Author's Note: Thank you so much for all those who reviewed my story, and those who read this but due to certain matters was unable to review. Your support to my story means a lot to me

I do not own Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny and their characters.

I present you Chapter 9! bows

CHAPTER 9

Cagalli stirred silently, feeling a foreign sensation surrounding her, every single neuron in her body jolt suddenly. Although her body demanded rest, the princess forced herself to open her heavy-as-boulders eyelid. She took a deep breath, a familiar sweet scent came upon her nostrils, and she forced herself to sit up.

The vision processed by her weary and fatigue brain was blurry at first, but become clearer as seconds past. She was sitting on a big bad, in a cream colored, tidy and big room. She glanced around and an image of the city of ORB twinkling in the night through the transparent glass panel in the room made her gasp.

Where am I?

Cagalli tried to move, but her movements were restrained. She looked down on her body, not realizing until now that she was wrapped by several layers of blanket, her wet school uniform still clung on her skin,

What the hell is this?

"I see that you are awake," a deep voice from behind startled her. Cagalli turned to see the person she least expected seeing-Athrun Zala.

"What are YOU doing here?" Cagalli questioned, despite her condition, her feisty attitude was still intact.

Athrun cocked an eyebrow, eyeing her amusedly with his deep green eyes. "Actually princess, I LIVE here."

That made Cagalli's mouth shut, but only momentarily before her mind started ticking again. "Wait, why am I at your place?"

Athrun looked at her with a serious expression, and Cagalli flinched silently at his sudden personality change. "I kidnapped you." He simply stated.

"What! Why the hell would you want to kidnap me for?" she demanded, staring at him in disbelief.

"The fact that you are the Princess of ORB is more than enough for me to kidnap you."

Cagalli laughed sarcastically. "And what benefit would you get by kidnapping me? You do realize I have nothing don't you?"

It was Athrun's turn to laugh sarcastically, and he walked closer to the bed. "You do realize that you are the heiress of the ORB Government don't you?"

Cagalli shrugged. "Yeah. So what?"

Athrun smirked. "If I marry you, then I would certainly have control of ORB. Isn't that something worth going on the trouble to kidnap you?"

Athrun's words made Cagalli choked. "What!"

He is not serious is he?

Athrun's emotionless face made Cagalli chill to the spine.

He's serious! I cannot believe this!

The vision of Athrun's smirk made Cagalli's brain turned into killer mode. Swiftly, even with the layers of blanket wrapped around her lithe body, the princess pounced on her so-called captor.

"You jerk!"

Athrun was now lying on the floor with a fuming Cagalli on top of him, her hands clutched the collars of his shirt, and her eyes looked at him dangerously. Although the situation was at Cagalli's advantage, he still managed to eye the girl on top of him amusedly.

Looks like she gained back her lost feisty attitude.

"I don't mind the kidnap-me-and-force-me-to-marry-you thing just because I can beat the hell out of you. But the fact that you are cheating on my friend is totally unforgivable."

Athrun raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

Cagalli tighten her clutch on Athrun's collar. "Don't play dumb Zala! Or did your head hit the floor too hard that you even forget your own fiancée's name?"

"Fiancée?"

"Lacus Clyne? PLANT pop-idol? YOUR fiancée? Ring a bell?"

"Ex-fiancee" Athrun corrected.

"Huh?"

"Lacus Clyne WAS my fiancée." Athrun stated.

"Huh? What? But Kira said-"

We haven't announced the break off. No wonder Kira told her that.

Athrun smirk when she heard Cagalli muttered something that sounds like 'stupid little brother'.

"Aargh! Whatever! Then I'll just beat you for kidnapping me and forcing me to marry you." Cagalli said, clenching her fist.

"I wont stop you, but-" Athrun was cut short as Cagalli tried to punch him in the face. Being a Coordinator with inhuman reflexes and his military skills to top, he dodged it gracefully before pinning the shocked princess on the floor.

"-I am properly trained for combat," Athrun finished, smirking at the flushing girl under him.

"Why you- Lay a finger on me and Kira would beat you to a painless death!" Cagalli shouted while trying o break away from his strong grasp.

"Oh really?" he dared challenge her, even though he was now in control. The princess's reactions never cease to amaze him.

"Even though you kill me now, I'll make sure to haunt you for the rest of your life for revenge," she hissed.

And suddenly, something unexpected happens, something Cagalli least expected to occur. She felt Athrun's body shook, and she finally realized, Athrun Zala was laughing!

She looked at the boy, again with disbelief. What is so funny? Did he saw a cow flying? Or has he gone nuts?

"You really believed me, didn't you?" he asked between laughs.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Cagalli asked, knocking his head lightly several times. "Athrun Zala? Can you read me? Are you in there?"

He continued laughing.

He has truly gone nuts.

"You are so naïve, did you ever realize that?" he asked, with a smirk on his handsome face.

And then it occurred to her. The whole kidnap-and-marry-me issue, it was all a hoax! Athrun Zala tricked her and she willingly let herself be tricked by him! As the realization hit her, she blushed, the part of her forced to marry Athrun made her face even redder.

"Y-you tricked me!"

"You simply let your guard down and let yourself be tricked," he stated smartly.

Cagalli looked away from his green eyes, still blushing. "Well, it's not my fault. You were so convincing and serious." She muttered.

"Part of the skills I learnt at the Academy," he said proudly, before laughing again.

"Stop laughing!" Cagalli commanded.

"Why would I?" he asked, still laughing.

"You're embarrassing me!"

Athrun stopped laughing abruptly, and eyed the blushing princess who was struggling to be freed. They were so close, and he was never, ever this close to a girl before. Something then ticked in his mind-their current awkward position.

The then smirking Athrun Zala was now blushing slightly, however the tint of red on his cheeks were not noticeable, not to a Natural though.

Immediately, he stood up, leaving the cocoon-wrapped Cagalli on the floor.

"A little help would be nice," Cagalli muttered, still blushing, not expecting the boy to hear her.

Athrun smiled and took her hand, causing the still blushing princess to blush more. He then helped her get on her feet.

"Sorry for wrapping you with those blanket." He apologized and Cagalli blinked in surprised.

Cagalli punched on his shoulder playfully, frowning. "Why must you apologize? You did nothing wrong. And besides, I'm the one who should thanking you."

A smile appeared on Athrun lips, "I should've done a better job to keep you warm. I should've changed you into a dry peace of clothing, but, uh-" Athrun looked away to stop the princess from noticing that he was blushing.

"Thanks." Cagalli mumbled.

"Don't mention it. So, uh, the blanket was the best that I could come up with."

Cagalli smiled a sincere smile. "It really kept me warm, so stop fretting."

Athrun chuckled. "Well, I think you should take a warm shower and change into something dry. You'll get a cold if you don't."

"Yeah, right. So where's' the bathroom?" Cagalli glanced around the room.

Athrun lead Cagalli to the bathroom and handed her a light-blue shirt and black pants. "Sorry, this is the best I could offer you."

Cagalli took the clothes and poked Athrun on the forehead. "Don't apologize."

"Huh?"

"Stop apologizing! Why must you apologize for every single thing?"

"Because I think it was appropriate to apologize. I don't have any girl's attire to offer you."

Cagall looked at the boy funnily. "It's fine, really. And besides, it would be too weird if you do give me a girl's clothing. It's already weird if you have one in the first place."

Athrun raised an eyebrow quizzically. Cagalli sighed. "Forget it. If I catch you peeping, be assured that I'll castrate you as soon as I'm properly dressed." Cagalli warned.

Athrun chuckled. "I hear and obey Your Highness."

Athrun lay on the bed which was occupied by Cagalli earlier, reminiscing the incident earlier.

I haven't laughed that much for so long.

The picture of a fuming Cagalli came into his mind.

Cagalli Yula Attha. You intrigued me.

Athrun watched her closely as she took a sip of the hot-chocolate. She was wearing the clothes he gave her earlier. His clothes.

Cute.

Cagalli glanced around the living room, totally captivated by its beauty. Simple, yet beautiful.

"You have a nice place." She said.

"Thank you."

"Do you live here alone?" She asked, still glancing around.

"Yeah."

"Aren't you lonely? Living all by yourself?" She asked, looking straight into his eyes, searching for any emotions that will surface.

"It tends to sometimes, but I don't mind," he said absentmindedly.

"Why don't you stay with Dearka and the others?"

Athrun chuckled, "Then I would lose the peace I crave. You know how they are, especially with Yzak and Dearka."

Cagalli smiled, "That bad huh? I wonder how Nicol was able to survive them."

Athrun smiled slightly, "He has his own ways."

An awkward silence suddenly engulfs the room.

"So, you want to talk about it?" Athrun asked, breaking the silence between them.

Cagalli looked up, puzzled. "About what?"

"The reason you are at the beach, in the middle of the rain," Athrun simply stated.

Cagalli looked away from his prying eyes. 'I-uh, I was just enjoying the scenery." She blurted out.

Yeah, right. Lame excuse Cagalli.

"In the middle of the rain? You have to do better than that princess."

Cagalli tried to think of any other reasonable excuse, but Athrun's word caught her off guard.

"It's Shinn isn't it?"

Cagalli found herself unable to mutter any coherent word. She managed to ignore Shinn's words since she found consciousness, that is, before Athrun mentioned that person's name.

Moments later, she found her voice back, and she managed to speak yet her voice was just above a whisper, emotions building up inside her.

"H-how did you know?"

"I noticed the tension between you when he and Stellar showed up at our usual spot at the Cafeteria this afternoon."

"Y-you noticed?"

Did everyone else notice? Did Kira noticed?

"Don't worry, no one else besides me notice. Not even Kira." He replied knowingly, as if he could read her mind.

Cagalli felt her mind getting weak every second. Tears started to well up and her body began to shook slightly.

I must not cry. I must not appear weak.

The mantra repeated itself in her head, but she felt herself already losing, the emotions inside her dominated, and her tears started to flow freely.

Athrun, concerned, sat next to her, and touched her shoulders gently, reminding her that she was not alone. "I'm here for you, Cagalli."

His words touched Cagalli's heart, and she cried harder, throwing away all her restraints from before, her pink cheeks were now soaked with tears. Athrun looked at the crying princess with concern, tempted to wipe away her tears but his mind told him that it was not appropriate.

However, the next thing he knew, she was in her arms, relaxing to his embrace, her crying face buried in his chest. He rubbed her back, whispering soothing words to calm her.

"Feeling better?"

Cagalli's face was still buried in Athrun's muscular chest, her crying subsided. She felt another rush of emotions took her, embarrassment.

"Cagalli?"

The princess let go of the prince, loking down, unable to meet with his piercing gaze.

"I-I'm fine. Thank you." She answered, her cheeks tinted red.

Cagalli Yula Attha, stop blushing NOW!

Athrun smiled, which made Cagalli even redder, "Want to talk about it?'

She considered Athrun's words. Do I want to talk about it? Yes, I NEED to talk to someone.

Her heart craved to talk to someone, to lessen the burden on her shoulders, but her mind kept tormenting her not to burden others.

She clenched and unclenched her fists in frustration. And finally, she spoke, "I don't want to burden you with my silly problem, Athrun."

Athrun smiled again, making her feel the rarely existed butterfly in her stomach. "It won't be a burden Cagalli. And your problem is not a silly problem, keep that in mind."

Cagalli looked up at him with hopeful eyes. She desperately needed someone to talk to.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Promise?" she asked again, and held out her pinky finger.

The amused look on Athrun's face appeared again, her sudden childish demeanor again managed to captivate him. He then intertwined his pinky finger with hers.

"Promise"

That was all that she needed to hear, and she told him everything.

Athrun listened attentively, trying to digest every single information coming out from her mouth. He never saw himself as a good listener, but then again, all his friends claimed that he was, so who was he to argue with them.

After some time, the blonde beauty stopped, and took a deep breath.

"It sure feels a lot better after talking to someone." She said.

Athrun smiled, before turning all serious again.

Both of them were silence. Cagalli, trying to control her swirling emotions and Athrun, thinking. He was thinking for all the possible reasons for Shinn to behave that way to the girl beside him. His mind ticked at a rapid pace, just like a soldier forming strategies to win a battle.

"Hey," Cagalli's voice suddenly stopped his train of thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"You don't have to do anything you know. You had really helped a lot just by listening to my musings."

Athrun looked at the girl beside him.

"I-I just don't want to burden anyone, so, please don't think so much about it."

Athrun smiled. How this girl still managed to think for others when she herself was troubled mesmerized him.

"Actually Cagalli, I might have a found the reason to Shinn's behaviour towards you. Or rather towards the Athhas.

Cagalli looked at him, obviously surprised.

"Cagalli, does the name Kei Asuka seems familiar to you?" Athrun asked.

Cagalli pondered. Kei Asuka. Kei Asuka. That name does sound familiar. Where have I heard it before?

Cagalli smacked her head suddenly, and it hit her.

Kei Asuka! The Head Technician in Morgonreate that works together with Chief Erica Simmons!

Wait, what does he have to do with this?

Athrun, answered her doubted, even without her asking. "You see, Cagalli. Kei Asuka is Shinn's father."

"Oh. But what's that got to do with my problem?"

"Everything." He simply answered.

"Cagalli, Shinn's family is a poor family, due to something happened recently, three months ago to be exact. They desperately need money for Shinn's sister's medications." Athrun began.

"Impossible! The salary given to Head Technicians are very high, even higher than most businessmen earn! They could easily get the best doctors in the country to treat his sister!"

Athrun nodded, confirming Cagalli's words, before continuing. "However Cagalli, currently, Kei Asuka is unemployed."

Cagalli looked at him confused, "Huh?"

"Your father fired him Cagalli, for no reason, or so they say. That is why Shinn hated the Atthas. His sister's condition is worse lately, due to the lack of medications. They can't afford them now that Kei Asuka is unemployed."

That explains his attitude towards me. But-

"Wait! What do you mean he is unemployed?" Cagalli asked.

"I mean what I said Cagalli. He's currently not working, and by not working, he can't earn any money to treat his daughter."

"I know that! But my father would never fire a Head Technician for no reason! And besides, firing a Head Technician is a serious thing, it would take weeks to find another suitable candidate and by then, all the projects at Morgonreate will be haywire!"

Athrun kept silence, letting the princess to continue.

"Father would never do that. Even if he did, I would have known about it from Chief Erica Simmons or Kisaka."

Athrun mind started thinking. If her father didn't fire Shinn's father, then somebody must've done it and put the blame on her father. The question is who would do such a thing?

Cagalli looked at him worriedly, "Athrun. Do you think-"

Athrun nodded gravely, and Cagalli's eyes darken. "If I found who's behind all this, I'll kill that person myself." She hissed.

Athrun eyed her determination, but the childish words that came out from her mouth due to anger made him chuckled.

"What's so funny!" she demanded to know.

"Nothing." He answered innocently, and continued chuckling.

"What?"

"Calm down princess, I know you are determine to catch the culprit, but let's take things a step at a time okay?"

Cagalli relaxed and regained her composure. "Okay. What do you think we should do next?"

"We'll investigate the matter later, but for now, let's have dinner."

"Dinner! How could I think of something such as eating at a time like this!" Cagalli said, but was silenced once more as her stomach began to make its own sound, and this made her blushed furiously.

"What was that?" he asked innocently.

Cagalli glared at Athrun, her cheeks still red. "Fine, let's have dinner." She grumbled.

"Wow Athrun, these are really delicious!" the blonde princess exclaimed enthusiastically while munching the prawn tempura.

Athrun smiled, "I'm glad you liked it."

She swallowed the tempura, and took another big, juicy, delicious prawn tempura. Holding it in her hands, she pointed it at Athrun. "You'll be a great husband Athrun. Lacus would surely be fat eating all these delicacies everyday."

Athrun chuckled, "She's my ex-fiancée, remember?"

Cagalli stopped chewing suddenly, "I'm sorry."

Athrun eyed her, puzzled. "Well, I'm sorry that things didn't work out between you and Lacus." She said slowly.

Athrun smiled slightly, "It's okay Cagalli, we both didn't want the engagement, Lacus and I."

"But why not?"

"Because we didn't love each other. Do you want to get married to someone you don't love Cagalli?"

Cagalli shook her head, her golden locks dance gracefully when she did this. "No."

"But how can you NOT love Lacus? I mean, she's beautiful, graceful, polite, sweet, charming, and totally ladylike, she's practically a goddess incarnation." Cagalli blurted.

"She is all that you say Cagalli, but love is not based on just that. And besides, I think she and Kira would make a perfect couple don't you think?" Athrun said.

Cagalli stared at him for a moment before saying anything. "You knew!"

Athrun chuckled, "Of course I knew. It's totally obvious that Kira has feelings for her."

Cagalli snorted, "And he's such a coward not to confess it to her."

"He's just shy Cagalli. You know how your big brother is." He said, intentionally mentioning the 'big brother' part.

"Little brother," she corrected dangerously, which made Athrun chuckled.

"Of course."

"You still haven't told me why you were at the beach." Athrun suddenly said.

Cagalli blushed. "If I told you, please promise not to laugh about it, okay."

"Of course. Why should I laugh?" he said, smiling.

"Well, I went to the beach because it reminded me of my father. After what Shinn said, I just want to be near him, to cry out to him." She said smiling.

"But of course, it's not possible. He's gone, forever." She continued sadly.

"But the beach, it was the place he always took me whenever we had the rare time together. He always loved the beach. And when I'm at the beach, I felt calm, as if he was beside me." She smiled.

"I guess, I'm weird huh?" she said smiling at him.

He shook his head, "No. It's perfectly normal."

I've been doing that a lot too.

Mother.

"Oh, and by the way Athrun, can I have the recipe for this tempura? I'm not really familiar with Japanese cuisines." She said, cheering up.

Athrun smiled warmly and said, "Of course, just hold on a sec." He then stood up and walk towards the kitchen counter, taking a piece of paper and a pen, and started scribbling the recipe.

"Here it is. "He said and handed the recipe to Cagalli, who was looking at her funnily.

"What?" Athrun asked the eyeing princess.

"You didn't asked me anything." She simply stated.

"Huh?"

"You didn't question me."

"What is this all about Cagalli?" he said, partially confused.

Cagalli pointed at him. "You must really hit your head hard back then when I pounced on you. I'm sorry."

"Cagalli. What is this about?"

"You didn't asked me anything when I asked for the recipe. You didn't question me why I wanted the recipe." She simply explained, still looking at him funnily.

Athrun smiled at her, "Why must I ask you those questions? You are just interested to cook your own dish, what's wrong with that?"

"Tell that to every single soul in the universe." She mumbled.

"Cagalli?"

"Well, most people will either look at me funnily, asking me questions and freak out."

Athrun chuckled. "I can't believe them all. Is it really that weird for me to cook? Do I look like someone who have no talent whatsoever in the kitchen?" she asked.

Athrun smiled and said, "Actually, I think you look like you know what you're doing, be it in the kitchen or maybe in anything else."

"Tell that to Kira. I can't believe my own brother questioned my cooking skills!" Cagalli said exasperatedly.

"Maybe he's just surprised, Cagalli"

"Yeah, right. Everyone is surprise that the princess can cook." She said sarcastically.

"I'm not." He added.

She looked at him funnily. "You sure you don't want to check your head?"

Athrun smiled, "Maybe I'm just not most people, princess."

Cagalli smiled back. "Of course, Prince Athrun. But don't get too cocky."

Athrun glanced at the sleeping form in the passenger's seat. She was breathing lightly, her hair cascading down, in the dim light of the night, she looked like an angel.

She looks so vulnerable, and not to mention, cute.

The blue-haired teenager then focused back to the road.

Kira Yamato was sitting at his living room, restlessly. He kept lancing at his watch. It was now near ten.

Where is she?

The reason for this Ultimate Coordinator's restlessness? His sister was not home yet, and it was already very late. The night was dark with no moon, due to the rain. The air was chilly. How horrible it would be if Cagalli's still outside. Who knows what might happen to her.

He tried desperately and asked all his friends and all of them didn't knew of her whereabouts. Well, almost all of them actually. Kira didn't manage to contact his own best friend, Athrun. Usually, he would trail him down, Athrun was always too much thinking, too serious, and he really needed to do something fun once in a while.

But tonight was different. He was to preoccupied with his sister, his only sister.

Suddenly, he heard the faint familiar sound of Athrun's Lamborghini in front of his house.

What is he doing here this late?

Kira Yamato then walked to the door, unprepared for what he was going to witness.

"Athrun, what are you doing here this late?" Kira asked, his best friend's back facing him.

"Kira, I'm sorry to disturb you this late, I'm here to drop the princess." He said, and turned facing Kira.

Kira was shocked. His expression was priceless. Athrun was carrying his sister in his arms, bridal-style!

Athrun looked at him funnily. "Kira? Are you alright?"

"Athrun, what is my sister doing in your arms?" Kira tried to ask in a calm voice, inside, he was boiling madly.

"She's sleeping. I didn't want to disturb her, She had a tough day." Athrun replied.

Kira was still not satisfied. Not that he didn't trust his best friend, but his protective instincts urged him to interrogate his best friend a little while longer.

"Why was she with you in the first place?"

"I found her unconscious at the beach, in the rain." Athrun answered.

Wow, Kira is really protective of his sister.

Finally satisfied, he said "Come in."

Athrun placed her gently on her bed, with Kira watching closely. Kira then realized that she was wearing Athrun's shirt.

"Is that yours?" he asked, referring to Cagalli's attire.

Athrun nodded. "I didn't have any girl's clothes, so that's the best I could offer her."

"Oh."

"Thank you Athrun, for bringing her back." Kira said sincerely, leaning at the doorway of the front door.

Athrun smiled, "No problem. Kira."

Kira was tempted to ask. "Did you and Cagalli, um, did anything?"

Athrun turned pink slightly, "No, I would never do anything to disgrace her."

Kira smiled. "I know I could trust you Athrun."

Athrun smiled back, before leaving.

Kira stared at the darkness fro a while.

"Actually Kira, I think there is someone who could handle her better than you could."

Kira stared at Lacus, as if she had grown horns on her head. "And who might that be?"

Lacus smiled knowingly, "Only time will tell."

Kira suddenly smiled.

Athrun Zala.

END CHAPTER

Thank you for reading another chapter of A Beautiful Life! You guys are the best!

I apologize for the late updates, had a lot of things in hand. I would like to thank my faithful reviewers, mariad, jenniferseedlover, Myouseiseed, Asga, Genny-chan, and to all my readers, hountouni arigato gozaimasu.

Oh yeah, Shinn's father's name? I made that up. I don't think they ever mentioned his father's name in the anime.

I hope you liked this chapter, I sure did enjoyed writing it. Were both Athrun and Cagalli OOC? Is it too fluffy? Please give your comments, you guys inspired me to write more.

And for those who wnts AsuCaga romance, I'm not sure if this chap satisifies you, (they are still not a couple), but I like to take things slow, romance will bloom, but slowly . (If anyone wants to kill me now, please don't..I'm too young to die ; )

Thank you again.

Please review.