Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of the characters. I just borrow them for my nefarious and fictional purposes.

Living The Lie

Chapter Two: Dead or Alive?

Duo unlocked the door to his modest home with slight difficulty. He was thankful the cabbie hadn't been curious enough to ask questions about the unconscious woman in his arms. He closed the door behind him with a relieved sigh. Duo fumbled on the wall until he heard a familiar click and the lights flickered on. He stopped dead, his cobalt blue eyes widening.

"Dammit," he swore under his breath. When was the last time I cleaned this place up, he thought to himself as he surveyed the room in mild horror. Empty cans and food containers littered the living room and various papers were scattered all over his makeshift office.

So I'm not the neatest person I know, he thought ruefully. "I guess that only leaves one place," he muttered, smiling wryly down at her. He padded up the stairs and kicked open the first of the two doors on the landing. He stepped over piles of dirty laundry to the unmade bed. Duo laid the dark-haired woman down gently and then bent down to pull off her boots. He stood up and turned around with his arms crossed over his chest.

When did I become such a slob, he wondered. Shaking his head, Duo resigned himself to cleaning up. After shoving all the garbage into a bag, throwing the dirty clothes in the laundry room, and cleaning the dishes in the sink, he found himself back in his room standing over the pale, sleeping woman.

He sat down on the edge of the mattress and gazed intently at her. Yumi. He knew that she hadn't told him her real name. He was very good at detecting what was truth, and what was fiction. But after what had happened in the alley, he could hardly be surprised. His brow furrowed as he remembered how calm and collected she'd been, even in her condition. Her actions had been deliberate and precise. Who is she? And who is after her? The two questions Duo wanted answered. Something about her intrigued him. Something so familiar, yet he couldn't place it. He shook his head in frustration and stood up to leave, but her voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't go," she begged in an eerie voice.

Duo turned around slowly. She lay in the middle of the bed with the blankets crumpled around her. She was curled in a ball, her face contorted in misery. She's still asleep.

"Why did you leave?" she cried, her hands balling into fists. "Duo, you jerk!"

Duo's jaw dropped. What did I do, he thought incredulously. He sat on the bed next to her and ducked as a fist almost collided with his head. Her forehead was covered with beads of sweat.

"No! Get out of here! I don't want anything to do with you!" Her arms thrashed about as if warding off attackers. Duo grabbed her flailing arms and tried to wake her up. "No! Help! Duo!" Duo held her shoulders and shook her, calling for her to wake up. Finally startled blue eyes looked up into cobalt ones.

She sat up quickly, her breathing ragged, and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Her chest heaved as she blinked and looked around the unfamiliar room. "Where—" she started, but then she remembered snatches of the night; the club, the guy they sent after her, and then passing out. She turned her attention to the young man before her and attempted a wobbly smile. "Sorry, I guess I was just having a nightmare. How long have I been out?"

"Only a few hours." Duo paused and watched her uncertainly, wondering if he should ask her about the dream she'd just had. After a moment he decided against it and smiled at her. There will be time enough for that… "It's almost morning. Maybe you should try and get some more sleep. I'll be downstairs if you need anything." He got up and walked to the door.

"Wait a minute." She gave him a puzzled look. "Why are you being so—so, trusting? You don't know anything about me." She narrowed her eyes, looking him up and down suspiciously.

Duo just laughed at her expression and flashed her a disarming grin. "Who am I to deny a pretty lady help when she needs it? Besides," he added, his expression sobering, "I know that you'll eventually open up to me." Duo winked at her before closing the door.

She waved off his nonchalant statement with a roll of her eyes and turned her mind towards more pressing matters. The young woman hugged her legs to her chest and rested her forehead on her knees. She squeezed her eyes shut and cursed under her breath. I've been too complacent. She punched the mattress and grit her teeth. After three years of running, they're still after me. "What the hell do they want from me?" She took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. I have to think about this rationally. There must be a reason they're being so persistent.

She laid down and stared at the ceiling, her brow furrowed in thought. She weighed different possibilities in her mind until one thought stood apart from the rest: the mission. Five years and they still haven't carried out the mission. "Well then I suppose that means that they want me dead before they can get on with it." She paused and after a moment her blue eyes went wide.

Or they never found a replacement. "They still want me…alive." The very thought made her skin crawl. "Never," she whispered fiercely. "I'll die before I let that scum use me again," she spat.

She closed her eyes again and tried to ward off the tidal wave of emotions that threatened to engulf her. Despite her efforts, fury bubbled to the surface. "I'll kill them. The next one they send after me is as good as dead." She clenched her teeth and balled her hands into fists. "I'll make them rue the day they ever recruited me." Her lips curled into a bitter smile.

A soft knock on the door jolted her from her inner turmoil. She looked at the digital clock on the nightstand and was startled to find that it was already seven am. She quickly straightened her clothes and smoothed out her hair. "Come in."

The door opened and the chestnut haired man stood in the doorway. "Morning," he grinned. "How do you feel?" He walked over to a large wardrobe against one wall and gave her a swift glance before opening the doors.

"Not bad, a little tired. No lingering side-effects besides a minor headache." She got up from the bed and stretched out her limbs systematically, working out the kinks in her muscles.

Duo watched her blithe movements in fascination. He'd failed to notice before how toned she was. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She stretched her arms out and then raised them above her head. She rose up on her toes, revealing her midriff briefly. Duo just stared at the young woman blatantly, admiring every curve and the skin that was so brazenly exposed.

She opened her eyes and found herself being watched by a pair of intense violet ones. She raised her eyebrows at him. He just shook his head slightly and smiled sheepishly. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Duo had gone back to rummaging through the wardrobe. "I was looking for some clothes. What do you think?" He held up a pair of black sweatpants and a white T-shirt. When she didn't reply, he went on. "I know they're a bit big and all, but I'm sure it won't look too bad." She glared daggers at him and Duo just laughed. "Come on, you don't really want to be dressed like that all day."

The shorthaired woman just continued to glare at him. "Is there something wrong with the way I'm dressed?"

"No. Of course not," he reassured her quickly. "That skirt is very nice," he said, taking a moment to admire her legs. He cleared his throat, "But it can't be very comfortable, right?"

She gave the clothes in his hands a skeptical once-over, and nodded reluctantly. He was right; she wasn't exactly dressed practically at the moment. "Thanks a lot," she said as she took the clothes from his outstretched hands.

"Don't mention it," he replied, stepping around her and to the door. "When you're done changing, come downstairs and join me for breakfast." He gave her a mock bow and flashed her a big grin before closing the door.

She just stared at the closed door unmoving. Why is he doing this for me? She couldn't help but wonder if there was more to his generosity than there appeared to be. It was all just too good to be true. He seemed nice enough and sincere. But could she really trust him? After all that had happened to her, she had her doubts. Though he did seem to be genuinely honest; she hadn't detected a lie from him yet. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. She shook her head and began to shrug out of her clothes. It's about time I learned to trust people again, she thought grimly. It's been far too long since I've actually talked to someone. Running gets so lonely.

She turned to study herself in the small mirror next to the wardrobe. The clothes were big on her, almost comically so. She shrugged helplessly at her reflection and walked to the door. "He better not laugh at me," she muttered, but couldn't help smiling as she made her way down the stairs.

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Duo had finished making breakfast with what he had managed to find in his fridge, making a mental note to buy groceries later, and set the small table. He sat down to wait for his guest and lapsed into thought. I wonder how long she'll stay. Probably not long, she seems like the type who doesn't stay in one place longer than necessary. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Has it really been five years that I've lived here alone? He sighed quietly. It seems like so much longer. Talk about isolation. Duo allowed himself a wry smile. It's good to have company, he thought. I just wish… Duo dropped his head into his hands; the thought was too painful to finish. He gave himself a mental shake. I can't keep thinking about her. It won't bring her back. If she hasn't come back after five years, then…

Duo looked up quickly into a pair of curious blue eyes. He smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I didn't hear you come down."

The young woman gave him a sidelong glance before sitting down. She picked up her fork and tried the scrambled eggs on her plate. "Mmm…These eggs are pretty good," she admitted. "So, what were you thinking about just now?" she asked casually.

Duo looked at her quickly. "Nothing much, why?"

"I wondered if something was wrong. You looked really sad…" She shrugged and took a bite from her toast. "I was just curious."

"Oh, it's not a big deal," he said. "I was just thinking about the past."

She nodded. "They say you shouldn't dwell on the past." The short-haired woman shrugged again. "But I wouldn't know anything about that," she mumbled under her breath.

"What?"

She waved her fork at him with a shake of her head. "Nothing."

"So, how do the clothes fit?"

"Not too bad I guess. Mind you," she began thoughtfully, "I am going to have to retrieve my stuff from the motel soon. I'm supposed to check out of there by tonight."

"I'll take care of it."

"I don't know if that's really a good idea. If they see you and identify you, then all of this was for not."

Duo dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry, I can handle it."

"Don't underestimate them. You won't get the chance to regret it."

Duo turned to face her. "And you still haven't told me who exactly 'they' are."

Her fork stopped in mid-bite. She tilted her chin downwards, her shiny blue-black hair falling forward to obscure Duo's view of her face. "They," she began through clenched teeth, "are an underground organization who like to call themselves 'Scion'."

Duo scratched his head. "Never heard of them."

The young woman straightened and continued eating. "I didn't expect you to. No one knows about them. That's the way they want it. But don't let that put you off guard. They've been increasing their ranks slowly over that past few years and they're much bigger than they were."

Duo ate the last bit of food on his plate and stood up. "I have some things I have to go do this morning, but I should be back later in the afternoon," he said, as he dumped his plate into the sink. He gave her an apologetic look. "Well…I'm not sure what you want to do, but you probably should just stay here, right? They're looking for you now so it's not exactly safe to go out."

She nodded her compliance and walked to the sink. "I know. I'm sure I can find something to do."

"See you later!" Duo smiled and walked to the door, putting on his jacket and shoes. He was about to open the door when he felt a warm hand on his arm. He turned to find the woman standing behind him. She looked slightly embarrassed. "What is it?"

"I—I just wanted to say thank you." She could feel the blood rising in her cheeks.

He just grinned. "My pleasure." He began to close the door but stopped halfway, poking his head back inside. "And by the way, Yumi, before the night is over, you are going to tell me your real name." Duo winked at her before closing the door completely.

The young woman just stared at the closed door in shock. He knew. She shook her head in disbelief as she walked back to the kitchen. "He knew it wasn't my real name." She picked up the sponge and began cleaning the breakfast dishes. "Who is this guy?" She looked down into the soapy water and furrowed her brow. He doesn't seem to miss anything. He appears to always be so laidback, but underneath that exterior he's sharp. She shook her head as she dried her hands on the dishcloth, deciding to worry about it later.

"Oh well…Now let's see, what else is there left for me to do?" She let her eyes rove over the few rooms of the house and stopped at a semi-open door off the main hall. She swung the door open and hesitated on the threshold. After a moment she stepped forward and felt for the light switch on the wall. When the light flickered on she let out an involuntary gasp.

"What a mess!" She looked around the smallish room in disapproval. She guessed it to be his home office, but the room was in a complete state of disarray. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was piles of paperwork. Being a bit obsessive compulsive about such things, she collected the papers and began organizing them. She scrutinized the filing cabinets in the room and discovered at some point in time everything had been kept in order. Though, how long ago that might have been was something she didn't know. Judging by the dates on the papers she held in her hands, she guessed it was at least four years ago and possibly more.

I wonder what might have happened that caused him to stop organizing things. She looked down at the sheaf of papers in her hands and frowned. Maybe he used to have someone here helping him… She shrugged off the nagging feeling of familiarity in the back of her mind and returned to her work.

A few hours later she had finished collecting all the papers, organized them by company, and filed them away in their respective places. She stood in the middle of the room and surveyed her work with a grin. Now for a nice hot shower. I'm sure Duo won't mind. She smiled as she made her way up the stairs. Opening the door beside Duo's bedroom, she peered inside and was surprised to find the small room to be tidy. "Who knew," she muttered to herself as she stepped inside and grabbed, what she hoped was a clean towel. She turned on the water and quickly undressed. Closing her eyes, she sighed as she stepped under the hot liquid. The young woman kept the shower short and left the water feeling refreshed.

She glanced at herself in the mirror as she dried herself with the towel. For a moment she almost didn't recognize the solemn woman staring back at her. She tore her gaze away from the mirror and shook her head, scowling bitterly. It wasn't the first time she had momentarily forgotten her appearance. They couldn't have just taken away my past. No, of course not, she seethed silently. They had to destroy my identity completely. Her only clue as to what she used to look like before the plastic surgery, was a worn picture she kept in her wallet that was taken when she was just fifteen. She shut her eyes tightly and saw a flash of herself unwrapping the bandages around her head. They will pay…if it's the last thing I ever do.

She'd just finished pulling on her clothes and was combing her hair when she heard the faint scrape of metal on metal and a resounding click. "He's home…" she mumbled looking at her watch. It's three o'clock already? She shook her head and marveled at how quickly time could pass as she walked down the stairs and to the door.

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He sat at his desk glaring at the silent communicator resting on its surface. When it finally buzzed to life, he almost smashed it in his barely contained fury.

"What's the status?" he growled in agitation before the other person could say a word.

"W-we've located her, General Stryker," stammered the young sounding voice.

"Where?"

"She's taken refuge with a young man here on L2." The young man stopped, seemingly unable to continue.

Stryker clenched and unclenched his fist as the silence continued. "Well, who is he?"

"We've positively identified him to be D-Duo Maxwell," squeaked the voice.

"What!?" Stryker demanded explosively, blotchy red spots appearing on his face.

"She met him at a nightclub," the young man started to explain quickly. "Hunt managed to slip her the drug, but Maxwell got to her before he could. Hunt followed them, but ended up being attacked by them both. He's lucky we found him when we did."

"He's gonna wish he had never been born by the time I'm done with him," growled Stryker. "Post surveillance around the house. Make sure you're discreet. I don't need to remind you who we're dealing with."

"No, General."

"Good. I also shouldn't have to tell you what will happen if she regains her memory before you bring her here." He closed the connection abruptly, angrily crushing the communicator in the process.