Chapter 14 Hustle & Bustle
A/N One of you asked me in my reviews how long I was going to make this fanfic, well just for your information, this is the second last chapter, in other words meaning this fic will only have 15 chapters. However, do not fret, I've got plans for yet another Athrun&Cagalli fanfic, I'll tell you the title in the next chappie. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!
"You sickening, insolent, insensitive brat ofa natural! Your mouth seems bigger than you really think it is!" hollered Patrick Zala, heading at a quickening pace toward Cagalli, who was backing away helplessly.
"Insensitive? Speak for yourself, won't you? You're a totally barbaric person, and not to mention, also an insensitive wart!" Cagalli bellowed back, straining to keep her voice stern instead of the quavering sound that was being emitted from her vocal cords.
The senior Zala hurled forward and grabbed Cagalli by the collar of her sleeveless red shirt, lifting her clean off her feet. "You want to see what's barbaric? I'll show you!" boomed the senior Zala.
"No... NOOO! Leave her... alone..." came a strangled voice from the corner of the ward, a voice which Cagalli recognised as none other than Athrun's.
Patrick Zala's attention was diverted to his son, his piercing eyes reduced to slits, as he glared ferociously at his son. Athrun slumped against the wall, fighting for control over his weak limbs as he struggled to pull himself to his feet.
Although Athrun was physically weak, his conscience and mind were crystal clear. He knew very well, what was going on around him, and although his eyelids were as heavy as they could ever possibly be, Athrun still focused his emerald eyes on his malicious father.
The blue-haired co-ordinator glared at his father, a powerful glare that was fueled by his undying hate for his father. A glare that clearly showed the hate and frustration within Athrun himself, a glare which featured tongues of flame within his emerald orbs.
"Athrun... ATHRUN! What are you doing!" exclaimed Cagalli desperately, knowing that even though Athrun was Patrick Zala's blood son, the senior Zala had blood that was beyond freezing point, and his heart, made out of such unbreakable stone, that he wouldn't even spare his one and only son.
It was a clear cut that Athrun was physically no match for his father, and although the blue-haired co-ordinator lived with a clear conscience, he was both mentally and physically drained.
Already for the past several days, Athrun had spent his time experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Breaking out into cold sweats, his stomach pumping up everything he ate, and constant migraines.
"If you... want to... to take it out... on... on someone... take it out...on ME. Leave Cagalli and... anyone else... out... out of this." stuttered Athrun, straining to breathe, as he staggered and swayed to his feet.
"Hmph, do you think, that when you're in such a state, you can actually overpower me?" questioned Patrick, raising a disapproving eyebrow at his son. "Wouldn't it be nice, if your mother, Lenore Zala, could actually be here, on this very day, to see you, her very son, in such a pathetic state?"
Athrun's eyes widened at the very sound of his mother's name. Yes, it was true, he was unfilial by disoveying his father's orders, and what's more, falling head over heels in love with a natural, but then again, his mother always told him to follow his heart, and certainly right now, his heart wasn't telling him to pay heed to his father's instructions.
"I'm sure Athrun's mother would've wanted him to make the best out of his life! In addition, I'm sure she would be saddened just as much, to see the man she loved and married, and to whom she bore a child to, have a heart as hard as a boulder!" Miriallia suddenly said, which was her very first line since she arrived back at the hospital.
"SHUT UP! DON'T YOU DARE TALK LIKE THAT ABOUT LENORE, IN FRONT OF ME!" boomed the senior Zala, turning to face Miriallia, and shooting her a penetrating stare that sent a shiver down her spine.
The auburn haired girl, shuddered and moved closer to her brunette fiance, who wrapped his arms protectively around her.
"You've changed... as long... as you continue... to... to be this way... I will never... ever acknowledge you... as my father... again!" exclaimed Athrun, mustering all his strength just to get the words out of his mouth.
"Why you! YEEAAAAAAAAAARGH!" yelled the senior Zala,hurtling right toward Athrun and delivering a powerful blow into his son's stomach, causing the blue-haired co-ordinator to wretch, coughing up specks of blood.
A sharp and piercing scream erupted from Cagalli, as she dashed forward falling to her knees beside Athrun, who was now curled into a ball on the floor, writhing in pain and clutching his stomach.
Apparently, Dr. Murrue Ramius had called in the security guards and had given orders to have Patrick Zala removed from the hospital and handed over to the authorities for inspection.
"You're such an asshole! Why did you bother standing up for me when you knew perfectly well you were no match!" wailed Cagalli, wiping the blood from Athrun's mouth and hoisting him, with the help of Ochika and other nurses, back up onto his bed.
"If anything happens... to me, it's at least better... than if... it happens to you... I need to... repay you... for what I did to... to you before." replied Athrun, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"You fool! You're already suffering retribution in the plight you're in now!" cried Cagalli, tears falling from her eyes onto the alabaster skin on Athrun's face.
In the background, Patrick Zala could be heard yelling and protesting as he was dragged away by security guards.
As onlookers and hospital staff dispersed from the ward, Murrue called Ochika aside for a quick word.
"Nurse Ochika, althought his is a little sudden, it's good news. In the little frenzy earlier, I'm sure you witnessed Athrun actually being able to stand up and talk, right?" questioned Murrue, a look of pure excitement playing on her features, as Ochika nodded in reply. "Well , if I'm not wrong, Athrun's condition should be improving. If the guy is able to sleep throughout the night without waking up from withdrawal symptoms, he would've fully recovered from his addiction!"
"Oh my goodness, is this true? Cagalli will be overjoyed if she hears this!" exclaimed Ochika excitedly, her hand clamped over her mouth.
"However, don't get her hopes up to high, it's just an assumption." said Murrue, clearing her throat and reverting to her usual formal self.
"Yes ma'am," replied Ochika, saluting the woman doctor before returning to her nursing duties.
"Don't you ever do that again, or I won't give a care about you ever again!" snivelled Cagalli, using the back of her hand to wipe the fresh teardrops from her face. Clearly, the blonde girl's rage showed through her saddened expressions, there were flames burning within her honey-brown orbs, as she stared down at her beloved.
"You'd better pay heed to her words, because knowing her as well as I do, she means what she says." advised Miriallia, taking a few strides closer to Athrun, Kira trailing along behind.
Athrun just smiled weakly, before turning over onto his side, facing his trio of friends. "That father... of mine, death is... too good... for him."
"Don't get me wrong or anything, but how can you speak like that of your father?" questioend Kira, hoping the blonde girl by Athrun's side wouldn't catapult to her feet and jump out at him.
Miriallia's jaw dropped, and Cagalli looked absolutely stunned. The blonde girl's expression changed from a weary look, to a look of pure fury.
"What do you mean by that! That guy mistreats everyone who stands in his way or does as little as disrupt him by accident! Look at how he treated Athrun earlier on? His own flesh and blood son, and yet he doesn't give a damn about their relationship!" exclaimed Miriallia, throwing her hands up in the air and looking open-mouthed at her fiance.
"Yeah, are you out of your mind! Gentle and naive you may be, but you've seen with your very own eyes how that senior Zala faced every single one of us here, just now! Knowing fully well that Athrun, his son, is already so weak, that his limbs are like wet paper, he still had the nerve to pin Athrun up against the wall!" yelled Cagalli jumping to her feet and glaring at Kira, who looked somewhat reproachful.
However, the awkward silence that followed was interrupted by a light snore coming from the bed behind Cagalli.
The three gazed down at Athrun, who looked fast asleep like a baby in its cot, and snoring too.
"You know, that is what I've never understood about Athrun. At the level of noise we were making, how could he possibly have fallen asleep? Even when I met him on that godforsaken island, we were in the middle of combat, or at least in combat range and yet, he could still fall asleep." remarked Cagalli, restoring her temper, before sititng down beside Athrun and brushing a few strands of hair from his face.
"Umm Cagalli, I've got some news for you," stated Dr. Murrue Ramius, smiling gently at Kira and Miriallia.
"Should we leave the both of you alone, for some privacy?" asked Miriallia politely, awaiting a reply from the female doctor.
"No, there's no need. I think the both of you should hear this as well," said Murrue brightly. "I'm sure you all witnessed what happened earlier on, am I right? Well, the fact that Athrun was actually able to stand and talk on his own, is a sign of tremendous improvement. What I'm assuming is that, he's just weak for now, but if he's able to sleep troughout for at least 8 hours without awakening from withdrawal symptoms..." but before she could finish, Kira cut in.
"He would have recovered from his addiction, is that what you mean to say?" asked Kira, a look of eagerness and excitement playing on his gentle features.
"My thoughts exactly," replied Murrue, her lips breaking into an even toothed smile, as she gazed down at the trio standing before her.
"So there is hope after all! We're approaching the light at the end of the tunnel!" exclaimed Miriallia joyfully, her eyes welling up with tears of joy.
"Don't set your hopes too hight though, it's just an assumption of mine," warned Murrue knowingly, winking at Cagalli.
"Don't worry, Dr. Ramius's assumptions usually always prove to be true," reassured Ochika, joining the conversation as she came into the ward, to help take Athrun's temperature.
"Goodness, he's got to be sleeping like a log! He didn't even feel the electric thermometer being fitted into his ear!" exclaimed Ochika, laughing jovially as she read out Athrun's temperature as, 'normal'.
"I'm not surprised, he's probably exhausted from his ordeal. Oh yes, I know I'm saying this a little out of the blue, but Cagalli, you know you're really lucky. From what I've seen, Athrun has a good heart, he's loyal and faithful, although things he might've done before, were all done in trances of uncertainty and fear." remarked Murrue wisely, smiling down at Cagalli, who just grinned.
"And his charming good looks are just a bonus to Cagalli," said Kira teasingly, looking at Cagalli, whose face had gone a brilliant shade of magenta at his statement.
"I don't really care if he's good looking or not, what matters is that he's faithful to me, and that he'll stay by my side forever." stated Cagalli, folding her arms and holding her head up high.
"Do you mean to say that the moment Athrun's back on his feet and in the pink of health, you'll marry him if he proposes to you?" asked Ochika, biting her lip and trying hard not to laugh when Cagalli's eyes widened.
"Err well, I didn't really think of that when I said what I said earlier," said Cagalli, forcing a laugh.
"Aww come on, you know it yourself. You WILL say yes if he proposes, won't you? He's your benefactor you know, he's your Mr. Right." remarked Miriallia, nudging Cagalli gently and raising an eyebrow at her.
Cagalli blushed a deeper shade of red, before clearing her throat. "We'll all just have to hope that Athrun will sleep throughout the night and wake up fully recovered."
"Don't change the subject Cagalli, marry him, ok? He's such a charming young man, he's got everything from a good heart to sizzling hot sex appeal! In that case, if you do marry him, you shouldn't have a problem working hard with him in giving me grandchildren!" squealed Ochika happily, "Aah! I can imagine carrying those little bundles of joy! Then later they'll start crawling and walking! Aaah!"
Cagalli looked horrified at her mother's words, "Mother! You're thinking too far out!"
The blonde girl just folded her arms, pouting as she slumped down onto the side of Athrun's bed, while the otehr engrossed themselves in laughing their heads off.
Cagalli gazed gently at Athrun, "Get well soon..."
A/N Ok, here's the second last chapter! The last part was a little lame, I know, but it just popped into my head, so I decided to write it out. Anyway, pls review, and I hope you liked this chapter!