Till There Was You

Thankfully, Athrun was given a clean bill of health. The physician in the emergency room eyed the couple suspiciously, but didn't really say anything. The black eye and injured crotch spoke volumes already.

"I bet he thought I was a psycho," Cagalli moaned.

"Maybe so." Athrun was driving her back home.

"It's not funny," she hid her face from view.

"Definitely not." Athrun hurt just thinking about it.

"So, what's your plan?"

"You sound as if I'm forcing you to take it easy."

"Aren't you?" Cagalli smiled, perhaps for the first time in quite a while.

He chuckled, "If it makes you feel any better, then yes. I demand that you get some rest."

"Then what are your orders?" She bit her lip in hesitation, "Can I, um . . ."

Not that he knew what she was after, but Athrun decided it was best to respond positively. "Yes. Whatever you want."

"Anything?"

"Anything within reason," he reassured her.

"Then you'll let me stay over?" Cagalli wanted to know firsthand what went on in the Zala estate. She had always been rather jealous of Meyrin. Not out of suspecting a relationship, as that was a recent concern. Cagalli had been jealous because Meyrin was so close to Athrun.

It was a good thing he had a firm grip on the wheel, because that question was almost too much for him to handle this early in the day.

"If you don't want . . ."

"No, it's fine. I, um . . . it's just so sudden." Athrun considered last night an exception. An emergency, really. Well, it did cause a trip to the emergency room.

Cagalli's mind wandered back to what Lacus had said the night before. Even I don't know if you two are really serious. "Athrun . . ."

"Yes?"

"I'm serious. About us. About everything." She tilted her head forward to hide her eyes with her bangs. It was something she often did when unsure of herself.

Taking a hand off the wheel, he reached out to claim one of hers. "So am I."

"How exactly did you get that?" It had been bothering Cagalli for a couple of days now.

A couple of days. Blissful solitude in the Zala house. Cagalli had taken up residence in one of the spare rooms, the furthest one away from Meyrin's. Not that Meyrin had come back yet. She was likely staying in her own apartment, well away from the green-eyed monster known as Jealousy.

Now she was on the couch in her pajamas leaning back against Athrun, who was also in his pajamas. It was quite late and they were pretending to watch some movie. The only thing remotely interesting about it was the explosions. Cagalli had always taken a great interest in explosions, along with a few other martial matters.

Cagalli took charge of his left arm and lifted his sleeve, running her fingers over the purple line. He had stopped hiding it from her. Cagalli always thought it curious that he never wore short sleeves or anything like that. Now she wanted to know more. Everything about him, really.

"I missed," he informed her.

"Huh?" She was so lost in thought that his answer didn't quite click.

Athrun took a deep breath, wondering how much he should tell her. "That particular wound wasn't intended, but at the time I wouldn't have minded if the cut was a couple of inches farther out." Athrun ran his finger from the scar to his wrist.

"I see. Things were that bad?"

"They were every bit that bad," he admitted. I don't think I've ever been more uncomfortable in all my life, talking about this with you.

Cagalli knew first hand how hard a time Lacus had. Athrun apparently took things a little harder. "I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me any more about it."

"Thanks," he kissed the side of her neck. It was the closest part he could reach in this position.

"I want you to know that I, um . . ." She slid around to face him, snaking her arms around his neck. "I . . ."

"You don't have to say anything, Cagalli."

She shook her head. I want to say it, but it's so hard finding the right words. I want it to sound profound and intelligent. But I guess simple and stupid will have to do. "I love you, Athrun. Please don't break my heart."

Without another word she leaned forward, pressing him flat on the couch. Pressing her lips to his.

Athrun and Cagalli ended up taking a week off. Well, not completely. Shiho kept them apprised of current events and they did work on a few critical issues from the comfort of the Zala residence.

Meyrin didn't come back until the final day. Incidentally, the Yamatos also came over.

There was still quite a bit of tension between Meyrin and Cagalli.

Perhaps it was Cagalli's profuse apologies or maybe it was Meyrin's inability to hold grudges among friends. Of course it could have all been for Athrun's sake, but regardless of the reason what tension remained didn't damper the game of Monopoly that evening.

Kira was winning. This naturally peeved Cagalli, who insisted that she had all the business sense in the family. Her natural response was to form an alliance with Athrun to defeat her brother. This, in turn, forced Lacus to join forces with Kira. Never mind that this goes against the all the rules.

In the war of attrition that followed, everyone had forgotten Meyrin who found it rather easy to pick off whichever team survived.

With it getting late, the Yamatos called it a night and began the drive back to the city.

"Please stay. At least a little longer," Cagalli begged Meyrin. "I really am sorry about the other night."

"Don't you ever bring that up again," the red-head ordered. With Cagalli looking as if she was about to cry, Meyrin finally caved. "Oh, alright."

"Thanks. I've been wanting to talk to you. Not about that. About other things."

"I guess Athrun's not much of one for girl talk," Meyrin laughed. "Sure. What about?"

"I know I'm not that great of a person. I've got a temper and I can be hard to deal with. But I love Athrun. More and more every minute." Cagalli let out a deep sigh, as if trying to ease the doubts out of her. "I don't want to come between your friendship anymore than I want you to come between us. Can we try to go back to being friends?"

"Who said you aren't my friend anymore?" Meyrin reassured Cagalli with a hug. "I'm just mad as hell. That was a terrible thing you did. To me and to Athrun."

"I know and I'm so sorry."

Meyrin threw out some bait. "You want to make it up to me?"

Cagalli eagerly took it, "Yes. I'll do anything."

"Don't ever hurt Athrun again. If you do, I'll kill you." Meyrin's normally kind eyes had turned to steel. "That's a promise."

Cagalli watched as Meyrin went upstairs to reclaim her reserved room. I think I finally understand now. About what Athrun was talking about when he said Meyrin saved his life. She was the one who had singlehandedly kept Athrun alive.

And Athrun had probably returned the favor somewhat by taking care of Meyrin after . . . that.

They say it happens all the time and never gets reported. This was the first time Cagalli had actually known about it though. But in all honestly, there was a time when she lived in terror of Yuna doing something like that to her. Meyrin, you poor girl.

"Something wrong?"

Athrun's hug from behind startled her. "No," she answered. "Not with you here."

"Did you two get things straightened out?"

"Yeah," she whispered.

Athrun tightened his hug for a moment. "I'm glad. Did she leave already?"

"No, she just went upstairs," was the response.

"Is that going to be a problem?"

Cagalli turned and shook her head. "I'm fine with it."

"Be honest."

Sighing, "Okay, I'm trying really hard to be fine with it. But when we get married . . ." Cagalli's eyes widened with the realization that she had actually spoken that aloud. "Oh, I, um . . ."

"Married?" Needless to say, Athrun was nearly floored by that. Once he recovered, he asked, "What were you going to say?"

"She better be staying on the opposite end of the house when she visits." Cagalli really was trying hard to come to grips with this. If Meyrin was a guy, she wouldn't give this a second thought. But it just so happened that Athrun's best friend was a girl. And an attractive one. Attractive enough to give this tomboy a reason to feel insecure from time to time.

"Aren't we getting a bit ahead of ourselves?" Athrun couldn't honestly picture being married. There were too many things going on with work. Not to mention the difficulties in just trying to get close to Cagalli.

"Do you think I'm too possessive?" She alread knew that she was, but she wanted a second opinion.

"I guess not. If it were me, I don't know what I'd think about it," he admitted.

"I have a confession." Can I really say this? It'll probably sound dumb.

"You can tell me anything."

"You've taught me a lot of things. About life. About myself. There were so many days that I had absolutely no reason to get out of bed in the morning. Now that I'm with you, things have changed so much. It's hard to think back to those days when I was lost and lonely." She took his face in her hands, caressing his cheeks. "Do you know what I'm trying to say?"

"I think so."

There were bells on a hill, but I never heard them ringing. No, I never heard them at all 'till there was you . . .