Dearka & Miriallia
Book II
Disclaimer: It is obvious by now if I'm here that I do not own Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny or any other Gundam Series. But any characters I create to place in this world are mine (But I don't mind if you guys want to use them too. I have no problem with that. You don't even need to ask me. I enjoy sharing to make other stories the best they can be.)
Chapter 18
Allusion
"Then you won't mind if we talk about Cadey right now. It must have been nice to spend one last night with her not so long ago. You certainly are a player aren't you?" Kelley coaxed trying to get a reaction out of both people in the room.
"Kelley, shut up, you don't know what you're talking about and you're just trying to get a rise out of me," Dearka admonished her.
"Oh so it wasn't you on the Voltaire in the bed with her that I saw then? It must have been her other fiancée that looks so much like you," she provoked.
Now this was something that actually peaked Dearka's interest. "What exactly does she know? What happened between Cadey and I was on that ship and there's no way Kelley was there. No, she's just trying to get me to admit to it in front of Miriallia. She only knows what Cadey said happened. As long as I deny it, Miriallia will believe me over her," he thought with confusion.
"Kelley cut it out, she's not even awake. So if you're trying to tear us apart, shouldn't you wait until she signs the papers so my father gets what he wants?" Dearka asked moving to the recliner in the room and making himself comfortable.
"I guess you're right, but I really have my own agenda. I could care less that your father wants to separate you. I only signed up for this for Cadey's sake. After all, she loves you God help her, and she wants only you. So, I'm here to see if you and Miss Miriallia really are destined to be together as people are beginning to think," Kelley stated.
"What? People meaning Ian?" Dearka pried hoping slightly that he and Ian could finally get over the fight their friendship had suffered from.
Even Dearka was starting to miss his closest friends. Yzak and Shiho were really the only two he felt he could even count on as he watched others turn away from him due to the situation.
It was also hard for him to believe that Kelley wasn't here for his father. And Cadey was certainly the last person he ever wanted to see again. She had been nothing but trouble since he met her. But something inside made him still feel somewhat attached to her. He had been agitated when Ian tried to suggest he would go after her if Dearka weren't interested anymore.
"It doesn't matter how much you deny it, you love two women and you may think it's a clear choice because you have kids with one, but somehow I think this girl isn't half the woman Cadey is. Cadey is one of the most beautiful, yet dangerous women on PLANT. And we all know how Dearka Elsman loves danger and beautiful women for that matter," Kelley prodded.
"Are you done yet?" Dearka asked infuriated. He hated that Miriallia was lying there pretending to be asleep while being subjected to Kelley's big mouth. The last thing he needed was her doubting his love for her.
"I'll take safe and sweet over dangerous and beautiful any day of the week Kell" he said trying to calm his emotions down.
Miriallia squeezed her eyes tighter. She was so angry at the last comment that she almost opened her eyes to scream at him. "Is that what he thinks of me, safe and sweet? And since when is Cadey more beautiful than I am? Or does he really think she's that stunning? Damn him," she thought trying to continue her act.
Dearka hadn't known such words would upset Miriallia and he had no idea of the repercussions that would follow. To him, it was a simple compliment, but to her, it hadn't been. It was actually a little hurtful that he thought she was just safe and sweet. It sounded to her as though he was saying life with her would be easier than if he were with Cadey and that's why he chose her. "I'm far from being easy to live with Dearka Elsman," she thought still riling herself up.
"Honestly Dearka, do you really think you can go through with your fathers' plans for you?" Kelley asked sincerely.
"It's not as hard as it seems. I love the woman lying in the bed over there and nothing is going to change that. And to tell you the truth, I wasn't so sure about being a father at first, but it's kind of grown on me and I think I'm pretty good at it. I can't even imagine my life without them in it now. So yeah, I can easily go through with his plans. That is, as long as he doesn't do anything to ruin it," Dearka said playing along.
The last thing he wanted was to make Kelley suspicious of his true goal today. But Kelley did look at him suspiciously before speaking again despite his attempt to throw her off his trail. "You better not just be saying that because she's still awake over there," she said with an evil glare.
"She's not awake and I really mean it," Dearka insisted.
"I don't know, this life, it just doesn't seem like you," she said still curious as to what drove him to do what he did.
"You're right, it's not the me that you know. The person you are so use to, that rich playboy that could do whatever he wanted, disappeared after the first war only to be brought back out when I was forced into the arrangement with Cadey. Cadey always complicates things and I tended to fall into my old habits because I think I was silently rebelling. As for how do I know which one I love more? Well, the answer is simple; only one woman has ever broken those habits of mine and that woman is Miriallia. You know this may sound crazy, but she did try to kill me once with a knife, and then saved me less than a minute later from another girl who tried to shoot me with a gun," Dearka said.
"So, what? Do you feel indebted to her or something? Maybe that's the real reason you're acting like this," Kelley provoked.
"No it's not that. It's just that it was the first time I felt the way I feel around her. I was actually concerned about how she felt and whether or not she would make it through the war alive. And that's why I defected in the first place. I wasn't in it like Athrun was, to protect everyone. I just wanted to protect her. It was a little selfish, but she's what made me fight so hard and the reason I had to turn my gun on Yzak as well," Dearka stated.
"So are you trying to say it's Cadey's fault that you turned into a jerk again after the war because you were rebelling against your father? And you can't deny you fell for her in the end," Kelley pointed out trying to bring the conversation back around to what she really wanted to talk about.
"I never said it was Cadey's fault. I just said she complicated things for me. I know it was all me in the end, and maybe with what happened to her that day just reminded me of Miriallia. I risked my life to protect Cadey the same way I had Miriallia and it felt familiar. Then there was the fact that she let me get away with whatever I wanted and never questioned me. I didn't ever feel like I was in a real relationship with how she let me freely do my own thing. That's why I think I stayed with Cadey for so long," he said recalling how he felt the night he saved Cadey from those dark cold waters and her ability to look the other way from all his indiscretions.
"I love how you say that you could freely do your own thing. When really all she did was sit back while you screwed around with other women. To this day, I still don't know why she let you get away with it. You are such a jerk, you know that?" Kelley said getting herself upset.
"Calm down Kell, it's been a long time since that happened between Cadey and I. On top of that, she practically gave me permission. Not that it was any excuse for me going ahead and doing it, but it happened and it's over and I didn't do it the entire time we were together. I just meant I could do whatever I wanted with my life and she didn't complain about it. Only you would bring up that part of our past," Dearka scolded knowing she was only trying to protect her best friends' feelings.
Kelley had already felt bad enough knowing what everyone was up to. After his speech, she felt even guiltier about the way his father was going about things and decided there was only one thing to do, the honorable thing. Something she rarely did when Cadey and Ian were concerned.
"I'll make a deal with you. I won't tell Cadey, Ian or your father anything that happens today. But, your girl over there has to stop pretending to be asleep and you have to stop being so sappy. I kind of like the bad boy side of you and miss it from when you first left PLANT. I'll give you the rest of the day to put whatever your little plan is in motion, but from tomorrow on, I'm going to start doing my job. You know I've never liked it when people don't play fair. I can't really tell you what all of them have planned, but I can give you time to prepare yourselves. It's your move hot shot," she said as she tossed her phone to him.
Dearka could see the sincerity in her eyes. "One day huh?" he repeated.
"Yup, take it or leave it. If I were you I would take it though, I've pretty much told you what they were up to earlier, but I don't think you were listening closely enough. Eh, your loss," she said shrugging her shoulders and walking to the other chair across the way.
Dearka's eyes narrowed as he tried to think what it was she said to give him a clue what they were up to. "All she said was she knows about that night with Cadey. But that's not strange since she and Cadey are best friends. I can't imagine that it makes a difference that people claim to know. In the given situation, Miriallia wouldn't believe it anyway," he thought as he flipped open the phone.
"Hey I thought you were going to have her open her eyes already. That was part of the deal," Kelley fussed.
"I told you, she's sleeping. It's not my problem if you thought I was lying. You can wake her up yourself, but I wouldn't recommend it. She's not very nice when someone tries to wake her up for anything," Dearka said with a wink.
"Yeah, you would know, sick-o," she said understanding the innuendo in his comment.
"Just in case, I have to make sure that Kelley doesn't know what I'm up to. So the only way to do that is to go through Yzak again. God, he's going to kill me once he hears we need to put this plan in motion," he thought dialing to connect to the Voltaire.
On the Voltaire…
"Sir, you have an incoming call from Lieutenant Elsman on the military base hospital," Marie announced over the communicator.
"Are you serious? Can't that guy do anything on his own without getting into trouble?" Yzak asked in agitation.
"Would you just answer the call?" Shiho snipped as she flipped to the next page of her magazine.
They were both in his office and Shiho had made herself comfortable on a reclining chair she had brought in from the Rec room. She had been tired of having nowhere comfortable to sit while she was off duty and Yzak was working on his paperwork so she forced some of the soldiers to drag it down the way. Knowing she was their Commander's girlfriend, they did as they were told without question and the fear evident in their eyes.
Her legs were over one side of the chair as she used the other side to lean her back up against. It hadn't looked very cozy to Yzak, but Shiho was just small enough that she fit perfectly in the cushions.
"What could you possibly want?" Yzak yelled over the connection.
Dearka knew he would be angry, but he definitely didn't expect this reaction. "I needed you to do that thing you said you would do for me," Dearka hinted.
He was still being watched by Kelley and no matter what she said, he couldn't be too careful what details he gave out while she was in the vicinity.
"Huh? You get yourself into trouble again?" Yzak asked with a smirk now lining his face. It did amuse him when his friend had to beg for help. Although for some reason it wasn't as much fun today as it usually was. There was something missing in his plead.
"Look I can't explain…anything. I just need you to do what you promised," Dearka replied still eyeing Kelley the way she was eyeing him.
"And where should I tell them you will be when they arrive?" Yzak asked curiously.
"It's not that simple. I can't be there," Dearka said in code.
"I don't know what the hell he's talking about," Yzak said exasperated. He didn't understand what Dearka was trying to say or even what he wanted him to do.
"Is there someone there with you right now Dearka that you don't want to know what you're up to?" Shiho yelled from her spot, never looking up from her magazine.
"Why aren't you as smart as she is?" Dearka asked scathingly.
"Shut up or I won't help you at all. So someone is in the room with you and you don't want them to know what you want me to do, is that it?" Yzak repeated Shiho's suggestion.
"YES! And I only have a day to figure it all out," Dearka snipped.
"Right, well you should get yourself organized and I'll talk to you later," Yzak said as he clicked the communication shut.
"Do you think he'll understand your code? I mean, you didn't understand his" Shiho asked nonchalantly in order to tease him.
"You're not funny Shiho," Yzak said as he tapped the papers he was working on together into a neat bundle on the desk.
"I'm just saying, you two tend to have communication issues when you try to speak in code. I mean look at you for example," she said now smiling to herself.
"Ha, ha, ha. You really are enjoying this aren't you," Yzak scolded.
"Just a little," she said squishing her thumb and pointer together to sign to him.
"I can't believe I have to call that Naturals family and get them here in a day. Like I don't have other things to worry about, you know, something important like being on the front lines of a war," Yzak snapped as he picked up the communicator again and had Marie work her magic.
"You know, you aren't even going to really do anything except meet the people. You leave poor Marie to do all the work and then you take all the credit," Shiho said as she flipped to another page.
"Well, it's my job to boss the little people around. You wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't sitting here barking orders at you," Yzak said knowing it would tick her off the way she was doing to him.
"That's it, you're on the couch tonight," Shiho replied as she closed her magazine and left the room without even getting into the full argument he was trying to start with her. She was so angry at his comment that she felt he wasn't worth her time.
"Hey wait!" Yzak cried trying to get her to come back. That was a reaction he hadn't expected from her. Before he could even stand up to give chase, Marie reappeared on the console.
"Sir, I have set up the meeting like you requested. I will be bringing the Haw family in by early evening," Marie replied to her task.
"Wow, that was quick," Yzak said.
"Well, it's what you pay me for Sir," she said with a smile.
"Thank you Marie," Yzak replied sincerely.
"Sir, can I ask you a question though before I sign off?" Marie interjected on his thoughts.
"For the woman who can get anything I ask done in a matter of moments, of course, ask away," Yzak replied with a softer tone than even Shiho was used to hearing from him.
"Is Lieutenant Elsman okay?" Marie asked.
She had been the one who was always the link to Yzak and Shiho helping Dearka out of the fixes he got himself into as of late and she was also the one that was trusted to never open her mouth about any of the incidents. They never thought about how large her role was in their lives and tended to leave her by the wayside, even with how much she did for him.
"I guess we take you for granted don't we?" Yzak asked.
"Sir?" Marie said with confusion.
"Most people would have given up everything we've been up to, using our military positions for our own personal gain, but not you. So before I answer your question, I need you to answer mine. Why are you so loyal to us and why haven't you told anyone what we've been up too when they've questioned you?" Yzak asked the intruding question.
"I…" she started.
"Look, I'll tell you everything if you tell me why you are so loyal," Yzak urged.
A small blush formed on her face and Yzak nodded his head in the realization of what was making her flush to pink.
"Right, Elsman has one more admirer to add to his list, doesn't he?" Yzak replied answering his own question.
Marie's face turned a deeper shade of crimson as her hands flew to her face in an attempt to cover up her embarrassment.
"He'll be fine Marie. We'll all make sure of that," Yzak stated giving her the strength to drop her hands from her face and look at her Commander again.
"I'm sorry, I don't intend on ruin anything he has. It's just…" she began again.
"A crush, I get it. Don't worry, I won't tell him. Besides, I know you'll find someone that's more intriguing to you than Dearka could ever hope to be someday soon. For now, we'll keep it between us," Yzak said with a smile and earning a nod from his subordinate.
"Yes Sir, and thank you for the update," she said saluting him.
The monitor flashed off and Yzak shook his head. "How do you get so many girls to turn their heads in your direction? I just don't get it," he said to himself quietly while gathering up his papers.
He made sure to lock down his computer and lock up all the remaining files that weren't going to go with him and started heading toward the door.
"I guess I better smooth things over with Shiho before dealing with his girls' parents," Yzak thought as he walked out and down the hall toward the Rec room.
It was the only place he could think she would be after her reaction to his comment. She avoided going to his quarters when she was upset and he didn't think she had stepped foot in her own room since they had been stationed on the Voltaire. "This will be interesting," he thought again, making his way down to pick her up.