outlaw

Hi everybody!! Here I am again with another chapter to outlaw…… later today I will most likely post this and a couple of others…

 
So here we go.. You know they don’t belong to me and never will.. I have received no money for this work of fiction and doubt that I ever will.. Heh oh and did I mention that everyone is probably out of character?

 
 
Outlaw

 
Chapter 18

 
 
The ride to the cabin was quiet and tense. Hilde could since Heero’s anger as he rode beside them. She opened her mouth to speak but he just glared at her. She glared back and decided to wait till they got back to the cabin to have words with him. He would not be putting the blame on Duo for this little fiasco. This time the fault was hers. She thought about what she would say to him when he confronted her. Yes, it was Duo’s idea to escape but she had instigated the other part, killing their horse in the process. She sighed as she leaded on Duo and closed her eyes. Why did things always get so complicated?
AS they approached the cabin the sun was just dipping below the horizon and the twilight was in full swing. The cabin was lit up and had a warm homey look to it. Heero dismounted and walked over to Duo as he helped Hilde off the horse. He shoved Hilde toward the house and grabbed Duo’s arm.
“Heero.” Hilde said, sternly.
“Hilde, Go on inside. We’re just going to take care of the horses ok?” Duo said as he placed a hand on her arm.
She nodded but didn’t believe a word of it as she stomped toward the house.
Heero motioned the others to leave the horses and to go to the house, leaving him and Duo outside in the cold evening air. Duo reached for the reins of several horses and started toward the small shed that would house them for the night. Duo got them inside and was taken by surprise as Heero grabbed him and shoved him between the horses up against the wall.
Duo looked into Heero’s cold Prussian blues eyes and shivered. “Heero, let me go.”
“What the fuck were you thinking?”
“I wanted to get Hilde away from …..”
“Shut up! I’m asking the questions!” He replied and shoved Duo hard against the wooden wall. “What were you thinking!?”
Duo tried to speak as Heero shoved him against the wall again and again.
“I was ……. Oh for Christ sake why don’t you just hit me and be done with it. I’m cold, hungry and tired. You don’t want to hear any explanations. You just want to blame someone. Yeah, it was my idea to escape but I didn’t really want to go to the ravine. That was Hilde! It was her idea!”
“Don’t blame her for your stupidity.” Each word was emphasized by a shove into the wall.
Duo closed his eyes and reached up, grasped Heero’s wrists and shoved him off of him. “That’s enough, Heero!!” He growled.
Heero staggered back and then righted himself among the horses milling around.
“I was wrong! OK? I made a mistake! Are you happy now?” Duo turned to the horses and began to strip the saddles from them. He heard Heero growl then felt a hand on his shoulder twisting him around. He saw the fist coming but couldn’t get out of the way fast enough to dodge it. It hit him in the jaw and sent him sprawling in the hard dirt between the horses. Duo lay there for a few minutes, rubbing his jaw and then said softly, “Does that make you feel better, now?”
“You finish the horses.” He growled and stomped away.
Duo stood and brushed off some of the dirt on his clothes and finished the horses.

~~~~~~~~~

 
Relena looked up as Hilde slammed the door and stomped into the room. She tossed off her coat and made her way to the fireplace. She didn’t look at anyone as she stalked through the room.
“Hilde?” Sally asked as she turned to her friend.
“What?!”
Sally was surprised at the anger in her voice.
“Hilde?”
Hilde sighed and let her shoulders slump. ”I’m sorry, Sally.” She turned and looked at Relena. “Is there any coffee or tea?”
Relena nodded and left the table to get the two cold women some. The rest of the men trickled in, including a few of the Indians. Most of them had headed back to their village after Duo and Hilde had been found. The chief and a handful were going to stay till dawn, then head back.
A cup was placed in her hand as Heero came in. His face was flushed and his eyes were angry. Hilde looked directly at him and he turned away.
Hilde’s anger flared once again. “What did you do to him?”
He didn’t look at her or answer. She moved across the floor to stand beside him. Her next words dripping with venom.
“What did you do, Heero? If you hurt him, I’ll kill you.”
“Why do you protect him?” He questioned.
“What?”
“Hn.”
“What the fuck are you talking about!? God damn it, Heero! Explain yourself.!”
“Did you tell him to say it was your idea to go to the ravine?”
She shook her head. “NO! That was my idea! He didn’t want to do that at all. We were confronted by two of Treize’s men and well, I took over and ran the horse toward the ravine and the old mine shaft. That was my fault.” She sighed. “I hate the fact that you don’t trust me and that you don’t trust Duo.”
He said nothing as Hilde stepped away from him. She made her way to where she tossed her coat. She set the cup on the table and slipped on her coat.
“I didn’t hurt him.”
“I don’t believe you.” Was all she said as she slipped out into the cold night.

 
~~~~
Hilde made her way to the small shed and peered inside. She called out to Duo who grunted back.
“Are you ok? Did he hurt you?”
She saw his back as he tossed another saddle on the small railing. “No, I’m alright Hilde, Just go back inside. I’ll be in in just a minute. I only have a couple of more horses….”
“I’ll wait.”
“Hilde. Go inside.” He snarled, not looking at her. ”You don’t need to be out here.”
“Duo…I” She started to say as she moved close to him. She felt him stiffen and jerk away as she touched him. “Fine.” She replied, coldly.
He listened to her walk away and hung his head. **damn Treize and everything else.**

 
~~~~
Hilde returned to the house and didn’t look at anyone. She moved to the kitchen and began to rummage around looking for pans and food. Heero could tell by her jerky movements she was angry. Relena left his side and moved over to her new friend. She gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Hilde turned to yell but saw who it was and smiled a sad weary smile, as two tears trickled down her face. Relena pulled her into a hug and said, “Come on, I’ll help you feed them all.”
In a few minutes the stove was lit and several pans of potatoes and dried beef was sizzling filling the room with a fragrant aroma.

 
~~~~~~
Duo finished the horses and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and looking to the sky. The air was cold and the night sky twinkled with a thousand stars. He sighed. He had to apologize to Hilde for his earlier actions. He hoped she would forgive him. The cold air made his jaw ache where Heero had hit him and he hoped there wouldn’t be a bruise he would have to explain. He could smell the cooking food as he pushed away from the wall and headed for the house. His stomach rumbled at the thought of food.
He blinked his eyes as he entered the brightly lit cabin. The air was warm and smell of food was making his mouth water. Every one looked up at him as he stepped in, hanging his coat on a peg by the door. His eyes searched the room and found the person he was looking for. She looked up at him and blinked as he made contact with her. He saw the blush race up her face and knew she wasn’t too angry with him. He watched her eyes leave his and move down his face to the newly formed bruise on his jaw. He saw her eyes flit across the room and land on Heero, giving him a death glare that was close to his own, then she was on her feet crossing the room to him. When she was close to him she reached out just as he did and grabbed each others hands.
“Sorry ,babe. I just needed time alone.”
She smiled and nodded. “I know. Come on.”
“You’re not angry with me?”
“Yes and no.”
“Oh.”
She pulled him to the kitchen and shoved a plate in his hand. She then turned away from him. “Tomorrow Duo and I are going to take the stolen items to Treize. The rest of you will go home.”
She watched as Heero stood and was going to protest. “Sit down , Heero, this does not or ever has it concerned you. I do appreciate you coming to our rescue but you just prolonged the situation. We must resolve this with Treize and if some one has to die to do it so be it.” She looked around the room. “Some one did bring the items, didn’t they?”
No one spoke for a moment, then Relena said , softly, “Yes, Heero has them in his saddle bags.”
Hilde nodded as Duo stood beside her just holding the empty plate she had given him.
Zechs spoke up after the silence became too much.
“What do you plan to do?”
“I’m going to give him the items and then bargain for our lives. He has to be at least reasonable.”
Zechs shook his head. “That word is not in his vocabulary.”
Hilde sighed. “ Perhaps but , you can’t talk me out of this . We have to do it this way.. I want no more people killed on my behalf.” She turned to Duo and shoved him toward the pans of food. “Eat, Duo.”
After she made sure he was filling the plate she turned and walked to one of the vacant chairs.
“Are you sure you want it this way?”
She nodded. “What good is it if you all get killed protecting something Duo and I did.”
“Yeah, but we’re here because we’re your friends, and what good is to have friends if you can’t protect them?” Sally asked as Wu Fei’s face twisted into anger.
“Injustice!” He cried out. “This is injustice!”
“That you can’t fight?” Hilde asked.
“NO, that you feel you don’t need us.”
She looked at him and smiled. “It’s not that. I want you all alive when this is over so I still have my friends.”
“Hilde, that is so selfish.” Sally cried out.
“Yeah, ain’t it?” She said with a grin. “You guys know I’m not going to let Treize get the best of me, don’t you?”
“No one is infallible.”
“That’s right, not even the great Treize Kushrinada.”
After that remark, nothing more was said and all parties settled down to sleep.

 
The dawn broke quietly as the Indians quietly slipped away as the others roused and began moving around the small cabin. Middi Une and Trant sat on the couch and waited for their captors decision on what to do with them. Heero said nothing as he leaned against the wall, staring into space. Relena was sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee as was her brother, Zechs. They seemed to be in a quiet discussion between themselves. Quatre lounged nearby, talking softly with Trowa who seemed to be glancing covertly toward Heero once and a while. Sally and WuFei were standing beside Hilde trying to talk some sense into her ridiculous plan. Duo stood by the window and said nothing. The items in question had been brought in the night before and were setting in the middle of the table.

 
~~~~~~~

 
Treize turned to lady Une . “Are we ready my lady?”
She nodded and kicked the sides of her horse to make it move in the early morning air. It huffed and moved forward. Treize nodded and a large group of men followed behind him. He turned to them and said. “We are going to get my property back and one additional item. I do not want them damaged what so ever. Any one else , it doesn’t matter.”
The men nodded and made small grunting noises to prove to their boss they understood his orders. They moved out onto the plain of snow and made their way to the little cabin. Two hours later they approached the little cabin and called out to it.
Duo stepped out holding the said items and help them up fro Treize to see.
“You let us go and you’ll get them back.” He yelled out to them.
Treize smiled, trying to bargain even in the end. “That is not a option, my dear boy.”
Duo shrugged and grinned, then slipped back into the house.
Hilde had been standing by the door, and watched the whole thing transpire. She knew it wouldn’t be as easy as she had once hoped but she knew it wouldn’t be. If they didn’t open fire, they could get out of this alive.

 
~~~~~~~

Heero and the rest of the group sat on the hill about the little cabin. Trowa muttered under his breath, “I sure hope she knows what she’s doing.” Everyone nodded in silence as they watched from above, ready to ride down and help if they needed it.

To be continued ……………..
I know it was a little but I have a few other things that must be done before I get this posted….