Disclaimer: Don’t belong to me. Neither Gundam nor the song “Sweetwater, Texas.”
Other disclamer: What timeline? Bwahahahaha!!!!
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Ain’t as easy as it looks
To grow flowers in the dirt
All of my friends are living underground

It had been a routine mission. Just get into the base and steal the blue prints for the newest Mobile suit model. It shouldn’t have been any problem, especially for a trained thief, like Maxwell. Of course, no mission was ever what it seemed. I knew that. *Still,* I thought, glancing at the clock, “He really should have been back by now,” I said, finishing my thought out loud.
Quatre sighed, glancing up from the magazine he was reading. “I’m sure he’s fine. But if it’ll really make you feel better, take your Gundam out and look for him.” Suddenly, a mischevious look came over his face. “Why are you so keyed up, anyway? Do you _like_ him, Wufei?”
I glared at him. He started laughing. “I’ll take that as a yes. Go on, get going, you’re driving the rest of us crazy.”
“Quatre, this is serious! I have a really bad feeling!” I knew I was whining, but I didn’t care at this point.
“Woman’s intuition?” Quatre continued to tease.
“Quatre! The last time I had a feeling like this-” I stopped.
“Yes?” Quatre said, sitting up, finally realizing that I wasn’t joking.
I continued, more softly. “The last time I felt like this...was right before Meiran and all the others were killed.”
Quatre’s mouth formed a silent “O.” After a moment, he said, “... Go. Now. Head straight for the base. I’ll grab the others, and comb the area between here and the base.” Having made that decision, Quatre turned and strode quickly down the hall in the direction of the bedrooms as I turned and sprinted for my Gundam.

Put away your wedding ring
Out on highway 63
Let all your worries
Take their place in line

I was pushing Nataku to her limits, making her go as fast as she could go towards the base. When I was still a mile or so away, I saw the explosion, about a mile off to my right. I saw it- Shinigami go up in smoke before my eyes! “SHIT!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. Normally I didn’t swear- it was not gentlemanly. But this- this was not a normal situation. “Fuck you bastards! If he’s dead, I’ll kill you all!” I screamed, covering the distance in a little under 10 seconds. I was in a haze as Nataku’s arms shot out and grabbed Leo suit, one after another...as I shot out missles, completely obliterating the base along with the last of the Leos.
I jammed my hand down on the hatch release button, grabbed a first-aid kit, and shot out of the portal, hitting the ground and sprinting for the smouldering wreckage of Shinigami.
“Gods, Maxwell, if you’re dead, I’ll kill you myself!” I yelled, as I began digging though the sharp edges of various machine parts. I cut myself several times, but I didn’t give a damn.

They love to tear you down (down down)
Livin in this sweet soul town
Fall into the sound~

I found him, then. I found him, and I wished I hadn’t, because there was no way he could make it. I knew it- but I chose to fool myself.
“Hang on, Duo. I’ve got a first aid kit here.”
He chuckled softly. “Hey, Wufei, when’d you become such an optimist?” he said, voice hoarse. Half his face had been badly burned...it was so wrong, to marr his beauty like that, to take away his voice with a searing burn. I took stock of his injuries...deep gash in his side, shallower gashes in his chest...two broken ribs, at least, I could see the white, stained with blood, of two bones poking through his face...one leg was cut half off, the other smashed beyond repair...and, of course, the terrible burn to his beautiful face. It was almost sacreliege, to destroy a face like that...death was beautiful. Or it was supposed to be.
“Wufei- I- I know you’re gonna hate me for this, but you gotta hear it.”
“Shut up. You’re wasting your stregnth.” I said. For some reason, I had trouble saying it. I realized that my face felt damp. Could I...be crying? I began unrolling bandages...so many wounds...
“No. You;re wasting bandages. Wufei, please, listen to me. I have to tell you this before I go.”
“You’re not going anywhere! Fuck death, it can’t have you!” I yelled. “...You are death...” I repeated more softly, voice dying to nothing.
“Wufei...you know better...” he whispered. “Nothing to be done. Just listen, before it’s too late. I...love you. With all of my heart. Don’t you ever forget me, Wufei, or...death will come for you. Promise you won’t forget me?”
“I...promise.” I said. I suddenly noticed that rain had just started to fall, after Duo’s words. It numbed me...outside...inside...I could feel nothing. Is this what Heero felt? “And I-”
“Thank you,” he interrupted me, pressing something into my hand. His eyes fluttered shut. “So tired,” he whispered. “I just want to sleep...” the breath trailed off into...nothing.
“DAMMIT! MAXWELL, YOU SON OF A BITCH! FUCK YOU! CHIKUSHO! BAKA! MOTHER FUCKING JERK! BAKEMONO!” I screamed into the wind and rain, running through my entire swear vocabulary in both English and Japanese. Suddenly all the energy left me, and I leaned forward, placing my head on his battered chest. “You didn’t let me tell you that I loved you.”
One eye fluttered open, and he took a last, shuddering breath. “You didn’t have to,” he said, with just a ghost of a voice. I realized, dimly, that a rib probably punctured one of his lungs. “I knew. Bie Liao.”(1)

A place to hide and room to move
My electric boogaloo
Don’t you worry, the circus is in town

Heero was the one to find me, sitting there in the rain and holding Duo’s cold body. He pried me, gently, away from Duo, and carried me gently, like a baby, to his Gundam, where he radioed for the others to stop looking. Heero began to strip me of me wet clothes, with the intention of wrapping me in a blanket from his first-aid kit.
Suddenly, I fell out of my stupor. “Let me alone, Heero!” I screamed. “Let me go back out in the cold, where I can’t feel anything. Let me go back to the ice world! Everything I’ve ever loved has died. I must be a curse! Please, let me die!!!!!” (2) Heero watched me impassively for a minute of so, while continuing to pull my clothes off while ducking my flailing limbs. Then the very deliberately drew back his hand and slapped me hard, twice- once across either cheek. I froze, then clamed down, going limp. It wasn't worth fighting for anymore. Nothing was.
Quatre arrived a few minutes later, and got Duo’s body. Heero was holding me, trying to warm me up, while at the same time diverting power sources from Wing to boost up the heat.

A week later was Duo’s funeral. I couldn’t help but think that Duo might’ve appreciated all the people in black. They lowered Duo’s body into the cold ground. And that was the last time I ever saw Duo Maxwell.
The war also ended that day- how ironic. I remembered how Duo had such a sense of irony...and I also remembered the tape that he had given me, right before he died.

As I listened to the sweet strains of a girl singing to the boy she loved who didn’t return her love, I realized it- Duo had known that he was going to die, and he had gone anyway, for his death would lead to peace. For the first time since I had realized- truly realized- that Duo was dying, I broke down and cried.

They love to tear you down (down down)
Livin in this sweet soul town
Fall into the sound~

And I could never forget the sweet, sad sound of a girl singing to her love who didn’t love her back.

[A LITTLE FALL OF RAIN

The song Duo left to Wufei

Eponine:
Don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
You're here, that's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain will make the flowers grow.

Marius:
But you will live, 'Ponine - dear God above...
If I could close your wounds with words of love...

Eponine:
Just hold me now, and let it be.
Shelter me, comfort me...

Marius:
You would live
A hundred years
If I could show you how
I won't desert you now...

Eponine:
The rain can't hurt me now
This rain will wash away what's past
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
I'll sleep in your embrace at last
The rain that brings you here
Is Heaven-blessed!
The skies begin to clear
And I'm at rest
A breath away from where you are
I've come home from so far
So don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
That's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain
Will make the flowers...

Marius [in counterpoint]:
Hush-a-bye, dear Eponine
You won't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt you now
I'm here

I will stay with you
Till you are sleeping
And rain
Will make the flowers...

[She dies. Marius kisses her, then lays her on the ground.]
Marius:
Grow.

(1)Ranma reference- apparently is Chinese for “We shall never meet again.” Thought it fit the situation, plus Wufei is Chinese.
(2) Reference to Van’s dream in the “Last Herald Mage” trilogy.
Roku: OK. OK. I know you all hate me now. I had root beer. Weird things always happen when I drink root beer. And I had just finished tearing my hair out at some very frustrating math. (I gave up.) You can flame me if you want- ouch! That’s hot! What do you think you’re doing, Duo?
Duo: You killed me in a fiery blaze. Call it the revenge of the Dead Guy formerly known as God of Death.
Roku: ^^; *puts on fireproof suit* OK, now I’m really ready for flames. Remember, they will be FWDed to the nasty boy from camp. Oh, yeah, while we’re on titles, anyone have “Wufei’s immunity to Duo’s screams”? (See “Rain”.)