Disclaimer: not mine.

Author's note: hi....sorry haven't been writing much lately, but I'm back, I guess, and writing again. Sorry again. Thank you for being so supportive, K-chan, Leeko, Rosie, Pix, v-ma, and Grud! J and thanx for showing ur concern mama-sama, shadowhawk...but I'm back now after wrestling with some angst demons that decided to roost on my doorstep. *wink* Caro-chan, thanx for saying that u put me on ur author's alert, that made me feel really warm and fuzzy inside!

Okay um, I _believe_ that this is the second to last part on this series. *nods* or third to last, including the epilogue...but it should end soon (readers cheer "FINALLY!!") so I hoped you enjoyed some of my insanity.

 Beta read by Caliko- Thanks a lot Leeko-chan!

"Mmph..." Hilde peered at her ex-boyfriend with angry cerulean eyes, fingers prying unsuccessfully at his clamped fingers.

"Uh uh, babe. You've talked a lot these past few months. You've talked a hell of a lot. Now it's my turn to do some talking, got it?" Hilde glared at him as he sat at the edge of the bed, but inside, she was quivering nervously. He had obviously taken a shower before he had come: the long strings of spaghetti weren't hanging off his braided hair anymore but the sharp spices of the Italian tomato sauce seemed to permeate every inch of his body.

"What are you doing here, Duo?" Hilde snapped peevishly, hauling herself, with some difficulty, to a sitting position. Instead of replying, Duo held up a hand, an eyebrow cocked mockingly.

"All in good time. Right now, I'm still adjusting to seeing you without that film of tomato sauce covering my eyes, so you'll have to give me a while, babe." Duo smirked as a flush of embarrassment and the beginnings of anger mottled Hilde's cheek. She crossed her arms mutinously across her chest, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"Duo..." She said warningly, but he only narrowed his glittering eyes in obstinate rebellion.

"Hilde...babe...shut up." Hilde's jaw dropped and she was about to give him a liberal piece of her mind when he added, "Shut up, or I swear I'll gag you." Her mouth snapped shut and she studied him with angry eyes, arms wrapped around her stomach protectively. There was the dangerous anger that she had seen only once or twice. He had never directed at her before now though...She shivered, watching the face of a vengeful Shinigami, black and thunderous under his cheerful façade.

Mustering her bravado and indignation around herself, Hilde nodded, "Fine, Duo. Start talking. But make it quick, if you haven't noticed, I'm trying to get some sleep!"

His hot eyes burned through hers. "Yeah." He said softly, "That'd be hard to miss, wouldn't it?" She glared, instinctively pulling the coverlet closer around her, but he was already turning away to stare at the far wall. "Okay, here's the deal, babe. Now, you've been avoiding me for what, six months, give or take a few weeks, right? That means you've been angry. Well, that's obvious and its kinda obvious why you've been pissed. But, knowing you, there's more to this than what you're telling me, babe. I mean, yeah, I said some things that were really crappy now I've had time to think about it, but usually, you brush that kinda stuff off. And you've probably figured out by now that Heero doctored the stats on the baby, not me, so..." He glanced at her. "What's up with all this touch-me-not bit, huh?"

"Maybe it's because I really want you to touch-me-not." Hilde shot back, lowering her eyes to stare at her hands, but a finger tipped her chin back. Duo studied her nervous, unhappy features, noting the way she looked at everything but him, and raised an eyebrow. For a moment, he stared down at her with an almost thoughtful expression on his shadowy features, making Hilde squirm a little. This was a new quality for him...this utter stillness. Usually he was bouncing from the walls with excited energy. But now? Her nervousness increased as she watched him.

At length, Duo tipped his head to one side, a slow, seductive grin crossing his features as he bent down to whisper quietly, "Really? Okay babe. What do you say we try an experiment, huh?"
"What?" Hilde's eyes shot up to confront Duo's knowing gaze and she struggled to turn her face away. "Duo! No!"

Before she could say anything else, his lips had captured hers in a bruising kiss. Hilde gaspe d at the strength of his invasion, tears springing to her eyes. This wasn't a lover's kiss...it was a brutal claim, a staking of territory. There was no gentleness in the way he held her mouth with his, his lips were hard and demanding; she felt as if she was being devoured, even as she clung tenaciously to the independence she had fostered within herself all these months.

Tears slid down her cheeks as she lay on the bed with the covers crackling beneath her fingers. Hilde neither resisted, nor encouraged; She hungered for this kiss, but her pride would not allow her to accept it. She didn't want the pain - the constand heartbreak of loving alone. She couldn't be happy with one kiss and a quick goodbye. Hilde wanted Duo to say it! Damn it! Was that too much to ask for?

It was some time before she realized that he was no longer kissing her; his fingers were gliding over her cheeks, streaking the sparkles on them into shining moonbeams. She opened watery eyes to peer at his face through a sheen of tears that she had sworn she would never shed. His face was quiet, almost emotionless as he stared down at her, no longer angry or fierce...but resigned? Hilde's heart leapt, this time in apprehension.

"Duo?" His hand stilled.

He glanced into her eyes then looked away. "I'm hurting you." His voice was quiet, almost dead, causing Hilde to wrap her arms around herself at the sudden coldness.

"Sometimes..." She whispered. Duo winced and Hilde felt his body shudder in pain? Anger? She didn't quite know anymore. She could feel the hurt still running between them, as vicious as any uncertainty, but she didn't know how to respond. The Duo she knew was...had been...always carefree, always living day-by-day with a devil-may-care attitude. He wasn't that way now. His features were strained, eyes a little bloodshot. He hadn't been sleeping, she realized, and it was partially...or if she was truthful, mostly, her fault. But she couldn't help the way she felt.

"Duo...it's late. You should go get some sleep." Hilde tried to keep the trembling from her voice as he lifted his head to stare into her eyes. "I'm tired, you're tired. We aren't behaving rationally right now."

For a second, his old humor lit his eyes briefly before it was gone. "And you've been rational these last few weeks, eh babe?"

Hilde didn't smile back as she lowered her face. "Duo..."

"Yeah yeah, get outta your room, get outta your life...I think I heard the whole shpeel babe." Nevertheless he got up and walked over to the door before he cocked an eyebrow and said, with just a hint of bitterness. "Bye for now babe...hope you don't mind if I use the door this time." Hilde closed her eyes as the door slammed shut, barely managing to keep from running after him. Not that she could in this condition anyway. Better if she just-

Suddenly, her face shot up and she paled, eyes going wide. "Oh no..." She glanced at the calendar, confirming what she already knew. "It's too early..." Pain briefly shot through her in a white-hot lance, leaving her gasping slightly, her fingers clutching at her stomach. "Okay, calm down..." Slowly, Hilde rose to her feet, swaying precariously before she carefully edged towards the cabinet. "All you have to do is reach the pho-" She stumbled, grabbing desperately for the edge of the table, wood splinters biting into her skin.

She gritted her teeth, "Damnit, you wanted to be independent so stop-" She grabbed at her stomach. "Okay, forget this. I'm getting freaked out now..." She hesitated, then the next contraction hit. That did it. Throwing back her head, she screamed. "DUO!!"

 ***

Duo was already half-way down the hall when Hilde's scream reached him. Immediately, he pivoted on his heel and raced back to her apartment. However, the mechanism was such that if you closed the door, it would immediately lock without a key, so...alarm bells went ringing through his head and panicking, he began to pound on the door.

"Hilde!" He slammed his fist against the door, "You okay? I'm here babe, just wait up."

She was definitely frightened. Duo could hear the way her voice trembled as she yelled back, "What are you doing out there? I want you in here!"

"Gee, well that would be nice babe, if you would open up the door!"

He heard a small whimper then her voice called back, "I don't think I can, Duo."

"Awww...crap." He muttered, glancing around futilely. He wished he had thought to bring his lock-pick after he had removed it to take his shower. There was another way of course... "Babe, are you anywhere near the door?"

"No...why?"

"Hold on, I'm coming in."

Going back a few steps he took ran at the door, ramming his shoulder against the sturdy oak panel. He heard something splinter and crack, but there was no visible affects. Gritting his teeth, he repeated the process, again. By the fifth time, it felt as if his shoulder was on fire, but finally, the lock gave and the door swung open, creaking in protest at the abuse it had endured. He brushed the hair from his face in agitation, glancing around the small apartment.

"Hilde? Where are you?"

"In the bedroom. Duo...I think I need a doctor."

Duo found her on the floor, moonlight flashing across her face in glowing waves. With her hair falling about her face in sable locks of spun silk, and her eyes wide like lakes of cerulean, she looked beautiful as she gazed up at him...beautiful and scared. Kneeling, he gathered Hilde in his arms and carefully deposited her on the bed before grabbing the telephone and dialing Relena.

The phone rang three times before a voice murmured groggily, "He-hello?"

Duo absently twined the cord around his fingers. She had been asleep and he was sorry to wake her up...but this was more important. "Hey, ojou-san?"

"Who's this? Duo? Do y'know what time it is?" Relena dragged the wisps of hair back from her face as she sat up wearily. What now...?

Duo glanced at the clock, then winced, "Uh...yeah. But listen, Hilde's water broke and-"

"What?" There was a sudden mad scuffle on the other side of the phone as Relena, wide-awake, made a mad dash for her wardrobe. "It's too early!"

"I know, that's why I need you and Heero to get down over here, right now. She needs to get to St. Gabriel Hospital and I...uh...didn't bring my rental."

"The monster truck? It's out of the shop?" Relena asked absently as she pulled on a pair of denim and a T-shirt. "Never mind. Heero and I will be down immediately, Duo. Tell Hilde that we're coming."

"Yeah, right ojou-san. Bye." He hooked the phone back on the cradle before grinning reassuringly at Hilde. "They're coming. Are you okay?"

Hilde nodded, clutching convulsively at the blanket. Duo slipped his arms around her and felt her shivering as she tried to clamp down on some of the pain and fear.

"So..." Duo caste about for any topic that would distract Hilde from the current situation, but since he was not in the most calm of mind frames himself, that was slightly more difficult than usual. "Err...nice weather we've been getting, eh?" Hilde gaped at him then burst out in hysterical laughter. "Oi...babe, it wasn't that funny." Duo muttered, a bit miffed, but it relaxed Hilde some, which was his main aim anyway.

The room was eerily silent and dark, but Duo didn't really want to leave Hilde's side to flip on the lights. He could feel her breathing deeply, her grip on his hand wordlessly telling him how much she was hurting. He winced as one of his knuckles popped, but didn't tell her to release her grip, only held her a little closer. He shifted slightly so that her head was resting against his chest, snuggled reassuringly against his lithe form.

After a moment, Hilde murmured almost inaudibly, "Duo?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Duo glanced down at her in disbelief.

"What, you thought I'd actually just leave? Babe, you're stupider than I thought." That earned him an admonitory punch in the gut and he grunted, capturing her hand before there could be a repeat performance. "Oi...crazy lady. You're supposed to be resting, not killing your helpful and solicitous lover, babe."

"Hmph." Hilde muttered, then her breath hitched. "When are they going to be here again?"

"In a while, ojou-san said." Duo replied, then asked, hesitatingly, "You want me here when ojou-san comes?"

Hilde twisted around to glare at him. "Will you stop rubbing it in my face, Duo!"

"Well how would I know?" Duo demanded. But just as she was about to open her mouth to start another fight, he sighed, slouching down. "Why do we always argue about these things babe?"

"Because I'm in pain and you're just a jackass." Hilde mumbled. "Why aren't they here yet!?"

"Babe...it's only been two minutes." Duo soothed but Hilde glared at him.

"Duo...I...am...in...pain. Don't try to pacify me!"

Duo winced. "Pain talking, babe?" Cerulean eyes narrowed at him, "Okay, okay, forget it...it doesn't hurt too much right now, does it?"

"Not as bad as they say it's gonna hurt." Hilde hissed softly, her breath catching. Then she smiled a little, mischief sparking her eyes through the pain. "But you'll be there so I can rant and scream at you when the time comes. Did you think I would be the only one suffering during my baby's birth?"

"Oi...you're a vindictive woman, Hilde," Duo muttered.

"I haven't started yelling at you on how much I hate you yet." Hilde countered. "Be thankful, Duo."

"Hey...I'll take the good times with the bad." He stretched slightly, "Football games, bikes, baseball practice, braiding hair..."

Hilde sniffed. "Sounds like you want to make us into a family, Duo."

"Well, yeah, babe." Duo frowned. "I thought I made that clear."

"Well you could have asked," Hilde retorted heatedly, "Instead of sending in a monster truck or a damn salsa band, you could have asked." She glared up at him and his frown grew worse and his eyes narrowed.

"I thought I did..." A fist in his gut made him wince, "Okay, so I didn't ask exactly, but I assumed that..."

"YOU ARE SUCH A...OW damnit...BAKA, DUO!!" Hilde yelled, but before another argument over who's fault it was could build up, there was a screeching of car wheels and the frantic honking of a car horn gave the neighbors another reason to complain.

The apartment across the hall from Hilde opened and a head stuck out of it just as Duo was dashing madly down the stairs, still engaged in a yelling contest with the woman in his arms...well, engaged in a yelling contest when she wasn't gasping in pain. With a frown, the woman hissed an almost inaudible curse and slammed the door. Of all the neighborhoods I had to chose...I had to chose this one...right across from that crazy couple.

"What's that, m'dear?" Her husband mumbled sleepily and the woman merely huffed.

"It's that crazy Maxwell again. He just grabbed Miss Schliebecker and ran down the hall!"

"They're gone? Then get some sleep, you won't have any when they get back."

 ***

"Ojou-san!" Duo greeted hastily, lowering Hilde into the backseat, "Take care of her for me, will ya?"

"What? You're first child is being born and you're running out on me now?!" Hilde shrieked, "You're getting cold feet now?! I'm going to strangle you with your own braid, Duo!"

"Nah...I have to do a couple of things first, then I'll be right there!" Duo said reassuringly, then abruptly saw stars as Hilde's hand crashed against his cheek.

"Get your goddamn priorities straight!"

"Ow, trust me babe, this thing I have to do...definitely on my priority list." Duo dodged again and slammed the door before Hilde could attempt (notice I say attempt) to get up and beat him half to death. "Ojou-san, take her to the hospital...where's Heero? Never mind, just get her there, I'll be there in about...say...twenty minutes?"

"Duo, I really don't think-" Relena began, but she found herself talking to a breeze of air. With a flap of robes, dust, and a trailing braid, he was already running in the opposite direction of the hospital as if demons were on his tail. For a moment, Relena glared at the retreating Shinigami...Finally, they finally get within twenty meters of each other without screaming- Hilde's cry of pain interrupted Relena's thoughts and she quickly stepped on the gas, sending the black Corvette screeching towards St. Gabriel. Duo Maxwell, you had better have a very good reason for your sudden desertion...You are such an idiot!

***

(Forty-five minutes later: St. Gabriel's)

"I can't believe he's not here." Dorothy fumed angrily, snapping her fingers once. "Men are utter pigs when it comes to commitment...and they say we are the weaker sex! At least we don't run out on the birth of our first child!" Well, the fact that a woman couldn't run out on the birth of a child was a moot point as a low groan of pain was heard from the birthing room. "What an utter ass!" Dorothy muttered, sitting gracefully in her chair next to Quatre. She glanced at the blonde-haired Arabian, belatedly realizing what she had just said. "Quatre, I didn't mean to-"

"No offense taken," He smiled reassuringly, then fixed his eyes back on the doorway, as he added, "besides, I think I would have to agree with you for now, Dorothy..."

There was a sudden chime of an elevator and a harried Shinigami came running into the room, causing Dorothy to spring to her feet again, marching towards Duo with narrowed feline eyes. Barring his way into the waiting room, she fingered her waist, absently touching the place where her saber should have been. "Well, well, if you haven't finally showed up, Duo Maxwell. And may I ask where exactly you have been while Hilde is in there giving birth to your chi-" Her eyes widened suddenly as she glanced behind him. "Oh."

"Okay Blondie, the lecture can wait until later," Duo snapped, almost shoving Dorothy aside as he dragged a man into the sterile room with him.

Relena raised azure eyes to the errant pilot, strain and anxiety showing on her face. "Duo, where have you-" She put a hand to her open mouth, shock replacing the anger on her face as she swayed unsteadily. "Oh my..." Heero (who had finally roused to the insistent rings of the telephone and had come at Relena's order...er...request) put a supporting arm around his fiancée's waist, an eyebrow raised in askance as he glanced at Duo.

Duo shrugged, unrepentantly, "I was in a hurry! Now, if you could please tell me where-" A shrill scream made Duo turn a few shades lighter and he cursed softly, "Never mind, I can guess." Turning, he ran into the corridor, juggling his load in a clatter of metal and chimes, a bundle dragging behind him in an almost ignominious heap. There was a stunned silence in the room before Relena turned to Heero, confusion touching her features as she stared into his stoic face.

"Is he allowed to...?" Her voice trailed off and Dorothy's took her place.

"What we mean is, is that...?" For once, Dorothy was completely speechless as she stared after the departed figure with wide teal-blue eyes, and Quatre gently took her hand, patting it consolingly.

"No, it isn't...but since when has that ever stopped him?" Wufei and Trowa glanced at each other, then settled deeper into their chairs, Wufei putting his head in his hand to stave off a sudden migraine as he glanced discreetly at Sally.

She wasn't completely speechless however, unlike the other two staring females in the room, and she was still glaring at him. "Fei..." She warned succinctly, and Wufei put up his hands in a gesture of appeal.

"Onna, I did not know Maxwell was so foolish. I swear by my ancestors that it was not my fault this time!" She merely glared at him, before turning away in a huff.

"You started this, Chang, you better fix it!" Wufei sighed, knowing his partner wasn't going to return to normal until Hilde and Maxwell were once again living happily in each other's pockets, wedding bands firmly placed in mutual accordance.

Maxwell no baka...I hope you know what you're doing!

***

Hilde panted heavily, cursing loudly at her absent boyfriend in the pauses between the contractions. "Damn...you...Duo...I'm going to kill you! First, you get me pregnant, then you toss me off to the Queen of the World to take me to the hospital, and now, you aren't even fucking here!" She hissed, eyes rolling back in pain as another contraction caught her in its grasp. "Damn asshole! When I get my hands on-aurgh!" She moaned, tossing the sweat-drenched hair from her forehead as she grabbed at the edges of the bed with desperate strength. "What happened to commitment? What happened to holding my hand? What happened to you suffering?!!"

Suddenly, the door exploded open, and Duo practically flew through the door, smiling crookedly, "Hey babe...miss me?"

"DUO!! I'm going to kill you!! Where the hell have you been?!" Duo recoiled slightly but the doctor smiled reassuringly.

"It's the pain talking."
"Like hell!" Hilde snapped, then let out an unintentional scream as the agony nearly sent her off the bed. "What the fuck do you want?!"

"Um...surprise babe?" Duo opened the door wider, revealing his companion who stood patiently (as if he had a choice) in the halls.

Hilde paled, her eyes widening as large as saucers as she gargled out a long, drawn-out curse.

In the hallway, eight pairs of eyes raised as they heard a loud, fury-filled scream echo through the halls of the hospital, causing orderlies to lean forward in their desks to see what was going on and windows to clatter violently in their frames. Wufei slumped in his seat, avoiding Sally's heated gaze as the yell rebounded off the sterile white walls, causing it to re-echo over and over...

tbc...

lol...poor Hilde! I don't know why I love torturing this pair, but I do! *nods* yep, I really, really love torturing them...*grins* what can I say? It must be their personalities...they're so versatile and easy to work with. uh huh. ;) So...what do you think? Criticism? Rants? Flames? Death threats? You can write them in a review, or you can send them to me at flamesofdarkness@htomail.com. ^_^ I don't know when the next chapter is coming out...I have a HELLISH amount of homework (why isn't that a surprise?) and my mom is telling me to stop writing until the weekends. Oi! **Achoo* dang, I love walking in the rain...when will I ever learn that it's AFTERWARDS that really sucks?! The next one will be out in maybe two weeks? Hopefully less?

Well, r&r!!! I hope you liked it! : )