As usual, I don't own GW. I DO own the main characters in this section (Esmerelda Christine Maxwell, and Robert Cross), and I do own the story line.. but all else belongs to Sunrise and Bandai.

Follow My Heart Chapter Two

By Caliko

"Death, boy, is too good for you. If your smart, you'll take your hands off my daughter!"

"Fuck." Robby muttered, resting his forehead against Esme's. Silently, he lifted his hands up off of her shoulders and turned towards his boss. "Hey, Duo. We're home, safe and sound." He joked, his voice filled with dread.

"Yeah, I can see that." Duo swaggered down the steps and came closer, stopping when he was face to face with the little punk. "That still doesn't tell me why you had your hands all over her."

"I was happy to see her?" Rob tried, wondering how much the older man had heard. "We um.. know each other."

Duo/Shinigami laughed a mean, evil laugh that sent shivers down his spine. His eyes darkened, the violet almost turning black with hidden secrets. Slowly, he advanced, stopping within breathing distance from the younger mechanic. Suddenly, his hand shot out, grabbing hold of Rob's dark blue t-shirt and pulling him away from Esme.

With a grunt, he threw Rob against the wall, never letting go of the thin cotton. Towering over the boy, he grinned, letting his eyes get cold.

"I heard." Slowly, he lifted him into the air by the shirt, then pulled his other arm back. His fisted hand came flying toward his jaw, crashing into the young man's slight dimple. "I have a good idea of how well you two know each other." he muttered, loosening his grip.

He watched, dispassionately as Rob sank, dazed, to the ground.

Esme jumped forward, and pushed Duo away from her boyfriend. Swallowing, she mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Daddy, he doesn't know yet! You can't just beat the crap out of him for something he doesn't KNOW about!"

"Sure I can." Her father sneered, setting her aside. "He shouldn't have touched you in the first place!"

Shinigami was in complete control, ignoring the yanks of mental awareness flashing from Mature Duo. He strode forward, stopping when Esme stood in front of his victim. Annoyed, he narrowed his eyes and tapped his foot, waiting for his daughter to move aside.

"Daddy.. give me a minute with him." She ordered, standing firm. "I won't have you chasing him away."

"Oh, he's not going anywhere." He smirked, stepping closer.

"POP! Go!" Esme stomped her foot, pointing back up to the stairs.

"How do you plan on stopping me, little girl?" He grinned, amused as he took in her five foot nothing frame. "You couldn't stop a flea."

"I'll tell Mommy." She met his eyes, triumph glimmering in her violet depths.

"I'll wait in the kitchen."

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"What was that about?" Robby mumbled, watching as the former pilot climbed the stairs. He couldn't believe that he was still breathing.

Sinking to her knees in front of him, she waited till he looked at her. Then, wincing, she shrugged.

"I don't have that much time, Rob. If we take too long, he'll be back down here, and the whole world will know what's going on. Oh, damn.. I didn't want to just blurt this out!"

"What?" Rob was suddenly afraid by the way she was acting. :::Was she dying, or something? Is that why Duo is so overprotective of her?::: "Sweetheart, we'll get through this, whatever it is! What's wrong?"

Meeting his gaze, she bit her lip, then spoke. "I'm pregnant."

Robby blinked, unsure that he heard her right. "You're what?"

"You heard me, Rob. You can't say your surprised, considering that you were the one who pointed out that we didn't use protection!"

"I'm going to be a father..." His face was blank, the news too new for him to tell how he felt.

"Yeah. And my father is on the warpath." His girl admitted, tilting her head to the side. "You don't know how hard he's hounded me for a name, Rob."

He shook his head hard, almost dog-like as the news began to sink in. Duo's actions were becoming all too understandable. :::I'm a dead man.:::

"I'm going to be a father." He repeated, pushing up to his feet. "I guess we should just get this over with." He braced himself against the door, then moved to follow Maxwell up the stairs.

"Are you nuts? Rob, Leave! Go home! He'll KILL YOU!" She put herself between him and the next step, gasping as she found herself flung over his shoulder.

"He's not going to kill me, Ez." Rob reassured her. "At least, not until I've married you."

He had decided that the news didn't change anything. Months of hard work, of saving every spare nickel he had just to get a shuttle ticket to the colony only enforced his earlier decision. Esme was still the woman for him, and he still wanted to marry her. :::Now, if only Duo will let me.::: He thought, opening the kitchen door.

He had never been in the house before, and let his eyes wander about the room before they rested on Duo. Carefully, he let Esme slide down off of his shoulder, ignoring her glare. Then, kicking his shin, she muttered, "You should have ran.".

As if she sensed the tension in her house, Hilde came into the kitchen, standing in the doorway, watching as the two men squared off of each other. Meeting her daughters eyes, she gaped when Esme nodded, patted her belly, and lurched her chin at her husbands newest mechanic.

"Him?" She silently mouthed, shocked.

Esme nodded again, then grabbed a slice of cold pizza from the box in front of her. Using it to point at her soon to be deceased lover, she frowned as a slice of pepperoni fell to the floor.

"Mama, have you met Robby yet?"

"This morning. Duo, what is going on?" Hilde asked her husband, determined to see how she could salvage this.

"Nothing much, Babe. Just planning a wedding, then a funeral." Duo growled, never taking his eyes from his future son-in-law. "I figure a nice little ceremony at home will do."

"I'm not getting married, Dad." Esme interjected, finishing her pizza. "It's been a long time since a woman was scorned for being an unmarried mom. Besides, I still haven't decided whether I was going to raise this child. I'm only seventeen, after all!"

"Wait.. wait.. HOLD UP!" Robby growled. "I'm NOT letting my kid be raised by strangers! If you don't want him, I'll raise him myself!"

"Well, I'm not letting my grandson out of my house! If your raising him, your living here!" Duo insisted.. "Esme, if you don't want to raise him, you'll have to find somewhere else to live."

"Fine! Then I'll leave!" Esme growled, getting up to march to her room. Suddenly, Rob's hand was clamped around her elbow, pushing her to move faster.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Duo said, following.

"To talk in private. Now go away!" Rob closed her bedroom door in his face, then leaned against it. Looking up, he met Esme's shocked gaze, then gave her a lopsided grin. "It was too crowded in there." He reasoned, shrugging.

"Open that door and get the hell out!" She shrieked, finally gaining her voice.

"What she said!" Duo's voice came from the other side of the wall.

Rob pulled the door open once more, glared at Duo, then slammed the door shut again. Then, he turned the lock and stood up straight. Glancing at the flimsy lock, he shook his head, then pulled her heavy wooden dresser to block the exit.

Smirking, he walked toward her, determined to let her know that she couldn't intimidate him.

Steadily, he came, coming closer until she was pressed against the wall. Then, smiling, Rob kissed the tip of her nose, before pulling her hard into his arms.

"Marry me, Esme. Even if it doesn't work out.. we owe it to ourselves to try."

"Good start!" Duo's voice came through the door again. "Esme, listen to him!"

"Duo, GO AWAY!" Rob lowered his voice to a whisper, wondering if the God Of Death could still hear. "We can live at my apartment." He bribed, refusing to even consider living in the Maxwell residence.

Esme was tempted. He could see it in her eyes. Still, she shook her head. "Couldn't we just live together?"

"Not if you want me to live much longer."

"It's a big step, Rob." She shook her head, denying him yet again. "I really think we should wait awhile before deciding this."

"Esme, your father isn't giving us that option, and I agree with him. Sweet heart, we're having a baby! Kids deserve both of it's parents!"

"Getting married for the sake of a child is wrong."

"So is refusing to marry someone you love just to piss off your father."

She glared, then looked away, embarrassed that he had read her that easy. After a few minutes of staring out her window, she sighed, then met his gaze. "Promise me, if it doesn't work out, that we'll get divorced before we start to hate each other."

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TBC