Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny or its characters and names. This is a work of fanfiction, not for profit.
All's Fair in Love, War, and Journalism
29
He stood silently in front of an empty desk, eyes scanning over its cleared surface. The day before, he had ordered Shinn to box up Nicol's belongings. Yesterday, he hand-delivered them to Nicol's parents. Today, he stood in its empty wake.
He had left the clearing out of Nicol's belongings till last, after the funeral, after the commemorations, and after the appointment of a new sergeant in charge of weapons and arms: Sergeant Lunamaria Hawke. The final act, a simple desk clearing however had seemed the hardest, and Athrun had delayed giving the orders until Yzak hinted at him, unsubtle in his manner, that it was time to let go.
He understood why it had been the hardest to do. As he stood here, in front of a desk he was so familiar with, it felt odd seeing it void of belongings, like Nicol had never been here and never occupied its space. This desk will eventually belong to someone else but in his memory it would always be the green-haired and kind eyed boy he had bunked with at the academy sitting in its chair.
Athrun brushed a hand against the wooden surface of the desk, eyes gazing at the empty chair and said his last goodbye.
He trudged up the stairs to his apartment with heavy footsteps, in no hurry to return to an empty apartment. He was tired. Weary and beaten and so used to being overworked that the past few weeks of peace had seemed like a passing dream, one he wasn't used to having. He had thought that upon Logos' downfall he would feel a sense of triumph, an elation that justice had been served, but instead all he felt was weariness.
When he reached his door and turned the knob, he became distinctly aware that the door was unlocked. Tension teased at his body and his mind became alert. When he pushed it open and stepped into the confines of his apartment, he found himself frozen.
He had expected danger, his body was poised to defend or attack, but he did not expect her.
It had been three weeks since the raid on Logos HQ, since Azrael's death, since Blue Cosmos' collapse in Heliopolis, and he had not heard a word from her in that time. He was beginning to think he might never see her again. That her brother had whisked her away forever or she was still chasing after the ghosts of Blue Cosmos and left him behind.
Cagalli's head turned from his couch where she was sitting to meet his eyes. A warmth filled her molten orbs when she saw him and a delighted expression formed on her face when she realised she had caught him off-guard.
"How did you get in here?" Athrun asked, completely baffled, and perhaps in awe.
She smiled at him impishly as she stood and something jingled in the air. Athrun caught it in his hands across the room.
"You never did ask for your keys back." She stated matter of fact.
"I guess I didn't." He replied, half tempted to tell her to keep them but knowing there needed to be several steps taken in their perpetually undefined relationship before he could propose something like that. Then he smiled back at her, as realisation sunk in. Cagalli was standing less than 5 metres away. She was in his living room, she was back and…"Are you here to stay?"
"Yes." Then she corrected herself with a blush, "Not here specifically, but yes I am back to stay."
Athrun took a step towards her. "Are you sure?"
He realised his question held a double meaning, and didn't know which he had intended. Was she sure she didn't want to stay with him, in his apartment where it's lonely echoes were no longer heard now that she was here? Or, was she back for real, into his life, after an absence that felt like he had been missing an essential part of himself?
Cagalli took his question for the latter as she answered, "Orb Intelligence gave the all clear. All known Blue Cosmos members in Heliopolis have been apprehended or dead. And as much as Kira would like to argue, there's no reason to keep me under house arrest anymore." She smiled with triumph, no doubt recalling the precise moment when Kira finally lost the fight. "Besides, Orb Intelligence is packing up for Onogoro, they've got better things to do than to babysit me."
Athrun couldn't help but grin, finding it so like Cagalli to refer to her necessary protection as house arrest. He had heard from Agent Ramius already that they were moving their operations to the capital, in order to locate Lodonia. Djibril was still at large but Athrun's jurisdiction ended in Heliopolis. Despite their differences, they parted on good terms, with an understanding that only comes with the loss of a teammate on both sides. For the most part, the Heliopolis PD's job was done, he would leave Lodonia and Djibril to Orb Intelligence.
"What about you?" He asked. "Are you following them to Onogoro?"
He watched as Cagalli shook her head. "I think I might have been in over my head these past few months." She openly admitted.
"Really? That's hard to believe." Athrun teased.
"I guess I finally realised I'm not invincible." Cagalli gave a shrug of her shoulders, her eyes dropped briefly before coming up to meet his. "Thank you for keeping me alive." Her eyes crinkled in warmth. "Even when I was too blinded to realise that's what you were doing. Thank you Athrun."
He opened his mouth to tell her that he was only doing his job when he stopped and realised that it had always been more than that. Protecting Cagalli had always been more than just a job to him. It was essential to his own survival because she was essential to him.
"How can I not when it's you."
He looked at her from across the span of his living room and studied her features. He remembered the last time she was here, remembered her strong courageous spirit trying to pick herself up after falling and breaking, remembered holding her in his arms as she tried to mend herself back together.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Cagalli's head tilted to the side, thinking his question through carefully. "Getting there," she finally answered with the slightest of smiles but the sheerest of tenacity. He could still see the faint shadows under her eyes, and knew that she was still having nightmares but she was getting through them.
"You?" She regarded back at him, somehow knowing about his nightmares too.
"Getting there." He mirrored back.
His gaze flicked to the newspaper lying on his coffee table that Cagalli had been looking at before she was alerted to his presence. Amusement grew in his eyes and he indicated to the paper with his head. "How did you find the time to write it?"
The article, a few weeks old by now, was a detailed exposé on Logos; its workings, dealings and relationship to Blue Cosmos. He had been surprised to see it and her name attached to the article on the front page only a day after he took down Logos HQ. Even when secluded away in a safe house, she had somehow found the means to write it and submit it to her editor to publish.
"Time I had in abundance." Cagalli replied. "It was the details that was a little hard to get, but luckily Kira filled me in." A smirk lit up her face as she preached, "A reporter never rests not even under house arrest."
"Clearly." He said with marvel as he took another step, then his eyes turned soft. "I've missed you."
She was silent for a while, searching his eyes. "You did?"
"A lot." Athrun answered unabashedly. "You have this annoying habit of growing on people. Do you remember the year we met?"
She nodded. "It was your first year as captain."
"I had just been promoted. I had a falling out with my father and my mother passed away that same year. So I wasn't exactly in the mood to have to put up with an overzealous, nosy, bullheaded reporter fresh out of college. But then you surprised me."
"How?"
"I enjoyed having you around." He proceeded to correct himself with a sly grin, "Some of the times." Cagalli gave a roll of her eyes but did not argue and Athrun continued, "I didn't realise it back then, but I was under so much stress from work, and with my mother's passing and my problems with my father, I wasn't happy at the time. It was you who pulled me out of it. You, who I had dubbed the bane of my existence back then."
"You still do." Cagalli challenged and Athrun chuckled, not denying it.
He continued, "I remember it was the hostage situation at Heliopolis Elementary when I realised it for the first time, how much your words meant to me. It was the first crisis I faced as captain, my first test and…under my direction, we managed to save the classroom of kids but we lost the teacher. I blamed myself for it. If I had done something differently, ordered the strike earlier or negotiated differently, then maybe the teacher would have lived too." He saw Cagalli open her mouth to protest, but Athrun held up a finger to stop her. "Then came the media storm afterwards, questions flying about on whether I was too young or too inexperienced. When all your colleagues were busy slamming me for my mistakes, you comforted me." A fond smile formed on Athrun's face. He recalled her approaching him that day when he had been alone and didn't even have the strength to believe in himself. "And you told me, there wasn't a man out there who could've done a better job, because I was the best man you knew."
She gazed at him, having taken a step closer towards him as well, and said with all sincerity, "You still are, Athrun."
He smiled at her, her words then and her words now giving him strength. He never felt more bold or courageous as when she believed in him. "You also gave me a piece of advice that day. No story is juicer than a fallen hero…"
"…so don't let them see you fall." Cagalli finished, repeating her words to him from so many years ago.
"I've been trying to live up to your expectations of me ever since."
"I think it's safe to say, you've exceeded them every time."
"You make me want to be a better person."
"You don't give yourself enough credit."
They found themselves standing in front of each other, having closed the distance between them without even noticing. They were like opposite ends of magnets drawn to each other, unable to keep apart. Athrun breathed her in, taking note of every minute detail about her and committing them to memory. She seemed to be doing the same, her amber orbs tracing over his features, examining him carefully as if trying to understand every inch of his soul.
He lifted a hand and brushed away a stray strand of hair. "I'm glad to have met you." He told her, voice deep, husky and honest.
When she looked up at him he could see the desire reflected in her eyes, a longing and craving for what they had foolishly denied themselves all these years. But he could also see a flicker of fear, and he knew it all too well because it had held him back for so long.
"You know this would never work between us." She said hesitantly, eyes searching his for any hint of doubt that might cause her to back out. "You're order and I'm chaos."
Athrun smiled confidently. "There is no order without chaos."
Then he took her face into his hands and leaned in to kiss her. His lips met with no resistance only the pure joy of her mouth responding to his, and then they were lost in the chaos and the storm of passion that swallowed them.
Cagalli smiled as she led him forwards, hand-in-hand, towards the only bar at the end of the street. She had insisted that they walk from her apartment, the familiar route bringing a sense of norm back into her life. When they finally reached the door, unassuming with its peeling painted surface, she stopped him and gave him a once over.
"Are you ready?"
"Is there something I should know?" Athrun asked back, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
Cagalli's eyes dropped to Athrun's hips where he kept his gun and frowned. She didn't like him carrying it, but Athrun had insisted on keeping it with him, the events of late still made him cautious and maybe a little paranoid.
"They're not going to like that." She said flatly before turning away and pushed open the door.
A cacophony of noise greeted them as soon as they stepped inside. So different from how it usually was in the daytime, the place was brimming with life at night. Cagalli took a good look around taking in its familiar sights. It really had been too long since she was here last. The bar in front of them, small in size was large in atmosphere. The room was packed with people, filled with mindless chatter and unrestrained laughter from all corners of the room. She recognised the familiar tune coming from the jukebox in the back, and the smells of burgers and fries being served from the kitchen. A few people, some of the regulars and staff, nodded to her as she led Athrun past them.
Then from the crowd, a girl rushed up to them and pounced into Cagalli's arms.
Cagalli caught her in a hug with a joyous laugh. "Stellar!"
"Cagalli came!" The blonde girl, nuzzled against Cagalli's chest, exclaimed excitedly. "Stellar missed Cagalli."
Cagalli smiled down at her friend with fondness. "I've missed you too." When Stellar finally let go of her, Cagalli indicated towards Athrun. "Stellar, I'd like you to meet someone. This is Athrun."
The younger blonde turned her rounded orbs onto Athrun standing beside Cagalli, noticing him for the first time. Stellar glanced back and forth between Cagalli and Athrun a few times before asking inquisitively, "Is Athrun Cagalli's boyfriend?"
The blunt question caused Cagalli's cheeks to flush. She shot a shy glance at Athrun but replied firmly, "Yes."
At this, Stellar's eyes enlarged. She beamed brightly before turning around and dashing through the crowd to disappear through a door in the back.
"Where's she going?" Athrun asked, confused by the sudden departure.
Cagalli groaned beside him, "To inform the two sourpusses."
Not a minute later, Stellar emerged from the back door, followed by two young men. "Here they come." Cagalli said solemnly, her hand reached for Athrun's and gave it a squeeze before letting go.
"Look who's finally decided to grace us with her presence, your highness," came Auel's voice drifting across the crowd. When they came closer, Auel gave Cagalli an elaborate bow.
Cagalli rolled her eyes in response. "How many times do I have to tell you, not to address me like that?!" She growled in clear annoyance.
Auel straightened up and exchanged a playful grin with Sting beside him that said that he enjoyed teasing Cagalli way too much, before both their eyes landed on Athrun and the mirth from their expressions turned hard.
Knowing it was now or never, Cagalli said, "Athrun, these are my friends, Stellar, Sting and Auel."
"It's nice to meet you." Athrun said politely, extending a hand.
His greeting was met with silence when neither of the boys moved to shake his hand. Cagalli mentally braced herself for the storm that was about to follow.
"Why is he here?" Auel asked, not bothering to hide his disdain. His expression was somewhere between scowling, annoyance and open hostility as he turned his attention to Athrun. "Your kind aren't welcome."
"I'm sorry, I didn't get the memo." Athrun said curtly back, sending an accusing look towards Cagalli. "And what exactly is my kind?"
"Please, I can smell a copper from a mile away." Auel's eyes narrowed, stopping at Athrun's hips where the rough shape of the holster could be seen beneath Athrun's jacket. "You're practically oozing your self-righteousness all over this place."
"Auel!" Cagalli scolded then shot a glance at Sting expecting him to keep Auel in line.
Sting simply raised both of his hands in defence. "I have to agree with Auel, we're not exactly catering to his crowd. Half our costumers used to be ex-convicts, myself included, which means I'm going to lose half my business if my costumers found out that I'm serving not just a cop, but their damn captain at my bar."
"That's only going to be a problem if they have something to hide." Athrun remarked, eyes narrowing as well, causing Cagalli to emit a loud sigh at the frustration that her boyfriend and her friends were not going to get along as peacefully as she foolishly dared to hope.
"If I recall," Cagalli began, now standing between the three men, in what might be an attempt to keep them from ripping into each other. "You," she pointed at Auel, "were the one who told me that I should come by and visit."
To which Auel protested, "I didn't mean bring a copper with you!"
"And you," Cagalli continued, ignoring Auel and pointing at Sting, "insisted that I should bring every boy I date to come and meet you."
"I didn't expect you to date a copper," said Sting.
"That's completely irrelevant. You promised to be nice."
"I promised to be fair."
Cagalli gave Sting a scrutinizing look.
"Point taken. Please take a seat Captain Zala." Sting said exaggeratedly, with a forced smile on his face. "Stellar, will you run to the kitchens and order Cagalli and the good captain something to eat?"
Stellar nodded enthusiastically and disappeared into the crowd.
"Auel, show them to a table."
Auel made an outraged expression, like he couldn't believe that Sting had allowed Athrun to stay but nonetheless did as he was told.
As Auel walked ahead, Cagalli felt Athrun being pulled away as Sting placed a hand on Athrun's shoulder and said, "You'll find that we have nothing to hide here."
She saw the frown on Athrun's face. "I'm not here to investigate, I'm here to meet Cagalli's friends." Athrun replied sincerely.
Sting's gaze met Cagalli's over Athrun's shoulder, in which she gave him a steely glare. Almost relentingly, Sting offered a smiled. "Then I look forward to meeting you later, Captain Zala."
They followed Auel towards a booth in the back where he gestured for them to take a seat. After Athrun and Cagalli sat down, Auel plopped himself down on the opposite side of the booth and proceeded to stare down Athrun, like a hunter eyeing its prey, or perhaps more like a disapproving friend watching the boyfriend's every move.
"If you stare too much, people might think you're interested." Cagalli spoke up wryly, causing Auel to break away from Athrun and gape at her incredulously.
"That's not…!" Auel protested by was cut off by Cagalli's teasing laugh.
"So Auel, found yourself a girlfriend yet?"
"Next to you princess, no one else compares." Auel replied with a charming smile.
Cagalli gave him an unimpressed look. She had seen him flirt with a few of the waitresses before, but he had never dared flirt with her. She knew why he was doing it, as Auel directed that same smile onto Athrun, clearly at an attempt to provoke him. Although Athrun did not rise to the bait, she could clearly sense Athrun's irritation beside her and the palpable tension in the air.
She was thankful when a waitress arrived with two plates food and set it down before them.
"Have we met before?" Athrun asked when Auel shot him another unfriendly glare across the table.
"You've probably seen my mugshot somewhere." Auel answered snidely. "Don't worry I've already done my time. But tell me Zala, how many criminals like me have you killed in your time?"
Cagalli almost choked on the piece of burger she just swallowed.
"If they're dead, then they were justly deserved." Athrun answered unnerved by the sudden question.
"You sure? 'Cause I've known a few cops here and there who wouldn't hesitate to shoot an unarmed criminal simply because they didn't like the look of them."
"And I can assure you that none of them would be my men."
"I can assure you some of them are."
"Stop it!" Cagalli cried out, having finally finished swallowing. "That's enough! Auel…" Before she could finish, Auel stood up from the table.
"Sorry I just remembered, I have to get back to work." Auel said before spinning on his heels and walking away.
"Oh no, you're not getting away that easily." Cagalli muttered under her breath. She slammed her napkin on the table, turning to Athrun briefly. "I'll be back." And chased after Auel.
She found him behind the counter of the bar already with his apron on, and was annoyed that she had to wait until the line cleared before she had a chance to speak to him.
"What was all that about?" Cagalli hissed once Auel finished handing the last drink over to the remaining costumer.
Auel pretended to ignore her, turning away to clean a glass when Cagalli hopped over the counter to land in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. By the startled expression on his face, he seemed to have forgotten how tenacious she could be.
"Auel, what's gotten into you today?" Cagalli tried again. "I knew there'd be some resistance, but not this." She said exasperatedly.
Auel's eyes narrowed at her, slamming the glass down on the table. "You should've known better than to bring him here. Take a look around Cagalli." He extended his arms outwards. "Everyone here has a past, and most of us don't like to be reminded of it. So excuse me, if I didn't feel like entertaining your boyfriend while he scrutinizes us and judges us with his condescending gaze and superior sense of what constitutes as right and wrong."
"As far as I can see, the only one doing the judging is you." Cagalli bit back causing Auel to shrink back a little. "I know it's hard for you to put away your differences, but Athrun is trying. You're the one who can't stop provoking. I really expected better from you Auel. And I was really looking forward to introducing Athrun to my friends."
At her words Auel became silent. She recognised the signs of guilt on his face and Cagalli's temper eased. She afforded him a soft smile. "Athrun is a good cop." Cagalli said assuredly. "I know you've run into some bad ones in the past, but I can assure you, Athrun is one of the good ones."
Auel nodded at her words. "He'd have to be, if you're with him," he said at last after a long pause. "I'm sorry."
Cagalli grinned, "Don't apologise to me, apologise to Athrun." She turned to head back when Auel caught her by the arm.
"Hey," he said, his voice unusually gentle, "I'm glad you're okay Cagalli."
This time Cagalli nodded at him, understanding how worried he and Sting must have been for her when they saw her on the nightly news at Heliopolis Square. How they managed to keep the information from Stellar was a marvel, but she was thankful for it.
Auel gave her a smile and ruffled her hair. "I really am sorry about tonight Cagalli."
When Cagalli returned to her table, she was feeling a lot calmer. She was intrigued to find that Stellar had joined Athrun at the booth and somehow gotten a hold of a deck of cards in her absence. Athrun was now showing Stellar some card tricks he knew to much of Stellar's delight. When Cagalli sat back down next to Athrun, stole a fry or two from his plate and inquired Athrun about where he learnt card tricks from, she was unsurprised to hear that he had learnt it from Dearka in their rookie days, so that he could beat Yzak at cards.
They were into their second round of cards, when Auel appeared by their table, holding a tray of drinks in his hand.
He placed a glass of beer in front of Athrun. "As an apology for my rudeness earlier." He said, while not meeting Athrun's gaze. "It's on the house."
"Thanks Auel." Cagalli said to him, but Auel turned away, flustered, and escaped back to the bar as quickly as he had appeared.
A few more rounds of cards later, and Sting, who finally found some time off from managing the bar, showed up taking the seat next to Stellar. Sting and Athrun then commenced an intense session of cards in which the two men tried to up one another, completely forgetting that Cagalli and Stellar were playing until Stellar laid down her hand and revealed a winning flush.
"So Zala, what makes you think you're good enough for Cagalli?" Sting said offhandedly as if he was talking about the weather, while shooting Athrun a glare from behind his new hand of cards.
There was the distinct sound of Cagalli's hand coming up to slap herself in the face.
Athrun picked up a card, pretending not to be perturbed by the question. "I don't think I'm the one who can decide that. Why don't you ask Cagalli if I'm good enough for her?"
The two men then turned curiously to Cagalli for an answer. To which Cagalli replied, "Tonight was a terrible idea."
Sting managed a get in a good few more questions, some of which Athrun answered honestly, some of which he dodged rather artfully, and some Cagalli kicked Sting under the table for, before he was called away to tend to the bar.
As he left, Sting gave Athrun a stern warning, "I'll be keeping an eye on you Zala. So keep your hands where I can see them."
"You look kind of pale." Cagalli stated once Stellar had left as well, and it was just the two of them. Through the dim lighting in the bar, Athrun looked like he was sulking.
"When you told me you wanted me to meet your friends, I didn't realise I needed to pass a test, and that being a cop means I automatically fail." Athrun bristled, giving her a sidelong gaze as he sighed. "You could have at least warned me that Kira wasn't the only overprotective brother you had."
Cagalli gave him a half smile, somewhere between amusement and pity. "Sorry, that was my fault. I didn't want you to judge them before you met them. Come on, I know something that will cheer you up."
Cagalli grabbed him by the hand and pulled him out of the booth into the back. It wasn't a dance floor per say but rather a small corner of the bar where its occupants had carved out a little section near the jukebox for dancing.
Cagalli led him in amongst the crowd and wrapped her hands around his neck. She leaned her head against his shoulder and felt him ease against her.
"Thank you for coming tonight."
"I know it was important to you."
"Auel needs more time, but I think Sting's starting to like you."
"Are you sure?" Athrun asked as he indicted with his head to his right, and Cagalli caught sight of Sting on the sidelines, indicating two fingers at his eyes then pointing them towards Athrun.
Cagalli couldn't help shaking against Athrun's shoulder as she tried to stifle a laugh.
Athrun leaned closer to her and whispered, "I feel like I'm at prom, and my date's father is the chaperone, keeping watch on me from the sidelines."
"At least he didn't try to poison you?"
"How do you know he didn't? I'm feeling a bit queasy actually."
"Because I ate half your food." She saw him smile. "At least Stellar seems to like you."
"I get the sense that Stellar easily likes everyone, so it's probably not a great achievement on my part." Athrun mused.
"If it makes you feel any better, they hate reporters too."
At this Athrun laughed, "So did I."
"Do you still?"
Her eyes gazed up at him and he smiled down at her. "With one exception."
"Miriallia would be indignified to learn that you hate her."
He replied in a mischievous tone as he spun her around, "Who said Miss Hawwe wasn't the exception?"
Cagalli mocked anger and punched him playfully in the shoulder, before looping her hands around his neck again.
"Do you still find it odd that Miri and Dearka are seeing each other?"
"Yes. She can do so much better than Elsman." Athrun jested, but continued more seriously, "Although all jokes aside, Dearka is a good person. I can vouch for him if you're worried. Miriallia is with a good man."
Cagalli smiled. "I know. You don't have to vouch. I know." Her eyes met his under the luminescent glow of the lamps above. "Miri is with a good man, but I'm with the best."
Athrun's heart thumped in tune with hers as he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.
Cagalli could've sworn that she saw Sting's mouth curve up ever slightly from the corner of her eyes.
Athrun took a deep breath and inhaled the night air as they stepped out of the bar. He was distinctively aware of Sting's eyes on his back following them until they turned the corner at the end of the street, where Athrun let out a held breath.
Cagalli seemed to stifle a laugh beside him.
"You're having fun with this." Athrun accused.
"I don't think I've ever seen you so nervous before." She replied with a smile aimed at charming him and getting herself out of trouble.
It worked as he smiled back. "I'm not used to being interrogated, it's usually the other way around."
"I bet Sting was counting on that to unnerve you." Cagalli gave him a pat on the chest. "But I think he secretly approves of you."
Athrun looked sceptical. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the night. He only knew that he strangely wanted Cagalli's friends to like him, and that it bothered him that they didn't.
"I think...you have good friends looking out for you."
She smiled brighter at his words. "I know."
Her hand naturally found his as he walked her home under the moonlight. He felt her snuggle up to him, trying to steal some of his warmth in the night air.
"Want my jacket?"
"No, I'm comfortable." She said and leaned closer to him.
Athrun brought his arm around her. "You still haven't told me how you met them." He said curiously as they made their way through a quiet park; a shortcut to Cagalli's apartment. He had been wondering all night how she had become acquainted with a group of ex-gangsters.
He saw a smile overcome her face as the memory came to her. "It's an unusual story."
"I didn't expect anything less."
"I was on assignment in Kaguya when I heard about a gang of local thugs. They only ever committed small-time crime, it was mostly theft and vandalisms but their actions still hurt people. I ended up investigating them and did an article about it."
Athrun raised an eyebrow at her. "You're telling me that you were the one that got them arrested?" He asked incredulously. "How the hell did they become friends with you and not try to run you down for sending them to prison?"
Cagalli grinned. "Because I kept my promise. When Sting was arrested, he was only allowed one visitor and he asked for me. When I visited him in jail, he asked me to find a girl named Stellar. It turns out Sting and Auel were using the money they stole to take care of her. Stellar was only a minor at the time, and when Sting and Auel were put away, she went back into foster care. He asked me to find her and look after her until he got out and I agreed."
Athrun looked at her in marvel, never having guessed such a scenario. "Why would he trust you?"
"He said he knew me, it was the only reason I agreed to see him. He said he remembered me from the orphanage," Cagalli revealed. "Kira and I had gotten separated the night our parents died. I don't remember any of this of course, but I had ended up at the orphanage before my father adopted me. As it turns out, Sting and Auel were there at the same time. Stellar's from the same orphanage too, though I had already left by the time she was put there." She gave a small shrug. "It's a small world."
"Small world indeed." Athrun muttered.
"Sting said he had no one else to turn to, everyone he knew were thugs. And he was desperate, so he placed his trust in me. I kept my promise and found Stellar. When Sting got out of prison, he moved back to Heliopolis. I lent him the money to start up his own business, so that he would never have to go back onto the streets." She paused as a warm smile engulfed her face. "He named the bar after Stellar."
Athrun smiled along with her at the last bit, he recalled the name of the bar; The Interstellar. "It's fitting."
"Although now that I think about it, Sting and Auel probably would have run me over if I never found Stellar." Cagalli gave out a laugh. "The three of them are like family."
From what Athrun saw of tonight, he knew that they considered Cagalli as part of that family too.
"I'm glad it all worked out." He murmured to her as he kissed her lightly on the side of her temple. Then a thought occurred to him. "So, did tonight just count as our first date?"
"Oh no, you're not getting off that easily buddy." Cagalli said merrily as she jabbed a finger into his chest. "When you take me out on a date, I expect it to be at a nice fancy restaurant, with fine dining and where the men are dressed in their finest."
"I tried that remember? It didn't exactly work out."
"Then try again." Cagalli teased back. "Oh and don't forget, Kira wants to have dinner with us at some point too."
Athrun couldn't help let out a groan at the mention of Cagalli's brother. He had another delightful dinner with an overprotective brother to look forward to. But then he never expected that dating Cagalli would be easy. He stopped them underneath a lamplight in the middle of the park, studying the way the light illuminated her face.
His hands brushed through her tendrils as she smiled up at him. Her face was flushed red from the few drinks she had consumed in the bar, while her hot breath mixed with the cold around them leaving white wisps of air as she exhaled. Her eyes stared up at him with undeniable affection that warmed him to the core. The moment took his breath away. She was beautiful. How he ever managed to keep himself away from her, from this he had no idea. He leaned down to bring his lips to hers in a kiss. Cagalli tiptoed up to meet him as he wrapped his arms around her, drinking each other in.
And then that feeling of being watched all night returned, as Athrun's senses pricked. He pulled away from Cagalli, and pulled her behind him while his eyes scanned their surroundings. The leaves rustled to their right and Athrun's hand immediately went to his belt.
"Stop right there." A voice called out from the darkness before Athrun could draw his weapon out. A figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees, light bouncing off of a polished pistol in the man's hands. "Hand away from the hips."
Athrun eyed the gun pointed at him and did as he was told, slowly moving his hand away from his holster.
"On your knees captain." The man ordered. "Hands on your head."
Athrun gritted his teeth, eyes darting to around them as more men clad in black started appearing out from the bushes, surrounding them.
"I said on your knees!" The first man growled, before shifting his aim to his left and Athrun realised with fear that Cagalli had stepped out from behind him, staring wide-eyed at the man ahead.
Weapons were being drawn from all around them. With no choice, Athrun slowly lowered onto his knees and placed his hands behind his head, just as the man stepped under the lamplight and his features became clear.
He heard himself take a sharp breath. Athrun's eyes darted to Cagalli and realised that she had already recognised his voice.
"Auel?" Cagalli's voice broke through. "What…what are you doing?" She struggled with her words, and by the look on her face she was having a hard time believing her eyes.
Auel ignored her, instead indicated with his head, and two men came to grasp Cagalli by the arm pulling her aside, while another two went to stand guard beside Athrun, one of them lowering to take Athrun's gun away from where it was still sheathed in its holster.
Auel moved to stand in front of Athrun, shaking his head in pity. "You really shouldn't have brought him with you Cagalli. My orders were to capture you, it said nothing about the police captain."
Cagalli's eyes met Athrun's frantically for a second. "Orders?! Whose orders?"
Auel's eyes narrowed contemptuously at Athrun, before finally turning to Cagalli. "Whose do you think?"
It was at that moment that Athrun realised where he had seen Auel before. Those blue-green eyes had glared at him through a mask before on the same day that police headquarters had been attacked and his secretary and six of his officers had been shot. By Cagalli's silence, he realised that she's understood too. Athrun almost wished he didn't look at Cagalli's face in that moment. Anguish and heartbreak twisted up her features. This was someone she had considered a brother to her. And he had betrayed her.
He watched as Cagalli took a few shuddering breaths to calm herself before a steely light Athrun recognised came over her eyes. She stared at Auel with a hardened determination. "Your orders were to capture me, let him go."
"You know I can't do that." Auel said as his expression became unreadable. He eyed the gun in his hand and raised it to aim at Athrun's head. "Say goodbye lover boy."
Athrun's eyes enlarged and felt his whole body tense up in anticipation. His eyes instinctively sought Cagalli. She struggled against the two men holding onto her and broke free to collapse in front of Athrun, shielding him with her body.
"Don't hurt him! Auel, I beg you, if our friendship means anything to you, please don't do this." She cried, as she wedged herself between Athrun and the barrel of the gun.
"Cagalli!" Athrun hissed behind her in warning but she stayed still with her arms stretched protective in front of him.
"It's me you want isn't it? I'll come with you willingly if you let him live. I'll do anything you want."
Auel gazed down dispassionately as he considered Cagalli before finally withdrawing his gun. "Alright." He seemed to agree. "I'll let him live. But not on the account of our friendship Cagalli. On the account that you've just proven that Zala can be useful to us. You said you'll come willingly, now get up!"
Cagalli did as she was told and allowed herself to be led away by Auel despite Athrun's protest. They were flanked by two guards at their sides. He saw her slowly disappearing from his view and the panic started setting in.
They wouldn't hurt her, that had been established. But he couldn't allow them to use him against her either. Athrun eyed the two remaining men standing guard over him before rolling to his left and tripping one of the men over with a kick to the ankles. The other man, startled by the sudden action did not have time to aim his weapon before Athrun tackled him. The gun clattered to the ground, lost to both of them, and Athrun finally allowed himself a glimpse of a chance.
But something was wrong. He was moving slower than he was used to, almost sluggishly, then he felt a force land across his cheekbones as one of the men landed a punch. Then another to his abdomen and he was on the ground. His body refused to dodge out of the way as a kick rammed into his sides.
It was just before one of the men raised the end of his gun and brought it down towards him that he realised what had happened. Why his body couldn't move out of the way fast enough. Why it had taken him so long to notice they had been followed.
The odd feeling he had been having all night was not from nerves. Auel had drugged his drink.
He felt a sharp pain at the back of his head and then the world turned black.
She could do nothing but watch as they dragged Athrun's slumped form into the back of a parked van. Auel stopped her before another van and gestured for her to get in.
Cagalli turned to Auel and asked, "Why are you doing this?"
She wanted an explanation. She wanted to believe that there was a reason for his betrayal, that it could be justified. She wanted to still believe in him. But Auel remained silent, the blankness of his face almost cruel.
So Cagalli bit down her hurt and asked, "Since when?"
"Since the beginning."
Cagalli felt her heart sink, unable to believe it. That all this time their friendship had been a lie. She didn't recognise the Auel before her. With his distant cold eyes, and indifferent tone, it was like he was a completely different person.
He gazed at her and inclined his head in a silent order. Cagalli climbed into the van without a protest.
"Where are you taking me?"
Auel stood by the van's door, silhouetted by the streetlight outside. "The big boss wants to see you," he answered. "I'm taking you to Lodonia."
