"Hey Duo, there's a news report on," Hilde called from the couch.

I looked over and fixed my eyes on the TV. Relena Dorlain-Peacecraft was on announcing something or other important.

"Turn it off," I said.

Hilde obeyed and flicked the screen off. She stretched back on the couch to look past me and into the hallway where Heero might come out of. Her tank lifted from the hem of her khaki shorts and I found myself staring at the smooth, bare flesh of her stomach. Before I could stop myself, I scanned her up and down. When did Hilde get so... captivating was the word I guess, but it made no sense. She'd always been beautiful, but I lately I was noticing more and more little things about her.

Her dark bangs fell into clear blue eyes that were, at the moment, shining with concern for her friend in his room. I liked her hair short. It fit her, made her sexy in a way that didn't look like she was trying, just was. She had a cute little pixie nose and small, but full, shapely lips. I glanced down at her body and ripped my eyes away from her curves when she straightened. I shook the feeling off, what was wrong with me?, and slumped beside her on the couch.

"Is she nice?" Hilde asked suddenly, gathering her legs to her and resting her head on her knees like a five-year-old.

"Relena?" I smiled and pushed her bangs out of her eyes, but they just fell back again. I don't know why I did it, I liked her hair that way. An excuse to touch her maybe? No, it couldn't be. Cut it out Duo, she's like your little sister. Or at least, she thinks of you like her older brother. Damn it, stop! "Yeah," I continued in a normal voice. "She's nice."

"I met her once. On Libra." I scowled and she stroked my arm. "She seemed nice."

I nodded.

Hilde's face scrunched in confusion. "So, if she's in love with Heero and Heero's in love with her-"

I laughed. "Don't let them hear you say that."

"-why aren't they just… together?"

I sighed looking for the right words to a question I didn't exactly know how to answer. "Well. I think that they just… wanted to protect each other. I mean, she gave up everything for him and he gave up everything for her and they just ended up giving everything up for each other. Everything that mattered."

"Mattered. So they gave each other up for each other. I'm guessing they don't realize this?"

"Not… exactly. Relena loves him. She knows she loves him. He knows she loves him. And Heero loves her. He knows he loves her. But Relena doesn't know that Heero loves her. She speculates, but doesn't know and she wouldn't risk making a move for something she's not sure of. I think…"

"My head hurts," Hilde said, flopping onto my chest and covering her eyes with the back of her arm.

I stared down at her and swallowed hard. I nodded. "Yeah. Mine too."

Heero cooked that night. I made the iced-tea and, hot damn, was it delicious. I emphasized its greatness with noises of extreme delight. For my efforts, I got a slap in the back of the head from Hilde and a glare from Heero. He went back to seasoning some thick steak cutlets.

I looked at my best friend. I'd known him for a little more than eight years and he still confused me. Thinking back, Heero had changed considerably. When I'd first met him, he tacked no value to his life as if he was dispensable, he was ruthless, almost cruel, but no. I think the word would be focused. I envied Heero. He'd always known what he'd wanted and how to get it. As time went on, Heero eased up and by the end of the Mariemea incident, he'd become so much more gentle, more passive, under control. It still blew me away when he smiled, I mean genuinely smiled, a stranger on the normally, but not intentionally, stern face. He was calm now, at ease with himself and his life and he had the patience of Job. When Heero got angry, though, he reverted to the merciless soldier he had once been. I laughed to myself and he gave me a look from the corner of his eye, carefully placing the steaks into a saucepan where they sizzled. He smiled to himself as if he knew what I was thinking.

I jerked up in my bed, gasping. I caught a glimpse of the blue numbers glaring from the face of the alarm clock Heero had bought for me. 3:15 a.m. I buried my face in my hands and let out a sob. Just one. It was all I would allow myself. I rubbed my face and slid my hands up to push the hair out of my face.

After five years of peace, I still knew how to move without a sound. It was still natural to me. The thought depressed me. I strolled into the kitchen and sunk tiredly into a chair. I hung my head, closed my eyes, and sighed as I placed both hands atop my head.

The light was blinding, completely and utterly blinding. And the heat… it was so hot, my skin was still burning. There were shouts, shouts of sorrow and fear, pain and… and death. The last screams of the dead.

"Run, Duo! Run!"

"Sister Helen!"

"Run, child! Go. Save yourself!"

I shuddered as the fire grew hotter, brighter, white-hot light, blinding, burning, scorching… scorching the metal exterior of a mobile doll. Another enemy burnt and defeated as the buster rifle blasted off another beam of fire.

The sound of war clanged painfully in my head and I let out a pathetic whimper, shutting my eyes tighter against it. Screams, shouts, beeps, sirens, bells, bullets…

"Duo?"

I snapped my head up at the soft, worried tone of voice. Hilde stared down at me, beautiful with worry and compassion in her eyes. Her expression was a sad one, as if she was taking the brunt of my pain… or offering to. I hadn't heard her slip out of her room and come into the kitchen, maybe it was the sound of the bullets ringing so loudly in my ears. She was in her pajamas, a silken camisole and a pair of lounge pants, but for all of it she still looked like an angel. My angel.

She pushed a chair dangerously close to mine, in front, so that when she sunk into it she could look me in the eye, our faces inches apart. She made a small noise, soothing in itself and she gently pushed my hair back, her fingers brushing against my skin softly.

I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her. She held me tightly, tangling her fingers in my hair as I nestled my face into her neck and sunk into her. She said nothing, just held me like that, making me feel small and safe.

We stayed like that for almost an hour, saying nothing, just holding onto each other, half-asleep. Hilde made a small movement with her head, easing my own up and without ever letting go of me, walked towards the couch. We sunk down into it, lying down beside each other, her arms protectively around me and my own seeking comfort in her form.

We slept that way and the next morning, Heero did nothing to wake us.