Chapter One - Decisions, Decisions...
 
Happy murmurs filled the lofty church on L2 as Duo Maxwell sat near the front,
fidgiting constantly. Quatre Raberba Winner, Chang Wufei and Trowa Barton sat
along the pew next to him, and Wufei was getting annoyed.
 
"Maxwell! Stop squirming!" he snapped.
 
"Come on, man! It's my wedding! And this suit is itchy!"
 
Quatre sighed. It was a shame Heero didn't make it. Miss Relena couldn't come
either, she had been invited even though none of them had really known her that
well during the war apart from Heero and himself. Duo had wanted a celebrity at
his wedding, and was disappointed when she couldn't make it. Quatre wondered how
Heero was taking the news of her engagement - did he even care? Who knew. 
He smiled proudly - Duo had made Quatre his best man: they had kept in touch and
become better friends over the years, and he had been speechless with joy when
Duo had asked him.
A figure approached them - it was Howard. Because Hilde had no parents, like all
of them, Howard had been asked to give her away, being a good friend and
something of a father figure to both her and Duo.
Howard stopped, and looked to a nervous Duo. "It's nearly time."
 
~~~~~
 
Hilde Schbeiker stood alone in a small room near the back of the church.
Catherine Bloom and Sally Po, her bridesmaids, had left her alone at her
request, so she could gather her thoughts before the wedding. She glanced
through the small window on her left: it was pouring with rain. Great.
Hilde stared at herself in the full length mirror before her. She knew that she
looked beautiful. She had kept her dark hair short and it was now perfectly
styled, with a hairband of little white flowers attached to a veil that flowed
down her over her head, shoulders and back. The dress was simple, how she wanted
it, but it hugged her lovely figure in all the right places and swept down to
her ankles in an elegant fashion.
She was overcome with dizziness and had to steady herself as a wave of nerves
hit her. She had been nervous all week, but Cathy kept on telling her it was
wedding jitters, that it was normal and the feeling would pass. 
It hadn't.
Was she doing the right thing?
Hilde mentally slapped herself. Get a grip! You love him, don't you? Yes, of
course she did, but still... for the rest of her life? She was nineteen years
old. What if it didn't last? Duo always was the impulsive one. She had gone
along with his proposal in the heat of the moment, and now...
What if he wasn't the one? How were you supposed to tell? What if there was
someone else out there, someone she would never meet if she went through with
this?
Then again, she loved Duo. She did. And if she left now, it would destroy him -
the thought of hurting him like that brought tears to Hilde's eyes. If she ran
from him, she could be running from any chance of happiness in her future.
Did she want to marry him though? Was she ready? Was it right? They had been
best friends for most of their relationship, not lovers. How did she love him:
as a lover, or brother? Hilde couldn't stop the negative thoughts coming.
So what was she going to do?
 
Hilde Schbeiker was an insecure and indecisive woman underneath the confident
facade that had served her so well during the Eve Wars when she had worked for
OZ. Yet however long it took her to decide something, once she came to that
decision she gave it her all - an example of that was when she disobeyed OZ to
help Duo get to the Moonbase so long ago.
 
Duo...
 
Her answer to this current dilemma would affect the rest of their lives.
Hilde took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them moments
later, they were full of resolve - she had reached her decision.
 
~~~~~
 
Catherine and Sally practically floated down the hallway to the room Hilde was
in, chattering excitedly the whole way. 
 
"Did you see those flower arrangements? Amazing! It's all so perfect!"
 
"I know! Hil looks so gorgeous, and I think they're gonna be very happy..."
 
Dreamy sighs followed as they came to a stop outside the room and knocked
loudly.
 
"Hilde? Are you ready, honey?" The two looked at each other and Sally grinned
from ear to ear. Excited squeals from Cathy accompanied Sally's question. They
then realised no-one had replied, so the door was hesitantly opened.
 
"Hil?" 
 
~~~~~
 
Heero trudged along the busy sidewalks of L2. He was nearly at the Church now.
He would probably be a little late, but that had been his plan from the
beginning: sneak in at the back and avoid as many people as possible. It had
taken him a while to get there - he'd had a bit of trouble with transportation. 
Having not been in the best of dispositions these past few days, Heero had found
himself slipping back into old habits. He had thought 'Hell, why not?' and
stolen the nearest shuttle he could find, and piloted it to L2. He had been
inexplicably annoyed at how easy it was. But it would be reported stolen soon.
He wondered if Relena would care if he became a wanted man. He sadistically
hoped that she felt responsible.
He grimly glanced up at the turbulent grey clouds before pulling his black
trenchcoat further around himself. He wasn't cold, but the rain was getting
heavier. Some day for a wedding... he thought sarcastically. 
 
The weather reflected his mood, dark, and it was all because of Relena. It had
been over a week since he heard the news of her stupid engagement, and it still
troubled him, though he was more angry and frustrated than anything. Perhaps
even jealous - everyone was moving on but him. He wasn't sure he was the
settling-down type, anyway. Why... Why didn't she wait? He would have gone to
her eventually, he knew it. Maybe. 
Forget it, he told himself. She already has. It doesn't matter. Nothing does. He
continued on his way, ignoring the colony's inhabitants that busily passed him
by.
 
A sudden flash of white up ahead caught his interest. A figure dashed past him,
catching him on the shoulder and knocking them both off balance. The girl -
Heero realised the figure was such - staggered sideways, breaking the heel of
one of her fancy shoes before quickly regaining her balance. Her white dress was
mud spattered, her dark blue hair soaked and clinging to her pale,
makeup-streaked face. Her troubled blue eyes momentarily rested on him, a
glimmer of recognition in their depths. Her eyes widened, and she made as if to
run again.
And she would have done too, if Heero's arm hadn't shot out and his hand grabbed
her wrist painfully tight. He glared at her incredulously, and his voice was
menacing.
 
"Hilde Schbeiker."
 
~~~~~
 
AN: Oh yes, things keep getting more and more interesting... just you wait till
I get started! And please note how hard it is to write Hilde's character cos she
doesn't really do much in the series... I try my best with what I have then make
up the rest - I like her though!
PS: Heero had to wear a trenchcoat cos the thought made me drool...