HotaruZala here again to bring you the next installment of The Zala Files. Hooray...Athrun Zala has now officially entered the story! ...I hope everyone enjoys the Athrun hotness as much as i do! For my friend Dearkka Elsman who also has a story here, you will receive your Lacus happiness as well.

Disclaimer: I do not own GS, GSD, or the deliciousness that is Athrun Zala...much to my dismay. (sighs)

The Zala Files: Chapter 2 – Miss Scarlett, in the bedroom, with the...

-Next morning, The Zala's Orb Estate, 12 noon: Location- sitting room

Auel Neider, the young butler, ran his fingers through his short sky blue hair and exclaimed: "Ha!...I've got it...Miss Scarlett, in the bedroom...with the pistol!"

Dearkka Elsman, the tan 22 year old lieutenant, nodded and turned his cards face down: "I agree with him."

The young magenta haired girl sitting next to them sighed heavily in frustration, her pigtails bouncing as she shook her head: "Why does everyone always assume it's Miss Scarlett right from the start?"

Auel laughed lightly as he tried to explain himself: "Well...actually Miss Meyrin...it's always Colonel Mustard that everyone suspects...but the reason for this guess is quite easy"...

Dearkka cut him off with his own take on the subject: "Because she's hot...it's always the good looking chicks that decide to go bad in this kind of scenario..." He turned to Auel and elbowed him: "Right Neider?"

Auel slowly stood up and pushed his chair in, shaking his head the whole time: "You're on your own..." He chuckled to himself as he saw Meyrin growing angry. "I have to take care of Lord Zala's breakfast now." He quickly rushed out of the room to prepare the food.

Dearkka groaned in frustration: "But I wasn't finished explaining yet!"... He sighed heavily: "It's 12:15...he's just getting up now?"...He mused with a grin: "He never used to party this much...you know he was with a girl last night...a real knockout" He sighed again in frustration:"I swear...whenever I used to ask him to go clubbing...he was always busy or too tired."

Meyrin's face soured at the thought of that overly flirtatious pink haired girl from last night and shook her head: "Regardless, he needs to get outta bed or else we won't make the rent again...and I doubt that his father will accept another late payment." She rose from her seat and pushed in her chair, opening the game's confidential envelope as she did so. Glancing quickly at its contents, she shook her head in disbelief: "I can't believe it...Neider-san was right...Miss Scarlett, in the bedroom...with the pistol."

Dearkka grinned slyly: "Gotta always watch those sexy women...or they could kill you."

Meyrin rolled her eyes and asked curiously: "What're you smiling about?"

The young military officer smiled giddily: "Got a date with a sexy woman myself...I promised Miri I'd meet her after her shift at the Orb Chronicle...she's working on a big story...but she won't tell me what it's about." He shrugged: "Oh well...at least she agreed to a lunch date this time." He paused for a minute as he pushed his chair in: "Hey...I was just thinking...don't you think...instead of Miss Scarlett, in the bedroom, with the pistol...how's about...Miss Scarlett, in the bedroom, with the poison...doesn't that sound more like her style?"

Meyrin sighed heavily: "Poison is not an option Dearkka-san."

Dearkka nodded and replied: "I guess you're right...not in this game anyway."

Meyrin stomped up the steps to her bosses room, magenta pigtails bouncing as she walked, indicating her frustration. She thought to herself: "He needs to get up now...I can't deal with this laziness anymore." She opened the large doors to her bosses room and eyed the employer in question...one Athrun Zala...curled up in his bed, his chest rising and falling as he slept innocently. His pj pants wrinkled from tossing and turning, the shirt unbuttoned, his blue bangs covering his eyes as he clutched his pillow...he mumbled incoherently in his sleep clutched the pillow tighter. It was at times like these when she couldn't help but blush...blush furiously. He was ...no doubt...the most gorgeous guy she'd ever met, and had to hold back the urge to crawl into bed with him. She had to admit...she did want him...she wanted him bad...to hold him close, feel his sweet kiss, his loving caress, and..." She shook her head and mentally scolded herself for thinking such things. She knew all that would probably never happen in this lifetime...if anything, she always got this feeling deep down that Athrun Zala was in love...but with someone else.

Still...the young assistant couldn't help staring at him...he was too delicious looking to be ignored. Her lips curved into a mischievous smile as her inner self spoke up: "Just one kiss couldn't hurt though...just one..." Taking a deep breath, she knelt down next to his bed, leaned closer, and closed her eyes...her heartbeat growing faster, her pulse quickening with every inch closer she got to "forbidden territory." She was just about to fulfill her wish, when a soft, strained mumble escaped Athrun's lips:

"Don't...ever do that again."

Meyrin drew back embarassed that she'd been found out and awaited a reprimand...but it never came. All that came out of his mouth next was another mumble... a pleasured one as he this time, lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly:

"God...I've never felt so...mmmm...don't ever do that...again...please...or I might die...from pleasure."

Meyrin blushed bright red and drew her hand back. He was sleeping...he was just talking in his sleep. She watched his hand fall back limply at his side. She snapped back into reality and stood up. She drew back the curtains, letting the light shine into the dark room...and he still didn't get up. She sighed heavily to herself: "We haven't had a case in weeks, and Almalfi-san can't do it all...Zala-sama relies too much on his friends to find these cases...he needs to take initiative and look for them too." She shook her head in Athrun's direction: "Geez...what's wrong with him...even big sis would've yelled at me for letting light in while she was trying to sleep...I wonder...did he...could it be alcohol?"...her eyes widened as she thought of the possibilities: "Sex?"

Still sleeping, Athrun mumbled: "Not tonight...I'm too distracted."

Auel entered at that moment with Athrun's breakfast and chuckled: "You're never going to get him up that way...here...allow me." He handed her the tray with the eggs, bacon, juice, and coffee on it to Meyrin, and dialed a number on the phone next to Athrun's bed. It rang a few times until a young girl's peppy voice squeaked:

"Meer Campbell here...who's speaking!"

Auel grinned: "Lord Zala wishes to speak with you about last night Miss Campbell." He held out the phone next to Athrun's sleeping body as Meer proceeded to squeal with delight.

Meyrin looked away...even at noon time this was just too cruel.

"Good afternoon Athrun love!"... "I had a lot of fun last night too!"

Athrun's emerald eyes flew open as he jumped a foot in the air causing him to fall off his bed with a loud thud. "Oh God!"... "Meer!"

Meer giggled flirtatiously: "Yes?"... "If I recall...you said the same thing yesterday."

Meyrin turned bright red in embarrassment for Athrun.

Athrun blushed in embarrassment and held his head...the headache from the previous night slowly creeping it's way back. A hangover obviously. He silently scolded himself for drinking too much, groaned, and sighed heavily: " That's because I woke up yesterday to find you half naked in my bed...it was a scream of shock...I only asked you out because you threatened to blab about it if I didn't."

Meer giggled happily: " Call it whatever you want...but I remember it differently."

Athrun grabbed Auel by the collar of his black tee shirt and hissed: "Hang up now...or I'll make you eat that phone."

Auel smirked as he nodded and quickly hung up. He heard the doorbell ring and quickly rushed to answer it.

Athrun, now wide awake, turned his gaze towards Meyrin and apologized: "I'm sorry...did you want something?"

Meyrin shook her head quickly...a blush staining her face.

Athrun's emerald eyes eyed her with curiosity: "Are you sure?" He ran his fingers through his neck length, unkempt blue hair.

Meyrin thought to herself: "Do I want something?" "I want you...I want to love you...get married...have your children..." She once again shook those thoughts out of her mind and replied: "Actually...well...we haven't had a case in weeks."

The 21 year old sighed as he began to make his bed: "Oh trust me...I'm well aware of that Miss Hawke." He walked over to her and gave her a worried look: "Are you feeling okay...you look flushed." He placed his soft hand on her forehead.

Meyrin shook her head furiously and backed away: "I-I'm fine Lord Zala-sama."

Athrun chuckled: "I told you before...just call me Athrun...that's my name...Lord Zala is my father." He eyed the Clue confidential envelope still in clutched in Meyrin's hand...he grinned: "Playing Clue again I see." He walked towards his closet to gather his clothes for the day. "I didn't even play and I can tell you that it was Miss Scarlett, in the bedroom, with the pistol" He smirked: "An intriguing weapon choice...especially in the hands of a lady."

Meyrin shook her head in disbelief: "Without even looking at the envelope!"... "Again...why does everyone assume it's always Miss Scarlett?"

Athrun chuckled to himself as he noted the frustration in her eyes: "That's easy...one should always beware the lure of a beautiful woman."

Meyrin raised an eyebrow curiously: "Hmmm?"... "What do you mean?"

Athrun smirked, and directly quoting his friend Dearkka stated: " Gotta always watch those sexy women...or they could kill you."

Before Meyrin could get a word of protest in, Auel came back in with Nicol Almalfi, a friend of Athrun's ...and one of their informants.

Athrun smiled and greeted his friend: " Hey Nicol!"... "What's up?"

Nicol waved and smiled solemnly, his expression suddenly turning serious: " I don't really know how to say this Athrun...you know Lord Uzumi Nara Athha?"

Athrun scratched his head and then nodded: " Yeah...that was the guy father was meeting with a few years ago to discuss the peace treaty between PLANTS and Orb...I think I remember meeting him once too..."

Nicol cut his friend off: "Well...he was found dead in his home last night...he's believed to have been murdered...the police suspect it was an inside job...it seems he was poisoned."

Athrun's eyes widened: "No..."

Meyrin gasped in horror and covered her mouth to keep from crying.

Nicol nodded: "The coroner came and took him already... so the body has been moved to a safe location...and I got a phone call asking for you specifically."

Athrun raised a blue eyebrow: " From who?"

Nicol replied: "From a Master Kira Yamato...Lord Uzumi's son."

Athrun's eyes widened. He hadn't seen his friend in three years when they were still trying to figure out who they were. Had Kira finally found his father? Of course he had. Why else would he be Master Kira Yamato Athha now?...Athha?...why did that name sound so familiar? He turned to Nicol and replied: "Call Master Yamato back and tell him I'll be there as soon as possible."

Nicol nodded and rushed out of the room to make the call.

Athrun then turned to Auel: "Auel-san?"... "Would you mind the house while we're gone?"

Auel nodded intently in response.

Finally, Athrun turned to address his partner: "Looks like we have a case now Miss Hawke...are you ready?"

Meyrin nodded: "You bet...let's roll."

-Okies...that's chapter 2. Any questions are welcome. I hope you all liked it cause there's even more where this came from...so stay tuned!