Chapter 8

6 NOVEMBER 293 - THURSDAY

20:34 PM

"Roooar!"

Relena's head jerked up from the stack of paperwork on her office desk in time to see Brad Wilshaw go crawling down the hall on his hands and knees. Just seconds after he disappeared there was a scream of laughter from the living room, and then, in a blur of gold hair and giggles, Amy came dashing past in the opposite direction. Flabbergasted and completely speechless, Relena watched Brad come crawling back after her, waving his hands in the air as he shuffled on his knees, making more roaring sounds. He paused and happened to glance at Relena as he passed and, seeing her stunned expression, gave a sheepish smile, and then resumed his roaring.

It took only a few seconds for the initial shock to wear off, and then, grinning to herself, Relena went back to work. She shouldn't be so surprised - this was, after all, what the house had been like over the past four days. Never would she have guessed how valuable Brad Wilshaw's support would become to her; never would she have guessed how much he had come to seem like Amy's grandfather. He made Amy laugh, took her to and from preschool every day, ate with her when Relena was swamped in paperwork - as she had been for the entire week - and made sure she was happy. The love he expressed for her daughter was evident and sweet, and Relena found her appreciation and affection for the old man tripled by the day.

And he had comforted her, too. Though Relena had withheld her news from everyone, it was a constant shadow of worry over her head, and Brad had not been able to miss it. He knew something was up, and though she would not tell him, he still understood and sympathized enough to leave her alone and provide a solid base for her to lean on. Relena was taking Heero's absence hard. She found herself missing little things he had done to let her know he knew how she was feeling: a brief shoulder-squeeze as he passed her, a quick encouraging smile, a look of sympathy in those blue eyes, a hug at the door as she left for meetings, or a swift kiss.

What made it worse was the fact that she couldn't get in touch with him. They had decided that for the 'mission' purposes, he would contact her. But he hadn't called once over the past six days. Relena wasn't worried - she knew how busy he must be - but she couldn't help wishing he would give her the solace of a two-minute update.

"Relena?" came Brad's voice from the hallway. His head poked into the room a millisecond later, his regal gray hair in slight disarray. "You want me to start dinner?"

Relena took a breath and surveyed the paperwork around her. She had gotten much more done than she thought she would lately, thanks to Brad's help, and was badly in need of a break. It was way past dinnertime, and Brad and Case must have been starving for hours. Glancing at the clock - which read a stern eight-thirty p.m., she made a quick, decisive choice. "No," she said, smiling, "I'll take care of it tonight."

He returned her smile with an understanding grin of his own, told her to call him if she needed any help, and went off to play some more with Amy.

She heaved a little sigh, set some documents aside, and stood up. Walking out of the study and into the kitchen, Relena reveled in the early-evening sunlight streaming in through the kitchen windows.

"We're going to go play Barbies, Mommy!" Amy cried from the doorway, where she was riding piggyback, delight and excitement evident on her face.

Relena gave Brad a sympathetic smile. "Have fun," she said, grinning at him. "If you need help, feel free to scream."

They disappeared upstairs, and Relena turned back to the kitchen.

She turned on the radio and the oven and got out the things for chicken pot pie. The minute she had the vegetables cooking over the stove, there was a sudden beep, beep, beep from the vidcam room. Turning the heat down and giving the mixture a stir, Relena went into the room and pressed the 'receive' button.

It was Duo, looking a little weary but grinning. "How ya doin', Re?" he asked brightly, giving her a wink. "Brad making dinner tonight?"

"No," Relena retorted. "I am, actually."

Duo snorted. "For the first time this week."

"I've been busy. Can I help you, or are you just calling to insult me?"

"What, a buddy can't call just to chat?"

"Not when that buddy has been working for the past week with my husband, whom I haven't heard from in six days."

Duo's grin faltered slightly. "You're not worrying, are you?"

"The worrying comes naturally," Relena said calmly. "I'm not frantic, no - just anxious. I'd like to know for sure that he's safe."

"Aw, he is. No sweating about that. Actually, I was calling to ask if you knew where the stuffiest politician on Earth is at the minute."

"Who?"

"Maclemury."

"What do you need him for?"

Duo grinned. "Been doing some research...well, no surprise, I think my life revolves around research now. We told you about the almost-incarcerated thing, and we were just trying to schedule a little interview with the dude to discuss some details."

Relena snorted. "You want to kidnap him and hold him hostage until he tells you what you want to know."

"Yeah, well, that's what me and Wuffie want to do, but Q-man and the clown are, shall we say, hesitant."

"That's a shocker."

"Shaddup. You know where he is?"

"I saw him at the Senate meeting yesterday, but I didn't stay for the whole thing, so I don't know where he went afterwards."

Duo sighed. "All right, we'll just have to track him down our way then. Hey, don't work too hard, okay, Re?"

"Sure thing, Duo."

"I'm serious."

She grinned. "Uh-huh."

He laughed, and they hung up.

Relena turned, yawning a little, and was just about to walk out the door when the annoying beep, beep, beep came back. Groaning - she loved Duo like a brother, but he had an annoying habit of calling back just after hanging up - she pushed the button again and said as the screen flickered to life, "Didn't I just hang up with you, idiot?"

But it wasn't Duo. "Well," said a deep voice tinged with amusement, "since I haven't talked to you for six days, I don't think so."

"Heero!" Relena cried, unable to register the fact that he was really there, sitting calm and collected in what looked like a dormitory. He was blond and had color contacts in, and tanned skin, but there was no mistaking that smile on his face and expression in his eyes. It was really him. "You are so busted, mister, I have been waiting for a call from you for - "

"I know," Heero cut her off gently. "Six days. It's been long for me too, Re."

She didn't reply for a moment; the realization had suddenly struck her that she would have to tell him the news now. The dread came whooshing into her heart, and there was a sudden desire to postpone the moment as long as possible. "Let me go get Amy. She's been dying to talk to her daddy."

Relena didn't miss the sweet smile that flickered on and off of Heero's face. She went to the stairs and called, "Amy, I've got a surprise for you, sweetie. Come here!"

The thumps and giggles halted, and after a final laugh, Brad appeared, carrying Amy and tickling her furiously. He set the little girl down and Amy gave the older man a mock angry look, which he promptly returned. Worry couldn't keep Relena from laughing, and then she said, "Go into the vidcam room, honey, and see who's there."

Looking thoroughly puzzled, the little girl went slowly into the room. It took only three seconds, and then Amy gave a squeal and cries of "Daddy! Daddy!" could be heard from all the way in the kitchen.

Brad turned to her in surprise and obvious delight. "Your husband's called?"

Relena nodded, smiling again.

"Oh, I'm so glad. I'll finally get to speak with him - if that's all right?"

"I would be honored to introduce you again to my husband."

They walked into the vidcam room together. Amy was sitting cross-legged on the chair, her dark blue eyes sparkling and her face aglow with happiness. She was chattering a thousand words a minute, recounting the games she had played with Brad earlier that day. Relena and Brad watched from the doorway as the two talked together, Heero teasing her and making her laugh with jokes of his own, the delight of speaking to his only child evident on his face. After several minutes, Relena came farther into the room and said, "All right, honey, you go play now, okay? Let Mom talk to Dad for a while."

Disappointed, Amy glanced at her dad. "Daddy..."

Heero grinned. "Sorry, sweets. I have to talk to your mom, okay? But I won't hang up without saying goodbye. Deal?"

Amy nodded reluctantly and slipped from the chair. "Love ya, Dad," she tossed over her shoulder as she skipped out of the room.

It was a routine movement, something she always said, but Relena saw Heero's shoulders sag slightly as Amy left, and a dark cloud hung over his eyes. She knew immediately that something was up, but Brad was waiting in the doorway. Heero had seen Brad Wilshaw before, at Senate dinners and meetings, and they had exchanged the occasional word, but had never really gotten to know each other. Now, Relena motioned for Brad to come into the room, and said, "Heero, this is Brad Wilshaw. You remember him?"

Heero's demeanor instantly switched to alert mode; he straightened and nodded. "You're in the Senate. In charge of the International Trade Act of two years ago?"

Brad beamed. "He certainly has a memory," he said to Relena, then turned to Heero. "Yes, sir."

"He's helped out this whole week, Heero," Relena said quickly, eager to share with Heero all the things Brad had done for her. "He's been over every day - he's cooked, cleaned, played with Amy, ran errands, helped me with my work, taken calls, ran the household help, babysat the other kids when everyone went on dates last night - "

Brad laughed and told Relena to stop. "It's nothing," he assured Heero. "She makes it sound like something big."

Heero was gazing at the man, studying him, but he was smiling, and Relena knew that Heero liked him. "Obviously it is, to my wife, and that means a lot to me." Heero dipped his head in respect. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"Brad's been amazing," Relena nodded. "We owe him a billion dinners over here, Heero - though he probably never wants to see this house again."

"Of course I do!" Brad exclaimed, surprised. "I never had any grandchildren, and Amy is such a sweetie - " he turned to Heero, respect written on his face. "You have raised quite an amazing young woman. I couldn't believe that she can already read, and she hasn't even started kindergarten."

Heero smiled. "Yeah. Well, just a few minutes ago she didn't believe that it was really me, what with the disguise. But she's smart; she figured it out quick. And the reading - " he gave a short laugh. "That was just from Relena and I reading her stories every night. It's more that she has the books memorized than she's reading them."

Brad laughed. "Yes, she did get angry with me when I tried to skip a page last night."

"Were you reading the airplane story?"

"Why, yes," Brad said, surprised.

"Yeah, can't skip anything in that one. It's her favorite."

Relena smiled dryly. "Her father has gotten her obsessed with flight."

"And her mother has gotten her obsessed with arguing," Heero returned promptly. They smiled at each other, and a slow smile spread across Brad's face.

"Well," he said, "I'll leave you two to your conversation. It was wonderful to see you again, Mr. Yuy."

Heero nodded, smiling. "Oh, call me Heero. Thank you so much for helping her this week. It...means a lot to me."

"To us," Relena agreed quietly. "You're a blessing, Brad."

He shrugged it off. "It is my pleasure to help such a wonderful family as yours. I hope your work goes well, Heero."

And with that, he exited the room and closed the door.

Relena took a seat and gazed up at Heero's image on the screen. "What do you think?"

Heero settled back in his own chair, studying her. "He's really helped you this week, hasn't he?"

"I honestly don't think I could've made it without him, Heero."

"We're in his debt, then," Heero agreed, nodding. "How are you holding up?"

Relena sighed, feeling the tension in her shoulder blades, her temples, her body. "I'm up," she offered wearily. "That's enough, right?"

"I'm so sorry," Heero said quietly. "But - "

"I know. You have to do this. I know that, Heero, so don't worry." She leaned back in the chair. "So tell me what you've been doing. Obviously something's happened."

He took a few deep breaths, then quietly told her everything that had happened over the past days, especially the night before. Relena listened silently. When he had finished, her first question was, "Where are you staying?"

"Well, Tavera wanted me closer to headquarters, so I closed my account with the hotel I was staying in, and now I'm in one of the dorms in the tunnels. Just a few tunnels down from Roberts's office, actually," he said dryly.

"Where's the redhead - Brian?"

"He has a house, and a wife."

"Kids?"

"No."

"Does he want them?"

For a moment, a brief grin flickered across Heero's face. "Like you wouldn't believe. I told him that I never wanted a kid in my life and he was absolutely incredulous."

Relena watched him, a soft smile on her face. "You like him, don't you?"

Heero smiled too. "He reminds me of a certain annoying pilot down there, so obviously I can't help but like him."

"That certain annoying pilot just called me a few minutes ago," Relena said. She told him about Duo's call, then about their discussion about Hilde having a sister.

"He said he'd talk to Hilde soon about it," she finished up, shaking her head. "It's making me really worried. Ever since Sally brought it up, anytime any of us mentions Charles Maclemury - or sisters, for that matter, regardless of in what way we're speaking about them - she changes the subject faster than you can think."

"Something's up." He was nodding.

Then Relena stiffened. She had just had a pain in her stomach, bringing to mind the news that had both cheered and haunted her and the fact that she had to tell Heero.

Her husband caught the flicker of pain that darted across her face, and a line of worry creased his forehead. "What's wrong, Re?"

"Oh, Heero..." Relena mumbled, and tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. She shook her head furiously. She did not want to cry, it would only make things worse...

She heard Heero lean forward. "Relena, tell me what's wrong."

She bent her head, her long hair falling down and hiding her face. It was an age-old habit, something she had done for years and years and years, and Heero knew it as a face of dejection and anxiety and worry.

"Relena!"

Lifting her head slightly, she met his dark blue eyes. A slight smile wavered hesitantly on her face, and she said softly, "Do you want a boy or a girl?"

Heero froze, his jaw dropping. "W-what?" he gasped.

"Because personally I think we need a boy this time," Relena went on, very shakily, "b-but I really wouldn't mind if you wanted another girl - "

"You - I - we - I don't - girl - what?" Heero managed to get out.

"You want a girl?" Relena said, her voice growing a little stronger in her amusement at his astonishment. "Oh, well - all right then. Mind you, it's not as if I have a choice in the matter - but then again we do need to start thinking of names - "

She had to stop, because Heero had let out a whoop that cut her off. "I don't believe it!" he cried, then glanced around nervously and dropped his voice. "Whoops," he said softly, grinning sheepishly. Relena drew a breath slowly; the delight and joy in his eyes and expression was enough to lift her heart from its dark and dreary hole. Heero was shaking his head, just grinning at her. "When'd you find out?" he asked.

"Six nights ago - Monday night," she explained.

"Go to a doctor yet?"

"On Tuesday."

"You had a Senate meeting- "

"I ditched it."

Heero whistled softly, giving her a slightly puzzled glance.

"I was worried, Heero."

The smile wavered a little. "Why?"

"I'm nervous. To be pregnant at a time like this...with you gone, and the Colonies getting restless, and Amy starting school, and the Senate in a reforming year and - and the people who kidnapped Amy still out there..." she trailed off. In reality, she knew that those were all just excuses. When she had been pregnant with Amy, everything had been five times worse; the Gundam pilots had just been revealed, Zechs's son had died, they were trying to salvage things from the wreckage of their mansion, the newly formed Senate was in an absolute uproar...and things had gone along just fine.

Heero was watching her closely, and in slight shame Relena bowed her head again, letting the golden hair curtain the tears that were getting closer and closer to falling.

"What is it really, Relena?" he said.

The tears nearly spilled over. His voice was full of concern and love and tenderness, and her excuse was so vague and selfish...

"I just..." she started. "I just - have a bad feeling, that's all."

"What do you mean?" Heero inquired, troubled. "What kind of bad feeling?"

"Foreboding," Relena offered, then shook her head. "No - yes - oh, I don't know, Heero. Maybe I'm just so worried about you and Amy that I'm imagining things..."

There was a pause, then Heero said, "I'll come home."

"No," Relena immediately returned, as fiercely and forcefully as she could. "Absolutely not. If you come back here before your job is done, I'll drag you right back onto a plane and ship you out of here faster than you could ever believe."

"You would?" Heero asked, teasingly, arching an eyebrow.

She smiled, a wavery little thing that was there and gone in a flash. "As long as you hurry, I'll be fine." She paused, then added, "And call me every night, you hear?"

He nodded.

"Promise?"

Smiling, "I promise, Relena."

She leaned back in her chair, letting out her breath slowly. "All right, then."

Silence for a moment, and then Heero said quietly, "I love you, Re."

Relena gazed a him, suddenly overcome with a wish so strong she had to fight not to put it into words: a wish for him to be home, to be next to her. But one thing Relena did not allow herself to become was selfish, and so all she said was, "I love you too."

But Heero, of course, was not one to be fooled.

7 NOVEMBER 293 - FRIDAY

09:36 AM

A loud pounding on his dormitory door woke Heero the next morning. He sat up, immediately alert, and reached under his pillow for the pistol he had stashed there last night. He held his hand under the pillow and called, "Who's there?"

"It's your dear old buddy Brian," said a very awake voice from outside the door. "Up earlier than Mr. I've-Been-Trained-for-Everything, which I find surprisingly, actually. I really expected you to be jogging six hundred laps or doing a billion reps with the bench press, but hey, if you want to sleep in - "

"Can it," Heero shot back, a grin forming on his features inadvertently. "So what if I've got a bit of jet lag?"

"Nope," Brian returned brightly. "Not buying that one, sorry. You said you're a pilot, so that one doesn't quite fly." He paused, added after a second, "No pun intended, of course," and then snickered.

"Oh, that was hilarious," Heero grumbled, tumbling out of bed and pulling on jeans and a t-shirt. Working with Brian was like working with Duo; the two shared a bright, cheerful outlook on life and both spouted off the most not-funny jokes.

"Well, since you're obviously not in a very happy mood this morning, I'll just leave my message and be on my merry little way," Brian said, attempting a snooty tone.

"Finally," Heero shot back as he slipped a gun into his waistband, a knife in his boot-sheath, and donned a jacket. Running a hand through the blond hair and putting in his colored contacts, Heero made one final check in the mirror before opening the door. "Now what's the message?"

Brian was leaning against the wall outside his room, his red hair in slight disorder. "Boss wants to see us both," he said, glancing Heero up and down and then grinning.

"What?" Heero asked.

"You're just funny," the redhead replied. "Mr. I've-Been-Trained-for-Everything."

"I'm not sure I like that nickname," Heero retorted, resuming his usual stolid demeanor.

There was a pause as Brian led him down the tunnel, until he suddenly elbowed Heero in the ribs and said, "You know, Tavera likes you a lot, for a recruit."

Heero glanced quickly at him. "What, now you know everything about this 'organization'?" He tried to keep the contempt from his mouth, but it was a struggle.

"I stayed up late talking with a few guys last night," Brian responded, shrugging. "Found out some things."

"Like?"

"Well, Tavera liking you, for instance."

Heero snorted, but Brian pressed on. "And some customs they have here. Did you know they have nicknames for everybody?"

"No, I didn't," Heero said, with mock astonishment.

Brian gave him a scrutinizing glance, as if trying to figure out if Heero was kidding with him or not. Keeping his face blank, Heero kept walking and let him wonder.

"Yeah, they do," the redhead continued. "Like that Midas guy out there - his real name is Tyler somebody, but they said if you call him that you get a knife stuck up your - well, you get the picture."

"What are they calling you?"

Brian blushed, making his overall appearance a very startling shade of tomato. "They started with Carrot Top - "

Heero snickered.

" - but switched to Blaze, because Carrot Top didn't exactly sound professional."

"Oh, I like it."

Another scrutinizing glance, another snicker.

"All right, Jackson, they've got one for you too."

Heero arched an eyebrow warily, but Brian's shoulders sagged. "Actually it's not that bad. They're calling you 'Jacks.'"

"That's it?" Heero said, feeling a vague sense of disappointment that he couldn't have something more…threatening.

"Yup," Brian said, beaming. After a moment, however, his smile faltered, and he muttered, "At least they're not yelling 'Carrot Top' up and down the tunnels at you…"

09:51 AM

The 'organization' commander was smiling broadly as the two men walked into the room. Tavera gestured quickly for them to sit, and as they obeyed, he took a seat behind his own desk.

Heero liked this office a lot more than Roberts' - the desk was a bit messier, the seats more worn and comfortable, and there were even a few pictures of Tavera and some smiling friends on his desktop.

"Good morning, both of you," Tavera began. He glanced at the door. "Roberts should be here very soon…"

"This is a familiar scene," Brian said. Their boss grinned. "He's not very punctual," he explained, and then cut off any further remarks when the door opened.

Roberts came striding briskly in. He cast each of them a disgusted glance, then took the chair next to Tavera.

Heero bristled. It was not a good sign when he knew he wasn't going to like someone after barely twenty-four hours.

Brian courageously attempted a grin, then a cheerful, "Good morning, sir."

Roberts was silent, glaring at the redhead. Tavera shot his partner a slightly chastising glance, then said warmly to Brian, "I hear the boys have already given you two nicknames."

Nodding, Brian answered, "I'm Blaze, which I like, and he - " jerking a thumb in Heero's direction " - is Jacks. Which he doesn't like," he added, with another grin.

Tavera gave Heero a sympathetic glance. "Sorry. I'd change it, but once the boys decide on a name, it's stuck. Kind of a tradition here."

"We're here to be briefed on an assignment?"

"Ah, yes," Tavera said hurriedly. "I apologize for making you wait…all right then, let's get down to business." He tapped a button on the open laptop before him, then twisted around to the wall. Heero and Brian watched as an automatic projection shot up on the blank wall. Heero's expert eyes recognized the document as a blueprint.

"Tell me. What does this building look like to you?" Tavera asked, glancing at them.

Brian leaned back, looking slightly bewildered, but Heero immediately responded, "Seems to be some kind of factory, or a warehouse. Something to do with manufacturing, that's for sure."

Roberts gave a derisive snort. Heero looked up sharply.

"Am I incorrect?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

The man matched Heero's glare. "Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?"

Following this retort there was a span of silence in the room, choked with tension so thick you could have sliced it with a knife. Finally, Tavera said hastily, "No - no, Jacks, that's exactly right. It's a factory and storehouse, a kind of mixing plant for sernoplutonium."

The word was too unfamiliar to be comfortable. Heero glanced up and repeated, "Sernoplutonium?"

A short nod from Tavera.

"What the heck is that?" Brian asked.

Remembrance suddenly sprang into Heero's mind once more; he recalled where he had heard the word once or twice before - while talking with Trowa.

"It's an alloy," he said simply, now watching Tavera and Roberts with heightened wariness. "An illegal alloy, unless certain plants are licensed to construct and use it."

"Used for?" Brian said, looking bewildered.

At that, Heero had no reply. He didn't have any idea. He turned to Tavera: "You're taking this alloy? That's the point of the mission?"

"Not too much of the serno, no," Tavera replied, "but there's another alloy there, called austenarium, and that's what we want."

"What's that used in?"

Heero said shortly, "Construction," and then turned back to Tavera. "If the plant specializes in sernoplutonium, why would you go for the less-manufactured substance?"

"Focuses more on the 'narium," said Roberts curtly, shortening the name of the metal.

Heero raised an eyebrow. That certainly didn't seem likely. He would bet they were in it for one thing and one thing only: the sernoplutonium.

"Anyway," Tavera cut in, "the plan goes like this. If you'll look at the biggest rectangle on the blueprints, you'll see a large slash in the wall. Know what that means?"

"Trucking entrance and exit," Heero muttered.

Tavera beamed. Roberts remained impassive.

"Right!" the former said appreciatively. "Now, this right here is the main hallway…"

18:44 PM

In a blur of white and Crayola blue, a paper airplane sailed out of the hallway and straight at Duo's head. The pilot glanced up from his work, twisted away just in time, and the plane flew on to land directly in Hilde's dinner of Caesar salad.

"Duo," she said warningly, chucking both the plane and a few croutons at him.

These he couldn't duck; one crouton lodged itself in his braid, another in the vidcam buttons near his right hand. Making a similar stern face at her, he picked them out and then called, "All right, girls, no more airplanes!"

Callie's face appeared, her long dark hair falling around her shoulders. "Aww, Dad…"

"'Aww, Dad,'" Duo mocked, giving his daughter a roguish grin.

She gave her father a stern look just as Amy Yuy came out of the hallway, too, her blond hair in a neat ponytail and her solemn, Heero-like blue eyes regarding Duo gravely.

"Now, don't you give me that look, young lady," Duo admonished her, pointing his finger at the two. "You're getting way too much like your father for my tastes."

"A good thing," Hilde said from behind them. "Maybe you'll finally calm down enough to tell your daughter to stop chucking paper planes into my plate."

"Sorry, Mom," Callie responded instantly, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "We were aiming for Dad."

"That's all right then," Hilde replied. Duo turned to glare, and she gave him a sweet smile.

Duo rubbed the spot where the plane had cuffed him just slightly, and narrowed his eyes at Amy. "Where did you learn such lethal designs, anyhow? It didn't even hit me all the way, and it still hurt."

The almost-five-year-old gave a calm smile. "Daddy taught me," she said, with a trace of Relena-dignity.

Solemnly, the two girls turned and strode back down the hall.

Hilde was laughing. "Heaven help the men that fancy that girl in a decade or so," she said. "She's going to be as tough as Heero and as smart as Relena."

Duo groaned. "Joy."

"Oh, stop complaining." She threw another crouton at him. "You're such a whiner."

"You married me."

"Don't remind me. I still think you spiked the punch to drug me into accepting."

Duo was grinning, but his mind was obviously on other things. Hilde watched him in silence for a moment, then asked quietly, "What is it?"

He didn't look at her.

"Duo?"

"I'm hurt," he said, finally, clutching his chest right above his heart. "Here, in my heart. I'm hurt, Hilde, and I don't hurt easily." His shoulders heaved, and his face went into his hands.

Rolling her eyes, Hilde merely picked up another crouton and took aim.

"All right!" Duo said, putting up his hands in a defensive position. "Okay, okay…"

"What's really the matter, Duo?" Hilde threatened, still raising the crouton.

Duo was quiet for a long time, and slowly Hilde lowered the weapon. She could sense when he was serious, and now was definitely one of those times. The cobalt blue eyes lifted to meet hers, and a tingling anxiety rang up and down her back.

"Hilde…" Duo began, stopped for a long breath, then continued, "Hilde, if I ask you a question, can you give me an honest answer?"

Her stomach tightened. "About…about what?" she asked.

"Will you be honest with me?"

It took longer than Duo expected - and hoped - for her to answer that. Finally, she whispered, the salad and croutons completely forgotten, "Yes."

Almost a full minute went by before Duo whispered, in a voice that was barely audible, "Do you have a sister?"

Hilde froze, her fork paused midway between her mouth and her plate.

Duo whispered, "Hilde?"

No response.

"Hilde baby?"

Finally, movement: a long, shuddering sigh streamed from her mouth, and her whole body shivered. She glanced up, met his eyes, then immediately looked down again.

In the silence, Duo chanced a whisper.

"Hilde. Do you have a sister?"

This time, it was not just croutons she threw at him. The entire plate of salad went up and over, and was soon trailing down a stunned Duo's front.

Without a word, she turned and left the kitchen.