Only You

by VBloodmoon4

Cagalli is engaged to Yuna and is devastated when Athrun leaves for the PLANTs. What if instead of rejoining ZAFT, he returns to her in Orb? AthrunXCagalli KiraXLacus. Rated M for possible scenes in later chapters.

14. Lucky

A/N: Hello! I tried to get this chapter out ASAP after leaving the last chapter looking so grim. The story obviously isn't over, so here's more. Thanks to my reviewers! You all rock!

Song for this Chapter: The Healing by Ivoryline

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny

Chapter 14: Lucky

All Athrun could hear were the emergency alerts blaring inside of his mobile suit. He could feel something warm running down the side of his face and he groaned. He tried to move his legs and let out a hiss as pain overwhelmed him. His emerald eyes traveled downward where he saw that his machine had crumpled in and his legs were pinned by the metal. The coordinator looked out to see explosions happening around him and he reached forward to try and call his fellow soldiers.

Another alert began flashing on top of the damage alerts and Athrun's eyebrows shot up, "Incoming missiles?!"

He tried to sit up and gasped in pain as he slightly tugged on his legs. He reached under his helmet and touched the warm liquid running down his face; blinking at the bright red blood on his glove.

"Damn it," he muttered, "I'm a sitting duck out here."

The Strike Rouge was immobile and Athrun was unable to eject himself due to his legs being pinned. He watched as the missiles closed in and he slammed his eyes shut; grabbing at the Haumea amulet on his neck. He gripped the pendant through his pilot suit and images of blonde hair with fiery amber eyes filled his head.

…

Cagalli continued to sob uncontrollably and Kisaka finally pulled away. He gave her a stern look and shook her shoulders.

"Lady Cagalli, you must be strong. You can't cry for forever, your nation needs you and we must push on."

The princess sniffed and wiped her swollen red eyes with the backs of her hands. She bit her lip and then clenched her fists in anger.

"How dare they!" Cagalli bit out, "What do they gain by doing this?!"

"If only we could destroy their main carrier ship," one of the officers that was standing across the room from Cagalli and Kisaka spoke.

Kisaka nodded, "Yes… they're like a snake, we need to sever the head."

"We have no way of getting out to them. Our machines are set up to defend Orb, not leave the nation and attack someone," Cagalli stated, sniffing once more.

A sudden beeping filled the room and Cagalli swung around, "What's going on?"

"There's… there's an incoming mobile suit! It's moving at a high rate of speed! It's coming from the air!"

Cagalli ran toward the large monitor and saw the suit fly by in the blink of an eye. Her heart leapt in her chest and she immediately recognized it as the Freedom.

"Kira!" the blonde exclaimed, new tears running down her cheeks.

….

"Admiral Zala! Admiral Zala!"

"It's no good, he's lost too much blood."

"We have to get him out of there!"

Athrun groaned as he heard muffled shouts. He tried to open his eyes, but the light that hit his pupils caused him to slam his lids shut immediately. His body felt like lead and he was unable to do anything except try and make out what people were shouting around him.

"He has a crush injury to the lower extremities."

"Someone get me a pair of cutters and a saw! We have to get him out before it's too late!"

Athrun let out another groan as he felt vibrations shooting up his legs. The pain was excruciating and relentless. His hearing was going in and out and he finally could take it no longer. Just as he started to drift out of consciousness he heard a familiar voice shouting his name desperately.

….

Cagalli didn't know how she had any more tears to cry. A call had come in over the speaker that soldiers tasked with recovering the wounded had stumbled across the Strike Rouge. Cagalli left the building without a second thought, demanding that she be taken to the scene. The Earth Forces had ceased their attack and the blonde knew that she had her brother to thank for that. He had arrived at a crucial point and destroyed several of the Earth Alliance's carriers with the Freedom. They had been forced to stop their assault and pull back.

The Chief Representative arrived on the scene and saw her brother standing next to a mangled red machine. She panicked and ran as fast as she could; tackling Kira with all of her might.

"Oh Kira, did they find him? Is he alright?" Cagalli sputtered as hot tears ran down her already red cheeks.

Kira looked gloomy and turned his attention to the group of soldiers that were gathered around the Strike Rouge's cockpit. He wrapped his arm around his sister's shoulders and tried to soothe her.

"They found him and he's alive, but from what I've heard, he's not in the best condition."

Cagalli's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

Kira's frown deepened, "From what I can hear, he's been pinned into his seat. Whatever hit him crushed the front of the cockpit."

"Pinned?"

"His legs."

"Oh no…" Cagalli trailed off in horror.

She turned immediately and started running toward the mobile suit. Kira yelled at her and she ignored him. The princess shouted Athrun's name over and over again. She pulled herself up the side of the Strike Rouge and shoved the soldiers out of the way that were looking down into the battered cockpit.

"Oh Athrun," Cagalli muttered with dread seeping across her features.

"He's lost consciousness," one of the soldiers said, "Keep cutting."

Another nodded and went back to work with the saw. Cagalli cringed as she saw all of the blood from where Athrun's legs had been pierced. She held her hands in tight fists over her heart and felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Kira and her lip quivered as she fought to control her emotions.

"He's such a damn idiot," Cagalli said with a shaky voice.

"He did it to protect everyone."

"He's a moron. I told him he was one person. There was no need for him to put himself on the line like this."

Kira shrugged, "That's how Athrun is. He's always putting himself in situations like this."

"I don't know how much more of this I can take. First he leaves and breaks my heart and now he could die. I love him, but I can't handle all of this," she exclaimed, clutching her jacket above her heart.

"Don't give up on him, Athrun is strong and he'll pull through this, he pulls through everything," Kira told her.

"Lieutenant!" the soldier with the saw exclaimed, "I got it!"

"Someone call the medic. We need to transport him immediately!"

Two soldiers lifted Athrun out of the cockpit and Cagalli's eyes widened as she saw that his pilot suit was blood soaked. He was limp in their arms and they quickly got him down on the ground beside the Strike Rouge where they could put him on a stretcher. He was put into a waiting ambulance that sped off quickly with its sirens blaring.

Cagalli looked at Kira and he gave her a small smile, "I'm glad I made it in time."

"You have no idea," Cagalli replied.

Kira sighed, "We should follow them."

The natural nodded and they started walking toward Kisaka. He nodded at Kira and ruffled Cagalli's hair with a warm smile.

"I'll remain here and watch over things. There are many other injured that need to be taken care of," Kisaka spoke.

Cagalli nodded and held her brother's arm tightly, "We need to get to the hospital."

"Take that blue car over there. It's the one that I drove here."

Kira nodded, "Thank you."

He led his sister to the vehicle and opened the passenger side door.

"But Kira!"

"I'll drive."

"Fine," Cagalli huffed, feeling anxious.

"He's going to be alright Cagalli," Kira said to her with a gentle smile as he drove the car onto the main road and accelerated toward the hospital.

…

Cagalli paced in the waiting room. Lacus watched her worriedly and Kira wrapped his arm around the songstress. Lacus had arrived at the hospital about an hour after Kira and Cagalli had. She brought Kira a change of clothes so he could get out of his pilot suit and had embraced Cagalli tearfully. The trio had been waiting for around three hours with no word on Athrun's condition. He had been taken to the operating room as soon as they arrived.

"Do they know what they're doing?" Cagalli muttered with a miserable expression.

"Orb has naturals and coordinators living here, so it has doctors equipped to deal with both types of people. He's in the best hands possible," Kira told her.

Another hour passed and Lacus frowned at the blonde who was slumped over in one of the chairs trying not to cry. She stood up and walked over to the princess and patted her gently.

"Cagalli, let's go get something to drink."

"I can't! What if the doctor comes out while we're gone?!"

"Kira will stay here. He can call us right away if anything happens."

Cagalli blinked, her eyes fatigued and red. She licked her lips and winced at how dry her mouth was. Reluctantly she stood, glancing at the doors that led to the operating room.

"Come now," Lacus said softly.

She led the blonde down the hall and to the cafeteria where they found a vending machine. She bought them both cans of juice and they sat down at a small table to sip on them. Cagalli was amazed at the calming effect that Lacus had on her. The songstress was so gentle and soothing, it helped ease her anxiety. They finished their drinks slowly and after twenty minutes Cagalli jumped as her phone began buzzing. She answered it hurriedly and her amber eyes popped open as she heard her brother's voice.

"The surgery is finished."

Cagalli didn't bother answering, and hung up. She took off running and sprinted down the white halls until she found Kira talking to the doctor.

"How is he?!" Cagalli blurted, panting from her exertion.

"He's resting," the doctor stated, "He had some gruesome injuries, but I think he'll make a full recovery. It'll be a slow one though."

Cagalli released a sigh of relief, "Thank god. Can we see him?"

"He still hasn't woken up from the anesthesia, but you're more than welcome to wait in his room."

Cagalli spun around and told Lacus the news as she caught up while the doctor told Kira which room Athrun would be taken to. They traveled to the next floor and waited in the empty room until a nurse pushed Athrun's bed into the room. Cagalli inhaled sharply as she saw that his head was wrapped with bandages. The blood was gone and he looked pale in his light blue hospital gown. His legs were covered by a sterile white sheet and there was an I.V. stuck in his arm. The nurse told them to let her know if they needed anything and to contact someone when Athrun woke up.

Cagalli was at his side instantly and gripped his hand firmly with tears welling in her eyes. She squeezed his fingers and even poked his cheek, trying to prove to herself that he was real.

"We're going to leave you two alone," Kira said and then asked, "Will you be alright by yourself?"

Cagalli nodded and questioned, "Where are you going?"

"I need to get the Freedom. It's still sitting on the coastline where I left it. I want to make sure it's secured before I relax."

Cagalli nodded and Lacus hugged her once more saying, "If you need us, don't hesitate to call. We will be back."

The princess of Orb watched the pair leave and then returned her attention back to Athrun. The room was quiet with the exception of the beeping heart monitor. Sunlight filtered in from the window and Cagalli wrinkled her nose at the sterile scent. She pulled the curtain so that people walking by couldn't look into the room and then pulled a chair up to Athrun's bedside. She touched his messy blue locks and frowned as she felt dried blood in them. Her eyes traveled to his neck where she saw the string from the Haumea amulet. Cagalil smiled and leaned forward, kissing his cheek softly. She leaned over and rested her head on his chest. His breathing soothed her and she immediately felt the exhaustion from the little sleep she had sink in. She drifted off quickly, her hand still wrapped around his fingers tightly.

…..

Athrun grunted and tried to move. Breathing was a struggle and his mind was foggy. He felt slightly nauseated and his head hurt. The coordinator slowly cracked his eyes open and hissed as harsh light hit his pupils. His eyes adjusted and he noted the white walls surrounding him and his gazed shifted to the head of blonde hair that was resting on his chest. His expression softened and he let his head fall back onto the pillow behind him. He was in the hospital and he was alive. He could hardly believe it. The coordinator had completely resigned himself to death while he was in his mobile suit and memories started to flood back to him. He recalled talking to Cagalli and losing the connection and then his mobile suit getting hit. His legs had been pinned and he was unable to move. Athrun tried to move his legs and winced at the pain. He wiggled his toes and sighed in satisfaction, at least he could move and had retained both of his limbs. The coordinator looked down at the head of blonde hair once again. He was apprehensive about waking her up because he knew she'd probably shout at him and maybe even hit him. He swallowed dryly, it was going to happen sooner or later.

"Cagalli," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

The girl didn't stir and he smiled at her. She had to be exhausted from the conflict and he had caused her a good deal of grief. He lifted his arm and wrinkled his nose as the tubing from his I.V. tugged on the needle in his skin. Cagalli was gripping his other hand in her sleep and Athrun huffed.

"Cagalli," he stated firmly, "Wake up."

The blonde stirred and sat up slowly, using her spare hand to wipe her eyes. Once she came to her senses her amber orbs popped open and she squeezed his hand.

"Athrun! You're awake!" she exclaimed.

He smiled at her, "Yeah."

"I have to get the nurse, she told me to get her when you woke up," Cagalli said quickly and pressed the red button on the wall behind Athrun's bed.

Two nurses came in the room and Cagalli hesitantly stepped out so they could examine him. She watched workers dart around the halls and let out a yawn. The natural smiled happily. Athrun was alive and he was with her again. She was so relieved.

The nurses left the room and gave Cagalli nods and a smile that everything was alright. She went back into the coordinator's room and sat down at his side again.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a bus," Athrun stated.

Cagalli rolled her eyes, "I told you not to go you moron, but of course you didn't listen. You could have been killed! Do you know how worried I was? I don't know how I would have gone on if you…" she trailed off, trying not to tear up.

He reached out and took her hand, "I know. It was reckless, but I felt it was the right decision at that moment in time."

"Kisaka told me one time that a true commander never leaves their post."

Athrun chuckled, "Are you going to demote me?"

Cagalli reached out and flicked Athrun between his eyes. He let out a grunt and narrowed his emerald orbs.

"What the hell?"

"I punished you."

"Really…" he trailed off sarcastically.

Cagalli ignored him and pulled her cell phone out, "I should call Kira."

Athrun tilted his head, "Isn't he still on vacation?"

"He's the one who saved your ass so you'd better thank him," Cagalli spat as she held her phone up to her ear.

Athrun huffed and sank back into his pillows. He glanced out the window where the sun was setting and sighed.

"He's awake. No Kira, I haven't done anything to him. Yes, you can come now," Cagalli rambled out as she talked to her brother.

She hung up and turned her attention back to Athrun. She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles, her eyes never leaving his.

"Cagalli…"

"Do your legs hurt?" she asked quietly.

Athrun shrugged, "A little."

"You're lying," Cagalli shook her head.

Athrun sighed, "Of course they hurt. I'll recover though."

"I heard it would be a slow recovery," Cagalli said with a downcast expression, "That probably means a painful one too."

He shook his head, "Don't forget that I'm not an ordinary natural."

"You're still human though!" Cagalli exclaimed, "I'm worried about you. You can be so reckless and stupid."

"Thanks, I love you too," Athrun stated with raised eyebrows.

Cagalli rolled her eyes, "You know I love you, but I'm still mad."

Athrun watched the girl next to him with a twinkle in his eye. He felt his heart swell and he wanted to reach out and hold her. Since he was physically unable, he squeezed her hand instead.

"I haven't broken my promise."

"You almost did," Cagalli replied and added, "You're on desk duty, from now until the day you die."

Athrun laughed, "Alright, I can deal with that. Whatever will make you happy."

Cagalli smiled, "When I lost you the first time it broke my heart. It was agonizing and I never wanted to experience something like that again. This time, I thought I'd lost you completely. If you would have been killed, I don't think I could have kept living. I didn't realize how much I needed you until recently. You're the most important person in my life."

"Cagalli."

The princess blinked at Athrun's serious tone. She tilted her head and he gazed at her intensely. She felt a shiver run down her spine and squeezed his hand.

"Will you marry me?"

Cagalli gasped and she felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but found no words. Her breathing was unsteady and she felt flushed.

"Oh wow," she muttered.

"Cagalli…" Athrun said softly, patting her hand.

Her head shot up, "Y-yes! Of course I will!" she sputtered ungracefully.

He smiled at her and grinned as Kira and Lacus started clapping from the doorway. Cagalli swung around to see the couple and her cheeks turned scarlet.

"Oh, I'm overjoyed for you two!" Lacus exclaimed with a smile.

"Nice going Athrun," Kira winked at his best friend, "It's about time."

Athrun smiled and rubbed Cagalli's ring finger between his fingers, "I bought a ring."

"You did?"

"Of course. When I get out of here I'll give it to you."

"Don't let anyone take it this time," Kira joked.

"Not funny!" Cagalli growled.

"Speaking of which, when will you get out?" Lacus asked.

Athrun blinked, "I honestly don't know. I don't even know the severity of my injuries."

Cagalli turned to Kira, "What was the doctor telling you when Lacus and I came back from getting drinks in the cafeteria?"

Kira smiled sheepishly, "He said Athrun had broken both legs below the knee, and one above the knee too. He also said he had a severe concussion from his head injury."

"Athrun!" Cagalli exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked at him.

"Don't," he shook his head, "I'll be fine."

"He said you had some pretty bad tissue damage where parts of the cockpit punctured your legs."

"Kira! Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"I told Lacus."

"You didn't tell me though!"

Kira shrugged, "I wanted to leave you alone with him until he woke up. You were already worried enough."

"How long is he going to be in here?"

"The doctor said about a week or so. He said it depended how he progressed. Athrun's a coordinator you know, he will heal up a lot faster than a natural," Kira spoke.

Athrun smiled as he watched a variety of emotions play across his new fiancé's face and he spoke, "You should go home and rest."

"Not this again! I'm not leaving you," Cagalli returned.

"You're so stubborn. The hospital staff will kick you out at some point," Athrun huffed, "You need to rest because you're going to have to work tomorrow."

Cagalli bit her lip. He was right and she hated it. She didn't want to leave him and had no desire to go back to her job when he was immobile in a hospital bed.

"Kira, would you be willing to stay with her?" Athrun asked.

Cagalli's head snapped up, "What are you saying? He doesn't have to do that."

"I think it would be best for you to have family nearby after all that's happened. I know you're uneasy and I think it'll get worse when you get home and realize that you're alone with the exception of Myrna," Athrun explained.

Kira nodded, "That's not a problem, right Lacus?"

"Of course not!" Lacus agreed, "It'll be good to have company."

Cagalli sighed in defeat, "Fine, you win."

….

Work the next day was a headache. Cagalli had slept well the night before and woken up to Kira and Lacus in the kitchen with Myrna. She had to admit it was nice to have people around so she didn't feel lonely. She had left after a good breakfast and walked into the office where people seemed to be running in all directions. She found Kisaka in the meeting room talking to one of the representatives and waited patiently for him to finish.

"How are you feeling today?" Kisaka asked her, "You look rested."

Cagalli smiled, "I slept well, and I feel much better."

"I heard about your good news."

Cagalli's eyes bugged out, "You did?! How?"

"I talked with Kira and was asking him about the admiral's condition," Kisaka replied.

The blonde's eyes shot to the floor in embarrassment.

Kisaka leaned in close and glanced around to make sure that there was no one in the vicinity, "A word of caution. Make sure you keep that to yourself. We will need to release that news in an official statement or it could appear quite scandalous after you've recently broken off your marriage with Yuna Seiran."

Cagalli cringed and nodded, "I will."

"Now, there's a lot of work to be done. We're still recovering wounded soldiers and trying to clean up areas that suffered significant damage from the attack. There are refugees who had their homes destroyed and we are working to provide them with food, medical care, and shelter," Kisaka explained, looking down at a clipboard he was holding.

The princess inwardly groaned, what a mess. She followed Kisaka out into the hall and they traveled outside toward one of the government issued vehicles. Cagalli knew that she needed to go out into the field to see what was happening rather than try and assist with issues from her office. The car zoomed off and Cagalli took Kisaka's clipboard and started flipping through the pages as they drove down the road.

…..

"How are you feeling today?"

Athrun sighed, "Sore."

Lacus smiled sympathetically and Kira shifted in his chair that was next to the bed. Lacus patted Athrun's hand gingerly and looked out the window where the sun was high in the sky.

"You know, for naturals they say the third day is always the worst. Since you heal faster, maybe your second is the one that is the worst," Kira stated.

"I keep getting headaches," Athrun muttered, "They kept me up most of the night."

"Did you tell the nurse?"

"No."

Kira looked at Lacus and snickered, "If Cagalli was here she'd yell at you."

"Athrun, the entire reason you're here is so that you can get proper care and recover. If you don't tell the staff about the issues you're having they can't help you," Lacus scolded him.

Kira grinned, "My sister would have rephrased that as, 'Athrun, you idiot!'"

Athrun sighed, "I'll tell the next nurse who checks on me about it."

"I wonder how Cagalli is doing," Lacus spoke after a few moments of silence.

"She's probably busy," Athrun said and then asked, "How did she do last night?"

"Kira and I slept in the guest bedroom. We had a nice breakfast together and she said she felt well rested," Lacus replied.

"I'm glad," Athrun sighed with a small smile.

…..

"I think that's enough for today, you go ahead and leave," Kisaka said to Cagalli as they walked through a shelter where several hundred refugees were being housed.

"Are you sure?"

Kisaka nodded, "Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"Would you?"

He nodded at her, "Of course."

Cagalli walked through the hospital hallways about a half an hour later. It was dusk and she couldn't believe that her day had gone by so slowly. She had been thinking about Athrun nonstop and couldn't wait to see him. She crept into his room to see that he was awake and staring out the window at the sunset. He turned as he heard her footsteps and gave her a crooked smile.

"Hello there."

Cagalli marched up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck; hugging him tightly. She leaned back and kissed his forehead and sat down in the nearby chair.

"How are you?" she asked, "I thought about you all day."

Athrun smiled, "I'm sore, but I'm okay. You showed up at a bad time though."

"Why?"

"Because they're on their way to change my bandages," he stated.

"Oh…" Cagalli trailed off.

Just as she started to frown, two nurses entered the room pushing a cart that had scissors and bandages. Athrun scowled as he saw the wound cleaner next to the gauze.

"Cagalli, why don't you come back in about twenty minutes?" he asked her.

She tilted her head and stood up slowly. Athrun watched her and smiled at her warmly.

"It's alright," he told her.

In truth, he didn't want the princess to see his wounds and he didn't want her to hear him groan in pain as they tended to him. She had worried enough and he didn't want to upset her.

"I'll be back then," Cagalli said quietly and the nurses pulled the curtain closed after she walked out.

The natural leaned against the wall next to the door frame of Athrun's room. She didn't want to leave and decided that she would wait. Cagalli wasn't an idiot. She knew that Athrun was in pain and that he didn't want her to worry about him. Her eyebrows rose as she heard him talking with the nurses who then began saying something about headaches. She frowned, what did that mean? Minutes passed and she jumped as she heard Athrun hiss out in pain. Her eyes watered and she held her hands over her mouth. Moments later, Cagalli heard the sound of the curtain sliding open and the nurses emerged.

"It's alright for you to go back in," one of them smiled, "He's healing up well."

Cagalli sighed and re-entered the room.

"You stood outside of the door the entire time, didn't you?" Athrun asked with a knowing look.

Cagalli shrugged, "I didn't want to leave."

"You're so stubborn."

"You're one to talk," Cagalli rolled her eyes.

The two were silent and Cagalli rubbed her thumb over the back of Athrun's hand. He struggled to keep his eyes open and the blonde smiled at him.

"I'll be happy when you're back home."

Athrun shifted to try and wake himself up a little bit; nodding, "I will be too."

"Does your head hurt? I heard them saying something about headaches when they were in here," Cagalli asked.

"I was having some headaches last night. They made me nauseated too," Athrun said quietly.

"I'm not surprised, you hit your head pretty hard. You're lucky you're not brain damaged or something… or maybe you are," Cagalli couldn't help but grin.

Athrun looked at her suggestively, "If I wasn't stuck in this bed, I'd get you back for that."

"And how would you go about that, Admiral?" Cagalli asked playfully.

"I have my ways," he said in a low voice.

Cagalli laughed, "You can educate me when you get out of here."

…

Two weeks passed. The doctor kept Athrun an extra few days to ensure that his wounds were completely closed and his headaches were gone. He had told Athrun that the single break in one of his legs had healed, but the other leg with multiple breaks still needed another week or so. He was given crutches and told to be careful. Cagalli beamed as she helped her fiancé through the door of the Athha estate. She was elated to have him back home.

"I'm glad to be out of that place," Athrun huffed as he lowered himself into one of the cushioned chairs in the living room.

"You were getting restless," Cagalli smiled at him.

"I sat in that room everyday staring at the wall or watching terrible soap operas on that little television. It was mind numbing," Athrun shook his head with a miserable face.

"Oh my! Athrun! It's so good to have you back!" Myrna smiled at him and ruffled his hair as she walked into the room.

He returned her smile and she rushed to the kitchen to prepare the couple some tea. Cagalli inhaled, glad it was Friday and she would get the next two days off. She was worn out and wanted to spend some quality time with Athrun since he was finally home.

The pair drank their tea once it was brought to them and talked about Athrun's hospital stay. The sun set and Cagalli glanced out the large front windows with a frown. She turned back to the coordinator next to her and saw that he was eyeing the staircase.

"I'll help you," Cagalli immediately declared.

"I hate feeling like an invalid."

"Shall I fetch you a wheelchair?" Cagalli laughed.

Athrun narrowed his eyes, "No."

The princess rolled her eyes, "Calm down, I was joking."

She stood up and held her hands out to him. Athrun grabbed them and pulled himself onto his healed leg awkwardly. He snatched his crutches and scowled at the cast that was still around one of his legs. Once he was steady, Cagalli ran off into the kitchen and returned with a grin on her face as well as a felt tip marker.

"What are you…" Athrun trailed off as she got down on her knees and started writing on his cast.

"Signing your cast," she replied and then placed a proud kiss on her signature.

"What else did you write?"

"I put 'Get better soon, love Cagalli'," she stated as she clicked the cap back on the marker.

Athrun smiled and started moving toward the stairs. Cagalli put her hand under his arm and gave him a nod.

"You hold the railing on that side, I'll support you over here," she told him.

"Yes, mom," Athrun rolled his eyes.

They reached the top of the stairs and Cagalli went back downstairs to retrieve Athrun's crutches. She handed them over and guided him to her room.

"I hope you don't care, but I had all of your stuff moved in here," Cagalli said sheepishly.

Athrun blinked, "I don't mind at all."

"You need a shower," the blonde changed the subject quickly.

"I'm not allowed."

"Oh no… that's right," Cagalli stared down at his cast and then eyed him skeptically, "When was the last time you bathed?"

Athrun swallowed dryly and was clearly embarrassed, "I've had a sponge bath here and there."

"Are you serious? No wonder you still have blood in your hair. That's awful!"

"I knew you'd be concerned about my hair," he smirked.

Cagalli rolled her eyes and rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "We need to get you cleaned up. You have to feel dirty."

"I do and it's quite embarrassing."

"It's not your fault… wait, does that mean one of those pretty nurses gave you your sponge baths?" Cagalli asked.

Athrun chuckled, "Well, it certainly wasn't a man who gave them to me if that's what you're asking."

"Ugh!" Cagalli growled out and continued to stare at Athrun's cast until she snapped her fingers, "I've got it! I'll be back."

Athrun watched as she took off out of the room and returned minutes later holding a large trash bag and a roll of duct tape.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to tape this over your cast so I can help you clean up."

Athrun shook his head, "I'm not going to let you give me a bath."

"Oh, so the nurse can give you one, but your fiancé can't?"

He inwardly groaned and then his eyebrows shot up, "Did you move a red bag into here? A shopping bag?"

Cagalli shrugged, "I don't know, I didn't move anything, I had Myrna and a couple other people who work here do it."

She got up and started looking around her room and then opened the closet. Her eyes twinkled when she found the bag inside and pulled it out.

"This one?"

"Yes, open it."

Cagalli blinked and pulled a small box out. She inhaled sharply as she pulled on the lid and saw the gorgeous ring inside.

"Oh Athrun," she whispered.

"That's your ring. I would have given it to you when I asked you to marry me, but things didn't work out that way."

"It's perfect. I love it and I love you," she grinned at him and slid it on her ring finger.

"I'm glad you like it."

Cagalli placed the box on her dresser and grabbed the trash bag once again. She held it out and Athrun groaned.

"What happened to that nice moment we were just having?" Athrun asked.

"It's over," Cagalli said sweetly and pushed him toward the bathroom, "Sit down on the toilet and take your clothes off."

Cagalli knelt on the ground and pulled his shorts and boxers down swiftly.

"Why do I feel like this could go wrong very quickly?"

Cagalli rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to do anything to you. You're hurt and I'm not going to take advantage of a cripple."

Athrun pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor as Cagalli turned on the bathwater. She turned and knelt back down in front of him; pulling the black trash bag over his leg. She wrapped duct tape over the bag tightly around his thigh and smiled at her handiwork.

"Now when you get in, you need to hold it up. Prop it on the ledge or something. The trash bag is just in case you accidently get water on it."

Athrun stared down at himself and noted how silly he looked completely naked with a trash bag wrapped around his leg. He huffed and Cagalli slapped his back with a scowl.

"Quit moaning and groaning. Get in there," she pointed at the bathtub, "I didn't fill it up all the way, but it's hot."

Athrun wobbled to the tub and shakily sat down in the water; his leg resting on the ledge. Cagalli grabbed a plastic bowl and filled it with water. A wicked grin crossed her lips and Athrun opened his mouth to speak as she dumped it over his head. He coughed in response and rubbed his eyes as she grabbed his shampoo. Cagalli squeezed a generous amount out into her palm and began to lather the coordinator's hair. Athrun's jaw fell open slightly and he leaned into her touch as she scrubbed his scalp.

"That feels amazing," he said with a sloppy smile plastered on his face.

Cagalli beamed down at him and continued to scrub. She picked the bowl up and then used it to rinse his hair out.

"Here," she handed him a washcloth with body wash on it, "You get what you can and I'll get your back in a second."

Athrun did as he was told and watched her leave the bathroom and return with a pair of loose shorts and a t-shirt for him to sleep in.

"I appreciate this," he told her earnestly as she leaned over the side of the tub and scrubbed his back.

"It's nothing. After that long hospital stay you need to get washed up so you can rest," she told him as she rinsed the suds off of his back.

Cagalli pulled the drain and the waterline in the bathtub started to fall. Once all the water had drained, she helped Athrun stand and threw a towel over his shoulders. She took another towel and started rubbing his head to try and dry out his dripping hair.

"Easy now," Athrun said as she pulled back; revealing a wild head of dark hair on his head.

Cagalli smiled at him and Athrun pulled his clothes on while she cut the duct tape; removing the trash bag from his leg. He took his crutches and hopped to the sink so he could brush his teeth. Cagalli sat down on her bed and admired the new ring on her finger. She couldn't believe that she was engaged yet again, but this time it was to someone who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Athrun emerged from the bathroom on his crutches and made it to the bed. He sat down and Cagalli left him so that she could take a shower. She took a quick one, and came out about fifteen minutes later to see Athrun picking at his cast with a wrinkled nose.

"What are you doing?"

"It itches."

Cagalli blinked, "Oh, I bet it does, you probably have dry skin under there."

Athrun frowned and stood up on his good leg as Cagalli turned the sheets down. She couldn't help the smile that came across her lips as she realized she would finally be sharing a bed with Athrun again for the first time since their vacation. The coordinator laid down first and Cagalli slid in behind him, snuggling up to his side. She inhaled his familiar scent and relaxation overcame her.

"You're being very affectionate," Athrun said as the lights went out and he felt her hugging him tightly.

"I've hardly seen you since our vacation, of course I'm being affectionate. I've missed you," she replied.

He blinked into the darkness and ran his fingers through her blonde hair. He kissed her head and held her close with no intent of letting go.

"Goodnight Athrun," Cagalli whispered.

"Goodnight," he replied.

….

"Athrun, I swear, if you don't quit messing with your cast I'll hit you over the head with this book," Cagalli shouted across her office.

Several days had passed and Cagalli had to go into the office that evening to do some extra work.

"As I've told you a thousand times, it itches," he told her seriously.

"The fact that it itches doesn't change that you need to have it on. You're getting it off at the end of this week so quit complaining."

Athrun blinked. He had forgotten about that. His emerald eyes looked down at Cagalli's signature written in red ink and he smiled at it. She had been taking very good care of him and he wasn't sure how to express his gratitude.

"I can't go with you to that appointment."

Athrun shifted to stare at the blonde with raised eyebrows. He watched her as she skimmed the large book she was reading and then wrote something on her notepad.

"I already called Kira. He's going to take you," Cagalli stated, not looking up.

"Alright," Athrun nodded and then changed the subject, "Things seem calm for now, between Orb and the Earth Alliance."

"For now," Cagalli agreed, "It could turn ugly really quick. They're preoccupied with ZAFT at the moment and they don't have the personnel or equipment to spare on attacking us."

"I guess we will see how things play out."

"Yes, we need to concentrate on repairing out damaged machines and replacing the equipment that was destroyed. We also have a lot of wounded soldiers that are still receiving treatment," the princess said.

"I was admiral for about three days before taking a leave of absence due to hospitalization," Athrun mumbled.

"That's because you're a fool. Remember what I said, desk duty for the rest of your career."

"I don't want to lose my edge," Athrun pouted somewhat.

Cagalli rolled her eyes, "Then workout to keep yourself in shape. You don't need to be piloting mobile suits and almost killing yourself multiple times a year."

"You're the boss."

The blonde glanced up and gave him a wink, "Don't forget it."

…

Friday morning it was pouring down rain and Athrun stared outside the front window of the Athha estate with a disgusted expression. Cagalli had been gone several hours and he was waiting on Kira to pick him up and take him to the doctor so he could finally have his cast removed.

"Damn it," he muttered, looking down at his leg.

Kira pulled up in a blue sports car and ran to the front door. Athrun let him in and stared at his drenched childhood friend with a scowl.

"You're going to have to pull up to the door and I'm going to need an umbrella."

Kira raised his eyebrows and scoffed, "Alright princess, I'll do that."

Athrun growled, slightly irritated about the weather and the fact that his cast had been driving him crazy since it was put on. He was ready to get the stupid thing cut off. The dark haired coordinator watched as Kira pulled the car up as close as he could and pulled a black umbrella out of the back seat.

"You better run for it," Kira said, pointing at the car and then laughed as he eyed Athrun's leg, "Oh wait…"

"Not funny Kira," Athrun stated dryly.

"Quit being sour," Kira returned and held the umbrella over him, "Let's make it quick, but don't slip and fall."

Athrun didn't reply and quickly moved toward the car as he was shielded by the umbrella. He threw his crutches in the back seat and sat down in the front with a sigh. They drove to the doctor's office in a comfortable silence as they listed to a random radio station. Kira tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the songs that were playing and Athrun stared out at the gloomy grey sky with a frown. Even though he had been in Orb for a while, he still couldn't bring himself to get used to the weather patterns of Earth after growing up in the PLANTs.

They arrived at the office and Kira held the door for Athrun as he hopped inside on his crutches. Athrun sat with his arms folded while Kira read a sports magazine that had been resting on a nearby table. The admiral's eyes met a little boy's who was sitting across the room with his mother. He stared at Athrun with an innocent grin and the coordinator found his face softening. He glanced at Kira and was pensive for several moments before speaking lowly to his friend.

"Have you ever thought about having kids?"

Kira froze and his violet eyes widened as he answered carefully, "Some."

"It could be nice…" Athrun trailed off in thought.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" Kira questioned, closing his magazine and placing it back on the table.

"Why would I be?"

"That's a really weird question to ask…" Kira trailed off and then his eyebrows shot up, "Oh no, are you marrying my sister because she's pregnant?!"

"Kira!" Athrun exclaimed and the other people in the waiting room stared at him.

"I mean, you two broke the ice when we were on vacation… Wow, I didn't think you had much time to do stuff like that with your jobs. Apparently I was wrong."

Athrun grabbed Kira's arm and growled, "She's not pregnant!"

The brunette laughed, "I know she's not, but you're so easy to mess with."

Athrun's jaw dropped and the door opened as his name was called. He sent a glare Kira's way and stood up with the aid of his crutches. He was shown to one of the rooms and left to wait on the doctor.

"Mr. Zala," the doctor spoke and shook the coordinator's hand.

"Please give me good news," Athrun said desperately, "I don't know how much more of this thing I can take."

The doctor typed on his portable computer and smiled, "We're going to remove that cast today. You're going to need to be careful for week or so because you'll likely be weak in that leg. Most people have some degree of muscle atrophy after wearing casts since they're unable to exercise those muscles."

Athrun nodded and the doctor exchanged a few more words with him before sending in a nurse to cut the plaster cast off. He watched with anticipation as she used a small saw and the cast finally broke open, revealing his leg.

"Finally," Athrun sighed in relief and reached down to scratch his shin.

Kira gave him a strange look and the cobalt haired coordinator grinned, "I've been trying to scratch that itch for two weeks."

…..

"He walks!" Cagalli exclaimed with exaggerated hand gestures as she walked in the front door to see Athrun approaching her with a proud smile.

"How does it feel?" she asked as she took off her raincoat and hung it near the door.

"It's a little weak and unsteady," he replied honestly.

"Of course it is, you haven't been able to use it since you're accident. Make sure you're careful."

"I'll be happy to get back to work. I'm tired of staying in the house all of the time."

Cagalli smiled, "You have plenty of work to make up after your absence."

Athrun groaned, "I'm sure I do."

They both went to the kitchen and had dinner where they talked about Athrun's visit to the doctor. Myrna smiled at the couple as they ate and admired how well they got along. Even though Cagalli's father had arranged her marriage to Yuna Seiran, Myrna was secretly glad that it had been canceled. Cagalli's happiness was important to her and when she was around Athrun she seemed to glow.

"Athrun…" Cagalli trailed off with uncertainty.

He paused and quite chewing his food, looking at her curiously.

"We need to make this marriage official. I don't want to hide it and people are going to catch on with this ring on my finger. They'll start asking questions," she told him worriedly.

Athrun shrugged, "That's fine with me."

"I'm afraid that it'll be viewed as scandalous or something."

"Why?"

"Because I was just engaged to Yuna! I broke that off and now I'm about to marry someone else!" she exclaimed.

Athrun dropped his fork and looked at Myrna who was still watching them.

"I think it's a wonderful love story," Myrna said, "It would be perfect if Cagalli would act a little more like a lady, but nonetheless."

Cagalli blinked and frowned, "How is it a wonderful love story? That weirdo tried to force me into marrying him! I can't imagine being with him and forced to have a family!"

Athrun choked on the water her was drinking and cleared his throat, "Let's not think about that."

"Having to do stuff like that with someone like him! I can't even," Cagalli continued on with a look of disgust.

"Please stop," Athrun said, "I don't want to imagine you doing that with him either."

"What would have happened if you hadn't come back from the PLANTs?" Cagalli wondered out loud, "Would I be married to him right now? Or would something else have happened?"

"I guess we will never know," Athrun shrugged.

"Why don't you two go get some rest, you look tired," Myrna suggested, "You have a nice weekend ahead of yourselves."

Cagalli nodded in agreement and the couple went upstairs to their room.

"Do you need me to give you a bath again?" Cagalli joked as Athrun pulled his shirt off.

"No, for the first time in weeks I plan on taking care of myself instead of being waited on hand and foot by my wonderful fiancé," he told her with a grin.

Cagalli pouted, "I enjoyed it."

"I know something I would enjoy more…" he trailed off lowly, "Since we haven't had an opportunity for what seems like an eternity."

Before Cagalli could speak, Athrun had grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the bed. The blonde gasped and was flat on her back. She looked up at the coordinator hovering over her with something burning deep in his emerald eyes. Cagalli swallowed nervously as she started to feel excitement well up inside.

"Athrun, are you up for this?"

He let out a chuckle, "Cagalli, I'm not fragile. I'm more than up for this, actually, I've been waiting for it."

Cagalli smiled and started to unbutton his shirt. The Haumea amulet fell out and dangled above the natural's nose.

"Your amulet saved me once again," Athrun said as she slid the shirt over his shoulders and threw it on the floor.

"I knew I made the right choice giving it to you. You're always in trouble," Cagalli replied as she ran the palms of her hands over his smooth and toned chest.

He bent down and kissed her; sucking on her bottom lip. Cagalli closed her eyes and moaned into his mouth as he traced her lower lip with his tongue. She reached up and raked her fingers through his silky hair and scraped her nails against his scalp. Athrun kissed down her neck and to her collarbone with a grin on his lips. He tugged at her shirt and slid it over her head; tossing it to the side. Cagalli wrapped her legs around Athrun's waist in an effort to pull him down on top of her. He pulled back and looked down at her with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"You're eager," he remarked as he unbuttoned her pants and slid them down her legs.

She ignored him and tugged at his zipper, "You too."

Athrun complied and pulled his boxers down, freeing his growing erection. Cagalli stared at him hungrily and she felt heat pooling between her thighs excitedly. She squeezed her knees together as she felt wetness and bit her lip in frustration. Athrun stared down at her and admired her matching teal bra and panties.

"Athrun," Cagalli whined and tried to pull him toward her.

"What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

"Hurry up," she ordered as she wiggled her hips under him.

Athrun swiftly removed her bra and started kissing the soft skin between her breasts. Cagalli wrapped her arms around his neck and let out small gasps as he nipped and sucked on each nipple. Her heart was pounding and she scratched at his back desperately. He trailed kisses down her belly and stopped at her bellybutton; dipping his tongue in and out with a growing grin as she arched her back into him. Cagalli grabbed his hair as he delved between her legs and pressed his tongue to her underwear. He felt the moistness through the fabric and Cagalli cried out for him.

"Athrun, god, please do it," she beckoned, "I need you."

"We've done this one time and you act like you're an insatiable addict," he smirked, grabbing her underwear with his teeth and tugging on them.

He opened his jaw and the elastic snapped back into place, causing Cagalli to let out a crying moan.

"Quit teasing me you bastard!" she exclaimed with tears in her eyes.

Athrun sighed, he was about to lose control too and reached for her panties, dragging them down her legs; tossing them in the floor. The coordinator reached for the dresser next to the bed and pulled open the drawer. He smiled as he saw several boxes of condoms inside and was glad Cagalli had put them in there. He ripped the foil and slid one on before turning his attention back to her. He shifted his weight and used one hand to position himself at her slick entrance. Without warning he pushed forward and sheathed himself completely within her. Cagalli cried out and gripped his shoulders firmly. He set a steady pace and Cagalli moved her hips in rhythm with his thrusts. She approached her climax quickly and cried her fiancé's name out at her release. Athrun continued his rhythm and rode it out until he came with a shuddering gasp. He paused for a moment and they both looked at each other, panting. Cagalli wiped the sweat from her forehead and reached up to brush his sweaty bangs from his face. He pulled out of her and gave her a pat on the side of her hip.

"Stand up."

Cagalli's eyes widened, "I don't know if I can."

He picked her up like a doll and positioned her so that she was on her hands and knees on the floor. Athrun grinned at her position and gave her a tap on the rear; causing her to gasp in surprise.

"We're not done yet," he murmured as he came up behind her and kissed the nape of her neck.

He ran his hands over her taunt stomach and rubbed her nipples between his fingers. Cagalli moaned and pushed her bottom back into his crotch. She ground into him and he cleared his throat as his mouth went dry. He was hard instantly and thrust into her with his jaw clenched. Athrun put his hands on her hips and slammed into her continuously, the only sound in the room being their flesh slapping as he moved. Cagalli struggled to hold herself upright on her hands and knees as her elbows trembled.

"Athrun!" Cagalli cried out with glazed eyes.

"I'm almost there," he growled out and Cagalli panted breathlessly.

She hit her second orgasm and tears leaked from her eyes. She was coated in sweat and her body trembled as Athrun continued his rhythm until he came. He stayed inside of her, the pair panting and barely able to hold their positions due to exhaustion.

"Cagalli, are you alright?" Athrun asked in a hoarse voice.

She swallowed dryly, "I'm fine, that was much better than the first time."

Athrun grinned, "I agree."

He pulled out of her and stood up; holding his hand out to help her stand as well.

"We both need a shower," Cagalli remarked as she took in their appearances.

Athrun nodded and discarded the used condom with a tired face. He saw Cagalli retreat to the bathroom and followed after her. He heard the water start and poked his head into the bathroom with a curious expression.

"Cagalli?"

She turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "What?"

"Do you want to make our announcement on Monday?"

Cagalli shrugged, "Sure, that's fine. Then we won't have to hide it from the public."

He nodded and walked into the bathroom; shutting the door behind him. He glanced at the mirror and saw the amulet hanging around his neck. Athrun smiled as he remembered the day that she had given it to him. Cagalli believed that he had killed Kira and still was willing to forgive him and hope that no harm came to him. He knew that she was special from the moment he met her and she continued to astound him again and again.

"I'm so lucky to have met you," he said out loud.

Cagalli stepped into the shower and poked her head out from behind the curtain, "You said that to me when we were on the Archangel together."

Athrun smiled and stepped toward her with a loving gaze, "Yes, and then I told you I would protect you."

Cagalli nodded and her eyebrows shot up as he gave her a breathtaking kiss. Their tongues danced around each other and Athrun pulled back with a pleased expression.

"Then I kissed you for the first time, after I said that."

"You didn't kiss me like that!" Cagalli laughed, "Our first kiss was sweet, that one… that one was mind boggling."

Athrun shrugged and tugged on the curtain that she was gripping. She gave him an odd frown and he rolled his eyes.

"Let go and move over," he told her.

"But Athrun!"

"If we do this at the same time it'll go faster," he told her as he pushed her to the side; pulling the curtain closed.

Cagalli scowled at him as he pushed her under the running water.

"I have one request."

"What's that?"

Athrun held his bottle of shampoo out and gave her a crooked smile, "Would you wash my hair?"

Cagalli rolled her eyes, "You like when I scrub your head, don't you?"

"You like my hair, and it feels pretty amazing when you wash it. It's a win win," he returned.

The blonde giggled, "Turn around then."

Athrun got his hair wet and then complied with her request. She began working his scalp with her fingers and his head lolled to the side. His eyes were closed and his lips were curved into a blissful smile as the girl behind him worked. He wondered how he had met the girl of his dreams. What were the odds they would crash on the same island? He was incredibly thankful for the chance meeting because if it wouldn't have been for that, they would have never met and wouldn't be together right now. Athrun knew in the bottom of his heart that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Cagalli. He wanted to have a family with her and live a long and happy life. He turned around while she was finishing up his hair and kissed her softly. She blinked up at him and tilted her head with large amber eyes.

"I'm so lucky to have met you."

"You just said that silly," she told him with a laugh.

"I want to make sure you know that you're incredibly special to me," he told her honestly.

"Oh Athrun," she said with glistening eyes, "I love you."

"I love you more than you'll ever know. I think it started from the moment I met you."

Cagalli smiled brightly, "Mine started after I realized Kira was my brother."

Athrun gaped and Cagalli started laughing and waved her hand at him, "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist after you joked with me that day about me picking you instead of Kira only because he was my brother."

"You're a cruel girl," he mumbled.

"Shut up and let me finish your hair before the water gets cold," Cagalli told him with a smile.

A/N: I cranked this chapter out pretty fast after the last one. No the story isn't finished! So don't worry. Again, thanks for the reviews.