Hi, people, I'm back :-))))))

I hope you missed me even if just a little :-)))

I was finally able to finish the third part of this short story and I sincerely hope you'll like it. :-)

Enjoy :-)

Part 3

"We are late."

"We are always late." Dearka tried to calm down Miriallia who was standing in the doorway of their bedroom, looking exceedingly angry. Even the sight of her husband playing with their two sons couldn't mend her anger.

"You were supposed to be ready thirty minutes ago! What have you been doing this whole time?" Miri tried to control her voice that was quickly rising.

"Ehm… Playing?" Her husband answered in a weak voice.

"PLAYING, PLAYIIIING…" Dearka shot a desperate look at his children realizing he was really a fool to expect any help from two-year-old kids.

"Tolle, Nicol, go to your room. I'll come to help you get dressed in a minute." Miri paused for a second. "After I kill your father."

"But, ma, we want to play with daddy." Tolle pouted his lips and Nicol imitated his brother immediately.

"Now."

Both boys hesitatingly climbed off the bed and went slowly to their room. Miri watched them as they passed by her and when she turned back her sight, Dearka was already standing in front of her.

"You're not going to talk yourself out of this." She warned him but he just smiled at her knowing she's not immune against it. He slowly closed his arms around her pressing her against his chest.

"My dear, don't be angry. I just wanted to spend some time with our beautiful boys for I've been away for so long."

Miri didn't say a word and just sighed at his true words. He was indeed gone for a long time, fulfilling his duty in army although the war was over for more than two years. She looked up at him and marveled how much he changed from the time they first met. He was still the same jester Dearka but he matured a lot and now she could fully rely on him. She smiled making Dearka wonder why her mood changed so quickly.

"You always use this underhanded method when you know you did something wrong." Miri accused him but her words lacked the blade.

"Yes, because it always works." Dearka admitted grinning, making Miri's temper to rise again as she tried to free herself from him. He quickly tightened his grip and caressed her to calm again.

"Ok, ok, I'll be good." He said smoothly. Miri didn't believe him even for a second but decided to let it be for now. Actually, she was doing this for more than two years already but who would count it, right?

"You were saying we were late." Dearka changed the subject and brought Miri back to reality.

"Yes, the wedding starts in just two hours."

"Two hours?" Dearka cried unbelievingly. "For God's sake, Miri, we could travel to Plant and back and we would still make it! The venue is just thirty minutes away from here!"

Miri let her husband to finish and then she cleared her throat.

"My dear, do I have to remind you what happened the last time we had enough time to, how did you say it? Ah, to 'travel to Plant and back'?" She winked several times at her husband.

It took Dearka just few seconds to remember and he blushed unexpectedly.

"Well… That was… " He just breathed out and shrugged.

Miri chuckled and decided to let the whole matter be. Whether they're late or not, she was sure Cagalli and Athrun would understand. 'They'll have other things to worry about anyway.' She thought.

"Let's go to see the children, we left them alone for way too long." She said and they left the room hand in hand.

When they reached the room they saw both boys sleeping on the floor among their toys. They smiled at each other and lifted each one of them and placed them in their small beds. Miri put the blankets around her children carefully and then joined Dearka standing in the doorway. They watched their kids silently until Dearka spoke softly.

"I can't believe they grew up so much. I still remember the moment I found out about you expecting them."

Miri giggled reminded of the fateful scene in the hotel lobby.

Late afternoon, Miriallia entered the lobby of Dearka's hotel. After his morning visit at her apartment and after she finally calmed down, Miri knew exactly what she was going to do. Of course she couldn't run to him immediately after he left. No, that would be too easy for Dearka. Although she understood his reasoning and agreed to it, it didn't mean she would do what he wanted her to right away.

Miri smiled again and looked down on a small package wrapped up in pretty paper. She walked to the reception and leaned against the desk. Young receptionist looked up immediately and put on a smile.

"Good afternoon, Miss, how can I help you?"

"Good afternoon, I'd like you to deliver this package into the room of Dearka Elsman."

The girl looked onto the monitor quickly. "Mr. Elsman is in his room right now. You can bring him the package on your own if you want."

Miri smiled knowingly. "I know but I want him to come here after he sees what's inside."She stretched her hand with the present.

Her answer made the young girl furrow her eyebrows in confusion. After a moment she finally took the package.

"As you wish, Miss." The girl called an errand boy to fulfill Miri's request.

Miriallia went to sit down on a small sofa suddenly nervous wondering whether her little joke will play out the way she wanted to.

Five, then ten minutes went by and Miri was starting to doubt. 'Perhaps it wasn't such good idea to send him the test…' She thought. She grew more and more uneasy with every sound of the elevator opening doors. There was still no sign of Dearka coming down from his room.

When she lost almost all of her hope she heard the lift's bell again followed by a running Dearka. He barely stopped not to hurt himself at the reception desk and bent over it scaring the girl behind it. Miri then saw as the girl pointed at her and Dearka's sight turned to her and made her straighten up. 'Head up, Miriallia, you can't give up now when you already managed to come here.' She told herself.

The moment Dearka saw Miri sitting restlessly on the sofa he finally calmed down. He spent the whole day wondering if he wasn't too straightforward and worrying he won't see her ever again. Walking back and forth in his room he was contemplating whether to try talking to Miri again when someone rang. He watched the little package in his hand cautiously. He slowly opened it. A little paper fell out of it so he bent down to pick it up. 'SURPRISE!'

His confusion grew even more after reading such cryptic message. Then he finally looked carefully at what he was holding in his hands. It was a pregnancy kit. His eyes almost popped out and his insides froze as he took out the stick full of fear. He didn't need to read the manual to know what the result was. His knees grew weak and he fell on the floor.

It took him some time but soon a small smile appeared on his lips and grew wider and wider with every second as the truth sank in. Soon he was laughing like mad.

When he calmed down he realized that maybe Miri was waiting for him and he immediately stood up and rushed out of the room.

Now, when he was slowly walking to her, he promised himself to cherish every moment of this second chance he got. He stopped in front of her and looked down.

"Hi, princess." He had a gentle smile on his lips.

Miri's legs were shaking so much she didn't know whether she'll be able to stand up. Before she could test it Dearka kneeled down in front of her. Miri's eyes widened when she looked into his eyes. No one was ever looking at her with so much love.

"Hi." She managed to say quietly biting her lower lip.

Dearka took her hand and kissed it. "Shall we go?" He asked and she only nodded.

Back in the present Miriallia smiled secretly. 'And the rest is a history.' She thought.

They quietly closed the door leaving their kids to sleep and walked to the living room of their house where they sat on a sofa. They watched silently the beautiful nature outside through the big French window until Dearka remembered something.

"Miri, when you said the boys were supposed to be ready thirty minutes ago why did come so late to check out on us?" He asked suspiciously.

Miri froze and tried to come up quickly with an excuse.

"Well… I had to finish some work so… I forgot about time." She hoped Dearka wouldn't ask more.

"Oh, really?" Dearka noticed Miri's guilty face but didn't pursue the issue further.

"Yeah." Miri breathed out a silent sigh of relief. For now she was safe. In fact, she wasn't working but instead spent the time in bathroom because she wanted to confirm something. Her face lit up with a smile just with the memory of her discovery. 'I sooo want to tell him right now… ' She thought wistfully but then she caught herself. 'No, not yet. I need to wait until the wedding is over. I don't want to steal Cagalli's day with this news.'

Dearka was still watching her and after seeing Miri's expression bell started ringing in his head. His jaw dropped when he realized when he saw her looking like this the last time. He quickly turned his face away. He didn't want Miri to see he already guessed her surprise. His face lit with enormous joy and he had a hard time to condemn his expression. When he finally managed it he turned back to Miri and pressed her even closer to him placing a kiss into her hair. 'Please, God, let it be a girl this time.'