"No......Duo!!!!!!!!!"

Heero watched in agony as the beloved Shinigami fell from the sky, and a burst of flames as it hit the deep blue water beneath them. Heero lunged Wing toward where Shinigami was sinking and opened the cockpit. he jumped into the water and swam over to the Gundam. He dove under the water, which was now beginning to chill, and swam toward the cockpit. He managed to get it open and pull out the pilot. he swam Duo up to the surface, and once he was on shore, carried the unconscious braided figure over into their car, and sped away.

At the hospital, Duo was rushed into the E.R and stitched up. He had a concussion, a few minor bruises, a broken arm, and was left with collapsed lungs on a ventilator. When he was brought into I.C.U, Heero was told he could see him. Heero walked into the room, and glared the machines that his beloved Duo was living off of. He just wanted to tear all of the tubes from his motionless body and rush out of this morbid place. He walked over to the bed and pulled up a chair. He held Duo’s hand close to his heaving chest, hoping he would wake up. He started to remember the first time they saw each other.

It was when the braided boy had caught him trying to blow up his gundam. He remembered the two bullets he was delivered from this comical guy, and grimaced. He could remember Relena trying to protect him, but the last thing he wanted was protection from this creature that made his heart bound like never before. At the time, all he wanted to do was run over to the boy and tell him how much he loved him, even if his pain was caused by this new-love.

He awoke and found himself in the same position, this boy was the one who had hurt him again, but this time, only one would come out unscathed, physically. He felt the sudden jerk of Duo’s hand and looked up into the deep pools of violet that no longer contained the laughter he lived for. Instead that place had been filled with a warmth and pain that made Heero’s heart constrict in agony. He reached up placed a calloused hand on the braided boy’s soft cheek, and a single tear trickled down his face.

Duo looked into his eyes, and murmered something only for Heero’s ears. "I know the inevitable will happen, and so, I wanted to take my last chance and tell you.." before Duo could finish, Heero raised a finger to Duo’s lips, silencing him. Duo shaked his head and choked back some tears. "No, I have to say it. I love you, Heero. Always have. Please, remember me."

Heero’s stoical mask faultered, and he began to tremble uncontrollably. Duo raised a hand to Heero’s face and wiped some of the saline liquid from his face. Heero held the welcoming hand to his face and leaned in to kiss it. The soft skin brushed against his lips, and he felt the cold thump of something on his neck. He reached down and pulled out the silver cross and looked at it as it gleamed in the sunlight that was pouring into the room. He unclasped it and placed it in Duo’s hand. He curled his fingers around it and kissed the knuckles of the boy that called himself Death.

Duo looked at the small pendant in the palm of his hand and kissed it, then returned it to Heero, shaking his head. "Iya, you keep it. Remember me by it." Duo closed his eyes, for the last time, and whispered in his oncoming sleep. "I love you Heero, now, let me go."

When Heero’ ears got the whispered message, he whispered in solemn sadness at the ceiling. "Naze? Naze Duo-chan? He didn’t deserve to die." He felt Duo’s hand go limp and the last breath escaped his lungs. Heero pulled away and then leaned in to kiss his forehead. After he had clasped the crucifix around his neck, he knelt beside Duo, and said a few words to his silent figure.

    Alone, am I bound to this pain,
    As the rain pours around me,
    I whisper a soft melody,
    Deliver me,
    Loving and caring,
    Deliver me,
    The cross that I’m bearing.
    And drift sweetly into the night,
    And soar, among the wistful clouds,
    Within death’s shroud.
    Please, save a place for me,
    In the diamond sky.

Heero stood back up, and walked out of the room. He met the other pilots out in the wating room and returned a nod to Quatre’s questioning glance. The Arabian pilot bowed his head, and started to cry. Trowa leaned over and held the blond haired boy in his arms. Wufei walked over to Heero and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Gomen, Relena is in the office waiting for you."

Heero glared and clenched his fists. She was the last person he wanted to see right now, but he knew he had to see her. He walked out of the room and down a corridor into the office. He saw Relena pacing in the room as he opened the door.

She started, and turned toward him. Rushing over to him, she didn’t dare embrace him because she could see through his stoical glare and noticed the hurt in his cobalt eyes. "How is he?" she asked.

Heero bowed his head, and whispered. "He’s gone."

Relena placed a hand on his shoulder and was almost startled when he didn’t pull away but actually fell into her arms. He started to cry and moan into her chest. "I’m sorry, Heero, I know how much he meant to you." her last words made him pull away and look at her with a questioning glare. "I knew, Heero, I’m not blind. And plus, you can’t hide anything from the person that loves you."

Heero looked at her, why was she telling him this now?

"You’re probably wondering why I said that. It’s because it’s true, and even if you don’t love me, doesn’t mean I can’t love you. I’ll always be here for you. Don’t be afraid to ask, I won’t ever criticize."

Heero leaned back into her chest, and she stroked his hair. Trying to comfort him.

At the funeral, Heero had recalled what Duo had said when he died.

~*~*~*~*~

"Ne, Heero, when I die, I don’t want a funeral. I want you all to just bow your heads and recite your last words to me, ‘cause I know you’ll have a long paragraph to say about me when I die...Ch’ you might not get to say it all. But what I really want is to be cremated and let go into the wind where we first kissed, that way I’ll always be part of the Earth that you walk on, the air that keeps you alive, and the scene in the park, where we belong."

"I promise you’ll get that."

~*~*~*~*~

Heero silently said to himself, "God lifts our heads and points up to where we belong." Everyone recited his poem, and Heero was left to shed the ashes.

Relena was the last to leave. "I’ll wait for you." She whispered then walked away.

Heero held the urn up to the sky the brought it back down to rest on his chest. He opened the lid and poured the ashes out and as the wind blew they scattered around the tree where they expressed their love to each other for the first time. "I’ll live, with or without you. My love." And as the sun sets he walks back and never glances behind him.

Relena stood near her car, now painted a light blue, and in her black skirt she stood out and the colours of sunset poured on to her. Heero walked over to her. "Thank you." he said as she opened the door for him. He stepped in and sat down, Relena climbed in next to him.

"Pagan, go ahead."

The car drove off in a leisurely manner. Relena looked out her window and watched the blood red sun set in the cobalt sky. Heero closed his eyes and listened to the soft sound of her breathing as they drove. When they arrived at her estate they filed out of the car and went inside the large house. Relena gave him the keys to his room. and headed off toward her office. Heero walked into his room and sat down on the bed in the room. He picked up the phone and called Wufei.

The phone rang and Quatre picked up. "Moshi Moshi."

"Quatre, it’s Heero. I just wanted to say that I’ll be staying the night at Relena’s and I’ll come home tomorrow. K?"

"Yeah, sure. See ya then." they hung up and Heero leaned back onto his bed. Drifting in to sleep, he started to recite the poem he told Duo when he died.

    Alone, am I bound to this pain,
    As the rain pours around me,
    I whisper a soft melody,
    Deliver me,
    Loving and caring,
    Deliver me,
    The cross that I’m bearing.
    And drift sweetly into the night,
    And soar, among the wistful clouds,
    Within death’s shroud.
    Please, save a place for me,
    In the diamond sky.

After he had fallen asleep, he felt the slight touch of someone’s hand on his shoulder. He woke up and looked around him, then, instead of seeing azure eyes he saw deep violet. "Duo!?....." He must be hallucinating.

Then he heard the voice. "Ch’ and you’d think the Perfect Soldier would figure out my scam."

Heero grabbed where the hand was and sure enough felt skin. He took the hand and pulled. Bringing the boy closer.

"Nani? You don’t think it’s me, do ya? Well, maybe this will assure you."

He felt lips pressed against his and recognized them to only be Duo’s. He grabbed the pilot and held on to him closely. "You bastard." Heero whispered into his ear. "Naze?" he asked.

"Because, I had to play dead, that way OZ thought there were only four of ya left. I was only benefitting you guys."

Heero looked up at him. "You hurt me."

"I know, but that poem was beautiful. I cry very time I repeat it in my head."

Heero looked at Duo then pulled him into the bed next to him. "I love you."

"I know." Duo replied. "And I’ll deliver you, from all of the sadness, and all of the madness. I’ll live with you, forever."

And they sang the song softly, as they drift into sleep in each other’s arms.

    Deliver me,
    Courage to guide me.
    Deliver me,
    Strength from inside me.
    All of my life,
    I’ve been in hiding,
    Now that you’re here,
    Now that I’ve found you,
    I know that you’re the one to pull me through,
    Deliver me.
    Oh, deliver me.