Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Duo's Dilemma ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer - It’s not mine. It never was. The only character I can lay claim to is Bella. She’s all mine, so don’t steal!

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Duo’s Dilemma

Chapter 12

Moving Right Along…

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The graveyard was the first place Duo headed once he had taken a shower and gotten dressed at his place that next morning after leaving Belladonna’s apartment. He tugged at the button-up shirt he had put on, wishing it was a little cooler than the eighty-five degree weather he was currently standing outside in.

In front of him were two well-kept graves. The first was Sister Helen’s, one of the nuns that had taken care of him after he’d been adopted into Maxwell orphanage. She was the one who had believed the most in him. Believed that he was a good person, despite what he had been forced to do to survive on his own. She was the one who had braided his hair back into his customary hair style when he had fought her tooth and nail to keep it from getting cut.

And the other one belonged to Father Maxwell, the priest who had welcomed him with open arms into their rag-tag family, and taught him that God loved all people, despite their pasts. The elderly man had caught Duo many times at night, trying to pilfer the left over sweets from the kitchen, and would usually let him get away with it, even though Duo had known the Father had seen him lurking in the shadows.

“Well, I’m back.” he said quietly, stooping down to swipe a few stray blades of grass from the cold cement coverings. “I know, I know. I haven’t been by as much as I should. But I’ve been busy, what with trying to keep the peace and all. It ain’t an easy job, that for darned sure.”

He stood up and looked around the expansive graveyard, seeing the many different monuments and statues that decorated the grounds. His heart clutched within his chest, and he wished that he could see the smiling face of Sister Helen once again as she chased after him, or the secret smile that Father Maxwell would give him when he had done something to be rewarded for. They were the closest things to parents that he had, and he missed them dearly, even after all the time that had passed.

“I’m on a month vacation, and I figured I’d come see you two since I haven’t been by since the last time I was posted here on L2.” he said quietly. “I just wanted to let you know that I still remember ya’.” He placed the two bouquets of flowers he’d been holding on the cement, one in front of each tombstone, and knelt down between them. He caught the flash of something metallic off to the side, and picked up a small aluminum cross he’d put on Sister Helen’s grave the last time he’d been there.

He looked at the neat writing engraved on the piece of metal and frowned. He’d had Hilde use the engraving pen to write in a bible verse when he’d found the crosses at a small bazaar, mostly because her handwriting had been much better than his own. He gripped the small metal piece and closed his eyes as a small breeze passed by, ruffling his hair and the surrounding grass.

“Hilde and I aren’t together anymore.” he said quietly. “She decided that I wasn’t what she wanted, so she got someone else. It’s not all that bad, though. My friends are keeping’ me occupied. Although I’m pretty sure that I’m gonna run into her sometime soon. Bella’s apartment is right next to the scrap yard Hilde runs, so it’s bound to happen sooner or later.” He got up and dusted off his pant’s legs. “Of course, you two could run interference for me, and keep her a couple of miles away.” he said hopefully. “ Cause if those two ladies tangle, I’m not too sure there will be much of a colony left when they get done.” He heard a chuckle behind him, and turned to see who had come up to the gravesites. It was a young woman, more than likely no older than himself, dressed in the black and white clothing of a Catholic nun.

“I’m so sorry.” she said, nodding in welcome. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“It’s okay, ma’am.” Duo said, a friendly smile on his face. “You’re not interrupting.” She smiled gently and walked up to the gravesites.

“You knew Sister Helen and Father Maxwell?” she asked, seemingly surprised.

“Yeah. They adopted me when Maxwell Church was over there.” he said, pointing towards where a large cross stood as a memorial to the church. “But they died in the fire.”

“I was to believe that all the children were killed as well.” she said, crossing herself and then looking back to Duo.

“I got out.” Duo said, not really wanting to explain that he was stealing a mobile suit when the orphanage went up in flames, trapping all the occupants of the church inside. “I was the only one, though.”

“Well, it is good to see that you keep them in your memory.” she said softly. “Too many times we forget those who helped us in our darkest hours of need.”

“I couldn’t forget them if I tried.” he said. “They were my parents.”

“I understand, child.” she said, laying a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it gently. “I really must apologize for my intrusion. But it has been a long time since the members of our church have seen anyone this far back in the graveyard. I was simply curious, and I do hope you forgive me.”

“Nothing to forgive.” Duo said, turning to walk back to where the new church stood. “So, when did they expand the church? It wasn’t this big the last time I was here.” He looked up at the massive steeples and stained glass windows, remembering some of the depictions from his own childhood.

“The additions are recent.” the Sister said. “Father Benelli believed we needed more room for the children, so an addition was made onto the existing building.”

“There’s that many war orphans on the colony?” Duo asked. He’d heard that the number of war orphans was slowly diminishing as time went on. But apparently, it was not true.

“There’s no so many war orphans as there was when I first came here.” she said. “But we seem to be getting more and more each day. It is sad indeed.”

“Yes, it is.” Duo said, looking up through a window he was passing and into what was apparently the living quarters of the orphanage. He heard a woman’s laugh and stopped dead in his tracks when a familiar head of wavy brown hair dashed by.

“Is something the matter, sir?” the nun asked, perplexed as to why he had stopped, and was staring into the window. “Sir?”
“Who is that?” Duo asked, nodding towards the window, where he could see Belladonna chasing a little three year old boy around the room. The nun looked in, and smiled.

“That is Ms. Saucier.” she said. “She is one of the main contributors to the church and orphanage. In fact, she is the one who paid for the new addition to be put on. She is a wonderful lady. Very nice, and great with children, especially the younger ones, and they absolutely adore her.”

“Really?”

“I truly believe that woman is a God-send.” the lady said. “She’s always there when you need her, and even when you don’t.”

“And that man behind her, in the doorway?” Duo asked, nodding towards a tall man with short gray hair who was dressed in the normal clothing of a Catholic priest.

“Why, that is Father Benelli.” she said. “Would you like me to introduce you to them?”

“No, no that’s alright.” Duo said quickly.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “It wouldn’t be a problem in the least.”

“No, thank you.” Duo said. “I’ve got to be going. It was nice meeting you, Sister.”

“You as well, sir.” she said, waving him off as he made for the gate that surrounded the property. “Come back anytime you wish!” Duo just nodded and left the grounds, wondering why in the world Bella would be at Father Benelli’s orphanage.

-

Bella adjusted her skirt and walked into the café, scanning the crowd for Duo. They had agreed to go out to eat for dinner than night when he’d left her apartment that morning. She had agreed to the date, not really sure as to why she did. But her conscious kept telling her it was because she was becoming a little more attached to the long-haired Preventor than she’d originally meant to.

After she’d made her way to the orphanage, and wound up spending most of the day there, she’d extricated herself from the children with a distinct promise to return the next day, with a whole bunch of goodies in hand. She had been happy to see the kids again, and she hadn’t really wanted to leave. But the promise of seeing Duo again had finally got her away.

Now, she was searching the numerous people in the small building for Duo.

“Lookin’ for someone, babe?” came an amused voice. Bella turned around and found a smiling Duo leaning against the wall.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.” she said, linking her arm through his when he presented it to her with a flourish. “Maybe you can help me?”

“Is he…oh…about this tall?” Duo asked, using his hand to measure his height from the floor.

“Yes, he sure is.”

“And has a really long braid? Like this?” Duo asked, pulling the end of his braid over his shoulder.

“Yep.”

“And he has a few screws loose in that metal head of his?” came an annoyingly high voice. Duo and Bella turned around, only to see a woman with short black hair and dark blue eyes standing next to a dark skinned man with dreadlocks in his long hair.

“You?” Duo asked, tamping down his temper and reigning in the impulse to knock the heck out of the smirking guy at her side.

“Duo.” Hilde said, her saccharine smile making his stomach want to vomit. “What a surprise, seeing you here. I thought you were still on Earth.”

“Vacation time.” the ex-pilot said stoically. Beside him, Belladonna stood up, looking carefully at the situation before them.

“Duo, is this a friend of yours?” she asked, taking his arm.

“Who are you?” the girl asked, eyeing Bella. “Really Duo, you’re not going to introduce me to your flavor of the week?”

“Shouldn’t you do the same, honey?” Bella asked, nodding towards the man at Hilde’s side. “And I’m Belladonna, by the way. Who are you?”

“Bella, this is Hilde and Kennan.” Duo said, praying to all the saints he knew that this did not get ugly in the middle of a public place. Hilde looked ready to kill Bella, and Bella looked like she was willing to take on the German girl and her newest sidekick.

“Oh, yes, you told me about her.” Bella said, smiling. “A pleasure to meet you, miss. I’ve heard many things about you.”

“You what?” Hilde asked, her hands on her hips, and her eyebrow cocked up.

“Oh, yes.” Bella gushed, giving Duo a conspiratorial wink as she took the overly confused Hilde’s arm and led her over to a seat. “Duo told me that you run the scrap yard down the street, correct?”

“Yeah, I do.” she said. “And your point is?”

“Oh, my company works in space mining and colony development.” Bella said. “And we’re in need of a reliable company to help clean up some of our mining sites.”

“What did you say your name was again?” Hilde asked, her fight with Duo temporarily forgotten.

“Belladonna.” the other woman answered. “Belladonna Saucier.”

“As in the C.E.O of Saucier Corp.?” Kennan asked. Bella only smiled and nodded, and Duo swore he could see dollar signs flashing in the dark man’s eyes.

“The one and only.” she said. “So, what do you say, Miss….?” She looked over at Duo, obviously expecting him to supply the name she was looking for.

“Schbeiker.” Duo said glumly. “Hilde Schbeiker.”

“Schbeiker?” Bella asked, looking at the girl carefully as though she’d misunderstood Duo. “You’re Hilde Schbeiker.”

“Yes. Is there a problem with that?” Hilde asked, utterly confused.

“You were the girl cheating on her boyfriend. Weren’t you?” Bella asked.

“I, uh…..” Hilde struggled for an answer to that, and had the vacant feeling that her newest contract with the business woman was slowly sinking down the drain like last weeks garbage.

“Well, I’m afraid I am not willing to do business with a person who lies to their own brother.” Bella said imperiously.

“Brother!” Kennan exclaimed, causing many people in the café to turn their way. “That braided freak is not Hilde’s brother!”

“Now why would Duo lie to me about that?” Bella asked, taking Duo’s arm and leading him out the door. “Besides, even if he wasn’t, you wouldn’t make me believe that he dated someone like…..her.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Hilde asked angrily, fuming at the other woman. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Don’t get her started.” Duo pleaded to the gods above.

“Nothing at all.” Bella said with a grin. “Other than the fact that you absolutely prove one of my most contemplated theories.”

“And what would that be?” Hilde growled.

“That it is because light travels faster than sound that some people look absolutely intelligent…until they speak.” Bella said, smirking. "Bye-bye now.”

Hilde just looked utterly confused, not sure of what to say or do. Bella led a shocked Duo out of the café, and they were a quarter mile down the street when Duo finally got his thoughts together enough to speak.

“How did you do that?” he asked, looking at her carefully.

“Do what?” Bella asked.

“That!” he said, pointing back towards the café they had exited. “Turn Hilde from a woman looking for blood into a confused idiot within a period of five minutes!”

“Oh, that.” Bella said, leading him into a grocery store. She figured if they couldn’t go out and eat, the least she could do was fix them something for dinner. “It’s called the Snatch, Grab, and Get tactic.”

“Explain.” Duo muttered, absently grabbing a grocery basket as they walked along.

“It’s simple, really. I learned it when I had to learn to deal with stuffy, overbearing politicians.” Bella said. “First, you grab their attention by throwing them off balance.”

“You were nice to her instead of blowing up when she questioned who you were.” Duo clarified.

“Precisely.” Bella said. “Then, you grab their attention by mentioning the one thing most humans have a weakness for.”

“Which is?”

“Money.” Bella said, grinning, and placing some vegetables into the cart. “It always works.”

“And where does the ‘Get’ part come in.” Duo asked.

“You insult them in a way they don’t understand, and then get the hell out of dodge before they figure it out.” she clarified. “So, what do you want for dinner?”

“Impossible….” Duo said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Not impossible.” Bella said happily, winking at him. “Just improbable. Only really thick headed people don‘t get it right off, and spend the next few hours scratching their heads and trying to figure out what I told them. ”

“You are something else.” he said.

“So I’ve been told, numerous times, I might add.” she said happily. “So, since I just ruined our chance at dinner at Mario’s, what do you say I make dinner for us? What do you want?”

“Babe, anything you cook is good enough for me.”

-

Dinner was homemade pizza and breadsticks, but the two ate as if it were their last meal. After they were finished, and the kitchen was cleaned up, they decided to plop down and watch a movie. Somehow or another, they had wound up raiding the small amount of alcohol Bella had kept in the apartment.

“So, what do you wanna watch?” Duo asked, sitting his glass of whiskey and coke on the coffee table before raiding through her video collection for something that wasn’t a chick flick.

“I don’t care.” she said. “But all the good ones are over there.” She pointed to another cabinet, and Duo walked over to it, finding a large amount of movies more to his liking.

“How about this?” he asked, picking up a movie at random.

“That’s fine.” Bella groaned, not even paying attention to whatever it was. She’d already seen every movie she had, so it really didn’t matter to her which one he picked. Duo popped the disc into the player and settled himself on the couch, downing the last of his drink, then handing Bella her own.

The opening credits began rolling, and Bella looked down at the drink in her hand. They had both attacked her bottle of tequila during dinner, and she had no doubt that had they been drinking on an empty stomach, she’d been tipsy as all hell right now.

“You gonna stare at that thing all evening, or drink it?” Duo asked, getting comfortable on the couch.

“I shouldn’t be drinking this.” she said. “Tequila makes me bitchy.”

“I think I can handle it.” Duo said, pulling her down onto the couch and to his side. Bella shrugged, downed the last of the drink and plopped it onto the table, then curled up next to Duo.

“No more alcohol for me.” she said, grinning at him. “My tolerance is not as good as it used to be.”

“As it used to be?” Duo asked.

“I used to drink a lot.” she said. “But I quit a couple of years ago.”

“Why?” Duo asked. “A couple drinks never hurt anyone.” Bella remained quiet, not wanting to ruin the good evening they’d had by bringing up her own mottled past. “Bella?”

“I quit drinking after the accident.” she said quietly, fidgeting slightly. “Now, I only drink when I go out, social drinking if you will. I can’t hurt anyone else that way.”

“It was an accident.” Duo said carefully. “I don’t know much, but I do know that much. You’re not the one to blame.”

“I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt because I’m not in my right mind.” she said, snuggling up against him. Duo put his arm around her and gave a half smile. “It’s safer for everyone this way.”

“I think you’d be fun not in your right mind.” he teased.

“Duo!”

“It’s the truth.” he said, smiling at the scarlet tint that had come across her face. “You’re too uptight sometimes. You need to relax a little.”

“I am not!” she said indigently. “I can relax.”

“You are so full of yourself.” Duo teased. By now, the movie had been completely forgotten.

“I am not.” she whined, getting to her knees and putting her hands on her hips. The little bit of alcohol they had started with had quickly escalated to half the bottle, and then two-thirds. She glanced back towards the kitchen table, and saw that there was only a quarter inch or so of the liquid left in it.

“You need to relax.” Duo said, grinning at her.

“And how do you propose I do that?” she asked, grinning when he reached out and put his hands on her hips, pulling her down to him. “I thought we were watching a movie.”

“We were.” Duo muttered, burying his head in her hair on the side of her neck. “But I’ve got a better idea.”

“And that would include holding me on your lap and hiding your face in my hair?” she teased, running her fingers through his own hair.

“I’m not complaining if you’re not.” he muttered, settling her down into a more comfortable position. Bella felt him lay his head on her shoulder and relax. “You’re comfortable.”

“Thanks.” she said, smiling. Her head was a little fuzzy from the last drink she’d downed, and she slowly felt her inhibitions slipping away.

Duo’s fingers were securely latched around her waist, holding her in place, and they did not feel like they were going to let up on their death grip anytime soon. She shifted and got into a less compromising position.

“Where do you think you’re going, missy.” he mumbled.

“Somewhere so that anyone who looks through the window won’t think we’re doing something we shouldn’t be.” she said, ruffling his hair.

“We’re fourteen stories up.” Duo said. “Who in the hell is going to see us even if we are screwing on the couch?”

“Good point.” Bella said, shrugging. “You plan on letting me go?”

“No.” he said. “I like where I am.”

“I figured you’d say that.” she said, rolling her eyes. “But I’m not.”

“Is this better?” Duo asked, maneuvering them both so that she landed on her back on the couch and he was on top of her, grinning like a madman.

“Pervert.” Bella said.

“You like me like that though.” he mumbled.

“Oh, of course I do.” she said, her voice tight and controlled. Duo lifted his head up and frowned at her. “I absolutely love guys who come to my apartment, get me drunk, and then jump on top of me!”

“If you’re joking, that’s cruel. But if you’re being sarcastic, it’s even worse.” he muttered. Bella laughed and reached up to push his bangs out of his face.

“I’m kidding.” she said, placing a small kiss on his forehead. “I didn’t mean it.” Duo just grinned and leaned down to her, stealing a quick kiss from her lips, and causing her to blush scarlet red and look away. Duo, thinking he had made a grave error, backed up and scratched his head when she didn’t say anything for a moment.

“I’m sorry, Bella.” he said. “I don’t know what made me do that.”

“It’s okay.” she said, smiling slightly. “Just caught me by surprise there.”

“I don’t regret it.” he said happily, pushing back and letting her up. Bella sat up and pushed her hair back, feeling more like an awkward school girl than she ever had before. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” she said. “A little too far gone from the tequila, but I’m okay. I’ll sleep it off.”

“That’s probably the best thing to do.” Duo said, knowing she was right. The alcohol he’d been drinking since dinner was starting to get to him as well, and he knew that things would get out of hand if he and Bella didn’t put some space between them, and soon.

The mutual, unspoken attraction between the two of them had been building since he’d stepped foot into her apartment the day before, and both knew that. It had been capped off with Bella once again running interference when they had been found by Hilde earlier that day. Duo just was not sure what to do about it anymore, so he did the safest thing he could before he blew a chance with her….he did absolutely nothing.

“You crashing here tonight?” she asked, getting up from the couch and stretching her arms out. She had to get away from Duo before she let things get a little too far out of hand.

“Yeah.” he said. “If you don’t mind.” Bella nodded and grabbed the blanket she had folded up earlier that day after he left.

“Sweet dreams.” she said, smiling.

“You too.” he answered, popping the blanket out and kicking himself in the rear when she turned and walked towards her bedroom without another word.

“You screwed it up, Maxwell, you idiot!” he scolded himself angrily, pulling the covers over his head. “When are you going to learn?” As he muttered himself to sleep, Bella was having her own internal chat with herself.

…-

You have absolutely lost your mind, girly. she thought, getting into her bed. You are drunk. That’s it! There’s the reasoning behind why you just all but let Duo Maxwell feel you up on your own couch! What are you thinking? Now he’s going to think you’re nothing more than some easy lay! What in God’s great name were you thinking?

She shook her head, trying to dispel the feeling of his hands when they had been around her waist while they were sitting on the couch. That unfamiliar tingling feeling was still there, and was not going away anytime soon.

What have you done, Belladonna? she asked herself angrily, punching the pillow. You’re getting tied up with another guy. You know that only spells trouble for you! Look at what happened to your last boyfriend! He’s dead!

Belladonna just collapsed onto her bed and let out a huge sigh of exasperation, unaware the Duo was berating himself as she lay there.

I’ll damned well figure it out in the morning. she thought, closing her eyes and willing herself to sleep, despite the tingling all over her body. Hopefully, we’ll just chalk this up to a freak accident happening because of an overdose of alcohol, and leave it at that. Safest way out, that is.

She pulled her blanket up over her head, but she knew it was not going to block out the feelings that Duo had brought out in her with just a few touches.

Yep. It was official.

Belladonna was falling head over heels for the long-haired, food fighting Preventor that was currently sleeping in her living room.

And there wasn’t a damned thing she could do to stop it.

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A/N - Okay, as you can most obviously tell, writing lovey-dovey scenes is not my strongest point. Give me carnage or fights, and I can help you, anything but kissy scenes. I just can’t do them.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please drop me a line, telling me what you think. Even if it is to tell me how horrible the interaction was between Duo and Bella at the end. Trust me, I already know. ;)

Later,

A.A.