Dearka & Miriallia

Author's Note: Hi there everyone. As many of you may know by now there is an unconfirmed new rule on that is forbidding the writers to answer their reviewers. To be safe, I have re-worked all my chapters in case it is a fact moving my responses to my website. I will however still be answering reviewers, but you will need to go to my personal website through my profile and visit the Reviewers Response Page from there. This way you guys will still hear from me and at the same time I won't be breaking any possible new rules. (smiles) I know it's been so long since my last update, but unfortunately we had a death in the family and it hit me very hard. I'm only now feeling a little less depressed about things in order to write some new chapters. I'm already working on the next chapter as well, so I am hoping to have it up soon, barring no other life catastrophes. I'm also going to post the reviewer responses in a couple of hours. I just wanted to toss this up and then after the Simpsons I will type up all my responses for chapter 45. Hugs to all of you! Thanks again for the support everyone!

Disclaimer: It is obvious by now if I'm here that I do not own Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny or any other Gundam Series. But any characters I create to place in this world are mine (But I don't mind if you guys want to use them too. I have no problem with that. You don't even need to ask me. I enjoy sharing to make other stories the best they can be.)

Chapter 46

Awakening

The Next Day...

Dearka's eyes fluttered open slowly as the pain rapidly set in. His entire body was aching and his mind was beginning to spin out of control.

"Hey there," Shiho said sweetly.

Dearka blinked his eyes at her as his vision came into focus. He slowly moved his head from side to side in an attempt to figure out where he was.

"How are you feeling?" Shiho asked a confused Dearka.

"I'm back on the Voltaire?" he asked still looking around the room.

"Yup. So, do you remember what happened to you? Yzak and I have been worried about you," Shiho replied changing the cloth on his head.

"Yeah I remember, my father called security on me. I tried to fight through them to get Belle, but I was a little overwhelmed," he answered.

Shiho shook her head at him.

"A little?" she asked with a mocking tone.

"How long have I been out for?" he asked, his voice a little shaky.

"Almost three days. We got a tip from someone on where to find you. So Yzak sent Ian to pick you up," Shiho answered.

"A tip?" he asked curiously.

"Yzak didn't go into any more detail than that. He just said he got a tip and sent Ian out to avoid any questions from the crew," Shiho replied.

"So no one else knows?" Dearka questioned with a feeling of relief.

"Nope. Speaking of not knowing, we still don't know what went on when you visited your family," Shiho continued.

"I just told you, my parents called security on me and Belle is still with them. I have a feeling my father is going to do something rash with her too," Dearka restated.

Shiho stood up from the seat next to his bed and walked into the bathroom. She emptied the water basin into the sink and filled it with cool water. Dearka felt his face heating up and began to feel uncomfortable from the heat.

"I heard what you said, but what I want to know is why they did that to you, not what they did to you," she said from the bathroom.

He started to sit up from the bed when Shiho re-entered the room with the water basin refilled.

"Don't you dare get up yet, you still have a fever," she ordered.

He fell back down to the bed letting his head hit the pillow with a light thud.

"So that is why I'm feeling so dizzy and uncomfortable," he analyzed out loud.

"You're lucky that's all you're feeling right now," she stated.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I feel the pain from the bruises too. It's just not as bad as how much my head is spinning and the heat is flaring," he replied.

"Well, you had better get yourself together because you still have to face Yzak and you know he won't be as understanding as I have been with your avoidance on the matter of what happened," Shiho reprimanded.

Dearka sighed as he felt the damp cool cloth she placed growing warmer on his forehead. He couldn't even comprehend most of the things Shiho was really saying to him.

"Are you even listening to me?" Shiho scolded again.

Dearka's dazed eyes looked over at her, the heat from his face becoming almost unbearable.

"Here, let me change that again," Shiho said without him even needing to ask.

"Uh, thanks," he replied.

"Don't thank me just yet. You can thank me after I buffer the fight between you and Yzak later," she said smiling.

He smiled back at her and let out another deep sigh.

"Seems like you have a lot on your mind. You sure you don't want to share it with me first? It may help," she asked curiously.

"I just thought, I mean we have always been raised to believe that we are the most important things to our families. Am I wrong?" he asked still confused about the way it ended between him and his parents.

"We are," Shiho confirmed.

"Then why would they take her from me? Because her mother is a natural or because I didn't follow the path they set for me? I just don't get it," he continued moving his hand over the cloth on his head.

"I don't know why Dearka, but I'm sure your parents still love you. They're just a little upset and hurt right now. Wouldn't you be if Belle came home with a child in her arms when she is only nineteen?" Shiho reasoned.

"I," he started.

"Of course you would," Shiho finished for him.

Dearka closed his eyes and let his hand fall back down to his side on the bed before shifting to become more comfortable.

"I never thought of it that way," he replied honestly.

"Look, you saw how Belle's mothers' family acted when they met you and you saw how your family acted when you introduced Belle to them. Can you honestly say if Belle was in the same situation you wouldn't want to kill the guy that did that to her and could you imagine that guys' family would want any part of their child's indiscretions?" Shiho repeated.

"Miriallia wasn't an indiscretion!" Dearka defended.

"Maybe not to you, but to your parents she was," Shiho stated.

"You know, you really suck at making someone feel better," he huffed.

"I said it might help for you to tell me first, not that I was going to make you feel better about the situation. After all, you do still have to deal with Yzak and now you don't only have to rescue Belle's mother, but Belle herself," Shiho said.

"I don't think I would react the way Mr. Haw or my parents reacted. I would hope that I would react the way Miriallia's mother reacted," Dearka reminisced.

"So she was okay with everything?" Shiho asked now curious about his stay on Earth a few months back.

Dearka paused for a moment as he remembered his conversations with Mrs. Haw. He had wished his own mother had been so open and caring. It was the first time he could think that he actually wished his mother was someone else.

"I guess... I mean I can't imagine she was thrilled when Miriallia showed up on her doorstep two years ago, pregnant by some ZAFT soldier. But, she was kind to me and understanding of how Miriallia felt. In fact, I'm sure she even knows Miriallia's condition at this moment, but she never said anything to me. She still treated me as if I was part of the family," Dearka continued.

"Her condition?" Shiho asked with a hint of confusion.

Dearka shook his head realizing only he and Yzak currently knew about Miriallia's pregnancy from the time they spent together not long before.

"Uh, forget it, it's nothing," Dearka replied.

"You know, I don't like it when you or Yzak keep secrets from me," she warned.

Dearka smiled at her again with a devilish grin. All she could do was drop her head in defeat with a sigh.

"And I can only assume that means Yzak is in on this little secret of yours too. Don't think I won't find out what it is Dearka Elsman," she threatened but stopped pushing the issue.

"I'm sure you will. But for now, I want to keep it to myself. Yzak only knows because he was being nosey and reading over my shoulder," Dearka replied.

"Then does it have something to do with that note that was in your pocket at the ceremony? The one Ian was ranting about when we all got back to the ship that you didn't share it with anyone?" Shiho questioned.

"That's the one," Dearka replied still able to hold a smile.

He wasn't sure how he was managing to seem so cheerful. Maybe it was because a part of him was excited at the prospect of having the chance to be a real father from the beginning.

"Well, only if I can get her back safely," he thought the smile fading.

Shiho noticed his quick change from torturing her with a secret to genuine sadness shining through his violet eyes. She knew that look in his eyes all too well. They were identical to her own during the first war when she and Yzak had first met. Le Creuset had been so harsh to her, even when she followed his every order. He sent tears flooding to her eyes every night after training with the team. She had stared at them over and over again in the mirror.

When her focus was directly on Dearka's eyes, it felt as though she was standing in front of that mirror once again. If it hadn't been for Yzak's words to her that one time, she may never have made it through. It seemed strange to her when in the past she had been so strong, to be taken down a few levels by that man. A man they all learned was a maniac that was leading both forces down a path of destruction.

As she fell into her memories, Dearka cleared his throat to gain her attention back. He wasn't sure what world she had disappeared into, but was convinced it wasn't theirs.

"Sorry, I was just…" she started.

"Daydreaming," he finished with a small smile returning once again to his handsome tanned face.

"Yeah, I guess. Sorry," she replied with a slight blush from the memories of her first meeting with Yzak still dancing in her head.

Dearka had been MIA when she was assigned to the Vesalius so long ago and Yzak had been almost crazy with worry. He had even given up hope of Dearka actually surviving the battle when months had gone by with no word from any of the bases that he or his mobile suit being located.

"You know, he only gets so angry with you because he worries about you," Shiho said seeming random to Dearka.

"I do know," Dearka replied feeling lucky to have such a close friend.

"I wish you could have really seen first hand how he reacted when you were missing in the first war. He was truly devastated. To this day you are still his only real friend," Shiho mentioned sounding casual.

Dearka shook his head at her gently as he began to attempt sitting up again.

"And I wish you could have seen him when we first met up again. He didn't hesitate to point a gun practically in my face. But no, he has more than just me," Dearka said knowingly with a slightly mocking tone from his own memories of his reunion with Yzak and bringing a small smile to Shiho's face.

She knew he was speaking of her being another friend of Yzak's.

"It's not the same," she replied with an appreciative tone to her voice.

"Sure it is. You were friends first and you would still do anything for him and he would do the same for you, regardless of your relationship now," Dearka said knowingly.

Before Shiho could even answer, she and Dearka heard a banging on his door. It startled both of them out of their meaningful discussion over a true friend who may tend to be harsh on the outside, but was very kind hearted on the inside.

"What the…" Dearka started sounding annoyed.

"Can't be Yzak," Shiho answered standing up.

"No way, he wouldn't waste his time pounding on the door. He would have just over-ridden the code," Dearka stated getting angrier.

His anger turned to fury when he heard the voice outside the door finally speak up.

"Elsman, I know you're awake in there. Let me in, we have to talk," Ian yelled angrily.

"Didn't Yzak send him back to the Rousseau when I was gone?" Dearka asked Shiho in a mocking tone.

"Yeah, but he's like an untrained dog. He won't listen when you tell him to sit," Shiho said with a grin.

Dearka nodded his head to Shiho and she went over to open the door for Ian. When the door swished open, Ian had a look of shock that she was still in the room with Dearka.

"I thought you were Yzak's pet," Ian said glaring.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Dearka spoke up before Shiho could get any words in that may stir up a commotion in his quarters.

He wasn't really in the mood to hear Shiho and Ian bickering again, especially if he was about to have his own fight with him.

"Are you leaving?" Ian insisted.

Dearka looked up from his spot on the bed to see Shiho beginning to fume more. He felt bad that he was letting Ian get away with speaking to her like this, but right now, he needed Ian's help to get Miriallia home safely. Quickly she turned to look at him waiting for him to make the decision for her.

"It's okay Shiho, I'll be fine. I'll head off to see Yzak after too. You don't need to accompany me there. I can handle him myself," Dearka said thankful for her earlier offer.

"If you insist," Shiho said with a sigh.

She turned back around anger flaring up in her eyes once again as she saw Ian standing in front of her. Pushing her way by him, she made sure her shoulder hit his with a ferocious force, knocking him back a step.

"I'm okay Shiho, don't worry about me. No need to apologize," Ian called down the hall to her retreating form with his own brand of sarcasm.

"Ian! Is there some reason you were banging on my door or are you just trying to waste more of my time?" Dearka yelled at him.

Ian turned back to look at Dearka and entered the room. So many things had come between the two men in what was a short time that it didn't seem they would ever be able to go back to the way things were. But that didn't matter now. This had nothing to do with their newfound hatred for one another. It was probably one of the few things they were going to agree on besides rescuing Miriallia and Belle.

He walked into the room and looked around. In the corner was Belle's crib with her favorite stuffed animals she had acquired while on board the Voltaire. He wanted to smile when he thought of her adorable little face, but refrained from doing so turning back to Dearka.

"Look, I don't like you and you don't like me, so I'll just cut to the chase. Yzak transferred Renee to the Rousseau and I'm sure I know why he did it. The thing is, I know you would agree with me that this is no place for Renee. She's one of your friends too and you know as well as I do that she shouldn't be on an active war vessel," Ian informed him.

Dearka sat still on the bed for a moment thinking about what Ian had just said and began to get angry again. But this time, not at Ian.

"What the hell was Yzak thinking?" Dearka yelled out loud.

"You know very well what he was thinking. This is you're fault Dearka. If you hadn't been so paranoid in the first place and whined to Yzak about how you felt I was getting in the way of you getting back with Miriallia, this wouldn't have happened. You've dragged a completely innocent woman who happens to have a crush on me and isn't trained to handle these sorts of situations into the equation. I think that will risk more than her own life, but if she freezes out there, it could mean the lives of some of our crewmembers," Ian yelled back.

Dearka sat very still now, not even allowing a muscle to twitch.

"It is my fault. He's right. Yzak would only do that to get him out of my hair. But it's not like him to ignore someone's qualifications. So why would he…" Dearka began to think before it hit him.

"You know, he only gets so angry with you because he worries about you," Shiho's words rang into his mind.

"Damn it," Dearka said standing up from his bed and grabbing the rest of his uniform.

He threw his jacket on and buttoned it up while Ian stood there in bewilderment. He hadn't really thought Dearka would act on this situation so fast. He felt slightly guilty with the way he had been treating him lately. Almost like he was a spoiled brat who never took responsibility for anything when really he was just the opposite. Dearka had finished slipping on his boots and walked by Ian.

"I'll take care of it," Dearka replied ice lacing his voice.

"Good because Renee doesn't deserve to be used like this. Not with something that is between you and me," Ian said more calmly now.

"Just go back to the Rousseau and get ready. I'm going to talk to Yzak about locating Miriallia too. I still want your help if you are willing," Dearka said without looking back.

"You know I am," Ian stated following behind him and turning in the opposite direction toward the shuttle bay.

"Yzak, you have quite a bit of explaining to do yourself," Dearka thought stomping down the halls toward Yzaks' office.

End

Author's Preview: Neo's prepping the team. Yzak calls for backup and Dearka confronts him about the decision he made. Yay! Please read and review for me so I can continue on my happy way.

Reviewer Response: Hello to all my wonderful reviewers. Thank you so much for all your support and reviews on all my chapters thus far. I love you all so much! Again, sorry for short replies, I was a little late getting this chapter up because I've been so tired this week. LOTS OF HUGS! Unfortunately due to possible changes in TOS (which is still unconfirmed) all responses are now located on my personal website. Please click on my profile page to link to the website. Thank you.