disclaimers...... not mine...... and Wu Fei may be a bit out of character a little bit... sorry true Wu Fei lovers and I was feeling a bit weird when I wrote this too.....

2. If You're gone

chapter 3

wrong words said.......

Sally rubbed her eyes and stood up, stretching. It had been hours, or at least it seemed like that. She pulled the printout from the printer and gazed over it. She nodded and rushed from the room.

WuFei was walking down the hall way, to meet her, when he saw her rushing toward him.

"Wu Fei! I've found the toxin! As soon as I administer the antidote, he'll come around, then you can talk to him." She hurried by him.

He turned and watched her go.
She turned around and stopped, asking, "Well, are you coming? I haven't got all day and I would like to sleep sometime in the next 24 hours!"

He blinked and hurried to her side.

She looked at him, "He should start to wake up as soon as I inject him." She looked at her watch. "I promised Heero and Hilde I would release them today. So, I'll do this then let them out. I'll leave you to the prisoner."
WuFei didn't say anything. He was in quiet shock, listening to her babble on.

"Wu? Are you ok?" She asked as she looked over at him.

He blinked.” Yes, I am fine."

"You sure?"
He nodded and wished he hadn't said all those things to her but his pride would not let him apologize.

They walked on through the hall until they came to a secure room. Sally pulled out her identification and showed the guard, as did Wu Fei. The man saluted they crisply and let them pass.

She pulled the syringe from her pocket and pushed it into his IV.

"He should start to wake up in a few minutes then you can have your chat with him.......And WuFei use some tact, please." She placed her hands on her hips as she looked at him.

He barely looked at her but nodded.

"Ok, I'll be back later, I'm going to release Heero and Hilde."
She looked at him and when he didn't answer, she turned and left the room.

Wu Fei watched her shake her head and leave. He sighed. Why couldn't he give in a little? He knew what I t was.... his pride. And it may be the death of him yet.

~~~~~~~~

Hilde sat on the bed, listening to Duo rant about her being in danger and being pregnant and how she needed to quit the preventers. She looked at her hand in her lap, not wanting to look at him. Her shoulder ached and she didn't want to have this conversation, even if it was one sided. His side, not her's. She sighed and looked up at him.

"No, I won't quit till Sally says I have to.... I'm not a field agent like you are, Duo. It was just a fluke! I can't help it that we had two agents out with the flu and I had to fill in. I'm a paper pusher, desk jockey. I can't get hurt doing that!"

"Hilde! It's not about...."
"Yes, it is! You..... I .....Oh, I don't know......"
"Hilde!"

She shook her head.” Sally will be here in a minute. Can't we talk about this later?"
He glared at her, then turned and went out the door. She sighed and looked at the floor,” I love you ,Duo. But why do you do this now?" She blinked away the tears that were forming in her eyes. A few trickled down her face, when she blinked at the door to her room opening.

She quickly rubbed her arm over her eyes so the person entering wouldn't see them.

"Hilde? Are you alright?" Sally asked as she pushed the door open. She had seen Duo stomp out a few minutes before.

Hilde swallowed and whispered, "Yes.."
Sally came over to her and put a hand on her shoulder." What did he say?"

"He's mad cuz I won't quit the Preventers."
Sally rolled her eyes, "He just wants to protect you, Hilde. Doesn't he realize you are safer here than at home alone? Do you want me to talk to him?

Hilde shook her head.” I think I'll get go home and rest. I'm kinda tired."

Sally smiled,” I understand. Hang in there, Hilde. He’ll come around." Sally helped her off the bed.” I have some pain pills for you to take if you need them. And I'll get someone to take you home."
Hilde nodded as they walked from the room. Sally lead them to the desk and started to talk to the girl behind the counter.
Hilde looked at the floor and said nothing.

Duo leaned against the wall and watched the two girls as they stood by the counter. He watched Hilde, noticing the sad and hurt expression on her face. He looked at the floor and kicked his foot out, almost tripping the man walking up.

"Maxwell! What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Have you seen Sally?"
Duo jerked his thumb in the direction of the desk.

"Ah... So why are you here and not over there taking care of your woman?"

"We had a fight."
"Over what?"
"Working here."
Wu Fei frowned and shook his head. "You told her you didn't want her working here, right?"
Duo looked up, surprised at WuFei's easy deduction.

"Don't be foolish, like me, Duo."
"I want her to stay safe."
"She’s safer here because you can keep your eye on her."

Duo looked up at WuFei.

"Huh?"
"Hilde does paper work, right? She keeps track of every little bit of money and acquisitions that go in and out of here. Hell, she issues you your guns when you go on a mission."

"I guess your right." Duo turned to walk down the hall to talk to Hilde but in that moment they were both gone from sight.

"Where did they go?"

"Go home, Duo. I'll bet that is where Sally sent her. I think she was suppose to release Heero and Hilde today, right?"

Duo nodded, his mind preoccupied.

WuFei gave him a little shove and made him go on his way.

He watched as Duo disappeared through the exit.

Now to find Sally and have her come with him to interrogate the prisoner. The man was still in a stupor from the drugs he had been given.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hilde thanked the preventer who gave her a ride home and walked wearily in to small house that she and Duo shared. Une had provided the house as part of the deal to get them to come to Earth. She went to the sink with the tea pot in her hand. She filled it with hot water and put it on the stove. She looked in the cupboard for the box of tea they had. She didn't realize how much she was handicapped until she tried to do the things she normally did.
She sighed when she realized she couldn't get the tea down and turned off the pot.

She set the pills Sally gave her on the counter and went into the living room. She sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. At least she could turn on the TV. She watched for a little while till she drifted off to sleep.

Duo slipped into the house, trying to be as quiet as possible. He wanted to talk to her but he didn't want her to throw something at him. He walked through the kitchen and saw the teapot on the stove. He reach out and touch the side of it, feeling it was slightly warm. He frowned. He opened the cupboard and saw where the tea was. He sighed and pulled it down. He resolved to put everything with in her one handed reach. He turned on the pot and pulled a cup out of the other cupboard. He went to the refrigerator and pulled out the honey. He listened till he could hear the water boiling. He opened the teabag and poured the hot bubbling water over it. Then he put in 2 tablespoons of the honey in the cup. He stirred it, then picking it up he went to find Hilde with his peace offering.

He found her stretched out on the couch, sleeping. The remote was dangling from her fingertips, almost ready to fall. Duo set the cup of tea on the end table and plucked the remote from her fingers. She moved slightly as Duo knelt down in front of her.

"Hilde?" He asked, Softly. He reached up and touched her face. "Hilde?"
"Hmmm?"
"Wake up, babe. I have some tea for you."
Hilde opened her eyes to see a concerned Duo looking at her.
"Oh, Duo......" She said as she tried to sit up. Duo reached out and grabbed her hand, giving her a small tug, sitting her up.

He handed her the cup and slid up next to her. He slipped his arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Hilde. I shouldn't have asked... no... told you to quit from the Preventers. I was wrong, babe. I was wrong. And I..."
Hilde leaned on his chest and looked up at him. “Shh... It's ok, Duo. Sally and I had a talk... you were just trying to protect me."

"Well, I think you can stay if you want.... but in your condition I think you should decline any missions. I wouldn't want anything to happen....."

She turned to him and looked up , wincing slightly as she bumped her injured shoulder.

"I would never jeopardize our child, Duo. Never in a million years! But just because I’m pregnant, doesn't mean I can't do my job!”

“ Or wounded. " She added after a moment.
He pulled her close and kissed her.” Don’t I know it! Babe? Do you feel up to going out to eat or should we order in?"
"Don't you have to go back?"
"I suppose, but Wu sent me home. He'll cover for me."

"You're talking to him?" Hilde asked, with a shocked look on her face. “Oh my god! Duo!"
"He he. Yeah, he gave me an earful. And you know what, babe. He was right. I love you too much to be so stubborn over something so silly. Now if he would put aside his pride and apologize to Sally..."
Hilde sighed,” I know, but his pride is important to him."
Duo pulled her close and said, “Yeah, well, pride can't keep ya warm on a cold night or give you something to hold on to when you need it. If I ever become that stupid again, just smack me, ok?"

Hilde laughed, "Hmmm, ok, sounds like fun!"
"Hilde!!!!"
"Let's eat in, shall we?" She said as she leaned into him.

"OK." He said as he leaned toward the phone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WuFei found Sally standing by her desk, looking through a file folder.

He watched her, as she stood in front of him. He swallowed and tried to bite back his pride. In his heart he knew he was wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. He was surprised she could be civil to him. Maybe she still loved him, but she was a stubborn as him, not giving in.

He smiled, knowing that eventually one of them would crack and he was sure it wouldn't be him.

He rapped softly on the door.
Sally looked up at him, and smiled. “Hey, Wu."
He stepped into the room and walked up to her.
"Sally, Would come with me and monitor my questioning of the prisoner?"
She frowned,” I though you were going to talk to him when he woke up?"
"He's still very incoherent."
Sally frowned,” Really? That stuff should have brought him around right away." She slipped the file in a drawer and looked up at him. She looked over his face and sighed, softly. How she wanted to kiss him, but she wouldn't give in. If he wanted to be stubborn so could she, too.
“Well come on, let's see what the problem is."
They left the room together.

To be continued................

Ok well that was just terrible……. Gack!

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