Disclaimer : GS/GSD is not mine. I'm just borrowing the character.

So sorry for the really late update. This chapter is kind of shorter than the others, but I hope you can still enjoy it! Thank you for all the reviews, you guys really encouraged me to continue this story.

Ch.11 : Stay

Cagalli already felt better, she already came back to her duty these past few days. Although she still didn't want to talk much and prefered to eat her meal in her room rather than together with the other worker, she even avoided Nicol, if she could. However, bizarre things happened to Athrun after her outburst last week. He suddenly acted differently toward her. He stayed at the mansion most of the time, never really left the place. He joined her at meals in her chamber, accompanying her in breakfast and dinner. He said it would be lonely for him to eat alone. She knew it was just an excuse, he always ate alone before this happened.

They didn't talk much when they ate, but almost everyday he always asked if she needed anything or how she was doing. She felt his gesture was warming her inside. He might didn't tell her his real reasons for his sudden behaviour, but she knew he was there to comfort her. Athrun was like his first friend in the west despite how they first met and how they connected after that. Now, she couldn't help but have a strange feeling of dependence toward him. Like when yesterday he didn't come to eat breakfast with her, she felt a bit disappointed. Nicol told her that he went to the palace, it was an important meeting that he must attend, so she just nodded and went to eat her breakfast silently without any complaints, even though the truth was she felt a little lonely.

When she thought back about this weird feeling she was having about him and what had happened in her country, she realized that she couldn't just stay there, she would be too dependent on him. So, she decided to go to the east as soon as possible, before she got too comfortable to leave the mansion. She needed to know what had happened, she had to find her brother and fixed all this mess. The pendant, she will give it to Athrun. The pendant was important, but solving all this mess, had to be her priority for now. Imagining she will say goodbye to Athrun and every person in this mansion was sad. Especially Athrun, despite all of his teasing, he did care about her. Maybe he thought of her as a friend rather than a subordinate. She was happy here, but still, after she knew about her father's death, she needed to find out what really had happened.

She remembered Stellar visited her the other day. She told her that Shinn was the one who saved them last time and maybe he already knew about who Cagalli really was. There was a high chance that Shinn already told Athrun everything. Funny thing was, Athrun didn't ask or tell her anything about that. So, she didn't really know if he already knew or just pretended not to know. Whichever it was, her first priority now is to go to the East and find her brother. She had to tell Athrun, she thought.

'I need to ask him now.' Cagalli walked out from her room to Athrun's office. He was here this morning, joining her at breakfast, but after that he said he was going to work, so she assumed he was in his office. She knocked on his office's door and he said she could come in from the inside. So she went in. She saw him was doing some sort of paperwork. He was too focused on his paperwork, so he didn't even look at her.

"Athrun." She called him. He looked at her for a split second and then immediately went back to his work.

"Cagalli? Do you need anything? Just wait for a few minutes. I will finish this as soon as possible." He asked, still reading the paper in front of him.

"No, it's not that." She said quietly.

"Then?" Athrun sounded suspicious.

"I- Athrun, I-I uh, I will resign from the job." There she said it. It was hard for her to say it, since she already promised him that she would pay him back. Unfortunately, she had to break that promised.

"About my debt, I- I'll give it to you, my pendant. It was supposed to be my-, I'm sorry, I can't fulfill my promise." She continued, her voice creaking. Hearing her words, he abruptly stopped from doing his paperwork.

"Can I ask why?" He looked at her intensely. He was in disbelief for sure. He didn't expect this.

"Something happened in the east. I need to go home, I need to find my brother. I know I'm a jerk for not keeping my promise but-" Before she could finish, Athrun cut her.

"Are you out of your mind? No, you're staying and that's final." He stared at her now, telling her that it was his final decision and he won't change it.

"You have no right! You know what? I don't even need your permission!" Cagalli was feeling angry all of the sudden. Maybe it was her tempt to let out all of her guilt these few days. She was frustrated, apparently crying was not enough. "You really have no right Athrun!" She shouted at him and then she burst out crying again, she didn't know why exactly she cried and got angry all of sudden when she was sure that she already got better. Maybe just maybe, this was too hard for her to take in.

Athrun stood up from his chair. He walked toward her and grabbed both of her shoulders. They were facing each other. "There is no way I'm letting you go to the east. Someone wanted to abduct you, did you forget?" He said softly, sad at her sudden burst in tears.

"But I can't stay here, I need to do something. It was all my fault. I had to fix this." She muffled, still in tears.

He let go of his hand on her shoulders and looked at her weary face, she got a bag under her eyes, he thought she must be crying a lot. He felt his heart wrenched at the sight, he felt that all his power was useless seeing her crying like that. He thought she already got better and she would forget about everything, but of course not, how could she? She was a very responsible person, he knew it and her father was killed. She won't just let it be. She must have wanted to do something. It's her nature. However, he couldn't let her go just like that. The risk was too high and he couldn't let her jeopardize her life.

"Cagalli, I know, you were worried about your family, but for now, please, stay." He needed to kick some sense to her. He lifted up her chin, so she could see him. She gazed at his emerald orbs, she knew this man cared for her. She didn't know since when, but it was clear. She could see it in his eyes.

"It's all my fault Athrun, you didn't understand. I need to do something. I have to." Still looking at him with the same intense gaze as he did at her. The difference was her eyes were full of tears and he was not, she knew it was a reckless decision to go to the east, but she had no choice, she needed answers, she couldn't just let herself have a comfortable life by staying in this mansion.

Seeing her state, Athrun couldn't stop the urge to hold her, so he hugged her tightly without any warning, she was startled but feeling comfortable at the same time, so she let him hold her.

"Please stay, so I can protect you. I promise I'll find a way to help you." He said as he kissed the top of her head. She didn't expect that, she was supposed to kick or punch him for kissing and hugging her like that. It was not appropriate, at all. However, she didn't understand why, on the contrary, she just let him do that. She found it so safe in his embrace. Her tears were still brimming but she hugged him back and leaned her head on his broad shoulder. It was so pleasant, she was so tired of crying every night, so she closed her eyes, and without realizing it, she just drifted to sleep.

She woke up in her chamber, still laying on her bed, she looked on the ceiling, she remembered, she just fell asleep on Athrun's hold. 'So embarrassing.'

"You're awake?" Athrun's voice surprised her. 'Since when he was sitting on the chair beside her bed?'

"Hmm yeah, I'm sorry for my outburst and for falling asleep." She could feel his gaze toward her and she couldn't help but blushed. 'What is wrong with me?', she asked herself.

"It's okay, I don't mind. Dinner?" He pointed to the table in the corner of her room. Apparently two servings of meals and drinks were ready to be eaten on the table. She nodded and Athrun stretched his hand to her, to help her wake up from her bed. She was again, blushing so hard just from the simple gesture. She remembered what Athrun did earlier. He said he wanted to protect her and he kissed her head. 'That is so weird.', she thought to herself. She accepted his hand and woke up from her bed. Now she was sitting beside him on the chair in front of the table with their meals on it. Strange, her heart beat so fast, she was nervous to sit beside him. She was so nervous and didn't realize she just kept being still.

"Here." Athrun sensed her silent and pushed one plate closer to her side.

"Thanks." She said uneasy. 'Seriously, what's wrong with me? Why suddenly I feel so anxious just sitting beside him?'

"Are you alright? You want me to feed you?" Athrun was confused, Cagalli still didn't eat her food. She just stirred and scrambled the mashed potato on her plate.

"Huh? I'm fine." She just realized she was being ridiculous. She acted like a kid who was just falling in love. 'How old am I? 15? Am I really falling for him?', she scolded herself and started eating.

After they finished their meal, usually Athrun would have just got out of her room and she'd be left alone. However, now he was just sitting there, he looked like he wanted to tell her something, but he was still thinking on what to say. After a deafening 15 minutes of silence, he finally spoke. "I meant it. What I had said earlier."

"Huh?" She was taken aback at the sudden word.

"Let's take a walk."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to stand. They walked out from her chamber to the garden outside. The garden was full of tall trees on the side and beautiful flowers in the center. There was a wooden bench beside the flower bush, which was facing a beautiful small water fountain.

The breeze outside felt so refreshing and the scenery was amazing. It was serene and so peaceful. 'How come I never visited the garden's mansion at night?', she asked herself. She looked at the sky, it was a full moon, so the moon shone so brightly.

"Beautiful." She said softly, almost a whisper. They were standing on the side of the fountain.

"Right? My mother used to ask me to walk with her at night if I was feeling upset." Athrun said. She looked at him, he definitely wanted to comfort her.

"Athrun, I-" She was hesitating, she still had not decided yet whether she would stay or went back to the east.

"I know, you're the princess, Shinn told me." He cut her.

"So, you knew." She nodded calmly, she expected that.

"I know you're not who you were told you were, but I never guessed that you're the missing princess."

Silence. Both of them didn't talk. She never knew Athrun had a suspicion toward her. After some moments, she decided to break the silence.

"I used to obey my father a lot, but he got me an arranged marriage with someone I hate."

"So you ran away?"

"Yes."

"That's why you said it was similar. Remember, when we're at the market?"

"Ah yes, at that time, I don't want you to know who I really was."

"Do you want to share your story?" He sat at the bench and pointed to her to sit beside him. She agreed and took a seat beside him.

"I almost have no life there. I can't do anything I want freely, but I always manage and cope with that. However, the marriage announcement, it was a disaster for me. I can't, I don't think I can live like that anymore and now all of sudden my father is gone." She continued, there's sadness in her tone. Of course.

"Cagalli-"

"I know he loves me, my father. He must have a good reason to do that. I can't believe he was killed. I really need to know what really happened." Cagalli was on the verge of crying again, but she tried to hold it. She had enough of crying. It won't help her.

"Stay. I'll do anything to help. At least make some plans before you go." He looked at her. This is hard for her. She didn't want to be too dependent on him and it seems like she started to fall for him. Looking at him beg at her like that, she just wanted to surrender. At least she would, temporarily.

"You know what, I guess I will. You're right, I have to make a plan first. Thank you Athrun." She gave out a serene smile. She realized he was right. She can't be reckless, she would gain nothing if she did something rashly. He smiled at her, a relieved smile. He was thankful that at least she would stay for now.

After the talk, Athrun and Cagalli were getting closer. Cagalli was back to her normal self. She asked Athrun if he could teach her more of defense training and Athrun gladly accepted her request. She also talked again with the other employees in the mansion. They never asked about what happened to her and she was thankful for that.

However, it didn't last for long because a week later, Athrun got a message from his father, he asked him to bring Cagalli to the palace. The King didn't mention any reason, but the messenger said it was important and he must obey this order. So, he asked Cagalli to go to the palace with him and she agreed. She was curious about what all this was about, but she kept it to herself.

When Athrun and Cagalli arrived at the palace, she noted that this was the first time she came to the western kingdom palace, after all these months living in the west. As she arrived, she was kinda weary of what kind of intention the King had for her that Athrun had to bring her to the palace. She thought of the reasons, but nothing seems logical for her. Except, Athrun had told his father about her identity.

She was too drawn on her thoughts so she didn't realize Athrun already led their way to a certain room. Athrun opened the room's door and when she entered the room, there were already some people occupying the room. When the door opened, the people in the room stopped chatting immediately. As she was looking through the room thoroughly, she caught a glimpse of someone she was sure she knew her entire life.

"I guess our guests have arrived." Said the Western King who sat on the chair facing the entrance. He could see immediately who was coming from his place.

"Kira?" She whispered, she was hesitating and then like he could hear her, the man she was suspected turned to face the entrance. "Kira!" She shouted. When he saw his twin, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Cagalli!" He stood up abruptly from his chair and ran toward the blonde girl.

"Kira! Thanks Haumea, you're saved." She said as she reached for his cheek. They stood facing each other now. She realized how much she missed him, Kira was different, he looked tired and a bit thinner from the last she met him. Afraid that it was all just an illusion, she embraced her brother quickly. 'This is real, Kira is here.', she thought. She missed him a lot, after the news of her father's death, she always wondered where her brother was, because Stellar said that he went missing too, just like her, but now he was standing right in front of her. She couldn't be happier.

So, what do you think guys? I hope you like it.