Aquarian Wings

By: A.R.Taloff

"I'm haunted,

By the lives that I have loved,

And others I have aided."

Chapter Five: The Hearts of Dreamers


Past Time

May 19, AC 197

The Catholic Church of Mary

Londonderry, Europa

The huge church was brimming with family and friends, photographers and planners. And in front of it all, stood a groom, impeccably dressed, and fighting to remain on solid ground.

I t was hard to imagine that he wasn't tempted to run away.

It was hard to imagine that he was excited to get hitched.

But for the second time in his life, Duo felt like this was it. The thing he wanted, needed, and felt secure about. Sad that the first thing was choosing to pilot Deathscythe, but everyone had to start somewhere.

Duo kept trying to see everyone who came in. It was hard, because somehow, this had turned into quite the show, and he couldn't help but start feeling upset as he saw yet another tornado of people whirl in.

It was easy to hide unhappiness, it was easy to feign cheer.

But dammit, his sister wasn't here, she hadn't RSVP'd and he needed her. Sylvia had closed into herself upon the knowledge. He realized that there had been a blow there, at least in his fiancee's eyes. Hilde didn't want to go because she didn't approve of Sylvia.

Bull shit.

Duo knew in his heart that Hilde wasn't doing this to smite them, because Hilde liked the idea of them together.

Because Hilde had pointed Sylvia out.

Because Hilde had pushed Duo in Sylvia's direction.

But where was she?

All of the thirteen were there, even Zechs and Lucrezia, and those two rarely went to anything where large numbers of people lurked, where they could be identified as themselves. In the public's eyes, they had died. In the thirteen's eyes, they did what they had to do.

Elope.

Well, it hadn't started that way, according to Lucrezia, that was later, after they had settled with the Terra Forming Project on Mars. But Duo had always felt that that was the reason that the two had run off.

Now the two 'dead' people sat in the back row, dressed as well as any, smiling and nodding to one another, holding hands.

Duo wanted that. He wanted that forever. And he wanted that with Sylvia.

Where was Hilde?

It was a hard rejection for Duo. They had stayed together with the Salvaging business and Hilde had started going to night school for a degree in business consulting.

She had finished the first semester weeks ago and he'd been there, the proud brother hugging his brilliant sister while Sylvia took candid shots.

He sighed quietly. Even Howard was here. Howard had brought his son and daughter-in-law, and their kid, Gavin. Gavin was about Duo's age, and less interested in marrying until he had gotten a four year degree at Oxford. Despite that, the two still liked each other, and had become friends.

Then, as if a holier than anything alarm clock was ringing, the moment was there, the organ piping to 'Here Comes the Bride;' the piping only lasted long enough to introduce the real promenade song, which was Pachebel's Canon in D. Sylvia had said flat out that no child was going to be mentally singing; 'Here comes the bride, sixty inches wide, see how she waddles, from side to side,' out of boredom while she had her moment of glory.

He grinned as Heero, his Best Man, escorted a beautiful looking Relena down the aisle. Duo shared a smile with Relena, who was Sylvia's Maid of Honor, and remembered to thank Relena again for having that dinner party.

The dinner party where he had met Sylvia.

It was almost a riot, remembering how twitter-pated he'd found himself. Normally he just charmed girls and they ate out of his hands. Instead, she charmed him. Love at

First Sight Syndrome, according to Howard.

According to Gavin, Howard had also fallen victim in his younger years. He had met Sandra at a potluck dinner. Howard? At a potluck dinner? What? They had dated for two days, and decided to get married. Howard lost Sandra to cancer fourteen years later, after having children who had children, and now Howard didn't want to fall in love again.

Next came Trowa, escorting a blonde who Duo recognized as Midii Une. Lady had questioned the last name, and through blood tests and background checks, they had determined that the two were first cousins. Lady had been orphaned, Midii had lived with her family until they were destroyed in a raid.

Now the two lived in a large apartment near the Main Preventers HQ with Dorothy, who occasionally visited from the Parisian university she attended, or Mariemia when Zechs and Lucrezia wanted some alone time. Midii attended classes to become a mid-wife and nurse, and Lady headed the Preventers. The thirteen had grown to accommodate Midii, who Trowa seemed to know as a war child.

Then came Quatre, who was slowly becoming one of the most eligible millionaires in E-SUN. (Earth-Sphere United Nations) The Thirteen laughed at his predicament, which once was assassination threats, and now was crazy lovesick fan girls. Quatre seemed to dislike it with a fervor. :Well, this should make for some decent fodder, Duo mused. Quatre escorted Dorothy, whom Duo hadn't seen - not including as of late - since the end of AC 195. Dorothy had gone into business and fashion, and hadn't been seen around much.

He couldn't believe that the blonde woman who once had used them all, and herself, as pawns could have changed so radically in so little time. Dorothy had become almost mousy in countenance, and although was now wearing contacts and her hair down, mostly wore nerdy looking glasses and her long, pale blonde hair in tight buns or braids. The latter of which, upon seeing Dorothy in them during rehearsal yesterday, Duo began to refer to her as the 'Swiss Miss.' Even her idea of fashion had changed; while she earned 'A's' and Five Star ratings in Design for her daring and innovative clothing, she herself altered her Bride's Maid dress to revel less cleavage.

She, out of them all, had changed the most, and most assuredly, for the best.

Duo had an inner feeling that it had to do with the entrance of Mariemia, Treize's daughter, and Dorothy's cousin. It was one more reminder of the horrible mistake she'd made.

Life had dealt them all pretty fucked up hands, and somehow, they managed to get here, somewhere better and more complete.

Wu Fei led a young, pert looking brunette down the aisle, one of Sylvia's old Prep school friends, Brittany or something.

Wu Fei. Whoa. If one person had changed very little, it was Fei. He still studied the marital arts religiously, worked with Sally, Trowa, and Heero in the Preventers, and rarely made a joke. But, if Duo had it right, Fei had started to smile a bit more, even laughed last night when Duo managed to get Dorothy to try to yodel. Fei even managed to look slightly happy today.

One thing Duo wished more than anything was to figure out why Fei just didn't let himself open up to the female gender. Weird. Brittany (he was sure her name had to be Brittany) had tried to flirt relentlessly with Fei last night, even going so low as to drop stuff so that she could show him her cleavage. Did Fei do anything? Nope.

Duo sighed as Fei, almost giddily, released a surprised and upset Brittany and walked up to stand next to Quatre.

And then, for some odd reason, there was another Groom's Man, one Duo didn't recognize, leading another blonde down the aisle. The blonde woman was Sally, but who was the dude?

Dark, navy hair, short and styled.

And it hit, hard.

HILDE!

She grinned at him, showing her teeth in the rabid, funny way she did when she knew she had tricked him. Hilde wore a deep purple suit with pumps, a white shirt and a lime colored tie, and hoop earrings. Duo knew that all the thirteen were smiling, because Hilde hadn't wanted to be a Bride's Maid, she was Duo's sister and friend, and belonged on his side.

He agreed, completely.

She nodded goodbye to Sally, and then Duo and Hilde embraced, hugging as though they hadn't seen each other in years.

He felt little wet spots hit his neck. "Hey," he whispered in her ear as they held tight, despite the fact that everyone stared. "Don't cry for me, or you. We'll always be friends. We'll always be together, pally, 'cause you're my special sister."

Hilde pulled back, and her eyes were a bit misty. "Fooled you, loser. Didn't think I was coming, huh?"

Duo smiled, hugging her again, then kissing her cheek. "I'll get you back, punk-ass."

A small sob escaped her lips, and he held her tight once more.

When they let go, Hilde went to stand next to the stoic body of Wu Fei, waiting for the arrival of her new 'sister-in-law' to be.

Sylvia's little cousin Jordan started down the aisle, carrying fake rings on a beautiful cushion. He looked very focused, as though the mere thought of walking straight down a big red carpet while carrying a pillow with the rings attached was incomprehensible. Duo had to give the six year old credit. No way could he have done that when he himself was six.

And then Mariemia came out, her shocking red hair glittering and her pretty white flower girl dress floating around her. Lady and Midii twisted round to take pictures.

Mariemia lived mostly with Lucrezia and Zechs now, because of the constant worrying of

Lady and the near impossible ability to give her the attention she needed at that age.

Lucrezia wanted children, but she and Zechs were too busy to spend nine months dealing with pregnancy right now, so this was a quick way to have a child - and some practice.

They shared custody, and Mariemia didn't seem to mind. Most of the radical trash that

Dekim had forced on her had been erased or eased by psychiatrists, but there were nights for the first few months, and sporadically even now, where Lady or Zechs would wake up to find Mariemia walking around, or screaming, or having horrible night-frights. The thirteen had decided that since Mariemia was too young to comprehend, at least to the full extent, of what had occurred these last few years, that they would treat her as she wished to be treated - or how they interpreted it. Mariemia had not seemed to want to remember what she had done, and the thirteen offered her that.

Soft petals drifted to the ground as Mariemia made her way to the front, and the crowd hushed completely. They twisted about, waiting to see the bride.

Sylvia stepped out from one side of the door, and her father stepped out from the other, he offered her his arm, and she took it.

They began the stately walk down the aisle.

Duo felt as though all his functions had temporarily ceased to work. She was so beautiful and serene, like an angel. Apparently Hilde had fought her way through the hoard of stylists and seamstresses and given Sylvia a pep talk, because he saw Sylvia smile at Hilde and wink.

He'd never felt so filled with wonder as he did now, watching and knowing that after this ceremony, he'd be able to see her every day and know that she was his. And that he was hers.

As they reached him, he realized that Mr. Noventa, who was ailing of cancer, was tearing up. Duo smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring and goofy way. The two men shook hands, and then Sylvia's hand was in Duo's, and it felt like it belonged there.

For now, and all of eternity.