A Dead Man On A Wedding Day (Part 2)

Earth, One Week Later

"Normally, I don't like to see Trowa interacting too much with . . . the past," Catherine admitted as she conversed with Hilde. "I couldn't let this slide by without helping though." She tried to put on a big, bright smile. "Trowa and I are more than happy to help you. We can't do much from here, the circus isn't like a hotel, but we can gather supplies and help how we can."

"Yeah." Hilde didn't say much to Catherine. She seemed like a nice friend to Duo's friend, but there really wasn't much at all she could do. Heck, she knew the only reason they were there is because Duo wanted to see Trowa. He wanted to get everyone involved, because he wanted to find whoever had put her in that predicament. In his mind, it made sense. Find the person responsible, make them pay, and no one else could hurt her again. Maybe so, maybe it was just one person who did it and nothing else would happen ever again. But? It just didn't feel right. It was one strange way to ever get revenge.

Hilde knew the risks she faced staying with Duo. Both of their pasts, they weren't pristine. Duo's though, his was like a hurricane compared to the wind she stirred. Still, she had put her life on the line more than once. She wasn't going to end a friendship just because someone had a beef against Duo and wanted to use her. She was trained to deal with whatever had come her way. In fact, she was even better than in the war. Once Duo realized that the past wasn't going to always give them a peaceful life, he willingly wanted to train her in some of the ways he'd been trained so that she'd be safe.

This wasn't done in a fight though. This was done over some surgery table, probably when she was getting her tonsils out that kept making her so sick. Done without her knowledge. By the doctor? By a member of staff? How? None of it comforted her, none of it. Yet, still. Duo didn't back down, he was helping and staying with her. She wasn't going to abandon him either. Even if the whole reason it happened was some petty revenge against Duo. It might even be against her. Either way? They'd get through it.

Staring at this girl in the frilly cute circus outfit really didn't help much though. Still, she'd be polite. Make eye contact. Smile. Then wait for Duo to come back.

---

Trowa's dressing room

"No cameras at all?" Trowa asked concerned from his own computer. He was still in costume for the next act, but at soon as Duo came, he had to see him. Quatre had contacted him earlier. They'd been trying to find some kind of footage of what happened. The day of a surgery that Duo's friend had would be the best day for something to happen. As higher up as Quatre may be in the colonies though, and no matter how good their hacking skills?

Someone had erased the entire surgery footage. The entire hospital's footage for that day was now gone. Someone knew Duo would look into it.

"What good is getting the drop on me if you don't leave yourself some prints for me to find you?" Duo complained. "Someone dumb enough to get away with this should be that ignorant." Duo sat down in the extra chair. "Quatre is trying to get footage from the colony itself since the hospital footage is gone. Anyone going in that day that has no appointment or no job."

Trowa glanced over to his friend. That posture. The words Duo said were positive but his position was one of defeat. He even had his head bent down so he could see nothing but his dark baseball cap. Being a former Gundam pilot, Trowa knew how he felt. The war was over, but the revenge and the consequences would continue with them for the rest of their lives. "Are you really staying with the woman on Earth and going back with her with the child? Back to the Junkyard?"

Duo lifted his head, looking out from beneath his cap. "I don't know who it is, but the last thing I'm going to give them? Is the impression they defeated me. I don't care if it grows up calling me Uncle Duo, I'm not leaving Hilde with my mess."

Trowa had to do it. He knew Duo was in a mood, but simple reasoning shouldn't be forgotten. "Are you sure it was revenge against you?"

"It could be revenge against her," Duo said, sinking his face away behind the cap again. "Me or her, it doesn't matter, it's not ruining our lives."

Trowa was quiet for just a little longer. Usually he was the more quiet one, but Duo wasn't giving up information or being half as communicative as he usually had been. He usually spoke over half the time. Now, if Trowa didn't question, move the conversation, he just sat there. It wasn't like with Quatre. This silence felt . . . strange. "Boyfriend?"

"I know her better than anyone, and she knows me better than anyone," Duo answered Trowa. "I know when Hilde has a boyfriend, and even when she hides it. She wasn't in a relationship, Trowa."

Trowa gave a slight nod.

"The doctor has a great reputation, all videos show nothing where he's been less than professional. I hate people who think they know everything, but he's legit. I even scoped him out myself, including his nurses." He crossed his arms. "There's a place I won't be invited back to anytime soon. Fine by me."

So general force was probably ruled out.

"Someone went in while she wasn't even conscious, and messed with her." Duo's voice was sharp. "They won't get away with it. I don't care if their own brother fell by my hand in the war."

They would fall by Duo's. The God of Death would strike. Trowa couldn't blame Duo. Dealing with revenge was never easy, but when someone used the ones you dared to care for in the plot? The whole justice and peace ideals sometimes moved away. "There should be peace in the colonies and on Earth. Even the Gundams are gone, Duo."

"Deathscythe died out in the sun, but it still lives on someplace else." Duo looked straight at Trowa. For a moment, Trowa swore he almost saw the vision of the Gundam Deathscythe in Duo's eyes.

Trowa looked back toward the computer. Whoever did it had enough power to keep their resources from being discovered. "Losing one more life after the countless you took won't help."

"Oh yeah?" Duo pulled himself up. "Nice sisterly friend you got, Trowa. What if while you were practicing one day, she walked in and gave you the same news? I know revenge against one does nothing." He stood up. "It doesn't change how much you personally want it."

Catherine. Suddenly becoming pregnant at her age? In the Circus. "I assume I would be angry," Trowa agreed. "If it was revenge though, I would have to remember that. That somehow, during the war, I struck someone first. They were getting what they felt they had the right to get."

"No one had the right to do that!" Duo lashed out. "Yeah, I know. I know." He looked out from his dressing room tent and into the stars above. "Whether I take someone's life away or not, it doesn't make me feel better or solve the situation. Its pointless bloodshed and we've been through it all. Patched up what we could. Revenge shouldn't even be gracing my lips." He looked back toward Trowa. "It's fresh, this wound, and it doesn't heal. They made it a living wound for her." He straightened up. "And if they are sick enough to go after my friend for revenge in this way, instead of facing me head on, then how do I know this is far enough for them?"

Trowa made no motion. He understood. Not only the fresh feeling of the torn wound they ripped open inside of Duo. They also tore into the fear that without finding them, they might do something more to Hilde. "Your weakness and your strength is the same. Did you teach her how to fight better?"

"Plenty," Duo said, still staring outside. "There's no way any doctor is working on her without me present in the room anymore. With her fighting skills, and my presence as back up, this'll be the end of it." He seemed to take a longer breath. "The God of Death really wants to lose it, Trowa. If this person who does this to her, messes with her again? There's no peace contract or law on any colony or Earth that'll stop me."

There. Duo was getting better again. "If we find them, they will face the justice system."

"Fine, but if they hurt her again?" Duo started to walk off. "They will face my justice system."

Trowa watched one of the few people he could consider a friend, walk off.

"The anger he feels in not doing anything," Quatre said as he approached Trowa's dressing room tent. "The betrayal. It must have felt so . . . different. Enough to set his ideals back to the war." Quatre looked toward Trowa. "I knew he'd be okay, even he knew killing would solve nothing." Quatre looked back outward. "Still, Trowa. It's worrying. Why would anyone choose revenge in that way? It doesn't feel right."

"That is what worries him," Trowa said. It didn't make sense. Not really. Even coming after his friend to kill her would make more sense than getting her pregnant. It felt like a frustration move, but too much planning must have gone into it to be simply frustration. It felt like there was something more to it.

---

Hilde looked over Catherine's shoulder while she listened politely, until she saw Duo coming back into their tent. "Duo."

"Hey there, Hilde." He strolled over. "So we are going to be shacking up in a decent hotel tonight, if that isn't a problem? Won't be forever, though, promise. Not living on the road, just needed to talk to Trowa." He looked toward Catherine. "Hi there again."

"A hotel is fine by me," she agreed.

"Great. You want room service or to go pick up a pizza?" Duo asked.

"Pizza." Definitely. Some normality back in their lives. She'd always wanted to visit Earth, but wow. She could feel how different it all had been. The situation. The people. All she wanted to do was find a place to hunker down and have a good old-fashioned pizza.

"Awesome." Duo held his hand out toward Catherine. "Later."

Hilde waved politely too but moved right behind Duo. A pizza. "We should get some soda, and maybe watch something too." That'd hit the spot.

"Now that sounds like a plan I can get behind, Hild."