Sugarcarly: ty ty ty XD

Bubbles: yay to being excited!

CagsZala: Well, since Cagalli is such a hot tempered woman so why not call in the Calvary aka Athrun to calm her down teehee.

FushionAC: Hibiki is a scientist so out of scientific curiosity you want to test different things. I have a few friends that work in the science field after you found out how one thing can work you do it again sure but you try to make it better and experiment in other options.

Pamela: I do proof read but it's hard to catch everything lol. But I try!

Asga: glad you liked!

I Never Should Have Left

Disclaimers: I do not own Gundam SEED/Gundam SEED Destiny, because if I did there would be LOTS of changes. This is based off of the ending of the special edition IV and some images I saw. Takes place after the ending as Lacus Clyne and Cagalli Yula Athha going into their meetings.

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Chapter Eleven

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"Damn it! Take cover! I want them captured if at all possible," Kisaka shouted. It was during the ceremony a few of their mobile suits were taken over. "Get to your machines, NOW!" Kisaka turned to see Athrun shooting at a few people trying to come after Cagalli and Cagalli was shooting her own gun that she had taken off one of the attackers. Athrun growled and took Cagalli's hand, "Do you think you can make it to your suit, Athrun?"

Athrun looked over at the colonel, "From here yes, but what about Cagalli…"

"Take her with you," Kisaka shouted. "We'll cover for you two…if you can get to the Justice we can apprehend them faster."

"Alright," Athrun pulled on Cagalli who nodded, "Do you have enough bullets?"

"I think so," Cagalli said shooting some standing behind Athrun. "You don't think that clone did this do you?"

"Right now I can't say but they were definitely after you regardless who this is," Athrun jumped off the stage and held out his arms. Cagalli jumped down as he caught her effortlessly. Kisaka shook his head, even in the midst of a fight they acted like a couple.

Kisaka quickly began barking orders over the radio, "Admiral Zala is heading your way Erica…have the Justice ready for him."

"Roger that!"

Athrun tried to avoid getting Cagalli into any more danger as they maneuvered around the crowds of people and rubble. He was trying to get to the hanger that held his Justice not too far from the stage they were at. He knew he could leave Cagalli there with Erica Simmons and a few others in that hanger. He cursed as some debris shot their way he quickly moved to shield her. "Damn it…"

"Athrun," Cagalli checked him over to make sure he was alright.

"I'm fine," Athrun smiled as he hugged her close. "We need to make it to the hanger…"

"I'm going with you," Cagalli said and Athrun looked at her sternly.

"No, you are not," Athrun placed both hands on her shoulders.

"You can't stop me, they are after me…"

"Damn it, Cagalli…" Athrun looked at her, "You stay where it's safe…"

"I can't sit by and watch you get hurt," Cagalli pleaded. "It's my duty as head representative to make sure everyone's safe…"

"As my fiancée you need keep yourself safe," Cagalli looked up at him surprised. His eyes held worry and love that Cagalli found herself loving him more than before just by seeing the intensity in his eyes. She nodded her head as Athrun continued to pull them along until they reached the hanger which held both of their mobile suits even though Cagalli gave Mu La Flaga permission to fly it when need be. "Stay here with Ms. Simmons, alright?"

"Please be careful and if you do anything stupid I'll kick your ass," Cagalli threatened. Athrun kissed her firmly as Erica came up next to the blonde woman. Athrun ran off to the Justice.

"Let's go Lady Cagalli," Erica guided the young woman inside. Cagalli watched helplessly as Athrun was climbing into his mobile suit. They went inside the control room and Athrun's voice and face came over the system. "Is everything looking good on your end, Admiral Zala?"

"All systems are green, Ms. Simmons…please make sure my stubborn fiancée doesn't get into any trouble."

"HEY! You better make sure you come back in one piece buster," Cagalli shouted. "Or I will personally launch just to kick your ass…"

"Aye, aye, Representative Athha…" Cagalli grumbled as she heard Athrun chuckle with a salute on the video screen. She watched as Justice went from gray to red and moved out of the hanger. Erica shook her head with a smile; the two were so in love it was just like a good old romance movie. She turned to see the worried look on the young blonde's face. She had grown up quickly over the past two years but what kept her true to herself was her personality. She was still stubborn and headstrong but Athrun wouldn't have her any other way. When it came to maturity Athrun had a candle over Cagalli but that's why they were perfect for each other. She knew when to bring him back down to reality and he knew how to make her level headed in times of need. She found it personally disappointing when Athrun had reenlisted in ZAFT which undoubtedly broke Orb's princess' heart. She was glad the two had made amends and were on their way to getting married. She knew that Cagalli wouldn't want to get married any time soon since her twin brother was marrying in about five months' time.

"Don't worry about him, he will be fine," Erica said and Cagalli nodded. Erica then saw the ring on her finger, "Oh so that's the ring everyone is talking about."

Cagalli looked down at her hand, "Oh yeah…it's been the big talk…"

"I hope he doesn't do anything to cause that mobile suit to be heavily damaged, I really don't feel like repairing anything," Erica shrugged causing Cagalli to look at her as if she was crazy. The two women stood still as they heard gun shots being fired outside of the control room. Both women mentally cursed as they held their guns ready. The door flew open and both women were prepared to stand their ground.

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"Do you really think you can protect her?"

"What," Athrun rasped as he took out another mobile suit. He took in his surroundings as most of the military personnel had been evacuated along with the civilians that were invited to the ceremony. It looked like they were going to need to rebuild some of the hangers. Athrun cursed as he blocked another attack, "Stop this!"

"Sorry, orders are orders!"

"What do you think you can accomplish by harassing Cagalli?" Athrun shouted by taking down another suit.

"We are to create the perfect ultimate coordinator, a generation of them," another voice spoke to him with an air of cockiness. "She will be the mother of the new generation of ultimate coordinators!"

"Like hell if I let you," Athrun attacked but his attack was blocked.

"There is nothing you can do to stop us! She will be the mother of the new legacy of Ulen Hibiki!"

"We just need a little sample of her DNA! You know some blood samples…"

"What," Athrun hissed.

"You don't need to worry she will be taken care of!"

Athrun cursed and had his hands full with two more suits coming after him. He glared and quickly evaded their attacks, it was getting difficult to hold them all off. He then heard Kisaka, "Athrun…I know you don't want to but if you cannot take them down without killing them…then I suggest you either take them down before I have to listen to your fiancée talk about the many ways she will kill you."

Athrun shook his head, "Leave it to her to threaten me at a time like this."

"Well, you know Cagalli…" Kisaka shrugged on the video link. "Either way, you're going to have to take them down…it seems no way around it."

"Roger that…"

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"There was a what," Kira asked looking at Yzak and Dearka.

"There is a massive battle down in Orb, most likely the group that wants Athha," Yzak said showing him some video feed. "Apparently the news is going crazy over this."

"This is live," Dearka asked. "Crap…that's the Justice."

"Athrun's fighting," Kira clenched his fists. "It means the fight is serious."

"You could always go down in the Freedom and help, she is your sister after all," Dearka said coolly. "From the looks of it that Hibiki guys seems to have a lot of people on his side."

"I have no doubt this group is related to the group that still supports Patrick Zala," Yzak sighed. "This isn't going to be pretty if word gets out."

"Yes but this is between Orb and the radicals not EAF versus PLANTs," Dearka pointed out. "Either way, we need to get in contact with Orb…"

Kira shook his head, "See if you can contact the control room of that particular base. Hopefully we can get a clear link; the media is probably having a field day right now."

"No kidding, Athrun is going to have his hands full with press conferences," Dearka chuckled. "I don't envy the guy…he's gotten a lot of face time."

"This isn't the time for jokes," Yzak barked at his friend. "We need to make sure this doesn't spark another Natural versus Coordinator war."

"Kira, are you going down?" Dearka asked and Kira shook his head, "Why not?"

"Even if I go down right now, I wouldn't be any use…Athrun seems to have it under control," Kira pointed at the screen. "We need to make sure we can identify the Patrick Zala supporters, if we have a leak in ZAFT it could mean the end of us as well."

"Wow, thinking like a real leader," Dearka said trying to act like he was surprised. Kira looked at him confused, "Maybe being the Chairwoman's fiancé is a good thing for you…she's rubbing off on you."

Kira chuckled lightly, "I know Athrun has it under control, I doubt he would let anything happen to my sister, she is a stubborn one."

"You've got that right, she beats Yzak on the stubbornness scale," Dearka chuckled.

"Shut the hell up, Dearka…"

"Well, either way we should offer them some kind of help considering their base is probably going to have to be rebuilt."

"Sounds good we should make a group ready to head over to Orb," Kira nodded. "I'll have you and Yzak go down to handle anything official if need be."

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"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" Athrun winced as Cagalli was cleaning the cut on his forehead. Cagalli was continuing to insult him. He had gotten a little careless and his cockpit got hit. Some of the shards of metal had pierced his skin lucky for him his forehead was just grazed. "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"

"I think I get the idea Cagalli," Athrun winced again as she pressed the ointment into his wound. She glared at him, "Sorry, I got a little careless…"

"Careless? A little? I would say you went off the deep end," Cagalli growled and Athrun laughed nervously. When she got that look you better hope you could escape her wrath. She was dangerous. Beyond dangerous in Athrun's mind set, "Please…don't do that again."

Athrun nodded and looked over at Kisaka, "Have they gotten that one pilot to talk?"

"Unfortunately no," Kisaka shook his head. "I can tell you one thing; he is with Ulen Hibiki…the guy we encountered back up in the PLANTS. They are indeed after Cagalli."

"Damn it," Athrun cursed. "How did they get into the base and able to get some of our machines?"

"That's what we are reviewing right now, oh and word has come from the PLANTs," Kisaka said handing Athrun a paper. "Apparently Kira thought it would be a good idea to send help to the base."

"That Kira," Athrun smiled. "He is still the same as ever."

"Idiot…"

Athrun sighed, "Cagalli…"

"I'm still mad at you," Cagalli glared at him. Kisaka took that as his cue and left the couple alone. Erica also stepped out as Athrun was left to calm the princess. Athrun was really the only one that could piss her off beyond belief and have her smiling in the next second. Kisaka almost felt bad for the Admiral as he was being used by the council to play the mediator at times. But who better to calm the head representative than her own fiancé? Kisaka and Erica leaned on the walls so they could hear the conversation in the room.

"Cagalli…"

"What?"

He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her into his lap. He kissed her cheek, "Now princess…can't your knight get a little thank you from his princess that he tried so hard to protect?"

Cagalli pouted, she hated it. She hated it when he acted so un-Athrun like, turning the tables on her. He did it on purpose; he was becoming more of a romantic and flirt making Cagalli flustered. He always had the upper hand and she never thought it was fair. Athrun then began kissing her sweetly and gently tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth. She closed her eyes and sighed in defeat. Athrun won…he always found ways to win her over…she wanted to find a way to get the upper hand in their relationship but he was proving to her he wore the pants. He pulled away from the kiss and Cagalli hugged him. "Just don't take any unnecessary risks please…you give me a heart attack every time you do."

Athrun hugged her in return, "I'm sorry. I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"You better," Cagalli inhaled his scent even after being in his mobile suit for so long he smelt like his usual scent. She loved how he smelt and Athrun wanted to ask what she was doing but the door opened to reveal Kisaka and Erica. They both had smiled on their faces knowing that the two were alright now. They weren't the ideal fairy tale relationship but they had something special that many people do not find in their one life time. They were quite a pair and visually they were a matching couple he was like the night with his darker hair and she was day with her bright blonde locks. "Your hair is getting pretty long; you're going to have to start putting up in a ponytail!"

Athrun arched a brow, "I'll cut it before I let that happen." Athrun then noticed her wince, "What's the matter?" Athrun then looked over to her right arm and narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"

"Uh…" Cagalli got nervous. She didn't want to tell him what happened in the control room after he left with the Justice. She looked over at Kisaka and Erica briefly pleading for help.

"Cagalli…"

"Well, you see…"

"Cagalli, why are you bleeding…you can't tell me some old wound acted up either," Athrun pushed off her jacket and Cagalli didn't bother to struggle. She recently had it bandaged up and he could tell just by looking at it. His eyes were staring up in her face as she was trying to look anywhere but at him.

"They came in here," Cagalli sighed. "Ms. Simmons and I fought off the one enemy that was banging on the door. He got a lucky shot…he pointed a gun at me so Ms. Simmons couldn't shoot him."

"Where is he now?"

"He…he got away after he pressed some kind of cloth on my arm," Cagalli whispered and she could tell without looking at him, that Athrun's blood was boiling with frustration.

"Cagalli…"

"Now if you two are done," Kisaka cleared his throat before the situation in the room got any worse. Hearing that Cagalli was actually shot it didn't sit well with him either but he knew Athrun could go off the deep end. "I already accepted the help ZAFT will be providing for us on your behalf."

"Thanks," Athrun said simply while still staring at Cagalli.

"I was also able to inform the press you are unable to release any formal statement of the incident at this time," Kisaka handed him the list of reporters that had been there. "So you'll need to come up with some kind of speech in response to the press."

"Alright," Athrun responded looking over the list with Cagalli still in his lap refusing to let her go after the news he just received. Cagalli's breathing had evened out and Athrun smiled knowing she had fallen asleep but his conversation was far from over with her. Kisaka chuckled and Erica shook her head with a happy smile.

"She most have worn herself out but…I'm starting to wonder," Erica scanned the blonde woman's body.

"Wonder what," Kisaka asked.

Erica whispered over to Kisaka, "She isn't pregnant is she?"

Athrun picked up on what Erica had just asked; his coordinator hearing sometimes came in handy. "No she isn't…" Erica stood up straight, "the past couple of nights we haven't been going to bed early…"

"Oh those late night activities keeping you kids up," Erica teased only to get a blush out of Athrun. "Don't need to be bashful, Myrna tells us about them and what she hears from the other maids in the manor."

Kisaka chuckled, "I guess we don't have to wait too long before we see future heirs to the Orb legacy."

"Shut up," Cagalli grumbled in her sleep. Everyone shared in the laughter.

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"What do you mean they are busy," Yzak arched his brow. Yzak and Dearka were standing in the living room space waiting for Athrun and Cagalli to come down. They came down for official business since they were offering to help rebuild their base. They were also offering to help place extra security with the help of ZAFT. Most of the ZAFT soldiers were looking forward to visiting Orb and sightseeing. Yzak grumbled at some of his subordinates reminding them they were here on assignment not to take time off. Yzak was dressed in his white uniform and Dearka in his black. Dearka just sighed as he heard Yzak grumbled at one of the maids.

"Yzak, oh Yzak, even after being with Shiho you can't get the hint about a couple being busy," Dearka joked and Yzak looked at his friend as if he lost his mind. "They are having sex…duh!"

"Well he should learn to keep it in his pants long enough to come down here to talk business," Yzak crossed his arms. "I should knock down his door right now and drag him out."

"Yeah right and walk in a very steamy intimate scene, I think not," Dearka made his way over to couch and sat down. "Just wait a little bit; we did arrive unannounced to begin with."

"Stupid Zala," Yzak sat down with a scowl on his face.

"What was that Yzak," Athrun asked dressed in his Orb uniform but without the jacket. Yzak stared at his former comrade and good friend. "I didn't you think you guys would be coming down."

"We figured we could help you out with some information we found on Ulen Hibiki…the sadistic clone," Dearka said handing him a computer disc. "You might want Cagalli to see it as well."

Athrun nodded and looked over at one of the maids, "Could you tell Cagalli when she is done with her shower to join us?"

"Of course master Athrun…"

"Thank you," Athrun then turned to his friends. "Would you guys like anything? Coffee? Tea?"

"Sure, sounds great," Dearka smirked. "I guess I don't need to ask how your sex life is going since you two were busy."

"Dearka," Athrun paled a little bit. He was a private person he didn't want his personal life out in the open. The maids all giggled that were walking around the room. Some of them were bringing them tea and finger foods to eat with the tea.

"What, you're a healthy man after all…aren't you,"Dearka teased and Yzak sat their quietly. He had already been the subject of Dearka's questioning before so he was silently enjoying the fact his rival was on the receiving end.

"I believe you came here to talk about work not about my personal life," Athrun quickly trying to change the subject.

"Well, Cagalli isn't down here yet so I think we can discuss your personal life all we want," Dearka smirked.

"Wipe that expression off your face," all three men turned to see Cagalli coming down the stairs. She was wearing her usual council attire minus the jacket as well. Her hair was up in a ponytail as she made her way over to Athrun and sat down next to him. Once she took her seat Athrun placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, Cagalli looked over at him with a confused look. The most they did in front of other people was hold hands…kissing of any sort he never really did. She decided to shrug it off and easily her temper fumed when she heard Dearka snickering in the background. "What's so funny Dearka?"

"Nothing, it's just funny to see Athrun so chummy with you," Dearka smirked. "That's all. Anyway, since you are both here we have new information we wanted to show you."

Yzak nodded and handed Athrun the file, "We have reason to believe Ulen Hibiki is working with the Patrick Zala supporters primarily…we even found one of the medical base when we first enlisted was raided and the only thing missing was items under your name, Athrun."

"What," Athrun looked up at Yzak with wide eyes. "Me?"

"What? You deaf," Yzak glared at the admiral. "Yes you, according to rumors they might want to try to make a coordinator and natural child just for kicks."

Dearka shook his head, "Scientific curiosity, how many different ways can you create the ultimate being."

Athrun read over the file and showed it to Cagalli. "The reason for the attack?"

"Well to get Cagalli's blood sample which Colonel Kisaka said they did get. The blood sample probably will be used to see if they can actually create an ultimate coordinator from the get go of an artificial womb," Dearka sighed. "Kira was able to find out that he was actually in his mother's womb and probably sometime during her first trimester was he extracted from her body. However getting Cagalli pregnant doesn't seem to be on their top priority list…"

"That's so cruel to the mother," Cagalli sadly said reading over the file. "So Kira and I are identical twins then."

"Yes," Dearka nodded handing her another file. "One photo is of your mother, you can see both of you look like her. The only thing different about you two are your hair and eye color. The next one is from Miriallia, she did a facial comparison of you both and you both have same features minus the fact you are female and Kira is a male confirming the fact you two are identical twins regardless."

"Regardless of Kira being a coordinator and me a natural," Cagalli stated.

"We are going to assume from how Kira was born is not the way they want to go about it. They want to try to recreate the ultimate coordinator minus the baby being initially in a woman's body," Yzak had a look of disgust when he thought about what they were trying to do. "However if they do not succeed in this, they will more than likely go after Athha. The next option would be to impregnate Athha, extract the baby then place the baby in an artificial womb then manufacture their ultimate coordinator. Once they have their one perfect product…"

"Would be to clone that perfect product," Dearka inserted into the conversation. "Since Ulen Hibiki claims to be the product of perfect cloning he would just need one perfect coordinator born from this and clone until he can't clone no more."

"This guy is sick,"Cagalli's face paled and Athrun placed an arm around her. He pulled her closer to him. Athrun rubbed her arm, "What kind of monster was my biological father?"

"He was a very ambitious man," Dearka said softly.

"Ambition can either make or break a person," Yzak added in. "It's really a dangerous tool in the human personality just like power."

"So all we can do is wait and see if they succeed? We need to find them now before they decide they want to go after Cagalli," Athrun sighed, "I wouldn't honestly doubt if there were people still out there trying to make bio-humans. I remember when I was still on the Minerva and we found that lab, it was…it made my stomach churn. All just because of power they are ambitious and want to gain more power."

"Create the ultimate coordinator to fight off the naturals and in turn the naturals create bio-humans," Cagalli placed the paper on the coffee table in front of her. "It's almost like a never ending cycle we are stuck in. Even though the people who support the ideas we all share in this room there are people like LOGOS, Blue Cosmos, Patrick Zala and Gilbert Durandal supporters…"

"Even so, we keep moving forward," Athrun had a look of determination. "Unlike an outright attack on the Earth or the PLANTS this attack was on Cagalli…to create more weapons for later on in the future."

"That's just so twisted," Dearka groaned. "Pretty much this is not a war for today but for the tomorrow. They want to grow their own personal army to do their bidding. That's just so twisted."

"Twisted or not, imagine if word got out that Cagalli Yula Athha, the famed daughter of Uzumi Nara Athha, was actually the daughter of that nut case," Yzak shook his head. "It becomes the biggest scandal the world has ever seen and people would easily turn on her."

"I agree to a certain point there Yzak but," Dearka looked over at Cagalli. "She's engaged to a coordinator and Athrun is engaged to a Natural…even if it isn't official public knowledge but they are living proof that a relation between Natural and Coordinator can happen. Plus Orb is a nation that has both Naturals and Coordinators; I highly doubt there would be a large amount of people that would turn against Cagalli."

"I guess you have a good point for a chance," Yzak looked over to see Cagalli pouting about something. Athrun was just smiling down at the princess and it only made her pout more. "From a political stand point, they probably should get just get married regardless of her brother…"

"Yeah, but being siblings Cagalli won't take the spot light away from Kira and Lacus," Dearka smiled as Cagalli turned away from Athrun that was sighing. He didn't know when the two of them got lost in their own conversation but it was funny to watch Cagalli and Athrun. They were really the perfect pair to show the world about Naturals and Coordinators. There really was a chance for world peace but it would take more than just them getting married but it would a pivotal moment in history. They would need to take down Ulen Hibiki before the two of them could live happily and have their own family. As long as this Ulen Hibiki is running around freely, Cagalli could not be safe.

"You also know that Yamato worries about her none stop right, because she is his twin sister," Yzak responded. "He trusted us to watch over her…"

"He also knows those two will change history or at least put a lasting mark on it," Dearka pointed. Yzak followed his gaze on the couple; Athrun and Cagalli were lost in their own little world. Both coordinators had to admit there were times you forgot Cagalli was a natural when it came to certain skills. She was on par with some coordinators and then to top that off, the way the two looked together…they just fit. Now they only need to get rid of one unwanted puzzle piece -Ulen Hibiki and his group.

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See you next time!