A/n: Yes, I am still alive. I'm sorry it took me so long to update... Forgive me? I hope you like this one; I had at least 5 versions!
Thank yous to: Maryam Khanoom, cloudy mind, WillTheWatcher, gohsam2001, and Princess Ashes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Destiny. –sniff-
Chapter 8 – Choices
Flashback
Patrick Zala smiled. "Either you agree to stop seeing this girl," he said, gesturing to Cagalli, "or I will eliminate both her and her brother."
"No!" Lacus said, her blue eyes shining with tears.
His smile widening, Patrick Zala spoke again. "Now, what do you say?"
Athrun stiffened. "I…"
End of Flashback
"I…I will stop… seeing her."
Those were the words that echoed in Cagalli Yula Attha's mind as she lay on the lumpy old cot that had been laid out on the floor of the cell she, Kira and Lacus had been placed in.
She stared at the darkening bruise on her wrist and frowned. "This sucks," she muttered irritably as she sat up and laid her head on her crossed arms, her bloodshot amber eyes scanning the room listlessly before coming to rest on her sleeping brother. "Lucky jerk, being able to sleep at a time like this!"
Reaching down beside her, Cagalli grabbed hold of her pillow and raised her arm, ready to throw it at Kira when he opened one eye and muttered, "Don't even think about it."
"You're no fun," she huffed, throwing the pillow at the wall beside her instead.
"You don't want to wake Lacus, do you?" Kira said, tilting his head towards the sleeping girl beside him.
Cagalli sighed. "When do you think they're going to let us out of here?"
"I don't know. To tell you the truth, I don't think they're ever going to let us go...That is, until Patrick Zala's plans come to fruition and that's something we can't let happen." Kira replied quietly, his lavender eyes lingering on Lacus' sleeping form.
Cagalli frowned. "Athrun…"
Kira's lavender eyes clouded at his sister's words. "Poor Athrun."
"You mean stupid Athrun. How could he believe his father would let us go if he agreed to his demands?"
"Yeah. He had all of us locked up instead." Kira said.
"You know, even if that guy is Athrun's dad, I still hate his guts." Cagalli said, her voice laced with unhidden disgust.
"You and me both," her brother replied.
Silence reigned for a moment before Kira spoke again. "I wonder where Athrun is."
"I imagine he's being kept in a cell similar to this one," a soft, feminine voice replied.
Kira turned around, surprised. "Lacus. You were awake?"
The songstress nodded, her pale blue eyes rimmed with red "I couldn't sleep either."
"Looks like we're all in the same boat." Kira remarked.
"I don't think anyone can sleep after all that's happened." Cagalli said.
"In any case, we need to get out of here." Kira said.
Cagalli nodded in agreement. "We need to get Athrun out, too."
Both Kira and Lacus agreed, and just as they were finishing their discussion, they saw the shadow of someone at the door. Cagalli looked at Kira and then moved to stand by the door. Kira then took his place on the other side while Lacus stood in the middle of the room.
As the door opened, two figures stepped into the room. The one in front, a man with silver hair, looked at Lacus and asked, "Weren't there others with you?"
Lacus simply stared at him, and when he stepped further into the room, Cagalli shut the door while Kira jumped his companion, and the silver-haired man immediately reacted. "Dearka!"
The blonde smiled. "Looks like they were waiting for us, Yzak."
"Let him go!" Yzak yelled.
"Not until you tell us why you're here." Cagalli retorted.
Yzak rolled his eyes in exasperation. "We're here to free you, idiot."
"Who're you calling idiot?" Cagalli asked, her voice rising in pitch.
"You!" Yzak replied hotly.
"Why you…!"
"Who sent you?" Kira asked, letting go of Dearka and stepping in front of his angry sister.
"Athrun sent us," Dearka answered.
Cagalli stopped glaring at Yzak and frowned at the mention of Athrun's name. "Athrun?"
Dearka nodded. "Yeah. He said to get you guys out of here as quickly as possible."
"What about him?" Lacus asked.
"He said he was going to stay here." Yzak replied.
"That idiot! Where is he?" Cagalli asked.
"He's in another cell in the east wing," Dearka answered.
"Can you take us to him?" Kira asked.
Both Yzak and Dearka shook their heads. "Athrun told us not to, no matter what." Dearka said.
This, of course, sparked the blond princess's temper. "What do you mean he told you not to? Does he plan on staying in that cell forever?" she half-screamed, half-asked, her eyes blazing with fury.
"He was adamant. He said all that mattered was that you and the others get out safely." Dearka explained.
Cagalli smiled sweetly. "You're taking us to Athrun, and that's final."
Scene Change
Athrun Zala sat on the cold floor of the dark, damp cell his father's men had brought him to, his back against the wall. He had a glazed look in his green eyes, and his heart was conflicted. "Well, at least Cagalli and the others will be safe."
As he thought this, he heard a dull thud from outside the cell, and five shadowy figures soon appeared at the door. "What the…?"
Before he could say anything else, Cagalli stepped forward and soundly slapped him, the darkness in the cell making her expression unreadable. "You idiot!
Athrun glared at her. "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be long gone by now!" he shouted.
"We couldn't just leave you here!" Cagalli yelled back.
"Well, you should have! It's my fault you're here anyway." Athrun said, his voice lowering a bit.
"Idiot," Cagalli said, her voice softening a bit, "it doesn't matter. Just come with us."
Athrun sighed. "Cagalli…I can't."
That response took the warmth of understanding in Cagalli's eyes and replaced them with unhidden frustration. "What did you say?"
Athrun looked away from her as he repeated, "I can't go with you."
"Why? Why can't you? What do you intend to accomplish by staying here!"
He frowned. "I…don't know yet."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Quietly, so as not to be noticed, Kira, Lacus, Yzak and Dearka slipped out of the room to give the arguing couple some privacy.
Outside
"What do you think is going to happen now?" Yzak asked, his gaze directed at Kira.
"I'm not sure." Kira replied.
"You don't suppose she'll be able to convince him to escape with us, do you?" Dearka asked.
Kira smiled. "Knowing Cagalli, she probably can, but then again, Athrun's mind seems to have been made up. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess."
Inside
"Athrun, please. Don't try to be the hero; just come with us," Cagalli said.
Athrun looked back at her with sad eyes. "Cagalli, my father…he'll stop at nothing to make sure he gets what he wants."
She frowned. "I know that, but…wouldn't it be easier knowing you have us there to support you?"
"You don't know my father, Cagalli. He won't stop hounding us unless he gets what he wants; he'll do whatever it takes…and I'm afraid he might go too far."
"What do you mean?"
"He might make good on his promise – he might actually -" he began, but stopped himself, obviously pained by the thought that crossed his mind then.
"You mean he might hurt me and Kira?" Cagalli asked, finishing Athrun's unwelcome thought.
He nodded.
"What makes you think staying in this dump is going to keep him from doing just that?" she asked softly.
"I don't know. I guess…some part of me still believes he can change. He is my father, after all."
"Athrun…"
"You know Cagalli's right, Athrun."
Both he and Cagalli turned at the sound of the voice. It was Lacus, with Kira by her side.
"Lacus…" Athrun muttered.
"Your staying here won't do any good, and I think you know that. If you want things to change, you can't just sit in this darkness and hope for it; you have to make things happen. You have to make him change, Athrun."
He frowned, not saying a word as the room's other occupants stared silently at the troubled young man.
After a moment, the door swung open once again, revealing a rather irritated-looking Yzak. "What's taking you so long? We need to get going! Or did you guys want to stay here?"
"What do you say, Athrun? Kira asked, his left hand resting on the doorframe.
Athrun looked back at his friend, hesitating. "I…"
"Come on, Athrun," Cagalli said, taking hold of his hand and pulling him in the direction of the door, "let's just go!"
He smiled despite himself and simply let her drag him along in her wake without another word.
Later…
The shadows that lined the Zala estate were large and numerous, and as they made their way across the vast courtyard, the group of six made sure those same shadows kept them hidden from the ever-watchful eyes of the guards that lined the perimeter.
"How much further is it?" Cagalli asked.
"Not much farther," Athrun replied.
Just then, a voice called from the distance, making them all freeze in their tracks. "Who's there?" the voice which belonged to a tall, dark-haired man inquired of the figures that were, even then, hidden in the shadows.
There was no answer. Of course, he never should have expected one, but this particular man was oblivious to this fact. He thought he'd heard voices, so he approached the source of the sound cautiously, and as he soon as he stepped away from the light, Dearka grabbed him and covered his mouth to keep him from making another sound.
"Stop squirming," Dearka hissed, his violet eyes scanning the perimeter.
Yzak frowned. "Dearka, don't you think -"
At that exact moment, the guard managed to slam his elbow into Dearka's ribs, forcing the young man to loosen his grip. He then broke free of Dearka's hold and quickly took off in the direction of the closest guard house.
"Deaka, you idiot!" Yzak exclaimed, hitting his friend on the head with a stick.
"Ouch," Dearka whined, "that hurt."
"Oh no…" Lacus whispered, her blue eyes wide with apprehension.
"That's not good…" Kira muttered, his lavender eyes still on the guard's retreating form.
Yzak scanned their surroundings, judged that their exit was close enough, and told everyone to split up and make a run for it.
The group split up into pairs: Lacus and Kira, Athrun and Cagalli, and Yzak and Dearka. They each ran in different directions as the sound of gunfire and urgent warnings filled the air, all of them heading for the same place: the exit. In this case it was the secret passage that opened up in one of the mansion's thick walls and led to the outside, at least half a mile beyond the estate's gates.
As a seemingly endless hale of bullets continued to bombard them, Kira decided to escape it by hiding behind a stone wall that was covered by thick vines, Lacus sheltered in the safety of his arms.
Athrun and Cagalli joined them moments later, both of them barely able to catch their breaths. "This isn't good, Kira. We can't let them follow us to the passage." Athrun said, a worried expression on his face.
Kira nodded, his amethyst eyes thoughtful.
"Kira…" It was Lacus. Turning, he smiled reassuringly at her before taking her hand in his and turning around to face Athrun. "Let's just go, Athrun."
"Kira, we can't be careless!" Athrun hissed, frowning in disapproval.
"I've thought this through, Athrun. We don't have much of a choice; if we stay here any longer your father's guards will find us, and this would've been all in vain."
His friend couldn't suppress a smile. "I guess you're right," he said softly before the sound of gunfire erupted once more.
With a subtle nod directed at Athrun, Kira turned around and, tightening his hold on Lacus' hand, led her through the dense bushes and headed straight for the passage Athrun had been talking about.
Turning to Cagalli, Athrun smiled. "You ready?"
"Of course; this is the famous Cagalli Yula Attha you're dealing with," she replied, a hint of laughter sparkling in her eyes.
"Only you can make me laugh at a time like this," he said, his shoulders trembling with silent laughter.
She grinned. "I'm glad."
He looked at her, his features softened with a smile. "I -"
Whatever he was going to say was cut off by the sound of a man's voice; it was very close by. Taking one last look back to make sure there was no one there, Athrun grabbed hold of Cagalli's hand and quickly led her down the path Kira and Lacus had taken only moments before.
Later…
Lacus and Kira emerged from the dark passageway and came unto a small clearing in the middle of what looked like a dimly lit park.
"Kira Yamato. So you are still alive," a man's voice said from the darkness, startling the young couple.
Kira stepped in front of Lacus, his lavender eyes fixed warily ahead. "Who's there?"
"Someone you don't know," the voice replied cryptically.
"Show yourself!"
"In due time, my boy. In due time." the same voice answered, the sound of twigs and dried leaves breaking echoing through the still air as the man began to walk away.
Kira had started to follow when another voice, this one familiar to him, called from behind them. "Kira!"
Both he and Lacus turned around to see Athrun and Cagalli running towards them, Yzak and Dearka not far behind. "Athrun! You made it!" the brown-haired young man said, relief evident in his voice.
"Yeah, but Cagalli's hurt," Athrun replied, a worried look in his green eyes.
"Huh? How? Did she get shot?" Kira asked worriedly.
"No, luckily it's not as bad as that. She just turned her ankle again."
As Kira started to walk over to his sister, he saw that Lacus was already with her.
"Are you alright, Cagalli?" Lacus asked as she approached Cagalli, her sapphire eyes focused on the slight swelling on her friend's ankle.
"I'm fine, my ankle just hurts a little bit. I must've tweaked it," the blonde replied.
"Here, let me fix it," Lacus offered, tearing off a strip of her dress and wrapping it around the princess's ankle.
"We'd better keep moving," Yzak said to Athrun as Lacus finished wrapping up Cagalli's ankle, "they must've alerted Mr. Zala by now."
Athrun nodded. "Okay. I'll go tell Kira and the others."
They set off for the Atthas' mansion moments later.
A/n: That's it for chapter 8! Hope you liked it…I actually wanted this chapter to end with a cliffie, but I just couldn't come up with a suitable one…Anyway, read and review, please?
