I don't own anything related to Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny. I make no money out of this story and it is written purely for fun. I do however own Marcus Heidelberg, but if you fell in love with him and want to use him for your own fiction, I will be glad to lend it to you.

The Falling

Phase one : Double Standards

Marcus Heidelberg was patiently waiting in the lobby of a private airport. The sun was shinning brightly today for the return of the Head Representative Cagalli Yula Attha after a one month vacations on a secret destination.

Marcus had been chosen to represent the people's voice at the parliament four years ago, on the third commemoration of the Second Bloody Valentine War's end. From that day on, he had worked fervently to better the world and coincidentally was personally acquainted with the princess. Some magazines even said there was a deeper relationship than boss and subordinate between the two most loved public figure of Orb. After all, they had regularly been spotted dining together or even walking side by side in the sunset along Orb's beaches.

It didn't hurt that he had been voted most wanted bachelor two years in a row. With his six feet, athletic built, dark hair and blue eyes, he was quite eye catching. Add to that a witty sense of humour and a passionate fervour to help others less lucky gave him the title of "perfect suitor". And what better fairy tale for the press than the princess marrying a pauper.

If only his princess was as easy to court as the journalists like to say. The emotional walls built around her heart were still too strong to be brought down from the outside. But he was determined to help her along the way; they had too many things in common after all.

He was brought out of his thoughts when the said blond woman invading his mind waved a delicate hand in his face. "Maybe you should take a vacation, Marcus." He offered her his killer smile, the one who charmed the journalists and the population.

"Well, Princess, someone has to run down the office in your absence and make sure of your well being when you do work," he said as he kissed her hand like a real gentleman.

"Still not working, Marcus. Better find another way to "woo" me!"

"Then maybe some kebabs will do the trick as my mother said: "the best way to strike someone heart is to please her stomach". With chili sauce, of course." He added as an afterthought.

"Come Casanova, I'm hungry and you're offering," she said, leading the way.

Following her, he couldn't help but admired her. The years, even thought taxing for everyone, had been gracious on her. No longer was she the rebellious tomboy. The pants were now replaced by pencil skirts, her combat boots with stilettos. Her golden hair was now longer, reaching past her shoulders and tamer. However, her eyes were still that fierce amber shining bright with hope and intelligence.

Since the Seiran coup-d'état, no other powerful family or emir had been able to double cross her. She had learned from her past mistakes and, while still brutally honest, didn't show all her trump cards in one turn. She had filled the empty council chairs with representatives from the people, balancing out the power of the noble families, and created the first government half naturals and half coordinators.

She had ceased to pose as a "political man" after a rather heated argument with an "old fart" who didn't take her seriously because she was a woman. She remembered too vividly the look of renewed hope on the females at the assembly when she came back in a classic black dress. Female politicians were looking up to her and she had to prove to them they could rule efficiently while being a woman in every aspects of their life.

It had been a 180 turn that took everyone by surprise. Mana, now working independently from the royal household, had wept uncontrollably for two days. Ledonir Kisaka, her former bodyguard and retired colonel –currently on a honeymoon- nearly had a heart attack when she willingly started wearing female attire almost every day. When he asked her why the sudden change, she said she could use a fresh start.

And it didn't stopped there, she had redecorated her office, fitted her body with yoga and tai chi, drank green tea instead of coffee, meditated, gave half of the Attha's fortune for the construction of orphanages and prevent minors - under 21 years old - to enter Orb's forces.

At the age of twenty-five, she was now an accomplished woman and a ruthless politician. And Marcus wanted to be by her side in their quest for a better world.

"You're thinking again, Marcus. Haven't I told you that smart people shouldn't think too much?"

"Quite a few times already, Princess."

"And why don't you take my advice to heart?"

"Only a fool doesn't think."

"Maybe Marcus, but the fool cannot fall."

"I'm not sure I understand the deeper meaning to that."

"Just hope to never understand it Heidelberg."

He nearly bumped into her when she stopped to hail a taxi passing by. He loaded her small luggage in the trunk and joined her inside the car. He gazed at her while she listened intently to the driver showing her pictures of his children. She was praised by most for her interest in her people, receiving the supreme title of "Mother of the Nation".

She had even, symbolically, married her country in a formal ceremony at the age of twenty-one when she was crowned queen. It wasn't exactly the type of power or title she wanted to project. She didn't want to be name ruler just because she had the chance to have been adopted by the previous king, but to lead her nation because it was the wish of the People.

However, the People had wanted to call her their queen; to rebuild the state not forgetting the past, but learning from it and celebrating it. After all, they had been touched by her willingness to retire from the government if they judged she wasn't apt to rule anymore.

Kira had a fit the first time he saw the golden band on her finger as she visited him and Lacus up in Plant. He had ranted for hours that she shouldn't have married like that, without his approval on her husband, the Marcus guy she was constantly pictured with; how she was moving on too fast and too young to have intimate relations –cringing every time she corrected him by saying the word sex-.

It wasn't until she told him that her hubbywas a country that he finally calmed down from his overprotective brother mode. That meeting hadn't quite finished well; she had left their house screaming that her brother should move on the idea she was to end up with his best friend. After that, every time Athrun name was brought up, Kira froze, fearing that his sister would fire up, but she never did. "I don't want to live in the past anymore Kira and neither should Athrun." But she knew he still did.

After all, he hadn't been able to give her the correct answer. He had come to her six months after the end of the war, wary, angry at her and at himself, but most of all, feeling betrayed by her near marriage while he was up in space. He knew she thought it was best for Orb at that time, but he couldn't help but feel as if he had been tossed aside not once, but twice, without a second thought.

He had barged in her office and started screaming at her, the bottled up emotions exploding without his consent. And she had taken it all in, not saying a thing, not even tearing up. When he finally stopped his tirade, she looked directly in his eyes and placed his promised ring on her desk. "I will only ask you one thing, Athrun." He perked up at that. He had half expected her to start throwing things at him or even himself out of her office, to call him a stupid bastard, but definitely not that kind of question.

"Who asked me to marry him, Chairman Patrick Zala's son, Athrun Zala of Zaft, or Alex Dino, bodyguard of the Head Representative?" Well, that shut him up good as he couldn't answer. "I will tell you the answer Zala. The one who asked to marry me is the one who entered my country today. Now that all as been said, please leave and don't come back until you stop running." He had board a shuttle the same day, gazing at his Orb's citizenship: "Alex Dino".

Their break up had put a stress on most of her relation with their common friends as they all knew she was the one to send Athrun back when he had come to repair their couple. "I chose Orb before him and I would do the same any day." Lacus had been the most comprehensive at that time as she was too leading a nation. Even Yzak had showed her understanding, but still couldn't forgive her for the miserable state she had put her friend in.

But it didn't exactly hinder her as only Sai stilled lived in Orb. Miriallia had succumbed to Dearka's advances once again; Kira and Lacus were still working in Plants, protected by Andrew and the Clyne faction; Athrun was chairman of Eternity; Mwu and Murrue were touring the world; Kisaka had settled down with a childhood friend; Shinn, Lunamaria and Meyrin were still part of Zaft and Yzak wasn't exactly a close friend.

"And this, is our next treasure," said Mathew, the driver, showing Cagalli ascan of a baby girl. "With your permission, we would like to name her after you."

She couldn't help but blushed at that comment. "It's too much really… I couldn't…"

"Why, princess, it's a beautiful name," teased her friend.

"It's just that…"

"Non sense Cagalli, such a name can only bring strength and will power."

"Well…"

The driver perked up at that. "It is an honour to bring to this world another Cagalli, Cagalli-sama."

"Then you better invited me to the baptism," she conceded finally, her face a bright red.

"Of course, Cagalli-sama!"

"I feel bad to cut this conversation short, Mathew, but we have a reservation to attend."

"Of course, Marcus-san, where to?"

After fifteen minutes of driving, the taxi parked in front of an Arabian restaurant, The Magical Lamp. Marcus, oozing charm as usual, paid the cab and held all doors standing in the princess' way. He demanded a private boot from the hostess and commanded two kebabs. While waiting, he observed his boss watching the sunset that seemed to cast on golden fire her hair.

"Why haven't you brought guards with you, Cagalli?" She stared at him from the corners of her eyes, a single eyebrow rising up in disbelief.

"You do understand the meaning of vacation, don't you?"

"Of course, but it could have been dangerous."

"We already had that conversation Marcus. I don't like redundant questions."

"It's just that you're too important to loose."

"To whom? Orb or you?"

"You know the answer to that, Cagalli."

"Just like you know why I don't have the need for a bodyguard anymore."

"The world is still a dangerous place; there are people out there who want you dead."

"I cannot ask other to disarm when I, myself, carry a gun. A change must come from the inside Heidelberg and you know the motto anyway: keep your friends close…"

"But your foes closer, yes, I understand that. However you're risking your life everyday being unprotected like that."

"One person is murdered everyday in Orb, most probably deserve more than me to live."

"Why can't you value your life, Attha?"

"Why do you overvalue mine? A ruler can be change anytime; I am only a tool after all."

"Who is the king then?"

"I'm surprised you still don't know Marcus. You are smart, figure it out."

"I am aware of that fact, thank you, as you never cease to repeat it…"

He was interrupted as their waitress brought their meal. When she left, he pursued in a hushed tune. "You should at least report the previous attempts on your life to the National Defence Office. They would assign someone to look after you."

"I can perfectly look after myself, I don't need a babysitter anymore," she stressed out through gritted teeth.

"Dammit Attha, they nearly got you twice already."

"I don't want anyone else to die out of duty for me."

"They have forgiven you for what happen during the Second war, Cagalli."

"They may have forgiven, but not forgotten. I'm their leader, Marcus. I have to be infallible. I cannot allow other mistakes to be done."

"You're only human and humans are prone to mistake."

"Orb burned twice under the Attha's leadership, Heidelberg. The third time is the charm as they say."

"You are talking about Orb or you?"

"Backtracking will lead me no where. I will not regret my past choices, Marcus. I refuse to doubt myself ever again."

"Do you even hear what you are saying? Shit Cagalli, you have to grow up."

"That's exactly the problem. I am grown up. I have no more excuses for failure."

Marcus didn't even look at her as he silently stood up to leave. However, as he reached the door of their private boot her question stopped him. "Will you come to wish me a safe trip tomorrow?"

"Where are you going?"

"I'm taking a space shuttle to see the reconstruction of Heliopolis 5. I don't want this to end it." She felt that his glare lessened, even though she wasn't looking at him, but was gazing once again out of the window at the starry sky.

"Of course."

"Thank you Marcus, you're a good friend."

A guard rushed in the council room, the wooden doors violently banging against the walls. Marcus's eyes narrowed; judging from his uniform, he was part of the Department of Internal Crisis (DIC) whom usually didn't have much to do as the last problems endangering the future of Orb had been during the Seyran's leadership.

"Representatives, there's been an accident, Cagalli-sama, Cagalli-sama…"

"Slow down, boy, and start from the beginning" advised kindly, but with an edge of worry Julian Sethi, a wise man in his late forties to the hardly breathing agent.

"The space shuttle… it exploded. Cagalli-sama didn't survive."

"Take this Marcus, it's a key charm, it should give you the answers you seek. And don't forget, it's never good to think to much alone. Stick to what I teach you and you will be fine. It's not about being a half, but a whole."

"Why do you talk like we won't see each other, Attha?"

"You're smart Marcus, figure it out." She turned back to him just as she was to embark in the spaceship. "Goodbye Marcus Heidelberg."

A.N.: This is it for the first chapter of The Falling, my first Gundam Seed fic. I will make this announcement only once, I'm a pro procrastinator and as such I don't update often, but I do like to know what you think of my stories and, sometimes, reviews help me write faster.

The next chapters should be longer, hopefully.

I wrote this in homage to Cagalli who was repeatedly bashed in the Destiny series. Even thought the circumstance explained her general behaviour in the sequel, it wasn't however justifiable to only make her cry and be useless for nearly 40 episodes. It got on my nerves big time.

Even thought there is small Athrun's bashing, I do like him even thought he was a total moron in the Destiny series. He had no right to blame Cagalli for all that happened when he reenlisted in Zaft without a second thought. Talk about double standards.

I realize Marcus seems like a central character in this chapter. He will play a good part in this story, but I promise you he will not be a Gary Sue, so don't worry.

And this concludes the long and award note. I am not an English, so yes, there are mistakes, but if it isn't intelligible, please tell me so and I will rewrite it.