Of course, since then he hadn't been able to get up enough nerve to act on that one moment of romance. The doubts just wouldn't let him move forward with what his heart was telling him.

But if the voices in his head were right and Hilde really didn't think of him as anything other than a friend, than why had she let him kiss her in the first place? Then again, he really hadn't given her any warning that he was going to kiss her so maybe it was just that she was startled into allowing the kiss.

Yet, if that were true, why did she return the kiss? Arguhhh, Duo slammed his head into his palms and slid down onto the floor behind the SUV he was working on. The last thing he needed was for Hilde to see him and ask in that sweet way of her's what was wrong with him.

And that is excatly what she would do if she saw him. And since he wouldn't want to worry her, he would have to think up some kind of lie to distracted her from what the true problem was.

The problem of him being in love with her and not knowing what to do about it.

Maybe this was some kind of punishment for him always tormenting Heero about Relena. Though if he knew that he would someday end up in the same postion as his buddy, agonizing over the simple act of telling a woman that he loved her, he would have kept his mouth firmly shut!Groaning again, he buried his face in his hands once more before letting them drop to his sides and resting his forehead on his knees.

Only one thought drifted through his head, What am I going to do?

~Part Two~

Hilde glanced across the now empty garage to where she had last seen her fellow coworker and best friend. Not seeing him right away, she started across the pavement to the car she had last seen him working on. Though, instead of calling out to him she kept silent as she moved towards the broken-down car. She feared that if she called out to him he would just jump up with that same relaxed smile that he always wore and not let her see what was really going on.

After he had kissed her a month ago she had hoped that their relationship would move from that of friends to sweethearts. But after he had kissed her, Duo had just went back to the way they were, not showing any sign of wanting to deeper their friend ship into that of a romantic realtionship.

Yet, even this could not stop Hilde from loving him and wanting to be in a deeper realtionship with him. So she had continued to wait for him, hoping against all logic that he would see in her a woman who would love him and stay by his side always. Even if she did yell at him on an almost daily basis for keeping all the lights in the apartment complex on. Didn't realize they were on my foot! What did he need all those lights on for anyways?

Stopping in her tracks, Hilde took and deep breath and forced her mind back to the subject at hand, not her pet peeves. Stepping lightly around the front of the huge vehicle, Hilde blinked softly at the sight in front of her. It was Duo the person she was looking for but she hadn't wanted to find him looking like this.

He looked absolutely miserable. His head was hanging down on his knees and stray locks of hair had fallen out of his braid, hiding his face from view. Plus the way his arms hung listlessly down did not make one think of good mental health. More like ‘Where can I find a good shrink?’

Dashing over to him, Hilde dropped down on her knees in front of him with just the look of concern in her midnight blue eyes that he had not wanted to see. "Duo, are you all right? Do you feel sick ? Are you in pain? Should I call a doctor?"

Hilde spat these questions at him so fast it was amazing that she didn't pass out from lack of air. Seeing that she was getting no response from him, Hilde spared him one last glance before turning for the door. The fact that he wasn't his usual chatterbox self made her certain he need to see someone. If she couldn't convince him to talk to her , then perhaps he would talk to one of the other pilots.

Duo lifted his head as he saw her start to leave. Grabbing her gently by the wrist as she passed by him on her way to the phone he pulled her down into his lap.

Hilde let out a soft squeal at the sudden jerk and then turned bright red as she realized where she was. Struggling to get up, she stopped movingwhen she heard whispered in her ear, in a lonely, almost sad tone, "Stay with me."

Relaxing, Hilde ran her fingers down the cheek Duo had not buried in her shoulder. Speaking softly she said, " Duo?"; the question she could not form lingering in that one word.

Raising his head, Duo's dark purple eyes caught her own dark blue ones and rested there. Hilde muffled a gasp at the emotions she saw in his eyes, first there was loneliness, then longing, plus an emotion she could not define.

Then he spoke.

"Hilde would you stay with me?"

Cocking her head to the side in confusion Hilde replied, "Duo, what do you mean? I'm always with you. We work together, remember?"

Duo ducked his head again, hiding his eyes from her probing view and chuckled softly to himself. It was not a pleasant sound. "I know we work together Hilde-babe. What I meant was would you stay with me, forever?"

For a few long moments, the only sound was Hilde's harsh drawn in breath. Then the silence was shattered by an ear piercing cry of "You, moron!"

Duo's head snapped up to face a red-cheeked, fuming Hilde. Duo's mouth dropped open as Hilde went on ranting.

"Do you have any idea how long I have wanted you to say something like that to me? I mean honestly, I've only been in love with you for four years. Of course, it would never occur to you since you are so incredibly thick-headed that the reason I risked my life for you by getting information for you about the Fortress was because I loved you and wanted to help you. Honestly, men are so stupid!"

At those scathing words Hilde folded her arms and crossed them over her chest, glowering at him under her furrowed brows.

Laughing softly, Duo turned his head until he was nose to nose with her. Smiling into her now-even-darker-from-anger blue eyes, he asked her softly in a teasing tone, "Does that mean ‘yes’?"

Hilde looked straight back into his now dancing purple eyes and said, "It does if you say one simple sentence."

Duo grinned even more widely and said, "I love you, Hilde."

"Well, that's good to hear too but it's not the sentence I had in mind," Hilde said, a smile now pulling at her own lips.

Duo looked at her in confusion and said, "It wasn't? Then what is it?"

Hilde grinned widely at him and answered, "I promise to remember to turn off all the lights."

Duo stared at her for a full minute in complete and utter silence. Then he threw back his and head and laughed until he cried.

Being unable to hold it in any longer, Hilde joined in, giggling so hard that her sides ached.

Finally, after several mintues of helpless giggles they stopped and looked at each other. Both of them were red-faced and glassy-eyed. But they were very, very happy too so they really didn't care how they looked. Smiling at each other, Hilde said," I love you, Duo." Smiling right back at her he replied, "I love you, too Hilde-babe."

Cocking his head to the side, he asked in that same teasing tone. " So, shall we seal this proposal with a kiss?"

"Yes, I most definitely think we should," Hilde said with a slightly wicked grin.

Leaning toward each other, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss, their minds both thought the same thing. "Wow! This is even better than last time!"

And they lived happily ever after!