Disclaimer: if it were mine, I would be okay with that, I would be ecstaticbut it's not, so thank u for rubbing it in. :P

Yeah, here's the next part! *finally* but so sorry, I've been busy!! I really have! *cringe* homework and midterms and projects, oh my.

Well, here's the feature presentation that u were all waiting (or weren't) for. I hope u like!

There was frantic knocking at the door and Hilde jerked her head up in surprise, blinking eyes that had gone unfocused as she slaved over her tax forms. She rubbed her face wearily, before getting to her feet. Who could it be? The halls of the apartment were echoingly empty except for the occasional party that was rocking the floors with heavy metal and rock, kids, probably no more than nineteen, making loud rackets as they stomped the floor in enthusiasm. It was Christmas Eve, everyone was supposed to be out, having fun withtheir loved ones.

Hilde sighed disconsolately, fingers clenching against the knob, before calling, "Who is it?"

"Hilde? Hilde it's Relena!"

"Relena?" Hilde frowned. Relena should be at a partythe only thing that would keep her away is. She quickly unlocked the door, fingers fumbling in their haste, before flinging it open to stare into worried blue eyes. "Relena! What is it? Is Heero-"

Relena shook her head then continued in a rush, as if she were out of breath, "No no, it's Duo, Hilde."

The dark-haired girl immediately felt her heart tug and shook her head fiercely, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes at the mere mention of his name. Duo Blinking quickly, Hilde shook her head, arms straying unconsciously to wrap around her midsection in a futile gesture of defensiveness. "Relena, it's over and"

The cerulean-eyed Foreign minister shook her head holding her hand up as she gasped for breath. "Just listen to me. Duo's at a bar, getting drunk. He's worried sick about you, Hilde, and he's hurting inside. Heero's with him, talking him out of it and"

Fear leaped into Hilde's eyes, "You told him?!"

"No," Relena said quickly. "If that were true, don't you think Duo would be here now, demanding an explanation?"

Even though the lights were dim, Relena could still see her friend relax subtly, the tension draining out of her stiff form. "YeahBut what do you want me to do about Duo now?" There was a hint of sadness in Hilde's smoky azure eyes as she turned away. Duo drunk? He never used to get drunk...

"Duo, drink that and I'll kill you! You're going to get drunk!" Hilde made a vain attempt to grab the beer can from Duo's hand, but he held it just out of her reach, violet eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Drunk? The great Shinigami never gets drunk, woman. Ha ha...oof!" Hilde elbowed him in the gut, making him doubleover slightly, but just enough for her to grab the alcohol from his fingers. She glared at the man in exasperation, the hand not holding the can planted firmly on her hip.

"Duo, I swear"

"Yeah, yeah, I could try the patience of a saint." Duo finished in resignation, rubbing his gut as he eyed his lover reproachfully. "Sheesh Hilde, you coulda just asked. I mean, one measly beer and you're already ready to murder me."

"Duo, I did ask." Hilde glared at the braided man, not relinquishing her firm hold on the can, even when his fingers came to entwine around hers. "You baka, all you did was start laughing like a maniac! And it's your third beer!"

Duo smirked, pulling the dark-haired girl closer against him, the beer still held in both their hands as he tipped her face up lightly, a finger crooked under her chin. "Hilde-babe, if I was drunk, I wouldn't do this." He kissed her lips lightly, experimentally, little more than a warm caress, but it sent heat flooding through her system. "And if I were drunk, I wouldn't do this." He let his lips trail down her neck and she shivered, an arm coming to wrap around his waist. "And if I were drunk, I definitely" His voice lowered. "definitely" A hand crept lower... "wouldn't do this!" Suddenly, Duo flipped Hilde over his shoulder, grinning as she shrieked in surprise, simultaneously losing hold of the liquor as she was tossed on his back with little aplomb.

"Duo!!!"

Duo's violet eyes gleamed with no amount of male arrogance as he headed for the bedroom. "Never underestimate the Shinigami, babe!" He laughed, eyes dancing with devilish cheer as he carefully juggled the violently squirming woman on his shoulder. "You shoulda known that by now!"

With an incensed yell, Hilde kicked against his arm, causing bubbly amber liquid to slosh out, a few drops sinking into the auburn carpet.

"Hey, hey! Respect the booze, babe!"

"Hilde, did you hear me?" A hand shook her arm lightly and Hilde blinked once, shaking away the moisture that had gathered at the corner of her eye.

"I'm sorry, what did you say, Rel?"

"I said that maybe you should go and talk to him."

"What?? No way, Rel." Hilde shook her head, hard. "I don't want to-"

"Hilde!" For a moment, the Queen of the World tone flashed through Relena's voice as she drew herself up, eyes a stormy blue-black as she confronted the other girl. "Stop acting like a selfish child and think about what he's going through right now!" Hilde looked in surprise at the sudden change in Relena.

Oookaayy I think I figured out why she became the leader of the World Nation now. Hilde thought with grudging respect, even as she bristled at the accusation. "Relena-"

"He's tired. He's sick at heart. And if you were any friend at all, you would go see how he is, even if you two aren't living in each other's pockets any more." Relena glared at Hilde, making sure every point hit home as she put her hands on her hips. "Do you think he would refuse to see you if the positions were reversed? Do you think that he would ignore you, knowing that he's tearing your heart out?"

Hilde closed her eyes, trying to block the flood of shame and guilt that washed through her, head bowed as she clutched at the back of a chair. Why did she have to remember? Why did she have to feel at all? Living with Duo had been full of suffering, but living without Duo, and she might have well been dead these last few months anyway. A hand strayed to her stomach, resting on the small life that dwelt there. If not for the baby

She nodded slowly, straightening up, but still not meeting Relena's face. "Okay. Let's go." Hilde caught a jacket on her way to the door and Relena smiled in a mixture of relief and approval, half-running to catch up with her friend. Slipping a cell-phone out of her purse, Relena quickly dialed Heero's cell-phone number, putting the small device to her ear. "Heero? Yes, tell me where you are. Hilde and I are-" She paused. "What?" Pause. "What??" She glanced at Hilde, who wasn't paying attention as she snapped up her car keys. "I don't think that's such a good idea-"

"Come on Relena!" Hilde flung open the doorand almost collided with a half-dazed man who was barely held up by his cold-eyed friend.

"DUO??!"

Duo blinked in slight confusion as he stared at the apartment around him with no real idea what was going on. His braid was half pulled out and a long bruise, as if from a glancing blow, fell across his cheek like an angry mixture of blues and ever-darkening purples. "Oh dear" Relena murmured, eyes straying towards the obviously intoxicated pilot before focusing on her fiancé's emotionless face. Typically, Heero shrugged, but the slight movement joggled Duo enough so that he looked ahead, a grin, as cocky as ever despite his split lip, stretching across his face as he caught sight of a still-shocked Hilde.

He gave a semi-wave, the silly grin still plastered on his face, "Hey butifalI ushed to know shomeonelooked jush like youbut she was shkinnier" Then he totally collapsed into a state of unconsciousness over her parlor entrance.

***

"Duo???" Hilde's mouth dropped open as she stared at the stress-worn Shinigami, instinctively lunging to catch him when he fell, "Duo! What did you do to yourself, you baka?!" She struggled to lift his dead weight, then smiled gratefully at the Zero pilot as he easily lifted the braided American to the couch, dropping him unceremoniously there with a disgusted expression on his face.

Ignoring him, Hilde knelt on the carpet, shaking Duo gently. "Hey, hey Duo, how many fingers am I holding up?" She raised three fingers and with an effort, he made himself focus, then nodded smugly, a vapid smile on his face.

"Umshix?" Hilde blinked, staring at her own three fingers in a sort of bemusement as if expecting three extra fingers to sprout from her hand. Then, she shook her head, exasperation and worry clouding her eyes.

"Duo, you're drunk as a skunk.oh my god, that was a bad punI never used to say stupid things like thatDuo! This is you're fault! How many times have I told you to lay off the booze? You can't hold your drink!" She glared at the violet eyed man as he smiled woozily at her.

"Heh hehI'm the ShinigamiI canoooDeathscythe"

Relena muffled a small laugh, hand clasped tightly over her mouth as she sidled next to Heero, who was watching Hilde and Duo with cool amusement. "They make such a cute couple, don't you think, Heero? Just like the prince and his princess in the fairytales."

Heero merely snorted, crossing his arms across his chest. "Their positions are switched. Usually the prince is ready to sweep the princess off her feet, not be swept onto the bed by the princess."

Relena's lips twitched, but four years of political intrigue had held her in good stead as she valiantly tried to hold back her laughter. "Hush, Heero." She twined her hand around his arm, leaning slightly against his shoulder. "They go well together, don't you think?"

"Hn."

Glaring good-naturedly at him, Relena called out, "Hilde, we've got to get back to the celebration. I told Milliardo to stand in my stead as the host, but"

"You're leaving me alone? With him?" Hilde's voice almost cracked, "What am I going to do with him?!" She looked up from Duo's inebriated form, shock clearly running through her face.

"Now, Hilde, you had been living together for a better part of four years now"

"But-butI can'tRelena! I can't do this alone!"

Relena smiled, her diplomatic façade barely holding as she saw Hilde divide her attention between Duo, who was now babbling nonsensical phrases like a child, and their conversation. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Duo, stay still! Relena you can't do this to me. Duo! Please, can't he stay with you? You've got servants all over the place-Duo! Stop chewing on the furniture!" Hilde glared in helpless frustration at the Shinigami, who finally relapsed into unconsciousness, before standing up slowly. "Relena, I can't handle a drunken Duo. I never could. That's why I never let him get drunk in the first place!"

Hilde sent pleading glance her way, but Relena shook her head, amusement overshadowed by a touch of sympathy. "Call this our thanks for locking us in the same room last year, Hilde. It did wonders. Maybe it'll work for you too."

"But you were technically together at that time!!"

"And you're technically 'together' too, even though you're separated." Relena's eyes twinkled slightly, as she put an arm around Heero's waist. "The baby, Hilde, is going to bind you to him, no matter how far, or how fast you run. Heero," Now, she gave the silent pilot a semi-disapproving frown, "should have waited perhaps." Heero shrugged, unmoved, so Relena sighed, then continued, "But since you two are already here and Duo doesn't seem to have
any inclination towards moving right now"

"But-"

Heero listened to the two women argue back and forth, before finally, with an exasperated sigh, took Relena's arm and began walking towards the door. "Good night. Give my regards to Maxwell." Ignoring Hilde's frantic gestures, he firmly shut the door behind them.

Relena blinked, then smiled slightly. "I wish I thought of that."

Heero snorted, but didn't deign to reply as the two walked out of the apartments, a small smile tracing Relena's features as they gazed at the fourth story room with it's lights on. Faintly, despite the loud music that screeched in the air, they could vaguely hear Hilde's curses and Duo's muzzy response and this time, Relena laughed aloud. "They really do make a wonderful couple, Heero."

"Hn."

Relena mock-glared at him. "Repeat after me. 'Yes Relena, they do make a perfect couple.'"

"Hmph."

"Heero"

***

Hilde scowled at the door bitterly, hands clenched at her sides. How could Relena do this to her? Keep her in a room with Duo? And she couldn't even leave because Duo was obviously drunk and would need help with that hangover in the morningDamn! Why did things always happen to her?! She turned back to the couch, and started to speak, but she was missing one important factorthe Shinigami.

"Duo! Duo, where the hell are you?" Hilde yelled, a little panic running through her, and a muffled groan in her bathroom gave an answer to her question.

"Paying homage to the porcelain goddess." Was the pitiful answer, and suddenly, she could feel a migraine coming on.

"Oh Duo" This was going to be a long night

tbc

Author's Note: ^_^ See? Told u they eventually meet. Sorry it took so long people, but I've been overreaching myself with the number of fics I'm doingaurgh!!! *Holds her head* I feel like I have too many ideas and too little time!! U see, I'm doing an EVA fic, this fic, a couple one-shots, and I plan on responding to CherryBlossom's fanfic challengethough I don't know whenand still trying to juggle school between all thissomeone put more hours in a day!! I need more than twenty-four, I need more than twenty-four! *runs around stark-raving mad* n'wayz, I don't honestly know when the next chapter's coming out, sometime soon I hope.