Disclaimer: Sunrise

Chapter 2: A Few Days Prior

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"—No, I think it's better if you have your driver and bodyguard with you until you meet me. Let's not take a risk for your safety by expanding the margin of time of you being alone in the city," Andrew said to the mouthpiece of his phone. Cagalli was currently on the phone with him, making sure of their schedule for her birthday.

"I can protect myself for twenty to thirty minutes!" Cagalli's voice was shouting from the other side.

"Please have mercy on me. If that boy knows I let you go outside without any guards he'll definitely try to kill me. I hate to admit it, but I'm not going to pick a fight with a former ZAFT's Red Coat."

"He won't know as long as we keep it from him."

"Can you?"

"Uhh…."

Andrew grinned even though the one he was speaking with couldn't see him. Even though they keep quiet for now, sooner or later Cagalli might unconsciously talk about them going out together to Athrun, and when he knew the truth, he was sure the boy would come to him. And he was sure Cagalli knew that too. "I thought so. I'll be your special bodyguard from the point we meet at the shopping street, so be a good girl and stay with your bodyguard until you meet up with me on the day—" he halted his words as he heard someone knocking on his door.

"Colonel Waltfeld, should I come another time?" Lieutenant Gou popped his head when he saw the Commander was on the phone after he let him in.

"No, no, come in," Andrew said to him. Then he turned his attention to the phone again, "I'll contact you again later, duty calls," he said and after Cagalli said her goodbye, he turned to his subordinate. "What's it?"

"It's the daily report for today's training," Gou offered the report to his commander, "I'm sorry for coming while you are mid-call."

"It's okay, we were talking about private things earlier, so there's no problem really."

"Are you going out with someone?" Gou asked, his face smiling a little bit. There was a rumor that Colonel Waltfeld had lost his partner in the first war, and had been by himself ever since then. If he had found someone that could make him happy, then he was all for it.

"Well you can say that," Andrew smiled mischievously.

"Is she from the military too? Will you introduce her to us later?"

"Well, if you put it like that, you can say she is," Andrew mused; since Cagalli was their Commander in Chief, she was part of the military, even though she wasn't always at the base.

Gou was a little bit confused with the commander's answer that sounded like he was beating around the bush. "So is she someone we know?

"Of course you know her well, who doesn't know Cagalli Yula Athha?" Andrew grinned, waiting for the reaction he was anticipating. And he watched with a booming laugh as his subordinate reacted the way he expected; his jaw dropping to the floor, shrieking with disbelief.

When he finally could control himself, "Don't tell me you believed me for a second there, didn't you? But why would the Representative go out with an old man like me? We are just colleagues who fought together in the previous war."

"Colonel, if you say that in front of Lady Cagalli's fans they will probably lose their mind," Gou gave him a strained laugh. The unofficial Cagalli fans club member was everywhere in every department of the Orb Military Force. "So, you are planning on going out with a friend?"

"Yep. I'm off on the 18th, so if you need anything find me until the day before that, okay. I don't think there will be any emergency, but you can reach me on my personal number in case that happens." Andrew instructed as he took the report Gou had handed to him and started reading it.

"Understood. I'll take my leave then, Colonel." Gou saluted him one more time and left the room.

After seeing his subordinate off, Andrew moved his gaze to a framed photo that was always on his desk, staring at it longingly. "Even after all these years, I still can't forget you," Andrew's eyes went even softer as he gazed at the photograph of his late girlfriend, taken with her face staring straight to the camera lens which made it looked like she was staring back at him. "I still enjoy being alone, so I won't be seeing anyone for a while, Aisha. What do you think? What will you say to me, seeing me like this?" He chuckled to himself, closing his eyes. A familiar ache grasped his heart. "It does feel lonely without you, though."

If only she could be with him, in this time where peace was no longer as thin as a layer of ice.

"I miss you, Aisha."

I know I wont be able to make it, but I'll still finish this one. Got no time to edit, probably will do it when I have time *or the intention*

Thanks to anyone who's still following this story

Cheers