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 21
New Family
He looked at his now official, in-laws and then to Miriallia. He was grateful for both of their assistance, but still wasn't sure why they allowed her to sign the papers in the first place.
Mrs. Haw noticed his uncertainty and decided to put his mind at ease. There was one reason why Miriallia signed the papers against her own better judgment and it was because her mother was the only person that Miriallia trusted completely, even to a level that Dearka wouldn't be able to reach, at least, not yet anyway.
"Dearka, don't forget, Miriallia ALWAYS does what I tell her to do," Mrs. Haw replied with a wink at the young man. It was a sign that he had nothing to worry about, that she would make sure his father couldn't tear them apart. That is, as long as he didn't do anything to upset his new mother.
"Well, you've moved up on my list young man," Mr. Haw said as he moved back to his daughter and hugged her gently.
He gave an uncertain look to Miriallia's father at the statement. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing," Dearka admitted.
"No worries, it's a good thing. You had been the lowest on my list, but as of today, your very own father has taken your spot, pushing you up a slot," he replied but still glaring at the young man.
"Daddy, stop it," Miriallia scolded.
Mrs. Haw knew it was their signal to give the newlyweds time alone. She figured they probably had some things to discuss.
"Let's go dear; we can go check on Nora. You haven't met the little angel yet. The ICU nurses said she's doing extremely well now," Mrs. Haw said giving an intended update to her daughter.
Miriallia smiled and waved goodbye as her parents left her hospital room. Her eyes moved around the room in an attempt to avoid eye contact with Dearka.
"Mir, would you please look at me?" he asked, knowing what she was up to.
Her eyes fell upon his handsome features within moments of his request and she reached out her hand gently to touch his face. A part of her couldn't believe she had actually signed the papers. She hadn't known what Dearka was up to when he stalled her earlier, but she had been so sure when she saw her parents that she would never have to sign such a ridiculous agreement.
In the end, her parents saw it Councilman Elsman's way. The problem was she didn't know why yet. And there leaning over her bed was the man that was now officially her husband. It had been a long time coming, but it had finally happened. Of course, not the way she had wanted or expected it to.
"Mir?" Dearka questioned trying to bring her back from her thoughts.
Miriallia's hand fell from his face as she continued smiling at him. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about things," she replied.
"What kind of things?" he urged her to speak with him.
She pushed herself up from the bed and leaned into him. He felt her soft lips brush his and their kiss deepened slowly. As she pulled away, she left him almost breathless.
"What was that for?" he asked with a husky voice.
"It was our wedding day kiss. You know the part where they say, 'you may now kiss the bride," she said devilishly.
"Well, if that's what they say, then you did it backwards," he replied.
Miriallia blinked in confusion until she felt his lips touch hers again and they fell into another deep kiss. When they released their lip-lock, Dearka placed his forehead against hers and ran his fingers through her hair.
"I wish we could have done this properly though," she said with disappointment.
Dearka's hands continued to brush through her beautiful, soft hair and he spoke to her with an uncharacteristically tender voice.
"I, Dearka Elsman, take you, Miriallia Haw, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, I promise to love, honor, respect, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live," Dearka said softly to her.
Miriallia closed her eyes as a small smile slipped across her features and she blushed at his vows to her. As her eyes re-opened, small tears fell down her face. She almost felt, as she would choke on the words she wanted to say.
"I, Miriallia Haw, take you, Dearka Elsman, to be my friend, my lover, the father of my children and my husband. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of need, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and to stay with you, for all eternity," she replied with her own vows to him.
Their lips touched once again and he delicately lowered her head back to her pillow, never releasing his lips from hers. The kiss was tremendously powerful between the two. It was unlike any kiss they shared before and had Dearka not remembered they were in Miriallia's hospital room, he would have let the passion explode. But, he did remember and swiftly pulled away from her.
"What?" she asked seeming a little shocked.
She felt as though she had done something wrong.
"Miriallia, we have to stop there. You just gave birth to Nora, you're still not one hundred percent yet and your parents are practically right outside the door," Dearka stated matter-of-factly.
Miriallia smiled becoming conscious of their predicament. "I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess I was so moved by your attempt to give me proper wedding vows," she said smiling gingerly.
He gave her one of his famous smirks, although this one had more love than sarcasm behind it.
"What?" she asked again.
"I just wanted to thank you," he replied.
"For what?" she asked still confused at the look he gave her.
"For being you, for saying those vows to me, for giving birth to Belle and now Nora, for everything you are and everything you will be," he replied sounding unlike himself.
"Careful Lt. Elsman, people may mistake you as a sensitive man infatuated with a Natural woman," she teased.
"Well, Mrs. Elsman, if they do, they wouldn't really be mistaken, would they? When it comes to you, I'm pretty sensitive and I'm definitely infatuated," he replied kissing her on the lips once again.
The two heard the door swish open and parted their lips, both looking toward the intruders.
"Look who we found unceremoniously roaming the halls near the ICU," Yzak said tossing the girl toward Dearka.
Dearka stood quickly from Miriallia's bedside and caught the young girl in his arms.
"Careful Yzak, she's still a person you know, not a sack of potatoes," he scolded.
Yzak shrugged it off and dropped himself into one of the foam filled armchairs in the room as Shiho walked in behind him.
"Are you okay Kelley?" she asked the question Dearka had been about to.
"As okay as I can be with a brute like him manhandling me," she sneered.
"Yeah, yeah, cry me a river," Yzak said harshly.
Miriallia just shook her head at the exchange.
"You act like this is all my fault," she said grabbing on to Dearka's uniform and gaining her composure.
"It is your fault. It's your fault Dearka's father came back here in the first place," Yzak scolded. It was obvious to everyone standing there that Yzak was doing what he could to protect his best friend.
As much as Dearka appreciated the gesture, he was pretty sure Kelley was someone he could handle on his own.
"Yzak, that's enough. Kelley was just doing her job. Besides, my father never left. He had no intention of leaving the grounds without all the papers signed. He just made it seem that way hoping that the space he gave me would make me do it that much quicker," Dearka said beginning to pull away from Kelley's grasp.
"But we saw him leave finally, so does that mean…" Shiho began.
Yzak sat up from his slouched position and looked between the two, shaking his head as if removing cobwebs.
"I guess I should officially introduce you to, Mrs. Miriallia Elsman," Dearka said with a small smile.
"Well I'll be damned, you actually signed the papers," Shiho said in amazement looking at Miriallia.
"Then why did we bother bringing your parents here," Yzak said scornfully. He was agitated with Miriallia now. Even though she had nothing to do with it, he felt it was somehow her fault since they were her parents.
Miriallia remembered what she liked to call her 'training' in handling Yzak and his rants. Dearka had worked with her for quite a while in an attempt to desensitize her from his harsh remarks that could sting every once in a while. Even the strongest shield his closest friends put up to avoid the lash could be smashed if Yzak was angry or annoyed enough over a situation.
She did what she was taught and turned her head away, but never lowered her chin, as she would have normally done in the awkwardness of the glare. Her attention then turned to her husband standing in front of her bed with Kelley still close by him. It was a sign to Yzak that she wasn't intimidated by him, and in her mind a sign to him that she would not even entertain his outbursts.
"You saw him leave, right? Did anything seem a little off to you?" Dearka reiterated Shiho's statement.
"He seemed a bit mad about something," Shiho remembered and then looked at both Miriallia and Dearka.
She saw the smirks on both their faces. For the first time, she saw how much alike the two really were and how perfect they were for one another.
"What happened exactly?" she asked coming to the conclusion they knew something about it.
"Let's just say, my father had an unexpected turn of events happen and there wasn't much he could do about it," Dearka replied.
Dearka felt Kelley brush by him as she moved toward Miriallia. "Oh, I almost forgot," she said reaching into her pocket and pulling something out.
He reached out and grabbed Kelley, being protective of Miriallia at that moment. "What are you doing?" he asked not releasing her arm.
She looked down at his hand and then she looked back up to his face. "I have to give this to her now," she replied opening the palm of her hand.
In her hand were two stunning wedding bands and a gorgeous diamond engagement ring. Everyone in the room looked at her in shock.
"You can't be serious," Dearka said.
"What do you mean? You ARE married now, aren't you?" Kelley asked confused.
"I don't think he means the fact that you have the rings, I think he's talking about what the rings are," Yzak replied now standing next to Dearka with Shiho also only inches away.
Kelley was still confused and was becoming extremely uncomfortable with everyone so close to her. Even Miriallia's eyes widened from the brilliance flashing in her hand.
The diamond ring in her hand was placed in a platinum solitaire six-prong band, with a Round, Signature Ideal cut, Flawless, D, 2 ct diamond. The two wedding bands were equally as impressive.
Miriallia's was set in a Channel-set platinum band ring with a full circle of round brilliant diamonds, while the wedding band for Dearka was a Milgrain ring in platinum with an 18k gold outer ring.
Although Dearka thought the wedding bands were striking, he couldn't believe the expense his father went to for Miriallia's engagement ring, it was worth over $250,000 dollars alone.
"What's he trying to pull anyway? First highly specialized physicians for both Miriallia and Nora, then a home on Februarius and now this?" he thought.
"I can't wear that, are you crazy?" Miriallia cried flushed.
Kelley didn't know what to do. She wasn't used to being around any of the people in the room, except for Dearka.
"I don't understand; why can't you wear it?" Kelley asked in bewilderment.
Dearka shook his head at her. "Kelley, look at it, it's too much. How did he even pick something like this out?" Dearka asked.
Kelley's eyes darted away and she began to feel uncomfortable again. Although his father footed the bill, he wasn't the person that picked them out and probably had no idea how much money had actually been spent.
"Or, he doesn't know the cost yet," Dearka read her body language.
"It's not like he's going to take them back. You know what your father's like. Once something is given, he doesn't ask for it back," Kelley replied.
"No, you're wrong. He may not ask for the item back, but he does ask for something in return," Dearka stated.
"Well there's no problem then, is there?" Miriallia interjected.
Dearka looked over at his blushing bride, "and why is that?"
"Because we aren't accepting them," she stated shortly.
"But," Kelley said still having a hard time understanding why everyone was acting so strangely toward the gifts.
Dearka closed his eyes and sighed. When his lavender orbs fluttered open again, he looked considerately at her. "You heard my wife she said we're not accepting them."
Yzak was still stunned to silence, but Shiho wasn't. "What are you thinking Miriallia? You HAVE to accept them. Don't you want to prove a point to Tad Elsman, that you two can endure whatever he throws at you?" she cried out.
Miriallia sat there in a very stubborn position. Dearka knew the only person who could make her change her mind wasn't in the room.
"No way, if I take those rings, the only thing I prove to that man is that I'm easily bought, and that's not who I am!" she yelled.
As if on cue, the door swished open once again revealing Miriallia's parents. "What's going on in here?" Mr. Haw demanded as he rushed to his daughters' side.
"Oh…my," Mrs. Haw said seeing the dazzling rings shining brightly in Kelley's hand.
"It seems my father had someone purchase some rings for the two of us, but Miriallia insists they're too much and won't accept them," Dearka stated the facts.
Mr. Haw lifted his chin from where he sat at the foot of Miriallia's bed and gazed at them. "They're not that impressive. We have a nicer set at home from your grandparents," he said nonchalantly.
Dearka blinked at the comment and then heard his mother-in-law speak up. "True, these can only be worth a little over two hundred grand, your grandmothers' was worth at least double that," she repeated casually to her daughter.
Dearka shook his head and rolled his eyes. It wasn't like Mrs. Haw to get in on the act of embarrassing Dearka, but then he didn't need to say anything thanks to Kelley.
"Councilman Elsman didn't even pick them out he's not trying to show off his money. It was a task assigned to someone close to the family. That person was looking for something that would suit the two of them, regardless of price," Kelley snipped.
"Oh dear, I didn't mean to offend anyone," Mrs. Haw replied sounding innocent.
She looked over into Dearka's direction and apologized. "Really, I was just commenting so that Miriallia wouldn't feel so guilty about accepting them. You know that it isn't uncommon for people with means to purchase more extravagant items as a way to show..." she started.
Realizing she hadn't made Dearka feel any better, she apologized once again. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded dear."
"I know you didn't, it's not a problem. Miriallia, I really think we should accept the rings. You heard Kelley; my father didn't have anything to do with picking them out and it would be rude not to accept them. Like Shiho said, we have to endure whatever my father throws at us, or we won't make it," Dearka stated.
"You should listen to your husband Miriallia," Mrs. Haw said in an attempt to make amends to him.
The statement made Mr. Haw grumble in discontent. He looked away grumpily before standing up again. "If that's all this was about, then I'm going back down to see my granddaughter again. I didn't want to come back to the room in the first place with him still around. Young man, I expect to see Annabella soon too," he stated as he walked over to Kelley.
Kelley shied away, but felt his hand ravage hers. Once he was satisfied, he moved back toward Miriallia. "Listen to your husband and put on your rings," he replied agreeing with his own wife and handing Miriallia the rings.
As he turned to exit, he grabbed Dearka's hand and pushed the object into his as well. "I want her here within the hour, do you understand?" he asked, not waiting for an answer.
He stalked out the door, grumbling the whole way down the hall. Dearka could hear him until the door securely closed.
"Well, I guess I should follow him. I would really enjoy seeing Annabella too," Mrs. Haw said giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek and patting Dearka on his shoulder gently as she headed out herself.
"I'll call my friend to bring her down. I can have her here soon," Dearka replied as he slipped the ring on his finger.
"Isn't that man just pleasant," Yzak scoffed earning a glare from both Shiho and Miriallia.
"What?" he defended himself from the looks they gave.
Shiho smacked him in the back of the head before shaking her own and walking out the door. Yzak didn't know what happened and ran to catch up to her, leaving Kelley, Dearka and Miriallia in the room alone.
"Sorry, sometimes Yzak doesn't think," Dearka apologized to Miriallia.
"I know, but still, he's my father and it's bad enough having my husband not like him, I don't need my husbands' friends saying things as well," she said slipping her own rings on her finger.
"I'll talk to him," Dearka promised.
"So if everything is all set here now, I can go make the arrangements to have Miriallia transferred to Februarius," Kelley said.
They both looked in her direction with a quizzical look.
"Um, Nora is doing well enough to be moved to the hospital there and Miriallia doesn't need any treatments that can't be undertaken from your new home, so I can get everything in motion," she explained.
"Nora's really doing that much better?" Miriallia asked, the hope seeping from her voice.
Kelley's eyes softened to the young mother. "Yeah, she's doing exceptionally better," she reinforced earning another smile from Miriallia.
Kelley nodded in Dearka's direction and headed for the door.
"Uh, I'll be right back. Is that okay honey?" he asked.
"Yeah, go on, I'll be all right," Miriallia replied.
He twisted on his heel and followed Kelley out the door. Once the door closed between them and Miriallia, he saw her look down the halls. When she was satisfied they were alone, she grabbed his sleeve and dragged him down to another room.
The doors opened and she jerked him inside the room. "Hey, careful," he called out and before he knew it, he felt her lips against his.
The kiss inadvertently deepened before he finally pulled away. Both breathless from the connection, he wiped his mouth in disgust.
"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled at her.
"Just saying goodbye," she replied casually.
He didn't know what he was more annoyed over, the fact that she kissed him or the fact that it took him a moment to react to being kissed by someone other than Miriallia.
"Great, only an hour into my marriage and I've already been unfaithful thanks to you," he snipped.
"It was just a friendly kiss, calm down. I really wanted to bring you in here to give you some advice," Kelley stated.
Dearka raised an eyebrow at her, unsure if that was really her true intention or if it was just another trick like so many people had been pulling on him lately.
"I know you have no reason to trust me, but if you really want this marriage to work out, you'll have to do something that's a little out of character for you," Kelley said.
"Yeah? And what's that?" Dearka asked.
"You have to tell her the truth about everything," Kelley replied.
"What do you mean, 'tell her the truth about everything?'" he asked.
Kelley looked around the darkened room and then locked her eyes back onto his. "I mean tell Miriallia anything you've been hiding from her and anything you think is better left unsaid between the two of you. In the end it's going to ruin you and your family," Kelley said thoughtfully.
"Should I be telling her about this kiss too?" he said sarcastically.
"If you want your relationship to survive, you can't keep secrets from her now," Kelley said in a more serious tone.
The look on Dearka's face was priceless, if he hadn't known any better, he would have thought she was a complete mental case. But then again, he realized the kiss was a way to test him, to see if he had the ability to tell Miriallia the truth about a simple occurrence.
"You know this could ruin you too, right? I mean, if I come clean to her about everything, then Cadey and Ian may find out about us so long ago," he replied remembering their conversation earlier in the day.
"Then, so be it, right? I mean isn't that your motto when it's not something that will affect you personally?" Kelley asked.
"You sound a little bit bitter," Dearka said smirking.
"Look, I didn't bring you down here to start a fight with you. I really do think the two of you have a shot. Although, if you ever tell Cadey I said that, I'll kill you with my bare hands," Kelley said stepping in closer to him.
Before he knew it, she had grabbed him again and pulled him closer. Dearka wasn't sure what she was going to do now and stiffened up until he felt her embrace him. "What are you doing?" he asked feeling uncomfortable.
"Giving you a much needed hug before I become just your assistant, I'm not going to be able to be your friend anymore after this," she said smiling with a melancholy look that was beginning to tug at his heartstrings.
"I thought you hated me, at least that's what you've said for as long as I can remember," he teased.
"You know exactly why I felt that way. Don't try to play me," she snipped back softly.
Realizing her intentions were pure this time, he wrapped his arms around her for a short moment. Gently she pushed herself away and stared at him warmly.
"Besides, it's time I stop asking you to hide the truth from Cadey and Ian. It wasn't fair of me to ask you to do it in the first place and now is probably a better time than any to tell them everything that happened. After all, it was only one night, right?" she asked.
"Hey, let me deal with Cadey and Ian, okay? I don't want you to take the fall for this. Miriallia won't be angry because it was something that happened so long ago, but Cadey and Ian are another story. Besides, Ian hates me enough as it is, I can't see him hating me anymore than when he finds out Miriallia and I are actually married now. And with Cadey, it's better if it looks like it's in some way my fault in order to salvage your friendship with her," he said protectively.
"No way, how can you deal with them and take the blame when you weren't even at fault, it would just be another lie," she scolded.
"I'm not going to lie, I'm just going to tell them what happened while leaving out a few details, just go with it when they ask you about it. Anyway, it's not lying, it's truth by omission," he said with a wink.
Kelley closed her eyes and shook her head, a smile still remaining on her pretty features, although slightly brighter than it had just been. She felt a small peck on her cheek and her eyes fluttered back open in surprise.
"Next time, that's how you should goodbye to a married man," he said as if teaching her a new social technique.
She nodded and watched as he walked out the door and headed back down the hall to see Miriallia.
"I'll remember that, Lt. Elsman," she said softly, more to herself than him before heading out to fulfill her responsibilities to the new Elsman family.