Chapter 4: Anger

Disclaimer: I only own the OCs and particular –plot- of this fanfiction.

Shinn sped down the road, weaving in and out of traffic and only getting angrier as he heard the horns protesting his dangerous driving. He woke up yet again thinking of Cagalli, and he was sick of it.

He was pissed at Rey for bringing it up and making him think he had a crush on his boss. He hated Cagalli, he hated her before the war, he hated her during the war, and he hates her now. There's no way he has a crush on her, she's not even that pretty!

He was furious that he was wasting his time thinking about the irritating blonde when he had a girl like Stellar waiting for him at his apartment. He didn't want or need a challenge when it came to girls, he didn't want Cagalli just because Athrun had her.

He was also angry at the fact that Luna hasn't rushed back into his arms, but instead, she had the nerve to yell at him and be angry with him! He was the best thing she ever had! While he didn't really want to get back with her, especially now that Stellar was in the picture, he expected her to beg for his forgiveness and ask to take her back, so he could say no. The fact that she still blames him and is far from begging forgiveness irritated him, because she's always done that before.

'Where did she get this backbone? Why doesn't she realize that she needs me? Who else will put up with her whining and constant shopping?' he asked himself.

He sped faster, ignoring his speedometer. He didn't necessarily want to get to work on time, he just wanted to go fast and fill the exhilaration and the engine pumping through his veins as it roared down the street.

Louder than the roar of his engine, however, was the siren of a cop car.

He cursed and slowed down, checking his rearview mirror to see that the cop was clearly after him and signaling for him to pull over.

"Great, just what I need." He muttered and pulled off to the side.

His adrenaline and anger were meshing and coursing throughout his body as he reached over to grab his license and registration, knowing the cop would ask for that anyway.

The older man strode over and Shinn rolled down the window, trying to calm his breathing. He handed the items over without saying a word, and the cop looked a bit surprised as he took it and looked everything over.

"You were going a bit fast in this area." He commented.

"Late for work." He replied, trying not to sound impatient or as angry as he felt. He figured if he didn't talk too much and kept the answers short and simple, he wouldn't say something to shove his foot in his mouth.

"Uh huh, and now you might be even later now won't you? Next time, just go the speed limit okay?" the cop replied as he wrote out the ticket.

"Yeah."

The cop glanced at him, pausing as he wrote, and examined Shinn's face. "Is something wrong?" he drawled.

Shinn hesitated. "No."

"No what?"

"No sir." He replied through clenched teeth. He could tell that it was going to be a rough day.

The cop sighed. "You do realize how dangerous it is to go 100mph in a 65, right? I saw you cutting people off and squealing your tires as you rode bumpers. You could have easily caused a major crash. I hope next time you'll be more careful."

"I will…sir." Shinn replied.

The cop hesitated before handing back Shinn's license and insurance information, as well as the ticket. He shook his head as he walked back to his car.

Shinn took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he opened them and examined the damage.

A loud obscenity escaped and he fought the urge to punch his steering wheel. He saw the cop drive by who was looking at him in that same, calculating look and resisted the urge to flip him off.

He flung the papers onto his passenger seat and drove out into traffic, checking his rearview mirror and glancing at his speedometer from time-to-time.

When he finally arrived at work he had to park in his own spot since Athrun was already there. He liked taking Athrun's spot because it irritated the bluenette even though he had given up on confronting Shinn about it, plus it was closer to the doors.

He slammed his door when he got out and walked quickly inside, not wanting to bump into Cagalli or have a confrontation with her because he was still furious about the whole thing.

While he passed without incident and made it to his office without seeing her or Athrun (or even Kira, which was also good), it didn't take long for her to show up in his doorframe with an expectant look.

"I don't get it Shinn, you were perfectly on time yesterday, now you're ten minutes late. Are you just that obsessed with breaking all the rules and pissing me off?" she asked sarcastically, obviously not having a good day herself.

He sighed. "I got a speeding ticket, or else I would have been ten minutes early." He grumbled.

"Really? You were actually trying to get here early this time? Wow, I'm impressed." She replied.

"I wasn't trying to get here early I was just pissed off and wanted to go fast. Can you leave me alone so I can do my work?"

"I said I would leave you alone unless you got into trouble. Obviously you got into trouble." She answered smartly.

He glared up at her. "Ten minutes late is hardly cause for you to annoy me when I'm already frustrated. Just yell at me and get it over with." He snapped.

"My, my, you are touchy today. Fine, don't be late again or you'll have to work extra overtime. And also, you have to pay that fine within a month or you'll be suspended." was her response as she sauntered away.

"What! What do you mean in a month? The ticket says I have 60 days!" he exclaimed. (1) She stopped and turned to him. "Wait, how did you even know how long I had in the first place?"

"The police officer called me when he noticed you were military. I decided to shorten the amount of time so you don't procrastinate or forget about it." She said cheerily and continued walking.

He gaped at her until she disappeared around the corner, then he snapped his jaw shut and glared. There was no way he had a crush on her, especially now.

Athrun whistled with an "oops!" expression, sipping his coffee at his desk across from Shinn.

"Don't start Zala; I'm really not in the mood." Shinn growled.

"I can tell. She's not in the best of moods today as well. You'd think that since today is Friday everyone would be happy, especially you." Athrun commented.

"I've had a bad week, and she isn't making it any better." He grumbled.

"So has she, because of you." Athrun told him.

"What? She's been making my life a miserable hell! Isn't she proud of her handiwork?" Shinn sneered.

Athrun sighed. "She wasn't trying to make you miserable she's just disappointed in you. She expected a lot better from you and you just seem intent on making her life a living hell. Give her a break, she's gone through a lot too you know, and she has bosses of her own giving her a hard time."

"Tch, what you mean those council dweebs? They're only giving her a hard time because she's too weak to stand up to them. Tell her to grow a backbone." He replied.

"It's not that easy, Shinn. They control every move she makes whether she wants them to or not. And she's a lot like you in that she doesn't like it when people boss her around. It's a tricky situation, maybe if you actually understood where she's coming from you would like her better." Athrun said.

"I don't want to like her! I just want her to leave me alone!" he yelled. He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face.

Athrun's eyebrows shot up. "Is there something going on?" he asked curiously.

Shinn glared at him, "No, and I would like to keep it that way." He replied.

"I mean, if you want to talk about something, you can. I know you can't stand me and think I'm this obnoxious pig, but if you need to talk we can talk."

"Zala."

Athrun threw his hands up in surrender and turned his chair back to his desk.

Shinn also returned to his work, although dealing with the paperwork only made him angrier. Then he thought over what Athrun had just said.

'I'm going to kill Rey.'

Cagalli stormed out of the meeting hall, her fists clenched so hard the knuckles were threatening to pierce through the skin. It was another round of "You do this" "You have to do that" "For your people" "Blah, blah, blah" crap. The council members basically forced her to sign an overrated and preposterous bill simply because "it was her duty as Representative of ORB."

"Those bastards are going to get it one day, and where will I be? Laughing my ass off, that's where." She grumbled as she entered her office.

She slammed the paper down and then glanced at a sticky note on her desk.

Shinn- speeding ticket. Has 30 days to pay or else suspension.

She sighed and sat down, slumping over her desk. Shinn. His very name got her riled up. He made it clear from the first moment they met that he hated her guts. Really, his anger was only directed at her because of something her father (adopted father, nonetheless) did for his country. It wasn't her fault ORB councilmen and women made some bad choices, it wasn't her fault they were forced to join the Earth Alliance, and it wasn't her fault his family got killed by Kira's stray bullet.

'He's angry and wants someone to blame, but he doesn't dare look at himself. He hates me and Kira because we were all victims of an unforgivable and pointless tragedy, yet he feels he's suffered more.' She thought to herself.

She contemplated going back to the boy and demanding he pay the speeding ticket that day out of his paycheck, but then sighed again. 'He would only be angrier, and us being in the same room when we're both angry is the last situation I want to be in right now.'

"Hey sis, did the meeting go well?" Kira asked, standing by the door.

"How do you think? They made me sign the bill."

"I'm sorry, there's no way around it?" he asked.

"I don't think so. But I have to find a way around them if I want to make things better for ORB. Shinn is a good enough example of what happens to people when their government betrays them. Not that he was betrayed by my father, but I'd rather not have others following in his footsteps because of me." She replied.

"I understand. He still has that grudge against you?"

"Yes, and he won't let up. He's so stubborn." She growled.

He chuckled. "Just like you."

She twitched and glared at him and he jumped, sweat dropping. "I'm kidding, you two are nothing alike." He said to save himself the wrath of Cagalli.

"We are nothing alike. I mean, he's so annoying, and holds grudges, and disrespectful to authority so he can't take orders, he's stubborn of course, and….and…what are you looking at me like that for!" she said as she noticed Kira's sheepish expression.

"Well, some people think you're annoying, you may not hold grudges but you have the same short temper, you don't like authority either and are sometimes disrespectful to the council, you are stubborn…um…well I have to speak with Athrun so bye!" he rushed as he ran down the hall.

A loud thunk! resounded from the stapler she chucked at him as it bounced off the doorframe where he was standing.

A young officer poked his head around the corner. "Is something wrong ma'am?"

After seeing the expression on her face, he too ran down the hall.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. 'Damn, he's right.'

Strangling sounds could be heard inside the workout room, and while this was normal, the scene being produced wasn't, hence the many gawkers standing outside when Cagalli came to investigate.

Shinn was strangling Rey shouting obscenities while Rey was laughing while trying to get out of his friend's clutches.

"What the hell is going on in here!" she shrieked.

Shinn turned on her and let go of Rey's neck, who continued laughing and glanced between the two.

"Nothing of your concern, we were just training." He said as he walked by.

She grabbed his arm as he passed. "What do you mean not of my concern? That wasn't training Shinn you were trying to strangle him!"

He narrowed his eyes and pulled at her grip. "We were training. Let go."

The gawkers at the large window stared with wide eyes at the standoff until Athrun started shooing them away. He stepped in gingerly to calm the situation.

Cagalli raised her eyebrows. "What did you say? That's it, you're suspended. Get out of here. I've had enough of your shit."

He pulled harder and his arm was released, he glared again, glanced at Rey who shrugged, and stormed out, brushing by Athrun on the way.

"Cagalli…"Athrun began but paused as Cagalli turned to glower at him. "You did the right thing."

She rolled her eyes and turned to Rey, "I know there was nothing serious going on, since you were laughing, but I had to step in for your safety. Shinn's anger is becoming a major issue, so you will be a witness when I take it to the council."

"Fine with me." He replied, rubbing his throat.

She turned to leave, Athrun already holding the door for her, when she stopped and looked back at him.

"By the way, if I may ask, why was he trying to strangle you?"

"Oh, he was just angry because I was teasing about him liking you." He answered nonchalantly.

"….."

"What?"

Anger, a violent and fatal sin. Haughty eyes, being a false witness, stirring up dissension, and now "hands that shed innocent blood" are adding to the ensemble of those who dwell in Hell that will soon adorn you.

While dealing with the consequences of your own wrath, be sure to stay far from the other three sins, or else your soul will pay the ultimate price.

-Author's Note: Yay cliffy! Thankfully you won't be left hanging for long, since I'm writing all the chapters before I post them (and it's a short fic for once). Please review and tell me what you think!

Different states have different laws on speeding tickets and such, but I used 60 days since that seems to be the general amount of time.-