Author's Note: This is the sequel to I Hate You, on special request by my reviewers!
I know that I'm currently working on another fanfiction, Never Ending Love, but I put it on hiatus. I'll be concentrating more on this. (
Song: Universe and U – K.T Tunstall.
Anyway, the twins are 9 years old for this chapter. It's somehow like a flashback. They're 15 years old now.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed Destiny or the song.
" Dad, Mum, I think you guys should really get out of bed now. YOU'VE BEEN IN BED FOR ALMOST THE WHOLE DAY! Natalie and I are STARVING." Aaron hollered at his parents.
" We are vampires. We liketh not the sunlight that shineth through the blanket. It melt-thet us." Athrun's mock-solemn voice came from under the covers.
Cagalli's giggles could be heard from under the blanket.
Aaron sighed.
" Are the two of you even dressed? I don't want my poor, innocent eyes to suffer the fate of seeing something no decent 9 year old would ever need to see." He sighed, massaging his temple in exasperation.
Cagalli peeked out from under the covers.
" Alas, our little vampire descendant has woken up!" Came Athrun's mock-vampire voice from under the covers upon seeing Natalie stumble into the room, standing next to Aaron, looking very disgruntled.
" Mommy, Daddy. I'm hungry." She stated plainly, rubbing her eyes gently.
Athrun and Cagalli chuckled, nodded at each other, and suddenly grabbed Aaron and Natalie under the covers with them, tickling them.
" AHH! MY EYES! MY POOR EYES!" Aaron covered his eyes with his hands, screaming.
Natalie just giggled while being tackled by Athrun.
" We're dressed, silly!" Cagalli burst into fits of laughter.
They made their way downstairs for breakfast, Athrun holding Natalie in his arms, who was still rather tickled.
Cagalli was having a rather fierce debate with Aaron on whether she should have set up a timetable to fix breakfast punctually for them.
" Mum, this is nonsensical! We can't starve until you or Dad wakes up, it'd be like eternity!"
" Kiddo, your Dad and I have long days at work! We come back feeling tired, you know!"
" And what's with the noise I hear upstairs late at night all the time? It contradicts your statement that you're way too tired." He pressed on.
Cagalli frowned. Sometimes she regretted that Aaron was way too intelligent for his age.
" You'll know in future."
" I'd like to know now, Mom." He emphasised, challenging Cagalli, mischeviously.
Cagalli's eyebrow twitched.
Athrun cringed and brought Natalie to a safe distance, before walking back to the two who were exchanging deathly glares.
" Okay. Two of you, break it up now." He said.
Suddenly, the two faces turned towards him, and the glares were directed at him. A deadly aura from the mother and son surrounded him.
" Right. I'll go…point taken…" Athrun raised his hands in defeat, surrendering.
Like mother like son. (xD)
He settled himself comfortably on the floor next to Natalie, who was looking intently, interested the leg of the chair.
" Daddy?" She tugged at his sleeve.
" Mmm?"
" What kind of wood was used to make this chair?"
Athrun twitched.
" Er. I don't know, Natalie."
She seemed to be deep in thought.
" Athrun! Tell Aaron he's wrong!" Cagalli's voice reverberated around the kitchen.
Athrun cringed further, and tried to sneak away, but when he turned to move, a foot stood in his way.
Mumbling profanities, he looked up.
" Going somewhere?" Cagalli muttered, her eyes forming slits.
Athrun gave a last attempt at trying to calm her down, only to be interrupted.
" Athrun Zala, you tell that child of yours that I shouldn't have to make a schedule! Besides, with you hogging me after I come back from work, where would I…" She paused halfway.
Aaron had a look of victory on his smug face.
Her face fell.
Athrun chuckled, and hugged her tightly, kissing her on the forehead.
" Too bad Aaron got more of my genes, Cagalli." He laughed.
A jab in the ribs.
" I think he'll get some of your horniness in future." She snorted.
Athrun cocked an eyebrow.
" I'd be glad to prove." He smirked.
She smacked him hard on the head.
" I don't need you further emphasizing on the fact that I've lost a debating match to my 9 year-old kid." She pouted childishly.
" She's just a sore loser…" Aaron sighed, picking at his Cornflakes in front of him.
Cagalli sighed.
Athrun smiled, and pulled Natalie up onto her favourite chair, before sitting down next to Cagalli.
She looked lethargic and unrested, no doubt.
She had barely touched her food. Athrun just sighed. Everytime he asked her if she was okay, whether something was wrong, she would just give a weak smile, and shake her head, saying everything was fine.
" I have no appetite.." She said, pushing her plate away from her.
He knew something was wrong.
He could feel it.
He grasped Cagalli's hand tightly, assuring her that it would be fine.
After breakfast, Cagalli let Aaron and Natalie outside to play on the slides while the couple sat down on the swing outside their front porch, watching their little children running around, playing happily with one another.
She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
He stroked her face and brushed stray strands of hair behind her ear.
" Anything bothering you?" He hugged her even more tightly.
Cagalli sighed.
" Athrun, I don't know… Maybe I'm stressed up at work…I've been having this horrid headaches all the time…Sometimes it gets so bad, that I find problems with even standing properly…" She clasped his hand tightly in hers.
Athrun's face now wore a worried expression.
" I told you not to over-work yourself, Cagalli… Why don't you take a few days off work? We can go somewhere…dump the kids at Kira's again…" He chuckled.
Cagalli didn't respond…She was sleeping soundly, holding his hand as tightly as she did before.
He smiled gently, and they sat on the swing, gently rocking to the rhythm of their heartbeats.
Perfect bliss…
But not for long.
The Next Day.
Athrun was walking away from her, and she was desperately pleading with him to stay.
" Athrun…No, please…" She wept uncontrollably, holding tightly onto his hand.
She held on to every glimpse of hope. Every single one.
She couldn't lose him. She could lose everything…but him.
He said nothing. He just laughed sardonically, sinisterly and pulled away from Cagalli's firm hold on his hand.
He turned to walk away, and Cagalli lay there, crying helplessly to herself.
A voice behind her…
" You're just a burden to everyone…including Athrun. Without you, he could achieve many greater things…He would be a top-notch soldier leading ZAFT right now, if not for you."
" He would not be discriminated against and ostracised for having a coordinator-natural marriage, if not for you…Do you think he likes it? Do you think he likes going to work everyday, seeing everyone look at him with stares, pointing at him and gossiping behind his back?"
All the voices kept ringing in her head.
" You're not good enough for him. Many girls are much more worthy of him, the prince of ZAFT, instead of a stinking natural like you."
" You're only going to drag Athrun down with you… He claims to love you so much, but I know he's rather sick and tired of this whole issue already…"
" He's sick of you constantly wanting this, wanting that, complaining and being such a nag…He's sick of you."
" He wishes he had married some other girl, a coordinator. Naturals are useless, they only know how to depend on coordinators…blood-sucking leeches."
Cagalli was in fear… She didn't want Athrun to leave her…
" No…Athrun wouldn't leave me…He loves me!" She cried in a last attempt to get him back.
" You foolish girl. He has many fangirls out there waiting for him…He has a bright future…Do you think a mere girl like you could actually stop him from getting what he wants?"
" No.. Athrun wouldn't do that to me…He promised me…"
Inside, she was losing the fight. She was weak, lacking in mental strength.
" Athrun…Don't…go…." She muttered.
And all she saw was darkness….
She jerked awake, breaking out in cold sweat, panting heavily.
Athrun heard her, and sat up, rubbing his eyes gently.
" Cagalli? What's wrong?" He yawned.
She looked at him with fear.
" No…No… Athrun wouldn't leave me!" She jerked a distance away from him.
" Cagalli? Cagalli, it's me, Athrun!" He moved closer to her, attempting to get her to calm down.
" GET AWAY FROM ME! Athrun would NEVER leave me!" She was on the verge of tears, and was almost suffering from a nervous breakdown.
" Cagalli, I'm here. I'm not going to go anywhere." Athrun slowly extended his hand to Cagalli, hoping that she'd accept it.
She stared at him. He seemed genuinely caring…just like the Athrun she fell in love with…
She bit her lip, and blinked a few times.
" Cagalli, look at me." He proceeded to gently lift her chin up to make eye-contact with him.
" I'm here, alright? I'm not going to go anywhere…" He smiled lovingly at her.
She broke down, and crumbled into his arms.
Athrun looked down at Cagalli, and felt guilty…for not protecting her…
He rubbed her back affectionately, temporarily soothing her.
" They said…said you were going to leave me…" Cagalli mumbled, her head buried in his chest.
Athrun cocked an eyebrow.
" Who, Caggy?" He asked.
Cagalli just shook her head, and snuggled deeper in his warm embrace.
Now was not the time to ask questions. He knew that something was hurting her and making her feel insecure, and it was really affecting her.
He always wondered. Was it because of his past unknowing-fling with Meyrin hurt her, and left her scarred? Was it because he had somehow neglected her? Was it because he was spending too much time at work?
He didn't know. He just wanted her to be happy…
And he would do anything for her to be happy.
She sniffed, and it got his attention.
" Athrun…Promise me not to leave me?" She sniffed, looking at him, tears streaming down her gaunt cheeks.
She looked so pitiful.
Even a heart of ice would be melted.
He rested her head on his chest, and kissed her forehead gently.
" I won't leave you, Cagalli. I'll always be here for you. No matter what happens, you know I'll always be here for you. Always." He nuzzled his face into her head.
" I promise."
Author's Note: Wow. It's been some time since I spent quite a while on a chapter! xD
Really happy, however. I hope this chapter was good. I worked much harder on this one, didn't want to disappoint you all!
Again, read and review!
-asucags