Chapter 7: Tragedy, Partings, and a Offer
L2 Colony, Maxwell Church
6 months later…
"No! Stop!" Sister Helen cried out, her eyes widening in terror.
"Shut up!" Shouted a female soldier, slapping the nun hard across the face.
"Ummph!" Sister Helen moaned, her hand to her reddened cheek.
A male soldier sneered. "Now…where is the General's daughter?"
Oh, Lord…forgive me!
"She…she's not here…" Sister Helen lied.
Forgive me Almighty Father…but I cant them take the child!
"Lies!" The female soldier spat.
"It's true. She was taken in by a foster home a few months ago." Father Maxwell said. "Now, please leave. This is a place of peace!"
"Duo…I don't know how much of this I can take. Father Maxwell and Sister Helen are in trouble…and it's all my fault!"
"Just stay in here and be quiet…" Duo replied.
Ashi shook her head. "I…I know that they're doing this to protect me…but…I don't know how much longer I can stand seeing them do this! Maybe if I just give myself up…"
"No!" Duo hissed in a whisper.
"Duo…all this is happening because of me! This isn't worth it. It's not worth getting everyone killed!"
Duo shook his head. "No…it's not just you they're after."
Ashi's eyes widened. "What…what do you mean?"
Duo was silent.
"Duo…?"
Duo opened a closet door and pushed her in.
"DUO!" Ashi cried out in alarm.
"Just stay in here…don't make a sound! I'll be right back! Don't get out of this closet no matter what, ok?!"
"But…I…"
"OK!?"
She bit her lips but nodded. "O-ok…I promise. Be careful!"
Duo grinned. "Hey, it's Shinigami you're talking to."
"Really, Duo…please…be careful."
Duo nodded. "I will."
"Duo? Duo!"
Ashi gasped. Duo kneeled at a fallen Sister Helen's side.
Everyone is dead…Father Maxwell…and soon, Sister Helen. Was it my fault? If I had just given myself up at Father's mercy…then this wouldn't of happened…
"D-Duo…" Sister Helen muttered weakly.
"Sister!" Duo cried.
Sister Helen smiled. "I'm glad you're safe. Don't worry us like that. Father was…worried about you…even to the end…"
It's my fault…my fault…
"I-I'll get a doctor!" Duo said frantically.
"Th-the Alliance came… and attacked. But we…couldn't leave…the Church."
The Alliance? They also came?
"W-was it my fault?! Because I stole the Mobile Suit from the Alliance?" Duo asked, guilt in his eyes.
The Mobile Suit…so it wasn't just me they were after…Oh, Duo…no! It's not your fault! It's mine! It's all my fault! Why couldn't I just have gone back to Father when I had the chance? If I did…he wouldn't send those men out. My life would've been a living hell…but at least the people I cared about would've still been alive!
"Father was so noble. He protected Ashily and preached peace until the end…"
"I understand his nobility of protecting Ashi…but preaching peace?! That's just dumb! It's dumb wasn't it?! What's the point of it if he's dead now?!" Duo shouted, his shoulders shaking.
"Sister!" Ashi cried, running to Duo's side.
Sister Helen smiled. "What a blessing God has given me…I'm able to see the children that I have loved as my own before I go…"
Ashi shook her head, blinking back tears. "Sister! Don't talk like that…we'll get a doctor…everything will be fine!"
Duo nodded. "Yeah! Everything is gonna be just fine! Hold on!"
A single tear trickled down Sister Helen's cheek. She reached a hand and stroked Ashi's cheek and then doing the same to Duo. "My children…M-may you…have God's blessings…"
And with a soft sigh, Sister Helen of Maxwell Church, closed her eyes and was still.
Duo was shaking, eyes glazed with unshed tears. "B-boys don't cry…boys don't cry…boys don't…" he threw his head back. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Duo!" Ashi cried.
The two friends clung to each other and cried as the sun sank down into the setting sky…
"Are you sure about this?" Duo said, leading Ashi to the airport. "I could just have you stow away with me in the ship I'll be sneaking in."
Ashi shook her head. "No, it's not safe for us to be together. Father will be expecting me to be with you…this will set him off a bit."
Duo nodded, "You have Sister Helen's habit?"
Ashi nodded. "Hn, it's in my bag."
Duo smiled, "Never thought of you as a nun."
Ashi grinned. "A cover…remember? You have my cell phone number, right?"
"Hai."
"Good…I suggest you get a cell phone as well. If we're to converse by phone…it must be through cell. But just in case…call me Sister Annette Laurence."
Duo nodded. "A-are you really sure you want to go through with this? You can always change your mind."
"You were the one that suggested it."
Duo scratched his head. "Yeah…but…now that this day is here…"
Ashi nodded. "I'll miss you, too."
The survivors of the Maxwell Massacre embraced.
"My name is Duo Maxwell now…or Shinigami."
Ashi smiled. "Duo Maxwell it is."
Duo released Ashi and put his hands on her shoulder. "Are you going to be ok?"
Ashi nodded. "I've survived this long."
Duo smiled. "You are the bravest girl I've ever met…you know that? Almost 15 and out on your own…"
"I wouldn't have the courage if it wasn't for you…"
"Passengers on flight to Earth…please board!" came a female voice from the intercom.
Duo smiled, his eyes misting slightly (You know in the animes when a character is feeling deep emotion and their eyes do that little jiggly thing? Yeah, that's what they're doing.) "That's you, Sister."
For a few moments, they didn't say anything. They just stood there, looking at each other…both wondering when they would be face to face like this again.
"Call me, ok?" Ashi said, breaking the silence.
"You know I will!"
Ashi put a hand to Duo's cheek and smiled, her eyes misting. "I…I'm going to miss you…"
"Yeah…I'm going to miss you too…" he leaned over and kissed Ashi gently on the forehead. "You better get going…"
Ashi nodded. "Right…goodbye, Duo."
"Goodbye, Ashi-sama."
Farewell, Shiginami…the God of Death…Duo Maxwell. Until we meet again.
"Do you think Sister Helen and Father Maxwell are with Mom?" Ashi asked, putting down her spoon into her empty sundae bowl.
"I'm sure of it…" Duo said, picking up his check, reading over it.
"What about Father? Where is he?"
Duo slowly put down the check and stared at Ashi. "Why does it matter?"
"I…I don't know…I don't know what think. I mean, he did all those horrible things to me…he deserves Hell. But he wasn't always like this. After Mom died…he lost all sanity. I guess love can make you crazy…sometimes I feel like I'm gonna go crazy."
"Thinking about Trowa?"
Ashi bowed her head. "I…I'm happy for him….he's with someone he truly loves."
Duo looked Ashi in the eyes. "You're lying through your teeth."
Damn my eyes!
Duo smiled. It was so easy to know what emotion Ashi was feeling through her eyes. He had every color change according to her mood memorized. So beautiful…
"So, you moved out of Trowa's place?"
Ashi nodded. "Yeah…"
"How long have you been moved out?"
Ashi sighed. "Since yesterday…I stayed at my Grandmother's house…but I think I'm gonna look for an apartment."
"Grandmother?"
Ashi sighed, nodding. "On my father's side."
Duo put his chin in his hand. "So Drake's mom is still alive."
"Yeah…she took Father's death very hard…I didn't tell her that it was you that killed him. She doesn't believe me when I tell her of all the things that Father had done…"
Duo's hand started twitching. "Can I kill her? Or maybe you need a witness?"
Ashi shook her head. "No…I just need outta there."
"Well…you could come to my place."
Ashi's eyes when wide in surprise. "Nani?!"
Duo shrugged. "Why not?"
Ashi lowered her head, staring at her glass of water. "I…I don't think Hilde would appreciate another woman sharing your home."
Duo sweatdropped, scratching his head. "Heh…well ummm…she moved out."
"What?"
"She broke up with me, packed her things and was gone…"
Ashi took Duo's hand and squeezed it. "Oh, Duo…I'm so sorry." She said in a very compassionate voice.
"It happens…"
"You don't seem too sad about it."
"I don't?"
"No…" Ashi said, standing up from her seat and moved over to sit by Duo in the booth seat. "Did you not love her?"
Duo sighed. "I thought I did…"
"What happened to change your feelings for her?"
"Just weren't compatible…we were more like buddies than lovers. And she accused me of loving someone else." He changed the tone of his voice to sound like a woman's. " 'I know you love her! So maybe we should just break up. You're obviously not happy with me…so now you can be with her. I wish you all the happiness in the world.'"
"Hmmm…yeah the last few months, you guys kinda fought a lot. I had to leave early during a couple of my visits to your house."
"The offer is still open. You can have a hot shower, eat all the food you want, and not have a crabby granny at your ass." Duo said, grinning.
Ashi smiled. "Well…since you put it that way…Grandmother Perkin's shower doesn't stay warm for too long…it'll be warm for only 5 minutes and then ice cold. And when I step out of the shower…brrr!"
Maybe all you need is company…Whoa, there! Away, dirty mind!
Duo swallowed, hoping Ashi didn't notice the fact that he was trying to control his breathing, blocking away the racy images of Ashi all hot and steamy in the shower that kept popping into his mind.
I'm gonna need a cold shower tonight…maybe this isn't such a good idea…but what can I do?
"Well then…is that a yes to my offer?"
"You bet."
Duo nodded, smiling. "Good…let me pay the bill and we'll stop by Granny P's house and get your stuff."
"Ok…she's gone out shopping for the day…thank God! But she has the key under the mat. I'll write a note that I'm staying with a friend."
Duo grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me!"
Ok, so I changed the massacre story a bit…it was the only way that I thought would fit into the story. shrugs Duo doesn't seem to mind.