Disclaimer: Just like the twelve disclaimers that have preceded this one.

Author's Notes: The length of this chapter, hopefully, makes up for the shortness of the last. And the two month delay;)

****

To Dance Beneath the Diamond Sky
by Kristen Elizabeth

****

"Babe..." Duo shook his head. "You're not serious."

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"Babe..." he began again.

Hilde pulled her hand away from him. "You won't do this one thing for me?"

Duo frowned. "I just don't think it's going to make you feel any better to see..."

She cut him off once more. "To see Relena dancing my part? No, it probably won't. But I think it's something I need to see. To move on or get over it...whatever." Hilde fixed her stare on him. "I can't do this without your help, Duo."

He let out a long sigh and after a few extended moments of contemplation, he nodded. "All right. What's your plan, Bonnie?"

"It's very simple, Clyde. And it relies a lot on you being so damn good-looking." She gave him a happy grin.

Duo snorted. "Let's get on with it then. Rehearsal starts in an hour."

****

"Oh, Nurse Griffin!" Duo slid up to the nurse's station with the greatest finesse he could muster and fixed a smoldering violet look on his target. "Have I told you how stunning you look in peach?"

The nurse glanced up from her charts, then looked at her uniform. "It's too bad you won't be hanging around next month. I look even more stunning in teal." She set one chart aside and reached for another. "Is there something Hilde needs?"

"Yes." He reached over the counter for the woman's hand. "What we all need. Fresh air. A few moments of freedom. A cab ride across town..."

"Oh, no, Mr. Maxwell." Nurse Griffin pulled her hand out of his range. "I'll give you extra Jello, but I'm not letting you take Hilde out of this hospital. She's barely been out of surgery for twenty-four hours!"

"I know that. And so does she. But you know I'd never let anything happen to her." Duo let his lower lip protrude a bit. It was childish, but hopefully effective. "It's only for a few hours. What can happen in that amount of time?"

"In New York City? With you?" The nurse grimaced. "The mind boggles..."

Duo shook his head. "I'm disappointed, Nurse Griffin. I thought for sure you'd be the special kind of nurse who does what's best for her patients..."

"You're not manipulating me; I don't care how cute you are, Mr. Maxwell."

He dropped his jaw. "Nurse Griffin! I'm shocked!! I never, ever manipulate anyone!!" He paused. "But I would be a terrible cad if I didn't tell you that your eyes are the most amazing color of..."

"All right!" She propped her hands up on her hips. "You've been here every day with her, every moment you possibly could. I can see that you'll take care of her. But I will have a list of instructions and you'll have to use a wheelchair, of course..."

"Of course."

Nurse Griffin chuckled, shaking her own head. "You're very lucky that you're so good looking, Mr. Maxwell."

He winked and walked backwards towards Hilde's room, bowing as he went. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear, dear, dear, sweet nurse."

Once he had disappeared into his girlfriend's room, the nurse let out a little sigh. "And I'm damn unlucky to be ten years too old for you."

****

Relena pushed a final pin into the thick knot of hair at the back of her head and gave her appearance a once-over in the locker room mirror. Standing up, she reached for the rehearsal tulle skirt the costume department had made up for her. Once she had pulled it on, she laughed. The stiff material stuck out around her waist a good two feet. At least Heero had danced with a partner wearing this sort of thing before. Now if she could only keep herself together enough to not let it get in the way...and trip her up.

A few minutes later, she emerged onto the stage at Lincoln Center. Today was to be their first full run-through of the show. No stopping. No correcting.

No mistakes.

Heero was already onstage, warming up. The now-familiar sight pushed through her nervousness to bring a smile to her lips. He glanced in her direction upon hearing the slap of her shoes against the floor and gave her a warm look. "I like the tulle."

"Yes." Relena fingered the stiff hem of her skirt. "It is kind of sexy, isn't it?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "Better not let your brother catch you talking like that." With his free hand, he gestured out into the darkness of the house. "He'll be watching us today."

Relena swallowed, her playfulness fading. "I wish you hadn't told me that."

"You're going to be fine." Heero stood up, facing her. "You've been amazing in class. You..." He gently grasped her bare arms. "...are a wonderful dancer."

Her eyes misted over. "You have no idea how much that means to me. Coming from you."

Before Heero could give her the kiss they were both eager for, Treize appeared in the dimly lit front half of the house with a few other people, only one of whom Relena didn't recognize. "All right, ladies and gentlemen," he announced to the students milling about the stage. "Attention, please!" Once everyone was quiet, he continued. "We're running this straight through today, no stopping for anyone or any reason, understood? Only two things can stop rehearsal today. Injury and fire. That's it. Got it?" There was a chorus of nods. "I've invited a few people today to watch with me in the audience, including Chang Wufei, the theatre's technical director."

A handsome, Asian man stepped forward from his place next to Sally Po. "I just have a few notes for you while you're on my stage. Resin your damn shoes, all of you! I don't want to be wiping up blood after you slide off the stage and into the pit. Also, don't step onto this stage unless you are wearing dance shoes. The company spent a million dollars last year re-doing these floors and if I see any scratches...." He left the threat open. "No food or drink onstage; you can eat backstage if you have to." Chang looked at Treize. "I think that's about it."

Treize nodded. "Thank you. Now...places everyone. We're taking it from Act I in five minutes." There was a pause as Lucrezia whispered something into his ear. He squinted up at the stage after she was done. "Has anyone seen Mr. Maxwell backstage?"

Relena glanced around. All she saw were shrugs and a few heads shaking. She looked back at Heero. "Where on earth could he..."

"I'm here!!!" a faint, but unmistakable voice cried out from the back of the house. It took a minute before Duo materialized out of the shadows, running as fast as he could down the long, carpeted aisle, ballet shoes in hand. "Sorry I'm late!"

Treize sighed. "Just get warmed up as fast as you can, Mr. Maxwell, and we'll overlook it." Duo grinned at him and headed for the side doors that led backstage. Treize clapped his hands. "Why aren't we in places?"

****

The first time Hilde had ever been inside Lincoln Center was on her tenth birthday. After weeks of pleading, good behavior and endless chores, her mother had produced two tickets for a production of *Coppelia*, the cheapest seats possible, but seats nonetheless. When Hilde had entered the plush world of the Center's main stage, she made a promise to herself. One day, she wouldn't be a poor girl watching from the back. She would be what everyone else was watching. The ballerina. The star.

Her hands gripped the leather arm rests of her wheelchair. Under all the bandages, her knee throbbed, but she ignored it with the lingering help of the hospital's best drugs. If she could have found any humor in the situation, she would have laughed at herself, clad in blue cotton pajamas and a pink flannel bathrobe in the middle of Lincoln Center.

But the last thing on earth she felt like doing was laughing.

The first act hadn't been too bad. In fact, she had rather enjoyed watching how her classmates had come together, perfected their craft...without her. She took particular pleasure in watching the small bit of dancing Sally Po performed as the Queen. And Heero was at the top of his form during the Prince's first solo piece.

But after a small break, when the corps fluttered in, with Relena at center stage, Hilde was hit with a wave of anguish like none she had ever experienced. Unconsciously, she watched the other girl's movements, searching for flaws. She found nothing. Somehow, Relena had transformed herself into a prima ballerina. She had taken Hilde's role and integrated it into her already glittering life.

And as for herself....she was still the poor girl watching from the back. It was all she would ever be now.

She only stayed long enough for Heero's second entrance and a few moments of his pas de deux with Relena. The steps were in Hilde's mind as she turned her wheelchair around and rolled out of the theatre.

****

"Princess!!" Relena turned around just in time to see Duo barreling for her and before she was quite prepared, he had lifted her into the air. "Princess...fucking amazing, you were."

She laughed as he put her down. "Thank you, Yoda."

Duo gave her a wide smile. "Seriously though. You and Yuy...it was incredible to watch you today." He stopped suddenly. "You slept with him!!"

Relena's face lost all color. Her hand came up to slap his arm. "Duo!! Oh my god! I can't believe you would..."

"I call 'em like I see 'em, princess." He leaned in towards her with a wink. "I'm going to find out eventually, you know."

She looked down at her toe shoes, fighting back embarrassment. "How do you always get your way?"

"I don't play fair."

Relena gave him her best scowl. The color in her cheeks was rapidly returning. "All I have to say is that Heero and I..."

"Duo...are you bothering our star?" Heero approached them from the stage and put his arm around Relena's shoulders.

The other boy blinked rapidly. "Excuse me. I don't mean to stare, but you look a lot like this guy I used to know. His name was Heero Yuy. Had a stick up ass about the size of a..." Heero cut him off with a deadly glare. "Oh! So, it is you, Yuy."

Relena shook her head, smiling. "I'm going to take all of this to mean that I didn't look too silly up there in this thing?" She gestured to her tulle skirt.

"You looked....like a ballerina." When Heero's glare grew harder, Duo amended his comment. "A prima ballerina." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he slapped his forehead. "Damn! I have to get Hilde back!!" Without another word, he ran off.

"He's a little bit odd." Relena looked up at Heero. "But one of the good guys."

"He's also right," Heero continued. "You were amazing today."

Relena smiled. "Well, I have this terrific partner..."

A moment later, just as Relena was relaxing into Heero's kiss, Duo rejoined them. "Hey...lovebirds." They pulled apart; this time, the look on Heero's face was murderous. Duo ignored it. "You didn't happen to see Hilde in the audience, did you?"

The couple exchanged a look. "Duo," Relena began with exaggerated patience. "Hilde's at the hospital."

He groaned. "It must have been more than she could take! I knew it was a bad idea; I never should have agreed to help!!" He ran his hands through his bangs, still sweaty from rehearsal. "I have to find her!!" Once more, he ran off without any goodbyes.

Heero shook his head. "A little odd, nothing. He's completely spastic."

****

Duo found Hilde in the last place he thought to look for her. Back in her hospital room. Nurse Griffin let him in with a very disapproving look. Completely sheepish, Duo approached Hilde's bed.

She was curled up as much as she could, with her head facing away from him. But he didn't need to see her cheeks to know they were tear-stained.

"Hilde," he whispered. "Babe, I'm so sorry that..."

"Duo." Her voice was dull, yet cut him worse than any knife could. "Go away."

His eyes closed briefly. "Babe...please don't shut me out of..."

"Go away!!" she screamed. Her head whipped around. Duo almost stepped back, there was so much anger and twisted pain on the face he loved. "Get out of here!!"

He ran a hand down his face, mostly to brush away sudden tears. "All right." He swallowed thickly. "I'll go." Duo reached the door before he turned around. She was in her original position again, her slender back facing him. "But I *will* be back." He opened the door with far more force than necessary; it bounced off the wall with a tremendous smack as he stormed down the hall. "I don't give a shit what you say you want. You're not fucking going through this alone."

****

"Hi! I'm home!" Relena sailed into the apartment on the euphoric high of her last kiss with Heero...and his promise of a long phone conversation that night. She dropped her school and dance bags in the main hallway and did a twirl into the parlor.

Helen looked up from the previous week's society pages as her daughter danced into the room. "You're in a good mood."

Relena nodded dreamily. "I had a really great day."

"Rehearsal went well, I take it?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

Helen closed up her paper with a loud rustling. "You guess?"

"Well, I mean it was only rehearsal, Mother." Relena did another little twirl. "There are other things."

"Oh." If Relena hadn't been so wrapped up in her thoughts, she would have noticed the ice in her mother's words. "Really?"

Relena suddenly glanced down at her body. Sweat had dried on her skin, but her leotard and hair were still damp with it. "I think I'm going to go take a quick shower before dinner."

"Dinner will be late." Helen dug her nails into her palms. "Your brother and his fiancee had a late doctors appointment."

"That's why they left after the second act..." Relena smiled. "I'll get a longer shower then." Before she left the room, she thought of something. "Mom, if anyone calls, can you tell them to call back?"

"You're expecting a call?"

Her daughter grinned. "A very important one. And I'm not sure exactly when he'll be calling."

Helen's return smile was tight and forced. "I'll relay the message, dear." Relena flashed another grin before twirling off for her room. "You can be sure of it."

****

"Duo..." Sara Maxwell gave her son a worried glance. "Is there something wrong with my enchiladas?"

"No, it's real good, Mom." Duo forked a bite into his mouth. On any other night, his mouth would have been burning with his mother's special blend of spices in his favorite dish, but that night, it tasted no better than wet cardboard.

Robert took a long sip of tea. "Something wrong, son? You've been abnormally quiet. It's scaring to scare your mother."

"Oh, it is not." Sara winked at her husband. "It's just....strange. Not eating *and* not talking. My Mom-radar is going off the scale."

Duo set down his fork. "Look, I'd really rather not talk about it, okay?"

"Duo." Robert cocked an eyebrow at him. "Your mother is just trying to help."

"I know. Sorry." He suddenly pushed his chair back and stood up. "I'm gonna get a head start on my homework."

Sara swallowed. "Okay, now I'm scared."

Duo shook his head and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'm fine, Mom. Thanks for dinner." He nodded at his dad before leaving the dining room.

Robert forked up a bite of enchiladas. "Fight with Hilde."

"You think?" Sara replied, wringing her hands.

"He'll find a way to work it out." Robert wiped his mouth on a linen napkin. "He loves that girl almost as much as he loves us, Sara."

"I know." His wife sighed. "I'm just not sure she feels the same way about him. Especially now that she...." Sara pushed her plate away. "I couldn't bear him getting hurt. He puts that huge heart of his out there for everyone he cares about and I..." She stopped when she caught Robert's sympathetic look. "I know. He can handle himself. He's almost grown up, after all."

"Almost." Robert gave her a wink of his own. "Not quite. We'll give him a few days. And then...it's parental guidance time."

Back in his room, Duo flopped down onto his bed, ignoring his piles of homework. He blinked, staring at the picture of him and Hilde at his junior prom that held a prime spot on his nightstand, and fell asleep still staring at it.

****

The phone in Millardo's Park Avenue apartment rang ten minutes after Helen heard the shower in Relena's room turn on. Helen let it ring three times before she set down her double-gin cocktail and picked the receiver in the parlor.

"Hello?"

A young man's voice replied, "Relena?"

"No." Helen's jaw grew tight. "This is her mother."

"I'm sorry. You sounded just like..." The boy cleared his throat. "I'm calling to speak to Relena, please. My name is..."

Helen's eyes darted from side to side, planning her next move. All she could see was Relena, dancing on stage for thousands of people. With nothing standing in her way. "Mark, right? Relena's told me so much about you."

"No." There was a pause. "My name isn't Mark."

"Oh, forgive me, dear." Helen relaxed into a smile, no longer thinking. "Relena gets so many boys calling her, I never know who is who."

After another pause, the young man spoke again. "Is Relena there?"

"No, dear, I'm sorry. She stepped out for the night with Jeffrey, I think his name was." Helen laughed. "You know, Relena. She loves to have a good time." There was no reply. "Although, I haven't seen her this serious about anyone since Jean-Paul back in Paris."

"Jean-Paul?" the caller repeated.

Helen nodded, as though the person on the other end could see her. "Oh, yes. She loved him very much. Nearly broke her heart to leave him. I know you men don't always feel the same, but a girl's first lover will always be special to her." Another long pause followed her words. "Are you still there, dear?"

"I'm here."

"Can I take a message for Relena and have her call you back?"

"No. Thank you." There was a click before the other end went dead.

She had just resettled the receiver into its cradle when Relena ran in, wrapped in her bathrobe with a towel around her wet hair. "Was that for me?!" she asked her mother.

Helen paused for a second before she picked up her drink. Turning around, she gave her daughter a smile. "Just a wrong number. Dear."

****

Only a few blocks away, with the light of a weak moon shining on him through the open window, Heero threw his phone across the room. It shattered against the brick wall.

****

To Be Continued