Chapter 8: The Nightmare and Confessions

"Welcome to your new home, Roomie!" Duo said, setting down Ashi's bags on the living room floor.

"Heh…" Ashi said, walking into the room.

Beep, beep, beep…

"Ah, hang on a minute, Ashi-sama…I got voice-mail!" Duo said, imitating the voice of when people log onto AOL internet service.

"Just make yourself at home…mi casa sucasa…"

"Ok…" Ashi said, walking over to a oversized couch and plopping down on it, completely stretched out.

Duo smiled. Heh, she must be tired…I don't blame her. She's had a rough couple days. First Trowa dumps her…then moving out of Trowa's to her Grandma's and then mine. She should really take a nap.

Duo pressed the "Message" button on his answering machine.

You have one unheard message…sent, today at 12 p.m. …

Duo checked his watch. Hmmm…it's 2 now…

Beep…Hello, Duo. This is Quatre. I was wondering if you have seen Ashi lately? I've been trying to get a hold of her all morning…her cell phone seems to be off. Anyway, if you see her…tell her that the Preventers' Christmas party is on Sunday at my house. I think Trowa will be bringing his fiancée with him…anyway…just to let you guys know of the change of plans. Have a good afternoon. Bye! BEEP!

You have no unheard messages.

Hmmm so Quatre knows…I guess Trowa told him about it. Gods I hope Ashi didn't hear that bit about Trowa…

"Well, Ashi…looks like we'll be partying over at Quatre's house on Sunday. Pretty cool, huh?"

Ashi's response was her soft breathing.

"Huh? Ashi?" Duo said, leaning over the couch.

Ashi mumbled some kind of gibberish, her eyes still closed.

Duo grinned, shaking his head. I see you still talk in your sleep…

"Ashi?" he said, nudging her gently.

Ashi stirred slighty, yawning and turning on her side. "But Mommy…I don't wanna go to school…"

"Heh, if you wanted to sleep…why didn't you so?" Duo said, lifting up Ashi into his arms and leading her into his room.

He lowered her on the bed and pulled the covers over her. "There you go, kiddo…all nice and cozy and tucked in."

Ashi hair fell into her face and Duo gently pushed it back away from her face, kissing her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams."

He got up and walked over to his door. He hesitated, looking over his shoulder at the sleeping Ashi, smiled and walked out of the door.

Hehehe…

Who are you!?

Don't you recognize your own father?

No! You're dead! Leave me alone!

I may be dead…but I live within you.

No! Go away, please!

Well now…you didn't waste anytime shacking out in another man's home. What was his name again? That little urchin brat from the Maxwell Church…ah, yes…Duo is it?

What business is it of yours?!

I'm your father…I make what my little girl does my business. Honestly, dear…why do you keep torturing yourself like this? Don't you know that young man is just using you? Just like Trowa did…

No!

Haha! Yes! Barton used you…you were just his little sex toy…nothing more.

That's not true!

Then why did he leave you for another woman? You were obviously not satisfactory to him in bed…so he left you for a blond bimbo. He never loved you…no one loves you…no one will ever love you. You are just a dirty little girl…no one ever loved you…the one person that loved you…well, he's dead now and standing before you, hahahhah!

GO TO HELL! Why can't you just leave me in peace?!

I'll leave you in peace…once you realize how naïve you are. Once you realize that you can never be loved…only used as a little toy.

You're wrong! You think I'm used as a toy because that's how you used me!

Such a naïve child…poor, poor child…

Oh, God! Help me! Father Maxwell…Sister Helen…somebody…please help me!

No one can save you, child. This is your dream…the only place you can never escape from me!

"DUO!" Ashi half gasped, half screamed, bolting in a sitting position on the bed. "D-Duo! Duo!"

Duo, only clad in baggy pajama pants came running into the room, nearly tripping over his own two feet.

Ashi blushed. Whoa…behind all those black clothes…he was hiding all that?

He was no longer that skinny 15 year old…he was a man. She realized that when they met again at 18.

You've gotten tall…she had said.

Yeah, Duo had replied, looking down at her. But you shrunk!

Duo was gasping from running at a dead sprint to his room, not caring about the immodesty of his attire. "Ashi, are you alright? What happened?"

Ashi burst into tears. "Oh, Duo!"

"What? What happened?" Duo said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Ashi threw her arms around Duo. "I…I saw him!"

"Who?"

"My…my father!"

Duo rubbed at Ashi's back soothingly. "It was just dream…he can't hurt you. He can't hurt you ever again…"

"A dream…where I can never escape him…a dream where he can say and do whatever he wants to me. He lives within me…and will never leave until my miserable life ends."

"…What did he say? What did he do?"

"He…just stood there. He…he was laughing! But most of what he said is true…I'm nothing more than just a toy. I can never be loved…I'm a dirty girl. Who would want that? That's why Trowa left…because I'm a dirty girl…"

Duo lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "That's not true, Ashi."

Strangled gasps escaped from Ashi's throat. "But…it is! Who would want someone that has been touched by her father?"

"Ashi, you were molested. It was not by choice that he did that. It's too bad that that bastard died too quick."

"Duo…just end my life. Take your gun and shoot me. Don't waste your time…I'm not worth anything alive. I'm better off dead. Always have been…always will."

"NO! That's Drake talking! I wouldn't kill you."

Ashi cocked her head. "Not even if you were paid?"

"You could try to make me a billionaire…I still wouldn't do it."

"What if you were ordered to?"

"Still wouldn't do it."

"Even if it meant your job…as a Preventer?"

"Even if it meant losing my job."

"Why?" Ashi whispered.

Duo cupped Ashi's face with his hands, smiling. "Because," he whispered. "…I love you."

Duo: Arggggh! Damn cliffies! I hate 'em!

Quatre: When do I make my big evil debut?

Ummm …soon? YAY! He finally admits to it! sings Duo loves Ashi! Duo loves Ashi! Na na na na!

Hilde: Grrrr…

Heheh, I'll have you know…I have nothing against the Duo/Hilde pairing. I find it pretty cute! It's just that if Ashi were to be paired of with one of the G-boys…it would have to be Duo.

Hilde: Hmmph! Fine! Maybe I should date that hottie soldier that shot Dekim Barton! He's fiiiiiiiiiiiiine!

Tee hee! You think so too, eh? I need to think of a name for him…anyway, chapter 9 coming soon!