DISCLAIMER: 'Rebound' is a story based on characters and situations from Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed which is a property of Sotsu Agency, Bandai Studios and TV Asashi. This work is non profited and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Unless specified, all materials in the web is work done by HERMIT JUNCTION. Please do not use without permission any text or artwork.

WARNING: Text and all related materials are rated PG13/T and may mild strong language, violence and suggestive adult themes unless otherwise stated. Please do not read if you are underage or maybe offended by such material. Spoilers for Gundam Seed.

NOTE: This fanfiction disregards the plotline of the original series' sequel Gundam Seed Destiny. Please see author's page for the site hosting of this fanfiction.

Gseed Aftermath Trilogy I:
REBOUND
a hermit junction project

Chapter 11

'She's leaving tomorrow, you sure you want to just end it like this?' Yzak asked, sliding into the booth of the nightclub Face Off.

'What are you doing here?' Dearka smirked at him. 'You never go clubbing.'

'Elthman!' Iwen Cavicog exclaimed from behind him, slapping Dearka's back. 'I can't believe you came here without telling us!'

'Hi guys.' Dearka greeted, turning around slightly.

'What's going on with you?' Lyn Stera asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Well…' Dearka shot a glance at Yzak, who leaned back slightly.

'Well, aren't you two my best soldiers?' Yzak greeted with a smile on his face.

'Ca – captain!' Iwen stammered. 'We didn't know you were here!'

'Hey Cavicog, how's my Vodka goin – hey Captain!' Nia Sier stopped in her tracks.

'So this is where you guys go clubbing.' Yzak looked around. 'I can see why your reports are always late.' He turned and narrowed his eyes at them.

'Well, I see Colonel Jule's having a private conversation with the Major, so why don't we just leave them alone and mingle on the dance floor, shall we mates?' Iwen said quickly, taking a step back.

'Damn he looks hot wearing civilian clothes.' Nia muttered, stealing a glance at Yzak.

'Go while we can!' Cavicog hissed, pulling her back. 'We'll see you tomorrow then Colonel! Come with Hahnenfuss sometime!'

'Dude, you have got lighten up. No one talks about work at nightclubs.' Dearka murmured, ordering another beer. 'You know what those guys think you are?'

Yzak gave him a look. 'What?'

'That you're crazy. You have no idea how many complaints I get from them.' Dearka replied. 'Lighten up! There's more to life than ZAFT.'

Yzak made a face. 'Like what?'

'Well, women for starters.' Dearka muttered, eyeing him.

Yzak raised his eyebrows suggestively. 'Who says I don't?'

Dearka choked on his beer. 'Oh no, don't tell me it's Hahnenfuss.'

'Get off.' Yzak nudged him the ribs.

'This dude your friend?' The bartener asked.

'My Commander.' Dearka replied. 'Give him lemonade.'

'Lemonade?' The bartender jerked. 'This is a nightclub.'

'Don't listen to him.' Yzak muttered. 'Just give me a beer.'

'You sure? Mommy's little boy?' Dearka teased.

Yzak raised a fist threateningly. 'I'm here to talk about your issues not mine. She's leaving tomorrow night.'

'So?' Dearka gave him a brief look. 'She's going to go home sooner or later.'

'Are you really being apathetic or are you just messing with me?' Yzak asked.

'She's got a life back on Earth.' Dearka muttered. 'And I'm not in that life.'

'Dude, you heard her in that god damn ward, you know it's not true.' Yzak took a huge gulp from his beer.

'I'm getting old for guessing games Yzak.' Dearka said. 'I'm tired of wondering what she really thinks I am. I know perfectly well that I'm a rebound and – '

'Are you sure, even now?' Yzak interrupted.

'I don't know.' Dearka snapped. 'I don't know and I don't want to know anymore!'

Yzak looked at him sideways. 'You feel betrayed?'

Dearka shook his head, taking a deep breath.

'You know,' Yzak set down his beer. 'I felt betrayed when you told me you were deflected to Archangel.' He paused, looking down. 'You didn't approve of ZAFT's plan of wiping out all the naturals.'

'So?'

'To be honest, I had the same thought.' Yzak said. 'I felt like a murderer. It hit me that I have come to put keeping myself alive as the top priority, at the expense of other's lives. After seeing Nicoli die, Athrun self-detonate Aegis and you being captured, this notion became stronger and stronger.' He turned and smiled at Dearka. 'You found another thing to push yourself, right?'

Dearka looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. 'What do you mean?'

'Look, all I'm saying is, you risk your life for this girl, risk being labeled a traitor of ZAFT and changed your principals around. I daresay that all this is because of her. So she used you as a rebound in the beginning, you let her and didn't mind. You were just taken back by the fact that she couldn't face you and ran away. You're just doing the same thing she did two years ago.'

'It's all over.' Dearka said shortly.

'Ask yourself if you really think it's over, or will it ever be over between the two of you.' Yzak said. Standing up, he tossed a few dollars onto the bar table. 'Keep the change.'

'You're leaving Captain?' Nia called over the crowd, pushing through the crowd.

'Yeah, still have a lot to do.' Yzak said, looking at the flushed girl.

Nia gave him a big smile. 'Well, I was wondering – '

'Don't even think about it Sier!' Lyn hissed into her ear.

'What?' Nia protested, pulling her arm away from him. She turned to Dearka. 'What did I do wrong?'

Dearka just shrugged.

'Let's go!' Lyn said, pulling her way.

'Wait a minute! I'm not finished…'

'Give it a thought.' Yzak gave Dearka a pat on the arm before shrugging on his coat.

Dearka looked at him. 'Why?'

'Because.' Yzak shrugged straightening his collar. 'There's too much history between you.'

'Thank you so much for sending her back Mr. Zala.' Mrs. Haww said, shaking his hand.

'It's really nothing, I'm glad I could be of help.' Athrun said, bowing his head slightly. He took a quick sip from the cup of tea. 'I should be going, I still have to report to the government and resume my regular duties.'

'She's up there right?' Rafe asked, putting his hands behind his head.

'Narlea's with her right now.' Mrs. Haww replied.

'I thought she had this big presentation.' Rafe frowned.

Mrs. Haww nodded. 'She cancelled it when I told her Miriallia was coming back.' She turned and smiled at Athrun. 'She was worried sick when the news that she was shot in PLANT came to us.'

'Yeah, well who wasn't?' Rafe muttered.

'I better get going.' Athrun stood up.

'Show Mr. Zala to the door.' Mrs. Haww said to Rafe, who pursed his lips and stood up.

'You're the one who killed Tolle?' Rafe asked before opening the door.

'You're a friend of Kira back on Heliopolis, he mentioned you before.' Athrun said, not offended by Rafe's curt tone.

'Too bad I was sick.' Rafe muttered.

'Athrun!' Miriallia called from the stairs.

Rafe's eyebrows furrowed. 'You do know you should be in bed.'

'I know, I just want a word with Athrun before he goes.' Miriallia said quickly, rushing down the stairs, almost tripping.

'I wonder how you get back in one piece every time.' Rafe muttered, steadying her.

Miriallia slipped on her shoes and pushed Athrun out the door, slamming it shut before Rafe could protest. 'Did he say anything offensive?'

Athrun shook his head. 'Nothing really, he just asked if I was the one who killed Tolle.'

Miriallia bit her lip. 'I knew my stupid brother would ask you that.'

'It really is okay.' Athrun said, 'as long as you're okay with it.'

Miriallia took a deep breath and gave Athrun a small smile. 'I am okay with it. We should just move on. I understand that it was war back then and there was nothing one could do under those circumstances. I understood that when I first knew you were the one who killed him.'

Athrun looked down at Miriallia. 'Can you really move on?'

'I can.' Miriallia said. 'I really can.'

Athrun nodded in encouragement. 'I really should go, I promised I'd get back by six thirty.'

'Thank you again, for everything Athrun.' Miriallia said, holding out one hand. 'Friends?'

Athrun gave a short laugh. 'Why not?'

Miriallia watched Athrun drive away before she went back into the house. Going directly to her room, she entered her room and sat down on her bed. She looked up when someone knocked on her door. 'Come in!'

'I was afraid you'd lock us out like you did two years ago.' Narlea said, closing the door behind her.

Miriallia looked at her weirdly as Narlea sat down on the bed. 'Why?'

Narlea shrugged. 'Well, you know…'

'It's not going to happen.' Miriallia said, looking down at her lap as she adjusted the strap of her sling.

'You had me and Rafe worried when you didn't return our calls three months ago when Elthman left.' Narlea said carefully. 'You saw him on PLANT didn't you?'

Miriallia nodded. 'It's over I guess.'

Narlea almost fell from her arms. 'What do you mean it's over?'

Miriallia took a deep breath and looked at Narlea. 'I want to move back to my downtown apartment tomorrow.'

'But – ' Narlea stood up. 'You need to be taken care of.'

'I'm okay!' Miriallia insisted, crossing her legs. 'Trust me! I can live without this sling.'

Narlea sighed and ruffled her shoulder length hair. 'I hope your decision will be a right one Miriallia.'

The rest of the day went by peacefully and after dinner Miriallia retired to her room after a quick shower with Narlea's assistance. She laid in bed, staring at the ceiling of her room, the soft moonlight shining onto her bed. She remembered Dearka lying wide awake that night after he had taken her on the fighter. She sensed him staring down at her, wanting to touch her but holding back.

During those nights, she'd watch Dearka's sleeping form, not daring to sleep too sound, fearing that he might go without telling her. He did in the end, reliving her deepest fear, the fear of him taking revenge on her, leaving her like she did two years ago.

She couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if the two of them were ordinary people, just a boy and a girl, meeting each other at school, starting an ordinary relationship where everything would just flow in a plain manner. They'd go out on dates, going to the movies, fighting for popcorn. She'd probably fall asleep on his shoulder in the middle of the movie and he'd have to wake her up, pissed. They'd walk along the promenade hand in hand, just happy to be with each other. They'd live happily, probably marry and be parents sometime in the future.

They'd be happy if the war hadn't stepped in and ruined everything. The aftermath of war made it hard for the both of them to make the first step. She knew that some people lived on with this void never filled and she had a feeling she was going to be one of them. War experience would never go away, people learned to live with it and she too had to too.

She had to learn how to accept the consequences of war and be responsible for it.

Rafe drove her back to her apartment downtown the next morning since he had classes. Miriallia was surprised that Rafe had actually bothered to clean the place for her.

'You owe me one, big time.' Rafe muttered, throwing his keys onto the counter.

'May I ask why?' Miriallia asked, throwing her duffle bag onto her bed. 'As I recall, you're more of a messer than me.'

Rafe snorted and plopped himself onto the easy chair crossing his legs. He turned and caught sight of the box he found, lying on the ground when he was vacuuming the place. 'What the hell is that?'

'That?' Miriallia looked at the box. 'It's nothing, just some old stuff I cleared out before I left for my book tour.'

Rafe shrugged. 'You sure you're going to be okay?'

Miriallia nodded. 'I'm sure, now get out of here before you run late for your lecture! You know you don't have a good record.'

'Yeah.' Rafe jumped up and stretched. 'I need to use the bathroom first.'

'Go ahead.' Miriallia said absently. She took off her sling, wincing at the tight bandages around her wound. It was almost healed, but she still had to be careful not to break the delicate wound or it might bleed again.

'You sure it's okay without the sling?' Rafe asked as he stepped out of the bathroom.

'I'm sure.' Miriallia assured.

Nodding, Rafe grabbed his car keys from the counter and headed for the door.

'Be careful!' Miriallia reminded, holding the door for him.

'Will do.' Rafe paused and turned. 'You remember… don't you.'

Miriallia nodded.

'Are you going to…' Rafe's voice trailed.

'I will, later.' Miriallia said.

Rafe looked away sheepishly. 'You mind if I chip in?'

'Get out!' Miriallia cried. 'Go another time, I'm sure no one will mind.'

'Him least of all.' Rafe muttered.

Closing the door, Miriallia turned and sighed as she faced her empty apartment. It was really empty. Running her hand through her mused hair, she sat on her bed, rummaging through her shoulder bag. She took out her organizer, watching as a photo floated to the floor. She leaned down carefully, picking it up. It was that photo of her and Tolle.

She looked down at it with a smile. Tolle was looking back at her with a bright smile on his face. He would have wanted her to move on, it would kill him once again to find that she was still grieving over him.

She promised herself she'd move on and she was going to do it.

Standing up, she opened the box and put the photo into it face down. The box was full of things related to Tolle and their relationship in the past, including presents he gave her, some of his personal belongings, photos of the two of them and his dog tag.

She had cleared it out before she left for PLANT, hoping it would clear her mind a bit. She had made up her mind and had hoped to see Dearka during her trip, which she did. She could still remember his shocked expression when he saw her standing in front of his door.

Taking a deep breath, Miriallia closed the box and sealed it with masking tape.

Sitting on the bed again, she flipped open her organizer, trying to find something. Frowning, she flipped through it again when she couldn't find it and started to panic. Tossing the organizer aside, she rummaged through her bag and dumped the contents out all together.

She had lost the picture of Dearka. How ironic…

It was really over between them, right?

'Happy birthday Tolle.' Miriallia said softly, looking down at his grave. Kneeling down, she placed the flowers on the grave gently. Closing her eyes, she prayed under the setting sun before standing up again.

She smiled down at the name carved on the grave and reached out one hand, tracing it. 'It's been some time. You won't believe it, but I got shot in the shoulder by an assassin during my press conference at PLANT. If you were here, you'd be freaking out by now.'

Miriallia sat down. 'I have Athrun to thank, he sent me back safely. He's the one who killed you during the war, but I know you'll understand. You're always the understanding one, right?'

She looked down at her hands. 'I love him Tolle, I love him but I missed my chance and I only have myself to blame. I'm an idiot aren't I? You'll flip out, I know you will.'

Miriallia sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. 'You know, I've been wondering what I like about him and the weird part was, I couldn't figure out what. When we were going out, I liked you because you were gentle, caring, thoughtful and I could depend on you. With Dearka… well, you could say he's caring but he wasn't that gentle and his thoughtfulness made me uncomfortable.'

She smiled. 'I tell you what Tolle, I almost killed him when we first met, stabbed him with a knife in the infirmary. Ssigh said that I looked scary later and I too was amazed at how broken down I was. Don't worry, I apologized later. You know, I felt bad for him, locked in the dark cells for so long. You wouldn't believe how shock the crew was when Dearka's Buster stood there, cannons loaded and all. I never really understood him during that short period, but I knew he was in pain, mental pain.

'To be honest, I didn't want to acknowledge his presence at all. He was always this irritating jerk who kept passing cynical comments. Murdock later laughed when I complained about our situation to him and said that if we were at preschool he would be pulling on my pigtails and pushing me down. The hanger even made money out of us!'

Miriallia looked up at the sun setting over the ocean. She stood up, breathing at the magnificent view before her. 'You get to see such a beautiful sunset everyday Tolle, I'm so jealous.' She looked down again. 'Maybe I'm better off alone Tolle.'

She sighed. 'I'm going to move on, even if I've missed my chance with him. I'm going to do it.'

'Are you sure you want to move on without me?'

Miriallia froze at the voice, not daring to turn around, fearing that it was just imagination playing her mind.

'Are you sure you want to move on without me Miriallia?' the voice repeated.

Miriallia turned slowly, feeling her heart stop at the sight of Dearka standing before her. He was staring straight into her eyes.

'I want to be with you Miriallia, this thought has never changed.' Dearka said softly, standing still. 'I love you, and this means I don't want to force you into a situation you don't want to be in. I'm tired of guessing, so I'm just going to ask you now before I go out of my mind, wondering what would have happened. You're moving on, but do you want to move on with me, or not? Just answer me and I'll leave you alone forever if you want me to.'

He was desperate for an answer, Miriallia could see it in his eyes.

'I don't deserve it Dearka.' Miriallia whispered, looking at him. 'I don't deserve this thoughtfulness of yours. You're too good to me and it makes me guilty and breaks my heart when I know I haven't treated you in the same way. I knew I couldn't have treated you in the way you deserved so I left two years ago, which was a wrong decision and I regret it still.'

Dearka looked at her silently, waiting for her answer.

Miriallia gave him a small smile. 'I want to move on with you, if you still want me after all this time.'

Dearka stared at her for a little longer before he walked towards her slowly. Looking down at her, he reached out one hand and caressed her face, wiping away the tears. 'I thought you said you hated crying.'

'I can't help it.' Miriallia whispered, looking up at him.

Smiling, Dearka wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a careful embrace. Miriallia rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. It was really him, he was here. He was going to leave, he wasn't going to melt away and go beyond her reach.

He was there.

Miriallia suddenly threw her arms around Dearka, catching him by surprise. 'Forgive me.'

'For what?'

Miriallia tightened her grip. 'Everything.'

Dearka pulled away. 'He's going to be okay with the two of us right?' He shot a glance at Tolle's grave.

Smiling Miriallia nodded. 'He's going to be happy for me.'

'There's too much between us Miriallia.' Dearka whispered, resting his forehead on hers. 'Let's start all over.'

Miriallia smiled and reached out both hands, holding the side of his head. 'My name's Miriallia Haww.'

'Dearka Elthman.' Dearka leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. Reaching into his jacket, he took out the photo he found in her hotel room and showed it to her. 'Will you go out with me?'

Miriallia looked at the photo in awe and took it. 'I thought I lost it.'

'Oh no, you're not going to lose it, you're not going to lose me if I can help it.' Dearka said, brushing strands of Miriallia's hair back from the breeze. 'So, you want to go out with me?'

Miriallia smiled back. Leaning forward, she kissed him in response. Smiling against her lips, Dearka let them sink into the kiss as the sun almost completely set.

It will be a fresh start for the both of them when the sun rose tomorrow. The past has set with the sun and they were going to face tomorrow together, and many other tomorrows.

End of Chapter 11