Between Sunrise and Sunset... Part 3
Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2003 4:29 pm
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
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Between Sunrise and Sunset
Part Three
By Loyce
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Hilde grabbed the bandana off her neck and ran it along the side of her face. The thin trails of sweat smeared across her tanned skin under the course material. Realizing the dry bandana wasn't much help; she pulled her canteen from the back of her saddle and poured some of the precious water onto the blue fabric. She then folded the damp bandana and placed it against her bare neck, hoping to cool her body.
It was hard to combat both the blazing summer sun and the heat of the anger pouring off of her companion. Over the past few hours, he'd been shooting a condescending look straight at her back. She'd been mentally kicking herself since she had run out of the camp for letting down the walls she had carefully created. Hilde pursed her lips together and groaned. Duo had learned too much about her past already and if she judged him correctly, he'd be like a dog after a bone to find out more information.
Her past. It was always there and instead of running from it, she decided to face it head on. But just because she faced it, didn't mean that she wanted to drag others into the muddy waters of her life. She hadn't meant to bring Trowa or Quatre into it, but no matter how hard she tried to pull away, they always managed to bring her back. Glancing back over her shoulder she watched Duo take a drink from his own canteen. He, however, was a separate story. She swung her eyes forward before he could notice her watching him. Duo had the means to get her close enough to Oz, to finally end it all. 'Using him is necessary. The ends justify the means.' The thought caused her heart to jump with a certain emotion, but she wouldn't bring herself to give it a name.
Hilde gripped the reins a little tighter, her small fingernails cutting into her palms. Socorro lay only a few hours ahead of them; she pulled herself out of the hole that Oz had dug for her and come too far not to finish what she started. Thoughts of putting a bullet between his eyes made her heels dig further into Renegade's flanks, spurring the horse into a gallop.
Closing her eyes, she let the warm sun and wind beat down on her face as she held on and leaned forward, giving Renegade the signal to head into a full out run. This was what it was like to be free, to run wild. She found herself falling in love with the feeling.
"Hilde! Hilde! Damnit, slow down! Can't you see you're pushing your horse too hard!"
The sound of his hostile voice, along with his words, snapped her from her trance. Hilde pulled back on the reins, forcing her horse to stumble to a stop. She could feel Renegade's sides expand and contract with every labored breath. The same feeling that had surfaced earlier, reared up again, and Hilde felt the guilt pulse through her body.
Leaning her head down against his muscled neck, she said, "I'm sorry my friend. I never meant to bring you into any of this, but I guess I couldn't stop it from happening."
Renegade slicked back his ears, snorted and nudged his neck into the side of her face.
"I'm hoping that was a sign of forgiveness." She sighed into his shaggy coat.
Sitting up in the saddle, she turned and came face to face with Duo. She hadn't heard his approach and became nervous at how close he had moved next to her. Their legs brushed up against each other as the horses stirred restlessly underneath of them. His eyes held a small sign of concern hidden behind his disdain and she felt her anger rise. Given the chance between which look she hated from him more, she'd rather have him look down upon her with contempt than look at her with compassion.
The afternoon winds began to gust, pulling the bandana free from her neck and tossing it to the sand. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the blue material dance off into the distance. Sand was already beginning to billow up off the ground. Placing her hand over her eyes, she looked into the direction of the wind.
"Sand storm."
Duo scratched the back of his head and looked in the same direction as Hilde. "I thought they only came about in the early spring."
"Well, it seems like Mother Nature has other plans." Hilde surveyed the surrounding area, looking for a place to weather the storm. "There!" She pointed toward the southeast. "The terrain grows steeper leading into the next mountain range. There has to be some caves, caverns or even a few hills that we could use for cover."
"All right, let's head in that direction." Duo was ready to slap the reins against Bandit's neck, when Hilde stopped him.
"We won't be able to out run the storm." Dismounting, she pulled her two extra shirts from the saddlebag. She took hold of Bandit's bridle and placed the lightweight shirt over his muzzle, tucking it underneath the straps of leather. Once she had finished with Bandit, she moved over to Renegade and performed the same task. "It'll help them breathe easier once the storm breaks down on us." She turned and looked into Duo's face. "We won't be able to push them too hard."
"Right." Duo pulled his black bandana over the lower part of his face and kicked Bandit into a run, with Hilde directly on his heels.
They hadn't made it far when the storm caught with them. The sand danced along the ground as the full force of the wind blew east through the dry land. Tiny grains of sand stung as they were blasted against her exposed skin. Like other sand storms she'd experienced, the sand never lifted more than a meter off the ground but it still made it difficult to breathe.
Hilde reached to her neck to tug the bandana over her face, but instead of material, her hand grabbed smooth skin. "Damnit!" She muttered as she pulled the sleeve of her duster against her face, trying to block the sand. The air was heavy with sand and dust, stinging her eyes and burning her lungs. It felt like someone was closing his or her hands around her throat, and she willed herself not to panic. Renegade, sensing his rider's distress, slowed and Hilde barely realized that he'd come to a complete stop until she rubbed the sandy tears from her eyes.
Up ahead, she could see Duo motioning for her. He had yanked the dark material from his face, and cupped his hands around his mouth, trying to project his voice but whatever he was yelling was drowned out by the howling wind.
The reins went slack against the saddle when she brought her hands to her face, hoping to smother the coughing fit that took hold of her body. Instinctively, she hugged her thighs around Renegade's sides and directed the horse towards Duo. Finally, after a few moments, she reached him and allowed him to pull her off the horse and carry her into the small opening he had found at the base of the foothills. He gently placed her on the floor of the cave and went to bring the horses into the shelter. Getting to her knees, she hung her head and began to spit sand out of her mouth. A few times, she stopped breathing as her throat burned from the sand she had inhaled. Hilde began to crawl toward the stone wall and tried to take small breaths as she made her way. The sounds of her shaky breathing resounded in the small space, overpowering the echoes of his hurried footsteps.
Hilde felt strong arms wrap around her back and under her knees. Through blurry eyes, she watched as Duo lifted her off of the ground, sat down in the middle of the cave and placed her in his lap. The desperate air she needed caught in her throat as the heat of his body wash over her and his muscled legs flexed underneath of her. She found it hard to swallow past the lump in her throat.
She closed her eyes and leaned against his chest, taking slow steady breaths. Duo placed his chin on the top of her head and encouraged her to take it easy when another coughing fit hit. His hand lazily stroked along her back, easing her into a relaxed state and making it easier for her to breath. Hilde couldn't help the pleasurable sigh that escaped her lips as his hand continued to trail a path of heat up and down her spine. Wrapped in his arms, she experienced feelings that she'd never felt before. 'Unlike when...' The incomplete thought caused her to stiffen under his touch. Panic crashed down upon her and she bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to will Oz's face out of her mind. Duo's arms went slack the minutes she stiffened and he no longer ran his hands over her body. Hilde refused to allow her mind to play tricks on her; overriding Duo's comforting touch to the vile way that Oz had handled her. She needed to get away. Without looking at his face, she pushed out of his lap and on unsteady legs; she walked to the other side of the cave. Wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to ward off the chill brought on by the memories and repair the damage his touch had done to her defensives.
What he said next surprised her.
"Do they still hurt?"
***************
Holding and having her warm body pressed up against his had felt wonderful. She was lighter than he imagined, her body toned with sleek muscles. Hilde wasn't a weakling by any means of the word. She had an inner strength that showed just as proudly as her physical strength.
But when he felt her stiffen in his arms, he realized the folly of his mistake. The scars on her back proved that she had suffered hardship at someone else's hand, and he assumed too much by forcing her to lean on him. He watched her from across the cave and before he could stop himself, the words were already leaving his lips.
"Do they still hurt?"
Duo felt like smacking his head against the stone walls. 'Of all the stupid things to say, Maxwell.' Of course he knew the scars no longer bothered her, physically. Her back was littered with the thin scars that had faded from pink to white. But he knew that mentally, the scars where just as fresh as the day they were made.
If she was shocked at his absurd question, then Hilde hid it pretty well. Those cornflower blue eyes stared back at him as her arms dropped to her sides. "No. They don't hurt anymore." She answered with cool clip to her voice.
He could feel her withdrawing from him and climbing back into her shell. Not wanting her to close the lines of communication he asked her, "Why'd you do it?"
"Why'd I do what?"
"Why'd you become a bounty hunter?"
Hilde rolled her eyes. "You've already asked this question and I'll give you the same answer I did before." Placing her hands on her hips, she looked down at him. "You ask too many questions, Maxwell."
"Humor me." Duo laughed and held his hands out in front of him, trying to stop her before she completely tuned him out. "Hey, wait a second. We're going to be stuck in this 'cave' until the storm passes and I don't want to spend it in silence. So, either you talk or I talk. It's your choice."
He watched her grow silent; contemplating the ultimatum that he had given her. After a few moments, she expelled a huge breath and sunk down to the hard ground. "All right, I'll talk." She clapped her hands in front of her, propping her elbows on her bent knees. "I'll tell you about the first capture I made."
Duo watched her as she spun the tale of the wild goose chase of her first bounty. The guy's name was Jay Mueller and he was wanted for horse thieving. He would sneak onto properties after dark and relieve some of the local ranches of their prize stallions, selling them at markets for a nice profit. She'd been chasing him for about a month when she decided to set a trap.
"With Quatre's approval, I went around town bragging about the prime horseflesh that he and Trowa had just bought from a man in Tennessee, hoping that would draw him to our ranch."
"Who are Trowa and Quatre?"
She regarded him for a second, before answering. "They own the Sandrock Ranch northeast of Santa Fe."
Because she hesitated, Duo knew that she was guarding her responses. He told her to continue the story, as he tucked the information that he had just learned from her into the back of his mind.
"As I'm sure you already know, most ranches have a unique symbol that they brand their livestock with, proving ownership of the animal. Well, Mueller was only picking out horses that either hadn't been branded yet, or animals that had brands that could easily be altered. The brand symbol the Sandrock uses is a pair of crossed sickles, a very hard brand to cover up. While I was in town, I made it known that we were throwing a party in celebration before we branded the animal.
"That night, to go along with my story, Quatre and Trowa threw a huge party, inviting nearly everyone in the surrounding area. In truth, they had just purchased another horse, but the stallion had been branded earlier in that morning. In the meantime, I set up Renegade in the stall and let the other horse run out in the field. As night began to cast longer shadows, I made my way into the loft and set up watch.
"It seemed like hours before that varmint showed up. I wasn't too happy that he made me wait so long, but I was happy that he did show up. Mueller moved to the tack room and removed one of the saddles and bridles. I didn't even draw my gun; I knew that Renegade would do most of the work for me. The horse is as stubborn as the day he was born; still has a green streak running through him. He doesn't take too kindly to strangers. When Mueller entered his stall, Renegade leaned forward and kicked him, catching him in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him. I jumped down from the loft and hog-tied him, making sure that he wouldn't be able to get away.
"As the moon crested the eastern mountains, I strolled into town with Mueller slung over the back of my horse. I turned him in at the local jail and received my deposit slip for the reward. Climbing into the saddle to head back to the ranch, I could tell that Renegade wasn't too happy with me. We had nearly passed the livery when he reared, tossing me into one of the nearby water troughs. I watched as the stupid animal continued on his way back to the ranch without me."
He threw his head back and began to laugh, his deep voice filling the tiny cave. When he looked back over at her, she was scowling. "Hilde, I'm not laughing at you, honest."
She wrinkled her nose. "For some reason, Maxwell, I don't believe you. From that point on, I've left Renegade out of my crazy schemes."
"What do you mean, crazy schemes?"
She fought at the smile that pulled at her lips and lost.
Hilde's face lit up when she smiled and Duo felt his heart stop in his chest. She was a rare jewel, this female that sat across from him with a smile that could melt the winter snow and a gun belt slung across her small hips. He could feel her grow uncomfortable under his assessing gaze. Clearing his throat, Duo picked himself off the ground and headed toward the cave opening.
"The storm's passed."
A few seconds later, Hilde came up to stand beside him, the top of her head barely reaching his chin. "I think it's safe to continue on our way. Socorro can't be far, though we may have to back track a little to find the Rio again." She looked up into the sky. "We should be able to make it there before twilight."
Duo went and pulled the horses out of the cave and within a matter of minutes; they were up in the saddle and heading east across the dry land stretched in front of them.
**************
They made it into Socorro right as the clock struck five o'clock. Most of the town's people were heading back to their homesteads with their wagons loaded down with supplies. Others were heading into the nearby boarding houses looking for a cheap meal. And a few more slunk into the darken doorways of the saloons and gambling parlors, ready to earn or spend their days wages.
Duo and Hilde made their way down the main street, the hooves of their mounts kicking up dirt along the way. As they moved by one of the local saloons, 'The Fifth Ace', a few of the girls sitting out on the balcony began to call down to them, drawing their attention. A buxom brunette leaned over the railing, her powdered breast nearly falling out of her low-cut blue dress.
"Hey there, tall, dark and sexy." She curled her red painted lips into a suggestive smile. "I haven't seen you around these parts before 'cause I'd remember a long mane of silky hair like yours."
Duo pulled his horse to a stop under the balcony and cleared his throat. "And I'd remember someone as beautiful as yourself." Beside him, Hilde coughed and he realized that she was probably trying to hide the beginnings of laughter. "Now, would a wonderful creature like yourself know of any fine places I could rest my weary head for the night?"
The brunette bit the tip of her finger for a second while she thought of an answer, before releasing it from between her teeth, letting it slide down her throat to toy with the neckline of her dress. "You could rest your head on my pillow tonight, though I can't guarantee you'll get a full night's rest." She winked, giving extra emphasis to her words. "I'd even let the young fella with you stay with us. I'm sure I could teach him a thing or two his mama didn't." Her hands ran down the front of her bodice to rest on her round hips.
This time it was Duo's turn to cover up his laughter with a series of coughs. "As much as I'd like to take you up on the offer, I'm afraid that I really do need to find a hotel or boarding house for the night."
Sighing, the saloon girl pushed back from the railing, making her breasts bounce and her lips pout. "Well, there's the Prancing Pony; probably some rooms left there. You could get a decent meal and a warm bath for a couple of bucks, if you got the money. Classy joint, it is."
Duo tipped his hat. "Thank you kindly."
"You'll come back and see me later tonight, won't you?" She asked with a seductive undertone to her voice.
He watched as Hilde spurred her horse and strolled away from the saloon. A huge breath escaped his parched lips as he watched her go. Placing one of his charming smiles on his face, he turned back around to face the saloon girl. "I'll see you later then, ma'am."
Duo clicked his tongue and wheeled Bandit toward Hilde's retreating form. With a quick gallop, he had nearly caught up with her.
"Barton!"
His yell got the desired response; she stopped dead in her tracks. While in the presence of other people, she had demanded to be referred to by her alias. Not that Duo could blame her; a man traveling alone would draw less attention than a woman. Besides, she was comfortable with the life she had chosen to live as 'Barton.' He pulled up along side of Renegade. "Where are you going?"
"The livery." Her harsh, cold voice replied. Again, she started moving toward the end of town.
Duo sighed. With the reappearance of 'Barton', also came the short answers. The thought disturbed him. When they had been stuck in the caves for those few hours, Hilde opened up to him, revealing part of the person she hid within herself. By going back to the character of the bounty hunter, she could easily retreat back into her anti-social shell again.
The Prancing Pony was not too far from the where the saloon girl had stopped them. And the whore was correct, it was a fancy place, and out of place for a little town like Socorro. He eyed the outside of the building and counted the windows. Noting there were only a few rooms in the hotel, he stopped and began to dismount. Hilde pulled back on Renegade's bit and sent him a puzzled look over her shoulder.
"I'm going to secure us some rooms for the night. Go on ahead and get find some room at the livery for the horses." Duo reached into his duster and pulled out a small leather bag that jingled with the familiar sound of coins. The heat of her gaze caused him to look up into her face. By the way she was looking at him, he knew that he had insulted her in some way.
"I have my *own* money, Maxwell." The venom in her voice barely had time to register before she kicked Renegade into a canter.
'Why can't I do anything right where she's concerned?' Holding onto Bandit's reins, he led the horse to the hitching post and tossed the leather straps around the wood. His boots made a loud noise as he stepped up along the walk and into the hotel.
It was decorated in deep maroon and gold colors. And it seemed as if the owner hadn't spared any expense. Lush carpets laid in the entryway, thick drapers hung from the window frames and the walls were covered in tapestries. A cheery wood desk sat at the far end of the lobby, accented with gold inlay. Duo felt out of place and afraid to touch anything for fear of breaking it. He carefully made his way toward the desk and rang the small bell that sat on the counter top. Leaning his back up against the counter, Duo stretched his legs out in front of him, crossing his ankles. He tipped his hat back a little further and continued to survey the room.
The soft rustling sound of a skirt caused him to glance over his shoulder. Descending the stairs was a beautiful lady. Her purple dress was of the latest style back East and her brown hair was pulled up into a ton of curls on top of her head. She was beautiful; there was no denying that. She circled behind the desk and extended her hand to him. "Welcome sir to the Prancing Pony. I'm Anna Kushrenada, how can I help you?"
Duo took notice of the dull golden band wrapped around the ring finger on her left hand. "I'd like to purchase two rooms for the evening."
Without looking at the guest registry, she replied with a sincere voice. "I'm sorry, sir, but I only have one room available."
Duo scratched his chin for a moment. The idea of being trapped in the same room with Hilde played hell with his mind. Sure they had spent the night together before, but that was when he thought she was a man, and then they had been in the open, not cramped together in a confined space. Rubbing his hands over his face, Duo groaned in frustration.
Her brown eyes held a concerned look. "Is there a problem sir?"
"No, there's no problem at all. How many beds are in that room?"
"Just the one, sir."
Duo nearly laughed. 'Just my luck.' Tension was already growing between them since their encounter in the cave, and just the thought of them sharing the room, let alone the idea of them sharing the bed, was causing a variety of warring reactions inside of him. "Would you have a problem if my companion slept on the floor? I'd hate to have him sleep outside while I'm living it up."
Anna smiled. "Not at all, sir. I'll see if my husband can find the spare cot to place in the room."
Reaching into his pocket, Duo pulled out the government money he had been given before taking this case and laid out a hand full of gold coins, paying for the room and then some, on the desk between them. "I'll also need two dinners and the some heated water for a bath, if that isn't too much trouble."
She quickly snatched the money off the counter top. "Anything we can do to make your stay a pleasant one, please let us know." Anna reached under the desk and pulled out a key for one of the rooms. "Room number seven. It's located at the top of the stair and down the hallway on your left. Dinner will be served in the dining room until eight, the bath can be ready at a moments notice and breakfast is served from five to seven."
Taking the key out of her hand, Duo headed out the door. He undid the reins on the hitching post, climbed into the saddle and headed down the road toward the livery. Hilde would not take too kindly to the idea of sharing a room with him. Even though she swore her reputation had been shredded beyond repair, she wouldn't rest easy being in closed quarters with him. A tight feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. He felt like he was on his way to meet the hangman's noose, for he knew that when Hilde found out they would be sharing a room, he'd have hell to pay.
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Between Sunrise and Sunset
Part Three
By Loyce
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Hilde grabbed the bandana off her neck and ran it along the side of her face. The thin trails of sweat smeared across her tanned skin under the course material. Realizing the dry bandana wasn't much help; she pulled her canteen from the back of her saddle and poured some of the precious water onto the blue fabric. She then folded the damp bandana and placed it against her bare neck, hoping to cool her body.
It was hard to combat both the blazing summer sun and the heat of the anger pouring off of her companion. Over the past few hours, he'd been shooting a condescending look straight at her back. She'd been mentally kicking herself since she had run out of the camp for letting down the walls she had carefully created. Hilde pursed her lips together and groaned. Duo had learned too much about her past already and if she judged him correctly, he'd be like a dog after a bone to find out more information.
Her past. It was always there and instead of running from it, she decided to face it head on. But just because she faced it, didn't mean that she wanted to drag others into the muddy waters of her life. She hadn't meant to bring Trowa or Quatre into it, but no matter how hard she tried to pull away, they always managed to bring her back. Glancing back over her shoulder she watched Duo take a drink from his own canteen. He, however, was a separate story. She swung her eyes forward before he could notice her watching him. Duo had the means to get her close enough to Oz, to finally end it all. 'Using him is necessary. The ends justify the means.' The thought caused her heart to jump with a certain emotion, but she wouldn't bring herself to give it a name.
Hilde gripped the reins a little tighter, her small fingernails cutting into her palms. Socorro lay only a few hours ahead of them; she pulled herself out of the hole that Oz had dug for her and come too far not to finish what she started. Thoughts of putting a bullet between his eyes made her heels dig further into Renegade's flanks, spurring the horse into a gallop.
Closing her eyes, she let the warm sun and wind beat down on her face as she held on and leaned forward, giving Renegade the signal to head into a full out run. This was what it was like to be free, to run wild. She found herself falling in love with the feeling.
"Hilde! Hilde! Damnit, slow down! Can't you see you're pushing your horse too hard!"
The sound of his hostile voice, along with his words, snapped her from her trance. Hilde pulled back on the reins, forcing her horse to stumble to a stop. She could feel Renegade's sides expand and contract with every labored breath. The same feeling that had surfaced earlier, reared up again, and Hilde felt the guilt pulse through her body.
Leaning her head down against his muscled neck, she said, "I'm sorry my friend. I never meant to bring you into any of this, but I guess I couldn't stop it from happening."
Renegade slicked back his ears, snorted and nudged his neck into the side of her face.
"I'm hoping that was a sign of forgiveness." She sighed into his shaggy coat.
Sitting up in the saddle, she turned and came face to face with Duo. She hadn't heard his approach and became nervous at how close he had moved next to her. Their legs brushed up against each other as the horses stirred restlessly underneath of them. His eyes held a small sign of concern hidden behind his disdain and she felt her anger rise. Given the chance between which look she hated from him more, she'd rather have him look down upon her with contempt than look at her with compassion.
The afternoon winds began to gust, pulling the bandana free from her neck and tossing it to the sand. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the blue material dance off into the distance. Sand was already beginning to billow up off the ground. Placing her hand over her eyes, she looked into the direction of the wind.
"Sand storm."
Duo scratched the back of his head and looked in the same direction as Hilde. "I thought they only came about in the early spring."
"Well, it seems like Mother Nature has other plans." Hilde surveyed the surrounding area, looking for a place to weather the storm. "There!" She pointed toward the southeast. "The terrain grows steeper leading into the next mountain range. There has to be some caves, caverns or even a few hills that we could use for cover."
"All right, let's head in that direction." Duo was ready to slap the reins against Bandit's neck, when Hilde stopped him.
"We won't be able to out run the storm." Dismounting, she pulled her two extra shirts from the saddlebag. She took hold of Bandit's bridle and placed the lightweight shirt over his muzzle, tucking it underneath the straps of leather. Once she had finished with Bandit, she moved over to Renegade and performed the same task. "It'll help them breathe easier once the storm breaks down on us." She turned and looked into Duo's face. "We won't be able to push them too hard."
"Right." Duo pulled his black bandana over the lower part of his face and kicked Bandit into a run, with Hilde directly on his heels.
They hadn't made it far when the storm caught with them. The sand danced along the ground as the full force of the wind blew east through the dry land. Tiny grains of sand stung as they were blasted against her exposed skin. Like other sand storms she'd experienced, the sand never lifted more than a meter off the ground but it still made it difficult to breathe.
Hilde reached to her neck to tug the bandana over her face, but instead of material, her hand grabbed smooth skin. "Damnit!" She muttered as she pulled the sleeve of her duster against her face, trying to block the sand. The air was heavy with sand and dust, stinging her eyes and burning her lungs. It felt like someone was closing his or her hands around her throat, and she willed herself not to panic. Renegade, sensing his rider's distress, slowed and Hilde barely realized that he'd come to a complete stop until she rubbed the sandy tears from her eyes.
Up ahead, she could see Duo motioning for her. He had yanked the dark material from his face, and cupped his hands around his mouth, trying to project his voice but whatever he was yelling was drowned out by the howling wind.
The reins went slack against the saddle when she brought her hands to her face, hoping to smother the coughing fit that took hold of her body. Instinctively, she hugged her thighs around Renegade's sides and directed the horse towards Duo. Finally, after a few moments, she reached him and allowed him to pull her off the horse and carry her into the small opening he had found at the base of the foothills. He gently placed her on the floor of the cave and went to bring the horses into the shelter. Getting to her knees, she hung her head and began to spit sand out of her mouth. A few times, she stopped breathing as her throat burned from the sand she had inhaled. Hilde began to crawl toward the stone wall and tried to take small breaths as she made her way. The sounds of her shaky breathing resounded in the small space, overpowering the echoes of his hurried footsteps.
Hilde felt strong arms wrap around her back and under her knees. Through blurry eyes, she watched as Duo lifted her off of the ground, sat down in the middle of the cave and placed her in his lap. The desperate air she needed caught in her throat as the heat of his body wash over her and his muscled legs flexed underneath of her. She found it hard to swallow past the lump in her throat.
She closed her eyes and leaned against his chest, taking slow steady breaths. Duo placed his chin on the top of her head and encouraged her to take it easy when another coughing fit hit. His hand lazily stroked along her back, easing her into a relaxed state and making it easier for her to breath. Hilde couldn't help the pleasurable sigh that escaped her lips as his hand continued to trail a path of heat up and down her spine. Wrapped in his arms, she experienced feelings that she'd never felt before. 'Unlike when...' The incomplete thought caused her to stiffen under his touch. Panic crashed down upon her and she bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to will Oz's face out of her mind. Duo's arms went slack the minutes she stiffened and he no longer ran his hands over her body. Hilde refused to allow her mind to play tricks on her; overriding Duo's comforting touch to the vile way that Oz had handled her. She needed to get away. Without looking at his face, she pushed out of his lap and on unsteady legs; she walked to the other side of the cave. Wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to ward off the chill brought on by the memories and repair the damage his touch had done to her defensives.
What he said next surprised her.
"Do they still hurt?"
***************
Holding and having her warm body pressed up against his had felt wonderful. She was lighter than he imagined, her body toned with sleek muscles. Hilde wasn't a weakling by any means of the word. She had an inner strength that showed just as proudly as her physical strength.
But when he felt her stiffen in his arms, he realized the folly of his mistake. The scars on her back proved that she had suffered hardship at someone else's hand, and he assumed too much by forcing her to lean on him. He watched her from across the cave and before he could stop himself, the words were already leaving his lips.
"Do they still hurt?"
Duo felt like smacking his head against the stone walls. 'Of all the stupid things to say, Maxwell.' Of course he knew the scars no longer bothered her, physically. Her back was littered with the thin scars that had faded from pink to white. But he knew that mentally, the scars where just as fresh as the day they were made.
If she was shocked at his absurd question, then Hilde hid it pretty well. Those cornflower blue eyes stared back at him as her arms dropped to her sides. "No. They don't hurt anymore." She answered with cool clip to her voice.
He could feel her withdrawing from him and climbing back into her shell. Not wanting her to close the lines of communication he asked her, "Why'd you do it?"
"Why'd I do what?"
"Why'd you become a bounty hunter?"
Hilde rolled her eyes. "You've already asked this question and I'll give you the same answer I did before." Placing her hands on her hips, she looked down at him. "You ask too many questions, Maxwell."
"Humor me." Duo laughed and held his hands out in front of him, trying to stop her before she completely tuned him out. "Hey, wait a second. We're going to be stuck in this 'cave' until the storm passes and I don't want to spend it in silence. So, either you talk or I talk. It's your choice."
He watched her grow silent; contemplating the ultimatum that he had given her. After a few moments, she expelled a huge breath and sunk down to the hard ground. "All right, I'll talk." She clapped her hands in front of her, propping her elbows on her bent knees. "I'll tell you about the first capture I made."
Duo watched her as she spun the tale of the wild goose chase of her first bounty. The guy's name was Jay Mueller and he was wanted for horse thieving. He would sneak onto properties after dark and relieve some of the local ranches of their prize stallions, selling them at markets for a nice profit. She'd been chasing him for about a month when she decided to set a trap.
"With Quatre's approval, I went around town bragging about the prime horseflesh that he and Trowa had just bought from a man in Tennessee, hoping that would draw him to our ranch."
"Who are Trowa and Quatre?"
She regarded him for a second, before answering. "They own the Sandrock Ranch northeast of Santa Fe."
Because she hesitated, Duo knew that she was guarding her responses. He told her to continue the story, as he tucked the information that he had just learned from her into the back of his mind.
"As I'm sure you already know, most ranches have a unique symbol that they brand their livestock with, proving ownership of the animal. Well, Mueller was only picking out horses that either hadn't been branded yet, or animals that had brands that could easily be altered. The brand symbol the Sandrock uses is a pair of crossed sickles, a very hard brand to cover up. While I was in town, I made it known that we were throwing a party in celebration before we branded the animal.
"That night, to go along with my story, Quatre and Trowa threw a huge party, inviting nearly everyone in the surrounding area. In truth, they had just purchased another horse, but the stallion had been branded earlier in that morning. In the meantime, I set up Renegade in the stall and let the other horse run out in the field. As night began to cast longer shadows, I made my way into the loft and set up watch.
"It seemed like hours before that varmint showed up. I wasn't too happy that he made me wait so long, but I was happy that he did show up. Mueller moved to the tack room and removed one of the saddles and bridles. I didn't even draw my gun; I knew that Renegade would do most of the work for me. The horse is as stubborn as the day he was born; still has a green streak running through him. He doesn't take too kindly to strangers. When Mueller entered his stall, Renegade leaned forward and kicked him, catching him in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him. I jumped down from the loft and hog-tied him, making sure that he wouldn't be able to get away.
"As the moon crested the eastern mountains, I strolled into town with Mueller slung over the back of my horse. I turned him in at the local jail and received my deposit slip for the reward. Climbing into the saddle to head back to the ranch, I could tell that Renegade wasn't too happy with me. We had nearly passed the livery when he reared, tossing me into one of the nearby water troughs. I watched as the stupid animal continued on his way back to the ranch without me."
He threw his head back and began to laugh, his deep voice filling the tiny cave. When he looked back over at her, she was scowling. "Hilde, I'm not laughing at you, honest."
She wrinkled her nose. "For some reason, Maxwell, I don't believe you. From that point on, I've left Renegade out of my crazy schemes."
"What do you mean, crazy schemes?"
She fought at the smile that pulled at her lips and lost.
Hilde's face lit up when she smiled and Duo felt his heart stop in his chest. She was a rare jewel, this female that sat across from him with a smile that could melt the winter snow and a gun belt slung across her small hips. He could feel her grow uncomfortable under his assessing gaze. Clearing his throat, Duo picked himself off the ground and headed toward the cave opening.
"The storm's passed."
A few seconds later, Hilde came up to stand beside him, the top of her head barely reaching his chin. "I think it's safe to continue on our way. Socorro can't be far, though we may have to back track a little to find the Rio again." She looked up into the sky. "We should be able to make it there before twilight."
Duo went and pulled the horses out of the cave and within a matter of minutes; they were up in the saddle and heading east across the dry land stretched in front of them.
**************
They made it into Socorro right as the clock struck five o'clock. Most of the town's people were heading back to their homesteads with their wagons loaded down with supplies. Others were heading into the nearby boarding houses looking for a cheap meal. And a few more slunk into the darken doorways of the saloons and gambling parlors, ready to earn or spend their days wages.
Duo and Hilde made their way down the main street, the hooves of their mounts kicking up dirt along the way. As they moved by one of the local saloons, 'The Fifth Ace', a few of the girls sitting out on the balcony began to call down to them, drawing their attention. A buxom brunette leaned over the railing, her powdered breast nearly falling out of her low-cut blue dress.
"Hey there, tall, dark and sexy." She curled her red painted lips into a suggestive smile. "I haven't seen you around these parts before 'cause I'd remember a long mane of silky hair like yours."
Duo pulled his horse to a stop under the balcony and cleared his throat. "And I'd remember someone as beautiful as yourself." Beside him, Hilde coughed and he realized that she was probably trying to hide the beginnings of laughter. "Now, would a wonderful creature like yourself know of any fine places I could rest my weary head for the night?"
The brunette bit the tip of her finger for a second while she thought of an answer, before releasing it from between her teeth, letting it slide down her throat to toy with the neckline of her dress. "You could rest your head on my pillow tonight, though I can't guarantee you'll get a full night's rest." She winked, giving extra emphasis to her words. "I'd even let the young fella with you stay with us. I'm sure I could teach him a thing or two his mama didn't." Her hands ran down the front of her bodice to rest on her round hips.
This time it was Duo's turn to cover up his laughter with a series of coughs. "As much as I'd like to take you up on the offer, I'm afraid that I really do need to find a hotel or boarding house for the night."
Sighing, the saloon girl pushed back from the railing, making her breasts bounce and her lips pout. "Well, there's the Prancing Pony; probably some rooms left there. You could get a decent meal and a warm bath for a couple of bucks, if you got the money. Classy joint, it is."
Duo tipped his hat. "Thank you kindly."
"You'll come back and see me later tonight, won't you?" She asked with a seductive undertone to her voice.
He watched as Hilde spurred her horse and strolled away from the saloon. A huge breath escaped his parched lips as he watched her go. Placing one of his charming smiles on his face, he turned back around to face the saloon girl. "I'll see you later then, ma'am."
Duo clicked his tongue and wheeled Bandit toward Hilde's retreating form. With a quick gallop, he had nearly caught up with her.
"Barton!"
His yell got the desired response; she stopped dead in her tracks. While in the presence of other people, she had demanded to be referred to by her alias. Not that Duo could blame her; a man traveling alone would draw less attention than a woman. Besides, she was comfortable with the life she had chosen to live as 'Barton.' He pulled up along side of Renegade. "Where are you going?"
"The livery." Her harsh, cold voice replied. Again, she started moving toward the end of town.
Duo sighed. With the reappearance of 'Barton', also came the short answers. The thought disturbed him. When they had been stuck in the caves for those few hours, Hilde opened up to him, revealing part of the person she hid within herself. By going back to the character of the bounty hunter, she could easily retreat back into her anti-social shell again.
The Prancing Pony was not too far from the where the saloon girl had stopped them. And the whore was correct, it was a fancy place, and out of place for a little town like Socorro. He eyed the outside of the building and counted the windows. Noting there were only a few rooms in the hotel, he stopped and began to dismount. Hilde pulled back on Renegade's bit and sent him a puzzled look over her shoulder.
"I'm going to secure us some rooms for the night. Go on ahead and get find some room at the livery for the horses." Duo reached into his duster and pulled out a small leather bag that jingled with the familiar sound of coins. The heat of her gaze caused him to look up into her face. By the way she was looking at him, he knew that he had insulted her in some way.
"I have my *own* money, Maxwell." The venom in her voice barely had time to register before she kicked Renegade into a canter.
'Why can't I do anything right where she's concerned?' Holding onto Bandit's reins, he led the horse to the hitching post and tossed the leather straps around the wood. His boots made a loud noise as he stepped up along the walk and into the hotel.
It was decorated in deep maroon and gold colors. And it seemed as if the owner hadn't spared any expense. Lush carpets laid in the entryway, thick drapers hung from the window frames and the walls were covered in tapestries. A cheery wood desk sat at the far end of the lobby, accented with gold inlay. Duo felt out of place and afraid to touch anything for fear of breaking it. He carefully made his way toward the desk and rang the small bell that sat on the counter top. Leaning his back up against the counter, Duo stretched his legs out in front of him, crossing his ankles. He tipped his hat back a little further and continued to survey the room.
The soft rustling sound of a skirt caused him to glance over his shoulder. Descending the stairs was a beautiful lady. Her purple dress was of the latest style back East and her brown hair was pulled up into a ton of curls on top of her head. She was beautiful; there was no denying that. She circled behind the desk and extended her hand to him. "Welcome sir to the Prancing Pony. I'm Anna Kushrenada, how can I help you?"
Duo took notice of the dull golden band wrapped around the ring finger on her left hand. "I'd like to purchase two rooms for the evening."
Without looking at the guest registry, she replied with a sincere voice. "I'm sorry, sir, but I only have one room available."
Duo scratched his chin for a moment. The idea of being trapped in the same room with Hilde played hell with his mind. Sure they had spent the night together before, but that was when he thought she was a man, and then they had been in the open, not cramped together in a confined space. Rubbing his hands over his face, Duo groaned in frustration.
Her brown eyes held a concerned look. "Is there a problem sir?"
"No, there's no problem at all. How many beds are in that room?"
"Just the one, sir."
Duo nearly laughed. 'Just my luck.' Tension was already growing between them since their encounter in the cave, and just the thought of them sharing the room, let alone the idea of them sharing the bed, was causing a variety of warring reactions inside of him. "Would you have a problem if my companion slept on the floor? I'd hate to have him sleep outside while I'm living it up."
Anna smiled. "Not at all, sir. I'll see if my husband can find the spare cot to place in the room."
Reaching into his pocket, Duo pulled out the government money he had been given before taking this case and laid out a hand full of gold coins, paying for the room and then some, on the desk between them. "I'll also need two dinners and the some heated water for a bath, if that isn't too much trouble."
She quickly snatched the money off the counter top. "Anything we can do to make your stay a pleasant one, please let us know." Anna reached under the desk and pulled out a key for one of the rooms. "Room number seven. It's located at the top of the stair and down the hallway on your left. Dinner will be served in the dining room until eight, the bath can be ready at a moments notice and breakfast is served from five to seven."
Taking the key out of her hand, Duo headed out the door. He undid the reins on the hitching post, climbed into the saddle and headed down the road toward the livery. Hilde would not take too kindly to the idea of sharing a room with him. Even though she swore her reputation had been shredded beyond repair, she wouldn't rest easy being in closed quarters with him. A tight feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. He felt like he was on his way to meet the hangman's noose, for he knew that when Hilde found out they would be sharing a room, he'd have hell to pay.
