[Hours later... at the safe house....which was actually a small two bedroom cabin in the middle of nowhere]

Inside the safe house, Quatre is sitting in a chair by Duo's bed waiting for the unconscious pilot to wake up, he had a worried look on his face, although Duo's wounds turned out to not be too serious, they were serious enough to cause concern from the other pilots.

While cleaning Duo's wounds and checking for any broken bones, Quatre had found that Duo had three cracked ribs and one broken one, a fractured wrist and a head wound. The gash in his arm had lost a good amount of blood and had required stitches. Trowa, who had done the stitching was glad that Duo was still unconscious at the time, he knew how childish Duo could be about that kind of thing. Heero, who was standing in the doorway to the room, was watching the braided haird pilot and secretly hoping that he was going to be All right, he was worried about the other boy's physical state as well as his mental state, apparently so was Quatre, cause he was the first of the two to speak.

"I know what you were thinking Duo....I know what was going through your head when you saw that missile head for that church...I know how badly you wanted to stop it from hitting the church Duo...and I know how devastated you must have felt when you failed to stop it." Quatre said to the unconscious pilot, his voice was as always so full of passion and pain. "But Duo...you mustn't blame yourself for what happen to the people in that Church...there was nothing you could do about it...there wasn't anything that you could do stop that missile from hitting that church today...and there wasn't anything you could have done back then either." Quatre said as he gently and passionately talked to his friend, he was hoping that Duo would understand what he was saying when he woke up and that he wouldn't blame himself for what had happened today.

Heero had been listening to everything Quatre had said to the unconscious boy lying on the bed and he wondered what he had meant by "there wasn't anthing you could have done back then either".

Heero slowly, almost hesitantly he walked over toward Duo's bed.

[Music....soft instrumentals playing in the background....no lyrics at this point]

Quatre had know that Heero was there in the doorway, but he chose to ignore him and focus on Duo.

That is until he heard Heero's question.

"What did you mean when you said "there wasn't anthing you could have done back then either"?... why did Duo react the way he did to that Churches destruction, to the death of the innocent people that died in that church?...why would you think that Duo would blame himself for what happened to that church today Quatre?" Heero asked the young blond haired pilot who was now staring at him with questioning big eyes.

Quatre was taken back by Heero's question **why dose Heero want to know....why would he even care...Heero doesn't care about anything but completing his mission's....so why would he want to know why Duo reacted like he did to the destruction of that church today....what is up with him...it's almost as if....as if Heero might actually care about what happens to Duo...no...that's impossible...Heero Yuy...actually care about another human being....I must be exhausted...either that or I actually died in that last battle and this is some weird paradox ** the normally gentle and understanding blond haired pilot thought, then he looked directly at Heero, his eye's held a mixture of confusion, compassion, worry and suspicion.

"Why do you want to know Heero?" Quatre asked, he was more than a little suspicious and he wasn't sure as to why Heero would even bother to ask this question.

Heero looked at Quatre for a few seconds before he answered, he kept asking him self why he did want to know ** that's a good question...why do I want to know?...why do I even care?...what is it to me to want to know why Duo had reacted the way he did?....why dose my heart ache so much right now? watching him as he lies there unconscious...why do I feel the unmistakable urge to gather that longhaired Baka in my arms and just hold onto him and never let go?...why indeed do I want to know what Quatre had meant by "there wasn't anything you could do back then either" ?...why dose that one statement suddenly haunt me?...what had actually happened in Duo's past?....What kind of life did he actually have before he became a gundam pilot?...why do I even care?....Grrrr!! what the hell is wrong with me?!** Heero thought to himself as questions flooded his mind and his brain kept wanting answers. Heero sighed and then answered Quatre's question.

**sighing** "Because...I want to know why Duo lost control the way he did during the mission today...I want to know what it was about that church that seemed to cast a dark shadow on Duo...so that it doesn't happen again the next time were on a mission" Heero told Quatre, he hadn't realized that he sounded as if he was only thinking about the mission and how to stop it from happening again during battle.

Quatre, who had heard every word Heero had said, glared at the perfect solider he couldn't believe that the only reason he wanted to know was because of some damn mission. ** The mission...that's all he cared about...not Duo's well being or state of mind...but some damn mission....and here I thought....I thought that maybe Heero had started developing feelings for Duo...goes to show you how wrong you were Quatre!" ** Quatre told himself, he was more than a little disgusted with Heero at the moment.

Quatre stood up, walked over towards the door and before he left the room he gave Heero an Answer.

"Why don't you figure it out yourself Heero....after all you're the perfect solider are you not...why don't you see if you can figure out what it was about what happened with that church today that caused Duo so much anguish" Quatre said to his fellow gundam pilot he had a hint of anger in his voice as he had spoke, then he started to walk out of the room. "I'll be back later to check on Duo....try not to kill him or anything...just incase you were planing to cause your afraid he might mess up your next mission." Quatre said quite rudely and totally not Quatre like, then he left the room closing the door behind him and then went to join his beloved Trowa and Wufie out side.

Heero could tell that Quatre was angry with him, and then he realized how his answer to Quatre's question must have sounded to the smaller blond haired pilot.

"Baka..." Heero said to himself, then realizing that he was the only one left in the room with Duo, he walked over to the chair that Quatre had been seated in, and then sat down next to the braided haired boy and watched as the unconscious boy's chest rose then fell in rhythmic breathing. "Why did you react the way you did today when you saw that missile head for that church?....was it because there were innocent people in it?...or was it because of what Quatre had said?....what happened back then Duo?...what in your past could cause you such agonizing pain today?" Heero asked out loud as he watched his fellow gundam pilot and friend. ** why does it bother me so much to sit here...and watch him...lying there unconscious....why did it feel like my heart had been ripped out of my chest when I saw him in his gundam...slumped over the controls...unconscious and bleeding?...what is this strange feeling that I keep getting when ever I'm near him lately?...what?...what could it be? ** he thought to himself, he was totally confused about the strange feelings and emotions that he felt inside his chest whenever he was around Duo, or whenever he knew Duo was in trouble.

Heero's thoughts were interrupted when her heard a low, soft moan coming from the bed, he looked at the beautiful looking creature lying on the bed and saw that he was starting to stir.

"Duo?..." Heero questioned, he wasn't sure if the braided haired pilot was regaining consciousness, or if he was just dreaming.

Heero watched Duo as he groaned a little more, then he saw that his eye's were starting to flutter open... slowly.

[Music...soft, gentle instrumentals...slows down a bit for effect...as the lyrics flow beautifully]

eye's that open slowly
It's so hard to see
I've never seen me an angel
Though I'm trying to believe

[Scene]

Heero watches as Duo slowly awakens, he watches as the other boy's beautiful violet eyes slowly start to open, he could tell that Duo was trying to focus his eyes and see who it was that was in front of him. **my god he's beautiful...why he calls himself death is beyond me....he's more like an angel to me...Baka!...why are you thinking such stupid things...boys aren't beautiful...handsome yes...good-looking of course...attractive yes that too...but certainly not beautiful or pretty.** Heero thought to himself as he tried desperately to figure out why he has been thinking of his fellow gundam pilot that way, his attention was brought back to Duo when he heard the smaller boy gasp out in pain as he tried to sit up.

**Gasp** "Huhumm!" Duo gasped out as he felt pain shoot through his head when he tried to sit up.

"Baka!.." Heero growled at the injured pilot when he saw the other boy trying to sit up. "Lie still!" Heero ordered the longhaired pilot, as he gently forced the boy to lie back down.

Duo, who was still pretty out of it, was wondering why in the heck Heero was there and more importantly, why did he seem concerned about him. **Aw man...why is my head killing me? ...what the heck happened?...where am I?...and why is Heero here and looking like he actually gives a damn about me?** Duo thought to himself as he tried to clear the fuzziness in his head.

"H..Heero?....wh....what happened?.....where are we?....where are the others?...why is my head killing me?...why..." Duo had stared to ask, before Heero abruptly cut him off with a growl.

"Kuso!...don't you ever shut up?!" Heero exclaimed with a growl, more to himself than to Duo.

Duo had stopped talking and looked at Heero, he noticed that the "Perfect solider" seemed a bit more agitated now, but there was something in his eye's that made Duo worry. He couldn't quite figure out what it was, but there was something...**aw shit!...he's gonna kill me...that's what it is....the mission...damn!...I must have screwed it up some how...where the hell are the others?....what the hell happened?** The longhaired pilot thought to himself, he had a distinct hint of fear in his eyes as he put on his cheery mask that everyone was use to.

"Umm...only when I'm sleeping Heero" Duo told his fellow gundam pilot as he put on a cheesy grin that made him wince in pain as it caused the bruise on the side of his face to hurt.

"Not even then....you talk in your sleep too" Heero informed the smaller boy, as he walked over to the bathroom noticing that Duo was in some pain, then he stopped and looked back at Duo, then spoke again. "Don't move...and don't try and get up!" Heero ordered the other pilot with the long chestnut braid. "I'll be right back." Heero stated before he went into the bathroom, leaving a very confused and suddenly frighten Duo.

Duo watched as the dark haired pilot disappeared into the bathroom, he was thoroughly confused about alot of things at the moment, one of those things being his fellow gundam pilot's odd behavior. ** What in the world is going on here?...what the heck was that look he just gave me?...I have definitely never seen that look before....au man what's he gonna do to me?** Duo thought again, his mind was racing with all kinds of questions and no answers, he had noticed that his whole body seemed to hurt, but couldn't remember much about how he got injured, except it had something to do with their last mission. **Geez....I must have really screwed up that last mission...and now Heero's going to kill me so I can't mess up the next one....oh man where are Quatre and the others?...why can't I remember what happened?** Duo continued to try and remember how he had gotten injured and if they had completed the mission or not, he was also trying to figure out where Quatre and the other's were when he saw Heero emerge from the bathroom, he had heard alot of noise and shuffling going on in there like Heero was looking for something, then he noticed that he was carrying a glass of water and a pill bottle, his normal emotionless face was back in place.

"Here!.." Heero said as he shoved the bottle at Duo, he still held onto the water.

Duo gave Heero a questioning look, as all kind of things ran through is slightly foggy head. **What's this?....oh great....he's gonna kill me by drugging me first....then while I'm unconscious...he's going to smother me with the pillow...I always knew it would be Heero who would kill me.** Duo thought as he looked at the pill bottle, he could tell that Heero was getting impatient, cause he was making little growling noises.

"Wh...what's this Heero?...what are they for?" Duo asked the slightly taller, dark haired pilot standing next to him by the bed. He was pretty apprehensive about taking them cause he didn't know what they were for one and he didn't know if Heero really would kill him afterwards.

Heero gave Duo an odd look, then scowled at the smaller boy lying infront of him on the bed as he realized that his fellow pilot seemed scared of him a little.

"They're pain pills....they will help with the pain...Trowa picked them up earlier when he and Wufie went to get some supplies....they'll probably make you tired...which is good for both you and me" Heero told the other boy, his voice had sounded a bit harsher than he had meant it to be, but he was trying to cover up the fact that he was starting to care about the longhaired boy with the glorious chestnut braid lying on the bed looking up at him with huge curious and somewhat terrified eyes.

Duo gulp at Heero's last remark and his eyes grew wider at the implications in that last sentence.

"Wh...why would it be good for you too Heero?" Duo asked, he figured he was going to die anyway, might as well ask why.

Heero saw the sudden fear in the other boy's eyes and he couldn't help but give a little quirk of a smile. however Duo had taken that little quirk as something else and he started to babble.

"Aw geez Heero....I didn't meant to screw up the mission...honest!...I don't even remember to much about what happened or how I got hurt and all....you...you don't have to kill me ya know...it wouldn't look to good on your records either....and..." Duo told his fellow gundam pilot, he suddenly stopped when he noticed that Heero was moving closer to him and he started to panic, causing his brain to shut down.

Heero moved closer to Duo, he still had the glass of water in his hands, then he reached down, took the pill bottle from Duo and opened it, taking out two tablets then thrusting his hand out towards the other boy causing him to flinch slightly.

"Take them!" Heero ordered the smaller boy, he noticed that the harshness in his voice and the suddenness of his actions made the other boy unconsciously flinch like he was about to get hit. **Baka!....would it kill you to be at least a little more compassionate towards him...after all he's injured and obviously not thinking to clearly...hell he thinks you want to kill him....I could never kill that beautiful idiot....shut him up yeah...but never kill him....how could I ever expect that this wonderful young man...lying there on the bed... would ever feel anything towards me, especially if you keep acting like you can't stand him....why do I even care how he feels?....what the hell is he doing to me? ** Heero thought to himself as he looked down at the other boy, who was now in a semi-sitting position.

Heero was brought out of his reverie when he felt a soft, slightly shaking hand brush against his. He looked to see Duo take the two tablets out of his hand, then he looked at them before putting them into his mouth, then he held out his hand towards Heero who was still holding the glass of water.

Heero handed Duo the water and watched as the other boy swallowed the pills, then Duo handed the glass back to Heero, before lying back down and looking up at Heero.

"H...Heero?...I..." Duo started to say to the other pilot in the room, he wanted to ask about what had happened, and how long he had been unconscious, but Heero cut him off again with a sharp bark that told Duo he would be better off spending his few remaing hours on earth being quiet.

"Be quiet and get some rest....your going to need it...and I already need a break from your excessive chatter!" Heero barked at the other young man in the room, he could see the hurt in the other boy's eyes. Heero sighed, before leaning down and gently lifting Duo's chin, which the braided boy had dropped down as he looked at his hands. Heero lifted Duo's chin so that the other boy was looking right at him. "Duo...I'm not going to kill you....I'm not mad at you, cause you didn't do anything wrong nor did you screw up the mission...Wufie blew up the Lab....the mission was a success...Quatre and the others are in the living room....were at the safe house in the middle of nowhere...and your head is killing you because....in that last battle...you lost control when you saw a missile from a Mobile Doll heading straight for a church that still had civilians in it and you decided to take on a whole army all by yourself...I'm assuming that, that triggered something from your past and when you couldn't stop the missile and it hit the church....you broke down...we figure that you were unaware that you had been injured...and I'm assuming that's also the reason why your having a hard time trying to remember the last battle now...and the reason why I said that you taking those pills would be good for the both of us is, because....you need the rest and I need the quiet." Heero told the totally stunned young man who was staring at him, total amazement written all over his face at the fact that not only had Heero answered all of his questions, but that he had actually listened to him and he didn't even stop to take a breath.

Heero got up from his sitting position on the end of Duo's bed and headed for the door, Duo was still staring at the retreating figure, he was at a total loss for words, but had managed to say something to Heero before he left the room.

"Arigato Heero" Duo said to the other young man who was about to leave the room, realization as to what Heero had told him about the mission and his reaction to what happened to the church were just now starting to hit him, and he started to cry again.

Heero, who had heard Duo say thank you to him, he assumed because he had told Duo what he had wanted to know and had managed to keep it somewhat gentle, turn around to look at the other boy and had noticed that he was trying to keep from crying out loud and was surpressing tears that obviously need to be shed. In one quick and almost startling stride, Heero was next to Duo by the bed, he leaned down and awkwardly wrapped his arms around his fellow pilot and friend and hugged him. Duo, who was startled by the uncharacteristic action at first, suddenly wrapped his arms around Heero's waist. He just couldn't hold back the tears or the heart wrenching sobs any longer, once he felt Heero's gentle embrace, he let go and cried until he fell asleep, totally unaware of his friends growing attraction towards him.

[music...slow...gentle sounds...as the finale plays...and the final lyrics flow]

And I can't wait to crawl
I can't wait at all
I can't wait to crawl
I can't wait anymore
I can't wait anymore
I can't wait anymore

[Final Scene]

After Duo cried himself to sleep in his best friend's arms, Heero gently unwrapped his arms from around the slumbering boy and slowly lowered him to the bed so he could sleep comfortably, once Duo was comfortable and it didn't look like he was going to wake anytime soon, Heero pulled the blanket up over the sleeping pilot, then leaned down and planted a whisper soft kiss on the other boy's lips, then he headed for the door to the room. Once he was at the door, he took one last look at the other boy for the night as more thoughts sprang into his head. **What in the hell am I going to do?.....how could this have happened?...he's another boy for god's sake...how the hell could you let this happen?...how the hell could you fall in love with your best friend?...more importantly....what the hell are you going to do about it?** Heero thought to himself as he gave one more glance at his friend and object of his affections "What am I going to do about it?" Heero asked himself, then he quietly left the room gently shutting the door behind him and went to tell the others that Duo had awaken and that he had given him some pain medication and he had fallen back to sleep.

[About an half hour later]

While Quatre had gone to stay with Duo and Wufie had gone to bed, Trowa was watching Heero, he had been noticing somethings about Heero lately and today's actions had only added to his suspicions.

Heero was staring at his computer screen, he figured it would help get his mind off of the boy with the long chestnut braided hair, he was wrong. Heero ended up searching for answers as to why Duo reacted the way he did to the destruction of that church during their last mission as well as answers as to how and why he, Heero Yuy could be in love with another boy, let alone his best friend and excessive chatter box.

Heero was unaware that Trowa was now standing next to him, that is until he spoke.

"Confusing....isn't it?" Trowa said to the only other pilot in the room, Heero turned to look at Trowa, if he had been startled, Trowa hadn't noticed it.

Heero gave Trowa a glaring look that bordered on confusion and curiosity.

"What is?" Heero said, his tone of voice was unreadable to Trowa as was his face.

"Love....you never know when it's going to hit...or who it's going to be...but when it dose...it throws you for a loop and you don't know what to do...Love is a powerful weapon Heero....when you find it...hold onto it...and never let it go...even if that love...is for another boy." Trowa told a very stunned and very amazed Heero Yuy in a calm and gentle voice as he headed out of the living room leaving Heero to ponder what he had just said to him.

As Heero watched Trowa leave the room, he couldn't believe that he had said those things. **How the hell did he know?....am I that obvious?...or is it cause Trowa is just very observant?** Heero thought, then he started to think about what Trowa had said **You may be right about all that Trowa...but what happens if the other person you love...doesn't feel the same about you....what happens then?...can you tell me that Trowa?** Heero thought to himself as he contemplated everything that Trowa had said to him.

Just then his laptop beeped, indicating that the search was completed. When he looked at the information that he had been waiting for, his heart clenched once again as did his fists as he read the information about Maxwell Church. Heero Yuy was finally starting to understand things more clearly now about a certain longhaired pilot with amazing wide violet eyes, as well as himself.

Owari