Between Sunrise and Sunset... Part Four

[Loyce]

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Between Sunrise and Sunset
Part Four: Bruised Misconceptions
By Loyce
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Striding out of the livery, Hilde was cursing herself five ways from Sunday. She had paid for boarding the two animals for the night, including some oats and hay for a meal, and a rub down for Bandit. She would have paid for one for Renegade but her horse didn't take too kindly to being touched by strangers, except for Duo Maxwell.

Just the thought of him caused her temperature to rise. The man was so full of himself, she was surprised he didn't burst at the seams. She had been in the bounty hunting business for nearly one and a half years, pushing herself to being the best in the territory. The small leather purse hidden in her boot used to be full of money from all the rewards she'd collected, proof to just how good she was. But after the board she had to pay for the horse, she was down to her last couple of dollars. Having him offer her money for the livery had been like a slap in the face. Ever since he'd found out that 'Barton' wasn't a man, whether it was subconscious or not, he'd quit treating her as an equal and more like a...woman.

Hilde slumped against the side of the livery, reached inside her duster and pulled out one of her cigarettes. With a quick flick of her wrist, the paper lit and the air surrounding her filled with the relaxing scent of smoke. She took a drag of the cigarette and blew the smoke in a steady breath. When she brought back her hand back to her mouth, her fingers brushed her lips. Hilde paused and pulled away the cigarette from her face, letting it dangle from her right hand, while the fingers on her left reached out and touched her lips.

The image of the whore and her red lips flashed in her mind. Her fingers went slack and her hand dropped to her side. She could never be a lady; not that the saloon girl was a prime example of what a lady should be. Lifting her head, she looked to see if anyone was around, finding no one in sight, she tossed the cigarette onto the ground and stomped it out and walked back into the livery. Hilde made her way to Renegade's stall and slipped inside. Removing her duster, she threw it on the tack bench and again checked to make sure no one was looking.

Hidden behind the high walls of the stall, Hilde ran her hands over her hips, noting that they weren't as curvy as the other woman's. She looked down at her chest, and realized that she would never be able to fill out the top of a nice dress without the help of a tight corset. Her eyes roamed over her muscled legs and arms, all of it proof that she lived and worked on a ranch when she wasn't chasing down the bad guys. Cupping her face in her hands, she ran her fingers over her high cheekbones and down to her throat. When her hands closed around the delicate skin of her throat, she let out a disgusted sigh and kicked the side of the stall with all of her might.

Angered at herself for her lapse, she leaned up against the wooden wall and slid down into the bed of soft hay. 'When did I start thinking about being a woman?' She knew the answer to her silent question. It all started when she caught herself looking into the gorgeous eyes of a certain US Marshal. Slamming her fist against the wall beside her, Hilde hoped that the pain would override her current line of thought. It didn't work.

She closed her eyes and could almost feel the way his hand moved up her back in a comforting motion; could hear his laughter ringing in her ears; could see the way he looked at the saloon girl as she showed off her favors. Biting her bottom lip, she spilt it open and drew blood. Even though fate had dealt her an awful hand, she had never been jealous of another living soul before, until she saw him toss that beautiful smile at the saloon girl. It took all her strength not to draw her gun and shoot the 'woman' between her eyes. In that moment, she would have given up all of her money to be on the accepting end of his smile.

Renegade's ear twitched as he heard the soft sound of footsteps. He leaned his head down and nudged Hilde, alerting her to the approaching person. Pushing off the stall floor, she stood up and brushed the clinging pieces of straw off her clothing. She quickly retrieved her duster and tossed it on. As she made her way out of Renegade's stall, she bumped into the solid form of Duo Maxwell.

"I've been looking everywhere for you."

Hilde turned around and tipped her chin up, so she could look directly into his face. Words escaped her for a few seconds, before she could stutter, "S...Sorry."

He raised the eyebrow over his right eye as he gave her a questioning look. "Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

"I'm fine." She cringed at the sound of her own voice. Snapping at him wasn't going to solve any of the issues she was dealing with. And having him looking down at her with those damn eyes of his wasn't helping her to distance herself either. Expelling a long breath and taking a good look to make sure no one was in hearing range, she asked, "Were you able to get us some rooms?"

Running his hand across the back of his neck and turning his face away from her caused her temper to flare. Before he had a chance to explain why he was skirting around the issue, Hilde held up her hand in front of his face. "I don't want to hear it, Maxwell. I'm hungry, dirty and tired." Removing her hand, she placed it on her hip. "Please tell me that you at least found us a place for a decent meal?"

****************

The dining room of the Prancing Pony was completely different from the main lobby. While it was just as elegant as the foyer, there was something about the room that made it seem almost 'homey'. White linen tablecloths were draped over the numerous tables that littered the room. Simple candleholders where filled with blue candles, that burned despite the oil lanterns hanging from hooks on the walls. On the beige walls hung a couple large landscape pictures highlighting some of the natural wonders of the New Mexico Territory. But Duo's personal favorite was the picture of the Painted Desert, not just because it was beautiful, but mostly for the fact that it hung over Hilde's right shoulder giving him an excuse to look at her from time to time.

One of his black bandanas was tied around her slender neck and the tan colored duster hung off her shoulders. She was still wearing her hat, despite protests from the waitress that she wouldn't serve them dinner until the hat was removed. Under a killing glare from Hilde, he explained that his companion had a horrible run of bad luck and his hair had been shaved off. The waitress had held her laughter and told them she would be right back with some chicken and potatoes.

The people in the dining room paid no attention to the dark stranger and his young companion. They went about their meals lost in their own private conversations. Duo was glad, because had anyone been paying close attention they may have noticed Hilde's eating habits. Although she was playing the part of a male, she used the utensils just as a proper woman would. Never scrapping the tongs of the fork or the sharp blade of the knife along the bottom of the plate. She even cut her food into small portions.

A small twinge of guilt settled into the pit of his stomach. No matter what, Hilde was still a woman. She was more of a woman then the all the ones that had flaunted their favors at him early from the balcony. Placing his silverware on the table, Duo's hand moved down to the pocket of his pants and ran across the outline of the key. The idea of staying in the room with her, though extremely tempting, no longer seemed like an option. He would gladly give her the sanctuary of the room while he would bunk out in the livery with Bandit.

Hilde tilted her head up from the plate and looked at him from under the brim of her hat. "What?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"Nothing." His voice came out steady but for some reason he felt like he had been caught stealing a cookie from the baker's cookie jar. He hadn't realized that he had been staring at her the entire time, but the scowl on her face was proof enough that she didn't appreciate it.

Pushing the empty plate to the middle of the table, Hilde picked up the napkin and wiped it across her mouth. She had managed to keep from placing the napkin in her lap, but not without having to think about the action. As she leaned forward, Duo could see a patch of her smooth skin peak out from between the open buttons on her shirt. Swallowing hard, he tried to avert his eyes and pay attention to what she was saying.

"Were you able to get us some rooms?"

Duo slipped his hand into this pocket, pulled the key out and tossed it on the table between them. "Room number seven of the Prancing Pony. Supposedly the best room in the place." He watched as Hilde picked up the key and twirled it between her long fingers.

"So what room will you be staying in?"

Her question was innocent enough. All she wanted to know was what room he would be staying in, but he couldn't stop the thoughts that entered his mind. Taking her upstairs, and pulling the dusty clothes off her sleek body; rubbing his hands over her curves; breathing in the sweet smell that was all her own. Planting his lips over hers and....

"Maxwell?"

Duo visibly shook his head, his eyes focusing back on the woman in front of him. A familiar tightness in his pants caused him to curse himself for allowing his mind to wander in such a direction. The waitress chose that moment to bring dessert.

"Here you go. Fresh apple pie." She grabbed the remaining dirty dishes and strode over to another table before making her way back to the kitchen.

Hilde picked up her fork and sunk it into the warm pie. Duo watched intently as she slowly pulled the fork from between her lips, a low throaty moan coming in response to delicious treat. At that moment, he closed his eyes and tried to push away all of the erotic images that came to life at her small moan. It didn't work.

"Shit." Pushing away from the table, Duo picked his hat off the back of the chair and slammed it on his head. He didn't give her time to voice her question. "I'm going for a walk."

Hilde watched him as he nearly ran out of the dining room. His swift departure had grabbed the attention of all the other patrons of the hotel. A silence had momentarily filled the room as everyone tried to see what would happen next. When Hilde cut another bite of pie with the side of her fork, they went back to their personal conversations.

'What in the hell just happened?' Trying to appear normal on the outside, Hilde continued to eat her dessert as her mind tried to figure out what she had done to make him so mad. She knew that she had been less then friendly since they had entered Socorro, but it was necessary that she kept up the image of 'Barton.'

The last piece of flaky crust melted on her tongue when she realized that she had been lying to herself. She wasn't playing the part of 'Barton'; she was playing the part of a jealous female. In an unlady-like manner, Hilde threw her fork down on the plate, the clattering noise drawing some looks from a couple of elderly ladies in the corner of the room. Disgusted with herself, she got up from the table, picked up her saddlebags and began making her way up to her room.

Climbing the stairs and moving down the hallway, Hilde search for her room for the night, all the while trying to determine which room was Duo's. She found room at the end of the hallway, directly across from room number eight; the logical answer for where he would be staying was in the room across from hers. She placed the key in the lock of her room and opened the door. Casting a glance at the door behind her, she told herself that when Duo got back from his walk that she would suck up her pride and apologize for her childish behavior earlier.

Her heavy boots clicked across the hard wood floor and the hinges of the door squeaked in protest as she pushed it shut and turned the lock into place. A huge bed sat in the middle of the room, covered in a deep maroon and gold quilt. Feather pillows rested against the headboard, while the oil lamp on a nearby table had been lit, filling the room with a bright light. To Hilde's minor confusion, a small cot sat behind the dressing screen. Shrugging her shoulders, she tossed her saddlebags onto the cot, followed by her duster and her hat. She sighed in relief as her hair fell out of the tight knot on the top of her head and brushed the back of her neck.

A small basin and a pitcher of water had been placed on the vanity table. She poured some of the water into the basin and took on of the washing clothes began to wipe away some of the sand and dirt she had acquired during the day from her face and hands. Dipping the rag in the water again, she rinsed out some of the dirt and began to scrub the back of her neck with the damp cloth. Feeling partially clean, Hilde laid the rag aside and moved over to her saddlebags and pulled out one of many dime novels she had kept through her travels. She flounced down onto the feather mattress, sighing deeply as she sunk into its soft embrace.

If he followed his normal patterns, Oz would still be hanging out at one of the local houses, eating his fill before heading off to the saloon's to drown himself in liquor. Hilde looked toward the window and noticed that a thick blanket of clouds were rolling in, obscuring the moon behind them. She still had some time left before she would head out, so flipping open the weathered front cover of the novel, Hilde lost herself in the story.

Some time later, the muffled sound of a closing door her back to reality. Placing the frayed piece of ribbon between the yellowed sheets of paper, Hilde closed the book and moved over towards the door. She reached for the doorknob and remembered her present state of dress. Within a few seconds, the guise of 'Barton' had been replaced and she was heading out the door.

The hotel was fairly quiet, making the sounds of her spurs clear as her stride ate up the space between her room and the door across the way. Hilde lifted her hand and fisted it, ready to bring it down on the wooden door when a voice called out to her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Whipping her head around, Hilde spied a small girl standing by the open door to the storage closet at the end of the hall. The young girl was maybe twelve or fourteen years old. Her short red hair was a stunning contrast to the large pale blue eyes that shone on her face. Upon first look, the girl appeared innocent enough, but Hilde was able to catch the glint of mischievousness that hid in her sky blue eyes.

Lowering her voice, she asked, "Why'd you say that?"

The young girl tilted her head to the side. "Because the gentleman in that room is...indisposed at the moment." Motioning with her hand, the girl smiled. "Come here, I'll show you."

Against her better judgment, Hilde followed her into the storage closet. Once they were both inside the room, the young girl quietly pulled the door shut, casting the entire room into darkness.

From the shadows, the girl's whispered voice rang out. "During the war, mother used to use room eight to house any high political officials that may have passed through the area. That way we could spy on them, finding out information that could be passed onto various people...for a price."

Hilde remained quiet as she listened to the rustle of fabric as the girl moved about the closet. Moving around, Hilde kept her back towards the door, her hand resting on the doorknob. Then two little streams of dim light penetrated through the inky darkness. Though she couldn't see the girl's face, she was sure the little brat was smiling. Curiosity drew her towards the peepholes and taking a deep breath, she leaned her forehead against the wall and peered inside the other room.

Candles had been lit instead of the oil lamp. The tiny flames from the candles weren't enough to completely light the room, but they gave ample light for Hilde to see what exactly was going on in room number eight.

The whore's back was to her, the dress she had been wearing was pooled around her waist. Every once in a while, masculine hands would reach around and caress the woman's back. Her brunette hair was slowly coming undone from the elaborate twist atop her head. Hilde squinted her eyes and from under the skirt of the whore's dress, she could see the black boots that knocked against the bottom posts of the bed, along with a pair of dark pants, twisted about the man's ankles.

Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, trying to suppress the gasp that hung in the back of her throat. Hot tears burned in her eyes as she stepped backward in the darkness, searching for the door. She ended up bumping into the girl as she finally found the doorknob. Throwing the closet door open, Hilde stumbled out into the hallway and through blurry vision, made her way back into her room.

Slamming the door shut behind her, she leaned up against the sturdy frame and tried to regain her composure. 'You didn't see his face. You didn't see his face.' Hilde tried repeating the statement over and over in her mind, trying to reassure herself that the man wasn't Duo. But flashes from earlier that day, kept springing to her mind. As the shock dissipated, anger rose within her, most of it directed at herself. Hilde squeezed her eyes shut and willed the dampness in her eyes to disappear. Balling her hands into two small fists, she hit then against the door.

With her anger at its boiling point, Hilde moved over the extra cot in the room and picked up her gun belt. The soft leather pulled tightly across her hips as she tucked the strap into the silver buckle. She pulled the two six shooters out of the holster and checked to make sure the chambers were loaded. Twirling them around on her fingers, Hilde tucked them back into her gun belt. Not wanting to run into the child or anyone else, she headed over to the window and pushed open the pane of glass. It was time to finish it and get as far away from Duo Maxwell as possible.

****************

Duo made his way back to the hotel a few hours later; his mind still preoccupied with what had happened at dinner. He hadn't meant to snap out at her like that, but he couldn't help himself from venting some of his frustrations on her.

The look in her eyes as he pushed away from the table haunted him while he had strolled about town. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it; there were so many emotions displayed in her eyes and he was still trying to sort them all out. But the one he was able to clearly identify was hurt. Stuffing his hands deeper into his pockets, Duo continued to walk down the dusty street.

Overhead, the clouds illuminated with the first signs of the approaching storm. Soon the town would be drenched, turning the street into mud and sending all of the drunks scurrying for some form of shelter.

A loud feminine laugh drew his attention towards one of the saloons. Leaning up against the frame of the building, one of the local cowboys and saloon girls were putting on a public display that should have been kept in the bedroom. Duo rolled his eyes and continued his walk back to the Prancing Pony. It had been a while since he had found comfort with a woman, since Sylvia Noventa. She had been nearly five years older than him, but had taught him numerous things that he would never forget; like why to stay away from saloon girls in the first place. Sylvia was had no problems with they way their relationship worked; friends with privileges is how she had put it to him once. Their casual affair lasted for almost a year before a man by the name Otto finally caught her fancy. Before he left, Sylvia told him that one day he'd find someone that would catch his eye. Duo didn't believe her, but that was before he set his eyes on Hilde.

Striding into the hotel, Duo tipped his hat towards Anna Kushrenada's husband, Trieze, and took the stairs two at a time. It was time he swallowed his pride and atone for his earlier rude demeanor and get this job over with. The sooner he finished this assignment, the sooner he could head home to Texas, where he belonged. He needed to get away from the blue-eyed vixen, she was playing hell on his concentration.

As Duo made his way down the hall, a man came stumbling out of the room across from Hilde's. The man was about Duo's height and was dressed all in black as well. He stunk of cheap perfume and dark red lipstick had been smeared across his face. Tipping his hat, he moved passed Duo and continued making his way down the hall. Another door closed behind him and Duo spun around to see a young girl move away from the storage closet carrying an arm full of fresh towels. She brushed by him, trying to stifle her giggles behind the sly smile that played across her face. He watched her retreat down the stairs, wondering how in the world he had missed her standing there in the first place.

Sighing, Duo knocked on the door. "Hil...Barton, you in there?" He waited a couple of seconds before he pounded on the door again. For the second time, no one answered his knock.

Duo reached out and tested the doorknob, finding it unlocked, he slowly turned it and pushed the door open. "Barton?"

The dim light from the oil lamp cast the hotel room in an eerie yellow light. Softly closing the door behind him, Duo made his way into the room. Peering behind the screen, he found the small cot that had been placed in the room. He inwardly winced as he tried to imagine her reaction to the extra bed before he noticed her saddlebags thrown across the dark blue quilt. His callused fingers ran across the soft leather, bringing to mind a picture of Hilde riding Renegade, her body swaying back and forth.

Darting his eyes around the room, he looked for some sign of her. The top blanket of the bed was slightly wrinkled. A book lay in the center of the bed; a worn blue ribbon tucked safely between the pages. Duo walked over and picked up the book and ran his hand across the front cover.

"The Adventures of Davy Crockett." He muttered to the vacant room. Smiling, he turned to the pages that had been marked by the ribbon and read a few lines. A blush rose in his cheeks when he realized that she wasn't reading about Davy Crockett, but about unrequited love. Clearing his throat, he tossed the book back onto the bed and spun around the room.

Noticing that her duster and hat were missing, tiny warning flags were raised. In a quick search of the room, Duo realized that her gun belt was missing as well. A stiff breeze caught the lacy curtain, sending it dancing into the bedroom. Cursing, Duo strode over to the window. His strong hands grabbed hold of the windowsill as he ducked his head out of the hotel and looked down onto the street below. Anger clouded over his face as his grip on the sill tightened, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.

"Goddamn, that crazy woman's gonna get herself killed!" Duo hissed through his clenched teeth.

He spun around and ran out of the door, hoping he wasn't already too late.


TBC...

[gethmane8]

Excellant story. A real intruiging fic. Love Duo and Hilde.

[PeRiDoTs13]

i like ur quote about friendship. it's so tru.

i like ur fic even better. it's just terrific.