Duo's Nightmare     Night fell like a dark shroud over the countryside as he stalked forward as silent as Death on the prowl.  In his hand he held a gun at the ready, ears straining to detect any deviation in the monotone quiet.  Slowly he made his way toward the Maxwell church.
    Father Maxwell and the Sister were holding a meeting of the patrol members.  Being eight, he was by far the youngest on the team.  Everything was so quiet.
    Staying in the shadows he moved toward the door.  Without a noise it swung open at his hesitant touch, having already been ajar.  No noise came from within the dark room and taking the flashlight from his belt he flicked it on and light flooded the room.
    Looking at the ground he noted the red liquidd covering the floor with a sinking feeling.  As though in slow motion he raised the light letting his eyes follow until the horrid scene came into view.  Bile rose in his throat as he watched the bodies of his 'friends' swinging from the ropes tied to the cieling.  Eyes bulging, lips blue, cut throats....
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    He woke up screaming, his body covered in sweat.  Somewhere in the background he heard a door open and quick footsteps but it was still to quiet, way to quiet.
    "Duo!  For God's sake stop wailing like a bloody woman!"
    His throat hoarse he blinked and the blurred images of his memory were replaced by the faces of the other Gundam pilots.  Quatre's face with it's open concern, Wufei with his dark scowl but worried eyes, Trowa with his easy stance as he leaned against the wall and Heero with his dispassionate and slightly annoyed gaze.
    Fumbling for a smile he managed to paste a tight, very fake grin on his face.  "Uh, hi guys.  Did I wake you?"
    "No... we just thought it's be fun to get up at two in the morning and stand around in your room admiring the carpet."  Wufei bit out bitterly.
    Duo's mind decided at that time to put Wufei's body in the situation the bodies in his dream had been in and he lost his loose hold on his grin.
    Without a word he slid from his bed and left the room, leaving the others to watch him go.  As soon as he made his way around the nearest corner he started to run, racing down the hallways of their temporary base until he reached the storage room the held all of their Gundams.  Ever so slowly he moved to Deathscythe and crawled into the pilot's seat.  As soon as the door closed he pressed a button and the tiny space filled with music so loud his ears hurt and his eyes watered but he didn't care so long ast it wasn't quiet.  He hated the quieet but right then he didn't feel like talking to fill the void.
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    When he finally exited his Gundam his ears stung and he felt a little more stable.
    That didn't stop  him from jumping when Heero spoke behind him.  "Care to explain?"
    Turning slowly Duo dove into his reserve and brought up an easy grin, unsurprised to find all four of his companions standing behind him.  "Just remembered somthing I had to do that I forgot about."
    "Something that invovled that extremely loud music?"  Quatre questioned, a delicate blond eyebrow raised over wide blue eyes.
    Duo fought to keep his facade in place and shrugged nonchantedly.  "Helps me focus."
    "Yah right."  Wufei grumbled, crossing his arms.
    Peering closely at Wufei, Duo made a disapproving noise with his tongue.  "Next time I decide to screaam in the middle of the night I'll have to make sure I don't wake you up because you sure need your beauty sleep, Wu."
    Nimbly he avoided Wufei's fist and effectively dispersed the situation.