Hi Everybody!

Another exam finished which means I can post another chapter! Hurray! Thanks again for reviewing. It's really nice to see that some of you are enjoying my story. Again, I'm new to fanfiction so please forgive me if I make a few mistakes.

Again, thank you so very, very, much.

Anyway, here's the third chapter. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or any references to it.

Gundam Wing: Abhorrence

Chapter #3: Arrival and Encounter

It wasn't until Cagalli and Athrun had taken their seats and were in space on a flight destin for the Earth that Cagalli became extremely anxious. Sitting there, it finally dawned on her that she'd be entering a region that had once been dominated by extremists bent on the extermination of all the Coordinators. She shuttered as goose -bumps formed along her arms despite the fact that she was indeed sweating.

Glancing over, her jaw nearly dropped when she realized that Athrun had his head resting against the window with his eyes closed. He had managed to curl in on himself and was snoring softly. His bangs fell lightly over his eyes, making it difficult to see whether or not he was indeed asleep. Leaning over, Cagalli took a closer look and realized that he was in fact asleep.

Cagalli groaned and shook her head. Her father hadn't been too impressed when she explained to him the situation she had come across last time she had been in Helsinki. It wasn't the fact that she was returning to a place that held such strong, anti-coordinator sentiments that had concerned him rather it had been her decision to allow Athrun to go along with her. It had been selfish and she knew as much yet, glancing over at him, she realized that she needed him by her side. She wouldn't let anything happen to him… they had faced greater confrontations together than this and had managed. This would be no different.

"Athrun," She muttered and nudged him. "Come on, you have to stop doing this to me."

"Huh?" Athrun blinked a couple times, trying to focus before lifting his head up slightly. "What? Are we there already?"

"No," Cagalli replied. "But you fell asleep again."

"It's a nine hour flight," Athrun retorted and huffed. "You should probably catch a few winks before we arrive. Otherwise you will have jet leg."

Cagalli nodded but said nothing. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't let her eyes close in fear of suddenly waking up and finding the one she loved gone. The Blue Cosmos had been strong, stronger than anyone had ever given them credit for and if they were intent on carrying out their threats then she was certain that they most likely already knew about Athrun. It was hard not to. Athrun's father had been a powerful man… and a dangerous one. Athrun, however, had also made a name for himself through his numerous demonstrations of superior skill on the battlefield. With a sigh, she turned to face Athrun who had stretched back in his chair, gazing blankly out through the window.

Just watching, Cagalli couldn't help but feel as though someone in the heavens had smiled upon her by allowing her the gift of Athrun's friendship. From day one, his friendship had been unconditional and Athrun had offered it freely. Never had she had a friend she had come to care for or hold so dear and she couldn't help but feel if she had had such a friend growing up, she would have been much happier.

"Athrun?" She asked carefully and paused, taking a deep breath. "Can I ask you something?"

"You're going to ask me regardless of what I say," He laughed and grinned slightly. "What is it?"

"How did you ever become so close to Kira?"

Athrun drew back, surprised by her question. "I don't understand."

"My brother," Cagalli continued. "You are all so close. How do you manage?"

Athrun eyed her strangely. "I'd hardly consider friendship being some sort of bother. I guess the importance of my friends always was a first with my mother and those views were passed on to me." His expression saddened at the thought of his mother. Had it really been 3 years since he had lost her? Sometimes, it seemed like only yesterday he would run home expecting to find her there to greet him, to hug him and to tell him how proud she was of him just as she always had. She had been what had held their family together all those years and after her death; the family had all but dissolved.

Snapping out of her stupor, Athrun noticed the lost look in Cagalli's eyes. "You and your friends have parted ways," He observed, quietly.

Cagalli nodded. "The friends I had were never close. My family traveled around so much I never got to know anyone well enough to consider them a friend. I haven't spoken with any of them for about 2 years now. I send them a Christmas card every year but never bother to open the ones they send me. I never had a friend like you are to Kira."

"Hmmm," Athrun acknowledged her before frowning. "Why the sudden interest in friends?"

"No reason," Cagalli answered, perhaps too hesitantly but Athrun didn't push the issue and for that, Cagalli was grateful. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Athrun and Kira were probably closer than she and her brother ever would be. She remembered the day after Athrun had self-detonated while attempting to kill Kira and the tears that had followed. She had cried for lost ones many times but never with such emotion as she had witnessed while watching Athrun's tears fall. The threat of the Blue Cosmos had made her much more aware recently about had important the people she cared about were. She, a Natural, had fallen in love with a Coordinator. An individual whom many still believed was dangerous. Perhaps at one point she may have agreed but every time she looked at Athrun, she was reminded of how few differences there were between them. Drinking in the sight of him renewed her determination to find a way to end the conflict between their people so that they too could live in peace and happiness.

"Does this trip have something to do you with some friends of yours?" Athrun asked, suddenly regretting wanting to come. Perhaps, this was a trip Cagalli should be taking alone after all.

"Not really," Cagalli confessed. "Don't worry about it, Athrun."

Athrun nodded, a soft, understanding smile splitting his lips. "I understand. I never told you this but Kira was probably the only real friend I had growing up. My father…well… to put it simply, the name 'Zala' scared a lot of people. I had trouble making friends as well."

"Oh?" Cagalli raised an eyebrow. "I find that hard to imagine."

"You can interpret it any way you want," Athrun replied and shifted his chair. "Didn't you ever wonder why I became so could at building little mechanical toys?"

"You did that…" Cagalli couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Because you were lonely?"

Athrun blushed and looked away. "I suppose you could say it was something like that."

"I guess even the great Athrun Zala had problems," Cagalli rolled her eyes sarcastically and smirked. "Imagine that." It wasn't meant to be rude and judging by the way Athrun simply shrugged it off, he hadn't taken any offense.

"I'm going to rest for a while," Athrun announced and shifted in his seat to get comfortable. Before closing his eyes though, he threw Cagalli a playful yet warning glare. "Do not wake me up this time. Unless the ship is going to crash, I don't want to be disturbed."

"I suppose I should do the same." Cagalli muttered and sighed. She watched in envy as Athrun so easily closed his eyes and drifted off into oblivion. If only she could do the same, however, each time she closed her eyes she could see Jibril and his associates reaching out for her, mocking her and taunting her.

Yet, as time pushed on, Cagalli felt her eyelids slowly going heavy regardless of how hard she tried to keep them open. Releasing a deep breath, she let herself gradually join the world of the unconscious.

Sleep wouldn't be kind to her as nightmares plagued her mind. They swarmed about her, drowning her. She could see Jibril's face cruelly taunting her as she kept on hearing threats against her friends and even her brother echoing in her mind.

Cagalli suddenly jerked awake, wildly swinging her arms out in defense against an unseen enemy. Her left fist struck something hard and she heard a sharp yelp, pulling her out of the world that lied between conscious and unconscious.

Looking around, she grimaced when she noticed that Athrun had his hand raised to his cheekbone and was massaging it gingerly. He looked somewhat dazed before shaking his head slightly.

"Athrun?"

The look she received made her want to dig a hole and bury herself. Athrun's cheek was already starting to bruise and his eyes were smoldering with fire. Shifting, he glowered at her irritably. The blow had caught him off guard and had immediately wrenched him out of his peaceful slumber.

"Is the ship about to crash?" He demanded darkly, his words buried in malicious sarcasm.

"No." Cagalli muttered and slumped in her chair, her shoulders hunching foreword. "I'm sorry…"

Six hours later, Cagalli found herself hypnotized as suitcase after suitcase drifted past her on the conveyer belt at the Helsinki docking bay. Fighting to keep from being pushed aside in the crowd, she struggled to look over the heads of those in front of her, searching for her belongings. Around her, people were busy scrambling, rushing about either trying to catch a flight or get on with their lives after landing.

"Hey Cagalli!" The sound of Athrun's voice was sharp and Cagalli winced as she snapped out of her stupor.

Turning, she acknowledged him as he came rushing over, his eyes sparkling brightly with his carry bag swung over his shoulder. Her eyes moved to the people around him as he moved past them and noticed the strange looks he was receiving. Athrun seemed completely oblivious to them but Cagalli knew better. He had grown accustomed to facing hostility and suspicion. How people could sense he was a Coordinator escaped Cagalli but she guessed that the strong aura of confidence the radiated from his very being put others on edge. It had done the same to her… until she became more familiar with him.

As he approached, Cagalli recognized that unmistakable grin on his face – the grin that only appeared after Athrun was certain he had found a bargain. Her eyes dropped to the bag in Athrun's hand. "What did you buy?"

Athrun smiled slightly as he dug his hand deep into the bag and pulled out a small, portable book. His smile only widened as he showed it to Cagalli.

Staring at it, her lip twitched as she tried to contain a soft chuckle. The book was blue and white and in bold letters, it read – "Conversational Finnish for Foreign Tourists."

She frowned, looking up strangely at Athrun who was now busy reading through it. He seemed so intent, so focused on what he was doing it was almost amusing. She found Athrun's attempts to learn and respect the culture flattering and she chuckled as she thought about the last time she brought Athrun with her to France during a political assembly.

"With this I'll be able to get around without a problem," Athrun explained. "And I won't make the same mistake as last time."

Cagalli raised an eyebrow. "You mean when you called the Prime Minister's wife's cooking and I quote, 'the best French dirt you had ever tasted in France?"

"Ummm, that would be the one." Athrun felt his face flush at the memory. Flipping through a few pages, his eyes moved wildly as he tried to form a sentence. "Listen to this. Hei munin nimi on Athrun. Olla ulkomaalainen." My name is Athrun. I am a foreigner.

Cagalli shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know how much use that book is going to be though – People here don't really use the word ulkomallainen very often."

"But how do I sound?" Athrun pressed.

"Like a foreigner choking on his words."

"It was only four earth dollars," Athrun shrugged, suddenly feeling the need to justify his purchase. "I thought it was a great deal."

"There was probably a reason it was only four dollars…" Cagalli stopped short as a figure in the corner caught her attention. Although his face was concealed, Cagalli could tell that he or she was looking directly at her. For a moment, she froze, unable to take her eyes off of them. Shivers wracked her spine and she shuddered – the Blue Cosmos…they were here. Eyes wide, Cagalli put her hands on Athrun's shoulders and carefully pushed past him, hiding him as best she could from the strangers view.

"Cagalli?" Athrun asked, noticing she had suddenly gone quiet. Startled, he looked up at her confused. He could sense the fear radiating off of her and his expression hardened as he tensed. "Is something wrong?"

"No…"Cagalli's voice trailed off as she reached over and pulled her suitcase off the conveyer belt without really thinking. Her heart suddenly seemed to quicken as she grabbed Athrun's wrist with her free hand and pulled him behind along as she hurried through the crowds, hoping to loose herself.

"What are you doing?" Athrun demanded as he struggled to keep pace with Cagalli. "Where are we going?"

"I need to deal with some stuff at the police station," Cagalli replied sharply and gave Athrun a hard yank to make him move a little faster. She was certain that the Blue Cosmos had come after her… or worse. She had to inform the police. "It shouldn't take long – it's just down the road."

Athrun just nodded like a bobble head while allowing himself to be dragged along like a rag doll. As Cagalli urgently pushed him along, Athrun could feel his bag sliding down his shoulder and flailing back, he just barely managed to catch it. The world spun in circles as Cagalli pressed on, rushing through the Airport exit, dragging Athrun behind her.

What's wrong with her? Athrun thought to himself, bewildered by her exhausting actions. As he was pulled into the main street, he grimaced at the sun's bright light. They had come out of the back of the airport… something that he was certain Cagalli had planned and he gasped at just how narrow the roads were. The second thing he noticed was the slight chill that had suddenly embraced him and he shivered ever so slightly, wishing Cagalli would release him so that he could button up his coat.

"C-Cagalli…" Athrun tried to reach her but it seemed nearly hopeless. He could see Cagalli's eyes had narrowed in a look of determination. There would be no reasoning with her. "S – stop…"

"Sorry Athrun, I'm in a rush," Cagalli muttered as her eyes searched for the little police station that she knew was only two blocks away. The air was chilled and icy shivers wracked her spine. Glancing behind her, she checked to make sure they hadn't been followed, nervous sweat trickling down her brow.

"What is going on?" Athrun asked again, his voice becoming more desperate and uncertain. Something was wrong, something about Cagalli's voice, the way her words seemed to stumble out awkwardly – she was lying to him. "Are you is some sort of trouble?"

This time he didn't even receive an answer. Instead, Cagalli just hauled him in tow. Athrun sighed and gave up, there was little he could do except follow. Cagalli was his only real mode of communication and direction. He didn't know where he was nor did he have the language skills to really ask.

Athrun phased out for a while and let himself be blindly guided by the young diplomat. He wondered how things were going with Kira and Lacus… he had hoped to visit them while he and Cagalli had been on the PLANTS. Unfortunately, the timing just hadn't been right.

Suddenly, Cagalli stopped and looking up, Athrun could only guess that the little building before them was the police station. It was small and the white brick made it difficult amongst the mountains of snow that seemed to surround them. Staring at the white blanket that seemed to cover the world, Athrun's eyes widened. Never had the world been painted with white during his life in space and he found himself fascinated by it.

"Ok," Cagalli put both hands on Athrun's shoulders and forced him to look her in the eye. Gazing up at the him, she spoke slowly and carefully. "I want you to stay here. Do not leave the view of the window. I should only be a moment."

Athrun frowned. "Why can't I go in?"

"Because… it's a personal matter," Cagalli replied and inwardly grimaced when she saw the hurt in Athrun's eyes. She had no choice though – it was better this way. Many people still held a deeply rooting resentment towards Coordinators and Athrun's presence could make having the Blue Cosmos arrested even more difficult.

Athrun sighed and slumped against the window. "It's because I am a Coordinator isn't it? Fine, go." He muttered lowly. He had forgotten how secretive Cagalli could be and it was starting to bother him. After almost a year together, he felt he deserved a bit of trust… perhaps he was expecting too much. On the other hand, for Cagalli to simply tell him 'it was a personal matter,' made Athrun suddenly feel as though he was nothing but a stranger to her.

Eyes on the ground, Athrun didn't even bother looking up as he heard the door to the police department close behind her as she entered. Shivering lightly, he set his bags down and rubbed his arms to try and remove the irritating chill. A gentle breeze caressed his cheeks, turning them a rosy pink and the snow that had managed to get into his boots was melting, numbing his toes.

"I was spoiled during my time in space" Athrun thought to himself as he tensed to try and keep warm. The PLANTS had an unchanging weather system. Being raised under relatively unchanging conditions, he had not yet become costume to the weather dynamics of the earth and he certainly didn't like the cold. It often left him feeling empty and alone as the snow seemingly sucked the color and life from the world and left it bare.

That's how he felt sometimes during these so-called peace negotiations. He wasn't stupid. He saw the way the Naturals would look at him in disgust and although he bit back his frustration, it didn't change the shame he sometimes felt. He wasn't sure why he felt that way but he did and that troubled him. Why should he feel any sort of regret about being what he was?

Risking a peek into the window, he watched as Cagalli took his place in the line up to speak to the secretary. She looked anxious for her eyes were darting around madly as though she was expecting the roof to come crashing down on her.

Cagalli's behavior bothered him and it bothered him even more to know he was powerless against it. Whatever it was that Cagalli had to deal with, she clearly didn't want Athrun to know or be involved – otherwise she would have been upfront with him about what she had to attend to with the police.

Leaning against the frosted window, Athrun noticed out of the corner of his eye a strange shadow at the café across the street. Ever since his initial encounter with Cagalli, he had become extremely conscious of such figures. His mind immediately warned him to keep his guard up as he carefully surveyed the people around him.

No one seemed to be paying him any mind yet at the same time, he noticed that three or four other men dressed in distinctive black coats had managed to make their way into the crowds. Normally, he wouldn't have paid them any mind but they weren't moving. Instead, they just continued to linger in the area, darting in and out between people and every now and then they would throw him a quick glance before quickly turning away.

It made him uneasy and Athrun silently urged Cagalli to hurry. He peered through the window a second time and mentally groaned when he saw that she was still waiting in the lineup.

Sweat began to pour from his forehead, chilling him further and he could feel his heart beating loudly as the hair on the back of his neck stood at end. Something was wrong. If he hadn't been aware of it before, he was now.

One man in black slowly crossed the street and made his way towards him, his face concealed by a large hat that draped over his forehead. Athrun exhaled and breathed in deeply, trying to calm his nerves. Turning his head, he pretended not to see the man, hoping that he would just pass by as any regular person would and all his worries had been for nothing.

It didn't happen.

Athrun gasped more in surprise than pain as a hand suddenly lashed out and locked around his left wrist like iron. His head shot up in alarm and he instantly became aware of just how large this man really was. Vaguely, thoughts of his deceased father came to mind, causing him to shudder internally.

Acting on instinct, Athrun brought up his free hand and, trapping the strangers hand in his, he gave it a firm twist. It had been an old trick his father had taught him as a youth, or to be more accurate, had used on him, and it proved its weight in gold as the man cried out, releasing him.

Athrun staggered back, startled by how quickly he'd been able to free himself. Scrambling, his eyes darted through the window to Cagalli, his mind racing. Even though he had said he would stay outside, he knew that safety lied just beyond the doors to the station. He didn't want to create a scene.

The man followed Athrun's eyes and when he caught sight of Cagalli, his own eyes widened with recognition.

Athrun didn't waste time as he lunged for the door but a pair of rough hands snagged his shoulders and flung him backward. Unprepared, Athrun landed gracelessly on the sidewalk, dazed. His head was spinning, his heart racing. Looking up, his expression darkened as he realized that it had been the stranger who had just sent him to the ground.

"This is the one!" The Stranger declared and turned to the other men who Athrun had been watching earlier. "Jibril! Sting! Otto! Atso!"

"I see him Neo!"

Athrun didn't understand a word of it but he felt a lump in his throat form as he saw the other men gradually coming towards him. Unsteady, he tried to get to his feet but the ice beneath his boots hindered his movements.

"What the…"started but his cry was cut short as the man referred to as Neo grabbed him by the collar of his coat and rammed him up against the window of the office. It rattled loudly but didn't break. It did, however, take the wind right out of the young man and Athrun had to grit his teeth against the pain surging through his back.

From inside, Cagalli heard a loud bang and, spun around to see what was happening outside. She gasped in horror at what she saw. Someone had Athrun pinned against the window and immediately recognizing the black coats, her fear heightened. It was the Blue Cosmos– they had found him… found them…

"Athrun!" She cried and desperately pushed to get out of the line. "Athrun!"

Pinned, Athrun cracked an eye open and grimly realized that Jibril and Otto had caught up with Neo and now had the door securely blocked. He couldn't reach Cagalli nor could he hear her calling to him.

I should have never come…Cagalli was hiding something from me and I have a feeling I have just been dragged into it. The realization was a painful one as Athrun struggled to free himself. Bringing up an elbow, Athrun slammed it into the larger man's midsection and mentally grinned when he heard a loud grunt and felt the grip on his coat loosen. Regrettably, it didn't completely release.

Driven by desperation, Athrun quickly wiggled out of his coat. Suddenly thankful that he hadn't had the chance to button it up, he dropped to his knees and rolled out from Neo's grasp.

His success was short lived though as he felt a presence coming from behind. Franticly, he sprang up and to the left to avoid being struck from the rear. Eyes narrowed in fear and heightened determination, Athrun scuttled to his feet and did the only thing he felt he could – he ran.

TBC.

I hope you liked it. crosses fingers. If not, please let me know what I can do to make it better. I haven't seen Destiny yet so I'm basing my depiction of those characters on stuff I have read lol. Can't wait for it to come to Canada!

Justsome1: I'll see what I can do about making Cagalli and Athrun more realistic

cricketchick1990 Thanks for the advice!

daisukiasu'n'caga and Cari-Akira: Thank you for being my first reviewers! You're all great!

Anywayz, have a good weekend everyone and please review if you have the time!

Until next time,

Krilyn