Author: Deathangelgw

Disclaimer: I don’t own the sexy braided one.  So don’t start!  BUT! I do own the OCs.  So myeh! ;P

Warnings: AU, OCs, angst, dark, sap, lime, violence, language, *sighs and cringes* death.

Rating: NC-17 for violence and content.

Pairing: 2xOC

Timeline: between episodes 6-8

Note: This is the end of this fic series.  And no, there won’t be an epilogue.  Thanks to everyone for keeping up with this.

Feedback: weeeeeeeeeellll…

‘thoughts’

Duo slowly woke up in the early dawn.  He frowned slightly in thought as he tried to figure out what was wrong as he turned towards the window.  Stretching, he felt the semi-warm spot that Jenna had just been and frowned more.  Opening his eyes, he saw Jenna standing by the window.  A twinkle in her hand caught his eye as the rising sun hit whatever she was holding before she closed her hand.  She sighed softly and looked briefly out the window, then placed the object down and looked over to the bed and her lover.  Duo looked back at her and smiled softly as he patted the bed invitingly.

Returning the smile, Jenna padded over to the bed and slid under the covers, cuddling close to him.  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer as they snuggled in the early morning, neither saying what they wanted to.

Finally, Jenna murmured very softly, “Today’s the day.”  Duo grunted a soft affirmative as he rubbed her back tenderly.  She cuddled closer to him, trying her hardest not to cry as she whispered, “I wish you wouldn’t go.”

Sighing sadly, Duo replied tenderly, “We both knew this day would come.  We can’t just…forget who we are.” She sobbed slightly and hugged him tightly.  Blinking back tears, Duo rubbed her back gently as he whispered softly, “The war must get taken care of before lives can be lived.  But…” He looked down at her and brushed her tears away as he continued, “We can look to the hope of being together.”  She looked up at him, her face and eyes shimmering with tears.  He looked into her eyes, then leaned in.  Their lips met in wordless need and they moved together as they made love for the final time.

*~~**~~*

Lt. Brelow stood with his hands behind his back as he silently watched his squadron prepare to attack the Gundam that had escaped them five weeks ago.  He frowned as he remembered where they had found signs of their prey.  His hands clenched into fists. ‘One would think family would be loyal,’ he thought darkly to himself as he thought of the woman who had lied.  Even though her brother had been an OZ officer, she still had harbored the enemy.  Looking over as he heard some cursing, the lieutenant watched the officer that had both been with him that day and had informed him of the enemy.  He frowned even more as the man cursed at his MS. ‘That one I will have to watch carefully,’ he thought to himself.  He had specific orders from Lt. Zechs himself…no civilian loss.  Just the enemy.  Eyes narrowed, Lt. Brelow made a promise to watch that one.

Hearing a throat clearing behind him, he turned to see a nervous looking ensign.  Smirking reassuringly, the lieutenant returned the salute.  “Yes ensign?  What is it?” he asked softly.

“Sir.  All suits have been made ready and loaded.  We await your orders,” the ensign reported as he stood stiffly before the lieutenant.

Smiling, the lieutenant said, “Excellent.  Ready the men.  We must go hunt for our prey.”  The ensign nodded and saluted again.  Turning back, Brelow watched with satisfaction as the soldiers assembled before him. ‘The greatest way for revenge is for her to watch him die,’ he thought in satisfaction.  No civilian life…he could handle that.

*~~**~~*

Jenna looked around the woods as they walked to the grove where the Gundam Deathscythe was.  Sighing softly, she listened to the sounds of nature as they walked down the near invisible path.  She smiled sadly, then looked over at the one whose hand her fingers were laced with.  As if sensing her gaze, Duo turned his head and smiled at her.  They looked into each other’s eyes for a brief moment, finding mirrors of their sadness, hope…and unspoken love.  They looked ahead and came upon the grove with the hidden Gundam.

Silently, they took the protective mesh off of the suit.  Duo then climbed up to the cockpit.  Jenna stayed on the ground, watching him and crossing her fingers as Duo popped in the last repaired control board.  Taking a deep breath, Duo did the sequence to start Deathscythe up.  To their delight, it started right up and Duo stood it up.

Whooping in delight, Duo climbed down and swept a giggling Jenna into his arms.  They hugged each other tightly, realizing that the time had come.

*~~**~~*

“Lieutenant!  We’ve detected a signal! It’s the Gundam!” The same nervous ensign ran to Brelow’s side as he told his report.

Brelow looked sharply at the youth and nodded.  “Excellent. Tell the pilots to ready themselves and send them the coordinates.  Is my suit ready?” he asked and the ensign nodded and saluted.  Brelow returned the salute, then headed for his Aries.

Once inside, he got it started, then turned on his com.  “Alright men.  We’re taking this Gundam down.  No matter what.” His voice was soft, but confident.  Unseen, all the pilots nodded sharply in acceptance.  Suddenly, the doors opened and they one-by-one took flight, zeroing in on their target.

*~~**~~*

Jenna and Duo held each other for what seemed an eternity.  Pulling back, he looked into her eyes and smiled sadly.  Her eyes filled with tears, but Duo leaned in and kissed the tears away.  Holding her close, he whispered tenderly in her ear, “Thank you…my love.”  She sobbed softly and buried her face into his shoulder as they held each other in sorrow.

Suddenly a beeping came from Deathscythe.  Turning around in alarm, Duo whispered, “What the…” Looking up in horror, he saw two troops of Aries mobile suits flying towards their location.  Cursing, he turned to Jenna and pushed her in the direction of the path, then ran to his Gundam.

“Duo!” Jenna cried out, then screamed as a barrage crashed around them.

“Get back to safety, Jenna!” Duo screamed, then powered up his scythe and launched into the air.  Slicing through two suits swiftly, he looked down and saw, to his relief, that she was heading back to the house.

The battle went on, Duo keeping the upper hand, but at a cost.  For every suit he destroyed, five shots got him.  Soon, there was only a handful left, but by then, Duo was slowing.

Lt. Brelow watched the enemy in amazement. ‘200 suits…down to a handful.  And all by one suit,’ he thought in a mixture of disgust and ironic awe.  Suddenly, he heard a shout to the right of him and turned.

The soldier who had been with him that one day snarled in evil glee.  “Time to pay, BITCH!”  he screamed as he aimed his missile launcher.  The lieutenant watched in horror as he saw the target.  Cackling, the soldier fired a missile at Jenna’s house, where he had just seen Jenna run in.

Duo watched as if in slow motion as the missile flew towards the house he had come to call home.  The house exploded and there was silence as Duo watched, shaking and wide-eyed.  Softly, as he closed his eyes with tears in them, he whispered, “No…” Then, eyes filled with fury and anguish, he attacked, screaming, “NOOOOO!!”

The soldier turned in time to see Deathscythe come at him.  Blinding fire swallowed his scream as his MS was cut in half and exploded.  In blind fury, Duo destroyed the remaining soldiers before they could react.

Panting with his efforts, he then flew swiftly down to the burning building.  Landing, he didn’t even wait to settle before tumbling out of the cockpit and running towards the wreckage.  “Jennnaaaa!” he screamed as he ran in and began searching for her frantically, searching through piles as he went, dodging any flames.

Suddenly, he gasped and stared in horror.  Dusty, Jessie, and Angel lay together, dead, having been crushed by the debris.  Tears rolled down his face as he wept for the three furry companions he had come to love.  Taking their bodies gently over to a stable area, he then resumed his search for Jenna.

Running into the living room, he called for her as he searched.  Suddenly, he heard a soft moan.  Looking over at the area it had come, he saw a hand sticking out of a pile of debris.  “Jenna!” he cried out as he ran over and began pulling beams and other debris off of her.  His eyes wide as he fell to his knees next to her, Duo fought any tears that threatened as he gently put his arm under her shoulders.  “Jenna….c’mon….don’t die on me!  Hang on!” he whispered, his voice thick with tears as he gently shook her, trying to get her to wake up.

Moaning softly, Jenna turned her head slowly towards the sound of his voice.  Cracking her eyes open, she whispered faintly, “Duo?  You’re…here?”

Duo’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at her glazed ones. ‘No…I can’t lose her!’ he thought wildly as he held her closer to him before answering, “I’m here sweet one.  Now hold on.  I’ll get you to a hospital and you’ll be just…fine.” His voice choked as he saw her smile slightly.

She coughed and then looked at him as a small trickle of blood rolled down her chin.  She smiled again as she replied faintly, “Duo.  I know I am dying.”  He let out a slight sob as he held her and she slowly lifted a hand and caressed his tearstained face.  Softly, she said, “Duo…don’t give up.  Keep fighting and move on.  Please…don’t forget me.”

Duo kissed her, whispering brokenly, “I could never forget you…my love.”

Her face lit up at this and she caressed his face again.  Dropping her hand, she fished, with great difficulty, around in her jeans pocket and pulled out a necklace.  Finding his hand, she laced their fingers together, threading the necklace between them.  Duo brought their hands up and looked at the necklace.  It was a gold chain with a heart intertwined with a rose.  He looked at her as she whispered even more faintly, “I want you…to have this.  A symbol of my….love.”  She smiled up at him one last time as she said on her final breath, “I love you…Duo.”  Her eyes closed as her head rolled to the side.  Duo stared for a minute at her peaceful face.  Slowly, he brought her close, shaking.  Then, throwing his head back, he screamed in anguish and despair, grief and sorrow shaking his body as he sobbed, holding the broken body of the woman he loved.

*~~**~~*

The rain fell in a gentle mist, soaking the young man in black as he stood before four mounds of dirt.  White gardenias and roses were clenched in his hand as he stared hollowly at the four graves, face wet with tears and rain.  Closing his eyes in anguish, he remembered her soft laugh, her pale green eyes, her gentle touch and smile.

“Don’t forget me….I love you…Duo.” Her words echoed through his head as he slowly put the flowers on the biggest grave.  Her grave.

Standing up, his hand came up and threaded with the necklace he now wore.  Softly, he whispered a vow.  “I will never forget, my love.”

Turning as he heard a mission come in from Deathscythe, Duo slowly and resolutely walked back to his Gundam.  Seeing what his mission was, he sent his acceptance, then prepared for take-off.  First, he knew he would have to hook up with Howard to get repairs.

His mind went into autopilot as he finished his pre-flight, but his gaze never left the four mounds.  As the rain began to fall harder, he took off.  As he left the ones he had lost behind, he softly made another vow.

“Never again.”

Owari