In an Era of Peace: An Uncertain Future

Chapter IX: What is Going On?

Screams echoed in the room. The sound of soldiers running around mixed in. Amongst the sounds she could also hear the noise of heels clicking on the floor. But the most distinctive sound was the cries she could hear from Cagalli. Athrun had been shot. She didn't know where but she didn't have time to care. Right now she needed to focus on the man in her own arms. She could see in his face he was in an intense amount of pain, but she was just relieved he was still breathing. Tears streamed down her face as she closed her eyes and cried for him.

Feeling a hand wipe away a tear from her cheek she opened them. It was Dearka. "Why is it that I always seem to make you cry?" He asked weakly smiling at her the best he could.

"You can't die. Not here. Not like this!" She begged.

Out of what seemed like nowhere the navy haired girl quickly approached. Kneeling to the floor she suddenly shoved her fingers into Dearka's wound, surprising Mir and causing him to scream out in pain. She moved her fingers around a bit and then removed them, wiping the blood off on a clean part of his suit. "The bullet passed straight through" She announced to the two of them. "It didn't seem to hit any vital organs. But you need stitches, the sooner the better." She looked up from the spot Dearka was lying and towards the room Yzak and Athrun were now being taken. The room was starting to calm. No more bullets were fired. "We need to get him moved...Now!" She said looking at Mir. "Do you think you can help me? Or are you injuries to bad?" She questioned noticing the cast.

Mir nodded "Yes I can. I'm a lot stronger than I look."

Bree was about to help him up when she noticed the ring box on the floor. She picked it up and placed it back in Dearka's pocket. "For another time" She said softly smiling at him.

The two girls helped Dearka to his feet. Slowly they made their way to the safe room. As they got closer Mwu La Flaga took him off girl's hands helping Dearka walk into the room. When they entered they saw Yzak and Athrun were already receiving stitches. Their injuries seemed to be similar to his. Close to vital organs but missing them slightly.

"Sit him over here" One of the doctors announced. Mwu helped him to the chair and the doctor started to work away immediately. Since there was no time for freezing Mwu held him down so he wouldn't move too much. He struggled to breathe calmly. Slow breaths in and out. Focusing his eyes on the one person who always brought him a sense of serenity and peace.

Mir looked around in horror. Everyone was covered in so much blood. Cagalli and Kira with Athrun's. Shiho with Yzak and she, Bree as well as Mwu with Dearka's. Her breathing started to become erratic as she started to panic. "What the hell is going on here!" She finally screamed.

The room went silent. The only sounds were Dearka's groans from the pain of the needle going in and out. "An assassination attempt obviously, by a sloppy shooter." Yzak spat.

"More like someone well trained." Mwu argued.

"What do you mean?" Kira questioned.

"Their injuries are nearly in the same place. Whoever shot them aimed for their hearts and missed. Either it was a coincidence that they missed on all them or they had no intentions of killing them… yet anyways."

"Why do that? What does it accomplish?" Cagalli asked.

"Chaos" Bree stated. "We're on Earth. At a ball celebrating peace. They attacked the only three former councilman's sons here. Soldiers who have connections to Orb. Well known and famous for their actions in the wars. Do you think it could be the work of BLUE COSMOS?"

"BLUE COSMOS doesn't exist anymore." Lacus answered. "We have yet to see any evidence of them gathering once more."

Mir looked at Cagalli for a second. She had a sinking feeling. Like she knew who had done it, but she didn't know where that feeling was coming from. Cagalli was about to say something when there was a knock outside the safe room. Murrue walked over and pressed the intercom button. "Please state your name and purpose."

"Uhh… Davis Vanhorn. I'm Miriallia Haww's date. I'm trying to find her. I was told she came this way." He said sounding scared.

"Tell him to leave!" Cagalli barked angrily. "I don't want to deal with him right now. And Miriallia shouldn't have to either!"

"Cagalli please… he's scared" Mir said in a pleading tone.

"Fine. But have a gunpowder residue test done on him… we can't take any chances." She said sounding ticked off.

Murrue exited the room with a few soldiers. A couple minutes passed by and they returned with the young man. He quickly ran over to Mir and held her tightly in her arms before pulling away and kissing her. Dearka looked away. It seemed to hurt more watching this unwelcomed display than the bullet did. "I'm so glad you're okay." He said hugging her once more. "I went to the bathroom and when I came out everyone was screaming. I tried to find you but I was told you were taken to a safe room." He let go of her and took a few steps back to look at her. Seeing she was covered in blood he asked "Are you hurt? Have you seen a doctor?"

"No… I'm fine… so you… you didn't hear anything that happened? After you spoke with Dearka?" She asked trying to subtly find out if he heard her confession of love or the proposal.

"You heard about that."

"I heard that you two had spoke. Nothing more." She replied.

"To be honest I asked him to stay away from you. I know how much he hurts you when the two of you are together. I was afraid that would happen again. And look at you now, I was right. Nothing good happens when you are with that guy. You think he makes you happy but he's destroys the good in you"

"You didn't need to do that." she said. "And don't act like you know him!" She snapped half insulted. Everyone looked at the couple unsure of what to say or whether or not to jump in. "You know nothing about us!"

"I know enough" He snapped back surprising her. "When I met you you were still trying to get over him. Over a year later and you were still tangled up in that jerks lies. Lies he made you keep. For what? So he could hide from who he was? The tragedies he left behind? He's not the guy you belong with."

"What and you are suppose to be!" She spat without thinking.

"No… I'm not. But I think that guy was taken from you long ago. And now you're fool enough to call his murderer your friend and comrade." He replied, rending Miriallia speechless. "Look what they've done to you. Athrun killed the man you loved. Dearka tricked and lied to you for over a year. And you still act like you care about them. You should be distancing yourself from them not throwing yourself down at their feet like some desperate pathetic girl."

"Enough!" Dearka said standing up. He rushed over grabbing Davis by the collar he pushed him against a wall. "Don't you dare talk to her like that!"

"Dearka your stitches!" Mwu said grabbing onto his right shoulder.

Mir watched Dearka and Davis staring at each other with rage in their eyes. Her heart pounding out of her chest. That fight was their first fight… but it didn't feel like the first time. It felt familiar. Like she had defended Dearka against him before. "I need to get out of here" She said turning for the door.

"You can't leave alone" Murrue said.

"I'll go with her" Cagalli volunteered.

"Cagalli no, it's not safe" Athrun argued.

"We'll be fine. Kisaka" She said looking up at her longtime bodyguard and friend. "Will you come with us?"

"Yes lady Cagalli"

Dearka watched the three leave the room and then finally let go of the guy he was holding. Feeling blood running down his chest again he sat down and allowed the doctor to fix his stitches. As he sat there he kept an eye on the man he was just subduing. There was something off about him. He could tell from the first time he shook his hand. And now with how he spoke with Miriallia he knew he could not be trusted.