"What the hell were you thinking Duo!?" Heero asked
angrily "The mission was a failure because of you!!"
Wufei, Trowa and even Quatre glared at Duo.
"You wouldn’t understand anyway Yuy!" Duo spat "I...I
just couldn’t let them destroy that church..."
"You don’t let your religion get in the way of the
mission" Heero lectured
"You don’t let anything get in the way of the mission!"
Duo shouted "You just don’t understand " He said
frustration coming through his normally cheerful
voice. He turned away from his fellow pilots as a tear
rolled down his cheek. He made for the door shaking
with anger and grief. As soon as he got outside the
door he wiped the tear away ashamed. He walked away
from the safe house and turned down the nearest alley
and kept walking until he was sure no-one could see
him. 'Mama said big boys don’t cr...ahh to hell with
that' he slid down the wall sobbing, blinded by the
hot salty tears which streamed down his face. The
church had brought back so many memories...so many
painful memories...He hurt so bad but not from any
physical wound or injury; it was as if he could feel
his heart breaking and the pain was unbearable. He was
so overcome with anguish that he never saw the five
figures walking down the alley towards him.

   Heero had seen the tear roll down Duo's cheek just
before he left. The others had seen it too. He felt so
guilty for lecturing Duo. Suddenly Quatre grabbed his
chest and collapsed to his knees. Trowa was at his
side instantly
"Oh God Tro...it hurts so so bad" Quatre cried
"What hurts Quatre? Were you injured? Trowa asked
urgently looking the blonde up and down.
"Its...its...Duo! He’s hurting so much, his heart...I"
Quatre looked up tears streaming down his pale cheeks
"I...can feel his heart breaking" Quatre sobbed "Oh
God Trowa we have to help Du..." Quatre doubled over
as a new wave of pain washed over him, he jerked his
head up to look at the others, eyes wide with fear.
"He’s being attacked!!" with that Quatre fainted. Trowa
caught him and laid him gently on the couch.
"I’m going to go find him" Heero shouted grabbing his
jacket "This is my fault" Wufei ran after him
"You go that way" Wufei directed "And I'll go this
way"

   "Big boys don’t cry" came a mocking voice from
above. Duo looked up sharply to see Zechs standing
over him sneering. Duos heart was beating rapidly.
"C'mon Stand up when I'm speaking to you" Zechs
commanded "And don’t bother reaching for that gun!" He
laughed when he saw the boys hand drop to his side and
him begin to raise. The other four men pointed their
guns at him. Zechs walked up to him and grabbed him
roughly by the throat holding him tightly. Duo gagged
and reached up to pull the hand away but he wasn’t
strong enough
"Kinda pretty for a boy" He leaned towards Duo. Duo
struggled to get away more tears spilling from his
eyes but this only served to amuse Zechs

   Heero reached the alley just in time to see Zechs
grab Duo by the throat. Inwardly he was seething but
on the outside he was calm and composed. He fired a
shot from his gun hitting the wall near one of the
soldiers. That got their attention Heero noted with
satisfaction
"Let him go!!" He stated in his usual monotone, his
cobalt eyes murderous, his face expressionless.
"No!!" Zechs said "But id advise you to get out of our
way if you care for your friend here" Heero held his
ground until he saw Zechs nod to one of the guards who
lowered his gun and without any hesitation shot Duo in
the leg. Duo stumbled crying out in agony. His full
weight fell onto Zechs' vice like grip on his throat.
He started gasping and choking for air
"Okay, okay" He said dropping his gun. He knew he had
to tell the others and his presence was endangering.
He looked Duo in the eye apologizing over mad over for
what he was about to do, then he dashed out of the
alley as the guards fired at his back but they were
too late

   Duo was shocked that Heero would just abandon him.
Thankfully Zechs had released him and he was now
sitting on the ground pain shooting up his leg.
"No matter" Zechs said "We still have this one. Pick
him up" Duos hands were tied behind his back and he
was hoisted up onto the shoulder of one of the guards.
He whimpered, tears stinging his eyes. When they got
on the shuttle he was tied to a seat and taken to one
of the OZ bases

   It had been days since the kidnapping and Heero had
not left his laptop, constantly searching for clues as
to Duos whereabouts but to no avail. He barely ate and
slept even less. He refused to give up. He felt like
he was to blame for what had happened to Duo
"Heero! Heero! Come quick...its Duo!" Quatre shouted
from the other room. Heero leapt from his chair not
even noticing when his laptop fell on the floor. When
he got to the other room he looked in the direction
Quatre was pointing...the TV
"Just days ago, one of the notorious Gundam Pilots was
caught by Specials Officer, Colonel Zechs Marquise. He
has been interrogated but we're not sure as to how
much information has been retrieved" came the
reporters voice "We're now going live to the
interrogation room" The picture changed and instead of
the reporter Zechs was standing on screen.
"Gundam Pilots, if you want your friend to stay alive
then I order you to surrender and hand over the
Gundams"

   He stood to the side revealing a figure slumped
forward in a seat. Zechs walked over and grabbed him
and grabbed a fist of his hair pulling up his head.
Duo grimaced but did not cry out. His eyes met the
camera for a second before he looked away. His face
was drenched in sweat and his right cheek was bruised
badly, he had scratches all over his face. He was so
ashamed that the others would see him this, he bit his
lip biting back tears. His eyes blinking rapidly.
"Do you have anything to say to your...friends?" Duo
raised his head looking directly at Zechs.
"Yea I do!" He said tears beginning to fall "I’m sooo
sorry you guys...d...don’t waste your time trying to
save me...I'm not worth it...I wont tell them anything!"
defiance shining through, but then much quieter, but
still loud enough to be heard by the viewers "I’m so
sorry Heero...I lo..." his words were cut off as Zechs
lashed out.
"That’s enough!" He said knocking the chair back. Duo
cried out as the chair fell to the floor crushing his
arms in the process. Just before the camera changed
Zechs could be seen bending down and whispering
something to Duo, which caused the teen to start
trembling violently

   "Well..." started the reporter, not sure what to
say "and now back to Ken with the rest of today’s news"
Viewers everywhere were shocked by the brutality of
OZ. The Gundam Pilot was, after all just a young boy.
They were overcome with a feeing of intense pity for
the boy who had just poured his heart out to the nation

   Quatre sobbed openly, burying is face in Trowa’s
shoulder, while Trowa held him tight comforting him.
Wufei was staring open mouth at the screen and Heero
looked horrified. He just couldn’t forget Duos last
words..."I’m so sorry Heero...I lo..." 'Oh Duo, you
don’t have to be sorry it’s me who should be sorry...I
love you too...' Heero collapsed to the floor from
complete exhaustion.