Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Darn it.

Chapter Three

If there was one thing Hilde knew she could count on it was Duo's ability to find humor in any situation, no matter how hopeless or horrifying.

It felt good to laugh. The sick tension twisting her stomach into knots eased and the muscles in her face relaxed as she opened her mouth to free the joyous sound.

Duo watched her, wearing his trade mark grin, but didn't join in. He did seemed strangely satisfied with her reaction, as if it was his sole intention.

She laughed until tears began streaming down her face.

"Hilde?" An expression of concern replaced his smile. "Hilde? Are you okay?" His eyes traveled her body, searching for hidden injuries. "Are you hurt?"

"Hurt?" Hilde's eyes blazed with sudden anger. "Hurt!" How blind could he be? It had nearly killed her to wait snug and secure in the shuttle not knowing if he was going to make it or not.

She slapped him.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!"

Stunned Duo swallowed hard staring at her with pain racked eyes, as if she'd shot him in the chest.

"I'm sorry. I swear to God I never meant to hurt you." He clenched his fists and turned away. "I'll never touch you again, you have my word."

Hilde gasped. He'd completely misunderstood her. She'd been living with him for over a year and he still didn't understand her. Well, it was past time she educated him.

She closed her mouth with a snap and settled an expression of determination across her features.

She was through with being cautious, done with waiting for him to make the first move, and finished with playing the part of an undemanding friend.

It was time to take Duo Maxwell out of the darkness and into the light of day.

"You are an idiot."

That had his head jerking toward her in surprise.

She leaned toward him, giving him no chance to recover. "You have no idea what I'm angry about do you?"

"I .." He took a deep breath, holding onto the piloting console tightly enough to make his fingers white. "In your quarters I kissed you and ..touched you. Later, in the hallway I deliberately scared you."

Hilde raised a closed fist and raped her knuckles against his forehead.

"Dummy."

"Uh?"

"Do you really think I felt fear when you put on that tough guy act in the hall? Or when you touched me in my dorm room?"

"You screamed when I grabbed you."

"Of course I did. I didn't know it was you, but I relaxed as soon as I realized that it was my best friend and the guy I'm in love with holding me plastered to him."

Duo's jaw fell open.

If she hadn't been so frustrated with him, Hilde would've enjoyed the confounded expression on his face.

"You wanna know why I'm angry with you?"

He nodded. Slowly. Looking about as uncertain as a person could look and still agree.

"You were ready, even willing to die today." She stood up and took a couple of steps away before facing him, her hands on her hips.

"I was upset in the hall because you made me promise to leave you behind." She shook one finger at him. "Don't you ever do that to me again. I would never willingly leave you behind. Ever. And you made me promise to do it. As for what happened in my room, I liked the way you touched me. I wanted more and had all kinds of ideas of what to do to you. I wasn't scared, I was surprised at myself."

She stepped forward and extended one hand, trailing a finger down the side of his face and neck 'til she reached the edge of his coveralls.

"I didn't know holding someone and kissing them could feel so intense."

Duo licked his lips and croaked, "You love me?"

Hilde rolled her eyes. "Having trouble keeping up with the conversation? Yes, I love you. Is that a problem?"

"Everyone who had ever loved me has died." Duo's familiar features were twisted in fear.

"I know, I haven't forgotten what you told me, but Duo I'm not them. I've loved you for a long time and look at me, I'm still here, alive and well. You can't stop living because of what's happened in the past."

Duo shook his head.

"The past is what made me who I am today. I'm the great destroyer, the God of death." His voice was thick with self-loathing. "The things I've done, the people I've killed .. I don't deserve love, least of all yours."

"Are you saying you don't want me around?"

"No!"

"Because I do love you Duo and I know everything there is to know about you. I've seen you in action. I know what you are."

She moved in closer, planting her face only inches away from his. "You're a fighter for peace. Sure you play dirty sometimes, but only when you were forced to. When you killed it was to bring peace or prevent war. You're loyal to your friends, and caring and generous to me. You're the man I love. Now, I have a question for you. Do you love me?"

Duo blinked at her. "I .." He swallowed then opened his mouth to try again.

The radio on the console came to life.

"Preventer base to Hades, come in."

*****

Duo could have cheerfully shot Heero at that moment.

He'd never seen Hilde like this. She wasn't angry so much as filled with raging passion. She loved him. He hadn't wanted to accept it but the force of her emotions had convinced him she was dead serious.

Bad timing for an interruption.

He tore his gaze from hers and answered the call with barely restrained violence.

"Hades here."

"Report."

"Gee whiz, you're quite the conversationalist Heero. I see Relena hasn't made any headway with you on that front yet. I'll have to get her to work on helping you expand those one-word sentences of yours. My report is: mission accomplished, satellite destroyed."

Heero's response took a couple of seconds.

"Are you and Hilde all right?"

Duo took grim satisfaction in the concern he heard in Heero's voice.

"Oh we're just ducky, thanks for asking. Now, if you don't mind we're in the middle of an important conversation. Hilde just told me she loves me."

Another pregnant pause.

"Congratulations. Preventer base out."

Duo gave Hilde a blunt, hungry look. "Nope, Heero's not much of a conversationalist, but he's not stupid either."

She faced Duo with her arms crossed over her chest, waiting with all the patience of an avalanche.

"So, where were we?" he asked, mirroring her stance.

"I asked you if you loved me." Her tone had lost none of its belligerence.

The difference now, he was no longer shocked by it.

"Yes."

It was Hilde's turn to blink. "Yes?"

"Yes, I love you, yes, I want you, yes, you can do any old thing your heart desires to me." Duo smiled sinfully and let his eyes roam over her body. "I hope you meant what you said, because I've been restraining myself for months to keep from touching you. Today, I couldn't help taking advantage of the situation. Kissing you was just about the best thing I've ever experienced." He unfolded his arms and cupped her face with one hand. "I haven't the strength to restrain myself any longer."

"Good," Hilde breathed, her lips remaining parted in invitation.

Duo didn't need to be told twice.

He bent his head and took her mouth, plunging his tongue inside, searching for that sweet taste of hers that he craved more than oxygen.

His arms came around her and he pulled her close, feeling her press against him, rubbing her breasts across his chest. He groaned at the sizzling contact and kissed her harder.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling down at him. He responded by lifting her up slowly, rubbing her across his lower body. His aching erection got even harder.

"God, Hilde." He tore his mouth away from hers and buried it in her neck, licking and sucking at the sensitive skin there. "Tell me I'm not dreaming."

Hilde turned her head and whispered in his ear, "I love you Duo, and if this is a dream, never wake me up."

He groaned and kissed her again, his hands roaming over her back, buttocks and breasts causing her to gasp and whimper. Those feminine sounds inflamed him, and growling, he backed her up until they ran into the wall of the shuttle. He held her there, pinned by the weight of his body and mindlessly thrust his rock hard erection against her stomach while his hands teased and plucked at her nipples.

"Hilde, I need .. we shouldn't .. " He forced himself away, but she pulled him back.

"I need it too .. Duo, please." She pulled at the zipper of her coveralls, dragging it down to expose the pale flesh of her chest.

Duo stared down at the feast she presented and fingered the lace of her bra in gentle hesitation. His eyes crawled up to her face.

"I love you, Hilde."

"Show me."

Duo peeled the rest of her coverall off without once looking away from her eyes. He unhooked her bra and tossed it away.

She took a step back from him and removed her panties.

"Now, it's your turn."

Duo's eyes ate her alive as he absently removed his clothes, he was so busy staring at her that one foot got caught in his coveralls and he fell over.

Hilde laughed.

"Think that's funny?"

She nodded, laughing too hard to talk.

"Let's see how you like this then?" He freed his leg and lunged at her, pulling her down on top of him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and wiggled, enjoying the sensation of skin rubbing against skin.

"This is pretty good."

"Pretty good? Is that all?"

He rolled her over. "How about this?" He nudged her knees apart and settled himself between her legs. "Do you like this better?"

Hilde moaned and arched her back as he rubbed his rigid penis over the apex of her thighs.

"Well, do you like it?" He nipped at her neck.

"Yesssss." She hissed between her teeth.

"That was the answer I was looking for." He took her mouth in a searing kiss, continuing to tease them both mercilessly.

His hands tortured her breasts again and soon his mouth joined them. The second he began sucking, deep and hard she bucked under him, whimpering. He sent one hand down to test her and found her enticingly wet, but he wasn't done teasing her.

Duo concentrated on her breasts, fascinated with the response he elicited with his fingers and tongue, her hands gripped his shoulders and head, pulling him to her.

Finally, he let his fingers drift down again to flick and rub her most sensitive spot, making her squirm even more.

He centered himself at her opening, bracing his weight on one arm as he hovered over her.

"Hilde, are you sure?"

"Yes, please! After all that teasing you'd better not back out now."

He gave her a grin meant only for her.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm yours to command."

He entered her, pulled back then purposefully pushed all the way in. She stiffened at the same moment as he felt something give way.

"Hilde? Oh God, are you okay?" Holding himself still, he panted as he searched her face.

"I'm all right," she peeked a look at him and was warmed by the stricken expression he was wearing. She moved, thrusting upward. "Don't stop."

Duo closed his eyes for a brief second as her movement almost caused him to lose control.

He lowered himself, resting his weight on his elbows and began kissing her as he moved himself in and out of her.

With each thrust, they both groaned, the sensation wildly electric.

Hilde started to shiver and screamed, "Duo, what are you doing to me!"

"I'm loving you." He growled, pumping harder and harder, pushed over an invisible precipice by her shriek.

Her inner muscles clamped down on him and she screamed, her quaking body bowing upwards.

Duo felt like he was exploding.

Shouting her name, he thrust into her, sending all the pieces of his tattered soul into her healing warmth.

For the first time in his life, Duo felt whole.

*****

Heero was waiting for them on the tarmac when their shuttle landed.

"Ten bucks says he gives you the once over to make sure you're all right." Duo said to Hilde as they shut the engines down.

Hilde glanced at him, a smile hovering on her lips. It had been hovering there since they'd made love and every time he saw it, he felt his body respond in a way he had no interest in controlling. They belonged to each other now.

"You're on. Heero's never looked at me before. I can't see him starting now."

"Heero's always liked you Hilde, he just doesn't know how to show it very well. Wait till we land, he'll be doing a "big brother" impersonation."

They finished the shut down and exited the shuttle, climbing down the short ladder a Preventer groundsman pushed up to the door.

Heero waited until they were well away from the technicians checking out the craft before approaching them. Ignoring Duo, he flicked an assessing glance across Hilde's body.

"Are you injured?"

"No." Hilde blushed hotly under his unrelenting gaze. "I'm fine." She looked to Duo for help. "Duo kept me out of the line of fire."

Heero switched his unyielding stare to Duo, his features stiffening.

"Did he?" It sounded more like an accusation than a question.

"Um, yes." Hilde looked between the two men, wondering what this was all about.

Duo looked at Heero's hard expression and smiled happily.

"So, Heero, I was wondering if you could do me and Hilde a big favor?"

"What is it?"

"Would you be the best man at our wedding?" Duo extended his arm and drew her to him. "We're getting married."

Heero's gaze took in Duo's grin, it didn't look the same as it usually did. Instead of covering up what Duo might be really feeling, his smile was genuine and relaxed. Hilde looked almost ridiculously happy. Everything was okay.

"I'd be honored."

*****

Lady Une read the technical readouts and the reports Duo and Hilde presented to her with great satisfaction.

"Excellent work you two. The satellite with all the AFC's aboard was completely destroyed and everyone, including the colonies, are calling it a terrible accident." She smiled at them graciously.

"Thank you, Lady Une."

"Yes, thank you."

Lady Une sat forward in her chair and rested her elbows on her desk.

"This is the first time you have worked together for the Preventers, I'd like to see you two working for us again."

"What, you want to put us on the pay role?" Duo sounded dubious, they still had the scrapyard to run. They couldn't be running off every other day on missions.

"No, nothing so formal, but I would like to be able to call you in on the occasional mission that might require your talents and anonymity."

Duo and Hilde exchanged looks.

"We might be interested, but there's a catch."

"A catch?"

"We work as a team or not at all."

"I see." Lady Une glanced from one to the other. "I believe I can deal with that."

"Good." Duo stood up and Hilde joined him. "By the way, are you free on Saturday, two weeks from now?"

"Uh, I don't have any plans, why?"

"Hilde and I are getting married. We thought you might like to come to the ceremony. We're having a small reception after, bring Mariemaya, too."

Lady Une laughed.

"I'd love to come to your wedding, and congratulations!"

"Thank you," said Hilde winking at the older woman. "I can guarantee it won't be a boring evening."

"Knowing Duo, I'm sure it won't be."

*****

"Whew! What a night. I hope I never have to witness that kind of behavior again." Hilde Maxwell threw herself onto the king-size bed without bothering to remove her wedding dress or satin shoes.

"Ah, come on, it wasn't that bad."

Hilde sat up and stared at her husband of a few hours in disbelief.

"Don't tell me you missed Wufei trying to dance."

Duo locked the door, then removed a small device from the inside pocket of his jacket, placing it on the door.

"He wasn't dancing, he was doing a strip tease, there's a difference."

"Oh God," Hilde covered her face with her hands. "It's even worse than I thought."

"What are you talking about? We got him off the table, and with most of his clothes on too."

"Didn't Heero threaten to shoot him?"

"Yeah, well Heero threatens to shoot everybody sooner or later." Duo shrugged. "That's actually pretty normal behavior from him."

"Spare me from his abnormal behavior then." She flopped back on the bed momentarily before popping up again. "What about Quatre, don't tell me you missed that?"

"Quatre? What about him? He seemed perfectly okay to me."

Duo's back was to her, playing with the small keypad on the device he'd stuck to the door, so she couldn't see his face, but she could tell by the tone of his voice that he was evading the question. Or trying to.

"Duo, He drank five glasses of the punch I know you spiked then proceeded to wander around the room talking into one of his shoes like it was a cell phone and telling knock-knock jokes that made no sense to anyone who would listen and a few who wouldn't."

"Don't worry, Trowa's taking care of him."

"Trowa! The man who tried to perform a trapeze act from the chandelier? Right over the buffet table?"

Duo turned around, blushing. "I know, I know, but he was pretty good wasn't he? He didn't even break anything."

"Duo."

"Yes?"

"What are you doing to the door?"

"Just making sure we don't get any unexpected guests during the night. I mean, our friends aren't exactly ordinary."

She rolled her eyes. "You can say that again." She flopped back on the bed.

"Hilde, you did have a good time didn't you?"

"Yes, Duo, I did."

Duo finished setting up the alarm and walked over to lean over his wife. His wife. Looking down at her he could hardly believe they were married. The drunken antics of his friends aside, he'd never been happier.

"Hilde?"

She opened her eyes and gazed up at him, a small smile curving her mouth. "What is it? You look so serious."

"I love you."

"I love you, too." She traced the edge of his black tux. "Don't you think you do something about that?"

"Yeah. As a matter of fact I've got a whole strategy built around it."

"Really? Care to let me in on this Strategy?"

"Sure, it goes like this .." He leaned down to smooth his lips over hers. "The rest of the strategy gets more and more .. in depth."

"Ohhhhh." Hilde wiggled as Duo's hands cupped her breasts.

"Why don't we discuss this strategy in detail, just so you fully understand it."

"Yes, yes, please."

Duo grinned and put his strategy into action.