(Sorry for the long wait)

Chapter 15:

ENJOY :)

I was coming from my father's office, in Junius, when I arrived to the scene. They both had tears in their eyes; Cagalli's was the first I noticed. She was standing stiffly, but trembling. Her hands were clasped over her abdomen, and her eyes were wide with fright.

Without a second thought, I knew I had to do something. That's when I grabbed Meer's armed hands. I moved the gun so that it was pointing down to the ground, but I was too late from stopping her from pulling the trigger. The most painful sting I've ever felt surged through my arm. I looked up at Meer, stunned by the route she had taken. Her eyes were wet—-wide—-as her mouth hung open. Tears began cascading down her cheeks, but I felt no pity. Looking at her, my heart was dark. In that moment I wanted nothing but endless pain for her.

But Meer's with the authorities now, and I sit in the back of an ambulance, as the medics wrap my arm up. Cagalli is by my side, but her gaze remains on the wall. She hasn't said much of anything since we boarded. The only time she spoke was when the medics tried to make sure she, and the baby, were alright. I place my free hand on top of hers, but she yanks it away.

"Cagalli…" there's pleading in my tone. I am ashamed of how pathetic I sound.

Her eyes swiftly shift in my direction before her attention goes back to the vehicle's wall.

"How long do you plan on remaining silent?" I say.

She shifts her body in my direction. I stare at her face, and my heart cracks at the sight. Her eyes, and nose, are red and puffy, and she is pale. Her jaw is clenched tight, and she sniffles every few seconds.

"How long…" her words come out strained and her voice is raspy, "were you going to keep quiet about you and Meer?"

"Cagalli...what…" I manage to stutter.

I notice the medic looking up at us as she finishes bandaging my arm. I look at her, sharply, and she quickly walks away, sitting on the other side of the vehicle, with her colleague, her head down.

"She told me," she says, "you were with her. You spent the night with her—-in her bed—-"

"Cagalli, listen—-"

"No! I thought I could trust you," her voice is barely audible through the strained tone and hiccups she is producing. "I thought being with you would be safe. That my heart wouldn't have to endure anymore harm, but maybe I was wrong."

I grab her by the shoulder, maybe too forcefully because she flinches from the contact. I squeeze it as I glare into her eyes. Her gaze tries to escape me, but mine remain on her, turning her to continue facing me.

"Nothing happened between me and Meer," I say this with pure conviction, undoubting tone.

But my heart wavers with slight doubt because, though I have no recollection of doing anything with Meer, and I am sure she would have mentioned it if something went down, I still woke up in her bed barely dressed. Yet, I can't give Cagalli anymore suspicion. I am not prepared to lose her, especially not to something Meer claimed.

"I swear, Cagalli," I say, "whatever she told you, she must've told you out of anger. Nothing happened. I was hungover, yes, and she took care of me. That is all."

"You were with her—-in her room—-and you expect me to believe nothing happened?"

I shake my head yes.

"Why should I?" she says.

I don't think of anything to say, I just dip my head to seize her lips. I apply pressure due to her resisting—-her resistance doesn't stop and I don't care. I feel an urge burning in me to have this contact with her. How long has it been since we actually kissed?

I pull away, not able to fight her anymore. She looks confused, hurt and angry.

"Because, Cagalli," I say, taking a huge gulp before I continue, "because I—-"

My sentence is interrupted by the abrupt stop of the vehicle. My arm quickly wraps around Cagalli's stumbling body. After we have completely stopped, I am blinded as the doors open to the hospital's emergency entrance.

My pace isn't quick enough; I am walking as fast as I can down the hall, but President Atha's office still seems so very far away. Cagalli said she would be here, in hopes that her father returned, but she doesn't know that I am visiting. Yesterday when we left the hospital, we parted ways. I went back to my apartment and she went home. Her irritation with me didn't subside, so I decided to give her a breather. I just hope today we can continue the conversation we were having in the ambulance...and I can win her over.

Finally President Atha's door comes into view. I am about to knock, but I notice the door is slightly cracked. I can hear voices coming from within. Immediately I recognize one of the voices to be Cagalli's, but I am unsure who the other voice belongs to. It isn't the President's.

Whoever she is talking to, she doesn't sound too happy with them. She seems frustrated. Not wanting to intrude, I stand by the door, concentrating on the unknown voice. It's a male's and, as I listen closer, it sounds familiar.

"Cagalli, you mustn't speak in such a way," he says. "Especially in the class you're in."

The voice suddenly becomes familiar. I know who it is now. To be sure I peer in. My suspicion is correct and I become heated. The other person in the room is someone I fortunately haven't seen in months, someone I particularly never liked: Yuna Roma Seiran.

I first met Yuna a couple of years ago while visiting Kira here in this hallway. His demeanor overbearing, as he saw himself as a superior to me because his father is the Vice President. I ran into him a few more times after that, and with each encounter his ego seemed to increase. After that I tried to avoid his presence, but he would pop up here and there...mainly when Cagalli was around.

He was a suitor for Cagalli much to her dismay. I heard this from Kira a couple of years ago. Supposedly Yuna had presented the idea. Unlike Lacus and I, the two—-Cagalli and Yuna—-weren't officially engaged, but their parent's pushed the idea further and hoped that it would one day happen. Yuna, however, seemed to annoy Cagalli simply with his presence.

At first it didn't bother me; he was just some guy drooling over Cagalli, but after the months passed, I noticed how frustrated he made her, but she tolerated him. I think she did it for her dreams of being President...and for her father. As time went by it annoyed me as well. Seeing him breathe on her back caused my soul to burn, so at times I'd make excuses for him (or her) to leave. One time I lied—-sorta—-and said my mother wanted Cagalli over for dinner (she did, but not that night), and Yuna wasn't invited. He was offended, but she was thankful. He seemed to disappear when Cagalli and I started working together to save Kira, and for that I was grateful.

"Bite me, Yuna," Cagalli snorts.

It makes me chuckle a bit. I lean in closer as she continues to speak.

"My father should have been here by now, and yet I come here and run into you."

"You know that the President is important business," Yuna says, "...regarding your brother."

Cagalli is silent for a moment, and I imagine her readying to throw a chair, or a punch, at Yuna.

"How? I don't know—-"

"Cagalli, it isn't a secret on who the beast is anymore. Emails have been sent to political officials throughout the country. President Atha has asked for...well to put it simply, he wants everyone to let him take care of the Cursed One."

"What?"

"This is a problem, Cagalli. No one really wants to sit around and let the President handle this, especially not the military, especially knowing it's his son."

"I know that!" she shouts.

I look through the crack again. Cagalli is fuming, her face completely red. Her hands are in tight balls, as if she is struggling to contain herself from hitting him.

"Calm down, Dear," He says. I could barf. "You don't want to stress out too much in your condition," he continues in a snarky tone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she speaks through gritted teeth but there's a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Your pregnancy of course," he casually says.

I find that my cue to knock, but I think against it and decide to barge in instead. When I walk in, the two stare at me with puzzled looks. Yuna's facial expression quickly changes to an annoyed one.

"Athun? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"As you can see, we were in the middle of a conversation," Yuna says.

"I can talk to my girlfriend anytime I like," I hiss.

Yuna raises his eyebrow to my statement. "Girlfriend?" he says. "So, you must've been the one to deflower her. Pity."

I inch towards Yuna, my hand clenched. I intend to smash in his face, but quickly Cagalli makes it in front of, holding my fist. She stares me in the eyes with an alarmed expression. I guess worried about what would have taken place if she hadn't intervened.

She turns to face Yuna. "We'll finish this conversation before the day is over," she says in a commanding voice. "Now, could you please leave my father's office."

He turns his head up and snorts before slamming the door behind him.

Cagalli looks back at me, arms folded. The look she is giving me causes chills to shoot through my body, but I try to stand still and tall.

"What are you doing here?" there's iciness in her tone. "I don't want to see you right now. I have important matters to attend to."

I ignore all of the hostility she is giving me and jump right into my reason for visiting.

"Why don't you want to see me, Cagalli?"

"You know why!"

"It's 'cause you think I did something with Meer?" there's more bass in my voice than I intended. "Why? Do you really think that I would do that to you?"

"I don't know!" her voice bounces off the walls. "The two of you have history...even if it isn't rich, it's still history. You were with her when Lacus died...partying, not me. Maybe you needed some kind of closure. Maybe because she looks like her, or maybe because you wanted to be around someone who's more fun. I know lately I haven't been a ray of sunshine...I'm pregnant, depressing, a total mess, and then there's her. The girl you used to fuck. This pretty girl, with the girliest features, who knows how to show you a good time. I don't see a reason not to have done it."

Her voice is shaky, and she doesn't look at me. My heart sinks. I don't know exactly how I ended up with Meer that night, but I am sure it was nothing. I know nothing happened because no one has been making me feel the way Cagalli makes me feel.

"I didn't do anything with her because I don't love her, I love you."

Looking around this conference room, I noticed the youngest people in here are Cagalli and I, and Yuna I guess. Nothing but a whole bunch of older men, and a few women, reside in this room; all political figures. The room is wide, chairs after chairs in rows. Everyone is seated, aside from the countless cameramen. My father is one of the ones seated in the front, near the podium, along with the other mayors, and governors, of the country. I'm seated closer to the back on the other side of the room. Cagalli sits in the row behind my father's. She's still, her posture erect and her hands folded over her lap, not saying a word to anyone, though they do try to engage in conversation with her—-the press, the officials, and even cameramen. They're probably bothering her with questions about Kira and her rumored pregnancy. I can only imagine what's running through her head because she doesn't give off any indication of any emotion...she's just blank.

I haven't really spoken to her since last week. After I told her how I truly felt she told me "I have to go" and hastily left the room. I'm not sure, but I think her eyes were watery at the time.

We briefly spoke on the way in here. I grabbed her by the arm and told her we need to talk. She looked me in the eyes, nodded her head and smiled. "We do, sorry though. Talk to you later," is what she said.

Looking at her, thinking about the silence she gave me after my confession...my heart cracks, and it keeps on cracking. I feel like if we don't talk after this that my heart with be nothing more than dust in the wind. I just hope that the conversation doesn't go awry.

"Attention everyone," my focus instantly goes off of Cagalli and to the podium where President Atha is standing. Behind him sits an old lady and a man. The man looks familiar, and it takes me a moment to realize who he is. He's the old lady's grandson and she must be the lady—-the one me and Cagalli were searching for. I glance over at Cagalli, she's leaning forward a bit in her seat with wide eyes.

"I've brought you all here today to announce a solution to ending this Cursed Year," the President continues. "This woman has lived a long life," he gestures to the old lady, "and it is to my understanding that she lived through these tragic times before. With thorough research, I am knowledgeable to the fact that she is a descendant of the 'witch' and has provided me with a solution, albeit a difficult one." He pauses. I know what he is about to say. I just know it. It's what Cagalli tried to do, now he's going to do it. "A sacrifice must be made...someone who is close to the cursed one. We all know it is my son who has been tainted and as his father I am the only one who can do it."

That's it for now. I know loaded. R&R plzzzz.