The Forgotten Duo
by Sony Mouse

Part 2

No one knew what to say. There, obviously dying in front of them, was Duo Maxwell. Everyone was a still as night, except for Heero who was in his normal no emotion way was trying everything in his power to save his ‘friend’, though he doubted at the moment that Duo ever considered him a friend. All he ever did was put Duo down. ‘I am such a baka’ he said to himself. I deserve this, not Duo. Quatre looked up with tears in his eyes.

"I...I didn’t even know he had left. By the time I got there he had completed his mission but was lying almost dead in Shinigami. I... I didn’t know what to do. I am sorry." At this Heero looked up at the sad Quatre and in his own way tried to comfort him.

"Don’t be upset Quatre, the important thing was the Duo completed his mission. I least that could comfort you."

Quatre and the others couldn’t believe what they were hearing. NO one could be THAT insensitive. Heero then stood up to leave.

" He will be ok now. He just needs rest and care." He then left the room in a quick movement. Leaving the room still in shock about what he had said earlier.

* * * * * *

Heero lied in the dark, staring up at a dark wall, on a dark bed, Duo’s bed. No it didn’t matter to him whether or not Duo completed his mission. As long as he was ok. If there was one person who had even the slightest chance of being possibly thought of as some he cared for (like Odin…………………….) then it was Duo. He realised now how he had always just brushed aside the poor boy every chance he got. He did this because it was part of his nature, but also because he feared what he might feel if he ever let Duo get close. But now this had gone too far. If Duo survives this in one peace, he promised to do everything he could for Duo, so maybe he wouldn’t hate him, In his own way of course. It was the least he could do for a fallen comrade-in-arms.

* * * * * *

The darkness felt sooooooooooo good. He could stay here forever, but there was something in the light something calling him forward. He didn’t know what it was but it was enough for him to leave the ever-comfortable darkness and head for the light. Damn the light was painful. Every part of his body hurt. As Duo slowly tried to open his eyes and see a blank expressionless face before him. Was it………? No it couldn’t be he was dead. All dead. Everyone he knew or cared for was dead. By this time Duo had managed to open his eyes up the whole way. There above him stoop 4 complete strangers. He didn’t’ know who they were or how they got him. But damned if he was going to let them take him. If only he could run…or stand….or move for that matter.

* * * * * *

Heero stared down at the face of his comrade, and saw ….nothing. He gasped and stood up. Inside Duo’s normally bright Cobalt Blue eyes were nothing but darkness, his face had no smile on. He looked well he looked like Heero.

"Duo how are you?"

"How the hell do you know my name? I don’t’ care who you are but let me go now or you will regret it."

Quatre ran to Duo’s side. Trowa’s hand resting protectively on Quatre’s shoulder. "Duo…….Duo don’t you remember us??

Looking into Quatre’s eyes Duo let out a VERY familiar phrase. I run I hide but I do not lie… I am Shinigami." At this statement Duo’s face became quite once again. He dint’ say anything. IF the lost look in Duo’s eyes, or the sad expression on his face wasn’t enough to scare you then the fact the DUO MAXWELL wasn't speaking, was enough to frighten you.

The rest of the Gundam pilots tried everything to make him talk, but when he did it was little or no information only to say stuff like "You can do what you want but I have no reason to live so just hurry up."

Since when did DUO talk like this? Finally the rest had to give up, for today at least. They would try again tomorrow. Everyone got up to leave, that is except for Heero.

"What you not going to join your spy friends. I assure you I am not talking anymore."

"That’s Ok Duo. I just have to make sure you don’t do anything stupid like try to run away. Besides maybe YOU have questions."

Heero’s expressionless face met with an even more expressionless face. What could have happened on that mission to make Duo so sad?

Although Heero was no good at conversations, he decided now was a good time to try and start talking about Duo. He talked about the missions and what stupid things Duo had done. And the way Duo was…normally. After about an hour an hour of this, probably more than he had talked in his whole life. Duo stared at him in dead eyes and asked him in a very dead voice. "Who are you talking about? And could you keep it down, maybe?"

"Duo he is you? Don’t’ you remember?"

"How can he be me, I have never piloted this Dun-dame or Gun –dam or whatever. I do not know who you are. Though I think you talk way to much." Heero expected him to go on like Duo would, but he just stopped right there."

"Duo how much do you remember? What’s the last thing you remember?"

Duo shut his eyes tight at the memory of the Maxwell church being destroyed. Of Father Maxwell…Sister Helene…………………NO he wouldn’t cry, couldn’t cry."

" I remember being Duo that’s it."

"Just Duo???"

"Yes but I am now Duo Maxwell. Remember that name"

"I don’t have to I already know it inside and out"

"How could you, you don’t even know who I am. "

This immediately struck Heero. That was what Duo had said before he left. His last words. So THIS… THIS was the real Duo. He would never have guessed it in a million years. Duo had been right he had known nothing about Duo.

"I am sorry Duo"

"Sorry for what"

"Sorry for not listening to you before. I should have been able to see you, but I didn’t. I am sorry."

"Save your sorrys for however you are talking about. You haven’t given me one shred of evidence that I am who you say I am."

"Well you obviously don’t remember after you took the name Maxwell. Though I didn’t know you had chosen it, or when you did that. But you must be older then you remember, just look in the mirror."

"Duo was led into the bathroom and looking at the full length mirror he gasped. He was a lot TALLER than before, he was more developed in everything. But the clincher for him was that his hair had grown out a lot. Which meant he was a lot older, his hair took forever to grow. Duo just slumped to the ground in a state of shock.

"What is happening to me. First the church……. Then this. Why the hell is this happening to me? How old am I?

"Well your birthday was yesterday so you are now 18."

"I am still not sure if I should believe you, I mean you don’t seem to know a lot about me, besides my name, for a "friend". But I am willing to listen."

Without a second thought Heero picked up the fallen Duo and placed him back in his bed. Well for starters you never shut up, and I think that is what I miss the most about you. You always seemed to fill out the silence. Even when I tell you to shut up. And you are the MOST vain person in the world. You worry more about your hair then you do your missions. You pilot the Shinigami Gundam……..

Heero went on and on. Very unlike Duo, he didn't interrupt once. Not that he was so engrossed that he didn’t want to speak. But he lost the will to speak at that church. He would speak only when necessary. After a bit, once Heero had grown quiet again, he seemed to do this a lot. Duo finally had some questions.

"Are we good friends?"

"I don’t’ really know. You hung around me a lot but I never really gave you the time of the day. I ignored you most of it or tried to. You are the most impossible person to ignore. Sometimes I just want to jump up and join in your conversation or do what ever crazy idea you have, but that feeling makes me just want to try harder to ignore you."

"Oh, well I don’t know how I put up with you, or how you put up with me. But I didn’t’ sound that bad. "

Heero couldn’t believe he had said all he had just said. HE had never even revealed that to himself, and especially not to Duo.

"Duo, you were NEVER that bad. I never would have made this long with out you. And even if you can’t realise what I am saying because you can’t remember me, I still want you to know it."

Heero finally got up to leave; Duo just sat there wondering how he got into this mess. But it wasn’t turning out half that bad. He had already made a friend. And he never thought he would ever do that again after the massacre.

On to Part 3

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