This isn't a funny chapter, there is nothing funny about attempted genocide, deal with it. Duo slips up, Cagalli admits her feelings, and everyone who supports the Federation suddenly feels like a complete bastard. Please review.

Side note, I re-edited the previous two chapters so they didn't suck as much.

Tolle was choking on his food, and Duo sighed as he handed the boy his half filled glass of water that was quickly chugged down. Still coughing the teen gasped while shaking his head throwing Duo an apologetic look as he smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks Duo, and I'm sorry I know that was your water ration for the day..."

Duo shrugged at that as he offered Cagalli his fruit cup, she reluctantly accepted it in exchange for him taking a drink from her glass.

Turning back to Tolle Duo smiled lightly, "It's alright man, I've lived without necessities before, my life up till I was eight was on the streets so...yeah. Being hungry and thirsty is something I've got a bit of a resistance to."

That statement seemed to freeze the entire room, although Duo either ignored it or didn't notice, with him it could really be either or.

"Duo...what do you mean you lived on the streets?" Flay had a constipated look on her face as she asked this, pushing her rehydrated vegetables about her plate with her fork as a scowl slowly formed across her face.

Duo shrugged yet again before replying, "I was an orphan, survived with a pack of brats who excelled at stealing to survive. Our leaders name was Solo, out of a bit of hero worship I took up the name Duo, then the feds decided there was too many orphans on the streets and dropped a bio-engineered plague on us."

Duo had fallen back on past experiences when it came to his realities Federal Alliance so he didn't notice the horrified looks of the teens surrounding him, or the adults for that matter.

"It wasn't all bad before that, we were a family and we looked after each other, Solo told me I was the gangs mom on more than one occasion," he laughed lightly as he glanced at the ceiling. "I was, really, I cared too much, then the plague hit. Solo got sick, and in turn I broke into the Feds closest clinic to get the vaccine. Solo was dead when I got back, I was the gang leader after that..."

Duo finished the last scraps of his meal and stood quickly as he turned to the recycler, "We eventually got pinched and were all placed under the care of the Maxwell church. I didn't believe in god, still don't really, but Sister Helen, Father Maxwell...they...they accepted me... For the first time in my life I had a mom and dad.

"Then the feds killed them for being in the way..."

Duo froze as he suddenly realized what he'd said, eyes widening he quickly made an excuse to escape and left the cafeteria as everyone present sat in silence, eventually Tolle spoke what they were all thinking.

"And we're fighting for these bastards?"

It took her some time but Cagalli eventually found Duo busily typing into a computer terminal hooked up to Hades, his violet eyes met her gaze a moment as they quickly shifted back to the screen before him.

"Forget all that, I'm sorry. I got lost in the past and...just forget about it..."

Cagalli stared at her friend for several moments before sighing pulling him into a hug, he stiffened at the action but returned to typing a few moments later.

"Duo," he froze completely now, turning his head slowly he locked eyes with Cagalli as she smiled lightly in turn. "I don't think any less of you, and...I'm sorry, I'm sorry you've gone through what you have."

Duo stared at her a moment before letting out an exasperated sigh, "You're too kind, it'll get ya killed someday..." He stood there silently for a minute, two minutes, five minutes, eventually he just shook his head and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Thank you."

Cagalli beamed at that, and if she pulled her friend a bit closer, oh well.

"We've reached a debris belt, scans indicate there is frozen water in the area and we require you all to bring in as much as possible," Murrue stated flatly. Duo shrugged at that, he was a Sweeper so this wasn't anything new to him at all, everyone else looked like they were raiding a grave.

Whatever, space was unforgiving and they needed supplies, Cagalli needed supplies, and that was all that mattered to him. He was sure Quatre would be crying for him at the moment, Wufei and Trowa would nod their approval, and Heero would be handing him a map of the local area.

God did he miss his brothers.

But he was Duo Maxwell, the chipper 'Life will never bring me down' member of the team, so he would play his part, for Cagalli. Entering Hades he typed in his authentication code and soon left the ship behind to provide cover for the various units reclaiming chunks of frozen water.

Apparently this was Junius Seven, the colony that had been nuked by the wannabe Nazis, lovely. Why not throw in a bit of sacrilege to their daily events.

Duo sighed, and continued his patrol.

He saw Kira shoot down a Ginn, he heard the pilot scream as she was burnt to ashes.

Had he even hailed her? Given her a chance to explain why she was out here?

Probably not.

Lacus Clyne, idol of ZAFT was recovered by the kid, Cagalli shot him a concerned look as he stared at the life pod that was placed on the deck.

It hit Duo there.

He didn't care anymore. Drifting through the colony graveyard while thinking about his past, he...just didn't care... Did anything he do actually matter, did anything change? Millions dead, almost all innocent...and here he was...the God of Death...still breathing and killing...

"Duo," Cagalli broke him from his stupor as he kept staring out the lounges window hours after they'd recovered the ZAFT songstress, taking in the debris and bodies silently.

"Please don't go." With that she stepped on her tip toes and kissed him lightly, he melted a bit as she returned to his side holding him close, and he smiled.

"Won't go anywhere without you princess, you know that. You're...my most important person after all..."

She stood there a few moments before chuckling, eventually she met his gaze grinning lightly, "Did I ever thank you for what you did to Juna?"

He shrugged once, "Nope."

Cagalli nodded at that, "Right," turning to her friend she grabbed his bangs and pulled his head forcefully down and kissed him once again, a moment later he felt her tongue dart into his mouth and he really didn't know what to think after that. They snogged for...at least ten minutes, eventually they broke their embrace and Duo stared down at her in utter confusion.

"The hell was that?"

Cagalli grinned pulling him into a tight hug, "Staking my claim."

Was it any wonder that Duo didn't dwell on the cloud of death the Archangel drifted through, when he had a goddess hanging on his arm? Cagalli wasn't stupid, she knew what she was getting herself into, and while Duo may be a bit immature in the relationship department no one could deny the most simple of facts.

Cagalli was Duo's everything.

So as the newly minted couple stared out at the sea of the dead surrounding them, they felt a spark of hope, and this migrated to their friends after a short time.

Yes, humanity was disgusting. Yes, humanity would turn to wholesale slaughter to reach their goals. Yes, this entire war was pointless, but in the midst of it all, if two very very different people could find companionship with each other, much less love?

Well there was some hope.

As Duo was left to his own devices he stared up at Hades in contemplation before nodding to himself, "I am seriously going to have to pull some Monty Python level hyjinks after this trip. Really...downersville..."

Like I said, I couldn't make light of this, Junius Seven getting nuked was an atrocity and it brought way too many memories back for poor Duo. If you're wondering why he slipped like this, remember, he's sixteen, he's allowed to flounder a bit, and Cagalli was willing to admit her feelings to get him a bit grounded. Which, admittedly, will be a bit funny when they get back to ORB. Duo doesn't mind murdering people that get in the way, Juna...well...