Dearka sat alone in his cell, just staring at the wall. He missed Kara like crazy. He wondered where she was, what she was doing, if she missed him. Not having her around was like part of himself was missing. He'd been on the Archangel for over a week, or so he thought. They brought him three meals a day, he'd gotten twenty-six meals, and so that was around nine days. But, most of the time he was alone. He just sat there, most of the time he slept. He'd dream of Kara.
Suddenly the door to his cell opened. "I brought you your dinner," Miriallia said setting the tray down next to him. "Do you need anything else?"
"I need to get out of here," Dearka stated staring at the plate. "But that's not going to happen any time soon now is it?"
"No," Miriallia replied looking towards the door. "It's not. Can I ask you something?"
"You just did," he said with a smirk. It felt strange smiling, even if it was just a smirk.
"You know what I mean," Miriallia said impatiently.
"Shoot."
"Have you ever been in love?"
Dearka looked at her, startled. What was she bringing up love for? "Yes," he replied. "I still am."
"I loved Tolle," she stated sadly. "I just wondered if coordinators could love people."
"Yes we do fall in love," Dearka said with a sigh. "I don't imagine it's much different that naturals falling in love. We still act like fools at times. We still long to be near the person we love. We still feel pain when we can't be with them and don't know if we'll ever see them again…" Dearka trailed off looking away from Miriallia.
"What's she like?" she asked.
"Who?"
"The girl you're in love with."
"Kara?" Dearka inquired. "She's… she's… incredible. She is one of the most incredible people I have ever met. She just lights up a room whenever she walks into it. She's beautiful. She's got the most amazing green eyes I've ever seen; sometimes I think she can see right into my soul with those eyes. I call her my angel. Sometimes I think she is in angel sent from Heaven. She believes in God. After everything she's been through she still believes in him and puts her trust in him."
"She sounds incredible," Miriallia said with a soft smile. "I've got to go."
Dearka just nodded and watched her leave. He looked at his meal. It was spaghetti. He thought about that day that felt like it was so long ago when he had taken Kara out to lunch at their favorite restaurant. She'd looked so beautiful, even while in tears. He missed her like crazy. But he knew Athrun was taking care of her.
The next day"Put me down now!" Kara demanded struggling against the two men holding her arms, keeping her legs about a foot of the ground. "I order you to let me go!" Kara fought against the two men, although it did her no good. They were twice her size and weight separately. Kara only weighed about one hundred ten pounds. She was a little underweight. She should probably be about one hundred fifteen pounds. "I'm Lieutenant Karalee Alisi Zala!" she yelled. "You have no right to do this to me!"
"Please lieutenant," Le Creuset said rubbing his temples. "I believe we all know who you are. There is no need to shout."
"My father will have your head for this," Kara said spitefully.
"Your father's the one who demanded that we let you go," he replied with an evil smile. "Besides, I was under the impression you hated your father."
Kara longed to slap the smirk off his face. She knew she wasn't supposed to hate anyone, but that man was so… so… evil. Kara could feel how evil he was just standing close by him. Kara glared at him and let herself be carried off the ship. When the two thugs set her down, she kicked one hard in the shin and then tossed her hair over her shoulder and stormed off towards the base.
He father had ordered that she be stationed on a Zaft base far from where any of the action was to take place. So Kara did as she had been ordered. It wasn't worth fighting over. She would rather not watch anyone else die. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Athrun as she turned to look at the ship one last time.
Two Weeks Later"We're under attack!" someone yelled causing Kara to jump. She'd been sitting outside reading her Bible when the alarm rang out. She looked up at the sky and saw a large ship. She recognized it immediately. It was the Archangel. That was where Dearka was! Kara watched a Gundam launch. She knew who was piloting it. It was the Strike. Kara stood up and started running towards the nearest building.
She walked down a dark hallway. A gun lay abandoned on the cold tile floor. She picked it up and let her fingers curl around the handle. The weight of it felt foreign in her smooth pale hand. She turned a corner and took a seat, leaning her back against the wall. After a few minutes she heard two pairs of footsteps coming towards her. She slowly and quietly rose to her feet. The footsteps grew closer and Kara clicked the safety. The footsteps stopped. Kara's trigger finger curled around the trigger of the gun. She'd never had to shoot someone, but she might not have a choice this time.
"Did you hear that?" someone asked. Kara couldn't see who they were.
"Yes," another voice responded. It sounded familiar, very familiar.
Kara was poised and ready as the two unidentified people turned the corner. "Don't move," she commanded as the two people rounded the corner. "I will shoot."
"Kara?" the familiar voice said, the shock evident in his voice.
Kara looked at the speaker. Those violet eyes were familiar. "Do I know you?" she asked hesitantly, her pale arms were still ready to shoot.
"Kara it's me," the speaker said again. "Kira."
"Kira?" she asked. "What are you doing here, who's that?" Kara pointed to the man standing next to Kira.
"We're here for you," Kira explained. "This is Commander Mwu la Flaga. We're here to take you to the Archangel."
"That's a laugh," Kara said sarcastically. "I'm the one with a gun Kira, and I'm not going anywhere, at least not until you answer one question I have for you."
"What?" Kira asked, slightly confused.
"Why aren't you with Zaft?"
"Because."
"That's not good enough," Kara said pointing her gun at his heart. "I want a real answer. PLANT was your home too."
"PLANT stopped being my home when I moved away," Kira said looking down at the ground. "I fight with the Earth forces because…" Kira trailed off. "I guess because I was in Heliopolis the day it was attacked. I watched the entire city be destroyed. I was thankful to the people who helped me make it out alive, and I wanted to make a difference."
Kara looked away from him, but still held the gun poised and ready to shoot. "What kind of difference did you want to make?" she asked coldly. "Do honestly think there is a right side in this war?" she yelled. "When both sides become nothing more than a bunch of murderers, who's to say who's right and who's wrong?"
Kira looked at her shocked. Sweet little soft-spoken Karalee had grown up. "I don't know," he said finally. "I don't know which side is right and which is wrong, or if there's a right and wrong. But, there's no way out now."
Mwu had been oddly silent the whole time. But suddenly he pulled a gun out of the gun holster on his belt. It wasn't loaded with bullets, just tranquilizer darts. He shot Kara on the arm and reached out to catch her in his arms. Her gun clattered to the floor and Kira picked it up. Mwu picked Kara up and carried her bridal style. "Come on," he instructed Kira. "I don't know how long she'll be out of it. On a natural, there's only enough tranquilizer to last about an hour. Because she's a coordinator, that time could be cut in half."
Kira nodded and followed Mwu out of the building back towards the Archangel. Kara stayed limp in Mwu's arms for the entire trip. It was only when they were onboard the ship approaching the bridge that she awoke. She lifted her head off Mwu's broad shoulder and looked around. "Kira?" she asked sleepily.
"I'm right here," he assured her.
"Where am I?"
"On board the Archangel," he explained. "We're going to see Captain Ramius to find out where she wants you."
Kara nodded and let her head once again rest on Mwu's shoulder. She was still very groggy from the tranquilizer and was pretty sure she couldn't stand on her own two feet yet. The bright lights of the bridge hurt her still sensitive eyes. "Captain?" Mwu asked causing Murrue to turn around. "We got the girl."
"Why are you carrying her?" Murrue asked confused.
"Tranquilizer dart," Mwu explained. "She'll be able to walk again in about five minutes."
"Take her to go see the other prisoner," Murrue commanded with a twinkle in her eye. "I think he'll be very happy to see her."
"Dearka?" Kara asked excitedly. "You can put me down now." Mwu nodded and set her down lightly. Her knees suddenly felt like jelly and she grabbed Kira's arm. Mwu gave a slightly amused smile and picked her back up. Kara gave him a sheepish smile. Murrue nodded and Mwu set off for where Dearka was being held. Miriallia was just leaving the room with Dearka's dinner dishes. She gave Kira a slightly confused look Kira just smiled at her and winked. Kira punched in the code to open Dearka's door and it swung open.
Dearka was sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. He looked up and his eyes grew as wide as saucers when he saw Kara. "Hey stranger," Kara said with a smile. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"Kara?" he asked softly, rising to his feet. Mwu set Kara down gently, keeping a hand on her back in case she started to fall again. In two steps Dearka was at Kara's side. He pulled her into his arms and held her close. Kara wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. The young lovers hardly heard the door close as their lips met in a passionate kiss. Dearka broke the kiss and tugged at Kara's uniform jacket, he unbuttoned it quickly and tossed it to the ground, leaving her in her silky white camisole. He started planting butterfly kisses along her jawbone and worked his way down along her sensitive neck. As he made his way to the porcelain skin of her shoulder, Kara pushed him away.
"Dearka," Kara said trying to get out of his arms. "Not now."
"But…" Dearka began, only to be silenced by Kara placing her finger on his lips.
"No," she said firmly. "I missed you too and if we start we might not be able to stop."
"Would that be such a bad thing?" Dearka asked in a slightly exasperated tone.
"We'd enjoy it now," Kara replied. "But I know I wouldn't be very happy with myself in the morning, and I don't think you would be very happy with yourself either."
Dearka groaned and sank down onto the bed. "You're right," he grumbled. "As usual."
Kara sat down and placed her soft hand on his cheek. "I love you Dearka, more than anything," she told him with a grin. "And because I love you, I'm not going to sleep with you until we're married."
"I love you too angel," he replied picking up her jacket from where it laid crumpled on the ground. "I think you better put this back on." Kara nodded, and after Dearka handed it to her, she slipped into it and buttoned it back up. "Come here angel," he said opening his arms to her.
Kara smiled and curled up on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She felt all the day's events catching up with her and her eyelids suddenly felt very heavy. She let her head rest on Dearka's shoulder. He let his head rest on top of hers and loosened his grip around her slightly so she would be a little more comfortable. Kara felt sleep wash over her and she slept well for the first time in about three weeks.
The next morning Miriallia walked into the room holding a tray with two meals on it, instead of just one. Dearka looked up at her and pressed his finger to his lips, warning her to be quiet. Kara still lay fast asleep in his lap. Miriallia nodded and smiled softly, setting the tray down gently. She quickly left the room and felt the tears prickling at the corners of her blue eyes. "Oh Tolle," she cried softly. "Why did you have to leave me? I feel so alone."
But while Miriallia dealt with the pain of a broken heart, Kara experienced the pleasure of waking up in her true love's arms. She immediately smiled when she saw Dearka looked down at her. "Good morning beautiful," he whispered softly, he warms breath tickling her ear.
Kara snuggled a little closer. "Morning," she said sleepily. "Did you sleep well?"
"How could I not?" he asked teasingly. "I spent the night holding an angel in my arms."
"You know flattery won't get you anywhere."
"I can try can't I?" he inquired, his fingers straying down to the sensitive spots on her sides.
Kara giggled and squirmed in his arms. "Dearka stop!" she commanded as his fingers started moving faster. "That tickles!" Kara twisted and turned in his arms trying to get away from his fingers. Suddenly Dearka stopped tickling her. Kara looked up at him, she emerald eyes sparkling, and her blue hair curling softly around her face. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She sighed into the kiss, giving him access to her mouth. She tasted like honey. He kissed her passionately, making up for the time they were apart, and this time, she didn't push him away immediately. She kissed him back willingly. After a while they broke the kiss and just laid there in each other's arms.
