"You are my wife," he said as he held his gun, pointed towards the last person he thought he would ever have to kill. "You bore me my son," his voice started to tremble as the woman opposite him pointed her gun at him. "You laughed with me when I laughed, held me when I cried talking about my mother. But most of all…" his voice trembled, "You made me fall in love with you," he whispered as he lowered his weapon and dropped it on the floor. "I cannot kill you," he said as his eyes became hollow of emotion and he raised his arms in defeat.
Even though she heard his words, even though she saw him lower his weapon and looking at her in defeat, she couldn't find it in herself to lower hers. She had to do this. Her hands were already stained with blood, her entire figure trembling as she thought of what she was about to do. She was about to kill the man she had unwillingly fallen in love with, the man who was the son of the monster who killed her dear father in cold blood.
"I don't want to do this…" she whispered as a lone tear fell down her face. "But I have no choice."
"Then pull the trigger and end this."
20 years ago
There wasn't much time left. He knew he was as good as dead. The mansion was dead silent, the bodyguards and staff had all been shot and killed. All that was left was him and his eight year old daughter.
He knew he was going to die. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying to save his precious daughter. If she could live, he would die with no regrets. He had lived his life but she hadn't. So he ran, with her in his arms as she sobbed uncontrollably at the brutalities she had to witness as she watched the life drain out of her nanny.
She was being read to by her nanny as with every night. When they heard gunshots, her nanny knew something wasn't right and went to lock the door. However, as she heard the click of the door lock, her nanny was suddenly thrown backwards as bullets pierced through her room's door. Little Cagalli sat up from her bed, stunned, as the blood flowed out of her precious nanny and the door of her room slowly opened. A masked assassin stepped in and grinned as he looked at his next prey, a little girl trembling in her pink and green pyjamas, staring at a corpse which he assumed he had just killed.
"Pretty little one now aren't you. Don't worry… I'll make this quick," his grin widened as he stepped closer towards her, gun in hand and ready to shoot his target.
She knew she was trapped. She knew this was the end. She didn't know what else to do but to close her eyes and await her inevitable end. She heard a loud bang and hoped that she would feel no pain. However… Seconds passed and she felt perfectly fine, too fine to be exact.
"Cagalli…" she heard her father pant. "Are you alright?" She opened her eyes and saw her father, a smoking gun at his side and her nanny's assassin lying on the floor, blood pooling out of his head.
"Papa…" she whimpered as the enormity of the situation finally hit her. Her nanny was dead. She was almost killed. With a jolt, her tears started to fall as her father held her. "Ma… Mana… i-is dead. She's dead Papa," she cried.
"I know sweetie. I'm sorry you had to see that," her father comforted. "We have to go. It's not safe here. He's coming," he stated with urgency as he carried his daughter out of her room and ran down the long hallway towards his study.
"Who's coming Papa?" she asked in between her sobs. As she took deep breaths in between sobs, her senses were assaulted with the smell of blood and smoke. She knew she would never forget this smell.
"Sh… Shh… Shh… I'll explain later. For now, we have to get you to safety," he whispered as he quietly entered his study and locked the door.
Moving quickly, he opened the secret compartment in his study and placed his daughter inside. "Listen to me Cagalli," he started as he cupped his daughter's cheek. "I'm sorry this has to happen but I want you to stay here and hide. No matter what happens later, you have to stay here and not make a single sound. Can you promise Papa this?" he asked.
"Why Papa. What about you!" she cried as she grabbed onto her father's jacket, trying to pull him into the tiny compartment.
Gently, he pried her little fingers from his jacket and went to close the door. "No matter what Cagalli, do not come out and do not make a single sound until it is safe. I love you." With those words, the door was closed shut and she was enveloped in darkness.
NO! she shouted in her head as she remembered the promise her father made her make. She was shaking in fear and she had to control her breathing as she sobbed and hiccupped. It was then when she heard gunshots and the door being kicked open. Having once discovered this secret compartment while playing in her father's study, she knew there was a slight crack on the door. Slowly, she manoeuvred her posture to place her eye directly at the crack to see what was happening.
As she adjusted her vision to the light, she had to control her gasp as she saw the person standing opposite her father, with a gun in hand while her father looked down in defeat.
Papa! she wanted to scream but covered her mouth quickly as fresh tears sprang from her eyes when she realised that her father was going to die. Run!
"It didn't have to be this way Uzumi. We could have been kings!" the man said as he raised his gun and pointed it towards her father.
"What you wanted would have ended the world Patrick! How could you have expected me to agree to such an outrageous plan!" her father retorted.
"You chose wrong Uzumi. And with that, you shall pay with your life," the man grinned as he pulled the trigger and her father collapsed on the floor, his blood seeping onto the carpeted floors.
PAPA! She screamed in her head as she watched the life seep out of her father's eyes.
Uzumi Nara Athha, Body Found at Estate
Leading genetics researcher, Uzumi Nara Athha, was found dead early this morning in his mansion. The police is currently investigating the cause of death but inside sources have confirmed that the police have not ruled out murder. While a note was said to have been found on his desk and the gun he used next to his dead body, bodies of his staff were found when the police arrived at the scene.
Being a lead researcher at the University of Orb, the late Dr Athha was a leading expert in genetics research. While the current details about his research has been kept under wraps, it is rumoured within the scientific community that he had made a significant breakthrough in his research and was about to make the announcement at the conference to be held in the University later this month.
Dr Attha has too made news in recent months with regards to his partnership with Zala Industries. It was said that the partnership between Dr Athha and Zala Industries' president, Mr Patrick Zala, had hit a rough patch. When phoned earlier, Mr Zala declined to respond and issued a statement as follows.
'It is truly saddening for us at Zala Industries to hear of the passing of Dr Uzumi Nara Athha. Dr Athha has contributed significantly to the understanding of human genetics but more importantly, he was an important partner of Zala Industries with his research guiding the manufacture of Zala Industry products. Him and his work will be greatly missed.'
Being a very private man, little is known about the deceased except for his research. Rumours have been circulating for years that Dr Athha had adopted a child but no traces of said child was found when police investigated the crime scene. Should this child be found, he/she would gain sole access to the late Dr Athha's work which went into lockdown upon his death as stated in his will.
More details into this case will be revealed as the police continue their investigation.
15 years later
"Congratulations on making the top of the class Athrun!" Nicole congratulated as he went over to take a picture with one of his best friends from ZAFT Military Academy.
Athrun Zala, son of the president of Zala Industries, Patrick Zala, had just graduated with top honours at the top of his class from Zaft Military Academy. He was to begin his official military posting in the coming weeks. However, even with all the congratulations he was receiving and the bright future which awaited him, he didn't seem to care. All he wanted to do at this moment was to find his most precious person and share his joy with her.
As he scanned through the crowd of graduates, parents, and significant others, he spotted a messy mass of blonde hair and knew he had found her. Trying to be as discreet as possible, he came from her back and wrapped his arms around her waist as she jolted upright. "Found you," he whispered into her ear before kissing her cheek.
Feeling the familiar set of arms, she relaxed and smiled as she turned around to encircle hers around his neck. "Congratulations," Cagalli smiled as she kissed him on his lips.
They had met when they were eighteen, him a fresh recruit at the academy and her a freshman studying journalism at the local university. It seemed unlikely that they would meet but they did. He was reserved and even-tempered. She, on the other hand, was his complete opposite, feisty with a temper which could match his father's.
They first met when she was snooping around the academy for one of her assignments and he was on patrol. He caught her the minute she stepped foot into one of the restricted areas of the academy but instead of alerting his superiors of her almost intrusion, he let her go with a stern warning to never return. She had begged him after all and promised to never do it again. He, on the other hand, was entranced by her, especially with her eyes. He could see a world of emotions through those eyes and he had the sudden urge to get lost in those eyes. They were a vast difference from his father's cold, unfeeling ones.
True to her word, he never saw her again at the academy but that didn't mean he didn't see the feisty blonde girl with the most amazing amber eyes ever again. It seemed that fate wanted them to meet. He bumped into her at the local coffeehouse when he went to get his morning coffee, he bumped into her at the local library when preparing for his exams, he bumped into her as he took a stroll at the park. After one too many accidental bumpings, as she liked to call it, he asked her out and the rest was history.
He fell in love with her. He told her secrets, confided in her during his darkest times. She never rejected him once when he was at his most vulnerable. They moved in together during their third year together. He was the perfect gentleman, never touching her beyond what she was comfortable with. Their first night together, he heard her scream in her sleep and that was when she confided in him that she had witnessed the murders of those she held closest to her heart when she was a child. She confided that she could still remember the smell of blood and smoke intermingled together, that she still saw the hollowed eyes of the people she loved when she closed her eyes and dreamt. In turn, he held her as she sobbed and she clung to him for life, as if he would disappear if she didn't. Each night since then, he would hold her while they slept and she found that she saw less of those hollowed eyes. He found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with her as each day with her passed.
Tonight, while out celebrating his graduation, he asked her to be his wife. "My mother gave me this," he whispered as he held out a ring as they stood on the bridge overlooking the river at the park where he first asked her out. "It was her wedding ring. She told me…" he held onto her hand and went down on one knee, "to give this to the one person whom I cannot imagine waking up without, the person whom I want to spend the rest of my life with…" he smiled at her, all the love he had conveyed through his eyes.
She gasped as tears welled in her eyes and she couldn't contain her smile, "Oh Athrun…"
"What I'm asking Cagalli… Is for you to be my wife," he smiled up. "Will you?"
"Yes."
"The only way to hurt Patrick Zala is to kill the thing he holds most dear in this world, his son."
"I know what I have to do."
They had a small intimate wedding, attended by only their closest friends. She had no living relatives and his father was busy with his business. It was a let-down when his father RSVP-ed 'not attending' to the wedding invite but that didn't stop the feelings of happiness he felt on this day. He was marrying the love of his life.
They had simple vows, promising to love each other till death do them part. They drank and danced with their friends during the reception. On their wedding night, they made love and held onto each other as they allowed sleep to claim them.
When she woke up in the middle of the night, she knew what she had to do. Slowly, she entangled herself out of his arms and pulled on her robe. Walking with silent footsteps, she went to her closet and pulled out the knife she always kept hidden.
With steely eyed resolve, she moved towards her husband's sleeping form and raised the knife, preparing to stab him and escape. It was all planned. She had to stop Zala Industries. More importantly, she wanted revenge on Patrick Zala for killing her father all those years ago.
The plan was simple, kill the only heir to the Zala Empire. The old man wouldn't last. Patrick Zala was old, weak. He would have died eventually especially when he learnt of his son's death. While he seemed like an estranged father, Patrick Zala loved his son dearly. With both father and son dead, the empire would be left without a leader. Without a leader, the empire would collapse and she would be able to fulfil her father's dying wish, to protect the world which Patrick Zala threatened to destroy with his insane ideals.
However, no matter how much she reasoned that this was the right thing to do, that this was something she had to do, she couldn't bring herself to lower the knife towards the sleeping male in front of her. It was then when she realised, through this whole crazy plan, she had unwillingly fallen in love with Athrun Zala.
The mission was simple from the beginning, befriend the Zala boy, get him to lower his defences, and then kill him in cold blood. Tonight was the night the plan was supposed to come to fruition. Patrick Zala would get a taste of his own medicine and that would bring his eventual downfall.
Falling in love, however, was never in the plan. She never imagined it would happen. She never expected Athrun Zala to be the complete opposite of his father, warm, caring, compassionate. During their times together, he showed her what it felt like to be loved by another, to feel safe. As she slept in his arms, she found her nightmares dwindle and the overwhelming amounts of anxiety she experienced diminish. With him, she felt whole.
As she tried to silent her sobs, she realised she couldn't bring herself to take the life of this man. With this revelation, she lowered the knife to her side and looked down in defeat. I can't do this, she sobbed. Quietly, she placed the knife back to its hiding place and grabbed her phone as she scrolled through her list of contacts to Kisaka.
Mission failed. She texted as she lowered herself onto the chair at her vanity and sobbed her heart out. I'm so sorry father. I've failed you.
"Cagalli?" she heard her husband whisper as he felt her absence on the bed. Upon seeing his wife scrunched up on a chair, her back facing him, and openly crying, he jolted up. "What's wrong?" he asked, startled.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned and put the best smile she could, "It's nothing. I had a nightmare."
Breathing a sigh of relief, he opened his arms as she slowly stood from the chair. "Come here," he smiled as she climbed into his waiting arms. Gently, he rocked her and rubbed circles on her back as fresh tears sprang from her eyes and she sobbed into his chest. "I'm here, I'll protect you," he soothed as he placed a kiss on her head.
Slowly, Cagalli lifted her head to look at the emerald eyes she had fallen in love with. Blinking away her tears, she brought her lips to his and captured him in a powerful kiss. "Hold me, please… Never let me go," she begged as they separated to catch their breaths.
"Never." With those words, Athrun removed her robe and lowered her onto the bed. As he worshiped her body, Cagalli pushed all the guilt she felt away and relished in the way he was making her feel. She loved this man. Even if it were a sin to love the son of her father's enemy so fiercely, she decided she was going to bask in it. Punishment be damned for no punishment could be as painful as not being with Athrun Zala. And so… She poured her heart out as she loved this man just as he loved her. Their love making was slow but intense. When they were joined, she didn't know where he ended and where she began. All she knew was that they were one and that she was whole. As they slept, she held onto him as though he was going to disappear if she didn't hold on tight. She begged him to never let her go and so, he held onto her just as tightly as they were enveloped in darkness.
Nine months later, their son was born.
Present Day (5 years after the wedding)
"Mama!" little Akira jumped onto his mother's lap as she was getting ready for the Zala Industries ball to be held at the Zala Mansion. "Akira wants to get dressed up and go to the ball too!" her little boy grinned.
Chuckling, Cagalli held onto her son as she carried him out of her room. "Now Akira, Papa has already explained why you can't go. The ball will last past your bedtime and besides…" she smiled as she tickled his tummy, "it'll be full of Papas and Mamas and no little children. You'll be so bored if you went."
"But… but… but… Papa will be there. I miss Papa," he pouted as his mother carried him down the hallway towards his bedroom.
Having a husband in the military did have its drawbacks. While Athrun tried his best to be stationed near home as much as possible, work did take him away more often than was to be desired.
"I miss Papa too sweetie. But you'll see him the minute you open your eyes tomorrow morning," she smiled as she tucked her son in bed. "Let Mama have him to herself for just tonight, please?"
"Okay Mama…" Akira pouted, "But just tonight. You'll have to share Papa with me tomorrow," he lifted his pinky out from his blanket and extended it towards his mother, "Pinky promise?"
Chuckling at her son, she hooked her pinky with his, "Pinky promise. Now… Time to get some rest. Goodnight," she said as she kissed him on the forehead.
"Night night Mama."
After she had given her instructions to Akira's Nanny, Cagalli got into the car that was to drive her to the Zala Mansion for the Zala Industries ball. Tonight was a special night for Cagalli. Tonight was to be the first time Patrick Zala had sent her an invitation to the ball. While she had been to previous Zala Industries balls, she always went as Athrun's plus one. It was an honour to receive an invitation inviting her to the ball. Athrun was overjoyed to say the least. The invitation symbolized his father's approval of the woman he had chosen to spend his life with.
As the car neared the Zala Mansion, Cagalli's phone beeped indicating that she had received a text message.
Battle station's ready – K.
"Very well then…" she mumbled as she placed her phone back into her purse as she stepped out of the car and into the mansion. "Let's get this party started…"
It never failed to awe her whenever she attended an event held by Zala Industries. Being a perfectionist, Patrick Zala didn't spare a single cent in ensuring that his parties were, for a lack of a better word, perfect. Music could be heard at every corner, food a plenty, and the guests were all engrossed in idle chatter with each other.
Making her way towards the powder room, Cagalli suddenly felt herself being enveloped by a familiar pair of arms as she was willingly dragged towards the dance floor. Giggling, she wrapped her arms around his waist as he guided her through the dance floor.
"I missed you," he whispered as he went to lightly nip on her ear.
"We missed you," she said as she looked up, smiled, and kissed him full on his lips.
As the song soon came to an end, she kissed his cheek before excusing herself to the powder room, the place she was heading towards before he had found her.
As she heard the soft click of the lock of the door, she felt the presence of her caregiver. "You're late," he said.
"Sorry. I was held up. Is everything in place?" she asked without turning to face him.
"Yes. We're just waiting for your signal," he informed as she went over to the mirror to reapply her makeup.
"Very well then… Begin the assault 15 minutes after I bring Athrun Zala out of the ballroom," she instructed as she finished retouching her mascara. "There is no room for error. Patrick Zala must die tonight. Is that clear," she said firmly as she placed everything back into her purse.
"Yes, my lady," he replied as he bowed.
"And remember…" she warned as she closed her purse, "Patrick Zala is mine."
"What's gotten into you today," Athrun chuckled as Cagalli pushed him into his old room on the opposite side of the mansion and shut the door.
"Less talking, more kissing," she said as she straddled him on his childhood bed. "I'll have to share you tomorrow," she teased as she loosened his tie and peppered his body with kisses.
Understanding his wife's words and not wanting to be outdone by her, Athrun happily returned her ministrations as they made out like teenagers on his childhood bed. He had been away far longer than usual this time round and it was obvious how much they had missed each other's touch from the way they were currently acting.
Having been recently promoted, Athrun found himself having more difficulties in being stationed near home. While Cagalli and Akira understood, that didn't stop him from feeling guilty from having to be apart from his family. Nor did it stop him from missing his family each and every minute he was away. He missed playing with his son and reading to him at night. He felt guilty for missing some of his son's milestones such as his first day in Kindergarten. But most of all, he missed being with his wife. He missed her smile, her laugh, her touch. Throughout those nights where he had to spend alone, he found himself craving the feel of her body against his more and more with each passing night. When he saw her walking into the ballroom tonight, he had to control himself from pouncing on her and settled with holding her while they danced.
As he was about to unzip Cagalli's dress, he suddenly heard a noise from across the mansion. "What was that?" he asked as Cagalli continued to assault him with her lips.
"Someone probably got drunk and is creating a ruckus. Ignore them…" she replied as she went to cup his cheeks with her hands. As they stared into each other's eyes, she whispered, "Concentrate on nothing but me."
"Alright," he smiled as he flipped her over and continued to worship her body with his lips and hands.
Just as he had finished unzipping her dress, the door to his room was suddenly knocked open. "Commander Zala! The building is under attack!" a young bodyguard shouted as he closed the door and gunshots could be clearly heard from across the hallway.
Being a trained military personnel, Athrun was quick to bring him and Cagalli to their feet as he used his body to shield his wife from the bodyguard. "What happened!" he commanded.
"Assassins sir. They jumped out of nowhere. I saw you and Mrs Zala walking in this direction awhile ago and decided to come up here to warn you Sir," the bodyguard replied.
That voice. If Athrun wasn't as distracted as he currently was, he wouldn't have missed his wife's gasp nor would he have missed seeing her eyes momentarily clouded with fear. It's the same voice as that night. If Athrun wasn't so distracted… He wouldn't have missed Cagalli quietly removing the gun she had kept hidden in her purse and shot at the bodyguard whose voice seemed to ignite a long forgotten memory and reflex within her.
As if everything seemed to play in slow motion the minute he heard the gun shot, Athrun watched as the bodyguard fell to the ground, dead. As he turned to confirm who had fired the shot, he caught a glimpse of a woman who looked like his wife but whose eyes was cold and uncaring, nothing like her amber orbs which were always full of life. Before his mind could register what was happening, he felt a force on his head and he slipped out of consciousness.
She made sure he was safe before she locked the door to his room and headed towards the ballroom. She never meant to knock him out the way she did. She meant to sedate him with a sedative but that bodyguard just had to barge into the room just when she was about to reach for the needle in her purse. She didn't have a choice but to pull her gun out and shoot the bodyguard before incapacitating Athrun. He had seen her shoot and there wasn't enough time to retrieve the needle to sedate him.
That boy that she had shot, his voice was an exact match to the man in the mask who had shot Mana all those years ago during the massacre at her home. What troubled her even more was that the masked man was supposed to be dead. She had personally seen the hole in his head after her father had shot him and the life seep out of his eyes as he died. She made a mental note to look into this when this was over. She had other more pressing matters to handle at the moment.
As she entered the ballroom, she was immediately hit with the sight of bloodied dead bodies and the stench of fresh blood and smoke. The smell was something she would never forget. It haunted her every waking hour during her first few years living with Kisaka after he had rescued her from the compartment her father had hidden her in. Having to re-experience this stench now made her insides curl and she wanted to just regress back into a little girl and run away.
However, there was a stronger urge within her than her urge to run away. It was the urge to exact her revenge. Clutching the gun in her hand, she made her way towards her trusted guardian, "Kisaka, where is he?" she implored.
"He seems to have escaped to that room," he turned and pointed to a room at the far right. "I have just received word that the mansion has been emptied. What will be our next move my lady?"
"Nothing," she lifted her hand as he was about to protest. "This was never a mission to destroy. I want you to tell everyone to clear out at once," she commanded as she saw the dead bodies of some of her comrades lying on the floor. "I don't want any more lives to be unnecessarily lost."
"Yes my lady," Kisaka bowed as he escaped into the shadows.
Lifting her dress, she took a knife she had attached to her heels and sliced off the bottom of her dress to make it easier for her to move around. Checking her gun, she carefully made her way towards Patrick Zala's study. With her foot, she kicked open the door and slowly entered, gun raised.
As she got a full view of the room, she was met face to face with Patrick Zala, a gun pointed directly at her. "Hnph. So you've finally decided to show your true colours," Patrick Zala smirked as the woman his son chose to wed stood in front of him with a gun pointed towards him. "I must admit, you almost had me fooled. You played your cards very well."
For years, Patrick Zala was suspicious of Cagalli. He had made one too many enemies over the years and he wouldn't be surprised if one of them decided to get to him through his son. When Athrun first introduced her to him, he knew he didn't like the girl. She had too much fire in her eyes for his liking. Since their first meeting, he made a point to keep his distance lest she posed a threat to his empire. His suspicions only began to wane when Akira was born. No woman would stoop so low as to bear a son for the Zala household if she had the intention to crush the Zala Empire, he reasoned. Still, he kept his distance and observed her for a few years before extending his welcome towards her.
"Only the best for you Mr Zala," she smiled back, "After all… You did kill my father in cold blood. Aren't you going to ask me who I am?" she smirked as she took aim of the exact place he had shot her father, his heart.
"Tsk. There is no need for such formalities. After all… Only one of us is going to walk out of here alive tonight," he replied.
"You truly are an arrogant man Patrick Zala."
With a smirk, he replied, "childish really. These little games you played with Athrun to get to me. He would have been better off with that Clyne girl. Speaking of which… Where is that disappointment of a son anyway? Has he already been taken down by his dear wife?" Patrick Zala asked.
"I'm not a monster like you Mr Zala. I don't take lives away unnecessarily," she replied.
"Oh but Athrun has everything to do with this. Even with my death… My legacy will live on in him. I made sure of it," he grinned even wider as he removed the safety of his gun. "And that legacy… includes little Akira Zala."
Akira! She was beginning to waver at the thought of her son being caught up in this twisted man's scheme. However, before he could pick up on her hesitation, she schooled her expression back to what it previously was, cold, emotionless. "What did you do…" she asked.
"As long as a Zala exists in this world, the work that I have been doing will continue," he replied and smirked as he said the next part, "With or without their consent. They won't be able to stop it even if they wanted to."
"You truly are a monster Patrick Zala… Using your own flesh and blood as pawns in this game you're playing with yourself."
"Ah, but my dear, we're all playing this game called Life. I'm just playing to win," he shrugged.
She had enough of this idle chatter. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, she heard the faint sound of a gun being pointed behind her. "I see we're not alone," she smiled as Athrun stood behind her, gun in his hand pointed directly at her.
"Who are you!" he shouted. Slowly, she tilted her head to reveal her face and he gasped, "Cagalli…" he whispered as his stance faltered.
"You truly are a disappointment my son. You couldn't even choose a suitable partner," his father taunted. "No matter… When the both of you die tonight, I'll make sure to raise Akira right."
"You are not going anywhere near my son!" Cagalli warned as she repositioned her gun towards Patrick Zala.
"Both of you shut up!" Athrun bellowed. He was confused, truly confused. He couldn't remember what made him lose consciousness. When he had woken up, he couldn't find his wife. All he could find was the dead body of one of his father's bodyguards lying on the floor, his clothes soaked in his own blood. Moving quickly, he kicked open his locked door and proceeded to find his wife. When he saw the remains of her dress in the ballroom, he thought the worse. Following the blood trail that led to his father's study, he heard faint voices. Loading the gun he always carried with him, he made his way into the room to be shocked by the sight before him of his wife and his father, pointing a gun at each other. "What is going on," he asked.
"Isn't it obvious? You've been used by this woman all these years," his father replied. Cagalli remained silent, feeling as though her insides were about to explode from her husband finding out about her secret. She had wanted to end this so that she may lead a normal life with him and their son. It looked like fate wasn't about to allow that.
He couldn't believe his ears or his eyes, it was too much to take in. "Cagalli… Please, tell me he's lying," he begged.
"He's not Athrun," Cagalli replied with a slight tremor in her voice. "Our meeting was not a coincidence, it was all a plan. I got close to you so I may get closer to your father and get my revenge for him killing my father." She decided that there wasn't a point in lying to him any longer.
"No," he began to falter as he took a step back. His whole life had been a lie. His love had been a lie. Every whisper, every touch, every kiss… It had all been a lie. "It can't be…"
"I knew you were soft like your mother. But to be fooled so easily, I am truly disappointed Athrun…" Patrick Zala said as he prepared to pull the trigger, "Any last words? I'll be sure to send your regards to Akira when he learns that his parents had died."
BANG!
Cagalli gasped as Patrick Zala's body fell flat onto his desk, his blood seeping out of his wound, soaking the wooden desk with bright red blood. Turning around, she saw her husband, a crazed look on his face and with a smoking gun at his hand, pointing it directly towards her. "I want you to answer me."
Raising her gun and pointing it towards him, she replied, "What do you want to know?"
"Why?"
"Like I said, Patrick Zala killed my father. I wanted my revenge. You were the most viable option for me to succeed."
"When we were together, you refused to even look at a gun. How could you shoot!" it suddenly dawned on him that it was Cagalli who had shot the bodyguard in his room.
"It was all in the ruse. My father was shot when I was eight. I grew up learning to shoot. While other girls were playing with dolls and learning to apply makeup, I learnt to shoot. My aversion to shooting was a ploy to prevent you and your father from getting suspicious."
"Are you going to kill me now that I know your secret?"
"Yes. Just as your father said earlier, only one of us can walk out of this room alive," she replied without a hint of emotion.
"Did you love me?"
"Are you going to kill me?" she asked his question back as they both stared into each other's eyes, never lowering their weapon.
As he stood there, part of him wanted to pull the trigger and kill her for lying to him. He felt betrayed. He had shared all his secrets with her. He had given his entire being to her, hoping that she would safeguard it. When they said their vows on their wedding day, he had meant every word. To learn that she didn't mean them… To learn that all they had been through was a lie, a ploy, a plan to gain his trust and in turn his father's, he felt sick to his stomach just thinking about it.
However… There was an even bigger part in him who still loved the woman before him. Even if she did trick him and used him for her own selfish gains, he couldn't stop loving her even if he wanted to. "You are my wife," he said as he held his gun. "You bore me my son," his voice started to tremble while the woman opposite him continued to point her gun at him. "You laughed with me when I laughed, held me when I cried talking about my mother. But most of all…" his voice trembled even more, "You made me fall in love with you," he whispered as he lowered his weapon and dropped it on the floor. "I cannot kill you," he said as his eyes became hollow of emotion and he raised his arms in defeat.
Even though she heard his words, even though she saw him lower his weapon and looking at her in defeat, she couldn't find it in her to lower hers. She had to do this. Her hands were already stained with blood, her entire figure began to tremble as she thought of what she was about to do. She was about to kill the man she had unwillingly fallen in love with, the man who was the son of the monster who killed her dear father in cold blood.
"I don't want to do this…" she whispered as a lone tear fell down her face. "But I have no choice." He knew her secret. Whatever they had, it couldn't be saved.
"Then pull the trigger and end this."
No! Her head couldn't stop shouting at her to stop. It was their wedding night all over again. Only this time, he wouldn't be sleeping, he would be looking right at her as she took his life. She couldn't do this. She won't do this.
Hanging her head in defeat, she pointed her gun at herself, at the side of her head. He gasped at what she was about to do. "I'm so sorry my love. Please… Take care of Akira," she said as tears streamed down her face and she pulled the trigger.
"No!"
"Do you have everything packed?" Athrun asked as he helped his son load his bags into the trunk of his car. Akira was about to head to college and Athrun was being the worried parent.
"Yeah Dad. I'll be fine…" Akira whined as his father went through the list of things he had to pack. "I'm going to college for heaven's sake! I've grown up, I can take care of myself!"
"Now, don't you go giving me the 'I'm a grown man' speech young man. Going to college doesn't give me a warrant to stop nagging at you," his father chided.
"B-But…"
"Now, now, Akira… Your father's only worried about you," his mother smiled as she walked out with his five year old sister following close behind.
"I know…" Akira replied sheepishly as he gave his mother a hug. Moving towards his sister, he scooped her up into his arms and gave her a tight hug, "I'm going to miss you Hina."
"Hina's going to miss you too big brother," little Hinata replied as she tried to rub the tears in her eyes away. Akira chuckled as he gave his sister another hug. She and her brother were very close.
Smiling at the sight before him, Athrun moved to wrap his arm around his dear wife's shoulder. They had really come a long way from that night 13 years ago.
On that night, Athrun was quick enough to push the gun away before Cagalli could shoot herself. As he held her in his arms, she couldn't stop sobbing. He too couldn't stop his tears as they both clung onto each other, afraid that the other would disappear. They escaped before the police arrived and the incident was blamed on activist groups who had been protesting against Zala Industries for years. No one knew where they were so the police pronounced them to be missing.
She knew they had to escape. For Patrick Zala's words would not stop ringing in her head. As long as a Zala exists in this world, the work I have been doing will continue. They didn't want their son to have to suffer such a fate. With the help of Kisaka, they packed their bags that night and relocated to a new country with new identities. He worked as a businessman and she stayed at home and took care of the house.
Once they had settled down into their new lives, she told him everything. About the murders she had witnessed as a child, her thirst for revenge, her failed attempts at taking his life, and her falling helplessly in love with him. She sobbed throughout the entire story and he held her as he anchored her in the present.
He too had his share of nightmares from that night. Whenever he closed his eyes, he would see the smirk on his father's face, his own body and hands covered in blood. He would wake up in a fit, sweat soaking through his clothes and the sheets. She would awaken with him and hold him as she whispered words of comfort in his ear, that he wasn't to blame, that he was a good good man. He in turn would cling to her as if she was a lifeline and that he would drown if he didn't hold onto her tightly.
With the death of Patrick Zala and the lack of an heir, Zala Industries collapsed, its secrets exposed to the world. It was during this time when they found out what her father's scientific breakthrough was. He was able to successfully clone a human being, with funding from Zala Industries. That clone… Was none other than the bodyguard she had shot. He was the clone of the masked man who had killed Mana on the night of her father's murder.
With Kisaka's help, they were able to obtain her father's data files which went into lockdown when he died. These were the files Patrick Zala was after, the files which her father refused to hand over which eventually led to his death. They decided to burn the files for they decided that no one could ever play God without repercussions. Some discoveries were better left unfound.
They soon found a rhythm in their new lives. In the day, they worked. At night, they would hold onto each other as they each fought off the other's nightmares. Eight years later, they had another child. A baby girl with hair as bright as her mother's, opposite to their son's midnight blue hair. They decided to name her after the sun for she symbolised the sunrise into their new lives, free from the binds that previously bound them.
"Mama!" Hinata screamed as she ran towards her mother. "Tell big brother not to go! Tell him Hina wants him to stay with her forever and ever," she cried as her parents chuckled at her little outburst.
Chuckling too at his sister, Akira went over and patted her on her head as Hinata stayed cradled in her mother's arms. "It'll be okay Hina. Big brother'll be back during the holidays and during his breaks. You'll see me soon."
"That's right Hina," Athrun comforted as Cagalli passed her to him. "We'll see your big brother soon," he reassured as he placed a kiss on her forehead.
"And maybe… He'll bring back a girl," Cagalli teased as she smirked at her son. "Then you'll have a big sister to play with too!"
"Really?" Hinata asked, her big round emerald orbs shining. Turning, she looked straight at her brother, "bring back a big sister for Hina big brother!" she ordered.
"Mom…" Akira blushed while Athrun and Cagalli laughed. Laughing himself, Akira went over to give his family one last embrace. "I'll miss you guys…"
"We'll miss you too sweetie," Cagalli said, teary-eyed herself as she gave her son a kiss on his cheek.
As they waved towards the retreating form of their son's car as he drove towards the next phase of his life, they couldn't help but marvel at how their lives had panned out. In a quest for revenge, she had found love in the unlikeliest of places. He had found the piece that was missing upon his mother's death. Together, they completed each other. And through this completion, two beautiful children were born.
They had a good life. A truly beautiful one.
Fin.
Thank you for coming to the end of this oneshot. I really hope you have enjoyed reading it! It's my birthday today so please be nice (:
LVG