That waist-length brown braid, those violet-blue eyes, the slight but pleasant
     rasp to his throaty voice... The first time she met him she had known there was
     something different about him. She couldn't understand herself or her feelings:
     Duo Maxwell was a damnfool loudmouth obnoxious American who didn't know
     when to be serious, laughed at everything and kept up a running commentary
     even in the heat of battle, very likely the most annoying person she had ever
     known. But on the flip side, that could be one of his most endearing traits! His
     eyes kept her awake at night and haunted her dreams when he was not there with
     her. Why did he always hold himself away from her? She turned over, trying to
     escape the sweet torture of his eyes, his voice resounding in her ears and mind.
 
               *****As usual, he gave no hint of his approach. He knew where all the
     noisemakers were on this lake bank below this oak tree with fern-covered roots
     and he took care to avoid them so as not to wake her up just yet.
               There she was, sleeping on the ground cushioned by soft grasses, pillowed
     by moss, covered from the waist down with a light blanket of tiny woven reeds,
     silky nightgown shining in the patches of moonlight that drifted down through the
     leaves above and dappled them both with odd shadow patterns. He was more
     than a little jealous of the nightgown-it was so close to the girl he loved and now
     he could never be. Duo knelt beside her and brushed the bangs that had fallen
     across her face away: the trailing ends woke her and her blue eyes opened and
     widened in recognition as a smile formed on her face.
               "Hilde." It came out in the choked whisper that was all he could manage.
     "Hilde, I'm so sorry."
     Hilde only looked him, the smile replaced by a puzzled and worried look that
     spoke a wordless question to him. He touched her lips gently with two fingertips,
     an indication of silence.
               "Hilde... I'm not certain how I can tell you this but I have to- I won't be
     coming home today." At the girl's shocked look he forced himself to continue
     although his voice was bringing tears to her eyes. "They caught me, Hilde,
     escaping with Deathscythe... They left me no choice and... I had to
     self-detonate." Duo felt the tears in his own eyes as he watched Hilde's, reading
     shock, denial... and finally belief. He had to tear out his next words, "I'll- I'll miss
     you," as he drew her yielding form to him, brushed the tears that had begun to
     flow freely down her face away, kissed her forehead, until the sun's golden edge
     rolled over the horizon. Then he rose, reluctantly letting go of Hilde and turning
     away, walking across the surface of the lake to a silhouette he knew too well.
               "Duo!" He looked back. Hilde stood on the shore, reaching out to him.
               "Hilde..." The cry was wrenched o of him, but he turned once more to
     continue on. "I have to go, Hilde. We both know that. nd you know I love you."
     He climbed in, walking Deathscythe into the fiery line where the deep, cool lake
     met the rising sun. Hilde's sobs pursued him.*****
 
               "Duo, don't leave me!" Hilde woke, gasping and sobbing. No, it could't be
     true. He was supposed to come back today. But she remembered, as though
     seared into memory, the pain and loss in everything about him, his lips on her
     forehead, the strength of him holding her. And she recalled his words as his
     silhouette walked into the sun. She looked out over the oak tree outside her
     window to the sun, halfway above the glittering lake horizon, a sad smile coming
     to her face. So Duo did love her after all, and had come back to say goodbye.
     "Goodbye, Duo Maxwell."