And it's time to angst again...

[windandwater]

"Of course I know who you are," Duo replied with a sneer. His arms tightened around Heero, hands still clasped above the wound that was slowly leaking the Japanese man's life onto the muddy ground. "I didn't think you'd be so surprised. Hell, you've been around me so much that I wonder why you don't keep photos of me in your wallet. It'd be great to show your friend. 'Hey! Check it out! Isn't he growing up so fast? He's a handsome boy, doncha think?'"

"I understand what you're feeling. I know you're hurting--"

"Hurting?!" Duo barked out, choking off his bitter laugh. "You 'know how I feel'? Damn right you should know how I feel! You've been following me around since before I can remember! You were more of a mother to me than Sister Helen was -- if only for the fact that you were always around. I named myself after you. You have made me everything that I am today," Duo said grimly. He pulled one arm away from Heero's body, stretching out in a mocking gesture. "What's wrong? No welcoming hug for your son?" Then he looked scornfully at his blood-covered clothing. "Ah. I see. I'm not exactly dressed appropriately for this meeting."

Death frowned. "If you know who I am and you know why I'm here, then you shouldn't fight the inevitable."

"Telling me it's impossible? You were there every step of the way, babe. Following in my footsteps, trailing me like a shadow... you hounded me every time I closed my eyes." Duo looked down sadly at Heero's slack face, running a bloody hand through matted brown hair. "But when I opened them, *he* was there. He was the only one who could be with me and not suffer the consequences. I love him for it. But that's the crutch, ain't it? You take away everyone that I love. You always do."

"I just do my job, Duo. I don't give people their fates."

"Does it sound like I'm blaming you?" Duo snapped, violet eyes blazing before they rested on Heero's face again. "I'm just telling the truth."

"Then if it's the truth, why don't you accept it?"

"Accept? I've always accepted the truth. I've know Death -- I've feared you, hated you, and in the end I accepted and loved you. But I loved him, too."

Heero took a rattling gasp of breath and Duo jumped, startled and his hands flying across to cover Heero's wounds. The Japanese man's body jerked and strained in the American's arms, and Death watch quietly at the play of emotions across Duo's face. It wasn't anything new. She'd seen it all before. She'd seen it too many times. There was one, last, slow exhale and Heero's body seemed to sink down on itself and lay still. Duo let loose a keening wail, throwing his arms around the now empty shell and rocking back and forth.

Death merely gestured, watching in a detached way as Heero's soul left his body and drifted towards her. She could see the torture in this soul's eyes as he watched his former lover grieve. But she was Death and had to be obeyed.

"Come with me," she said softly, holding out her hand.

"No."

Death blinked. She turned to where Duo was still kneeling in the mud, his violet eyes blazing and his arms still around Heero's corpse. "He's dead, Duo. I'm going to--"

"NO."

Death sighed. "You can't stop me."

"No one gets Heero's soul but me," Duo answered, his voice quiet but strong. He was drawing from some sort of reserve that Death had never seen before in him. It made her insanely proud of the strength of human spirit for a brief moment. "He said his soul belongs to me. It was the last thing he said. Heero is *mine*. I won't let you take him away."

The ebony-haired woman watched as Heero's soul seemed to brighten at Duo's words. She shook her head and turned her back, gesturing towards the soul again. "I am Death, Duo. I do what I'm told. I'm here to pick up one soul today. It's Destiny."

"Fuck Destiny," Duo spat, and Death could almost *see* the grim grin across the braided man's lips. "I never liked following other people's orders."

And before Death could reply, a gunshot rang across the quiet forest, sending birds screaming into flight. She didn't need to turn around to know what had happened. The play of emotion across the soul's face told her everything she needed to know. Surprise, distress, shock, anger... then the genuine smile the lightened usually harsh features. Heero drifted behind her and finally, Death turned around. She watched as Duo's soul pulled itself free from it's mangled shell, disoriented and confused. Then the new soul brightened, flashing across the distance easily and hurling itself into Heero's ghostly arms. The two men blurred into each other, making it difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. Maybe that was the point.

Duo grinned at her from his place snuggled against Heero's chest. It was a smile that could not be defeated even by her.

"I told you that no one would get him but me."

Death smiled.

And gestured.

And all that was left in the quiet forest when the Preventers vehicles pulled up was a mangled jeep, two bodies embraced together, and a cold, spent pistol lying in blood-red mud.