Once a Lifetime

Chapter 6: Heero POV;

In case you haven't heard, Nuriko and I don't own anything... except maybe our

Insanity.

I usually blank out during mission mode; I just stop conscious thought and let my training kick in. This mission is just another simple mission that any of us pilots could have done. My unique skills weren't even needed at all. Duo could have done this mission better all by himself if it had been a one-man job, but no. I was called because Relena was the hostage in question. I know she's after me, but I try to ignore/discourage her actions by being the cold bastard I'm known to be.

If only it worked.

I get her out of the compound and the little twit is doting on how much I love her for me to have come to her rescue like that. The next thing I know, she's latched herself onto me with the force of a gundam and begins kissing me! Perfect Soldier training didn't cover this at all. The moment she kissed me, I snapped out of Soldier Mode and left myself exposed. Doesn't the idiot know how dangerous that could be? You see, when she kissed me, I stopped being a soldier and I started being a teenage boy with an armful of girl I've come to think of as ... I don't know... a sister maybe? No, not a sister, but definitely NOT a person I'd want to kiss. It felt wrong and all I wanted to do was get her off me. That's when I heard it.

"Heero, look out!!!" I heard a gunshot and pushed Relena to the ground before pulling out my gun and firing at the source. Just as my shot was heard, another was shot. That was the last action of a dead man. I left Relena and went to check of the would-be assassin was really dead. Once confirmed, I went to check on my partner. He was lying in the grass, blood seeping out of his arm and thigh.

"Baka," I muttered, as I tried to staunch the blood flow from his thigh. There was a lot of blood and I was worried he had nicked an artery.

"Hey, now we're even. Two shots for two. Perhaps now you can forgive my recklessness from when we met." I picked him up and held him tight. I don't know why or how the baka got under my skin, the point is, he has. I looked down at him just as Relena started talking and I couldn't believe my eyes. Duo was smiling. It was the most genuine smile I've ever seen on his face, not the jester's mask he wears for us, but a true smile. Just then his body went limp in my arms and I began carrying him to safety, Relena not two steps behind.

"Heero..."

"..."

"Heero! I have to talk to you!"

"So talk."

She huffed a little but continued to speak, "Why are you carrying him for? I'm sure that if you just wake him up he'll be fine. Why didn't you carry me out of that base? I am the damsel in distress, after all."

"Hn."

"I don't understand why you're bringing him back. I thought you gundam pilots were supped to leave your fallen behind."

"Just shut up Relena. You don't know what you're talking about." This girl is really annoying me right now and it wouldn't do to kill the hostage we just rescued.

"He's just gutter trash. I don't know why you bother."

That had made me stop. The jeep was only a few more meters away, but I won't have her disgracing my partner like that.

"Listen Relena, I'm only going to say this once. You will not speak ill of the man that just saved our lives. He is my friend and partner. You would do well to remember that. One more word out of you for any reason, I'll kill you. Don't try my patience." I glared at her, daring her to continue. By now, my control was hanging by a thread and I didn't want to be pushed any more.

She seemed to have understood and I made my way to the jeep we had hidden earlier. I placed my precious burden in the back and climbed in, waiting for Relena to get in before I took off.

"I really don't know why you let him hang all over you, Heero. Everyone knows he's a filthy little street rat and a faggot. If you're not careful, he'll take advantage of you while you sleep!"

I had enough and with a quick motion, I touched that special spot on her neck that knocked her unconscious. Good thing Wufei is an expert in the knowledge of such pressure points. Now, to drop off the foreign vice minister. After that, I'll be free to patch up my partner.

(Several hours later)

I was glad to be rid of Relena as I pulled up to the safe house Duo and I was to share for the next week or so. I don't like to have to deal with the likes of her for too long and Duo needs me now. I take him to the smallish bed in the tiny cabin we're to inhabit and place him gently on it. Pretty soon, I've cleaned his wounds and have him all bandaged up.

It's so lonely with Duo in this state. He's constantly chattering on about everything and nothing and I guess I got used to it. Okay, so he might be insane, but up until now, he hasn't been incompetent. Maybe I should lay off reporting him for the time being, after all, he did save my life tonight.

I tend the fire in the small fireplace and can't help thinking about all that Duo and I have been through together. Sure, he's as annoying as they come, but he's the only friend I've ever really had. The other pilots are good companions, but I've never really gotten to know them. I think only Duo has been able to come to some sort of semblance of friendship with each of the pilots; they all seem to be wrapped up in their own sorrows to really befriend anyone, really.

I look back over to the sleeping form on the bed, I've put some antiseptic on his wounds, so that they don't become infected, and I'm glad I didn't have to dig out the bullets. He'll be okay. I have too much time to myself right now.

Too much thinking like this can't be good for me.

I stare into the flames until my eyes become heavy and sleep takes over.

Dream

Pastels reign over the room's décor. All around, there are sheets of music and various instruments, from flutes, to sitars, to harps. In the adjacent room, a bed can be seen, the sheets made of pastel blue silk and the gauzy curtains that close it off a pale lilac hue. Back in the music room, a pale-looking creature sits on a red velvet cushion in front of the large window overlooking the city.

She sits with her fingers pressing to the lute, her breath flowing through it to create a beautifully angelic melody. She's clad in a powder blue toga dress with gold accents to it. Her hair is immaculately done up with golden pins to secure it to the top of her head. At her temples and behind her neck, a few well-placed locks hang free, curling elegantly to frame her delicate face.

"Harmonia," called a melodious tenor voice, "I could hear your beautiful playing from the streets below. You know how much I love to hear you play, my dear." Harmonia's eyes turned towards her newest visitor, her dazzling sapphire eyes locking with warm amethyst.

"Darios, I didn't hear you come in."

Darios gave her his roguish smile, the one he used to win her heart, and says, "I am one with the night, my lovely. Like your namesake, the daughter of Aphrodite, you are fair and talented."

Harmonia smiled and blushed slightly, "You, my lord Darios, are a fiend. You know very well that no men are allowed in this school, much less in the private chambers of its students. You must leave now before you are caught!" She gave him a little glare that only made him smile brighter.

"I'm afraid I cannot leave."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because you've yet to give me a goodnight kiss."

Harmonia blushed but gave him a glare, making her pout a little and in Darios' eyes making her look all the more beautiful, "I will do no such thing!"

"I won't leave until you do."

"You have to leave now!"

"Kiss me."

"No."

"Then I'll spend the night here." Darios began undressing, taking his time with his own tunic.

"You Greek boys are so bad!"

"So will you kiss me?"

Harmonia couldn't help but smile. He had somehow gotten through her hard exterior and had taken her attention from her single-minded love of music.

"Yes."

Darios gave her his best smile and sat next to her on the pile of velvet cushions. He leaned in and kissed her gently, letting her hair out of the confines of the golden pins. He ran his fingers through her hair and smiled a little as Harmonia pulled his hair out of the club he kept it in at the nape of his neck.

Harmonia kissed her Darios with abandon, feeling his soft, silky hair run through her fingers. He smelled faintly of lavender, a smell she would forever associate with him. Just then, there was a crash at the door and a loud shout.

"Pirate!"

A whoosh was heard and the boy in Harmonia's arms stiffened slightly.

"I love you, Harmonia. You are the melody that will forever play in my heart..." Darios then went limp in her arms.

"NO! DARIOS!!"

End Dream

"NO! DARIOS!!" I find myself sitting bolt upright. I'm sweating and panting. My heart is beating faster and there is a knot in my stomach. I look around the room and find I'm in the safe house with Duo still sleeping on the bed. I run my hands through my hair and stare at the flames still going in the fireplace.

I was a woman, an English woman. And... Darios... He looked a lot like Duo. No, I think he is-was- Duo. Sure, his face had Greek features but those eyes were still that shade of color and his hair, though a bit darker was still beautiful and long like it is now. Why am I having dreams of Duo? Why was I a woman?

I look over at Duo's sleeping form and go check on him.

All seems well. At least one of us is getting a good night's rest.

I look at the time. It's now 2:30 AM... I guess I might as well go back to sleep and try to figure this out in the morning. I slip into bed with Duo, the air is chillier now that my body's cooled down and ran my fingers through his soft bangs.

"Duo no baka. You're contagious and I think you've infected me with your madness."

Jess' Rant:

Kay, I know I switched tenses there at the end, but the dream was supposed to be as if Heero was looking at it and not living it.