AN: I wrote this years ago and thought this and a completely different AU AH AsuCaga story would make a great Valentine's gift to anyone interested. Enjoy.
AN2: Also I own nada... forgot to post that. X(
I woke to darkness, pain and cold slicing through me. The hard, chilled floor ground into my shoulder and hip forcing me awake, bringing the pounding in my head and the discomfort of my body to the forefront. I couldn't breathe. Something filled my mouth and hampered my lungs making my heart rate sky-rocket. I thrashed for air finding my hands and feet constrained by what felt and acted like cord. Turning on one side I found I could breathe through my nose ever so slightly better and forced myself to still.
In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.
Easy. Does it.
As my heart rate descended the throbbing in my head relented slightly. I tried to force whatever was plugging my mouth out but I found a wad of cloth wedged deep inside and secured above my tongue by what felt to be another cloth strip wound around to the back of my head. The fabric was damp already from absorbing dearly needed moisture from my body. The dry burning in my throat and eyes took my memory back to those desert days.
Struggling to fight away the circling panic I focused on my situation. My wrists were securely bound behind me and they and my shoulders were sore from my thrashing and who knew what else. Gently stretching my body I found my ankles also tied tightly and my shoes missing. Overall my whole body felt tender, bruised and freezing cold but the only other focus of pain was thankfully found in my head. Something wet and sticky was in my hair and smeared down my face from my left temple; as my further senses returned I realized the metallic scent of blood probably belonged to it.
The floor, which I now recognized as concrete was gritty under my face and fingers – with what I presumed was dirt – and the air, although still, seemed to carry a clean earthy feel. Other than the sound of my own breathing and my heart thumping in my ears everything seemed deathly quiet. The absolute darkness seemed to press from all sides leaving me without any idea of my prison's dimensions. Stretching out again with my fingers, toes and the crown of my head I found no telling detail except that the way the room barely echoed back my own muffled sounds. It seemed I was underground which ripped a whimper from my chest. Buried in a sense, and perhaps forgotten.
Searching behind the pounding that now seemed to come from my bleeding temple I grasped at fragments and images that played in my mind, tumbling like a jerky kaleidoscope forced in and out of focus.
Driving in the rain, coming from or to a meeting.
Sitting beside him discussing (arguing) about dinner.
Covering my ears from the sound, shrapnel and debris flinging at us from all sides.
Him: covering me with his own body and shoving me down into the car's foot wells.
Wet dripping on my face from the shattered car windows, my companion yelling to the driver, sirens in the distance.
My people screaming.
Gunfire opened right above our heads.
The injured driver – Hank – taking us down a side street. Another spray of bullets and him limply falling over the steering wheel.
The car veering to the left and crashing into a light pole.
Him: drawing his concealed pistol while pulling me with him out of the car. Incessant ringing in my ears as the world blurred and wheeled before me.
Being pulled by him, one-armed around my waist, as we fled.
Him: yelling into his radio while returning fire, another bomb detonating right in front of us.
Being thrown to the ground with him on top.
Him: blurrily stirring above me, face wincing in pain as he tore several shards out quickly from his right shoulder and side, the fragments dripping with dark red.
Struggling for breath.
Him: checking my left temple, the world careening around me as he pulled me to my feet.
Us: both panting and leaning on each other, back up against a wall as we see we are surrounded.
Struggling for breath, peering over his shoulder.
Him: still leveling his pistol to keep them at bay, the enemy well covered leaving us in plain sight.
Marshaling my breath to say his name as I realized they were wearing gas masks.
Him: firing off rounds even as the canisters landed and spewed chemicals around us.
Us: forced down by gunfire once again, kneeling together trying to breathe through our sleeves as he still fired through the haze, then us both collapsing,
Him: whispering my name as everything faded to black. "Cagalli…"
Blinking back to the present I felt hot tears rolling down my face. I could still feel the chain with its treasure underneath my shirt and wished I could grasp it for comfort. One word, 'Please,' echoed in my head as I made a muffled attempt to say a name, to ask for my lover.
Athrun?
Only the darkness answered.
PS. I have no beta so please point out any and all errors. :) Thanks and onward!