File 28 - Reunion
Waves crash against the side of the Archangel. Rena steps out onto cold deck. She glances around and furrows her brow, confused.
She turns back at the guard, "Are you sure this is right?"
She moves back toward the entrance but he shoves her back. She falls back, landing in a sitting position. He steps out. She stares up at him.
"What… what's happening?"
Her hair whipped around her face. Water splashed against the side of the unmoving ship. She glances around. There was nothing and no one.
He pulls the gun out. "Get up."
She stares up at him and the gun, "I don't understand. What are you doing?"
He smirks, "Get... up!"
She furrows her brow, "Why are you doing this? You won't get away with it."
He smirks, "A ZAFT spy attempting to escape? I think it's believable."
Rena shakes her head, "I'm not a ZAFT spy. You don't want to do this. Please let's just go back inside." She rises to her feet and moves toward the door.
He fires into the air and aims it at her, "Don't move!"
Rena freezes, her hands over her
ears.
"That little stunt you pulled back in the infirmary
wasn't funny. I got in a lot of trouble for that."
Rena steps back, "I'm sorry. I'll explain everything to them. It was my fault…"
He fires again. "Shut up! They don't care and I was made to look like the fool!"
Mu walks along the hallway. He pauses when he hears the gunshot.
"So coordinators bleed."
Blood drops down from a cut where the bullet had grazed her cheek. She stares at him, "I don't know what you want from me."
He smirks, "It don't want anything from you. You think you're so special because, you're a coordinator." He tilts his head, "Aren't you at least going to try and do some fancy foot work and get the gun from me?"
"I don't know what you're saying. I just want to go back inside.
She shakes her head, "I… please…"
He mocks her, "Please? Why should I? I'll tell you why I won't. That little stunt in the infirmary? That'll be in my records. Unable to handle a teenage ZAFT prisoner. Allowing her to escape. Do you know where we're heading? I had a flawless record until that. I'll be demoted or worse."
Rena shakes her head, "But you didn't do anything wrong. This, what you're doing now is much worse."
He crosses toward her, "Shut up!" He swings the butt of the gun at her. Rena holds her arms up but is knocked aside.
She falls against the railing of the deck. She swings her arm back and ends up elbowing him in the face.
He backhands her, "You bitch!" He steps back and wipes his bloody mouth.
She tries to get up and run but he grabs her by the back of the hair and yanks her toward him, she screams. He raises the gun. Rena stares up at him.
He smiles at her, "It's a shame. You're such a pretty girl." He moves hair out of her face and places the gun at her temple. "Oh, well."
She closes her eyes just as the gun goes off. She drops to the ground, placing her hands over her head. She hears him struggling and glances up.
Mu wrestles with the guard and manages to take the gun from him. He decks him in the face and holds the gun on him, "Just move again and you'll regret it."
Some soldiers run onto deck, "Major!"
Mu motions to the soldier, "Take this bastard away." They cross and hold him.
He struggles, "She's a ZAFT spy. She'll kill us. We have to kill them before they kill us. All Coordinators, they must be purged to create a pure world!!"
Rena watches him in wide-eyed shock. She doesn't notice Mu extending his hand to her.
"Hey?" He crouches in front of her, "Are you ok young lady?"
She stares over at him and nods.
"You're not hurt anywhere?"
He helps her up to her feet and notices the scratch. He tilts her face up to his, "Oh, we'll have that looked at. I don't think it'll leave a scar. Let's get that pretty face of yours cleaned up ok?"
As much as his words reassured her, Rena could still feel herself trembling. She wasn't sure whether it was the chill in the ocean air or his hateful words but she couldn't stop herself from shaking.
"I won't let anyone else hurt you, I promise."
She gasps and looks up at him. Mu's smile was warm and reassuring.
"Trust me ok?"
The guard yells, "You're all fools! Don't fall for her tricks!"
He breaks free. He grabs a gun from the guards and aims it at Mu and Rena. Mu shields her. Several shots go off. Rena grips onto Mu, her face in his chest. He held her tightly.
"It's ok… it's fine."
She shudders in his arms.
He leads her toward the door and nods at the guards standing nearby, "Tell Capt. Ramius to meet us in the infirmary."
Kira sits inside the Strike, "I'm going out. Tell Major Flaga I'll contact him."
Kojiro nods. "I think he said that something was going on with that girl."
Kira looks up, "What?"
"I wouldn't worry."
Kira glances toward Mu on his monitor. "Major."
Mu smiles, "She's with Captain Ramius. Let's find Cagalli first we'll talk more about what happened later."
Kira gasps, "Something happened? Is she ok?"
Mu glances aside, "I said not to worry. Major Flaga taking off!"
Kira furrows his brow and nods, "Kira Yamato ready."
"I'm sorry that it's taken
me so long to come and see you. And that you've been through so
much as a result."
Rena sits on a infirmary bed. She
furrows her brow, "I'm so sorry… I've caused all this trouble
and that poor man… he…" Tears rolls down her cheek. "I'm so
sorry."
Murrue tilts her head, "No, it's me who should apologize. This should never had happened. It was an oversight on my part. Besides, everything will be ok. He'll be fine. The wounds he received weren't life threatening."
Rena gasps, "He's alive? He'll be ok?"
Murrue nods, "Yes, although, he'll be detained in the brig for the remainder of our trip and has been court marshaled."
The doc dabs her cut with some alcohol. She winces. He places a small bandage over it, "This should be fine, no worries."
She nods, "Thank you."
Murrue glances at the doctor. He rises and exits.
Rena watches him go and glances over, "That man... who saved me."
Murrue tilts her head, "Oh... you mean Major Flaga?"
Rena tilts her head, "Major Flaga?"
Murrue nods, "The cocky blond?"
Rena smiles slightly, "Yes… I didn't get to thank him, he's already saved me twice."
Murrue smiles, "Well I'm sure he knows how you feel."
Rena nods, "I'm grateful to him."
Murrue tilts her head, "Verena? I hope you don't mind but I... was wondering how it was that you got all the way in the middle of the ocean. So far away from Orb… or is it true that you really are with ZAFT."
Rena looks up at her.
Athrun opens his eyes and glances at the dead fire. His radio beeps on his wrist and he flips it open. He leaps up and rushes out to the Aegis. He opens his radio. Nicol was coming through on the radio. Through the static he could barely make out his voice. He smiles, "Nicol?"
Nicol inside his helicopter smiles, "Athrun? What a relief? We're getting your location from the direction of your signal."
Cagalli crosses to the Aegis, "What is it?"
Athrun looks forward, "The radio's been recovered."
She nods.
He detects something, "From the ocean?"
Up in the sky grasper Mu catches the distress signal from the Grasper. He smiles, "It's the signal. I found her!"
The Strike pushes through the water.
Athrun stood in front of Cagalli, "People are coming for me soon. Aside from them something else is coming from the ocean. It's coming from the direction of your fighter."
Cagalli glances off.
Athrun motions to Aegis, "I have to hide this guy here."
She glances back at him, "Huh?"
He tilts his head, "If possible I wouldn't want to fight in place like this."
She gasps and then nods, "Yeah." She smiles and looks at him, "I'll go back to the place where my fighter is. I'll hide somewhere and check the situation."
Athrun nods, "I see."
She looks up at the Aegis and he stares at her. She glances at him, "Well then... bye..." She heads off.
He calls after her, "You! You're not an Earth soldier right?"
She pauses and turns, "No I'm not!"
He glances downward, "They're both not soldiers and... everyone's..." He thinks of Kira.
She tilts her head, "I'm Cagalli... you're?"
His eyes widen in slight shock. He nods, "Athrun!"
She smiles and then turns and rushes off. Athrun smiles and turns the opposite direction.
The Strike breaks out of the water nearby the fallen Grasper. Cagalli races along the rocks on the beach, "Strike! Kira!"
Murrue glances aside, "So we're not even sure where he is. I'm sorry." She glances over at Rena.
She sat staring off, "He must be on Plant."
Murrue gasps, "Do you really think?"
Rena glances at her, "He must have discovered I was there and left to find me. I haven't seen Isamu face to face in about two years. We always seem to pass by one another. I wonder if we'll every meet face to face again."
Murrue nods, "He's a very strong person. I'm sure he's fine where ever he is."
Rena nods. "What will happen to me now?"
Murrue tilts her head, "I…"
Rena glances downward, "Officially I am with ZAFT; I joined for bureaucratic reasons back at Plant and to escape I used an alias and altered my files."
Murrue furrows her brow, "Well based on what you've told me I don't think we can hold it against you. That is, if you've been truthful."
Rena furrows her brow. She had withheld the most pertinent and discriminating information on purpose. "Everything I've said is true but I would understand if you chose to hold me as a prisoner. Being a celebrity doesn't necessarily mean that I'm not a spy."
Murrue rises, "You and Isamu… you both are so similar."
Rena looks up.
Murrue smiles, "Don't worry… although I'm sure that I'll get an earful from my second in command I don't believe that you'd try to sabotage this ship. This war has us all in awkward situations."
Rena gasps.
Murrue smiles, "I'll make arrangements for you to have a room nearby the Heliopolis students."
Rena furrows her brow, "Students? There are others besides Kira and that Flay?"
Murrue nods, "Actually yes, quite a bit of the crew are students." She taps a finger to her lip, "Maybe it would be best to give you a private room though, the room that Isamu used is still unoccupied. I think his personal effects are still in there, you can stay in there if you'd like."
Rena smiles nods, "I would like that very much."
Sai stood leaning against the wall outside the infirmary. He had no idea why he had been chosen to escort the former ZAFT detainee to Isamu's old quarters.
"Really I'm fine."
He glances up as the door open.
The doctor sighs, "Ok but your escort will take you directly to the room ok? Please just get some rest in there. You've had a rough time."
Rena nods and steps out. Sai gasps his eyes wide.
She glances over at him and smiles hugely, "Sai Argyle?"
His mouth moved but nothing came out. She crosses to him and immediately embraces him in a friendly hug and then pulls back, "How have you been?"
He blinks a few times. "I..." He furrows his brow. "I've been better."
She nods, "Of course, you've been aboard during all the fighting with ZAFT." She furrows her brow, wasn't he dating Flay? "It must have been difficult."
He stares at her, "Uh… yeah."
She tilts her head, "Can we go?" He looks up.
She shrugs, "I don't really like doctors and hospitals too much. And besides we can talk more when we're away from here."
He nods, "Sure. This way."
As they walked he kept glancing over at her. Although she smiled, there was a slight sadness in her eyes.
Rena glances around the room.
"It's cleaner than I thought it'd be." She slides her hand along the frame of the bed. She notices the mess of cables and wires hooked into a laptop, "I spoke too soon. What is all this?"
Sai glances at it, "I think he was working on repairing the OS for the Tempest."
She turns to face Sai and stares at his uniform, "So have are you a member of the Alliance now?"
He nods, "Well a group of us volunteered, before the descent. You know Miriallia, Tolle, Kuzzey, and Flay. There are a bunch of other students as well."
She nods. "I'm glad you were all able to endure and survive. I had no idea so many of you were aboard."
He stares at her.
She tilts her head, "What is it?"
He looks up at her. "Huh?"
She tilts her head, "That look in your eyes."
He looks downward. Sai tilts his head, "Of course then there's also Kira. Have you had a chance to see him?"
Rena nods, "Yes… but it was very brief. Flay showed up."
Sai furrows his brow, "Then you know…" He had such a sad look in his eyes. Sai turns, "I should get back to duty. If you need anything…"
Rena crosses and places a hand on his arm.
He stares at her.
She smiles sadly, "Sai... I…"
He stares at her.
She glances downward, "Everything will work out in the end… don't you think? We'll all be happy again?"
He tilts his head, "I hope so."
She furrows her brow hugs him. He holds her in his arms.
"This room is big enough for more than one so if you want... to come by anytime..." She looks up at him and smiles.
He blushes as he stares at her.
She takes a step back and glances aside, "I would like to see Miriallia and the other students again."
Sai smiles and nods, "Yeah... of course." She glances at him and smiles.
Kira walks down the hallway glancing downward in thought.
Flash. Mu tilts his head, "You don't have to worry about Verena. It seems that Captain Ramius trusts her enough to keep her out of a cell. She's in Isamu's old room." Kira gasps and stares out of the Strike. Back.
Kira stands outside Isamu's door.
"Hey Kira?"
He turns as if caught in the act. Tolle and Miriallia were walking down the hall. Tolle furrows his brow, "What's going on?"
Kira glances aside, "Nothing… I." He shrugs.
Miriallia and Tolle glance at one another. She nudges him in the side.
Tolle nods and glances at the door, "If you're looking for Verena she isn't in there. I just saw her out on the deck. We got to chatting. Did you know that her mom lives on Plant? She got rescued by one of the guys that stole the other suits and ended up there."
Kira shakes his head, "I… you talked with her?"
Miriallia nods, "Yeah. And she told us that she infiltrated ZAFT just to get back to Earth in hopes of finding you…"
Tolle glares over at Miriallia. She presses her lips shut.
Kira's eyes widen. He suddenly felt ill.
Tolle stares at him, "You know she's still a pretty cool girl… you should just go out and catch up."
Kira stares at him. Tolle tilts his head.
"She's on deck?"
Tolle nods. Kira takes a deep breath.
A few sea gulls caw overhead as Rena stands in the center of the deck looking up at the clouds moving by. She crosses to the railing and leans over. A slight mist of the sea blew up from the moving ship.
She furrows her brow. Flay standing next to Kira replays again. She lowers her head. I shouldn't have come back. I can't believe Athrun was right. I'm such a fool to think he actually cared about me.
Kira stood at the closed entrance door. He silently worked through what to say to her.
Flash. Kira holds Rena tightly against him in front of the Strike. "I was so scared." Back.
The words echoed in his mind. She was so happy to see him. So relieved. He sighs, Will she ever understand? He rests his forehead against the door and smiles. It Ren. She's my best friend. I'll just explain. She'll understand. He nods and presses the button and the door opens. He steps out.
The wind picks up outside. Rena hair is blown free from its loose bun. She shakes her head and lets the strong wind blow around her. She closes her eyes. Kira pauses at the entrance watching her. His heart was beating so fast. She was as beautiful as ever. He could watch her forever. The rest of the world could disappear and he wouldn't notice it.
A rumble of thunder in the distance.
Rena glances aside and spots him, "Kira?" She suddenly felt a stabbing pain in her chest.
He snaps out of his trance and glances aside, "Rena... hey."
She tilts her head and glances downward, "You must have heard about what happened. But you didn't have to come. I'm fine."
He tilts his head, "Yes and I'm sorry… you had to go through that."
Rena was staring off, "I didn't realize how much I missed the smell of salty air. It's refreshing. Why did I ever leave this behind? All it caused was pain and suffering." She stares off at the horizon. Not looking at him seemed to ease her pain.
He furrows his brow, "Rena? Please understand that I…"
She steps away from the railing struggling to stay composed, "I'm babbling on like usual. I'm sorry, I'm fine. I mean I've been through worse. We all have right?"
Kira gasps.
She avoid his gaze. She takes a breath and speaks quickly, "Why not get down it right? You're with Flay?"
He reaches over, "It... I..."
She looks straight at him and says nothing. Kira furrows his brow. She bites her lip and forces back the tears in her eyes. She takes a deep breath to stop from crying, "I wish I could say that it's ok. But my opinion doesn't really matter."
Kira was speechless.
Rena shakes her head, "I guess that's why I told myself to give up…"
Kira thinks back on the interview show.
Tears roll down her cheek. "But I…"
Kira clenches his fists.
She shakes her head, "I was a fool. What happened on Heliopolis was a mistake. It wasn't serious."
He gasps.
She glares at him, "At least it mustn't have been for you…"
Kira's mouth drops open. She moves to rush off.
"That's not true. Ren! Wait."
Rena pauses.
He turns to face her, "I… being with you… it was special. But then… this all happened and I'm sorry… I am."
Rena glances downward.
Kira furrows his brow, "Ren? Things… things have been so difficult… so very difficult for me…" His voice quivers, "Having to fight, to protect everyone. Flay, she's been there to comfort and care for me, when I needed it the most."
Rena turns.
He stares at her with tears in her eyes, "And I care for her too. You, you had Athrun right?"
Rena stares at him tears rolling down her cheeks. They stood in silence. She furrows her brow forcing herself to be serious.
"We were careless. We made a mistake."
Kira furrows his brow.
"And, while Athrun was with me, we were never together. He was just a friend to me."
Kira didn't know what to say. Memories of Heliopolis flashed through his mind, the touch of her body against his. The sensation of her lips on his. His heart was racing. A sheet of rain suddenly swept over them. Rena gasps. The rain begins to pour down hard. She and Kira rush back toward the doorway.
She pulls her wet hair back and ties it up, "That came out of nowhere. There wasn't a warning this time."
Kira smiles slightly. She shakes the water off her arms. Kira stood staring at her. She glances over at him. There were no words.
She glances down at her soaked clothes and rubs her arms for warmth.
Kira nods. "Athrun did ask me… he wanted me join the two of you."
She glances over at him.
Kira was glancing aside, "I had to make a choice. I had to stay here to protect…"
She furrows her brow fighting back the pain, "You don't have to explain… I…know… I've always known about the kind of person you are. To remain here and protect everyone is what I would have wanted." She glances aside, "I have to go and change." She heads past him and pauses before turning the corner, "Kira?"
He looks over at her.
She glances downward, "I…." She shakes her head and heads off.
Kira furrows his brow. He rushes around the corner, "Ren? Wait…"
She pauses.
He crosses toward her, "I…" He shakes his head, "Never mind. I don't deserve to know." He furrows his brow.
Rena stares at him, she could tell he was on the verge of tears. She glances downward. I'm so selfish. He's been through so much pain and I'm only thinking of myself. She crosses. He looks up just as she embraces him.
"Kira.... I want us to still be friends." The last part she kept to herself. I love you so much.
He wraps his arms around her, "I don't want you to hate me. I want to talk with you more. I want to know what you've been doing. I want to be near you."
She closes her eyes as she holds herself against him, "I want that too."
They sit side by side in the hall next to the open hatchway. Rain falls against the deck. Rena stares out at it as she fiddles with her a tress of her hair, "You saw that performance." She furrows her brow, "I'm sorry, you must have felt so awful."
Kira shakes his head, "No… that song was beautiful." He smiles at her, "I'm ok."
She smiles and nods, "I'm glad."
"How did you get involved with ZAFT?"
Rena furrows her brow, "I spent a lot time with Athrun's father."
Kira glances at her, "Athrun's father?"
She glances at him, "He and my mother were engaged to be married. I thought I was helping him, trying to bring an end to this war. But I was wrong. The fighting won't ever seem to end."
Kira nods.
She glances forward, "I've been so scared the whole time. Especially with you and Athrun… fighting. I don't want to lose either one of you."
Kira nods, "I know. I've been feeling the same way."
She glances at him and places her hand on his.
He glances at her, "Ren. I did want to go to you that one time. When I brought Lacus to Athrun but… with everyone on this ship… all my friends."
Rena stares at him, "And with Flay?"
Kira shakes his head, "Rena… this thing with Flay… it…"
She shakes her head, "Please don't explain… I told you." She smiles, "I know that you've always liked her."
He grips her hand, "No… I want you to know… it only happened recently just before we got on Earth. She was kind to me and cared for me when I needed it most."
Rena stares at him and says nothing.
He furrows his brow, "I still… I still care about you so much."
She tilts her head, "Kira…" She smiles, "Even though it's ended up this way we'll always care for one another. You'll always be so special to me."
He gasps, and without even a second thought, he leans over and kisses her. She reciprocates and the two kiss deeply.
She pulls back and turns away, "Kira."
He pulls back and leans back against the wall. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't."
She nods, "Who knows how long it would have lasted between us anyway. We're from two different worlds." She shrugs.
Kira glances over at her a shocked look on his face.
Rena sighs, "It was so spontaneous and unreasonable. And besides Flay cared for you when you needed it most. She'll continue to protect you and love you, like you need to be."
Kira glances over at Rena.
She was staring out at the rain.She glances over at him, "By the way, I heard that you've been going nonstop. Mu mentioned that you rarely get a good night's sleep. You shouldn't exhaust yourself."
Kira stares at her, "Mu?"
She nods, "He's become a good friend. He's rescued me twice so far. He calls himself my knight." She smiles. "He's such a nice person. He reminds me of Isamu..." Her smile fades. She shakes her head and rises to her feet, "I really should get going. I promised Sai I'd meet him for lunch later."
Kira nods, "Sai? You and he are hanging out?"
She smiles and nods, "Well not just Sai, although he's very funny."
"Oh…"
Rena turns to go but she pauses, "Kira... I..." She shakes her head, "I am glad you stayed here to protect this ship and these people." She smiles, "Even though things between us…" She shakes her head, "I'm just happy to have my dearest friend close to me again." She waves her hand, "I'll see you later?"
He nods.
She rushes off, furrowing her brow as she goes.
Rena enters her room and begins removing her clothes.
"So you're involved with all this too?"
She gasps and looks up to see Cagalli sitting on the bed.
Rena stares at her, shocked, "You? What are you doing here?"
Cagalli tilts her head, "It's a small world isn't it?"
Rena nods, "I guess so. This keeps getting more complicated."
Cagalli sighs.
