Heyas everyone! The much awaited update for The Zala Files is finally here! Lol...It's going to be a short chapter but with a lot of sweetness in it to sate everyone's appetite. I've been working really hard in order to finish this one before my next paper for senior seminar is due and so here it is! Lol...I hope everyone enjoys this installment as much as I enjoyed writing it. I promise the next chapter will be longer since more will be happening in it.

Disclaimer: I do not own GS, GSD, or the AsuCaga happiness that takes place in this chapter...but wouldn't it be nice if I did? Lol

-The Zala Files- Chapter 14: The Calm Before The Storm-

-Country of Orb. March 7th, CE 75. Five days after the arrest of Fllay Allster. Location: Athha Estate Main Council Meeting Room-

Cagalli sat holding her aching head in her hands as she listened to the jabbering of all of the middle aged councilmen. She felt as if she were being attacked from all sides by different points of view. One council member kept badgering her about the validity of the peace treaty's that were being drawn up between Orb and ZAFT and also Orb and the A.E. Another wanted to know what she planned to do if all of this falls through, and a third seemed to be giving her a lecture on responsibility. She glanced over at Kira who was doing his best to field all the questions regarding the military preparations and also ones he felt were too much of a direct attack on his sister.

Kira held up his hands in a gesture to calm down the room: "Alright...Alright...everybody calm down. All questions will be answered when we reconvene at our meeting next week." He heard a few mumble under their breath and flashed them a glare so fierce that they instantly shut their mouths. He then noticed their bodyguard and butler Kisaka approach Cagalli with a note.

Kisaka presented the note to Cagalli and stated: "Lady Cagalli...a message for you. The sender says it's an urgent matter of business."

Cagalli sighed heavily and began to read the note to herself: To the Goddess of Victory, Looks to me like you could use a break. I won't take no for an answer. I'll be waiting in the stairwell that nobody uses. From there, we'll rendezvous and seal our business deal. Sincerely Yours, The Red Knight Her face turned a slight red and then stood up to excuse herself: "Any final questions can be directed to my brother and if there are none, I suggest you all relax for the rest of the day as my brother and I will be doing as well."

Kira eyed her for a minute and then nodded in agreement.

Cagalli brushed off her purple representative outfit, turned on her heels, and made a mad dash for the stairwell mentioned in the letter. Once she got to standing just outside the stairwell door she frantically asked herself: "Where is he?" She looked all over and saw no trace of the blue haired Coordinator in question. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her from behind and pull her into the stairwell and a gentle voice whisper in her ear: "You got my letter I see...you sure took off out of that meeting in a hurry. Have you really missed me that much in five days?" His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.

Cagalli felt a shiver run up her spine at their closeness and hissed in a stammer: "A-Athrun...what took you so long!?"

Athrun shook his head and let out a small chuckle: "Hey...I just rescued you from a harsh meeting and this is how you thank me? Maybe I should just leave."

Cagalli hissed: "Oh no you don't." She snatched his arm and placed a long, lingering kiss upon his slightly parted lips, then trailed scalding hot kisses down his neck and smirked as she heard a soft moan escape him. She smirked again as she murmured against his neck: "Hmmm...this seems to be a sweet spot on you. I'll have to remember that." She then continued her mission of kissing his neck once again.

Athrun breathed: "Cagalli...p-please...I..." Unable to control himself, instead of pushing her away so he could calm down; he pulled her even closer.

Cagalli's lips continued to kiss his neck and then murmur: "I love how doing this gets you. You're always in so much control and so calm. It just makes me curious to see how wild you can get when you lose it."

Athrun, between another soft moan; managed to smirk playfully as his emerald eyes sparkled mischievously: "And the only one who has the power to make me lose it like that is you." He began to gently rub her shoulders and flashed her another devilish smile: "But I know what affects you too."

Cagalli shivered under his exquisite touch as she asked: "So...a rendezvous huh? Where is it you plan on sealing this "business deal" Commander Zala...or should I say...Alex?"

Athrun smiled and offered her a gentle hand. They both walked down the steps and outside to his black convertible.

Cagalli's amber eyes widened in shock as she wolf whistled at the car: "Wow...you were finally able to afford a car?...and a nice one at that."

Athrun chuckled: "Yeah...this is the end result of about a dozen more car washes." He opened the passenger door for his companion.

Cagalli smiled and took a seat as Athrun climbed into the drivers seat and shut the door. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked: "So...where are we going?"

Athrun winked mischievously and flashed her a warm smile as he rested his free hand on top of hers: "It's a surprise. You'll see when we get there. I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

-One hour later. Location: December City, Zala Country Estate. Time: Noon -

Cagalli stretched out her aching limbs as she laid on the small beach next to a beautiful waterfall who's flowing seemed to be lulling her to sleep. As it turned out, Athrun had taken her to his secre spot of three years ago. The secret spot was situated directly behind the Zala country estate and looked even more beautiful than she remembered it. This was the place they shared their first kiss and also where they...ummm...she turned bright red at the thought of what took place here that fateful night when she needed someone to comfort her and she wound up here in his strong and waiting arms. The place seemed more improved since she was last there as it was set up to be almost like a small beach club house. There were a few colorful Chinese lanterns hanging from a nearby tree and two little beach chairs for people to relax and take a lode off. It's as if Athrun had anticipated her arrival and she smiled at the thought. She adjusted the strap of her red tank top that she had changed into upon their arrival and played around with the buttons on her khaki cargo shorts until her thoughts were interrupted by the placing of a cold drink on the small table beside her and Athrun's soft and gentle voice asking: "Something on your mind?" He sat himself down in the sand next to her chair, his beautiful eyes full of concern and curiosity.

Cagalli took his soft hand in hers and gave it a slight squeeze as she looked up at the clear sky, then back at him...she sighed heavily as she did so: "Just thinking that I have a lot of work ahead of me before I can even hope to be as good a leader as my father."

Athrun's emerald eyes gazed thoughtfully into hers as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it while he lifted his free hand and ran his fingers through her short golden hair. A warm smile crossed his face before he spoke: "I believe you'll get to that level a lot sooner than you think...and...I'll be right there with you no matter what."

Cagalli looked down into his beautiful, enchanting eyes and placed a soft kiss upon his lips before declaring: "I want to be your partner again. You don't mind having me help you along with Miss Meyrin do you?"

Athrun's eyes widened a bit in surprise, then he spoke seriously: "Getting involved in this kind of work means exposing yourself to a lot of danger and..."

Cagalli's amber eyes flared in anger as she hissed: "You don't think I can handle that?!" She wagged an accusing finger in front of his face: "May I remind you of the day when you took me prisoner and how I shot you...and also..let's not forget the fact that I was your partner for two years."... "Why should now be any different than before?!"... "Is it because now you know my social position?"

Athrun shook his head and exclaimed: "No!...I mean...I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't know what I would do if anything...!"

Cagalli cut him off by the shaking of her head and retorting in a growl: "In case you've forgotten our little encounter in the desert when we first met, I'm fully capable of defending myself Athrun and you of all people should know that since you have the gunshot scars to prove it."

Athrun heaved a heavy sigh and then started to chuckle at her angry and pouty face.

Cagalli's amber eyes glowed in anger as she growled: "What's so damn funny?!"

Athrun laughed a bit more and replied: "N-Nothing...it's just...I almost forgot who I was talking to for a minute...I should know by now that you can defend yourself...Princess." He watched her stand up and begin to stalk away. Thinking quickly, he used his strong Coordinator reflexes to swiftly grab her hand and spin her into his arms, forcing them to fall to the sand with a loud thud...Cagalli had fallen on top of him as an end result and he smiled up at her: "I'm sure Meyrin-san won't mind having someone else besides me to talk to...and..." He gently, and briefly brushed her bangs out of her eyes before he finished by saying: "...I certainly will enjoy working with you again...Miss Yula."

Cagalli smiled warmly down at him and brushed his blue bangs from his eyes: "Good...I'm glad. Now I won't be bored and cooped up in that house for the rest of my life like a caged bird."

Athrun reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, a slight playful smirk on his face: "And you definitely won't be bored in my house either." He pulled her down to lay on top of him and kissed her sweetly, yet passionately as the water crept up the shore and a small wave crashed over them. As the two became lost in each others kisses and touches, the bliss was interrupted by the ringing of Cagalli's cell phone.

Cagalli brushed a wet strand of her bangs out of her eyes and growled in frustration at having to leave Athrun's warm embrace as she reached for her phone: "If this is Kira I swear I'll beat him to a pulp!" She answered the phone in a hiss: "This isn't funny Kira!" The high pitched voice on the other end responded: "Cagalli my love...why are you screaming...it seems that's all you ever do."

Cagalli muttered under her breath: "Oh great...Yuuna...I mean...no reason...I just felt like it."

Athrun heaved a frustrated sigh as he brushed off his wet blue hair. He pulled his wet tee shirt over his head and tossed it aside so only his black swim trunks remained. A devilish look suddenly spread across his face. He crawled over to where Cagalli lie trying not to groan in agony at Yuuna's telling her about his day and how she should improve herself be speaking more demurely. Athrun picked up her bare foot and kissed it causing her to giggle a bit, then flash him her usual glare, but that didn't stop him. He then kissed her knee and then her thigh, which caused her to nearly jump up from where she was laying, a slight blush dusted her cheeks as she mouthed: "Cut it out." Athrun simply shook his head like a stubborn child and smirked again before pressing his lips to her stomach.

Cagalli felt her face burn red hot as she groaned: "Oh my God!"... "I...stop it...I..I can't take it!" She quickly covered her mouth realizing what she had just said in reaction to Athrun's soft lips kissing her stomach gently. Yuuna appeared slightly confused on his end of the phone and asked: "Can't take what Cagalli my love?"

Cagalli, her face bright red; managed to stammer as Athrun continued his mission of kissing her stomach: "Spiders!"... "I...just...I just saw a spider!"... 'Yes...Yes Yuuna..I know..whatever..." She glanced down and noticed one of Athrun's hands creep up her leg in a spider-like fashion as he was making his fingers crawl across her skin. He flashed a devilishly sexy smirk at her before moving up to kiss her neck. Blushing heavily now, she held back another satisfied groan as Yuuna asked: "So...how is Alex-san doing?"... "Is he doing his job properly?"... "Have you been keeping him busy?"

Cagalli smirked and glanced at the devilish Athrun who was rubbing her shoulders: "He-he's doing just fine...he's hard to keep busy...but believe me ...I've been on top of him a few times already and when you put him to the test..." She stopped speaking long enough to glance at Athrun's reddening face and then continued: "...You're always satisfied with the end result."

Athrun smirked at the compliments and kissed her lips briefly while Yuuna was taking his turn to yammer on the phone. Athrun then took that opportunity to take the phone in his hands so he could make noise that sounded like static and motioned for Cagalli to play along, which she willingly did by shouting from a few feet away: "What?!"... "Sorry Yuuna!"... "I can't hear you...Kira and I are driving and we just went...into...a...tunnel...you're breaking up...I can't hear...you...I...!" She snatched the phone back from Athrun, closed it with a snap, and then tossed it aside as she turned to Athrun with a huge blush on her face and growled: "Don't...Don't you ever do that to me again...do you know how that made me feel?!"

Athrun chuckled and a mischievous glint formed in his emerald eyes as he answered: "I saw in your eyes how that made you feel...so I wanted to see if I could distract you long enough to really see it. You see...it makes me curious too to see how wild I can make you too and believe me when I say that I am always satisfied with the end result whether it be a kiss or something more." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips and smiled at her red face.

Cagalli sighed heavily in defeat: "Stop it!"... "Stop staring at me like that!"... "You know I can't resist those eyes...damn..there's just no staying mad at you...you know that?" She gingerly brushed his unruly bangs out of his eyes yet again.

Athrun felt his face burn bright red as he found himself being drawn closer to her soft, sweet lips...he was just about to pick up where they left off when his cell phone rang this time and he frustratedly got up to answer it, Cagalli snickering at his having to wait to kiss her this time. She saw his expression change quite drastically after he'd been talking on the phone for a few minutes and then hang up with a serious look on his face as he sat back down next to her and responded: "We have a new case."

Cagalli raised a golden eyebrow in curiosity and placed a concerned hand on his shoulder: "What is it Athrun?" Suddenly her face turned as serious as his: "Is it another murder?"

Athrun nodded solemnly in reply: "I'm afraid so..it's Miriallia's ex-boyfriend ...Kira's friend Tolle Koenig...he was found dead out in the back alley of his club last night. Nicol says that the suspects are being gathered at the club as we speak." He frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair.

Cagalli frustratedly slammed her fist down on the sand: "Why?!"... "Why is all of this happening...everyone around us is starting to disappear!" She felt Athrun put his arm around her and draw her close as he whispered: "I won't let anything happen to you, Kira, or anybody else close to you..I promise...I'll never leave you alone again." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before asking with a small smile on his face: "Cagalli...will you ... work on this case with me as my partner?"

Cagalli's eyes widened and a small smile crossed her face as she nodded: "Yes...Yes I will...but shouldn't we inform Miss Meyrin about this?"

Athrun shook his head: "Meyrin-san is visiting her parents this week and I think it would be best for her if she remain there and not have to see this...together...we can crack this case Cagalli... just like we always did." He took her hand in his and smiled.

Cagalli nodded and smiled back at him with a determined look on her face: "You know it."

Athrun nodded in agreement, smiled, and asked: "Are you ready for this Cagalli?"

Cagalli nodded seriously and looked ahead, a determined look in her amber eyes: "I was born ready."... "Let's roll."

Well everyone...that's chappie 14. I hope nobody was disappointed with how short it was, but trust me..there's a lot more to come in the next chapter. I just wanted to have a chapter where Athrun and Cagalli were having a little fun with Yuuna and being playful. Lol...Anyways..I'll see you all in the next chappie..stay tuned for more excitement! Lol