Never Alone

Freyris

A/n: Yey! updated right on time. Man, I wish I could do this every week T_T Anyway, here's the next installment. I seriously felt like crying while typing this chapter. You guys have been warned. I hope everyone likes this chapter. Maybe you guys should listen to a sad song while reading this chapter LOL /sniff

THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL REVIEWS 3

Disclaimer: I do not own GUNDAM SEED/DESTINY, Sunrise, Bandai.

Chopin's Nocturne Op.9 No.2 played softly in the background of the cafe as Cagalli silently sat alone on the table wearing a dress she rarely wore. Her hands slightly trembled on her lap as she continued to listen to the sound of the piano across the room. As every minute pass by she started to grow anxious and nervous. Even the classical music wasn't helping her calm down.

Truth be told, she didn't know why she had agreed to this arrangement.

"Cagalli, my mother wants to meet you"

"What?"

Athrun sighed and leaned on his seat and stared at the various business reports scattered on his table. "She..." He closed his eyes and exhaled a deep breath "She sort of deduced everything back at home."

"I don't understand"

He switched his phone onto his other ear and fingered the pages of the reports on his desk as he tried to form the words in his head. "My mother saw our pictures Cagalli. Our photos when we were still dating"

At the other end of the line, Cagalli dropped her pen and stared at the manuscript she asked to edit. "What do you mean, For Haumea's sake just spill it already Athrun!"

"She knows you are Cathleen's mother."

Cagalli mentally groaned and reached for the glass of water on the table. It was her third glass. Luckily, the cafe didn't offer wine or something else because if they did-she could have been already wasted. And it wouldn't be the best way to greet your ex's mother and your children's grandmother right?

Slowly, the pianist switched into another piece and swayed along the music as his fingers danced across the black and white keys. Cagalli's eyes caught a familiar figure from afar.

Athrun searched for a blonde around the cafe and found her staring at him with anxiety. She was obviously spilling it everywhere. Her eyes showed how scared she was and how unsure she was with this arrangement. Even from afar he could see her shaking and trembling. Slowly, he approached her and gave her a small smile.

"You look very beautiful." He complimented her as he stared at her cream colored doll dress.

The blonde rolled her eyes at him and held her hands together on her lap.

"I hope you didn't wait that long, Cagalli"

"It's okay" She said immediately and looked around searching for another person who she was supposed to meet at the cafe.

"She'll be here any minute now" He said referring to his mother. Right on cue, a middle aged woman stepped in the cafe wearing an old rose one piece dress and a white purse slung on her shoulder.

"Mom!" Athrun gave a wave at her and immediately, Lenore gave him back a small wave.

Cagalli felt her stomach flip the moment Athrun called his mother. She observed Athrun's mother as she walked gracefully towards them. She looked so refined, so beautiful, so calm and so elegant. She stopped by Athrun's side and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she turned to Cagalli.

"You must be her?" She smiled warmly at her and stretched out her hand "I'm Lenore Zala, Athrun's Mother"

Cagalli slowly took her hand and shook hands with her. "Um, Nice to meet you. I'm Cagalli Hibiki"

Lenore nodded her head and didn't let go of her hand instead she pulled her to a friendly hug and smiled at her. "It's good to finally meet you." The middle aged bluenette suddenly gush out. "I hope Athrun's hasn't been doing anything to you"

"Mother!"

Cagalli snorted and shook her head. "No, Mrs. Zala He hasn't done anything stupid today" She smiled.

"That's good to hear" Lenore giggled and ushered them to sit.

For the first two hours, Lenore and Cagalli chatted like old friends and would ask Cagalli several questions about her life. Where she had studied, her career, her family which she purposely left Aiden out (only telling Lenore about Kira, Lacus and her Aunt Caridad and Uncle Haruma), her hobbies, her likes and dislike.

"I...really don't like people who lie and betray me" Cagalli softly mumbled as Lenore listened to her.

"I see" Lenore smiled and reached out her hand and gave it a light pat.

"and she's a stubborn one" Athrun, who was silent the whole time suddenly interjected.

"Shut up" Cagalli hissed at him.

Lenore laughed "I can see you're a very strong woman, Cagalli. I think I know now where Cathleen got her traits from"

Hearing her daughters name, Cagalli stiffened and pursed her lips.

"She is very much like you Cagalli" Lenore smiled at the thought of her granddaughter. "And...I believe there's another little one?"

Instantly, Athrun and Cagalli's eyes met and were both shocked. Over the phone, they've agreed not to talk about Aiden and just Cathleen knowing that Lenore only knows Cathleen but this was a surprise to them.

Seeing Athrun was as shocked as she was, Cagalli understood Athrun didn't tell his mother about their son but why was she asking about Aiden.

"M-Mother..."

Athrun's mother sipped her water calmly and looked at the parent's of her granddaughter "Patrick told me. " She started and clasped her hands together on top of the table. "He saw a young boy with you Athrun. On that the day he went to give you some paper works, he told me about an interesting little boy and that he somehow resembled you"

Cagalli looked at Athrun asking him about this with her eyes. Athrun only had this guilty expressions all over his face. It was true, Patrick did meet Aiden by accident. Athrun unintentionally dragged the poor boy along when he was taking him home. Who would expect Patrick to talk about Aiden anyway?

"Tell me, is this child..."The middle aged mother looked at Athrun and Cagalli back and forth.

"Y-yes" Cagallli softly replied and pursed her lips.

"He's Cathleen's brother"Athrun added and sighed.

"Fraternal twins?" Lenore gasped and tried to repress a smile. Athrun only nodded and looked down trying to avoid Cagalli's glares. "What does he look like?"

Hesitantly, Cagalli reached for her wallet and pull out a picture of her and Aiden. Five year old Aiden was sitting on her lap and had her arms wrapped around her lovingly.

A perfect mother and son shot.

Lenore looked at the photo and couldn't help but giggle. "It was as Patrick had said. He does look like Athrun back when he was still a kid" Of course, Aiden inherited his eyes and hair color from Athrun "But..he still has an equal share of your looks as well, my dear" She smiled at Cagalli and returned the photo back to her.

"T-thank you"

"I want to meet him"

The blonde's eyes widened and shooked her head. "I'm sorry. I don't think I can let you see my son"

"Our son" Athrun corrected.

Athrun's mother eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head on side. "But why?"

Cagalli has two reasons. One, Aiden doesn't know anything about his real father nor his father's family. Two, Cagalli wanted to keep him away from meeting people who could possibly take him away from her.

She shooked her head and kept silent. "I'm sorry but I just can't" She said and lowered her head.

"Cagalli..."Lenore tried to pressed on.

"Mom." Athrun spoke and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right now, it's complicated. Neither of the children know the truth" He explained briefly.

"WHAT?!"

"I'm still thinking over what to do, Mrs. Zala" Cagalli admitted softly.

Lenore's eyes softened and reached for her hands again. "Cagalli, my dear. The children has to know. I don't know what is going on between you and Athrun right now but..." She turned to her son and held his hand. "Nothing will change if you tell them. You are still their mother and you are still their father in the end." She said looking at the two of them.

"My dear, I know Athrun had done something he shouldn't really have done. One night he returns home with a child and I didn't know how to react. He was missing for nearly a year and when I came back home from a business trip he was there...cradling a child." She explained. "Athrun looked so confuse because he didn't know how to make Little Cathleen stop crying. "She giggled "And there was this one time when Athrun-"

Cagalli closed her eyes tight and stood up abruptly. She didn't want to here how Athrun dealt with her daughter in her early years. If she was trying to say Athrun had went to the same hardship she did to Athrun then Athrun's mother was wrong. "I'm sorry but... I'm not interested on how Athrun struggled to be a good father to my daughter." She turned a heel and walked away from the table.

"Cagalli!" Athrun stood up and called for her. "Just stay here mom"He said and followed Cagalli.

No matter how much Athrun struggled to be a father and a mother to Cathleen, it was nothing compared to how she stood as a mother and father to Aiden. Nine months. Nine months she carried her two children with care. Her love for both Athrun and their child grew and grew within those nine months.

But when she realized a nurse was panicking because there was a missing newborn she felt her heart sink. In the nursery she only found Aiden and the next crib empty.

At the same time, Athrun was gone. There wasn't even a note or anything close to that to let her know where he was. That day she lost two important people in her life. She started to doubt every person except for her family.

"Cagalli! "

"Leave me alone, Athrun!"

"Cagalli, wait up!" Athrun grabbed her arm and spun her around. Her face was tear-stained and her make up smudging at the corner of her eyes. "That wasn't nice of you, Cagalli"

"I know!" She said as she tried to shrug Athrun's hands off her arms. "But I can't stand your stories. Athrun, what ever you had to go through back then I'm pretty sure mine was twice harder than yours. I had to keep myself sane for Aiden's sake. I had to fight for not only myself but for Aiden. I had to try and keep myself from falling apart just to make sure Aiden is comfortable. I had to restart a new life the day you fucking left. Don't you know how hard it is not to think about what happened to you and Cathleen at the same time care for Aiden?!"

Athrun pulled her to a hug and buried his face on top of her head. "I know, I know and you don't have to forgive me for that...but forgive my mother." He whispered. "She really didn't know anything. I didn't know that those nine months, my father was trying to track me down. I'll admit I tried to run away from my father and his plans for me and that was partially the reason why I suggested we run away and elope." He explained. "But I really wanted to stay by your side and live a more comfortable life with you and our children."

He tightened his hug on her "I didn't want to get married to anyone else...other than you." He whispered. "and you have to know that Meyrin and I aren't really married"

"What?!" Cagalli looked up at Athrun shocked at the revelations. "H-how could you...do that.."

"My heart is already tied to you."He replied as he cupped her cheeks "And...Meyrin and I had an agreement. We would live together as a couple for Cathleen's sake but we really aren't married. "

Cagalli shooked her head "I don't believe you."

"Believe me Cagalli. I did everything so that father would stop shoving me to other women" Athrun lowered his head feeling guilty and shameful. "I met Meyrin a few years ago. Just before Cathleen turned five. She was the first person you could say I was attracted to after ...us"

Cagalli looked down at Athrun and thought whether she could stomach all of these in her head or not. "I like her...but I don't know if I love her...especially now." He looked up at Cagalli.

The blonde stared back up at Athrun at saw his sincerity and confusion. The man she had loved for years may be torn between her and Meyrin right now.

She separated herself from Athrun and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I-im sorry for acting rudely towards your mom"

Athrun chuckled and brushed his hands on her cheeks. "It's okay. Let's go back and talk to her"

"W-Wait...Athrun, Before we go back I have something to ask you."

"Oh, you're back" Lenore smiled at them.

"Mrs. Zala." Cagalli pursed her lips and looked at Lenore hesitantly. "I want to apologize for my rude behavoir earlier"

Lenore sighed and nodded her head. "It's okay, my dear" she smiled "I should apologize as well. I am a mother as well and I didn't think about your feelings towards Cathleen when I started talking about her and Athrun. I am so sorry"

"It's okay" Cagalli smiled. "I'm letting you see, Aiden"

"Really?"

"Yes"She nodded her head.

Excitement bursted in Lenore's chest. She was going to see her grandson. Her grandson who she had never met for seven years. "Have you two decided to tell the children?"

Athrun sadly looked at Cagalli and frown. "It's always easy to the wrong thing and hard to do the right thing" Cagalli sighed. "But yes. We're telling them the truth" she said determinedly and Athrun could only nod and cast a long glance at the floor.

"That's great" Lenore clapped her hands together and smiled at them.

Athrun Zala stared down at his shoes and tried to cut himself from Cagalli and his mother who started talking about arranging another meet up so that she could finally meet their son. What Cagalli had requested earlier bothered him and as if Cagalli herself had sent him to his death sentence.

"...if I tell the truth to the children and let your mother see Aiden" Cagalli pursed her lips and balled her fists "can I ask you to do something for me?"

"What is it?"

"Marry Meyrin"

"What?!"

"Don't worry, I'll fix the papers immediately and you'll have your right as their father to the children and we can arrange a weekly quality time with the children as well as your mom and dad...just-"

"Cagalli are you crazy?!"

"No" Cagalli looked away and pursed her lips. "Athrun, Meyrin cares so much for you. I'm not blind. I can see how she looks after you, how she cares and worry for you. She always talks about you whenever I see her. She loves you Athrun and she has given you so much already." She said "Don't you think it's unfair to keep her only because of your lousy agreement. Don't you think it's time to give her back what she has been giving you?! Be a man! You're better than this. "

"Cagalli!"

"It's either you do what I say Athrun or...I won't say anything at all."

"Cagalli, please"

"What we had"She swallowed hard and looked at him "are all in the past now" She forced a smile and shook her head."You have Meyrin now. I'm just someone you'll look back to when you've settled with Meyrin. "

"Cagalli! Don't do this."

Cagalli bit her lower lip and looked at him. "Athrun, this is for the best. For once please do something right. I was already a mistake." She chocked down her tears " Do this for the both of us, for me. "

"You're only hurting yourself more."

"I've been immune to it seven years ago." She croaked "She's a good person Athrun. She's good for you."

Athrun shook his head and looked at her as he felt his own tears stinging his eyes. "Don't do this, Cagalli please"

If you truly love someone, then you have to set them free.

The blonde slowly peeked inside Aiden's room and found him asleep on his desk. Aiden was hugging the his favorite crab plushie and was silently snoring away to dreamland. She smiled weakly and carried him to bed, tucking him neatly under his blue comforters.

"Mommy can stop crying for Daddy. Mommy and me are going to be okay without daddy! I'm gonna hurry up and be a big boy already so that I can protect mommy like Papa Kira does."

"Please forgive Mommy, Aiden" She silently cried as she combed his hair while they laid on the bed. "Mommy's going to tell you the truth but.."Cagalli sobbed "Mommy and Daddy can't be really together anymore." She pressed her lips on his forehead and cried. Her family can never be whole again but hopefully, Aiden will understand someday the choice she decided on. They can live even without Athrun.

One way or another someone had to get hurt and Cagalli chose herself. It was a selfless act. Meyrin didn't know anything about Cagalli and Athrun's problem and she only looked like a pawn in Athrun's plans. Cagalli wouldn't allow that Meyrin deserves to be happy and this is the best way she could offer her besides her decision would save Athrun a lot of trouble from his father as well. Killing two birds with one stone.

I kinda felt like crying really. It sorta brings you back to the episode in DESTINY where Cagalli asks Meyrin to look after Athrun but...this time Cagalli is the one asking Athrun to go for Meyrin rather than her. /3 sheesh, why do I have to write stuffs like this LOL.. Anyway, DON'T WORRY GUYS. THEY WILL HAVE A HAPPY ENDING... I promise. Throw me pitchforks if didn't give Asucaga a happy ending. XD

I hope everyone liked this chapter! and sorry for all the mistakes T_T

Tell me what do you think of today's chapter guys. So please do drop a comment just below this note. I'll be waiting.

Freyris