A.N.- Author's note and disclaimer @ the bottom
~~One year later
Duo Maxwell carefully looked at the photographs he held in his hand. All were of his daughter, Ashleigh. Hilde had made sure he had photos, but was equally as sure he never found out where his daughter lived. Over the past year, he had grown used to the package he would recieve at the end of every month. It would be full of pictures of Ashleigh, and the occasional one of Hilde, drawings that Ashleigh scribbled on various pieces of paper and a letter detailing what Ashleigh did, learned or said that month. Duo smiled, *At least she does this.*. he thought, looking closely at the first photgraph in the pile. It was taken by a professional, that was clear. It had Ashleigh *and* Hilde in it. Hilde sat on an elegant park bench with Ashleigh sitting in her lap. The background was one of a glorious summer day, the sky was an brillant azure, Duo sighed as he looked at his daughter's smiling face. "She looks like her mother.." he whispered, "But she does have my eyes.."
With the smile tugging at his lips he went through the rest of the photos. In each there was a smile across Ashleigh's face. He held his breath when he came across the last photo. It was a glamour portrait of Hilde. He turned it over, to his surprise he saw her handwriting on the back.
Duo,
A friend talked me into getting this crazy picture. I thought you might like a copy..ya know, one to put beside of of Ashleigh. Don't die of laughter, I know it's horrible.
Love,
Hilde
Duo chuckled. "Laugh? Why would I laugh?" He turned the photo back over and sighed. *Oh Baby...your so beautiful...I was such a fool. I let you and Ashleigh walk out of my life..I swear, give me another chance and you'll never regreat it..I swear...*
~~The Winner Mansion
"When will he be here?!" Rebekah cried impatiently. "Oh Quatre..do you think we did the right thing by inviting him here? Especially now? I mean, it's only been a year since she left. And today *is* the day she left.." Quatre smiled gently and pulled his wife into his arms. "Oh course.." he said softly, as he kissed her cheek. "You'll see...besides, it's better that he be here with us than at home moping."
At that moment the doorbell rang, causing Rebekah and Quatre to jump.
"I bet that's him!" Rebekah cried running to the door. She threw it open and gasped. "HILDE!"
~~ An Hour Later
Duo whistled cheerfully as he waited for someone to come answer the door. He smiled as he heard running footsteps and giggles. *That must be Ev and one of her friends..* he thought. His tune lost some of its cheerfulness, *If only that other little girl was Ashleigh...I can dream...*
"Hullo Uncle Duo!!" Evelyn called happily as she opened the door. Duo knelt down, "Hey Ev...where's your Mommy and Daddy?"
"Talkin'." The little girl replied with a grin. "Wanna mets my new friend?"
"Sure.." Duo replied. He nearly fell backwards when he meet the violet eyes that stared at him curiously. *Oh my...is that..Ashleigh!?* He watched in amazment as she smiled shyly at him. "Hi." she whispered softly.
"Evelyn?? Who was at the door?" Quatre called as he walked out. "Duo?!" he cried. He glanced at Ashleigh. "Girls...why don't you go see Rebekah?"
"Otay Daddy.." Evelyn replied happily. " 'Tom on Awshy!"
Ashleigh shook her head 'no'. She looked at Duo, her eyes intently looking at him. "Dadda?" she finally said. Duo's eyes filled with tears as he stepped into the house and bent down, his arms opened and out stretched. "Ashleigh.."
Hilde clasped her hand over her mouth as she walked around the corner. There was Duo, *her* Duo, kneeling. She watched in amazement as Ashleigh, *her* Ashleigh ran into her father's open arms. "No.." she whispered, "No..this isn't happening.." She held back tears as Duo stood up slowly, giving his girl a warm hug. She cleared her throat, "What a surprise.." she said softly, walking out to them.
"Hilde?" Duo exclaimed, looking over Ashleigh's shoulder, "Hilde.."
"Momma!!" Ashleigh cried. She pointed at Duo, her eyes sparkling. "Dadda!" she said with a giggle. "Momma, Dadda, Awshy!" She gave them a grin, one that looked identical to Duo's."Mine!"
"What are you doing?" Hilde hissed as she stepped closer to them. She held out her arms to Ashleigh, the little girl went to her 'momma'. Quatre quickly stepped forward, "Hilde..give me Ashleigh..I'm sure she'd like some ice cream." Hilde nodded silently and handed Ashleigh to Quatre. Duo and her watched as Quatre took Ashleigh out of the room. When the two were gone Hilde turned to Duo.
"*What* are you doing?!" she asked through gritted teeth, her eyes dancing with fire. Duo took a step back, his hands held up as if she had pulled a gun on him. His eyes searched his,"What..what do you mean?" he finally cried, "Hugging my own daughter?!"
"*My* daughter." Hilde corrected him, "I gave birth to her, I've raised her, and *I* take care of her."
"*I'd* take care of her if you would let me!" Duo cried. Hilde shook her head, "You have a major fear of commitment!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air. She held out her left hand, "Do you remember this?!" she exclaimed, pulling her 'promise' ring off her finger. "You *promised* me that you would love me forever! You promised we'd get married!"
"Someday!" Duo cried, "I didn't mean right away!"
"That's because you have a fear of commitment!" Hilde threw the ring down. "I gave you a chance," she said, her voice trembling. "You blew it.."
"But Hilde!" Duo cried. His words fell upon deaf ears as Hilde glared at him.
"Stay away from me and Ashleigh..I don't want her hurt too!"
"Then give me a chance! I'll prove it to you! I love you! I love Ashleigh!"
"NO! I'm not letting you hurt me again, and your *never* hurting her!"
Duo watched as she turned sharply on her heel and walked out of the small 'mud room'. Duo bent down to pick up the discarded ring. *Oh Hilde...I love you...let me prove it to you...please..give me another chance...*
~~~~A.N.~~~~
Hey ya'll!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE REVIEWED!! THANK YOU!!! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this part up..have been swamped w/ school work. (I missed TWO days..TWO DAYS..and I've been swamped!! YUCK!!!!!!!!!) But...I hope this is long enough for ya'll....some people have said I need to make these larger. Well, this isn't *THAT* long, but I hope it's long enough for ya'll.
Sorry about any spelling errors or grammar...and the formating. I'm not sure how this will turn out..If it's really bad
I'll repost, k?
REVIEW!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!
~Savy
~~DISCLAIMER~~ Okay, I do not own Gundam Wing.. *snaps fingers and mutters under her breath* Darn it..
But..I do own Rebekah (whoop-de-do). Um.I guess that's all...please don't use this story unless you ask!! If you want to post it on your website/webpage, just email me!
~~One year later
Duo Maxwell carefully looked at the photographs he held in his hand. All were of his daughter, Ashleigh. Hilde had made sure he had photos, but was equally as sure he never found out where his daughter lived. Over the past year, he had grown used to the package he would recieve at the end of every month. It would be full of pictures of Ashleigh, and the occasional one of Hilde, drawings that Ashleigh scribbled on various pieces of paper and a letter detailing what Ashleigh did, learned or said that month. Duo smiled, *At least she does this.*. he thought, looking closely at the first photgraph in the pile. It was taken by a professional, that was clear. It had Ashleigh *and* Hilde in it. Hilde sat on an elegant park bench with Ashleigh sitting in her lap. The background was one of a glorious summer day, the sky was an brillant azure, Duo sighed as he looked at his daughter's smiling face. "She looks like her mother.." he whispered, "But she does have my eyes.."
With the smile tugging at his lips he went through the rest of the photos. In each there was a smile across Ashleigh's face. He held his breath when he came across the last photo. It was a glamour portrait of Hilde. He turned it over, to his surprise he saw her handwriting on the back.
Duo,
A friend talked me into getting this crazy picture. I thought you might like a copy..ya know, one to put beside of of Ashleigh. Don't die of laughter, I know it's horrible.
Love,
Hilde
Duo chuckled. "Laugh? Why would I laugh?" He turned the photo back over and sighed. *Oh Baby...your so beautiful...I was such a fool. I let you and Ashleigh walk out of my life..I swear, give me another chance and you'll never regreat it..I swear...*
~~The Winner Mansion
"When will he be here?!" Rebekah cried impatiently. "Oh Quatre..do you think we did the right thing by inviting him here? Especially now? I mean, it's only been a year since she left. And today *is* the day she left.." Quatre smiled gently and pulled his wife into his arms. "Oh course.." he said softly, as he kissed her cheek. "You'll see...besides, it's better that he be here with us than at home moping."
At that moment the doorbell rang, causing Rebekah and Quatre to jump.
"I bet that's him!" Rebekah cried running to the door. She threw it open and gasped. "HILDE!"
~~ An Hour Later
Duo whistled cheerfully as he waited for someone to come answer the door. He smiled as he heard running footsteps and giggles. *That must be Ev and one of her friends..* he thought. His tune lost some of its cheerfulness, *If only that other little girl was Ashleigh...I can dream...*
"Hullo Uncle Duo!!" Evelyn called happily as she opened the door. Duo knelt down, "Hey Ev...where's your Mommy and Daddy?"
"Talkin'." The little girl replied with a grin. "Wanna mets my new friend?"
"Sure.." Duo replied. He nearly fell backwards when he meet the violet eyes that stared at him curiously. *Oh my...is that..Ashleigh!?* He watched in amazment as she smiled shyly at him. "Hi." she whispered softly.
"Evelyn?? Who was at the door?" Quatre called as he walked out. "Duo?!" he cried. He glanced at Ashleigh. "Girls...why don't you go see Rebekah?"
"Otay Daddy.." Evelyn replied happily. " 'Tom on Awshy!"
Ashleigh shook her head 'no'. She looked at Duo, her eyes intently looking at him. "Dadda?" she finally said. Duo's eyes filled with tears as he stepped into the house and bent down, his arms opened and out stretched. "Ashleigh.."
Hilde clasped her hand over her mouth as she walked around the corner. There was Duo, *her* Duo, kneeling. She watched in amazement as Ashleigh, *her* Ashleigh ran into her father's open arms. "No.." she whispered, "No..this isn't happening.." She held back tears as Duo stood up slowly, giving his girl a warm hug. She cleared her throat, "What a surprise.." she said softly, walking out to them.
"Hilde?" Duo exclaimed, looking over Ashleigh's shoulder, "Hilde.."
"Momma!!" Ashleigh cried. She pointed at Duo, her eyes sparkling. "Dadda!" she said with a giggle. "Momma, Dadda, Awshy!" She gave them a grin, one that looked identical to Duo's."Mine!"
"What are you doing?" Hilde hissed as she stepped closer to them. She held out her arms to Ashleigh, the little girl went to her 'momma'. Quatre quickly stepped forward, "Hilde..give me Ashleigh..I'm sure she'd like some ice cream." Hilde nodded silently and handed Ashleigh to Quatre. Duo and her watched as Quatre took Ashleigh out of the room. When the two were gone Hilde turned to Duo.
"*What* are you doing?!" she asked through gritted teeth, her eyes dancing with fire. Duo took a step back, his hands held up as if she had pulled a gun on him. His eyes searched his,"What..what do you mean?" he finally cried, "Hugging my own daughter?!"
"*My* daughter." Hilde corrected him, "I gave birth to her, I've raised her, and *I* take care of her."
"*I'd* take care of her if you would let me!" Duo cried. Hilde shook her head, "You have a major fear of commitment!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air. She held out her left hand, "Do you remember this?!" she exclaimed, pulling her 'promise' ring off her finger. "You *promised* me that you would love me forever! You promised we'd get married!"
"Someday!" Duo cried, "I didn't mean right away!"
"That's because you have a fear of commitment!" Hilde threw the ring down. "I gave you a chance," she said, her voice trembling. "You blew it.."
"But Hilde!" Duo cried. His words fell upon deaf ears as Hilde glared at him.
"Stay away from me and Ashleigh..I don't want her hurt too!"
"Then give me a chance! I'll prove it to you! I love you! I love Ashleigh!"
"NO! I'm not letting you hurt me again, and your *never* hurting her!"
Duo watched as she turned sharply on her heel and walked out of the small 'mud room'. Duo bent down to pick up the discarded ring. *Oh Hilde...I love you...let me prove it to you...please..give me another chance...*
~~~~A.N.~~~~
Hey ya'll!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE REVIEWED!! THANK YOU!!! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this part up..have been swamped w/ school work. (I missed TWO days..TWO DAYS..and I've been swamped!! YUCK!!!!!!!!!) But...I hope this is long enough for ya'll....some people have said I need to make these larger. Well, this isn't *THAT* long, but I hope it's long enough for ya'll.
Sorry about any spelling errors or grammar...and the formating. I'm not sure how this will turn out..If it's really bad
I'll repost, k?
REVIEW!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!
~Savy
~~DISCLAIMER~~ Okay, I do not own Gundam Wing.. *snaps fingers and mutters under her breath* Darn it..
But..I do own Rebekah (whoop-de-do). Um.I guess that's all...please don't use this story unless you ask!! If you want to post it on your website/webpage, just email me!