and Duo were best friends, what happened?"
"He doesn't want me to get hurt."
"By leaving you?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"It's a long story."
"Shoot."
"Which," She paused, "I don't wish to tell."
"Oh."
A long pause settled on the conversation.
"Gilly, I have a question I'd like to ask you."
"And that would be?"
"I was wondering if you'd be my date to Formal?"
"No."
"What?!" He asked in utter surprise.
"No."
"Couldn't you give it a little thought?"
"No. You don't understand, my affections belong to Duo."
"That jerk?"
"Yes, I'm sorry, but you just don't understand the bond I hold to Duo." She stood up, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."
She simply walked away and did not answer to Greg's gasps of surprise. Gilly walked up to her dorm. She felt the pain in her chest, and her leg throbbed with anticipation. She walked into her dorm room and threw her aching body on her bed. Why did everything have to hurt so much?
* * * * *
"Eat lasers!" Duo called from the pilot seat of his buddy, Deathscythe, "Hey Quatre! Are you ready?"
"Sure am Duo!" Quatre replied, "Let's go for it!"
Duo pulled out his thermal scythe and stabbed at the mobile dolls.
"The main storage area is to your left." Quatre informed him.
"Alright!" Duo exclaimed as he sliced through the room.
With a boom the building was gone.
"Mission complete!"
"Great job, Duo!" Quatre called.
"You're not so bad yourself Quatre! Thanks!" Duo replied, "I gotta go, so I'll see you next time!" Duo yelled as he took off.
"Let's go home, Sandrock." Quatre whispered to his beloved Gundam.
Duo landed in the bay and took Deathscythe into the cave. He got out and began to make repairs, but was distracted by the thought of Gilly. He sighed, she probably wanted to go to Formal with him, but he was firm in his decision. He just wished that Gilly wasn't so intent on him. It was just hurting her, no on else. Or so he thought.
* * * * *
The next day, Gilly didn't speak at all, really. The dance was that night and Gilly was still upset, she had a Formal dress in case, but the chance that Duo would ask her was unlikely. She noticed that Duo seemed pre-occupied. After school, Gilly was hanging out in her room when she decided she'd go see Duo. She jumped from her balcony to his and silently picked the lock. She than crept across the floor of his room. She could see him sitting on the couch. She was about to jump over the couch and next to Duo when he spoke.
"Don't even think about it."
"How'd you know?"
"You forget, I'm an expert in stealth operations."
"Well, for your information, I didn't know that. So there!" She stuck out her tongue as she sat next to him.
"What are you doing?"
"Coming to see you, what else?"
Silence fell on the two like a dark, ominous thunderhead. Duo reached for Gilly's hands and held them firmly. Gilly felt coy again.
"Gilly, you know why we've grown distant, right?"
"I know." She said in a whisper.
"And you understand?"
"Yes." She sighed, "Duo, I'm not an idiot. I know why, but it still doesn't mean I don't feel so captivated by you."
Gilly was about to say more, but Duo silenced her. He put his left forefinger to his lips, and with his other hand held Gilly's chin up. He pulled her head to his. Gilly shut her eyes, prepared for the kiss, and just as their lips brushed, Heero walked in.
"Hey!" He said in a semi-angry/annoyed tone, "What are you two doing?"
"Nothing." Duo said letting go of Gilly, and the moment.
"I need to speak with you."
"Shoot."
"Alone."
"I get the message, "Gilly said as she got up, "I'll go. See you, Duo." She sighed as she walked toward the door.
Duo sauntered up to Heero and gave him a firm punch in the arm. Gilly knew it didn't hurt Heero, but it made him aware that he had bad timing. Gilly smiled and walked out the door.
"You know better." Heero said plainly.
"Don't give me that crap. Of course I do."
"I figured I'd let you know that they're moving tonight."
"Double crap."
"I can handle it, but I wouldn't have use as much resources if you came."
"Thanks, almighty master." Duo sighed and threw his arms in the air.
Heero looked at him oddly.
"It's called sarcasm. You should know that when you've hung around me."
* * * * *
It was getting dark. Gilly sat on her balcony. She knew that duo and Heero were going to fight tonight, she just didn't know when. Than she saw the lights taking off across the bay. She wanted to go. It was written all over her face. Then she remembered that OZ was transporting weapons, mobile suits, mobile dolls, and various other machinery that night. She knew where, she had found it in their files the other night when she hacking around. She could probably get a hold of an Aries Suit, and use it to fight. She knew how to use a mobile suit, her father had taught her so long ago.
She grabbed her helmet and ran downstairs. Like lightning she was on her Crotch Rocket and off. Screw the dance, she told herself, when you can help someone out.
Her excitement grew as she neared the Corsica Base. She 'd been pushing her bike to its limits, so she was glad she'd fueled it that morning. She went through the gates and skidded to a stop. She could see the battle from there. Quickly she hid the bike under some foliage and ran for one of the warehouses. The small door was open and she went inside. There was something very large under a tarp. Her fingers tingled with excitement as she worked the controls that would pull the tarp off. As the tarp was lifted, Gilly saw what she hadn't expected. The Gundam was just like the Wing Gundam in ways, but different, too. It was one of the killer Gundams in her dream. She jumped back in terror. No. This thing wasn't alive. It couldn't hurt her. She carefully walked up to it.
"What are you doing here?" She asked it as she placed her hand on the foot.
There was a plate of some sort where she put her hand. She brushed away the dust. "Wing Zero" was what it read. Without another moment's hesitation, Gilly gave a great leap and landed on top of the Gundam. She lowered herself into the cockpit and fired up the system.
By only sitting up Gilly broke through the ceiling of the hanger. She made the big Gundam stand up, so that Duo and Heero could see.
"What the Hell is that?" Duo asked, "It looks like your suit."
"I don't know. But, whatever it is, it has to die." Heero replied.
"Wait!" Gilly called from the cockpit.
"Gilly? Is that you?" Duo asked.
"Yeah it's me."
"Where'd you get that?" Heero asked suspiciously.
"In this hanger."
"Damnit!" Heero muttered, "This isn't supposed to happen."
Gilly could feel something happening. The light surrounded her and grabbed at her mind. Once more, she could feel the synapse pulse in her head. She screamed.
"Gilly!" Duo yelled after her as she hit the ground.
Duo knew this was bad. OZ reinforcements were coming, and Gilly was down. They were after that Gundam, and Heero knew it, too. Duo knew that Heero didn't want to see civilians get involved or hurt, but they couldn't let OZ have that suit.
Gilly could feel the information running through her head. This had happened before. Once, when her father worked as engineer in the colonies. The word "Knightsaber" ran through her mind over and over again. Where this "Knightsaber" was and how to get to it.
The huge Gundam fell on its back. Gilly gripped her head in her hands. She began to cry.
"What is 'Knightsaber'?" She asked over and over again.
The image of the Gundam she had drawn was right before her. It welcomed her.
"This?" She asked.
The Gundam seemed to nod.
"Knightsaber." She repeated.
"Yours." Her father's voice rang through her mind.
"Dad?"
"Remember when you came to my work when you were young?"
"Yes."
"You sat in a mobile suit so we could see a young person's brain waves. You remember the suit?"
"Wing Zero?"
"Yes. We took your data and created the Gundam Knightsaber."
"Why?"
"No reason. But, there was a flaw."
"That would be?"
"We wanted to create it for a female, considering at the time most ms pilots were male."
"So?"
"It turned out that Knightsaber could only be used by you."
"What?!" Gilly gasped
"Its system is like Zero's, but it's your own potential, not forced onto you like the Zero unit does."
"How'd you wind up as a Gundam engineer?"
"I do not know. You see, I am not your actual father."
"Huh?"
"I am how you remember your father's voice in your head, but I, Zero, am telling you all this."
"Oh."
Gilly's eyes snapped open and she began to gasp for the precious air she needed. She was lying on the ground and Duo was looking over her. She sat up suddenly and wrapped her arms around him. She had fallen out of Zero only a second ago, but she still relived the story of Knightsaber in her mind.
"Duo..." She buried her face in his chest.
She then looked around for Zero, but it was no where in sight.
"Where's Zero?"
"When you fell out, a soldier took advantage and took off with it." He said as he held her to his chest.
"Duo?"
"What?" He asked kindly.
"There's another Gundam."
"Yeah, I know. I saw it." He pulled her away and looked at her eyes.
"No. Not Zero. Another one." Gilly said fiercely as she returned Duo's gaze, "Its name is Knightsaber."
"Knightsaber?"
"It sounds really weird, but that system Zero has, it does something to your mind."
"It what?" "When I was little, I sat in Zero, and my data was recorded, in order to study a young person's brain waves, and create a Gundam for a female."
"That's it!" Duo snapped with his left hand.
"That's what?"
"The way you acted when you dreamt, it was weird, you had a synapse pulse running through your body."
"I did? What's that mean?"
"It means that your mind had been tampered with. The way the synapse pulse was wrong. Not like a normal human. It was machine-like."
Gilly only starred at him for a moment than got up and walked towards her bike. Duo watched her, and saw it before it happened. Gilly's legs folded up underneath her. She fainted and fell to the ground like a rock. Duo rushed up to her and barely caught her. Carefully, he scooped her up.
"Duo." Came Heero's voice.
"What?" Duo turned.
"Her leg." Heero pointed to Gilly's left leg, "What happened?"
"It's a long story."
"Get her taken care of or she'll die, it's infected."
"Alright, Heero." Duo said as he carried Gilly towards Deathscythe.
He'd have to take her the same way he had before, and come back for her motorcycle later. Gilly lay virtually lifeless against Duo's shoulder. All he could feel was her chest rising and falling against his own. He shook her gently, but she didn't wake. He took her in Deathscythe the same way he had before. They took off. Soon, they were back in the cave and Duo was carrying her back to the school. Duo's plan was to avoid all the main halls and go through the gym, but what he had forgotten was that the Formal was in the gym, that night, till midnight, and it was only 11:30. Duo approached the building in the shadows. He had wanted to climb the drainpipe to his room, but with Gilly faint, it was hopeless. The quickest way to the dorm area was through the gym and athletic wing, than outside he'd walk through the courtyard, and to their dorm building. Without even thinking, Duo opened the gym doors and walked in, oblivious to the sound that came from within.
A hush fell across the dance floor as the students saw the limp body of Gilly Hathaway, carried by Duo Maxwell. Students gasped. Duo was ready to beat himself with a stick. He was grateful for one thing, the fact that he'd left Gilly and his guns and holsters on the pilot seat of Deathscythe.
"Oh, crap!" He muttered.
A teacher chaperoning the dance ran up to Duo. It was Mrs. Fittje.
"Oh my God!" She gasped, "Is she all right?"
"She ran into a sharp metal object of some kind and is suffering from loss of blood." Duo gulped.
"Bring her this way." Mrs. F motioned as she attempted to help Duo carry Gilly.
"I got her." Duo assured her as he followed.
The left the hall and everyone in it dismayed. The students and the rest of the chaperones watched the three go with intensity in their eyes.
After they were in the hall and on their way to the nurse's office, Duo felt stupider than Hell. He sighed and shook his head. They reached the nurse and Duo laid Gilly on one of the cots. Mrs. Fittje went back to the dance.
"How long has she been out?" The nurse asked as she began to examine Gilly.
"An hour or so." He replied.
"An hour?!" Ms. McAteer, the nurse, was exasperated, "You do realize she could have died, don't you?"
"Yeah, I know. I tried to get her here as fast as I could." He tried to assure her, "You don't have to rub it in."
"What's going on?" Mrs. Hissy asked as she poked her head in.
"Call 911!" Ms. McAteer ordered her.
Mrs. Hissy saw Gilly and ran to a phone, as Ms. McAteer began to bandage Gilly's leg. Duo knelt at Gilly's side and grabbed her hands. They were colder than an icy death. He held them tight to his chest.
"Don't die on me. You have to be alright." He whispered.
"Young man?" Ms. McAteer called.
"Be strong." He finished, "Yes?" He stood and he turned to her.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"Duo Maxwell." He replied promptly.
"I need you to leave, Mr. Maxwell."
"What? But, I'm her closest friend."
"That's wonderful, but I need you out. You can go see her in the hospital."
"Alright, alright, I'll go. Please don't let anything happen to her."
"Happen to her? Young man, what else could happen? If anything happens to her, you have only yourself to blame for not getting her here fast enough. Now, go!" She urged.
"I'm going!" He repeated, than muttered, "But, the one I blame, is her." He walked out.
"Good riddance!" Mrs. Hissy said to Ms. McAteer as she returned, "Is the girl alright?"
"She will be."
"I sure hope so, or that reckless bot is in big trouble." She added snottily.