Standard disclaimer: the author does not own Gundam Seed(Destiny) or any of its characters. Gundam Seed(Destiny) is the property of Bandai and Sunrise plus other people who I don't know the names of.

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"Your hair is wet."

Biting back hysterical laughter, Athrun took a couple of deep breaths as relief flooded his suddenly weak kneed body.

Licking his lips, he said in a voice that trembled with nervous laughter, "Is that all you have to say?"

Blushing slightly, Meyrin ran a hand through her now mussed hair and said,"Um no, but how about we go inside before starting this conversation? I think my neighbors have gotten enough of a show for one night."

Wincing slightly as he realized that he had just made Meyrin the new hot topic of the cul-de-sac that she lived in, Athrun nodded rapidly and said,"Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Sorry about..."

Before he was able to finish his apology, Meyrin put a finger against his lips and with a soft smile said,"A word of advice Athrun never apologize for a kiss unless you are slapped immediately afterwards."

Athrun's cheeks had flooded with color the moment her finger had touch the lips that still burned from her kiss but when she said this the blush decided to work it's way to his ears and neck making him look like a ripe tomato and causing Meyrin to burst into a fit of giggles as she turned towards the door.

Going through the still open door of her condo, Meyrin waited in the small entrance way for Athrun to join her before making her way to the cozy living room off to the left of the entrance way.

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Sitting down in a pink and yellow floral patterned comfy chair, Meyrin gestured for him to take a sit across from her on the matching love seat.

Easing himself down on the comfortable looking seat, Athrun felt the nerves that had dissipated when Meyrin had teased him about apologizing come back with a vengeance leaving him once again tongue tied and feeling like he needed to escape before he did something impulsive yet again. Something that she might not find as pleasing as he thought/hoped she had found the kiss to be.

While Athrun was trying to figure out a way of escape, Meyrin was trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach so she wouldn't end up losing the clams she had had for dinner on her shoes. This was rather hard to do considering the cause of the butterflies was sitting across from her staring blankly at the wall a look of panic fluttering behind his dark green eyes.

It was this look that caused Meyrin to suck up her own feelings of discomfort and confusion enough to start the conversation they had come in to have.

"Athrun, why are you here?"

Not quite political but at least the lines of communication were now open for business.

Turning a ghastly shade of white, Athrun brought his eyes back onto her face and away from her cream colored wall and in a quiet voice said,"I didn't want to lose you."

Blinking at this unexpected comment from the man who just four short or long depending on how you look at it weeks ago allowed her to walk out of his house and his life with out a word, Meyrin let out a frustrated breath and said,"Athrun, what are you talking about? You let me leave. In most peoples mind that would mean that you didn't want to keep me. And then you didn't say one word to me after that which kind of proved to me that you never really wanted me back in your life in the first place. So please,please tell me what the heck you are talking about because I have been on the merry-go-round to many times and I don't want to get back on it again."

"I didn't know what I wanted on the day you left. At first all I could all I wanted to think about was Cagalli and how much I loved her and how much I had missed her every single day. And yet at the same time another part of my mind was running wild with plans on how to win you back. To make you give us a second chance. It was these conflicting thoughts that led me to actually take a good hard look at my feelings for you and for Cagalli."

As Athrun spoke his voice grew both firmer and fainter as the emotions of that long, dark night of reflection and introspection crashed over him once again but stronger now that he was in the presence of one of the women he loved.

Said woman was staring at him in amazement her violet eyes turning into a dark shade of gray as the emotion with which he spoke tugged and rent at her heart making her fall even more deeper in love with him even as the more cynical and distrusting side of her called her every type of a fool to be sucked back into him so very easily.

But when it came to this man Meyrin had given up on trying to act solely with her head instead of her heart.She was never able to actually carry through with what her head suggested so she might as well listen to the other organ first and get what ever stupid or reckless action it told her to do over with so she could bandage up her wounds all the more quickly instead of drawing out the agony by trying to delay it by listening to her head for however long it took before her heart beat it into submission.

And so skipping straight to the advice of her heart, Meyrin got up from her chair and sat down next to Athrun twining her fingers through his in silent support as he struggled to find the words to tell her what he so desperately wanted her to know.

Jumping slightly as her cool fingers slipped into his warm ones, Athrun stared down at their joined hands marveling once again at how well the fit together and at how very much he wanted to keep hold of that slender hand for the rest of his days.

It was this overwhelming longing that had brought him to her home that evening and it was the same desperate longing and consuming love that he felt for her that loosened his tongue enough for him to turn to face her and say,"I know you have no reason to believe me Meyrin but I love you."

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She couldn't breath.

That was all Meyrin could think about as Athrun's confession slammed into her and stole her breath from her body.

Unknowingly tightening her hand around his as she struggled to comprehend what he had just told her, Meyrin opened her mouth and then shut it as she tried to answer him.

Instead of being put off or disheartened by this reaction Athrun merely smiled and rubbed her fingers with his thumb realizing that a confession of love from a man with whom you had only had a few dates would be enough to throw the most confident woman off guard much less a woman with whom you broke up with little over a month ago.

Rubbing her forehead with her other hand,Meyrin finally managed to squeak out,"When... How... I don't know what to say!"

Smiling tenderly, Athrun grasped her other hand in his own and leaning forward until his forehead touched her's waited for her eyes to met his and said," I have no idea when. How is very simple, you are a wonderful woman and any man with a brain and enough nerve to actually ask you out would fall in love with you and don't worry about what to say just tell me whether or not I still have a chance at making you love me in return."

Smiling shyly Meyrin opened her mouth to answer his question but before the words were able to leave her mouth a sudden pounding at the door caused the two lovebirds to jump apart and turn with curious expressions to look at the door.

Getting up off the couch Meyrin gave Athrun a confused look before making her way to the door Athrun just a step behind her.

Peeking out the peep hole, Meyrin turn white as she look at the person standing on her doorstep.Spinning away from the doorway, she gave Athrun a horrified look and said,"It's my mother!"

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Taking a step back in the face of her panic,Athrun gave the door a confused look and lowering his voice to a whisper for no other reason than it felt like he should said,"What is she doing here? I thought she lived on the other side of the PLANT. Not to mention it's almost one o'clock."

Throwing up her hands, Meyrin let out a growl of frustration and said,"How should I know what she is doing here? All I know is that she is here and that you more than likely will be dead before she leaves!"

Feeling really thrown now, Athrun said,"What do you mean I'll be dead? I've never even met your mother!"

"Oh, that doesn't matter to her! All that matters to her is that you are the man I turned traitor against ZAFT for never minding the fact that the guy leading ZAFT was a nut! If she finds out that I am dating you by finding you in my house this late at night she will be sure to make our lives miserable until we sneak away some where like, oh I don't know where's that place Bugs Bunny was always trying to get to?"

Blinking slightly Athrun muttered,"Bugs Bunny?" in a confused tone before turning back to the matter at hand,"Do you have a back door?"

Pausing in her pacing, Meyrin said with a sigh,"No and even if I did you wouldn't be able to sneak out anyways. Your car is park right next to my stairs."

Grabbing her arm before she was able to start making a hole in her carpet again, Athrun led her back to the door where her mother was yet again knocking, more forcefully this time if the way the door vibrated in the jam was any indication and said,"Then I guess we will just have to face her together than won't we?"

Looking up at him, Meyrin let out a sigh of defeat and said with a pout,"I suppose so. Or we could go hide under my bed until she realizes that she's making a scene and leaves?"

Laughing softly at the hopeful look she gave him as she said this, Athrun replied,"No, I think it would be better if we just get it over with now. Don't you agree?"

Frowning Meyrin marched over to the door and with a grumpy look on her face said,"I suppose so." Then grasping the door knob in her hand, she pasted on a welcoming smile and swung the door open.

The moment it was open her mother was in the house a lecture springing from her lips even as Meyrin tried to greet her.

"Hello Mother, what..."

"Why did you break up with Saul? Do you have any idea how much trouble Cynthia and I went to to set you up with him? I mean for crying out loud I even went along with their silly idea of tricking you into thinking that he was just doing you a favor as a friend by 'pretend' dating you in the hopes that you would finally stop acting like a silly child and settle down with a decent, well breed, wealthy young man who for reasons I can not comprehend actually liked you in spite of your obvious faults. Not the least of which is you being past the child baring age!"

"Mother!"

"Oh, don't 'Mother' me child! What on earth were you thinking? It's not like you are going to find another man who is willing to even consider marrying a woman who has been dumped twice at the altar!"

"I was not dumped twice! I broke up with Teddy, remember? You lecture me about that for days too!"

"Why yes darling, I remember you making the second biggest mistake of your life! I also remember being shocked at discovering that you could still manage disappoint me so completely! And now you have done it yet again! So my dear little girl what are you going to do next? Did you even spare one thought as to what this is going to look like to your peers? They're going to think you just dated him to gain publicity for your fashion shows! "

Taking a step back at this harsh barrage of words, Meyrin crossed her arms across her chest looking down at the floor as she waited for her mother to run out of words.

Seeing that her daughter was not going to try and stand up to her again, Mrs. Hawke allowed a brief smile to slide across her lips before straightening her jacket and opening her mouth to say.

"Enough!"

The words that Mrs. Hawke were planning to say froze on her lips as both she and Meyrin turned to look at the until now forgotten part of their little group.

Coming to stand beside Meyrin, Athrun looked down at Mrs. Hawke and said in a voice as cold as ice,"Hello, Mrs. Hawke. I'm Athrun Zala. And if you don't mind I would like to speak with you for a minute."

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Author's Notes: If you are still reading this you are far more loyal than I deserve. I hope this chapter is enjoyable. I have started on it and stopped and went back to the beginning more times than I can remember. So I am at this point not sure if it even makes sense!(laughs)

Anyways I hope you like it and thank you so very much for reading.

Please review.

Thank you to:Rising Dragon, moonpower02,Slightly Sinister Sinestra,Hottie Star,akatsukinokuruma,:'),GaleBread,Angleico3156789,Anonymous,squeakyL,stardog252,Skyfall v2.0 for reviewing it was very kind of you.

Have a nice day!

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1John 4:16