Author's Note: Well, I guess you all already guessed the mysterious stranger. Something to confirm, the mysterious shadow is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT person from the mysterious stranger. Pleaseplease do not get confused!

Well, so far everything's going fine. I'm not dead yet. (:

Yes, in the previous chapter, Shinn makes his appearance, and as many of you might have already guessed correctly, Athrun is the mysterious shadow creepily stalking Cagalli. LOL. Well yeah. Let's just say he got jealous when he saw Shinn and Cagalli talking to one another, and had a really bad feeling about it.

Okay. This chapter is mainly focusing on Shinn, kinda an introduction to his character in the story.

LOL. I certaintly hope I Hate You 2 won't only have 17 reviews. xD

-sniffs- I miss writing funny stories. )

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed/Destiny, which means I don't own Athrun too. WAHHHHHH.

Flashback

"Shinn. Shinn Asuka." The male replied, smiling.

Cagalli had a rare smile upon her face. For some reason, she just felt better talking to him.

" I'm sorry, but I'm really in a rush right now. Can I call you sometime and ask you out for coffee, just as a way of apologising?" Shinn said.

" Sure, though there's no need for that." She smiled warmly and gave Shinn her number. ( AN: yeahyeah, I know. You don't go around giving strangers on the street your number.(x)

Cagalli chuckled to herself as she saw his shadow disappear around the corner. Somehow, he made her feel happy. Something Athrun never had, but she just couldn't identify it. Shrugging the thought off, she giggled.

' He sure has a silly sort of sincerity.'

End of Flashback

The telephone's ring interrupted her train of thoughts.

" Hello? Cagalli speaking."

" Hey, hi. Its me, Shinn. You remember? The guy who crashed into you?"

Cagalli chuckled slightly. " Yes, of course I do."

" Well, I was wondering…if you'd like to go and…you know, hang out sometime or have coffee?" Shinn asked nervously.

Why does he sound so nervous?

"Sure. 7pm tonight?"

" Yeah. Works for me. At 7th Heaven Café?"

" Fine with me. See you."

" Okay… Bye."

" Oh Shinn, wait."

" Yeah?"

" I just wanted to say, thanks for calling…" Cagalli blushed.

Why am I blushing? Cagalli, wipe that blush off your face!

" Sure man. Take care alright? Bye!"

With that, Shinn hung up. Cagalli had mixed feelings right now. Was this the warm fuzzy feeling she had when she first met Athrun? She shrugged it off, and just thought of it as her loneliness making her feel this way.

Little did she know that Shinn was jumping and shouting " HALLELUJAH! " back on the other side of the line when he hung up.

7pm, 7th Heaven CafÈ

" Hey, hi!" Shinn shouted and waved enthusiastically at Cagalli, who just entered the cafÈ, twenty minutes late.

" Oh Shinn. I'm SO sorry I'm late. I just couldn't stop puking…" Cagalli mumbled, looking pissed. She was pale and beads of cold sweat were breaking out on her forehead.

" Erm. It's okay. Cagalli, are you unwell or something? And what's with the puking?" Shinn inquired, curious.

" Oh… I don't know… ever since I got home, I had a really bad headache…I'm pregnant, that's why I'm puking." Cagalli answered in one breath, looking around anxiously.

" You're married!" Shinn nearly shouted.

Cagalli held up her left hand and flashed the BLOODY BIG diamond adorning her slender finger.

She was too obsessed thinking about Athrun to notice the look of disappointment on Shinn's face.

" But we're going through a divorce…" Her cheerful and bubbly self completely disappeared.

" I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out." Shinn mumbled.

Tears fell from Cagalli's eyes. She was always pretending to be strong in front of everyone, even though that deep inside, she knew she missed Athrun dearly. She just wanted him to hold her in his strong arms, whispering soothing words in her ears, and let her seek solace in his arms.

Shinn looked startled and walked over to her, kneeling down.

" Do you want to come to my place for coffee instead? Maybe you and I could talk about it there." Shinn offered, concerned for his new friend.

Cagalli nodded, and clutched onto Shinn's arm for support as she stumbled out of the cafÈ.

At Shinn's place

" I'm sorry for the mess, really. I hardly have the time to clear up." He smiled sheepishly as he placed a mug of hot chocolate in front of Cagalli.

" It's okay. Don't you think you feel more at home when the place is messed up? I do. At least I feel like this isn't just a place that people come and visit. At least I feel its homely." Cagalli smiled sadly to herself.

Shinn smiled. Never once had he met another woman who had such an unique way of thinking.

" Well. " He started as he settled himself comfortably next to her on the couch. " Want to share your troubles?"

Cagalli nodded and held out her pinky, tears filling her amber eyes.

Shinn raised an eyebrow and smiled at her childish demeanor, but nevertheless understood what she meant, and hooked his pinky with her.

Cagalli was so glad that she had a new friend, and without warning, she crumbled into Shinn's arms and hugged him tightly, spilling all the sorrows she had to him.

Shinn was taken aback by her actions, but soon realised something.

She must have suffered a lot.

Somehow, he managed to experience the pain she felt through her words, and he wrapped his arms protectively around her, whispering soothing into her ears, like Athrun would do with her.

" Don't worry, Cagalli. I'm here for you…"

Cagalli muttered a few words before falling asleep in Shinn's arms.

" Athrun, I love you…"

" Cagalli, I love you too…" Shinn mumbled groggily before sleep overtook him.

6 months later

" AHHHH! " Cagalli screamed into the poor eardrums of the nurse who was desperately trying to tell her to push.

A GRUELLING 2 hours later…

Cagalli gazed lovingly at her twins. She had one boy, and one girl. The male resembled Cagalli herself, with blond hair and Athrun's charming green eyes. The female resembled Athrun, with blue hair and Cagalli's stunning amber eyes. Their personalities differed greatly. The boy was noisy and refused to stop crying, while the girl just giggled every now and then to herself and seldom kicked up a fuss.

Cagalli smiled as she looked at her two angels sleeping peacefully in the crib.

" Adorable, aren't they?" Shinn's voice was heard.

Soon, Kira and Lacus strolled in, with Kira looking anxious and nearly tearing his hair off his scalp, while Lacus tried desperately to calm her husband who was freaking out.

" Cagalli! Are you okay?" Kira rushed over on seeing Cagalli and Shinn.

" Yes, I'm fine. Stop worrying so much, Kira."

Ever since Cagalli's encounter with Athrun, Kira had been extra over-protective over his sister. He didn't want her to get hurt again.

" Thanks for looking after Cagalli, Shinn." Kira smiled warmly at him.

" No problem. The babies are adorable." Shinn laughed.

Lacus jotted over to the baby cribs and asked Cagalli if she could carry them.

Cagalli just smiled and nodded.

" WOW! Now Akira will have two new playmates! So, what names have you decided to give them?" Lacus asked sweetly. (AN: Akira is Lacus's and Kira's boy, born two months before Aaron and Natalie.)

" Aaron and Natalie…Zala." Cagalli murmured.

Lacus stopped smiling and Kira just started in disbelief at Cagalli., which Shinn's mind seemed to have frozen in time.

" He didn't sign the papers. Rightfully, the children should take his last name. " Cagalli looked away from the three stunned people in front of her.

Cagalli's eyebrows furrowed.

Uhoh. Trouble. Lacus flinched.

" Lacus, could you and Shinn give me and Cagalli some time alone please?" Kira asked.

" Sure." Shinn and Lacus walked out the door.

As soon as the door was closed, Kira started.

" Are you sure, Cagalli? Do you really want to do this?" Kira pestered.

Cagalli nodded.

" This means you won't have any authority to stop him from seeing the children, you know that, don't you?" Kira pressed on.

Cagalli nodded once again.

Kira sighed deeply.

" I'd really advise you not to do that, Cagalli." Kira took in deep breaths.

" Athrun is still their father, no matter what happens. No matter what he did in the past, it doesn't change the fact that Athrun's blood runs in their bodies. I made up my mind long ago, and I hope you will support my decision." Cagalli stated bluntly.

" Fine. Just promise to take care of yourself." He sighed.

When they left, tears flowed down Cagalli's eyes freely.

" Cagalli…"

Cagalli looked up in shock, teary-eyed, in the direction in which the voice came from.

" Thank you…" The blue-haired charmer stood at the door, looking haggard and unlike himself from the past.

With that, he turned and left, his cries only heard by the one love of his life.

" Athrun…"

Unknown to the star-crossed lovers, the mysterious stranger was looking at a distance, and smirked silently to himself. It was all going according to plan. He was going to make his appearance.

Author's Notes: ARGHHH. Yeah. It means Cagalli found out from the Law Firm that Athrun didn't send the papers back. What I meant by 'sealing his fate' was that he tore up the paper, not that he signed! Lol. Misled you? I know this sucked. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to rush the story, my apologies. I mean, it would be a bit too long-winded explaining everything that happened during the six months. Oh yes. I figured coordinator-natural births would be earlier than the normal ones, so yeah. Sorry too, for the fast progress of Shinn and Cagalli. Don't worry, they aren't dating! They just share a really strong friendship.

Time now. 6pm, 24th December.

I'm feeling really down of late. Don't mind if it affects my stories, I'm trying hard not to let it interrupt. Sincere apologies. )

- asucags