Title: Memorial Album
Subtitle: Remember to Forget
Summary: One year after the war, Athrun abandoned Cagalli so he could save Mia from death. That night, Cagalli met a car accident, which resulted her in the hospital for a whole month. When she finally regained consciousness, she was unable to remember her past. With an empty memory album, she wanted to fill the missing holes. Yet, in the darkest part of her mind, she wanted to forget…
Disclaim: Okay, since I don't want to do this every chapter, because it breaks my heart, this will be the last time I'll be saying this. I don't own…-sniff-
A/N: Thank you to all those that reviewed! I love you all! n. n And now, here is the second chapter that you've all been waiting for!
(Memories, how unfortunate to have them…yet, I don't want to lose the image of you…)
"My name is Cagalli, what's your name?"
"You promised me you would stay! You promised…"
"I don't want to shot, but I can't let you go and take that machine. It can kill a lot of Earth people!"
"The hell with you!"
"Cagalli? Cagalli…please wake up…Cagalli?"
The girl upon the painfully white bed did not move or even finch. She laid motionless, her skin had turned pale over the night and her heartbeat had weakened.
"Come on Cagalli…wake up…"
"I'll protect you""If you go for my gun, I'll have no choice but to kill you. So don't even think about it alright…"
"Don't worry, I'll be here…"
"Are you crazy! Throwing a loaded gun like that!"
/Who is that…who is he? Why do I keep hearing his voice/
Millions of questions flew pass her mind, as she sat there in the darkness, not a trace of light could be seen. While on the outside, she was unconscious.
"Cagalli, remember the first time we met?""Of course! How could I ever forget? I still haven't forgiven you for mistaking me for a guy."
"Hey, don't blame me. You're the one that attacked me first."
"Hmph!"
"I'm so glad to of met you…"
/Why can't I remember…/
She could feel tears trail down the side of her cheeks; the droplets reached the floor and the sound of it echoed. There was a dim blue aura around her tears, and it gave her light in this pitch black.
"I'm sorry…"The voice faded away. But before everything could fade into blackness, an image flashed by. She see blurry, a young man with blue hair. His eyes are unclear but he was wearing a black jacket. And than beside him, appeared another boy, with short brown hair, he was closer and had purple eyes. She'd recognise that it was her brother, and than when the image started to slowly fade, she'd see Lacus as well, but she was wearing a blue and white summer dress, she looked much younger, much brighter, much happier. And than everything vanished into darkness.
"Kira…" A gentle, soft voice called out.
"It's okay Lacus…I'm fine…" The young man replied, still not taking his eyes off of his sister.
"No you're not, you haven't had a proper sleep in a week. Come Kira, you need to rest." She sat down next Kira, and replied in a more demanding tone, which surprised the brunette.
"Lacus is right Kira, go get some rest. I'll watch over her." That familiar voice helped Lacus in convincing Kira to get some shut-eye.
"Don't you." The twin brother of Cagalli, sighed as he turned away from his sister to look at Athrun, "Just…promise me that you won't leave again…Athrun…"
Kira knew the reason his sister got into that car accident, but he also didn't blame Athrun, he was only trying to save Mia Campbell's life. Yet, now, he felt unsure whenever he had to leave his sister under the blunette's care when before, he didn't even think about it.
"Kira…" Lacus looked worriedly at the two, knowing their friendship isn't holding on.
"No, promise me first Athrun…"
"That, I can promise you when she's asleep…when she can't see me. I don't want to be the one to bring back her memories. I don't think she would want to remember…" Athrun Zala, the one who used to be so sure of his ideas, so strong when he was speaking. Now, he could barely talk above a whisper.
Kira could only stare at his once best friend. It was obvious what Athrun was holding back. He stilled loved her…
"Athrun I—"
"It's okay Kira. I understand."
"…" Kira lowered his head, and stared down at the floor.
So much has changed. Athrun knew he could never give Cagalli the happiness she deserved. So instead of bringing back the painful memories, he could only watch her from afar. Cagalli was much happier without her memories, anyone could see that. She was finally smiling, laughing like a normal person. She was so much more carefree now…no worries of her country, of him, or of anything else. She deserved that kind of life. Athrun forced his mind to be happy for her, yet his heart sank. It broke. It was broken long time ago, and it healed a bit, but it could never refill that empty hole where Cagalli once were.
"A…Alex…" All eyes turned to the patient on the bed.
She had just murmured out his fake name. The name he used when he was still Cagalli's personal bodyguard, but that was two years ago, how can she still remember?
And as time ticked by, her eyes began to flutter. As soon as they were motioned to open, Athrun exited the room and leaned against the wall outside, knowing Cagalli can't see him again, or else her conditions would get worse.
"Kira…" That was the first person she saw as she regained conscious.
"Cagalli! I'm so glad you're okay. How are you feeling?" The brunette rushed to her side with Lacus following close behind.
"I…I'm fine…I just have a bit of a headache is all…"She replied softly, her voice was weak and held little strength.
The blond-haired girl tried to get up but was held down both Kira and Lacus.
"You need rest Cagalli…please don't try to get up so soon…" Lacus's gentle voice told her the instructions given by the doctor a while back.
"Oh…" She looked around, and saw the machines attached to her arms.
"W-where am I? What happened?" Cagalli turned to the two currently in the room, curiosity and little bit of panic surfaced in her eyes.
"Don't worry Cagalli, you just blacked out and…yeah…" Kira knew it was best to not tell her why she went unconscious; after all, he knew Athrun wanted Cagalli to be happy, and so did he. And the only that was going to happen is if she never remembers…
That night
"Lacus, you should go home. You can come over tomorrow." Cagalli tried her best to convince the pink-haired princess to go but she refused.
"Mm…Kira told me to get someone to stay with you tonight and since everybody went home, I'll stay myself." She smiled up, and replied.
"But…Lacus…"
"Don't worry Cagalli, I'll be fine, I'm not like Kira who doesn't sleep…" She reassured the blonde as plopped a chair beside the bed.
"Thank you…" lacus just smiled in return.
After a few moments of silence, Cagalli decided to speak again.
"Lacus…I…I've been having these pieces of flashbacks…it's nagging at me all day…" Lacus frowned lightly at this, before she hesitantly questioned.
"What have you been you seeing?"
"Well…the strange thing is…I…I see you and Kira and another boy…except you two were younger…" Lacus made no sound, she knew at that instant that the memories will eventually come back to Cagalli when after so long, she remembered nothing.
"And…you were in a summer dress…and the other one had short sapphire hair, I couldn't quite see him as well as the two of you…" The once strong-willed pop star of PLANT listened to every word that came out of Cagalli, knowing exactly what she was talking about.
"Lacus? Why do I see you two? Have we met before the car accident?" She wanted answers, and even though she'd lose her memories, she never lost her stubbornness.
"Cagalli…I…I don't think it's a good idea to tell you that…" Lacus had her head low, and her eyes found interest on the floor below.
"Why not? Don't you want to help me regain my memories?" By this point, Cagalli was confused, She'd thought all along that all her friends were trying to help her but now she wasn't so sure about it.
"I don't think you would…want to remember Cagalli. Your past, i-it's not exactly pleasant…and yes, we have met before…Kira…we think that it's best if you let your memories go, sometimes it's fortunate to not have memories…" She'd stutter along the way, and tried her best to explain to the blond-haired girl yet not giving anything that would trigger her mind.
"But Lacus…it wouldn't be all bad right? I can't have every single moment of my memories be painful…I must have had some happy times…right?" She had panic raise in her heart; her past was a painful one? She doubted a bit, does she really want those memories now?
"Yes of course you had, but those moments never lasted long…and they were always followed by anguish and agony…" Upon hearing that happiness existed in her memories that were once in her memorial album, Cagalli was more relieved.
"It doesn't matter Lacus. Those might be one of the most happiest moments in my life, and I don't want to let this chance of remembering slip by…I want to remember, even if most of the times it's painful, but I can always heal from those wounds…"
"But Cagalli…what if…what if in your memories…you remember somebody that you loved dearly…what if…. you remembered him…leaving you?" She was hesitating so much that it took about a minute to finish that sentence.
/leaving me…/
"I'm sorry Cagalli…I have to go…I can't stay…""Mia…her life is in danger and I don't go, she'll…die…"
"No, Cagalli, I-I never want to leave you but…I have no choice…"
"Please try to understand this…"
"Cagalli…"
"STOP IT!" Cagalli shook her head furiously, trying her best to get rid of that voice, while messing up her blond hair at the same time.
/That must be him, the one I was in love with. /
"NO! I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER YOU!"
"Cagalli! Cagalli calm down! Cagalli!" Through the thick voices inside her head and buzzing through her ears, she could hear the distant calling of Lacus and focusing on her gentle voice, she tried to pull herself out from this pool of stained memories. All these words, they were stabbing at her heart, making it bleed. Yet she did not know why…
"Cagalli! Are you okay?" She has never seen Lacus act so frantic.
"I…I'm fine…" Finally, she had settled down, the voices faded once again.
"Oh god…I knew I should of never mentioned anything to you. Please Cagalli, you're happy now aren't you?" Lacus looked at her, hoping she would now know what she had. Hoping she wouldn't let this new life of hers pass her by…hoping she won't want to remember…
"Yeah…you're right. I am happy now…I don't need my memories…" She smiled up at the blue-eyed girl, and seeing that, Lacus gave a relief sigh.
"I don't want to remember…" It was spoken like a whisper in the wind, she'd watch Lacus slowly fall asleep by her bed, and than silently, tears once again trailed down her face.
Even when she didn't want to remember no more, one by one, the pictures still filed into her memorial album. She had no choice on the matter…she wasn't sure if she was trying remember…or trying to forget…
"Athrun…"
To Be Continued…
A/N: OoooooOOoooooo, suspense. ;3 bhahaha…evil me.
Well, I hope the second chapter was just as good as the first! XD My writing skills are lowering…I can feel it going away…WAAH! –sniff, sniff-
Anywayz, I know, Cagalli was OOC when she talked to Lacus...but please keep in mind that she did lose her memories...
Okay then, be back here next time! RnR! Luv ya!
