AN: Last chapter.
I woke as sound bombarded my brain. Unearthly screeching filled my ears and booted feet tromped above and behind me as I realized I was no longer alone in the building. My only thought was if I wasn't being rescued then whoever was there better go the heck away or at least keep it down.
Muffled yells were heard behind me but I conserved my energy rather than turn and see what was happening. Already I could tell that I was no longer in absolute darkness as light seemed to filter through the doorjamb; although I could hardly make out any detail the knowledge was heartening. It and the struggle to open the door meant that whoever was coming to visit was determined and most likely unwelcomed by those who had left me here.
With a shuddering scrape the room was flooded with more light than my eyes could handle and I groaned, shutting them. I struggled to face the figures that clamored down the stairs as their flashlight had found my prone form. Various forms of my name and title were thrown at me but I disregarded them all except for the one I wanted to hear so dearly.
"Cagalli? Cagalli!" He was here.
Graceful steps down the stairs brought him to my side. I could feel his hands checking me over and I opened my eyes a slit to take in his own form. "Turn the lights away, get a medic down here!" he ordered the search team then to me he soothed "I've got you, you're safe now."
Before I knew it his knife had sliced off my gag and he gently helped me remove the wad that had been in my mouth, including my crown.
His name came from my lips as a sigh "Athrun."
I could see him clearly now in the ambient glow of the flashlights, his face a mixture of relief, concern, and carefully masked anger at my condition; looking him over he seemed untouched. "Tell me if this hurts." Making swift work of my bonds he carefully helped me straightened out my limbs and eased me into his lap. Then gently he cradled my head and look over my wounds with a feather light touch. "What happened? What did they do?"
"Nothing. I woke up here. You?"
He murmured his reply as he focused on my head "They only took you." His tone masked a tumult of emotions I couldn't decipher at the moment. All I could tell was that there was more to come when we were behind closed doors.
A medic crouched beside us and methodically started to check me over in kind. "What are your injuries Lady Atha?" Taking out a small flashlight he checked my pupil dilation. He then exchanged a look with Athrun. I felt his body jerk towards the gag, probably solving the mystery.
"Just my head, otherwise some minor bruises and welts I think." I knew it was pointless to argue and I just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Athrun's fingers soothing back my hair for the medic to see my left side brought such comfort I had to close my eyes. I'm sure I looked awful but I'd never felt better, safe in his arms.
I felt Athrun accept something from another of the squad, and then I found an open canteen held to my lips. "Small sips. Take your time."
The water over my tongue was blissful as it chased away the feel and taste of the gag and blood, answering the craving my body so desperately needed. The bevy of activity had calmed as the tiny room allowed for hardly more than us, one medic, a guard at the door and one in the room; all the rest seemed to have left. Safe in Athrun's arms, warm in his embrace, I let the doctor probe, clean and dress my wounds. The whole time Athrun held me, answering each of my winces with his own. If I looked up I could see his handsome face as he bent over me, pretending to avidly watch the doctor work. My Haumea amulet had swung free of his shirt collar and bullet proof raid vest and now rested in plain sight.
"How long?" I finally asked after I had drunk a bit more of the water. As time went on feeling was returning, my previous aches and pains now compounded with the raw nerve and swelling on the left side of my mouth.
He flatly replied "ten hours."
I could feel a small smile tugging at the sides of my abused and bruised mouth. "It worked then. Thanks for talking me into it."
His only answer was a fleeting glance to my cheek, too quick to interpret. "Yes, that's how we found you."
Any further talk was ended as the medic wrapped me in a blanket and gave approval to move me. Before anyone could suggest otherwise Athrun gathered me to him, blanket and all, with my head's good right side resting on his chest's left and stood with me in his arms. "But you – Athrun! Your –" My strength was failing me fast, causing me to trip on my words but not dulling my remembrance of his own injuries. My eyes were heavy but I struggled to keep them open. Looking around the tiny space I found the floor streaked with blood – my blood – but an otherwise innocuous room.
"Shh. It's fine. I've got you." He proceeded to carry me up the stairs. Corridors of twists and turns revealed that I was in a large abandoned farm house, left in one of the cellars I would have been nearly impossible to find otherwise.
"How many people – ?" Part of me didn't have the heart to finish that sentence and as a coward I hoped that Athrun would understand and answer.
His hold tightened, changing to an embrace. "Ten civilians killed. Fifteen injured, only three of them children. Four on the force, and Hank."
I forced my brain forward. We would honor and grieve as a nation. "And them?"
"We were able to apprehend most of them, the search is ongoing; the ringleaders wouldn't tell us anything of your whereabouts. I'm guessing they were hoping to …"
At a distance from that room, safe in his arms, I could sate my curiosity. "Use me as leverage for their release." I stated flatly. "What exactly were their demands?"
His face was stone but his hold remained gentle. "Just a terrorist group wanting to influence Orb's politics and ransom for money."
"How far were they willing to go?" I'm guessing he was hoping he wouldn't have to answer that since I was groggy enough as all that met me was silence. Instead I smacked his chest, which in my state was more like a short pat but he still knew the difference.
"Stop that – you're injured." Great. Looking at his determined face I could tell he'd shoved down his own emotions to be strong for me. Plus that …and his hurt side must have pained him,…which he was probably …hoping I didn't remember.
A cold breeze helped keep me awake as he carried me outside. Whatever activity there was went still but Athrun kept walking to the medic transport. "Is this entirely necessary?" I sat as straight as I possibly could with Athrun's arm trying to support me as I attempted to look alert and strong; I was further grateful that he'd arranged my hair over most of my head's bandages.
"Yes. You're dehydrated, injured and in shock not to mention drugged and in a great deal of pain." I opened my mouth to argue "And if you don't go to the hospital willingly I will tie you down and if necessary knock you unconscious to get you there. Be glad that I spared you from being carried out on a stretcher" he ended with a tone of forced lightness. This was one of the least – and most – endearing things about Athrun: loyal to a fault, even when such loyalty went against your expressed wishes.
Gently he laid me on the cot inside the vehicle and my eyes started to drift close. I felt the prick of a needle, probably the start of a saline drip, but then startled as I felt something tightened around me. In the dim light my half open eyes were met with concerned emerald "it's ok, I'm just securing you for the ride." Looking down I found the normal nylon restraint snug around my shoulders. Further down Athrun leaned across me to place the second around my legs. My eyes closed in exhaustion and I couldn't find the strength to lift them; but when I shifted it felt like I was back in the basement tied up in the dark and in a drowsy panic I couldn't help but struggle against it, against all of it – still alien and strange.
The medic's voice came from a distance. "Lady Atha, please don't move, your injuries –"
"Cagalli." His soft voice at my ear was accompanied by a light hand on my stomach stilling me while his other found and grasped my own hand. "You're safe now. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."
A small smile curled sleepily on my lips despite the situation. "Promise?"
I could almost hear him smiling "I promise Cagalli."
With my other hand I groggily clutched the small bulge under my shirt where my ring from him lay on its chain. Slowly I felt what little had been left of my strength ebb. Before I went under I whispered "I love you."
I felt more than heard his answering reply as I surrendered myself entirely to his watch and slept.
The End
AN: The characters are older and wiser hence Cagalli keeps her whining to a minimum, plus she'd been drugged to make her compliant. Point is I didn't want the kind of Cagalli who would have a tantrum just because Athrun cared; instead she would choose to pick her battles wisely and would make a point to discuss Athrun's trapped emotions later as people do in healthy relationships. Does that help this make more sense to everyone? Basically I wanted Cagalli to be rescued but my conscience wouldn't let me have her do nothing. She's still the strong, stubborn and determined heroine we all love. J
This was inspired by the stories "Girl in the Box" by Ouida Sebestyen, "Long Live the Queen" by Ellen Emerson White, and the songs "I Grieve" by Peter Gabriel and "Will I Ever Make It Home" by Ingram Hill.
I'm tempted to write Athrun's point of view one day but for now this will stay as is; I can only take so much of his angst and my limit's not half of what Cagalli's is. :P
